Dusting the Unlikely Places

We all hate dusting, but someone’s got to do it. Do you suffer from allergies? Many adults do, even though we think we should have grown out of them. One thing that can help is to try and keep our homes as dust free as possible. A tool recently developed is the Swiffer Duster. It is simple to use and gets into the most difficult places. If you haven’t tried one I would highly recommend it. (I don’t make any commission selling Swiffer, by the way. It’s just a great invention.)

When you dust you probably catch all of the obvious places – the furniture, piano, cabinets, bookcases, etc… That’s good. Any flat surface will catch dust. But a place that many forget about is down along the sides and underneath your furniture. Those places don’t collect dust as fast, but eventually that dust will begin to pile up. And dust equals allergy problems.

Floorboards are forgotten territory when dusting. Many of them have a small lip or edge, which makes a flat surface. It may be small, but dust will slowly collect there and you won’t notice it until one day when you realize that they are filthy. Then you have to get down and really clean them. If you can catch them once a week with either a vacuum or a duster they will stay much cleaner.

Another area people forget about is their curtains. Since curtains and drapes hang vertically instead of laying flat, they don’t collect dust as quickly as the flat surfaces do. But one day you’ll suddenly realize that they are just covered! This is where that Swiffer comes in handy. If you dust your curtains at least weekly they will stay much cleaner and your allergy problems should be reduced.

Other forgotten locations are the lamps, chandeliers and ceiling fans. We forget to look up and so the dust collects up there. If you were able to dust them at least once per month your allergy issues would be considerably better.

The last places to check out are your heating and ventilation grates. Since air blows from them you know that dust is blowing, too.  They might be on the floor, or the walls or the ceiling. All should be checked. Put that duster to work and keep them, along with the area surrounding them, clean.

Candles Are Always Available to Inspire!

Candles were at one time more utilitarian. People needed them for light and possibly heat. They didn’t have that wonderful switch on the wall that made connections which automatically filled the room with light. Candles were used so that people could see what they were doing. And that’s all there was to it. Today we all have access to electricity and candles have lost their functional use. But they still have their appeal. They are wildly popular now for things like decorations, relaxation, aroma therapy and even romance.

Candles make a room instantly more cozy. You may have put all the furniture in place but add just a few candles with their varieties of shapes and colors to give it that last little something.  And candles don’t just look and smell good. They can be burned to change an ordinary room into that friendly corner or that romantic hideaway. Electric lights are ordinary lamps work perfectly, but the color and feel you get from candles just can’t be matched by electricity. Candles temper the hard lines of a room and cause everyone to get quiet as they are captured by the wonder of the flame.

When referring to romance, almost everyone thinks of candlelight dinners. They are perfect for people who want to get close and talk. After the candles are lit the TV is usually turned off, and then two people can converse and truly get to know one another. Candles also help encourage those romantic remarks can get a man over an uncomfortable moment. He can always count on the candle to inspire the complement about how nice she looks.

Candles are also popular song topics. For example, you’ve probably heard of Elton John’s “Candle in the Wind” and Joan Kennedy’s “Candle in the Window.” Don’t forget also “Light My Candle,” by Rent; “Old Flames Can’t Hold a Candle to You,” by Joe Sun; “Light One Candle,” sung by Peter, Paul and Mary; and “One Candle One Flame,” by Linda Sobo. A couple of other songs that refer to candles are “Big Deal,” by Leann Rimes; “These Dreams,” by Heart; “Stand,” by Rascal Flatts, and “Ice Ice Baby,” by Vanilla Ice.

Sheet Pilling

Flannel sheets are usually made from a one-over-one weave (this means that one thread vertically (warp) weaves over one thread horizontally (woof or weft)). A more finely sized thread might be used in the warp and a thicker thread is used in the weft. This is done in order to facilitate the napping process. Napping is when they pull the fibers out from the horizontal weft. Doing this is what gives flannel sheets that thick and soft feel. This is the softness and comfort we all love in our flannel sheets.

Unfortunately, if the quality of the cotton is low then some of the threads can get damaged during the napping process. This usually results in pilling over time. Those pills are little balls of fiber that have broken off and balled up. If not damaged during the manufacturing process, then pilling can also occur as time goes on. It happens as the sheets are used and washed and dried, and as the fibers are pulled and tugged during general wear and tear. Also, if a harsh detergent is used, it can damage even better quality cottons over time. And if you tug on that little pill you can loosen more threads and further damage the material.

One way to fix the problem is to start out by buying a better quality sheet, such as something with a 300 thread count or higher. Or take a look at cotton/sateen blends, which are sturdier. If you’re not looking to make a purchase right now, then exchange your current detergent for something that is very gentle on fabric. Just read a few labels while you’re shopping and pick out something that is suitable.

Washing sheets manually and letting them air dry will also solve much of the pilling problems. The thing is that this is way more work than most are willing to go through for some flannel sheets. A possible option is to machine wash them on the gentle cycle and then let them hang outside to dry. This is not quite as much work. The wind is a very gentle dryer and won’t pull and tug on the sheets the way a dryer could.

Use Your Candles to Relax!

Some people I know have just one or two candles. They light them and enjoy them. But have you seen the commercial with the woman soaking in a tub with candles lit all over the place? There is just nothing like that feeling. Go ahead and indulge in several pillar candles or votive candles. Then place them all around and light them. You can do this in a room for a romantic evening, or in the bathroom for a calm and relaxing soak. Or in the bedroom for… you get the idea.

Get Creative with Pillar Candles

You don’t have to throw away any old pillar candles you might have lying around. Decorate them and they can be just like new again. There are a bunch of things you can do, but here are a couple:

If you have a scented pillar candle and you love the scent but maybe not the color, then dress up that color a little bit. Place small thumbtacks or straight pins into the candle – put one on each side. Then string beads around the candle, letting them “drape” between the pins. You can do a single row or multiple rows, depending on the size of the candle. Clear beads will also glitter in the candlelight.

Of, if you are good with paint, get out your acrylic paint and decorate that candle around the sides (never the top where the wick sits). There’s no reason why it must stay plain!

Regular Cotton and Long-staple Cotton: What’s the Difference?

Cotton is classified as long-staple cotton when the fibers are from 1 1/8” to 2 ½” long. Some types of long-staple cotton are Pima, Egyptian and Sea Island cotton. Pima cotton is grown in the Southwestern United States, Egyptian cotton is grown in the Nile River Valley. Sea Island cotton is grown in the Sea Islands, which are off the coast of Georgia, the Carolinas, and in the Caribbean.

Long-staple cotton is known for being softer than ordinary cotton because of those longer fibers. It is prized for use in sheets and comforter sets because it is so soft and supple.

What Is the Difference Between a Comforter and a Duvet?

The word “Duvet” in French means “down.” The term duvet and the term comforter both apply to the think quilted type cover you put on your bed. Sometimes you hear the term “duvet cover” or “comforter cover.” The word “cover” is the clue that this is a cover for your comforter. Think of a duvet cover as a giant pillow case for your comforter. You slip your comforter inside the “cover” and button or zip it up.

Duvet covers and comforter covers are less expensive than a full comforter. They are easy to remove and wash. And they allow you to change them out and change the look of your room without spending a ton of money.