washing pillows

I'll tell you a secret about me: I absolutley HATE changing the sheets.  I don't know why, I just don't like it.  I love the feel of clean sheets.  I like to have clean sheets.  I even suck it up and change them (when hubby will help me) without too much fuss.  But I really don't like it.  And I really don't know why.

So, the first time someone mentioned cleaning their pillows to me, I thought, "Why on earth would I want to spend MORE time cleaning bed-related things?"

via

While thinking about pillow-related topics and how I probably wasn't being a good wife by not cleaning our bed pillows enough, I decided to do some internet research and found a couple of blog posts about washing/cleaning pillows.

This one suggests washing, then either hanging to dry or drying in the dryer on hot.  Sounds easy and wonderful, except that we live in an apartment building with less-than-stellar dryers.  It would take two dryer cycles to get them dry.  However, it's probably the best post on cleaning pillows that I've found so far!

Good Housekeeping says we should throw them in the washer if they start to smell. Ew. Smelly pillows.  Gross.  They also have ideas for cleaning foam pillows and feather pillows.

Of course, Martha always has the answer.  Apparently, I should be doing LOTS more with my pillows.  Dryer cycle once a month...wash them often... But, to be fair, I'm not nearly as concerned with pillows that sit perfectly fluffed on my bed as most people.  Perfectly fluffed pillows are not one of my top priorities in life.

Jillee over at One Good Thing managed to get the yellow off of her pillows, but I think if I just add a little extra Borax to my homemade laundry soap, it should take care of it.  Especially with newer pillows.  I'm not much of a bleach girl anymore.

This post on SleepBetter.org says we should throw out pillows after 18 months, but that seems like a very short amount of time.  Surely, if I'm better about cleaning them, I don't need to throw them out that soon.  However, that does mean I have to be better about cleaning.  Have you seen this infographic they did?  Color me disgusted. 

We've had our pillows for...a while.  After I told him about all these things, hubby volunteered to go to Target and get us new pillows.  I think I may have worried him with all the dirty pillow talk (hah!).  We can start over with these pillows and try regular washing.  Oh happy day?

Does anyone out there wash their pillows on a regular basis?  Am I the only one that didn't know I was supposed to wash them THAT often?

news: triclosan strikes back.

A few months ago, I posted a study I found on Mother Earth News and in the Smithsonian Magazine about triclosan and its effects. I was a little horrified and resolved not to use soaps marks "antibacterial" anymore.  I don't know if you've tried looking at soap ingredient labels, but they aren't there on most brands, and I don't want to accidentally be using triclosan on my dishes and hands. All "antibacterial" soaps left our home! (And we didn't even really notice the difference, to be honest.  I do most of the necessity shopping, and Husband hasn't said anything.)

Well, Friday morning on my commute to work, I saw a blurb in the metro newspaper about triclosan.  When I got a chance, I looked up the longer version of the story and thought I would share it with you.

A few lovely snippets:

"It’s a chemical that’s been in U.S. households for more than 40 years, from the body wash in your bathroom shower to the knives on your kitchen counter to the bedding in your baby’s basinet.

But federal health regulators are just now deciding whether triclosan — the germ-killing ingredient found in an estimated 75 percent of antibacterial liquid soaps and body washes sold in the U.S. — is ineffective, or worse, harmful."

"The FDA’s website currently states that 'the agency does not have evidence that triclosan in antibacterial soaps and body washes provides any benefit over washing with regular soap and water.'"



Find the full story here.

How crazy that it's just now being fully researched!

moment of motivation

Yes, I know you will all be shocked.  I had a moment of spring cleaning inspiration. Can you believe it?! (Don't laugh too loudly, please.)

 

 

Our bathroom is tiiiinyyy.   Perhaps one day I'll give you the full photo tour. Seriously, it would take two photos. It's miniscule. We've done our best to be creative with storage space in our little bathroom, and I think with this reorganization we're improving.

 

 

You'll notice in the "before" pictures that the wainscotting has become something of a makeshift storage when we don't have enough shelf space.

 

See?

 

 

 

So. I decided to condense.  The cabinet below had old prescription bags and lots of makeup samples and miscellany in it that I have collected in my three years there and Mr. Homemaker has collected in the last year or so.

 

I shoved as much as possible into the second cabinet, which resides over the sink.  I haven't quite sorted out what to do with the giant hair gel bottle in the corner there, but...I feel sure it will come to me. 

 

Look!

 

This meant that I could reorganize the sink cabinet to my heart's content!  I put in mason jars to hold commonly-needed things and put the taller bottles on the top shelf.  (see below) Isn't it nice? 

 

I found the shorter latch jar at the local flea market for a few dollars, the taller one was found by my mother, and the regular mason jar...I have tons of those for canning/general use.

 

 

 

I know it's not a huge improvement, but -- one thing at a time! With any luck, by the time we actually get everything organized and cleaned and decluttered, it'll be time to move to a bigger space!

 

Seems weird to show you guys my bathroom messes and give you a peek inside my shelves but... why not? It's an adventure.

 

Also. Check out all that sunscreen.  Guess you can tell I'm a redhead, huh?

cleaning my home...better

photo via

Recently, I started paying attention to statistics and facts about household cleaning products, home goods, and foods.  Things started showing up all over blogs, I saw books on living healthier, and I have to admit, I was curious. Apparently, women who stay at home and are around household cleaning products have a significantly higher risk of cancer.  And not eating healthy foods affects your daily health even more significantly.  I don't mean just eating green beans, I mean eating fresh, non-canned, still crunchy from the farm green beans.

I'm trying to change some of the foods we eat, and I also decided to change the way we clean and, I must admit, it has worked out for the better so far.

I did tons of internet research on products to use, ratios for mixing your own, and all the different ways to make cleaning products.

I landed on a fairly good resource here.  Just about everything can be cleaned with vinegar and baking soda, oddly enough.

I tried the all purpose cleaner to begin with.  It turned out well! It cleans well, and with the oil, it smells good, too!

My recipe:

At least half a cup of vinegar.  The amount depends on the purpose: more for all-purpose, less if you also want to clean glass. Max amount should be 1 part vinegar to 1 part water.
Water -- to fill up the rest of your spray bottle
Good smelling essential oil.  My current favorite is lemongrass because it smells clean.

Steps:
1.  Put vinegar into spray bottle.  Fill up the rest of the bottle with water. Put in two or three drops of essential oil.
2. Shake.
3. Use!

The only comment I would add, is that if you're not using the cleaner for glass, I would add a bit more vinegar -- just for good measure.  Because that's how I clean: if I'm going to put in the effort to clean it, it better be REALLY clean.