Get the Ugly Out!

Is there danger in your trash can? Most of us generate a lot of waste.Many of the i tems we toss into the trash can, recycle bin, of compost bin are  supposed  to go there. Normal debris, paper items, leftover foods, among others. You know what we mean. Items like that paper filter full of coffee grounds that you just tossed a few minutes ago.   However, there are some items that shouldn’t automatically go into the trash can. Things that can contribute to the global issue of “hazardous waste.” No, not the nuclear or radioactive type. The hazardous waste that we all generate and should dispose of properly.   Common items that fall into this category are found throughout your home… in basements, under kitchen sinks, in the garage, in closets, and other places. These items can include cleaning products, paints, varnishes, automotive fluids, pesticides, batteries… even electronic items such as old computers that haven’t worked for years. A quick internet search sho...

You notice your sofa cushions are a little dingy, which is perfectly normal with kids, pets and normal usage. So you decide to do-it-yourself and wash your cushion covers. They come out looking nice. But you also notice a little problem. The colors aren’t as bright as they used to be, and it takes a lot of effort to get the covers back over the foam cushions themselves. In fact, for one cushion, you can’t even get it zipped up all the way. The reason is that cushion covers are not designed to be washed like normal laundry. “But it has zippers!” you exclaim. That’s for the convenience of the furniture manufacturing company or the upholsterer. Keep these points in mind if you are tempted to wash your cushion covers: When you wash the cushion covers, there is some danger in fabric shrinkage and dye loss. If this happens, not much you can do to fix it.  Shrinkage typically occurs in the drier, so if you are tempted to wash your own cushion covers, hang them to dry (but remember ...