9/28/12

New moms listen up: Keep your kids healthy and happy by regularly cleaning their toys using these nontoxic ideas. Plastic toys can be disinfected and washed on the top rack of your dishwasher. For items that may not be strong enough to withstand the hot temperatures of the dishwasher, wipe them down with hydrogen peroxide to kill germs. And for plush toys, placing them in the freezer overnight will kill bacteria that may be harboring inside. The cold air will freeze germs to death.

9/27/12

After brewing your morning cup of coffee, don't toss the coffee grounds into the trash. Instead, grab some pots and pans that need a good cleaning -- cast-iron pans are particularly good -- and scrub them with the used grounds. The naturally abrasive texture will buff debris right off, and your cookware will rinse clean without the use of any chemical cleaners.

9/26/12

When is the best time to give the bathroom a good cleaning? Right after you shower, when surfaces like mirrors, faucets and countertops will likely have a fine layer of steam on top of them from the hot shower. With just a microfiber towel, you can wipe these down quickly as the towel absorbs grime, dirt and bacteria. And the grout in the shower? All the grime and dirt on the grout is considerably looser after a hot shower -- just scrub and rinse in minutes.