Fabric Care Tips: Ariel Experts vs. 100 Challenge

One of the things that we do on a regular basis around the house but often take for granted is the laundry. We are guilty of using just about any detergent to get the job done. How important is it to use the right detergent for our fabrics?

This was emphasized during the Ariel Experts vs. 100 Challenge held last Wednesday at Teatrino, Promenade in Greenhills. As soon we got in to register, we were asked to spot which one of the two models was wearing a new shirt. It was really so hard to tell that even as I have been the sole person taking care of our laundry in the last nine years, I answered wrong.

Expert #1 President of Metropole Laundry and Dry Cleaners, Inc.

Expert #2 Patrick Tan, Senior Store Operations Manager of Bench.

“With Ariel, our focus has always been to provide the latest detergent technology to moms to give them the perfect clean that they’ve always wanted,” said Ariel Country Marketing Manager, Danish Rahman.

“Ariel actually has a unique oxybleach system that consists of a bleach activator which decolorizes and removes the stain in the wash, plus photo-bleach, which is activated by sunlight during drying to provide additional bleaching effects and even enzymes that care for your clothes as it prevents ‘himulmol’. Through this advanced technology that removes stains really well, Ariel is able to keep your clothes looking like new.”

What got me really interested as the event came to a close was Ariel’s newest product that Danish Rahman mentioned. A stain remover that you just dab on the stained part, throw the stained piece of clothing in the washer and stain is to come off. I won’t have to do a second stain removing effort after the washing. Sweet!

As for Ariel’s over all performance, I can personally vouch that it is good. I started using it in 2004. It is not the cheapest brand, true. But the thing about it is, I only need a few scoops every 7kg load of laundry (that’s the total capacity of my automatic washer). Ariel certainly does its job and I really end up happy with how fresh and "himulmol" free our newly washed clothes turn out.

Maintenance of outdoor furniture

If you happen to have a patio at your home, then you will know how relaxing it is to just have that spot to spend time in, whether by your lonesome or bonding time with your family. This is why it is important to take care of the furnishings therein, outdoor cushions are more susceptible to wear and tear because of its direct exposure to heat and dirt. Make sure to do regular maintenance to prolong the life of your outdoor furniture.

House Cleaning Tip: How to Clean Wood Blinds

Unlike your regular blinds made of plastic, caring for wood blinds can be more challenging. First, you cannot wash it as you would regular blinds. But you can if it is just faux wood blinds. Wood blinds are high maintenance and should be dusted every so often. 

You can use a vacuum cleaner or a dry soft cloth to clean wood blinds. Depending on the kind of wood, even if it is of the sealed type, because moisture can easily get through and will destroy the wood’s color. 

Tips on How to Start Cleaning Your Room

More often than not intimidation is the reason why we do not get down to cleaning our room. When we get overwhelmed to do particular tasks, it is so much easier to leave it as is than to bother how to get about living in a better place.

First thing to do is envision your room being the way you want it to be – clean, that is. Never let the clutter overwhelm you. Set a specific goal of starting the cleaning project. Depending on the room you are looking into, if it’s a bedroom then make sure you make the minute tasks without problem like making the bed. If your project involves the washroom, then clean sinks will be the easiest to start with.

Get a hold of the cleaning tools that you will need and get down to it. Now, maintaining is another issue.

Airconditioning Maintenance Tips

The weather has been pretty crazy these past weeks. From the extreme heat, rain came rushing in during the supposed peak of the summer season. We all can blame global warning all we want, but from our end, we really can do a great deal by choosing to put a halt to its further progression. The little things count a lot. 

As for your air conditioner maintenance, it does help to have it done properly. It will become more efficient. Consider that it is a major appliance in your household that will bring comfort in times of extreme heat. Maintenance is a necessity if you would like to keep its performance at its peak and avoid it from breaking down. 

Aside from having it cleaned every six months to one year, depending on the frequency of its usage, you have to get a professional to look into your unit. This is especially true if yours is that of a central air conditioning unit. Call on no less than the professional like that of Houston HVAC. Usually tune up is done during the check up and recharging is also done. The condensing unit coils are also cleaned and the air flow over the cooling coils, as well. A lot of other things are checked and a professional is the only way that you should have it done.

Tips in Cleaning Chandeliers the Green Way

In celebration of the recent Earth Day, allow me to share with you, my dear readers an alternative method in cleaning your chandelier lighting. While it is true that chandeliers can be a sight to behold, when it collects dusts it is as easy for it to be an eye sore and a complete waste to have it hanging there not serving its aesthetic purpose.  

What you will need is a ladder high enough for you to reach the chandelier, two or three microfiber cloths (available in home stores), a bottle spray with a mixture of tea tree oil and water.  

It might be a challenge especially for those intricately designed pieces. The one thing to remember is to start from the top and work your way down then around. This makes the most sense, instead of having to get off and on the ladder while getting around several times. When you can easily wipe each element clean from up down then move either clockwise or otherwise. The process is easy, just spray the microfiber cloth with the mixture of tea tree oil and water then wipe each element of the chandelier piece. The second cloth will be used to polish the cleaned ones. Easy, right? Happy chandelier cleaning! 

Blow Dry Toughened Fridge Gasket

A fridge does not have to be age old to have a hard and non-functional gasket.  Did you know that in a few minutes, the toughened fridge gasket could actually go back to being functional again?

Turn on the the blow dryer on high and concentrate on the toughened parts of the fridge gasket.  Most service people would just have the part replaced altogether.  But here is something you can actually try yourself.  Just make sure the refrigerator is unplugged from the electrical outlet.  

Cleaning Greasy Fridge Tops

How do you easily clean sticky and greasy dust on the top of your fridge?  This problem is usually solved by a heavy duty all purpose cleaner or a solution that is a part ammonia to ten parts of water.   Do this if your trusty vinegar and baking soda won't do the trick.  Wipe the dirt off with paper towels.

Usually this will solve your problem.  Just make sure to apply furniture wax on the surface of the fridge to make cleaning easier the next time.  

A Tidy Accessory Place

Whether it's a closet a pull out drawer that you put your accessories in, it remains to be a challenge how to neatly put them in such a way that it will remain tidy for sometime before everything is in disarray again.  

For one women's shoes, can be a real challenge.  You don't expect them to just disappear a tthe back of the closet ifyou store them in wire racks or shoe bags.    You actually might want to make your own simple stacking shelves just for your shoes.  Whatever you decide on, clear and see through storage is often a plus.  

Washing Walls

It is way cheaper to wash walls than have them repainted. Sometimes all you really need to have done is have your walls professionally washed. You are more likely to save 75% of what you have allotted for a professional wall painting.

For those regular wall washing that you do yourself, keep in mind to wear a washcloth around your wrists to catch all the drips from the wet cloth. A wristband might do the trick.

Protect Floors

A rough textured mats will help keep the dirt at bay. You are actually stopping them at the door. Make use of bunion pads on the feet of the tables and chairs to keep them from scratching the floor. It also helps to place a piece of plush carpet, with its pile side down, under heavy furniture legs when you move them.

Use area rugs to protect carpet and waxed floors. Heavy socks could also be place unto the legs of furnishings when you are mopping and waxing the floor.

Use Old Clothes as Rags

Use old clothes as rags.  More often than not, shirts are the most fit for the job. They are the least likely to leave lints on screens and mirrors.  You might have some well worn shirts that are no longer decent to be given away, you can make use of those to help you with some household cleaning.  

The Wonders of Tea Tree Oil

If there something that I will vouch for that is a non-negotiable must have for the household. It can do wonders not just to zap zits, but also be your partner in cleaning your home.

The truth of the matter is, you can practically live on using just this as an overall cleaning agent -seriously. It is no less than the ever famous Tea Tree Oil. Try it for yourself, put a few drops in a spray bottle and mix it with water. Generously spray it on molds that could be inside your refrigerator or wherever, even the tough ones and you will see those molds streaming down in no time. It does not just guarantee easy cleaning, but it is friendly to the environment.

Think about your laundry. You can also use a few drops of this oil in lieu of the unnatural and non environment friendly commercial fabric conditioners. It does wonders and leaves fabrics clean and smell great especially during times when mr. sun won’t show up. I put a drop or two in my usual handsoap and liquid dish detergent. I also use it when I concoct my own liquid soap made from left-over soaps. Its uses is just limitless, to think that years back I just thought it was just good at drying pimples up.

Comforters in the Washer

One wise thing that you can do to prevent your precious comforters from clumping when you have them washed is place a couple of tennis balls into the washer with it.  This helps in evenly distributing the whole weight of the comforter inside your washer.  

This tip can also be applied in fluffing up those flattened pillows. Try it! :D

Keeping the Oven Clean

For someone who bakes a lot like myself, the one thing that I don't like most about baking is the clean up. I wouldn't want to leave my oven with all those nasty splatters everywhere. But tell me, who enjoys stooping down to clean up the mess?

I have no choice but to do it. What I have learned is, I don't really have to fuss over those stuff. Like if anything is spilled on the oven floor, what I do is just soak up the spill with a wet sponge or paper towels. Let it cool and dry, then more often than not it scrapes off easily with a single edge razor blade set in a holder. This has to be done carefully to not dent the oven surface.

Oven racks can also be cleaned by soaking them in an ammonia and hot water solution. The oven frame is practically self cleaning, so all I have to do is wipe, including the part of the door liner that is outside the oven seal.

Weekend Help

After having had a nightmarish experience with a former stay in nanny when I was yet working as a call center agent some couple of years back, I never once again entertained the idea that I could leave the house or my son to a helper. Thus, my resolve to learn the ropes of working from home. By far, I can say that this is working for me and I cannot have it any other way. I do my work from home and still get to take care of my son and my household by myself. It can be a challenge I know. A skill of juggling that you constantly grow at.

I should say that what takes most of the burden off of me is the fact that I can leave the major things that needs to be done for the weekend, when my weekend girl comes to clean the house. I cannot wear myself out and try to do everything and still work from home, can I? It is something you can do to. It takes a whole bunch of stress off my back and I'm sure it will work the same for you, if you happen to be in the same boat. :-)

Tips to Get Rid of Candlewax

An easy way to remove candlewax from the candle holder is to place it inside the freezer for an hour or so. Take out the candlestick and the wax will be easier to peel off. Wash the candle holders and wipe dry.

If you are in a hurry and cannot wait for an hour, then run the holders under very hot water. Cover your finger with a soft linen and push the wax off.

If candles drip into your furnishings, scrape as much as you can from the furniture with a fingernail or a plastic spatula. Rub the remaining into the wood with a soft, clean linen.

If it is a candle wax on the table cloth is what you are trying to take off, then you can make use of an ice cube to harden it and then later scrape off the wax with a spatula. Cover any remaining wax with paper towels under and on top of the table cloth and press with a warm iron. Make sure to change paper towels as the wax is absorbed. Wash the table cloth as soon as the candlewax comes off.

Shampooing Your Carpets

Do you know that that the easiest way to clean carpets is to clean it with an aerosol spray foam especially made for carpets that are sold in supermarkets? Make sure the windows are open to ventilate the room and speed up the drying.

If you can, do remove all furnishings that are placed on top of the carpet for even cleaning. If there are items that cannot be removed, wwrap them with aluminnum foil wrappers around the legs. Vacuum the carpet thoroughly, especially heavily soiled parts.

Shake the can vigorously and spray a small foam on an inconspicuous part of the carpet and see if the color didn't change. Give it at least 10 minutes, if there's no change proceed to spray foam over the entire carpet. When the carpet is dry, it is time to vacuum the entire carpet.

Kitchen Order

How do you get rid of kitchen clutter and put it right back in order. Go through each drawer and shelf and check for unnecessary items. No one needs four can openers in a kitchen, right? Give those extra items away to give way to a roomier kitchen.

Sort things out. Like the rearely used items and utensils, like the egg slicer, lobster claw crackers, cookie cutters and store them in the most distant drawer or shelf. It would be nice to get a box out that would serve the purpose.

Getting Rid of Collected Dirt

One of the things that one has to do after collecting dirt with a dust mop or a feather duster (if you happen to still use one) is get rid of it. Unlike a vacuum cleaner that has a designed collector, a dust mop has to be placed inside a paper or plastic bag. Shake the mop or duster vigorously to get rid of the collected dust and dirt.