CasaSugar

Do You Reuse Your Hotel Towels?

CasaSugar — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:00:52 -0700

When staying at a hotel, I always reuse my towels if I'm staying for more than one night. Almost all hotels leave cards in the bathrooms asking guests to do so, and studies show that the majority of guests do. Are you in the majority?

Casa Quickie: Throwing In the Towels

CasaSugar — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 06:15:35 -0700

Lucky enough to score some fluffy new towels for your bathing routine? Make sure to take extra care when washing them. After buying new towels, make sure to wash them separately. This is because most towels will run when first washed. After the first wash, they're usually fine, though, so separate by color and wash as normal.

Desire/Acquire: Oversize Ruffle Laundry Bag

CasaSugar — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 11:00:02 -0700

Looking to add some girly flounce to your laundry routine? Then check out India Rose's White Devil Bag ($56). It's super cute, and who can resist heading to the laundromat when she's carrying her dirty duds in this fabulous canvas ruffled bag? Still, at over 50 smackers, it's a little hard to justify all that cuteness.

Good news: There's an exact match for less than half the price. Find out all about this great steal when you read more.

The Ruffled Laundry Bag from eco retailer Acacia is only $22.97. Made of the same sturdy cotton canvas, and boasting four tiers of ruffles, this bag is an exact match for the White Devil Bag, at a much lower price.

How-To: Be a Better Laundress

CasaSugar — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 12:00:00 -0700

Tired of pulling laundry out of the dryer and seeing that it's frayed or faded? Have you dyed your honey's tighty whities an embarrassing shade of pink? Don't worry, there's hope for you yet! You can still be an absolutely fabulous home laundress, when you use these tips.

Button-up pants and shirts, close zippers, and turn garments inside out to reduce wear from laundering.
Check for stains after washing and before drying, because drying sets the stains.
Don't use hot water unless you're washing items you believe must be absolutely clean and disinfected. Hot water wears down fibers.

For the rest of the tips, read more.

Don't bleach wool, silk, or garments with more than 5 percent spandex.
White sheets made of cotton not treated for wrinkles look best longest.
Inspect and pretreat stains and soils with liquid detergent. Use a bleach pen for pretreating stained white areas of garments with stripes or patterns.
Always wash garments with like colors to avoid those pink-stained whites! However, if you're washing in cold water, your clothes' colors are much less likely to run.
If you have a lot of loads, sort items into further subcategories, such as into heavy and light clothing.
Avoid fabric softener, since it leaves a coating on clothes. Use dryer sheets instead. Or, for the lightest impact on your clothing, avoid the dryer altogether and hang your clothes.

Source: Flickr User skenmy

Where Do You Iron?

CasaSugar — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 14:00:21 -0700

I iron in the kitchen because there happens to be a fold-out ironing board closet there. But, if I had my way, I'd iron in my bedroom . . . or my walk-in closet. I have a friend who irons on the floor of her living room. And of course, there are those with a dedicated "laundry room." How about you?
Photo by James Merrell

Casa Verde: HERO-365 Drying Rack

CasaSugar — Wed, 27 May 2009 12:30:11 -0700

I'm always championing hanging your clothes to dry, but if your clothesline doesn't look as picturesque as this, I don't blame you for avoiding it. Enter the HERO-365 DR-1 Drying Rack (inquire for price). Its lightweight, powder-coated aluminum, white and yellow frame has an adorable, retro, cutout trellis pattern. Each of its bars rotate outwards, allowing you to hang as many wet items as you need without hogging space during downtime. It also has a pull-up drying rack to air out your delicates, socks, etc. Who knew doing laundry could be so chic?

Casa Verde: Finest Laundry Powder

CasaSugar — Fri, 22 May 2009 06:15:58 -0700

I've switched over from the grocery store usuals like Tide and All to eco-friendly laundry detergents from brands like Method, Clorox Green Works, and Seventh Generation, and I've shown you how to make your own eco-friendly detergent. But eco detergents are nothing new. The Laundry, a Milwaukee-based laundering service, has been making its Finest Laundry Powder ($24.95), an organic, biodegradable, additive-free, dye-free, and bleach-free detergent, for over 50 years. The powder works with all washing machines, and with everything from fine knits to towels to tough denim. Beyond that, its packaging is environmentally conscious as well: order its sturdy reusable container with scoop once, and then follow up with plastic bag refills. Oh, and did I mention the packaging is gorgeous?

Ask Casa: An Energy-Efficient Washer and Dryer?

CasaSugar — Tue, 19 May 2009 10:00:09 -0700

Hi CasaSugar,

I'm going to have my first baby in August, and my mom wants to gift me a washer and a dryer to help me with all of the added laundry. I'm really grateful, but I'm not sure where to start looking. I know that I want something that's Energy Star rated, can be separated or stackable, and has a good warranty. Since my house is pretty small, I'd also like to have something that's not that big. Any ideas?

Thanks,
Jen

To see my advice for Jen, read more.

Hi Jen,

Congratulations on the new baby, and the generous soon-to-be grandmommy! A new washer and dryer should definitely help to make your life a little easier once your baby arrives, and I'm glad to see that you're interested in getting an energy-efficient set.

You'll definitely want to get a front-load washer. Why? Since front-load washers don't use an agitator (the post in the middle of top-loading machines) you can get more laundry in there - an average of 30 percent more. They also have a high-speed, high-efficiency extractor, which means your clothes come out of the washer dryer than they would from a top-loading machine. They're gentler on clothes, quieter, and are often stackable. In addition, they're much more energy- and water-efficient, using half as much water as top loaders. And while I recommend using cold water cycles whenever possible, if you have to use hot water, front-loading machines use almost 70 percent less electricity to heat the water.

So, what machine do I recommend for you? I'm going to go with the Maytag Neptune MAH2400 ($750).It's pretty darn small, at just about two feet wide and deep and 34 inches high, but boasts a large, 2.4 cubic feet capacity (the equivalent of 16 bath towels). It's part of Maytag's QuietSeries 300, which means it won't wake up Baby while you're tossing in laundry during naptime. It also comes with a warranty, can be stacked, and has a high-efficiency wash system. And yes, it's Energy Star qualified.

Why a Maytag? Well, if your mom buys this machine by the end of the month, she can save big bucks. Maytag appliances are eligible for an up to $600 rebate through the Energy Star program.

You can, of course, pair this washer with the Maytag Neptune Electric Dryer ($700), but since dryer technology hasn't improved nearly as much as washer technology, it's not as much of an urgent issue. Since these two machines are matched, they will stack easily. However, whenever you can, be as eco-efficient as possible and dry your clothes on a clothesline.

If you're not interested in the Maytag, I've also included some stackable machines in the widget below. Good luck with your new baby and your new washer and dryer!

Congratulations,
Casa

Amana 3.5 Cu. Ft. Super Capacity Front Load Washer - $598.00	GE Profile 4.2 IEC Cu. Ft. Colossal Capacity Front Load Washer - $999.00
Maytag Neptune® 2.4 Cu. Ft. Large Capacity Compact Front Load Washer - $749.00	Speed 27" Stacked Electric Washer/Dryer with 3.3 cu. ft. Washer, 7.0 cu. ft. Dryer, 8 Wash Cycles, 3 Dry Cycles, 500/650/1000 RPM Spin Speed and Centrally Located Controls - $2,199.00
Bosch 27" Front Load Washer with 3.81 cu. ft. Capacity, 11 Wash Cycles, Energy Consumption of 146 kWh/year and Spin Speed of 800 RPMs - $639.00	Whirlpool 27" Front-Load Washer with 3.7 cu. ft. Capacity, 10 Wash Cycles, 4 Temperature Options, Built-in Heater, 1,100 RPM Spin Speed and CEE III Energy Star Rating - $769.00
Speed 27" Stacked Gas Washer/Dryer with 8 Wash Cycles, 3 Dry Cycles, Automatic Dry Cycles, Extra Rinse, Quiet Efficient Blower & ENERGY STAR Qualified Washer - $2,299.00	Speed 27" Front Load Washer with 8 Cycles, ADA Compliant, ENERGY STAR Qualified & Rear Control - $1,599.00

Source

How-To: Remove Red Wine Stains

CasaSugar — Thu, 07 May 2009 08:00:28 -0700

Sometimes you can get away with treating stains at a later date, but when it comes to red wine stains, it's best to treat the spill immediately. If you find yourself with a ring of shiraz on your favorite white tablecloth, or a drip of pinot noir on a beautiful blouse, take these steps as soon as possible. I'll tell you how to banish stubborn red wine stains when you read more.

First, make sure to blot (not rub or scrub) the stain with paper towels. However, if the fabric is "dry clean only," skip this step and get it to the cleaners posthaste.
Position a dry washcloth between the layers of the fabric (such as the front and back of a blouse) to prevent staining on the back of the material.
Mix one teaspoon of laundry soap or dish soap and one cup hydrogen peroxide in a small bowl. Dip a sponge in the bowl, and gently blot the stain.
Review and follow any special washing directions for the type of fabric.
If the fabric is machine washable, wash in cool water and air dry.
If not, wash by hand with a mild detergent.

Source

How-To: Green Your Laundry Routine Without Spending Money

CasaSugar — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 15:00:53 -0700

By now you've learned to go green in the bathroom and the kitchen without spending money, but your work's not over yet. If you factor in the energy and water required used to run your washing machine and dryer, and then all the chemicals in your detergents, the laundry room can be a very unfriendly place. Learn some ways to go green in the laundry room without spending money when you read more.

Check your pantry to see if you have the household supplies needed to make eco-friendly laundry detergent.
Wash your clothes in cold water.
Use baking soda in your rinse cycle instead of fabric softener, which is full of toxic chemicals.
Only run your washing machine on a full load but not overloaded.
Ditch your dryer and hang your clothes on a line or drying rack, if you have one.
Reuse your dryer sheets for other household chores.

Source