Household Hints Archives - Oh My Heartsie Girl

March 10, 2020August 11, 2020

How To Decrease Waste When Doing Laundry

One thing a lot of people don’t know is that laundry has a large impact on the environment. And that impact is more detrimental than beneficial. In the US, the average number of loads was per week for most households is between 4 to 5. The amount of wastewater from different households combined affects wildlife, eutrophication, and water systems contamination among others.

Not to mention that this wastewater contains chemicals, lint, finishing agents, dyes, and soil from the washing process. This is the reason why it is important to reduce waste when doing laundry.

To that end, below are tips on how to decrease waste when doing laundry.

Powder or liquid detergent

This is the most basic item of doing laundry and it has a huge impact when it comes to laundry waste. And when it comes to detergent, some people use powder while others prefer liquid. First, packaging for liquid detergent is thick plastic bottles, plus the toxic chemicals used to make the detergent.

Those two are big environmental hazards. Not all liquid detergents are concentrated, some are usually watered down meaning that you will have to use more bottles. They are more concentrated with biodegradable options making them eco-friendly. Powder detergents can help solve this problem, and the good thing is that you can make DIY Laundry Detergent or get readymade ones in the store. You can check out this article for more tips on the best detergents for zero waste laundry.

The washing process

While choosing the right detergent goes a long way, the washing process is also vital to helping reduce waste when doing your laundry. It is recommended to use cold instead of hot water since it reduces the amount of energy the washing machine uses and it’s not as stressful to the clothes as hot water.

Another useful tip is doing full loads every time you do your laundry. The lesser your loads are, the more often you will have to do your laundry. And the more the washes the more the waste. To be efficient, always do full loads.

Drying your clothes

The best way to dry your clothes is by hanging them and letting them air dry. It helps save wear on your clothes. Unless it is always cold and it will take your clothes more than a day to dry, use a line or hangers to dry them. Also, make use of wool dryer balls and essential oils. Using wool dryer balls gets rid of dryer sheets which are single-use.

Dryer sheets are also full of toxins and are non-biodegradable, making them harmful to the environment and your health. Essential oils are also very beneficial, from boosting sleep to fighting germs, removing nasty smells, disinfecting, and killing mites and fleas in dog beds, it depends on the oils you choose.

Bottom line

Every step of doing laundry has its impact, most of which are linked to laundry waste. Once you know the effect of each item or process, you can reduce laundry waste which goes a long way to creating a healthy environment. Use the above tips to help shrink this problem which is hazardous in so many ways.
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Related:
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Benefits of Natural Soaps

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August 7, 2019

Kids Will Be Kids: Safe Storage for Toxic Supplies and Substances

The term “kids will be kids” is a common one and used often to describe common situations where people expect kids to behave the way they did. Since kids are kids and curious by nature, it is important to know that you may find that your child explores areas of your home that you may use to keep prescriptions, chemicals, and other toxic chemicals. Because of this, you need to make sure that you keep these items safely stored and out of the reach of children.

If you are unsure of whether you should store medicine or chemical somewhere, get down on your child’s level and see if you can see or reach the item from there. If you can, it is not in a good place.

Below, we will talk about safe and helpful storage tips for all your toxic supplies and substances.

Common Toxic Chemicals in Your Home

The list below will show you some of the most common toxic chemicals that can be found inside your home. These chemicals include:

Motor oil, antifreeze, or other car chemicals
House paint
Bleach
Nail polish remover
Medicine or prescribed narcotics
Batteries
Insecticides and weed killers
Drain cleaners
Furniture cleaners
And more

Keeping Your Children Safe from Harmful Chemicals and Substances

All these chemicals pose a danger to your children and should always be kept out of their reach. If your child does get a hold of these items, he or she could be seriously injured or worse.

Follow these steps below to ensure a safe home and environment:

Keep all medications and prescribed narcotics away from your child, out of reach, and in a locked place. If you do keep these items in a cabinet, lock the cabinets. You can also store medications and substances in a safe
Always place alcohol out of the reach of children. You could store liquor and alcohol on top of the fridge, so as the child cannot reach it, even if they were to stand on a chair
Store all household cleaners including drain cleaners and bleach in a high cabinet or behind a locked cabinet door. This way, your child cannot access the chemicals
NEVER leave toxic chemicals or substances open or unattended when there is a child around. Always supervise the chemicals you are using
Make sure you hide all personal items that can be poisonous such as nail polish remover, hair spray, and more

Pro Tip: If you do use a lock and it does not require a key, never allow the children to see how you unfasten the lock as they can easily learn to do it themselves.

Create a Safe Environment in Your Home

Your child’s safety is number one and you should keep all chemicals and toxic substances away from them. Even if you store these items in the garage, like most people, you want to ensure that each item is kept out of the reach of a child.

As a final note, most chemicals and medications come with a child lock on them but not all do, so be vigilant.
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Related:
4 Things at Home That Might Need Immediate Attention
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Household Cleaners Without Chemicals
This post may contain affiliate links and it is a way for the site to earn advertising fees and I might receive compensation at no additional cost to you if you click on an affiliate link.

August 1, 2019

4 Things at Home That Might Need Immediate Attention

Image source: Pexels

Did you know that there are many hidden dangers lurking in your home? You may have spent sums of money beautifying your house, but there are little details that could make it unpleasant and even downright deadly if you overlook them. Here are four red flags that you need to pay immediate attention to at home.

Filthy Carpet

Carpets can do a great job of tying up different elements of a room together. An otherwise cold and dull floor can instantly pop out with the addition of a lovely carpet. However, that gorgeousness can become the breeding ground of molds and mites. Aside from dust mites and allergens, at least 200,000 germs and bacteria could be lurking in the carpet. If your nose has been feeling stuffy and you’re experiencing allergies lately, it might be time to clean the carpet. In addition to the weekly vacuuming sessions, you also need to deep clean the carpet at least every six months. This extends to rugs all over the house too

If you don’t have a steam cleaner, a natural way to deep clean the carpet is to use a mixture of 1-quart water, one tablespoon of dish soap, and ¼ teaspoon of white vinegar. Test apply the solution on a small area of your rug first before cleaning the rest. Deep cleaning can be time-consuming, so if you don’t have the time for it, simply hire professional cleaning services to do the job for you.

Broken Locks

How many times have you had to force open a jammed lock using all kinds of household items? Broken locks are annoying, but they can also be very dangerous especially if you have a child in the house. With their endless reserves of energy and curiosity, children love playing, exploring, and getting into all kinds of trouble. This could spell disaster in a house with malfunctioning doorknobs, locks, and deadbolts as kids could end up getting accidentally trapped. Do regular checkups of the locks around your home, including those on closets that a curious kid can walk into. Immediately replace rusty old locks with new ones. Double-check cabinets and drawers that contain sharp objects and hazardous substances.

In addition to replacing the locks, you should also keep a lockpick gun or similar tools on hand in case of emergencies. Store it in a safe place that children can’t easily access.

Leaks

Your bathroom may be a small space, but it can be one of the most dangerous rooms in your home. In fact, according to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 235,000 people end up in the emergency room every year because of accidents that happened in the bathroom, and the majority of this is caused by falls. Your family may slip and fall in the bathroom because of a leaky pipe.

Leaks are dangerous, and they can damage other parts of the house. Small leaks can spread and leave unsightly water stains, and replacing drywall or flooring that have been stained is not cheap. The puddles and moisture that form can also cause mold growth, and treating mold growth can cost you between $500 to $3,000. If you notice leaks in your home, immediately check what could be the problem. For a more thorough inspection, hire a professional plumber who can assess the damage and what repairs need to be made.

Emergency Phone Numbers

Do you and your family know who to call in the event of an emergency, like a fire or injury? Make a list of important emergency contacts and family members who can help for situations like fire, theft, injuries, and pest control. Make multiple copies of this list and keep it in visible areas like near the telephone and on the refrigerator door. If you have children, make sure to teach them about these numbers. You can also ask everyone in your home to take a photo of this list on their phone so they have a copy of it at all times.

These may sound like simple tasks, but they can save you and your loved ones a lot of trouble if something unexpected happens. It’s better to imagine and prepare for worst-case scenarios than wait for them to happen.

Related:
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March 15, 2019April 29, 2021

5 Cleaning Hacks for People Who Hate Cleaning

Cleaning isn’t exactly the most exciting thing in the world is it?

When you’ve had a long day at work, the last thing you want is to get home and whip the vacuum cleaner out. However, we all want a home that’s clean and hygienic.

Having a tidy home isn’t just good for your health, it’s great for you too. Clutter and mess cause us to feel more stressed out. It reminds us of the things that we’re not doing and makes us feel guilty, so we can’t truly relax.

So, how do you find the right balance between getting on top of your cleaning, and still finding time to have a life?

It’s not as tough as you think, simply making a few basic changes to your cleaning routine can help to take the stress out of your chores. Visit clean4less – cheap cleaning supplies for the cheapest cleaning supplies available in the market.

Our Friends at Easyway Maid Service, who provide cleaning service in Austin share some of their best tips on a few hacks you can implement even though you might despise cleaning.

1. Have a Clutter Basket

The first thing you’ll need to do when you start cleaning is to get rid of any trash left around the home. That means that you’ll probably have a trash bag in one hand, but in the other, find a basket or something similar that you can put small things without a home into. Spare batteries, scotch tape, and other things that you’re not using, but don’t know where to put can go into that basket for now.

While you’ll need to find a more permanent home for the things in your clutter basket eventually, it will help to clear up some much-needed space while you’re tidying in the meantime. What’s more, you may find it easier to track down the things you need in the future too.

2. Know Where All your Supplies are

One of the main things that make cleaning last longer is having to run around your home looking for bleach, or window spray when you need it. Rather than just leaving your cleaning supplies in the last room that you used them for, make sure that you have a tub full of must-haves in a specific place. This will make it easier to find everything you need as and when you want it.

Make sure that your “essentials” tub is stocked up with microfiber cloths, rubber gloves, and even green cleaning solutions that you’ve made yourself. Ensure that you add any items that you run out of during your cleaning spree to your shopping list as you go. This way you won’t be left without the next time you reach for a sponge or spray.

3. Do Ten Minutes at a Time

The more you ignore your cleaning ritual, the more things will start to build up. Eventually, it starts to feel as though you’re doing a spring cleaning session every time you get to work on your home. To avoid exhausting cleaning habits, try keeping on top of the little things. Setting a timer on your phone for ten minutes of tidying per day is an excellent way to ensure that things don’t get too out of hand.

You’d be amazed at how much you can do in those ten minutes. You might be able to put some clothes away, do the dishes, or even just clear up some clutter around certain rooms. If you have extra time in the day, you can always upgrade to two ten minute slots.

4. Invest in an Upgrade

How much do you hate cleaning? Is your desire to avoid it enough to convince you that it might be worth buying some self-cleaning tools? For instance, there are plenty of robotic vacuums out there today that can keep on top of dust and grime without costing too much money. You can usually get a reasonably good one for $50 or less.

On the other hand, there are also self-cleaning bowl washes that clean your toilet bowl whenever you flush – those are pretty cheap too. Explore your options – even your cat can have it’s own self-cleaning litter tray these days. You’ll still need to do some things yourself, but there’s nothing wrong with having help.

5. Set a Ritual and Stick to It

Most importantly, if you want to get on top of your cleaning, the best thing you can do is stick to a ritual. Write out a list of the tasks that you’re going to do each day if you need to and start there. It’s too easy to get overwhelmed when you decide to tackle everything all at once, and you’ve done no prior planning. Krafty Planner has one you can print

A good way to make your ritual more appealing is to add a small reward to it. For instance, save that show, you’ve been waiting to watch on Netflix until after your big cleaning session. That way you can sit back, relax and enjoy yourself after a job well done.

Related:
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I might receive compensation if you make a purchase after clicking an affiliate link at no cost to you.