Cleaning the Carpet

Do you know how to deep clean or steam clean your carpets? We embarked on this adventure last weekend, and we learned a few things along the way. Our home has exactly one room with carpeting. It is a berber loop carpet that we had installed to replace some peeling and crumbling vinyl tile. Truth be told, I am not a big fan of carpeting, because I never feel as though it is really clean. For the first year of the new carpet’s life in our home I attempted to be vigilant, no let us say militant, about keeping it … Continue reading

Cleaning Carpets Minus the Chemicals

In a previous blog I shared my experience dealing with the aftermath of vacuuming foam carpet cleaner before it had a chance to dry thoroughly. According to one reader, scrapping wadded up lint and gunk from the underbelly of my vacuum with a wooden chopstick is nothing compared to the negative impact foam carpet cleaner has on the human body. Do tell… The crux of the reader’s email was to inform me that chemical carpet cleaners are toxic and can cause a variety of health problems, plus they pollute the environment. Apparently, most foam carpet cleaners contain perchloroethylene, sodium hydroxide, … Continue reading

Hints When Redecorating a Room

Before you even start to redecorate there are some questions you should ask yourself. First among them is what purpose the room is to be used for and who will use it. These will determine the types of materials and colors you chose to use. For example if you have young children an all white color wall and furniture color scheme and white or pale colored carpet would be highly impractical. You would spend your life getting stressed about keeping it clean and probably drive your family crazy in the process. We have white tiles on our family, dining room … Continue reading

Reduce Your Stress for Your Baby’s Health

Recent research conducted at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical Center revealed that stress during pregnancy increases the child’s risk for asthma. Stress in the mother triggers an immune response, evidenced in the cord blood collected at birth, possibly later heightening their response to inhaled antigens. It stands to reason, therefore, that reducing stress during pregnancy can only have a positive effect on both the baby and the mother. Most of us immediately want to remove the source of the stress. Sometimes it is simple enough as hiring a babysitter for a few hours or telling someone to mind … Continue reading

Redecorating without Spending a Dime

January is a great time to do a little redecorating. The major holidays are over, and the winter blahs begin to set in. What better time is there to freshen things up a bit and bring new life to your home? The only thing is, who wants to spend any money while we are still dealing with the bills and spending from the holidays? Not me. Here are some creative ways you can redecorate without spending a dime. Bring new life to your bathrooms with some fun patterned towels. Just take some of your existing towels and add some fabric … Continue reading

How to Save Money on Carpet

In retrospect, I think we spent far too much on carpet for our family room. In our defense, this was the first time that we ever actually purchased carpet. We did do some research and got a few discounts, but we probably could have done more. Here are some of the things I’ve learned since then. Hopefully, you can use these tips to save money on your own carpet. Know when to buy It pays to know what time of the year is best for buying your carpet. The time period of December to January is probably the time that … Continue reading

Wood Floors, Carpet, and Area Rugs

In addition to a new roof and a repaired ceiling, we are also in the market for new flooring in the great room. Our floors in the foyer, hallways, and kitchen are wood, and the rooms such as living room, dining room, office, and family room are carpet. Our insurance will only cover the cost of carpet, but we would prefer to have the family room floor done in wood. We will be crunching some numbers to find out if we can swing it. If we stick to replacing the carpet with more carpet we will know that our flooring … Continue reading

Home Blog Month in Review: August

Did you have a good month? We seem to have packed an entire summer’s worth of activities in this past month. Now, it seems, it is back to school and time to get ready for autumn. Still, it is nice to look back toward warm sands and wearing shorts even as we will soon be crunching leaves and taking out the sweaters. August 1st Getting Out Grass Stains With summer in full swing, chances are that your family has been playing outdoors quite a bit. And with all of that outdoor play comes the grass stains, especially if you are … Continue reading

Ask a Pets Blogger: How Long Does Parvo Live in the Environment?

A friend of mine recently fostered a dog who was suffering from parvo. With vet treatment, the dog survived and has gone on to a forever home… but my friend is now worried about future fosters. What can she do to protect the next dog that comes to stay with her? Parvo is a tough one to get rid of because it is so hardy — especially outdoors. A few ways in which the parvovirus can be spread: Carried on shoes or clothing. Surviving sub-freezing temperatures to infect dogs after the spring thaw. Freezing does NOT kill the virus — … Continue reading

Hollywood Beauties Cruise Down the Red Carpet at Cannes

She’s not expecting twins, but when actress Michelle Williams made her debut on the red carpet at Cannes yesterday she drew as much attention as Hollywood’s most famous pregnant mom Angelina Jolie. Williams’ appearance at Cannes marked her first public interview since Heath Ledger’s death more than four months ago. The 27-year-old actress arrived in the south of France Thursday to walk the red carpet for the premiere of her new film “Wendy and Lucy.” She will reportedly remain at the world’s most famous film festival to promote “Synecdoche, New York,” a Charlie Kaufman film, in which she costars alongside … Continue reading