CasaSugar

Are You More Likely to Hand Wash Dishes?

CasaSugar — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:00:40 -0700

While we do have a dishwasher, I find that I am a much better dishwasher than it is. Plus, I hate waiting until the dishwasher is full to run a load. There's something that bothers me about knowing that the dishwasher is half full of dirty dishes. Call me crazy, but I actually enjoy doing dishes by hand. What about you?

Have You Cleaned Out Your Fridge This Month?

CasaSugar — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:00:54 -0700

It seems as if there are two different schools of fridge cleaning. There are those of us who wait forever to get the job done, and then complete an hours-long cleaning and tossing project, and those of us who spot clean every week or so to keep the fridge fresh-smelling and looking good. Make sure to check out YumSugar's fridge cleaning how-to, and in the meantime, tell me what your style is.

Open House: Least Favorite Fall Chores

CasaSugar — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 05:30:04 -0700

Once the season turns, it's time to compile, and check off, all of those necessary Fall chores. From sweeping out gutters to raking up leaves, there's no end to the tasks that need attending to. My least favorite Fall chore is actually scheduling appointments with handymen and carpenters.

I don't have a problem with doing chores myself; it's the time spent waiting for service professionals, and taking time off of work to let people in and out of the house, that's difficult for me to manage. Plenty of my friends dread the Fall cleanup though, and often hire neighborhood kids to rake their leaves or clean around their homes. What's your least favorite Fall chore?

Source: Flickr User Sugarfrizz

Casa Quickie: Toothpaste to the Rescue

CasaSugar — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 15:00:32 -0800

Do you have a cast-iron sink that's plagued by scuff marks? Don't give up hope - or turn to expensive products. Try using a little toothpaste on that mark. Scrub gently, and the offending spot should come out. Just remember to use toothpaste, not a gel, for best results.

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Where Do You Iron?

CasaSugar — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 07:00:00 -0800

I love Arts and Crafts apartments, which often have recessed ironing board cupboards built into the wall of the kitchen, bathroom, or utility closet. These closets manage to combine convenience with charm, and also mean you don't have to spend money on an ironing board. However, most of us rely on shlepping ironing boards from closets to various rooms to press our laundry.

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How Much Laundry Do You Wash Each Week?

CasaSugar — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 07:00:25 -0700

If you have a partner or children, your laundry tends to pile up quickly! Efficiency experts recommend that families with lots of laundry get in the habit of doing two loads of laundry each day; one load can be popped in before work in the morning, and another in the evening. While I'm glad I don't have to do that much laundry, I estimate that we run five loads a week. What about you? Source

Garden Therapy: Leaf Relief

CasaSugar — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 05:30:59 -0700

If you're not raking up leaves in your neck of the woods yet, you will be very soon, so I have a few tips to help make the job easier. Once you've raked the leaves into big fluffy piles, consolidate them by raking them onto a large tarp. Then, drag your leaves to their final resting place, whether it be a backyard compost pile or in the green bin. Another trick? Run a lawnmower over your leaf piles, which will cut them down to size and speed up backyard composting time. Source

Casa Verde: Efficient Dishwashing by Hand

CasaSugar — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 13:00:42 -0700

I've told you before that using an energy-efficient dishwasher is the best way to go when it comes to getting your dishes clean, but let's be realistic . . . we don't all have one and some of us just can't afford to buy one at the moment. There are some ways you can increase your efficiency at washing dishes by hand so you don't use more than a couple gallons of water, though. To begin, put a stopper in your drain (not just the strainer). The easiest way to waste water is to leave the faucet running down the drain, so plugging the drains will create a pool of water you can use to soak your dishes. And even if the water is dirty, you can still use it on your thirsty plants. If you have a double sink, wash your dishes in one section filled with a couple gallons of water and then use the other one with hot water for rinsing. If you have a single sink, use some sort of basin or bucket for rinsing your dishes with hot water, so the dishes you're rinsing reuse the same water. But, before you wash, wait until all of your dishes have piled up; it conserves water to wash as many dishes as possible at once.
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Who Does the Dishes?

CasaSugar — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 16:00:29 -0700

The general rule in my house is that whoever cooks gets to sit out when it comes time to do the dishes. But it often ends up being a shared task. Who does the dishes in your house?Source

When Do You Clean?

CasaSugar — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 15:00:27 -0700

I've gotten into the routine of cleaning after I return home from work on the weekday. My dishes may sit unwashed in the sink during the day or my clothes on the floor after I've tried them on and dismissed them. But, I like that I can clean my house and then just relax the rest of the evening with nothing on my plate. This certainly doesn't qualify me as a domestic diva, but it's a stress reliever to be able to say "I'll do it tomorrow."Source