CasaSugar

Casa Quickie: Lemon Fresh Kitchen

CasaSugar — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 07:00:00 -0700

To keep your garbage disposal smelling fresh, take half of a lemon and pop it into the disposal. If you do this monthly, it'll help prevent icky odors from building up, and keep your sink, disposal, and kitchen all smelling fresh. I've found that using a lemon that's already been juiced works fine as well.

If you already have an odor issue in your disposal, try using half of a lemon followed by a handful or two of baking soda.

How-To: Safely Dispose of Prescription Meds

CasaSugar — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 15:00:00 -0800

No matter how diligent I am about trying to keep my bathroom shelves clutter-free, they still seem to eventually get overrun by prescription medications that have a pill or two left in the bottom of the bottle. It's definitely a no-no to keep prescription medications sitting around your home, especially if they're past their expiration date.

To find out the right and wrong ways to rid your home of this potentially dangerous clutter, check out my tips when you read more.

Take all out-of-date prescription meds off your shelves, but not so fast - if you’re considering tossing them down your drain, think again. Medications such as Zoloft have been found in lakes and rivers and are inhibiting algae growth and aquatic health. Trace amounts of antibiotics and estrogen are also showing up in your drinking water. To prevent further contamination, don't flush your medication down the sink or toilet.
Ask your pharmacist if he or she can take back medications. Some pharmacies, such as Elephant Pharmacy and Kaiser Permanente, are taking back medications.
Call your city or state to ask about drug disposal programs, such as this one in Maine..
If you must put your medications in the trash, keep them in their original childproof and watertight containers. Leave the label on, but scratch out your name, your doctor’s name, and your address to protect your privacy. Add some water or vinegar to pills to render them useless. For liquids, add some flour or kitty litter. You can conceal the bottles by tying them up in plastic bags before throwing them out.
The bottom line is that there's no perfect way to dispose of prescription medications. The EPA is currently working on a more comprehensive drug recycling program, but for now, try to keep your meds out of the water and waste stream, and organize on the local, city, or state level to demand a better solution.

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Casa Quickie: Garbage Disposal

CasaSugar — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 15:00:07 -0700

To keep your garbage disposal smelling fresh, take half of a lemon and pop it into the disposal. If you do this monthly, it'll help prevent icky odors from building up, and keep your sink, disposal, and kitchen all smelling fresh. I've found that using a lemon that's already been juiced works fine as well. If you already have an odor issue in your disposal, try using half of a lemon followed by a handful or two of baking soda.

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Link Time!

CasaSugar — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 14:00:00 -0800

Meet artist Jen Stark and her colorful paper world.- 2Modern
Learn how to keep your laundry healthy.- AT:LA
Check out some tips for hanging a flat screen over your fireplace.- AT:SF
Tips for garbage disposal maintenance are a must read.- Charles & Hudson
A knitted wing chair slipcover is an impressive feat.- Craft
Moustache design is everywhere.- Shelterrific
Take a tour of stylist Lili Diallo's Brooklyn loft. - Domino

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How-To: Ten Household Uses For White Vinegar

CasaSugar — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 07:00:26 -0700

Not so long ago, I told you about some of the ways you can use baking soda around your house. Now, I've got some great uses for another eco-friendly product: white vinegar. Not only is white vinegar eco, it's also cheap: You can buy a gallon of white vinegar for less than $3.

The word "vinegar" is from the French term vin aigre, meaning "sour wine." White vinegar is made from allowing a distilled alcohol, like white wine, vodka, or gin, to oxidize. This changes the chemical components of the alcohol, making it more sour, but also more useful.

To find out how you can use white vinegar for your household cleaning, read more.

Need some scouring power? Combine 1/4 cup baking soda with one tablespoon liquid detergent. Add a little white distilled vinegar so your paste has a creamy texture.
Do you have a stinky garbage disposal? Freeze white vinegar in an ice cube tray, then drop several cubes down the disposal while running cold water through it.
Get rid of soap scum in your dishwasher by pouring a cup of white distilled vinegar inside the empty machine and running it through an entire cycle
Remove tea and coffee stains from mugs by scrubbing them with salt and distilled vinegar.
Polish chrome sink fixtures with a paste made of two tablespoons salt and one teaspoon white distilled vinegar.
Clean tarnished copper and pewter with a paste using equal amounts of white distilled vinegar and table salt.
Oops! Did you leave wet laundry in the washing machine? Banish the musty smell by pouring two cups of white distilled vinegar in the machine and washing the clothes in hot water. Run the clothes through again with detergent.
Kill bathroom germs with white vinegar in a spray bottle. Wipe clean.
Get your brights brighter by adding 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar to your rinse cycle.
Your steam iron will work best if it doesn't have pesky mineral deposits in the steam vents and spray nozzles. Fill the water chamber with a mix of white vinegar and distilled water. Set it upright and let it steam for a few minutes. After the iron is cool, rinse the chamber with water, refill with water, and shake the water through the vents.

Do you have other household uses for white vinegar? Tell me about them by commenting below!
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Link Time!

CasaSugar — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 14:00:27 -0800

Brisbane-based photographer Jared Fowler takes relaxed, cool interior shots.- Desire to Inspire
Find out all about the remaining Top Design contestants' signature styles. - PointClickHome
In the market for a garbage disposal? Make sure you choose the right one.- Charles and Hudson
Download some cute gift tags. - Craft
Share some random reflections on a beautiful Fall day.- Danny Seo
Take Thomas Paul off the pendant lamps and put him on your floor.- Shelterrific
Some prisons are going green.- Forecast Earth
Take your pick of these gorgeous, artsy 2009 calendars.- PoppyTalk
She's back in the Bay Area, and wants to send some shout-outs.- SFGirlByBay

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Casa Capsule

CasaSugar — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 10:02:19 -0700

I showed you how to get the timberland look.
I rounded up some gifts for dad's home office.
There's a great book out about stylish backyard hideaways.
Lemons are a natural way to clean your garbage disposal.
There's an easy way to green your laundry routine.
I'm curious: What's off limits at your casa?
How well do you know Kelly Wearstler?
Mariska Hargitay's selling her penthouse. Go check it out, it's gorgeous!

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Open House Recap: Top 10 House-Cleaning Shortcuts

CasaSugar — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 11:29:23 -0700

Ever since I saw this list of 10 things you can stop cleaning right now - much of which involves disposing of things rather than washing them - I've been wondering how we can make housework easier without making landfills fuller. So in the Open House this weekend, I asked you guys to share your house-cleaning shortcuts.

Several users mentioned the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, which is also one of my must-have cleaning tools. The mysterious sponge manages to remove weird stains that nothing else seems to get off. But that's only the beginning! To see 10 more invaluable household hints, read more

Shadesoftrue: This user offers two great alternatives to throwing away dirty shower-curtain liners: "I use Method daily shower spray after each shower to prevent scum buildup, and I throw my clear heavy-duty vinyl shower curtain in the washing machine and it works... just make sure it's on cold."
Rothchild: "My secret weapon lately is the Magic Eraser. It cleans most surfaces so well (just don't use it on hardwood or painted surfaces). I never thought I would be able to wipe down the brown gunk buildup on my range, but it worked."
Saruuh: "Whenever I have leftover soda or beer, I pour it in the toilet. The carbonation keeps the bowl clean between cleanings."
Vintagesugar: "Here is a good tip for cleaning out tiny yucky spaces, like that place inside your electric toothbrush where nothing fits: Pour in a little hydrogen peroxide, which you certainly have on hand for first aid purposes. The bubbling bleach cleans out any gook and can be rinsed out."
Bettyg53: "I use lemons and salt to clean cutting boards then do the same to scrub down the kitchen sink. Slice up leftover lemon and throw down the garbage disposal."
Terriann: "Low lighting and candles will make your place look fabulous in the evening even if it's not immaculate. Tealight holders and plain unscented tealight candles are cheap and, when placed all over the room, they really make your home twinkle. Line them up on the dining room table for a simple elegant centerpiece too."
Lara16: "I buy cheap washcloths at Target and use them during the week to clean up counters, floors, dry my hands, etc. I use them for everything. I then throw them in the washer along with my regular towels, and they are ready to be used again."
BloodyFuFu: "I've recently started using a solution of dish soap, water, and a very small amount of bleach to clean just about everything. I have a spray bottle full of it and I use is on the tubs, the counter, the stove, even the carpet for little spots. It does away with having a ton of specialized cleaners and, depending on the soap you use, can smell pretty good too."
Ella1978: "If you have a stain on your floor (not wood) or your counter that you cannot get out, Clorox makes this product, a Liquid Gel Cleaner. It's blue-ish green, clear bottle ... let it sit on a wine stain or Kool-Aid stain on your counter for a few minutes, wipe, it's gone! It's great."
Cocoa: "Slice up a lemon and put it in a microwave safe bowl. Add water and microwave for about five minutes. All the mess will come off with ease, and it smells great afterwards."