Sharing is Caring, Especially When It Comes to Cleaning

How to Get Rid of Ants Naturally

Ants | Flat Rate Carpet BlogGetting rid of ants can be a full time job. It seems like every time you get rid of one line of ants another one shows up. Bug repellents can work, but they also leave trails of poison all around your kitchen. Instead of buying expensive bug repellents, a few household items will help you get rid of your ant problem once and for all.

The number one top all purpose cleaner, white vinegar, also keeps away ants. Wiping down all surface areas with a 50/50 mixture of white vinegar and water wipes away the scent trails that ants use to get from place to place.

Another way to get rid of ants is to spread a line of baby powder, or plain talcum powder, where the ants are getting into your home. Theirs no fancy science behind this method, ants just hate talcum powder, and will stay away.

Certain spices and herbs have strong scents that repel ants. Leaving these spices in ant trouble spots will keep them from coming back. Some ant repelling spices are; cinnamon, chili, black and cayenne pepper, cloves, garlic and mint.

With these simple, all natural household items, you can win the war on ants.

Soap Nuts: The Only All Natural Laundry Detergent

carpet cleaning ny

Studies have found that the most common pollutant found in the human bloodstream is laundry detergent. Even from a very young age we are exposed to high levels of laundry detergent residue.

To avoid over exposure to detergent pollutants, try soap nuts. Soap nuts, one of the most fun alternatives to standard detergents, give you the clean you need without the yucky left overs.

Unlike most alternative laundry cleaners, soap nuts are actually soap! That’s right, soap nuts are the dried berries of the soap nut tree.

These little berries contain saponins, which create a sudsy lather that washes away dirt without leaving behind any chemical residue.

Soap nuts are reused multiple times until they turn mushy and gray, and then they are easily composted.

To see these little cleaners in action, check them out on youtube at http://youtu.be/wN5w_HMvsfQ.

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.

carpet cleaning ny

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.

The History of Daylight Saving Time

Yesterday, the second Sunday of March, residents of the United States entered Daylight Saving Time (DST). As we Spring forward, we take one hour of our morning sunlight and add it on to the end of the day.

DST was originally adopted in the US and much of Europe during the first World War. In 1916 Germany and Austria changed time during the summer as a way of conserving fuel needed to produce lighting in the evening. During the next two years the energy saving move spread like wildfire throughout Europe, England and Australia until it came to the US in 1918.

In 1919 DST was repealed because people generally woke up and went to bed much earlier than they do today and hated the new law. Some States kept the new time table, and others chose to keep the same time year
round.

During WW II the law was once again put into action, and for three years DST was in effect all year long. Between 1945 and 1966 every state was free to choose whether or not they participated in DST, until it became too confusing and in 1966 The Uniform Time Act of 1966 was put into place.

Since then various changes to the law have been made. For the most part American’s enjoy the added hour of sunlight, and only a few regions refrain from changing time.