Wash that child's new clothes!

Are you getting any children new clothes for Christmas?  If so, be sure to wash them before the child wears them for the first time.  Why? A pediatrician explains on CNN.

Does that dress shirt itch?

Don't miss the New York Times article about formaldehyde in wrinkle-free clothes!

Soapnuts

A couple weeks ago, I was at Lehman's Hardware in Kidron, Ohio, which if you're ever in Amish country, is one place you must visit.  Anyway, I was at Lehman's and noticed they had Soapnuts.  I've read great reviews about their effectiveness for cleaning laundry, so I bought a bag to try.  I've only used them once so far, so the verdict is still out.  However, I have two thoughts on the subject after buying them.

First, if you leave the little bag of 3-4 nuts in the washing machine for the entire cycle, how does the soap ever really rinse out?  Know what I mean?  I've become one of those people who has to rinse some of my loads twice to make sure the soap/detergent is out of the clothes, so the residue doesn't bother my skin.  Now I'm questioning soapnuts.

Second, and this is my own fault for not reading closely in the store, I have to use liquid soapnuts if I use cold water.  Okay.  "I can do that," I think to myself until I get to the next paragraph of the directions... I have to boil some of them, then strain, etc. etc.???  Really?  I have to make my own liquid for cold washes?  And it involves me boiling water?  You mean using a stove?  Now, anyone who knows me, knows the kitchen is my least favorite room in the house.  I rarely get excited about creating something in the kitchen that then involves me eating and enjoying food.  If I don't like the kitchen for that, do you really think I'm going to use it in order to do my laundry in cold water?

Now you know why I've only used the soapnuts once and the verdict is still out about their effectiveness for cleaning clothes.

Finding new uses for old things

I am always intrigued to see how people find new uses for old items.  The creativity and ingenuity is always impressive. I'm not too handy with figuring out new uses, and then I see something someone else has done and I think, "Why didn't I think of that?"  So then I wander around the house seeing what I can change or create, and I usually come up with a big NADA. 

So, what items have you repurposed with success? The most impressive one I've seen recently is a local business that refurbished an old barn for their site.  They used an old windmill as the ceiling fan and the slate off an old roof for part of the floors. It looks great! 

Me?  Well, for years I've used my grandparents old chamber pot as the wastebasket in my bathroom.  Not nearly as impressive, eh? But, I continue to try...