Click the link below for tours of homes and apartments profiled on Apartment Therapy.

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/main/home-tours

http://www.re-nest.com/re-nest/rugs-carpets/how-to-clean-a-rug-with-snow-home-hacks-109136?image_id=1137103

(Click the link above for more photos.)

Heavy wool rugs can be difficult to clean well without chemical processes. Shaking is hard because of the weight, and beating the rug ends up with a flurry of dust in the air. But if you’re in a deep freeze with plenty of powdery snow, the cleanser is right outside your door:

Snow cleaning is an old process that we’ve heard about in Scandinavia. It works in the midwest, too (or anywhere else, for that matter) during deep winter. After a recent dry dusty snowfall, I tried the cleaning method for myself.

What You Need

Materials at least 3-4″ of clean, powdery snow
cold temperatures well below freezing
an area rug in need of a good cleaning

Equipment
broom
a place to hang the rug

Instructions

1. Hang the rug outdoors for at least 30 minutes to acclimate it to the cold temperature (when we did this it was 8F outside). This will prevent snow from melting on the rug.

2. Lay the rug face down in snow.

3. Beat it thoroughly with a broom.

4. Flip the rug over and beat it again.

5. Sweep the snow from the rug.

6. The deep freeze kills smelly bacteria. Beating in the snow loosens dirt and grime. And sweeping the tiny snow crystals from the face of the rug removes any last particles from the surface. The result is a deodorized, bright and clean rug.

“Learn Spanish – Survival Guide”

Go to iTunes and look under “podcast” or log on to www.myspanishconnection.com. Podcasts are free.

Dave Spencer, teacher, has 12+ years of experience in public and private high schools.

www.ted.com “Riveting talks by remarkable people, free to the world.”

Elizabeth Gilbert (author of “Eat, Pray, Love”) muses on the impossible things we expect from artists and geniuses — and shares the radical idea that, instead of the rare person “being” a genius, all of us “have” a genius. It’s a funny, personal and surprisingly moving talk.

Tony Robbins makes it his business to know why we do the things we do. The pioneering life coach has spoken to millions of people through his best-selling books and three-day seminars.In this video Tony discusses the “invisible forces” that motivate everyone’s actions.

Vilayanur Ramachandran tells us what brain damage can reveal about the connection between celebral tissue and the mind, using three startling delusions as examples.

John Wooden ~ With profound simplicity, Coach John Wooden redefines success and urges us all to pursue the best in ourselves. In this inspiring talk he shares the advice he gave his players at UCLA, quotes poetry and remembers his father’s wisdom.

Watch short video on You Tube. Click link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=An0mFZ3enhM

Baking Soda ~ Natural Cleanser

Safe Cleaning Tips for Your Home | Environmental Working Group

Posted using ShareThis

Our homes aren’t safe and clean if the air inside is polluted with chemicals from household cleaners. Follow these simple tips to protect your family’s health while you clean your home.

1. Less is More
   Dilute your cleaning supplies according to instructions and use only what’s needed to get the job done.
2. Open the Window
   Clean with windows and doors open so you don’t trap air pollution inside your home.
3. Use Gloves and Other Precautions
   Cleaning chemicals may harm or penetrate skin and eyes – check warning labels.
4. Keep Kids Away
   Children are more vulnerable to toxic chemicals. If they like to help, let them clean with soap and water, not toxic cleaners.
5. Avoid “Antibacterial”
   If your family is generally healthy, there’s no need to use potentially toxic “antibacterial” products, according to the American Medical Association. Wash your hands with plain soap and water.
6. Never Mix Bleach with Ammonia, Vinegar, or Other Acids
   These combinations can produce deadly gases.

Read the rest of this article at: http://www.ewg.org/schoolcleaningsupplies/safecleaningtips

www.apartmenttherapy.com is an online, home decorating magazine with wonderful ideas for both homes and apartments. They range from this NYC condo in a clock tower - sale price a mere $25 million –  to this tiny trailer home.

Customize the scent of your closets, drawers, and even your car. Quite the inventive alternative to those little green trees hanging from rear-view mirrors.

#1 Black lights can be used to find urine spots. Room must be as dark as possible or at night with all lights off. Some colors, such as brown, will not show the spots as well. Also, different brands of black lights may need to be tested.

#2  Ingredients: Vinegar, Baking Soda and Hydrogen Peroxide, Water

#3 Mix an even amount of those ingredients into a bowl.

#4 Stir all of the ingredients and pour the solution onto the area or put the solution into a spray bottle. (Always test on an inconspicuous area of carpet or flooring)

Urine can soak into carpet pads. Some articles suggest injecting with a syringe to reach beneath carpeting. Carpet or flooring may need to be replaced if mold has begun to grow or you cannot eliminate odors.

Pet stores also sell pre-made neutralizers.

Articles about pet stains:

http://cats.about.com/od/cleaningmesses/tp/blacklight.htm

http://www.thecatsite.com/Care/48/Combat-Cat-Urine.html