Tag Archive for: Household

The World’s Greatest Shower Head

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It’s no secret that I love to travel.

When other people are reading interesting articles on line, or saving recipes, or “pinning” their favorite decorating pictures on Pinterest, I’m reading reviews on Tripadvisor, dreaming of a little inn overlooking the Mediterranean.

Everyone has different criteria for rating a hotel 5 stars. I want a convenient location, good coffee, and strong wifi in addition to a comfortable bed and a spotless room. (A view of the Eiffel Tower doesn’t hurt, either.) If, as a bonus, the shower has great water pressure, I’m in heaven!

I’m very spoiled when it comes to water pressure. The heavy stream that comes out of my shower is wonderful. But it hasn’t always been that way. My bathroom is the furthest from the water source, and my water pressure was so bad I could barely rinse all of the shampoo out of my hair.

My friend Carl came up with the solution.

Carl was poking around a flea market in South Florida one day a few years ago, and he came upon a booth that was selling white, plastic shower heads, supposedly “made in Italy.” They claimed that these shower heads would make a huge difference in water pressure. The price of the shower head was less than ten dollars, so Carl was very skeptical. How could such an inexpensive plastic shower head be better than an expensive one? Carl decided to buy one. He took it home, replaced his old chrome shower head with the white plastic one, and turned on the water. He couldn’t believe it was even the same shower!

Carl went back to the flea market to buy more shower heads. He gave one to his daughter Ellie. Her New York apartment had terrible pressure. Sure enough, the new shower head worked it’s magic, gushing water where there used to be a trickle.

When I visited Ellie in New York, I experienced the water pressure in Ellie’s apartment. It was the best shower I had ever taken.

I wasn’t about to go looking for the South Florida flea market where Carl bought the shower head, so I did my research. Carl told me the brand is called Siroflex. There were a few places on line that carried Siroflex Shower Heads, but there were also many complaints about the sellers. I was beginning to think whoever was selling these magical shower heads must be really shady.

Finally, I found a company online, located in Arizona, that not only carried Siroflex shower heads, but all kinds of other products, too. The name of the company is NEAT Items, or neatitems.com.

Neatitems.com has many types and brands of high pressure shower heads, but I wanted the shower head that Carl bought. When I clicked on the Siroflex page I couldn’t believe the price! Two for under $20! Click here to see for yourself, Siroflex Shower Heads.

The folks at neatitems.com are almost as great as their shower heads. Their website makes ordering very easy and my order was placed immediately. I received the shower heads in just a couple of days.

Isn’t this a fabulous nugget?!

I must admit that I not only bought Siroflex Shower Heads for every bathroom in our house, but I also bought them for gifts. Everyone loves having great water pressure! Plus, they are very easy to install with your bare hand and do not require any tools.

I have read that some people actually take their Siroflex with them when they travel, just in case they are in a hotel with bad pressure. They unscrew the hotel shower head and easily screw in the Siroflex.

Aww, great water pressure and a view of the Mediterranean… and I’ll take my espresso in my room, per favore!

How to Make Old Grout Look New

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Bathroom of the Regent Suite at © The Langham, London.

I love bathrooms in historic old hotels. The materials are classic and substantial. I love the look of an old fashioned white pedestal sink with deep moldings, simple white tile, and marble floors. No matter how many times those floors have been mopped, their patina just makes them more gorgeous with age.

Just a few years ago we remodeled an old bathroom. I splurged on Cararra marble for the floor.

I left it up to the contractor to select the grout. Big mistake.

He installed the marble tiles with an off white grout. It looked great for about five minutes. Then normal traffic started making the grout look really dingy. I tried cleaning with various products, and even sprayed it with bleach. Nothing helped. I was the only one who knew the bathroom floor was clean.

Eventually the grout became this icky rust color. It looked terrible against the marble tiles. I had to do something.

I read on the internet all about replacing grout. It sounded like a bigger job than I wanted to handle myself. Then I found a product that intrigued me: Polyblend Grout Renew from Home Depot

If you have old (or new!) ugly, dirty looking grout, this is the answer!

Grout Renew is a water based stain AND sealer for renewing or changing the color of grout. I like to say it is grout “paint.” It comes in 12 colors so you are sure to find one that will either match or enhance your grout.

Since my floor is gray marble, I selected a medium gray called Deloreon Gray. I also bought a bottle of Bright White for the areas around the toilet and trim that I wanted to be clean and white.

First I cleaned my floor really well and let it dry. Then I applied painters tape to a small area, carefully taping the very edges of each tile so only the grout line was visible. I used a very fine paintbrush to apply the Grout Renew.

I painted the grout in sections, moving the tape to the next section as I went. If you want to tape the entire floor at one time, it’s up to you.

In this photo, you can see where I have already painted the section on the left.

I used Bright White next to the floor board. I’m a pretty messy painter. That’s why the tape is important!

After taping and painting, and letting it all dry for a few hours or overnight, I took a gently abrasive sponge and went over the edges to “clean” up any paint on the tile.

And now I have a floor that looks brand new!

To buy Grout Renew, go to Home Depot. It is about $20 for an 8oz bottle. For my small bathroom floor I barely used 2 oz. Oh, and I should mention that the color is actually a little lighter when it’s wet. After it dries, you may have to do some touching up if the old grout shows through.

The Perfect Solution to Ironing

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I have friends whom I call The Perfects.

Mrs. Perfect is a gorgeous, six foot tall personal trainer and a great mom. She’s sweet, funny, generous, and a loyal friend.

Mr. Perfect is a handsome, brilliant, very successful attorney who is also a gourmet cook. He loves children and dogs. He gets weepy when he talks about his grandchildren.

The Perfects have three perfect children. The oldest was Valedictorian in high school and top of her class in Med School. She is strikingly beautiful. Her sister, also Valedictorian, was recruited by one of the top MBA programs in the country, and is right up there in looks with Mama and Sis. Little Brother Perfect is good looking, popular, smart, and is destined to be every bit as successful as his sisters.  Oh, and did I mention that he is a Valedictorian as well?

Exceptional good looks and brains obviously run in the family. But so do good values and generous hearts. And the kids? Well, they are just not normal party loving young people destined to learn about life the hard way. Nope, the Perfect girls came home for the holidays and spent their vacation cooking with dad and making a gingerbread house the exact replica of the family home. Makes you kind of sick, huh?

I had dinner with Mr. and Mrs. P one night and we were discussing domestic matters, specifically sheet thread counts, fabrics, etc. Mrs. P told me she found the most wonderful bamboo sheets, Cozy Earth. (Of course I ordered them immediately. They are incredibly soft and well worth the price.)

Then she hit me with it. I still can’t believe it.

She irons her sheets. Herself.  For the whole family.

This is really more than I can bear.

I haven’t owned an iron since 1998. Cotton dress shirts go to the cleaners. That’s what professionals are for. But I have found a product I can’t live without for getting out wrinkles. It’s called Downey Wrinkle Releaser.

Take a cotton tee shirt out of the dryer, grab your Downey Wrinkle Releaser, and spray. Spread the tee shirt out on a flat surface, or hang it up, pull it so there are no wrinkles, and let it dry. Ta Dah! Looks like you’ve spent hours over an ironing board.

I once bought ready made linen drapes that were terribly wrinkled from being packaged. I lay them on my bed, sprayed them heavily with the Wrinkle Releaser, and smoothed out the wrinkles with my hands. After they dried most of the wrinkles were gone. After I hung them, I sprayed them again, and pulled. They were perfect!

I have used Downey Wrinkle Release to smooth out wrinkles in tablecloths (just put on the table, smooth, and let dry), golf shirts, even cashmere sweaters and cotton duvets. It works great and leaves your items with a fresh scent. I keep a bottle right next to my dryer and another one in my closet.

There is only one thing wrong with Downey Wrinkle Release. It’s kind of hard to find. Look on the top shelf of the laundry area at your grocery. If you can find it, I suggest you buy a few bottles. If you can’t find it, or if you want to save some money, I have an alternative.

Here is a cheap and easy way to make your own wrinkle release spray:

  • Start with your favorite fabric softener. (I like as few chemicals as possible so I use Method or Seventh Generation brands.)
  • Select the one that has the best smell.
  • Put one capful of fabric softener in a small spray bottle and fill with water.
  • Add a little white vinegar if you want to.
  • Shake.

And here is a great travel tip:

Put a fabric softener sheet into a small travel size (3.4 oz max) spray bottle. When you get to your destination, fill the bottle with water and shake. You now have a wrinkle release spray AND a clothes refresher!

Frankly, I can’t see the Perfects using my wrinkle releaser. It’s good in a pinch, but it’s not the same as old fashioned ironing. But unless you live at Downton Abbey, or have the hours to spend ironing, it will probably be perfect for you.

Annie’s Best Cleaning and Stain Removing Nugget

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I was in the checkout line at Home Depot one day buying a bottle of my favorite household cleaner. I go to Home Depot just to get this cleaner because it is so good at cleaning everything in my house.  A lady in line with me leaned over and said, “Oh, I LOVE that stuff! It’s the only thing that gets bad stains out of my grandchildren’s clothes!”

Hmmmm.  An amazing household cleaner that also gets stains out of clothes?  Now THAT’S a nugget…

I used to have a cupboard full of stain removers near my washing machine.  Nothing really worked.  And I also used to have different cleaners for my house– bathroom cleaners, kitchen cleaners, special cleaners for removing soap scum, special cleaners for removing oily smudges, blah, blah, blah. Until I discovered Greased Lightning.

Greased Lightning is truly my secret weapon.

One spray bottle does it all. For the house, nothing is better at cleaning every surface.  Just spray and wipe. It doesn’t have a strong, chemical smell like a lot of cleaners. You can quickly spray and wipe up sticky stuff on a kitchen floor, clean off a bathtub ring without scrubbing, or easily remove fingerprints from doors. For floors, mix 1 cup with a gallon of water. Great for carpet stains. Great for cleaning grills. Great for shower doors. Get the picture?

But to me, the BEST use of Greased Lightning is the stain removal from clothes.

Just spray the stain, let it sink in, and spray again. Wash as usual (cold water is best). Look at the item before you put it in the dryer. You may have to spray the spot again with Greased Lightning, and re-wash.

That’s it.  Spot gone.

I’ve used it on a tee shirt that had spaghetti sauce on it, on linen napkins, even a cashmere sweater. I also use it for extra dirty collars and cuffs. It doesn’t take the color out like many stain removers.

I buy it at Home Depot (click here) because I buy the big industrial bottle and fill up my small spray bottles. I have also found Greased Lightning at Target, Walmart, and Lowe’s. Click on this link, Greased Lightning, for their helpful website.

Six Ways to Give Your House Guests a 5 Star Experience

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They say house guests are like fish.

They start to smell after three days.

I happen to like having house guests.  A different kind of relationship evolves with a person who is drinking coffee in your kitchen in his/her jammies.

Because it can be awkward to stay at someone’s home, I do my best to make things extra comfortable for my house guests.

After three days, they don’t start to smell, but they sure are spoiled…

I am going to share with you some of my favorite “nuggets” for giving overnight guests a five star experience.

You don’t have to have a huge house with lots of extra guest rooms for house guests. Whether they sleep in a king size bed with their own private bath, or on your sofa, you can make their stay enjoyable for both of you.

Here are 6 nuggets that will make your house guests feel like they are at the Ritz.

1. White Linens

I ONLY buy white because they are able to be washed with bleach (rinse twice) and always come out sparkling clean.

Bath Towels

When I go to a hotel I love having piles of fresh clean towels.  It feels so indulgent! Your guests will feel the same way if you offer them a stack of fresh white towels.

I look for pure white, fluffy towels. I don’t buy bath sheets because they are really too big to be practical. You can find really nice all cotton towels at TJ Maxx, Target, and Costco. The key is getting towels that match, then, if you need to buy more, your towels are always the same. I never pay more than $10 a piece for nice towels.

Washcloths

Along with the towels, I buy a few of the matching washcloths to use in the shower.  But I also provide a stack of really cheap white washcloths on the bathroom sink.  Those are specifically for removing makeup.  Guests really appreciate knowing that they are not going to ruin your nice linens with make up stains.  If the stains don’t come out in the laundry, I use the washcloths for cleaning rags.  You can get packages of cheap white washcloths in drugstores or discount stores.

2. Nice Body Wash

To me, it’s all about the smell.  I love really fresh, clean smells in bath products.

I think body wash is much nicer for a guest than soap, especially if they are sharing a bathroom with others.

I have had several male house guests comment about the body wash I always have in the guest bathroom. I am not kidding. How long has it been since a male actually made a comment to you about your body wash???

It is not expensive, smells incredible, and makes your skin soft. It is Softsoap Body Wash Pomegranate and Mango. It smells like a much more expensive product and everyone loves it. I buy it for $7 at the grocery or drugstore, but it is everywhere.

3. Test The Bed

I have found that the key to happy guests is a good night’s sleep.

No matter where your guests sleep, you MUST “test” the bed (sofa, rollaway, etc) to see what it’s like to spend the night there. You will learn real quickly what you need to do to make it comfortable. When was the last time you slept where you put your guests?

4. High Quality Washable Bedding

Whether you are making up the guest bed, or turning the sofa into a bed, your guests will be much more comfortable with comfy, cozy linens.

In my opinion, the best purchase you can make for your guests is a set of high thread count sheets and a hypo-allergenic, fake, also called “alternative,” down comforter with a white duvet.  (Again, white means you can bleach it. Plus it looks gorgeous on a bed.)

First, the real down comforters are nice but they are next to impossible to clean effectively. What guest wants to sleep with a comforter that can’t be washed, eugh! Second, lots of people are allergic to real down.

You don’t have to spend a fortune for sheets and an alternative down comforter with a duvet. You can find an elegant white on white cotton duvet for $60-$150 depending on the size at Target or on Amazon.

5. Buy a comforter one size bigger than the bed.

It will work just fine and you won’t regret having the extra room. For a king, compare the dimensions. I have found a difference of at least six inches in comforters. Buy the biggest you can find.

6. At Least Two Pillows Per Guest

While you’re in the linen department, pick up (at least) two pillows–one squishy soft, and one firm.  I personally am a squishy soft pillow person and don’t understand those who prefer firm pillows. Everyone has their preferences, which is why you need to buy at least two. You really have to feel the pillows to make sure they are nice. You don’t have to spend a lot. I have bought pillows for as little as $20 a piece that were wonderful.

These are all little nuggets for making your house guests feel comfortable.  But remember that in order to be a good host, YOU need to feel comfortable too!  So, pick up some of that great body wash for yourself, make sure you have a comfy comforter on your bed, and treat yourself like an honored guest!