CasaSugar

How-To: Rid Your Candle Holders of Wax

CasaSugar — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 14:00:00 -0700

I recently hosted a dinner party lit by dozens of candles, from votive holders on the coffee table to candlesticks in the dining room. Part of cleaning up after a candlelit soiree involves getting rid of all that wax. Thankfully I've learned a few tricks and tips over the years to make it easier. Here are a few of my favorite wax-removing solutions.

Before placing a candle in a votive holder, fill it with 1/4 inch of water. This way the wax won't stick to the glass and will be easier to remove.
If you skip the water step, after the party, put your wax-coated candle holders in the freezer for a few hours. This will allow the wax to shrink so you can easily pop it out with a screwdriver or other tool.
If the frozen wax doesn't pop out right away, try placing the candle holder upside down while it returns to room temperature, then try again.

Get three more tips.

Open House: How Do You Pass the Time While Cleaning?

CasaSugar — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 05:30:00 -0700

Unless I'm in the mood to clean - hey, it happens sometimes! - I have to keep myself entertained while scrubbing the tub or sweeping the floor, lest I get bored and move on to something else. Sometimes I'll turn on some trashy TV, but I can't really do that when I'm cleaning the bathroom. So tell me: how do you pass the time when you're doing your household chores?

Casa Shops: Alice Supply Co.

CasaSugar — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 10:00:39 -0700

There are two things I know to be true: I'm a sucker for good packaging (and color), and my cleaning supplies rarely see the light of day. The answer to and beguiling lovechild of these truths: Alice Supply Co. In hopes of giving mundane household items a little personality, making chores a little less laborious, and ending "the humble dustpan's days of being shoved away in a closet," former surfwear industry execs Maria Barnes and Raili Clasen founded Alice, aptly named after The Brady Bunch's witty housekeeper.

Not only have they infused sunny, citrus colors like clementine and lime into their essential household tools, as well as summery stripes, cordial camo, and fresh faux bois, but they've also used classic shapes and quality, durable materials like metal and wood. While you'll find plenty of lucky retailers peddling Alice products around the country, you can also order a sponge set, dust pan and brush, plunger, toolbox, garden hose, and bucket online - and at friendly prices. I'm convinced, and if housekeeping is anything like their hip lifestyle photos suggest, you can call me Alice.

Casa Verde: New Soap, Old Bottle

CasaSugar — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 12:00:32 -0700

We've seen some pretty innovative repurposing of plastic bottles lately, like that self-watering vase and Michelle Brand's ethereal lights, room dividers, and light shades made from the bottoms of soda bottles. But, what's so wrong with reusing them for their original purpose - storing liquids? Absolutely nothing. New Soap, Old Bottle, which sells new liquid soap packaged in old plastic soda bottles, plastic water bottles and glass beer bottles, is onto this. They buy name-brand liquid soaps and cleaners by the barrel, too, like 409 and Windex, so not only do they cut costs, but you know what to expect from the product (though it would be even cooler if they used eco soaps and products in the bottles). This business strategy helps clean up the environment in more ways than one - if only they would wash my dishes for me. Oh, and don't worry, each bottle is cleaned, sanitized, and processed before reuse. I also like that each bottle isn't slapped with a company's logo; it makes me feel like less of a sheep being herded by commerce.
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12 Recipes For Eco-Friendly Cleaning Solutions

CasaSugar — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 06:15:19 -0700

Have you started your Spring cleaning yet? If not, you can get inspired with my Spring Cleaning Checklist, which you can download and print out. The PDF lists cleaning and organizing duties room by room, to keep things simple. Since I couldn't fit all of my cleaning tips onto one list, I'll have to give you my homemade recipes for eco-friendly cleaning solutions here. From the floors to the windows, you can clean your whole home with solutions you can make yourself, for the fraction of the price you'd spend on those toxic, store-bought cleaning products. To see my recipes, check out this slideshow!
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Casa Quickie: Clean Your Toilet With a Coke

CasaSugar — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 14:00:48 -0700

If you're short on cleaning supplies, or don't want to spend the money on them, look no further than your refrigerator to get your toilet sparkling clean. Just pour a can of Coke over the yucky stains inside your toilet and let it sit for at least an hour. The acids in the soda will break down the grime. If your toilet is super grimey, use a couple of cans of Coke, and let it sit for several hours or overnight. Then, just use a toilet brush to loosen the filth from the bowl and flush! Your toilet will look like new. Fini! Who knew?
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How-To: Clean Up Broken Glass

CasaSugar — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 11:00:52 -0700

I broke a mercury glass votive in my bathroom last week, and I was kind of careless about cleaning it up. Long story short, I ended up with a piece of glass in my foot. Not. Fun. Since I don't wish the same fate for any of you, I thought I'd tell you how to clean up broken glass the correct way. The first step is to clean up the glass thoroughly and immediately. To hear the other (actual) steps, read more.

First, carefully pick up any large pieces and put them into a trash bag.
Then, sweep the glass as best you can into a pile and then into a dustpan.
Vacuum the entire area, even beyond where the glass fell, as it tends to shoot off several feet in each direction. Use your hose attachment on any crevices, such as the grout between your tile.
Now, you need to make sure all the tiny pieces are cleaned up. You can do this by dampening a paper towel and pressing it on the floor, making sure you do not touch the underside of the paper towel. Wipes, like Clorox Green Works Wipes, are great for this. If you're working with a large area, replace the towel and start with a fresh one after a few presses. You can also clean up these fine glass bits by laying duct tape on your floor and burnishing with a credit card to make sure it's smooth, and then lifting up the tape. This is more time-consuming, but works.
When you're finished, make sure to safely dispose of all of your paper towels in the trash can. Fini!

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Ask Casa: Shelf-Life of Homemade Cleaning Products

CasaSugar — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 08:00:45 -0800

Hi Casa!
I have a question about homemade cleaning products that I've been trying to find an answer to. I would love to mix up bottles of all-natural cleaning supplies but I'm not quite sure how long they last. Can I use them indefinitely? Do I have to make them fresh every time? Something in the middle?
Thanks,
KateDavis

To hear my response to KateDavis, read more.

Hi KateDavis,
That's a good question! Shelf-life varies from product to product. Most solutions, like my all-purpose surface cleaner, will last indefinitely. If you use herbs in any of your cleaning products, they'll lose their potency within a few weeks. Essential oils, on the other hand, won't go bad. For acidic cleaners, if you use lemon juice, the product will only last a few days, and you should be sure to store it in the fridge. If you use vinegar, though, it'll last indefinitely. Be sure to keep all of your homemade cleaning solutions in a labeled spray bottle. Also, be sure to check out some of my recipes for more cleaning solutions.

If you'd like to see expiration dates for specific cleaning solutions, check out this website.

Hope that helps!
Happy cleaning,
Casa

How-To: Clean Your Fireplace

CasaSugar — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 05:30:00 -0800

For me, the rule of thumb has always been that if I use my fireplace at least four times a year, I'll clean it at least once a year. I tend it to use it more often that, so I clean it more. It's not the most exciting task, but that's just the price you pay for enjoying a crackling fire. Ideally, it's best to clean it when you won't be using it again soon (i.e. before and after the Winter season). To learn how to clean out your fireplace, read more.

First of all, don't even think about cleaning your fireplace until all of its ashes have cooled - give it a day, at least. I'd also recommend putting on a mask before you put your face near all of that ash. This job can get messy, so lay down some newspapers in front of the fireplace to keep the ashes contained.
To begin, open the damper and use a stiff bristle brush to briskly and strongly clean soot and creosote buildup out of it. Creosote is the dark residue on the inside of your chimney and back of your fireplace.
Now, remove ashes from the hearth with a broom and dustpan or shovel into a bucket with a lid, and then vacuum the hearth to get rid of fine bits. Let the ash sit for a few days to make sure any live coals die down before you get rid of them.
Put your fire grate and andirons on your newspapers and scrub off loose residue with a wire brush.
Place your fire grate and andirons on an old towel and wipe them down with a rag. Wipe them down gently with steel wool dipped in metal polish, then wipe off the polish with a rag. Once dry, spray with a vinegar and water solution, and wipe clean. Then let dry.
Now, spray your vinegar and water solution onto your fireplace bricks, and let it soak. Then, use your stiff bristle brush to give it a good scrub. Repeat until clean.
Rinse everything with warm water and let dry. Vacuum the surround of your fireplace, and toss your ashes. If you have only wood ashes, you can compost them, but do not compost Duraflame ashes.

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Casa Quickie: Shiny Copper

CasaSugar — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 11:00:05 -0800

Copper verdigris is beautiful on rooftops, but the corroded metal doesn't look so good on your pots and pans. So it's important to keep them polished and in shipshape. As it turns out, it's not so difficult to do so. First, cut a lemon in half. Then, make like you're whipping up a margarita and dip the exposed face of the lemon into a plate of course grind salt (like sea salt). Take the salted lemon and apply it to your copper, giving it a good, hard grooming. Your pots and pans should shine like the top of the Chrysler building in no time! If you happen to make yourself a margarita while you're at it, don't worry: I won't tell anyone.