I like to do my bit for the planet by doing things like recycling and not using plastic bags for my grocery shopping, but my girlfriend takes green issues even more seriously. Recently she started trying out all kinds of DIY cleaning tips using eco-friendly products. To my surprise these strange concoctions made from things like baking soda and vinegar actually seem to do the trick. As well as being good for your apartment’s air quality, you can cut down on packaging and reduce the number of cleaning products you need, and save money at the same time. Here are some of the green cleaning tricks I’ve picked up, which you can try out for yourself next time you’re cleaning your apartment.
Upholstery - Baking soda works wonders at removing stains from upholstery. To get rid of spots of greasy food on a polyester seat or cushion, rub dry baking soda into it and then brush off. Vinyl seats such as recliners or barstools can be cleaned by using baking soda mixed to a paste with water.
Metal Surfaces - You can bring the shine back to a stainless steel sink by cleaning it with baking soda sprinkled onto a damp cloth. You can clean chrome faucets and other fittings by using a paste of baking soda and water and buffing dry. This works on metal barstools as well.
Flooring - To stop spills from staining carpet, remove any solids and then pour club soda onto the area. You’ll need to act quickly and do this as soon as the spill happens. The club soda will help bring the spill to the surface and stop staining. When vacuuming, add baking soda and a few drops of a pleasant smelling essential oil to the bag to reduce unpleasant odors.
Wooden Furniture - Ditch the synthetic spray polish and use olive oil mixed with a small amount of lemon juice instead. Rubbing mayonnaise on water marks helps shift them, and lemon juice helps remove heat marks from wood.
Laundry - Adding a spoonful of washing soda crystals to each wash makes hard water softer and reduces how much regular laundry powder you need to use. Stubborn stains, including red wine, tomato sauce and curry, can be removed from clothes by soaking them overnight in a mixture of 1 cup of washing soda to 1 pint of water and then washing as normal.
Bathroom - Use an old toothbrush and a paste of baking soda and water to clean up old grout on tiles around the tub. Scrub shower curtains with baking soda or a few drops of white vinegar to remove mildew. Pouring half a cup of baking soda and 1 cup of vinegar down the plughole in the sink and tub can unclog blocked drains and if you do this regularly can prevent future blockages. The same mixture can be used to remove lime scale deposits from a showerhead - leave it to soak in the mixture for an hour before running hot water through it.
Kitchen - Soaking greasy roasting tins in hot water and baking soda to loosen the grease and encrusted food makes them much easier to clean. An effective multi-surface cleaner can be made from 2 cups of hot water, 2 teaspoons of lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of borax, 1 teaspoon of baking soda and a drop of washing-up liquid. A homemade disinfectant can be made from 2 cups of water, 3 tablespoons of washing-up liquid and 25 drops of tea tree oil.
Windows and mirrors - A really simple way of cleaning windows and mirrors that really works is to spray undiluted white vinegar onto the surface and then buff to a shine using scrunched up newspaper or a paper towel.
Simon Phillips is a writer, interior design enthusiast and co-founder of GetBarstools.com. He loves finding eco-friendly, money-saving ideas for the home.
With the holidays so near, I know everyone is searching for the perfect holiday treat to make! ForRent.com wants to provide you with our holiday recipe tips. The first six are regarding essential holiday pantry items and the remaining six are holiday treat recipes!
6 Essential Holiday Pantry Items:
Chocolate Morsels
Pam Cooking Spray
Vanilla Extract
Holiday Candy
Sprinkles/Food Coloring
Cookie Cutters
During our annual Marketing Department treat exchange, here were six of our favorite treats that were brought. You’ll see that some of them require one of the essential holiday pantry items mentioned previously!
Preheat oven to 350-400 degrees. Line a 9 X 11 jelly roll pan with aluminum foil and spray with Pam. Place saltines, edge to edge, over the bottom of the pan. Melt butter, add sugar and bring to a boil. Boil about 3 minutes to dissolve sugar. Spoon (not pour) over the saltines and then settle the saltines and bake for about 5 minutes. The saltines will look like they are floating. Turn off the oven and remove saltines. Sprinkle chocolate chips over crackers and return to oven until they are melted then add almonds if desired. Cool a bit then cut (but do not try to separate- too runny still) and sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired. Refrigerate until hard then break into pieces, removing foil from the back of the crackers.
Peppermint-Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
Ingredients:
1 (16.5 ounce) tube refrigerated sugar cookie dough
1/4 cup all-purpose flour plus extra for dusting
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips, divided
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon pure peppermint extract
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
Directions:
Decorating suggestion: crushed candy canes or peppermint candies; white, red and green sprinkles; or red and green decorating sugar
Special equipment: a 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter, and a ½ ounce cookie scoop
Position an oven rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, knead together the cookie dough and 1/4 cup flour until smooth. Lightly flour a work surface. Roll out the dough to 1/4-inch thick. Using a 2 1/2-inch cookie cutter, cut out circles from the dough. Knead together any scraps of dough and roll out again. Continue to cut out pastry circles until there are 24 pieces in total. Place the dough circles on the prepared baking sheets. Bake until the cookies are slightly golden around the edges, about 10 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Reserve 1 parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
Combine 1 cup of chocolate chips and the cream in a small bowl. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water and stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Whisk in the peppermint extract and refrigerate the mixture for 1 hour. Using a 1/2-ounce cookie scoop or a tablespoon measure, place the chocolate mixture in the center of the flat side of 12 of the cookies. Place the remaining cookies on top and gently squeeze to distribute the filling evenly. Place on a baking sheet and freeze until the filling has set, about 25 minutes.
Combine the remaining chocolate chips and the vegetable oil in a small bowl. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water and stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Dip the top of each cookie in the melted chocolate and return to the baking sheet. Sprinkle the tops with crushed candy canes or peppermint candies. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Store in an airtight plastic container.
Christmas Cupcakes
Ingredients:
Pillsbury Cake Mix Funfetti
Duncan Hines Classic Vanilla Frosting
Eggs
Vegetable Oil
Baking Cups Directions:
Follow directions on the box for cooking cup cakes. After cup cakes have cooled, put vanilla frosting on the cup cakes. For extra decoration, you can use holiday colored sprinkles!
Peppermint Bark Ingredients:
12 oz bag of White Chocolate Morsels
12 oz bag of Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
8 regular sized Candy Canes
Directions:
Lightly grease a large cookie sheet. Break up candy canes into one inch pieces and put into a sturdy plastic bag. Crush candy canes inside the bag until they are in very small pieces. Next, put the semi-sweet chocolate morsels into a bowl and put in the microwave for 1 minute; stir in 15 second increments until it is completely melted. Pour melted chocolate on the cookie sheet and spread to make a thing layer. Put the white chocolate morsels in a bowl and repeat microwave cycle (while white chocolate is in the microwave, put baking sheet of semi-sweet chocolate in refrigerator for cooling). Once melted, stir in ½ of the candy cane pieces and spread on top of semi-sweet chocolate layer. Top with the remaining pieces of candy cane; be sure to lightly press into the chocolate layer to secure. Cool in refrigerator until hard and then break into pieces!
PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE KISS COOKIES
Ingredients: 1 c. butter
2/3 c. creamy peanut butter
1 c. granular sugar
1 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 2/3 c. flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
16 oz. pkg. chocolate kiss candyDirections:
Combine butter, peanut butter and sugars; blend until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; blend. Mix flour, salt and soda, add to cream mixture; stir well. Roll dough into quarter size balls. Roll ball in bowl of sugar. Bake dough at 350 degrees for 8 minutes, take out, place chocolate kiss in center of each cookie. Bake an additional 2 minutes.
M&M Sugar Cookies
Ingredients:
Pillsbury Sugar Cookie Dough
Bag of Holiday Colored M&Ms (could be the regular kind or the mint flavored!)
Directions: Cut the sugar cookie dough into slices for the appropriate sized cookies (you could also roll into whatever size you choose). Put on greased baking sheet and lightly press to flatten the dough. Place M&Ms on top of the cookies and bake accordingly. Wait for the cookies to cool before taking them off the baking sheet.
Most people during the holidays are trying to find tips on how to NOT over eat. Our society has told us that we shouldn’t eat whatever we want during the holidays. Well, I’m here to say if you want to eat-then eat! In fact, we’re going to provide you with tips on sneaky ways to get food without anyone noticing (or most importantly judging) you!
1. This works well for Holiday parties at work. Ask to take a plate home for your “husband or wife”.
2. Get two plates of food/dessert like you’re taking it back to the table for a friend, at a work party, or for a family member at home. No one will think twice if your friend or family member comes back for seconds (which was really their first plate)!
3. Desperate measures? Ask your family members if you can take their plate in. Grab a bite of Grandma’s left over ham before throwing away the food & putting it in the dishwasher.
4. Get a glass (that you can’t see through) and tell your family your getting water. Quickly fill the glass with the chips/whatever and walk away casually.
5. Find a way to carry the food. If you’re a girl, then carry a big tote bag with you. If you’re a boy, simply have big pockets or a jacket-you can always wear a sweatshirt with a big pocket.
6. The holidays are a great time for pictures! So why not use your camera or video bag to store your food! If you’re carrying the case, no one will think twice about what’s inside-but you’ll know!
7. Zip lock baggies are your friend!! Be sure to have plenty stored in your pockets and purse/bags. To really get the maximum amount of food, switch them out when they get full. Once you have a selection, you can proceed to snack on them throughout the evening without even having to share!
8. Put some food in a napkin when someone’s back is turned and when you get a craving for something, bring the napkin to your mouth. Pretend like you’re wiping your mouth when really you’re stuffing it! (Literally)
9. Appearances can be deceiving. Lets say you want to get more creative….use a cover. For example, if you are the hostess and don’t want your guests to know you’re sneaking a bit on the side, take a cleaning supplies container (obviously thoroughly cleaned) and store food inside of it. Your guests will just think you’re either going to clean something or putting back the cleaner. This can also work well with a tissue box, etc. Whatever will cause the least suspicion will work best.
10. Have a wing man; a partner in crime to help. He/she can help create a diversion when you go in for the kill. Of course, as partners, you have to return the favor by either hoarding enough food for the both of you, or creating a diversion for him/her.
11. A simple, but useful, tip would be to hide the extra food underneath other food on your plate. For example, you want an extra scoop of mash potatoes? Go ahead and put it on your plate but then minimize visibility by putting a roll on top of them.
12. And finally, something effortless would be to get in line for food first. Go through and get a plate. Run into your secret area (i.e. your room, or closet if you’re at someone else’s house) and put the plate down. Wait and then get into the end of the line and make like this is the first time. Say comments about how yummy the food looks, or how much you’re looking forward to getting some Mac and cheese.
ForRent.com is providing gift wrapping tips and ideas for this holiday season. These fabulous tips include necessities in your gift wrapping center such as special occasion wrapping paper, gift bags,and gift baskets, in addition to unique gift wrapping ideas.
