10 Ecofriendly Tips and Tricks for Cleaning Your Home

Are you wary of using chemicals to clean? These simple products and tricks will keep your home spotless naturally

 

By Luisa Rollenhagen - Houzz

 

Chemical-based cleaning products have drawbacks: They’re pricey, they may trigger health issues and their manufacture, use and disposal can harm the environment. So if you’re approaching a spring cleaning of your home this year, why not consider these effective all-natural cleaning alternatives?

Amelia Carter Interiors

Lemon

Lemons are nature’s cleaning wunderkind. They have powerful antiseptic and antibacterial properties and are a natural deodorizer due to their high acidic content. Here are some suggestions for how to use lemons in your home:
Have your copper pans lost their shine? Dip half a lemon in salt or baking powder to scour your pans to their former glory.Mix a bit of lemon juice with baking soda to remove stains from plastic containers. Combine lemon peel and white vinegar in a jar, allow to marinate for a few days, then strain out the peel to use the vinegar as a cleaner. A small dish containing vinegar and lemon juice will absorb odors.Rub a slice of lemon across your chopping board to disinfect the surface.

Meg Padgett

Baking Soda

Baking soda, like lemon, is another one of nature’s cleaners. Also known as sodium bicarbonate, this mildly alkaline substance functions as a gentle abrasive, deodorant and more.

A thick paste of baking soda and water can be useful in removing surface rust. A more liquid mixture of baking soda and water can function as an all-purpose light cleaner that’s particularly effective on grease.

Maple & Gray

Clean your oven. A thick paste of baking soda and water can be applied to the bottom of the oven to clean it. Let it sit for a couple of hours or overnight before scraping it off and wiping the surface.

Laura Hammett Ltd

Brighten the bowl. Baking soda also is a winner in the bathroom. Throw a cup of baking soda into the toilet bowl and let it sit for more than an hour. Then add a cup of white vinegar, let the mixture sit for a while longer, and flush.

Safely clean your clothes. Baking soda also is a great addition to your laundry room. When added to your washing machine, it can soften your clothes and remove any unpleasant odors.

Fun fact: If your clothes happen to be contaminated with uranium, add a cup of baking soda to the wash to get rid of that pesky nuclear radiation. This sounds like a joke, but it’s not. Apparently scientists have discovered that sodium bicarbonate will bind with depleted uranium dust and remove it from clothes, which chemical detergents can’t manage. Talk about an all-purpose cleaner. Nonetheless, don’t go playing in uranium dust anytime soon, kids.

LeichtCA / Architectural Kitchens Inc

White Vinegar

Mentioned a couple of times already, white vinegar is a weak acetic acid that can be used in almost all aspects of home cleaning, as it has strong antibacterial properties.

Vinegar diluted in water is an effective stain remover for various textiles. It’s also a great natural deodorizer, and can be combined with various other natural products, such as lemon juice, to absorb odors. Simmer vinegar with water on the stove while cooking to prevent cooking odors. Vinegar can help remove strong scents left over from fish, onion and garlic too.

Beau-Port Kitchens

Refresh your dishwasher. If your dishwasher could use a thorough cleaning, ditch the expensive chemical tabs and instead fill a dishwasher-safe bowl with two cups of white vinegar and set it on the top rack. Let the otherwise empty dishwasher run one cycle to get rid of any odors and bacteria.

Black and Milk Residential

Descale your kettle. Vinegar is your friend again here, although you can use lemon juice, too. Pour a 50/50 mixture of white vinegar and water into your kettle, allow it to boil, then rinse the kettle out once it cools down a little but is still warm.

Colin Cadle Photography

Make your windows shine. Vinegar to the rescue again. Fill an empty spray bottle with a 50/50 mixture of white vinegar and water and use a microfiber cloth to wipe down your windows and avoid any streaking. This also works wonders for mirrors.

Trunk Creative Ltd.

Keep those tiles sparkly. The grout between tiles in the bathroom can quickly accumulate mold, which is both unsightly and unhealthy. Remove it by mixing one part carbonated water with one part white vinegar and spray it on the moldy areas.

If the grime still doesn’t scrub off, add two parts baking soda to the vinegar-water mix to make a thick paste. Let the mixture sit on the grout for at least 15 minutes before scrubbing it off.

Ideas for Making the Most of Your Hallway

The Hardworking Home: Halls can do more than connect rooms. Here are hallways that house bookcases, cabinets, office space and more

By Laura Gaskill - Houzz Contributor

How hard does your hallway work? If it does little more than provide a way to get from point A to point B, consider if you could use your hall for something more. From simple DIY wall-mounted storage to custom bookshelves and built-in workstations, here’s how to get the hardworking hallway your home deserves.

Hardworking space: The hallway
The challenge: Hallways connect rooms but often lack a dedicated function of their own. In a hardworking home, every inch of space counts. Make sure your hall does its part by incorporating smart storage features that fit your home and your budget.
Good to know: When weighing options for modifying your hallway, keep in mind that it’s important not to shrink your hallway to less than 36 inches wide, for accessibility and comfort.

Maison Fine Homes & Interior Design

Design idea: Add wall-mounted cabinets.

Why: Add storage with slim cabinets without building into the wall. Unlike ceiling-height storage, wall-mounted cabinets allow room to hang artwork on the wall above and allow a bit more breathing space in a narrow passageway.

How: Off-the-shelf versions can be purchased from local home improvement stores or Ikea, for DIY or pro installation. For tricky spaces or to achieve a specific look, hire a cabinetmaker to design and install custom units.

Cost: Prefabricated cabinets for DIY installation can cost $200 to $500 and up. You can expect to hire a handyperson for two to four hours of work for a small to medium-size hall, at a rate of $30 to $125 per hour, depending on rates in your region and the person’s experience and qualifications. Custom cabinetry can cost $400 and up per linear foot, including installation.

DIY tip: Before purchasing cabinets, carefully measure your space, taking into account the door swing needed for the cabinets to open.

nARCHITECTS

Design idea: Make a hallway library.

Why: Siting a book collection in the hall makes for great storage possibilities and easy perusing. From simple ready-made shelves to a custom design solution, bookshelves are one of the most versatile yet straightforward hallway upgrades.

How: For a custom built-in like the one shown here, hire a carpenter or cabinetry professional to craft bookcases that fit your hall (and your book collection) exactly.

Cost: Custom bookcases for a hall can cost $2,000 to $4,000 and more, depending on the size of your hall, local rates and the choice of materials.

HBF plus Design

More custom options: If your hall has windows, consider using the space below for built-in window seats, with or without hidden storage. Slender bookcases between the windows can be outfitted with sconces to provide light, making the hall an inviting reading spot. Note that if you will be adding or moving electrical work, you will probably need a permit.

Lindsey Runyon Design

DIY solution: For a fast, budget-friendly hallway upgrade, add wall-mounted floating or bracket shelves. Shelves are available in different widths.

How: Use a stud finder to locate the wall studs and mark them with a pencil. Using a level and pencil, mark where you want each shelf to be before you begin. Try to attach at least one shelf support on each shelf to a stud — if you can’t get fasteners into a stud, get appropriate anchors for your wall type (ask at a hardware store).

Cost: Floating or bracket shelves can cost as little as $5 apiece and up to $100 or more, depending on the size and material. For a semi-DIY option, you can purchase the shelves and then hire a handyperson to install them, at a rate of $30 to $125 per hour. An experienced pro should be able to install a simple set of shelves in about an hour.

8 Beautiful Ideas for Floating Shelves

Rikki Snyder

Design idea: Platter storage and display.

Why: A wall-mounted plate rack can provide overflow storage for dishes and platters, and can take the place of wall art.

How: Plate racks can be purchased ready made or built from scratch by a carpenter or handyperson. If you’re installing plate racks yourself, locate a wall stud and attach the plate rack to a stud in at least one place if possible. If you cannot attach it to a stud, ask a staffer at a local hardware store to advise you about the best anchor for your walls.

Cost: Plate racks cost from $50 to $200 and up. Expect to pay a carpenter from $250 to $400 and up to design and construct a custom plate rack for your hall.

Legacy Custom Homes,Inc.

Design idea: Add a recessed workspace.

How: You may not be able to add a recessed desk to a typical hall wall, unless the wall already contains a closet, in which case there could be some hidden space there. Have a contractor take a look to find out what your options are. If your hall is wide enough, you may still be able to add a built-in desk, even if it can’t be fully recessed.

Anthony Wilder Design/Build, Inc.

Where this works: Entry halls and other passages that get a lot of traffic are not the best choice for a workspace, unless the hall is exceptionally wide. A better spot is a hall located off the kitchen, or in a rear area of the house with lower traffic. In this hall a small workstation is tucked beside a hall closet around the corner from the kitchen, providing a convenient workspace and storage above.

Cost: The cost of adding a hallway workspace is similar to that for custom bookcases — from $1,200 to $4,000 and up, depending on the size of your hall, local rates and the choice of materials.

Dijeau Poage Construction

Design idea: Boost clothes storage.

Why: Whether you have limited bedroom closet space or have a large collection of clothes or shoes overflowing from your regular closets, customizing a hallway to accommodate wardrobe needs can be a big help.

How: Depending on the size of your hallway and your storage needs, the clothes storage zone can be as simple as a few valet rods or as complex as a fully custom storage system. If you will be outfitting the space yourself, look for components that look good on display.

Cost: Individual closet components for DIY installation can cost between $50 and $300 per piece. Custom storage varies in cost depending on the materials used and the pro’s experience and location, but can run $1,200 to $5,000 or more.

aamodt / plumb architects

Design quandary: Open or closed storage? Open storage (as in the last photo) has the advantage of being easy to access and a boon for visual organizers. If your hall is in an area with lower traffic, open storage can be a good choice. For areas that get more foot traffic, consider closed storage because it has a neater, sleeker look. The hall shown here got a major storage boost with closed closets, while a full-length mirror provides a convenient outfit-checking spot.

Sigmar

Design idea: Wine storage niche.

How: Install a wine rack in an existing hall niche to house a growing collection of bottles, or have a new niche made specifically for the purpose. If you’re using an existing niche, measure carefully. Depending on the dimensions of your niche, you may be able to use ready-made wine racks; otherwise hire a carpenter or handyperson to craft a wine rack to fit your space.

Cost: Ready-made wine racks can be purchased for $20 to $100 and up per piece. If you need to have a new niche created, expect to pay a carpenter $300 to $500 and up.

6 Ways to Beat the Winter Blahs

Snow and dark days dampening your spirits? These ideas will have you looking on the bright side

By Alison Hodgson - Houzz Contributor

Remember back in July and August when we were all, “Summer! Ugh! It’s so hot and sticky and dusty and cluttered up with towels and beach bags! Blech!”

Summer, on behalf of all of us, I’d like to say how deeply, truly and unimaginably sorry we are.

I guess there’s no pleasing some of us, because here it is the beginning of January, a time that tries many of our souls for altogether different reasons.

Sure, back in December we were all, “Ooh, winter’s so cozy! Isn’t snow pretty?” Drinking our hot chocolate and pulling on our favorite scarves.

And now many of us are leering around corners when we’re not typing, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” Even though our name isn’t even Jack. And we don’t own a typewriter.

I think we all know it’s a bad sign when we find ourselves emulating a character of Stephen King’s. So what are we to do?

Susan Teare, Professional Photographer

1. Spiff up the joint. In other words: clean. I’m sorry. Whenever I find myself scratching my eyes and despairing about life in general, I know it’s time to grab the broom and a dust cloth.

To be perfectly honest, I usually read for an hour or so first, but eventually I find my cleaning supplies and get to work. My living room stays fairly neat, so during these times it’s actually cleaning I need to do, even if things don’t look dirty. I dust my windows, their sills and frames, the mantel and the tops of my bookcases that flank it, as well as the books themselves. This takes only a few minutes, and then I turn the cushions on my sofas and mop and sweep the floors, and everything feels fresh.

The Naturally Organized have known this for millennia: Life is better when the house is clean. Again, I’m sorry, but it’s true.

Big-D Signature

2. Take a bath. We all don’t have a bathroom with a tub or a view like this, and you may not be a bath-taking person anyway, but this is January, people, and we need to try new things. Run a hot tub; if you have salts or bubble bath, pour them in, give yourself a good soak and let the stress roll away.

Bonus: Many creativity experts agree that water helps with creative thought. The Greek scholar Archimedes, stepping into a bath one day, had an epiphany about water volume and its displacement. It’s said he shouted, “Eureka!” (I found it!) and was so excited about his discovery, he jumped right out and ran through the streets of Syracuse naked. Have a design dilemma? Jump into the tub but keep your robe handy. Please.

Freedom

3. Snuggle in. Winter is such a good time for getting cozy and cuddly. Life is made up of small rituals and simple pleasures. This winter I made of point of buying a few throw blankets and placed a large basket under our side table in the living room. Last night as the opening credits for Downton Abbey rolled, I pulled out the throws and got myself all comfy-cozy in a corner of our sofa.

Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

4. Get outside. You don’t have to be into downhill or cross-country skiing to enjoy the winter outdoors. Try snowshoeing or find a cleared path and take a (careful) walk.

Just standing in your yard and pausing a moment to breath the fresh, cold air will help. One especially bleak winter, I pulled on my snow gear and laid out on the ground, because the sun was shining and I wanted to soak it up. Given the time of day, I had to be in our side yard, which is entirely visible from the road. I’m sure I looked … strange, but I didn’t care and felt so much better. I never lie out in the sun in the summer, but it has become a winter ritual.

A screened breezeway connects our house and garage. The other night while I stood on the steps waiting for my husband to unlock the door, I sniffed the cold air and listened to the wind blowing in the woods — a pleasure peculiar to winter nights. And then I enjoyed scuttling inside and feeling the comfort of the warm house.

Amy Renea

5. Have a warm drink. Again it’s the small rituals and simple pleasure, whether it’s the coffee brewing in the morning or a mug of hot chocolate or tea in the afternoon. Many of us find the need to be abstemious this time of year, which is hard because it’s also when we are most in need of small indulgences.

This is a great time to try various teas — green, herbal or another kind. A favorite in our house is peppermint.

Simple Pleasures: Indulging in Teatime

Faiella Design

6. Light a candle or two, or 12. For me the lack of light is the hardest aspect of winter. Not much can change that during the day, but there can be a loveliness in the long nights. Candlelight brings beauty to the darkness.

I remember to light candles around the holidays, but too often they all get put away in the Christmas cleanup. I have LED candles to place in my windows but never got around to setting them up this year. I purposely didn’t pack them up this year and am going to put them out now. And I think I’m going to take a look at other decorating I usually do long before Christmas, and reconsider what I may save for later in the season and even after the holidays.

James Martin Associates

Making a Traditional Fresh Holiday Wreath the Easy Way

Even beginners can follow these simple steps, layering greenery and bright berries to create a beautiful holiday welcome

 

By Rikki Snyder - Houzz Contributor

 

Whether on a front door or above a mantel, few things convey the holidays better than a fresh wreath. Tracy Goldman of Sabellico’s Florist breaks down the process of making a wreath of mixed greenery into eight simple steps, perfect for beginners. Follow along to create your own fresh front door adornment.

Rikki Snyder

Mixing common lemon leaves, available year round, with seasonal greens like huckleberry, incense cedar and boxwood creates a textured look that's just right for this time of year. Bright red Ilex berries add just the right pinch of color.

Rikki Snyder

To create this wreath, you will need greens and berries such as:

• Lemon leaves
• Huckleberry
• Incense cedar
• Boxwood
• Ilex berries

You can find these at your local florist; five to 10 stems of each should be enough for one wreath.

Additional materials and tools:

• 8-inch metal wire wreath, clamp-style form (available at a crafts store or florist)
• Stapler
• 1 1/2 yards of 2-inch-wide ribbon
• Scissors
• Pruning shears
• Gardening gloves
• Hammer

Rikki Snyder

1. Lay your metal wreath form flat and layer the lemon leaf stems in first for a sturdy base. Trim the ends of each piece.

Rikki Snyder

Layer the greens between the built-in clamps, using a generous quantity for the base of your wreath, fanning the leaves to the outside around the entire frame.

Rikki Snyder

2. Add a layer of huckleberry greens. Use garden shears to trim the pieces to your desired size.

Rikki Snyder

Use one generous piece of the huckleberry for each clamp. This will add some nice texture without overpowering your design. Continue all the way around the wreath.

Rikki Snyder

3. Cedar is prickly, so you may want to wear gardening gloves for this step. Trim the cedar into pieces and place the pieces around the wreath inside each clamp. Feel free to play with quantities to get your desired look. Cedar adds a nice seasonal look, and the fragrance is wonderful.

Rikki Snyder

4. Break the boxwood nto pieces, starting with larger tufts and then moving on to smaller ones.

Rikki Snyder

Tuck the boxwood more toward the center of the wreath form to fill it in. Use the larger tufts first, then use the smaller pieces to fill in any gaps.

Rikki Snyder

5. Choose your red Ilex berries for long-lasting, festive color.

Rikki Snyder

Trim the berries and twigs to about the length shown here.

Rikki Snyder

6. Carefully place a small branch of berries in each clamp. They can be fragile, so take extra care when working with them.

Rikki Snyder

Your wreath should start to take shape and look like this as you add all the greens and berries.

Rikki Snyder

7. Feel through the greens to find each clamp and bend both pieces together. Use a hammer for any clamps that are more difficult to close. Make sure all of the greens are in place before closing the clamps, so nothing falls out. Tuck in additional greenery as needed to cover the clamps.

Rikki Snyder

8. Cut about 1 1/2 yards of ribbon for the hanger.

Rikki Snyder

Wrap the two ends of the ribbon around the frame a few inches away from each other.

Rikki Snyder

Staple each individual ribbon end together to secure the ribbon to the frame.

Rikki Snyder

Cut the ribbon in half at the top of the loop and tie a bow with the two ends. (See the first image for the final result.)

Rikki Snyder

This wreath will make the perfect greeting on a front door. Be sure to take it inside during any storms to keep it in good shape through the holidays.

Make Your Checklist for the Entertaining Season

Tailor this master list to help you set the scene — and table — for the holidays

By Laura Gaskill - Houzz Contributor 

 

Fall and winter offer ample opportunities to entertain, not only on holidays (of which there are plenty!) but also with more casual gatherings. And whether you entertain a lot or a little, having a well-stocked home can take a lot of the stress out of party planning. From setting the scene to setting the table, cooking to cleanup, pick and choose from the items on our checklists to create your own master list of party-planning essentials.

Valerie Wilcox: Photographer

Getting Ready

Accept your strengths and weaknesses as a host. No one can do it all! The key to a low-stress event is to play up your strengths and outsource your not-so-favorite parts of entertaining. For instance, finish a homemade meal with a lovely dessert from a local bakery or throw a potluck buffet or cocktail party instead of having a formal sit-down meal.

Keep things real. Your guests are there to enjoy your company, not judge your home or your cooking. If you’re not “done” getting things ready before your guests arrive, ask for help. Most guests are more than happy to pitch in lighting candles, setting the table, stirring a pot or pouring wine. And before reading the checklists that follow, remember that you can always rent party gear rather than buy rarely used items.

Caitlin & Caitlin Design Co.

Set the scene with:

• Vases and floral arranging supplies
• A go-to flower arrangement that you’ve had a chance to practice
• Low-watt lightbulbs or dimmer switches
• Tea light or pillar candles (real or battery operated) for ambience
• A few different music playlists — mellow for during dinner and something livelier for before and after
• Fresh soap, hand towels and a stain-removal stick in the powder room

The bar:

• Wineglasses and cocktail glasses for a crowd, if using
• Set of cocktail tools
• Ice bucket and tongs
• A console or side table for the bar, with bottles, openers and glassware gathered there

Branca, Inc.

For the table:

• Enough flatware and dishes for the number of guests
• Enough chairs (and table space) for the number of guests
• Chargers, if using
• Glassware, including water glasses for the table and extra wineglasses
• Tablecloth and backup tablecloth in case of spills
• Cloth napkins — one set each of cocktail napkins, dinner napkins and dessert napkins
• Napkin rings, if using
• Candleholders with unscented candles for the table
• Low floral arrangement for the table — try bud vases clustered on a tray, or a soup tureen filled with one type of flower cut short

Lorin Hill, Architect

The well-stocked pantry and freezer:

• No-cook nibbles, such as crackers, olives, nuts and jarred artichoke hearts
• Birthday essentials, including birthday candles and matches, balloons and a few emergency cards and gifts
• Basic baking ingredients
• Spices that are still fresh — be sure to give them a sniff, as spices lose potency over time
• Frozen puff pastry, pie dough and gelato or quality ice cream

Michelle Pattee

Cooking:

• A cooking schedule, especially important on big cooking days like Thanksgiving — that way you know you will have room in the oven when you need it, and everything should come out at the right time
• Any specialty cookware needed to cook the meal you have planned, from a roasting pan to a turkey baster
• A few spare cutting boards, so you don’t need to worry about washing one before prepping the next dish (also so several cooks can work at once)
• Knives that have been recently sharpened
• Two or more timers, depending on how many dishes you plan to cook at once
• Cookbook holder or tablet stand
• Aprons to protect your party clothes

stephane chamard

Serving:

• Boards, platters and trays — these workhorses can be used for everything from cheese plates to dessert
• Serving bowls in various sizes
• Large serving spoons
• Lidded soup tureen and ladle
• Large salad bowl and tongs
• Several trivets, to protect your table
• A nesting set of classic white oven-to-table casserole dishes
• Cake stands — for cake and other desserts, fruit or appetizers

Dalgleish Construction Company

Entertainment ideas:

• An activity that gets guests participating, like a Dream Tree for Thanksgiving or a smile booth
• For a casual party, an assortment of games and cards … and a rule book for common games, because no one can ever remember the rules when you want to play
• Show a classic movie (without the sound) or project it onto a blank wall — Hitchcock for a Halloween party, A Christmas Story for a holiday open house and so on
• A roll of butcher paper to cover the kids’ table — put a sheet of stickers and a cup of crayons at each place

Lovejoy Designs

Barbara Purdy Design Inc.

Cleanup and storage:

• Silver polish and soft cloths for cleaning silver, if needed
• Empty wrapping paper rolls for storing laundered and ironed linens without creating fold lines
• Stain-removing kit for treating stains after the party
• Specialty storage boxes for stowing extra glassware and dishes after the holidays

Start an entertaining journal. A simple notebook where you jot down what went well (and what didn’t) can become an invaluable tool over time.