10 Household Cleaning Tricks Using Vinegar

 

Commercial-grade cleaners may make your home sparkle, but many have chemicals that can be hazardous. If you want to clean your home using natural products, try using vinegar, a non-toxic agent, in these 10 ways:

In the kitchen, vinegar can be used in place of appliance cleaners.

• Clean your refrigerator’s ice and water dispenser by running vinegar through the system. Flush the vinegar out by running water through the system for 30 to 60 seconds.
• Deodorize the garbage disposal by pouring in half a cup of baking soda and half a cup of vinegar. Let sit for five minutes, and then run hot water down the disposal.
• Rid your dishwasher of mineral buildup by pouring half a cup of vinegar into the reservoir and running an empty cycle.
• To clean a grease-splattered oven door window, saturate it with vinegar. Keep the door open for 10 to 15 minutes before wiping with a sponge.

In the bathroom, vinegar can help maintain plumbing fixtures.

• Rid faucets of lime deposits by tying a plastic bag containing one-third to one-half cup of vinegar around it and leaving it there for two to three hours. Wipe down with a sponge, and scrub any remaining deposits with an old toothbrush. The same approach can be used to remove buildup on a showerhead.
• To clean the toilet bowl, pour in a cup or more of vinegar and let it sit for several hours or overnight. Scrub well with a toilet brush and flush.
• Vinegar and baking soda can unclog and remove odor from a tub drain. Pour half a cup of baking soda in the drain, followed with two cups of hot vinegar. Immediately plug the drain with a rag to keep the bubbles contained for 10 minutes. Rinse by pouring a kettle of boiling hot water down the drain.

In the laundry room, vinegar can help preserve your garments.

• Forgot you left wet laundry in the machine? Pour a few cups of vinegar in the machine, and wash the clothes in hot water. Run a normal cycle with detergent to rinse the clothes.
• Remove coffee and tea stains on clothing by flushing the area with vinegar, rinsing and repeating. For wine stains, saturate the spot with vinegar and allow it to stand for several minutes. Wash as normal.
• Restore yellowed clothing by soaking garments overnight in a solution of 12 parts warm water and one part vinegar. Wash them the following morning.

These are just some of the (endless!) uses for vinegar. How will you use it in your home?

Source: Mizkan Americas

How to Prevent Accidental Poisonings

 

Household chemicals and medicines can be useful and beneficial, but they can also be extremely dangerous. Accidental poisonings are common, especially among children, who are curious and may not understand the dangers around them. It only takes a second for a child to ingest a toxic substance, which can cause irreparable harm or lead to death. Many poisonings can be prevented by taking precautions.

Use and Store Chemicals Safely
When you finish using chemicals, put them away immediately. Make sure lids are screwed on tight. Store containers in a cabinet that children can’t reach or that has a child-proof lock. If you store chemicals in the garage or in a shed, keep them locked up.

Keep household cleaners, pesticides and other chemicals in their original containers. If you pour a chemical into another container, someone else might not take the time to look at the label, and a child who can’t read won’t know what the substance is.

Don’t mix chemicals. Two substances that are safe on their own can become extremely dangerous when combined. Even if no one ingests the mixture, toxic gases can cause harm.

Avoid Medication Mistakes
Ask the pharmacy to supply medications in bottles with child-resistant caps. Read warning labels on prescriptions, especially if you’re taking a drug for the first time. Put medicine away after the person who needs it takes a dose.

Don’t share prescription medicines with others. Even if you have the same medical condition, the other person may require a different dose or may take another medication that could be dangerous when combined with your prescription.

Follow dosage instructions carefully for both prescription and over-the-counter medicines. Don’t take medicine at higher doses or take doses more frequently than recommended. That won’t make you get better faster, but it can make you sick.

Only give your kids medications designed for children. If you have questions, consult your pediatrician.

Kids often resist taking medicine, so many parents try to make it more appealing by calling it “candy.” The problem with that strategy is that a child may like the taste of the medicine and take more when you aren’t around, which can lead to an overdose. Explain in simple, age-appropriate terms that the medicine will make your child feel better, but don’t call it candy.

Get rid of any unused or expired medications. Contact the pharmacy to find out how to dispose of them. Your community may collect expired medications at designated times and places.

Know How to Prevent Poisonings and What to Do If One Occurs
Accidental poisonings can often be prevented by recognizing potential dangers and taking precautions. Be particularly careful if you have kids or if children come to visit. If you suspect that you or someone else has been poisoned, seek help immediately. If the person is unconscious and is not breathing, call 911. If the person is awake and alert, call the national Poison Help Line at 1-800-222-1222.

How to Protect Your Identity Online

 

Protecting your identity online requires more than just ignoring spam emails from unknown senders, especially when it comes to using WiFi. Whether at home or in public, most people nowadays use wireless networks to save data on their phone plans or avoid spotty internet connections. However, this convenience comes at a risk. If you’re not careful, hackers might access your WiFi connection and compromise sensitive information stored on your device and in online accounts.

To help keep your information secure no matter where you’re surfing the web, the Federal Communications Commission offers the following tips:

Public WiFi

• When in public places, such as a coffee shop, check the validity of WiFi hotspots. If more than one hotspot appears claiming to belong to the establishment you’re in, check with the staff to avoid connecting to an imposter network.
• Ensure all websites you exchange information with have “https” at the beginning of their address, especially online stores. If so, your transmitted data will be encrypted.
• Adjust your smartphone’s settings so it doesn’t automatically connect to nearby WiFi networks.
• When transmitting sensitive information, use your cellphone data plan instead of WiFi for better security.
• If you use hotspots often, consider subscribing to a virtual private network (VPN), which will encrypt all transmissions between your device and the internet.

Home WiFi

• At home, enable encryption on your wireless router. These devices often come out of the box with the encryption feature disabled, so make sure it’s turned on soon after the router is installed.
•  Change your router’s publicly broadcast default network name, also known as its service set identifier (SSID), to something unique and difficult for neighbors to guess.
• Change the network’s default password. Most routers come with preset passwords for administering a device’s settings (this is different from the password used to access the wireless network itself). Hackers might know router default passwords, so it’s important to change yours after installation.
• Turn off your router when it won’t be in use for any extended period.
• Use antivirus and antispyware software on your computer, and use similar apps on your devices that access your wireless network.

Passwords

• Don’t use the same password for multiple accounts, especially for the most sensitive ones, such as bank accounts, credit cards, legal or tax records, and files containing medical information. Otherwise, someone with access to one of your accounts may end up with access to many others.
• Remembering and retyping all your passwords can be a pain, but don’t have your web browser save passwords and add them in for you. If an unauthorized person gains access to your computer or smartphone, he or she could access any account that your browser automatically logs into.
• Don’t use passwords that can be easily guessed, such as common words and birthdays of family members. Instead, use a combination of letters, numbers and symbols. The longer and stronger the password, the safer your information.

How to Prevent Slip-and-Fall Accidents at Home

 

Slip-and-fall accidents are common and can cause injuries ranging from scrapes and bruises to broken bones, head trauma and even death. Most accidents occur at home. Although senior citizens have a heightened risk, any person of any age can experience a slip-and-fall accident in a fraction of a second.

Eliminate Tripping Hazards
Go through your house and look for things that could cause someone to trip, such as throw rugs, furniture arranged too close together and electrical cords. If any floorboards are loose or uneven, have them repaired. If you have young children, pick up their toys and teach them to clean up after themselves when they’re old enough.

Prevent Falls Caused by Water
On a rainy day, leave wet shoes, umbrellas and raincoats in the entryway or on the porch. Wipe up the floor or put down mats or towels to keep it dry. Use non-slip mats in areas where the floor may get wet, such as the kitchen and bathrooms. If anything is spilled on the floor, clean it up immediately.

Make Sure There’s Plenty of Light
Many slip-and-fall accidents occur because someone can’t see a step or an object on the floor or ground. Keep the house and yard well lit. Use bright lightbulbs, especially near stairs. If staircases don’t have light switches at the top and bottom, contact an electrician to have additional switches installed. Nightlights in bedrooms and hallways can make nighttime trips to the bathroom safer. Outdoor lights can help people see puddles, ice and other hazards that could cause falls.

Make It Easier to Get Around Safely
If your house has stairs inside or outside, make sure they have secure railings. If anyone in your household has trouble standing, rising from a seated position or walking, install aids, such as grab bars in the bathroom. If an older adult in your family has difficulty walking, talk to the individual and his or her doctor about using a walker or cane.

Walking barefoot or wearing slippers can increase the risk of falling. Encourage family members to wear shoes in the house to help with balance.

Review Medications and Side Effects
Many prescription and over-the-counter medications cause side effects such as dizziness and drowsiness, which can contribute to falls. If you’re concerned that a medicine may be causing side effects that could put you or a loved one at risk of a fall, talk to that individual’s doctor about adjusting the dosage or switching to a different medication.

Keep Your Loved Ones Safe
Slip-and-fall accidents are common and can have devastating consequences, but many of them are preventable. Look for hazards in your home and ways to eliminate them to protect yourself, your family and your guests.

What to Do If Your Child Is a Picky Eater

 

Good nutrition is essential for children’s health, but countless parents struggle to get their kids to eat right. For many families, mealtime is a frequent source of conflict and power struggles. If your child is a picky eater, you need to understand that it’s not uncommon.

Give Your Child Time
Many kids are reluctant to try unfamiliar foods. Their taste preferences take time to develop—a child may need to see, smell, feel and taste a food several times before deciding that they like it. If your child says they don’t like a food the first time you offer it, don’t force the issue; that will only create stress and frustration for both of you. Accept that your child doesn’t want to eat the food, and then offer it again in a week or two. Introducing it in another dish with a different collection of ingredients may make your child more willing to give it a try.

Don’t Cave In
If your child refuses to eat what you’ve prepared for dinner, don’t make them a separate meal. You can offer a healthy alternative, such as fruit or vegetables, or a nutritious snack later, but don’t interrupt your own meal and go out of your way to cater to your child. That will only reinforce your child’s picky eating habits.

Don’t Bribe Your Child With Dessert
Don’t tell your child that if they eat dinner, dessert will be a reward—that sends the message that dinner is something that needs to be endured to get to the reward. This strategy could cause your child to overindulge at every opportunity.

Set an Example
Children learn by observing others. If family members talk about how much they enjoy a particular food, a child will most likely become curious and want to try it sooner or later. Don’t just talk about the taste of a particular food, but also the smell, the texture, and the way it complements other ingredients in a particular dish.

Get Your Child Involved
Let your child have input when deciding what to make for dinner. Look at recipes together and take your child grocery shopping with you. Have your child help you prepare meals in age-appropriate ways, such as rinsing vegetables or stirring together ingredients. Your child will be more likely to want to eat a meal that he or she was actively involved in preparing.

Be Patient
If your child is a picky eater, don’t despair—tastes and preferences change dramatically over time. Be patient and offer a variety of foods, but don’t force your child to eat anything they don’t want to. Keep mealtimes as relaxed as possible, and your child will be willing to try new foods when he or she feels ready.