Sharing is Caring, Especially When It Comes to Cleaning

How to Clean Outdoor Furniture

It’s time to start enjoying the beautiful Spring weather, but you might want to think twice before you have a seat outside. Like most people your outdoor furniture has probably been sitting around and collecting dirt and grime. It’s time to get that furniture cleaned up.

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Start by setting up all your outdoor furniture outside on the lawn, then brush off all of the excess leaves, dirt and grime that have settled. Next hose down all the furniture to rinse off easily washed away dirt.

Use warm, soapy water and a tough brush to scrub away all signs of stuck dirt. Instead of soap, you can also use a mixture of white vinegar and water.

Get a special polisher or protector for metal outdoor furniture, to remove any signs of rust. Wooden outdoor furniture can be easily repainted or sealed for even more protection.

Canvas coverings for outdoor furniture washes easily in the washing machine, but remember to put it back on the furniture while it’s still wet so that it keeps the correct shape.

Now that your outdoor furniture is sparkling clean, you can sit back and enjoy.

Decorate Environmentally With Bamboo Rugs

Thick, warm area rugs are a wonderful addition to the home. However, a fine area rug can be very expensive, and not always what you are looking for. Bamboo rugs are made from, surprise, bamboo, which is totally renewable!

These woven mats look totally different than a standard rug, because of the way the bamboo is woven. Bamboo is a grass which grows up to 10 feet a year, and new growth starts the minute the stem is cut!

Not only are bamboo rugs good for the environment, but they are wonderful for allergy sufferers. Regular area rugs can capture dirt beneath the surface, and need to be cleaned regularly. On the other hand, bamboo rugs have nowhere for dust and dirt to hide so they are easy to clean.

Bamboo rugs are very sturdy, and add an interesting touch to any room. If you’re looking for something environmentally friendly, new and interesting, then it’s time to look to bamboo.

How to Weave a Rag Rug

Weaving is an ancient art form that is found in almost every culture around the world. Some groups of people weave so beautifully that their rugs and other woven pieces are considered fine artwork. Fine oriental and Navajo rugs are prized household items, however you can easily weave your own rug right at home.

Rag rugs are sturdy, home made rugs made from leftover t-shirts, bed sheets or other old fabric lying around the home. They make wonderful decorations for doorways, outdoors or even in the kitchen. In a society that’s used to tossing away old items, rag rugs are also the perfect way to reuse and recycle.

Here are links to two different websites with easy to understand tutorials about weaving your own rug:

http://www.wikihow.com/Weave-a-Rag-Rug
http://www.craftpassion.com/2010/03/recycle-tutorial-woven-rag-rug.html

It’s a fun and easy project that requires nothing more than old fabric, or a piece of cardboard. Making your own rug doesn’t take a long time, and leaves you with a sturdy woven rug for your home.

When Good Vegetables Go Bad

Reducing our carbon footprint is about more than switching to reusable shopping bag, it’s about trying to reduce waste in every corner of our life. Just last week I bought a beautiful bunch of celery for a snack, stuffed it in my fridge and totally forgot about it. In just a few days my beautiful celery turned into a sad, wilted mess.

Celery is a wonder food in many ways. With only 18 calories per serving it is the perfect snack food. Whether eaten alone, or dipped in peanut butter or dressing, this veggie supplies a satisfying crunch.

So instead of tossing my wilted celery in the trash, I cut off the bottom of the bunch and stuck it in a glass of water like a sad bouquet. Just a few hours later my afternoon snack was revived!

For a fun project with celery, add all natural, organic food coloring to a class of water. Cut the bottom off a bunch of celery (it doesn’t have to be wilted) and put in the water over night. Wake up to a wonderful surprise!

Green Holiday Ideas

We found a few green holiday tips to make it easy for you to go green this holiday season.

Start off your green holiday by replacing your old holiday lights with new, energy saving LED lights. Not only will it refresh your holiday decorations, but you’ll use up to 90% less energy! That translates to some serious savings on your energy bills.

Save paper by sending holiday e-cards this year, or you can order postcards with family photos. Be creative with your wrapping paper by using the Sunday comics or magazine pages. Double up on your gifts this year by wrapping your gifts in cute, reusable shopping bags.

By following our simple green holiday tips it’s easy to save the world, and our wallets.