My favorite boutique has an eye-catching display in the front window. The mannequins are dressed in spring-themed silk ensembles. I love the way the colorful silk blouses look paired with the neutral colored skirts and slacks, but I haven’t worn silk since giving birth and wonder if it’s worth investing in given that my six-year-old is the spill queen around here. My mother thinks I am being ridiculous given how easy it is to rid stains from silk. She even gave me a list of all the commercial stain removers that are readily available online and in stores. Still, I … Continue reading →

Did you know you can clean laminate floors with baby shampoo? In addition, vinegar does an excellent job of removing stubborn stains from a number of appliances including windows, irons and washing machines. Look around your home and you will find a variety of items that can easily be cleaned with pantry staples rather than expensive commercial cleaners. Glass is a prime example of a material that can be cleaned with everyday household items. Add a half-cup of vinegar to one gallon of water and you can disinfect an entire wall of windows. For a deeper clean, add a half-cup … Continue reading →

Nothing spoils Sunday brunch faster than having a pound of butter fall onto your lap. Okay, it wasn’t an entire pound of butter, but last week my 6-year-old accidently dumped two mounds of butter that were carefully placed on her Perkins’ pancakes onto my new khakis. Fortunately, getting the half-melted greasy butter blobs off my pants wasn’t too hard. As with any stain, the best line of defense is quick thinking. The faster you can treat the stain the better the chance you have of returning your garments to their original stain-free appearance. In my case I blotted off the … Continue reading →