CasaSugar

10 Tips For Better Vacuuming

CasaSugar — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 10:00:47 -0800

While vacuuming may not be anyone's favorite household cleaning task, there are ways to make it easier, quicker, and more efficient. Check out these 10 tips for making your vacuuming routine less taxing.

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Casa Quickie: Multitasking Makeup Brushes

CasaSugar — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 10:00:55 -0800

Do you have a few makeup brushes in your collection that have seen better days? Don't throw them out! Instead, move them from your makeup drawer to your household cleaning drawer.

Makeup brushes are great for removing dirt and lint from hard-to-reach corners, and are also great little dusting tools for more delicate items like sculptural pieces, vases, and chandeliers.

Source: Flickr User annia316

How-To: Say Goodbye to Salt Stains

CasaSugar — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 08:00:23 -0800

If you live in a snowy climate, chances are that road crews are keeping the highways and byways of your hometown ice-free with the use of salt. It's likely that you, as well, are cutting down on ice on the steps and paths around your home by using salt. While salt can be a great tool, it can also wreak havoc on rugs and carpets inside your home - especially in the entry, where boots can too easily track salt all over these items.

Even if you've had salt stains on your carpets or rugs for most of this Winter, you can still banish them with some simple ingredients and a lot of elbow grease. To find out how to get rid of those stains, read more.

Start by vacuuming the carpet to get rid of any dirt, grime, and extra salt.
Mix 1 cup white vinegar with 1 cup warm water, and fill a clean spray bottle with the mixture
Thoroughly spray the mixture on the stain, and let sit for at least 15 minutes.
Use a clean sponge or towel to blot the area - don't rub or scrub it, which could make the stain worse.
Repeat as needed. Allow to air dry each time.

Source: Flickr User lakbdesign/fergusandme

How-To: Keep Your Stovetop Clean

CasaSugar — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 14:30:55 -0800

One of my biggest pet peeves in my kitchen is a dirty stovetop. If you cook regularly, it's often hard to avoid spills and stains on the shiny surface of your stove. However, if you can keep up a regular regimen of cleaning it after you cook, you can ward off deeper cleaning sessions that may take an hour or more. Check out my tips below for keeping your stovetop clean.

Reserve one sponge (preferably with a soft side and an abrasive side) for stove cleaning. Every time you cook, get in the habit of cleaning your stovetop with some soapy water and the sponge after you've done the dishes and cleaned the counter. This will help to prevent crud buildup.
Every time that you have a bubbling or dripping pot sully your burners, clean the burners immediately after they have cooled down.
For trays and removable burners, pop them in the dishwasher.

If your stove is already dirty, find out about my favorite way of getting it clean when you read more.

I'm a big fan of using baking soda for stubborn stuck-on crud and stains. Simply sprinkle it onto the dirty bits and then wipe off with a wet sponge or cloth. For truly stubborn stains, use a more abrasive sponge, but be careful not to scratch the surface with it. I also sometimes use a vinegar spray, which reacts with the baking soda and helps to banish the stains.

Tell me, what are your secret weapons when it comes to cleaning a stovetop?

Source: Flickr User ILoveButter

Cool Idea: De-Solv-It

OnSugar Blog — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 05:30:00 -0800

Here's a post from OnSugar blog Maison Classique.

This product, De-Solv-it, is one of my little designer tips (but, actually, I can't take credit for it - since my mom turned me onto it!). I primarily use it to take off pesky labels and stickers from products, (but it can do so much more). It smells great and it's environment friendly. A bottle will last you a long time, even though you will use it far more than you think you will! Labels and stickers that would normally have to be soaked and scrubbed off can be removed very quickly with this lovely little potion. Great for removing "made in", price stickers, and logo stickers from accessories and home-goods. Love it! You can get it here.

Want to see more? Start following Maison Classique or start your own OnSugar Blog. Maybe your story will be posted here on CasaSugar!

Casa Quickie: Cleaning Soot

CasaSugar — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 08:30:20 -0800

If your fireplace's brick surface is marred by a thick layer of soot, here's one nontoxic way to deal with it. Just mix up an ounce of soap with an ounce of table salt. Mix with enough water to make a cream and then rub it onto the brick's surface with a cloth. After 15 minutes, scrub with a stiff brush. It requires some elbow grease, but it will help cut the soot!

Source: Flickr User Ted Percival

Casa Quickie: Shaving Cream in Unexpected Places

CasaSugar — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 05:30:28 -0700

Fed up with a foggy bathroom mirror? Then add some shaving cream. As odd as it sounds, using some cheap, white foaming shaving cream can keep your bathroom mirror from fogging while you shower.

For best results, use your hand or a soft cloth to rub a light layer of shaving cream onto your mirror. With a dry towel, wipe off any excess cream. Don't use water to do this, as it will cut down on the cream's efficacy. With some luck, this will help keep your mirror fog-free for at least a week.

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.

10 Green Solutions For 10 Fall Tasks

CasaSugar — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 15:00:01 -0700

While you're tackling your Fall cleaning and organizing campaign, you don't have to resort to toxic cleaners and methods to get the job done. Instead, try these eco-friendly ideas for getting everything checked off your list.
Source

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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