Indoor-Plant Care

It's time for spring cleaning. Oh joy. Though not my favourite activity, it does offer a wonderful sense of satisfaction when it's completed. Fortunately for me, we just moved in to a new home so most of the major cleaning was done just a couple months ago. The plants, however, still carry the dust of 2009, with more layered on during the move. They missed getting their usual fall cleansing and are crying out for attention.

Commercial plant soaps and leaf gloss can be expensive, though. Instead, I use a couple household products that cost fractions of cents per use. One is dish detergent and the other is glycerine.

First, I give water-loving plants a shower. Literally. I wait until they're fairly dry, ready for watering, and then place them in the tub. The water must be tepid, neither hot nor cold, and I ensure that temperature before opening the shower valve. Also, a gentle stream of water is best. Harsh spray will tear tender leaves and branches. Once the shower is started, I place one drop of dish soap on my palm and, under the shower stream, rub my hands together to create suds. These suds rain down on the plant and should be allowed to penetrate the soil. Depending on the size of the plant, you might need to repeat this sudsing a couple times. This has a three-fold effect: it cleans the leaves and branches; it helps kill aphids, spider mites and their eggs; and, it provides some mild fertilization.

Not all plants tolerate a shower. My Cycad or African violet would die miserable deaths if watered so profusely and directly. For these plants, I use an old (but clean) make-up brush to remove lint and dust. If there are stubborn deposits, I use a soft terry-cloth rag to wipe soil from firm leaves, those without hairs as this process would damage them.

Once the plants have all been cleaned, I apply a home-made leaf polish. To make your own, combine ½ teaspoon glycerine with ¼ cup tepid water. Stir until glycerine is well dissolved. Then, dip a soft (rag) cloth in the mixture, wring it out until just damp, and wipe leaves gently. The result will be a clean, green glow, not the high-gloss sheen that most commercial brands impart. Personally, I prefer the more subtle, natural-looking lustre.

This whole process may take days, depending on the number of plants queuing for the shower and leaves awaiting individual attention. After plants are cleaned, they perk up noticeably. Quite often, new leaves and branches sprout eagerly after I've completed this twice-yearly procedure. Dust clogs the pores but, once clean, plants "breathe" easier, prompting their growth and increasing their capacity to filter household pollutants from the air.

Gesture:

"...an action intended to communicate feelings or intentions."

Valentine's Day is coming so I've been busy crafting a love note to my Sweetheart. It's something I've been doing for years. Both hubby and I enjoy it. For me, it's a time of loving reflection, when I view our relationship through a purely romantic filter. For my Sweetie, who has always championed my writing, these cards are an expression of that gift from my heart to his. He's saved every one.

Homemade cards may be thrifty, but their value is so much greater than any ordinary greeting card. A heartfelt, handmade card is a true gift. Making cards isn't as easy as buying a card. They take time and effort to create. Your gift is the time and thoughtfulness spent in the creation.

The actual card can be as thrifty or extravagant as your budget allows. You can save money buying card forms or splurge with specialty craft papers and parchments. You can type the text with a printer, but calligraphy, if you know it, adds a special touch. Handmade covers can be simple or complex. Suitable clip art, free graphics, hand- or computer-drawn images, even embedded personal photos are quick to produce and easily personalize the card. Scrapbooking or sewing bits and bobs create texture and visual interest if used sparingly – too much adornment can weigh heavily on the cardstock, both physically and perceptually. Or, try a natural element like dried leaves, flowers, or herbs. They look striking behind a translucent window of parchment or wax-paper.

Depending on the occasion, each cover has its own purpose, mood and appeal. A good cover should do what drugstore cards do – appeal to the recipient. If you plan to mail your card, you'll want to take its ultimate weight into consideration. Printer graphics weigh much less than glue and any attachment. Due to the printing process, if the cover has attachments, you'll want to do one of two things: either print your card's text prior to decorating the cover; or, print the text on a separate sheet (thin/parchment paper) and then attach it to the cover with glue or a suitable ribbon.

If you write poetry, by all means, include a suitable poem for the recipient and their occasion. But, if you break into a nervous sweat at the mere mention of the word, have no fear. Your prose need not be poetry. On a scrap piece of paper jot down feelings you'd like to express. Study these and try to focus them into one simple, loving sentence. Use your most poetic language, but don't worry about rhyme and meter. Just write true sentiment.

Once you've figured out the perfect wording, type it into a card template. Most word processors include a few greeting card templates that you can alter to your own specifications. You may want to change fonts and alter margins, add formatting features like borders, special characters or clip art. Have fun. Just remember to save changes to the card template with your own file-name.

Printing can sometimes be the most challenging part of the process. I print the first copy on scrap paper and overlay the result onto the cardstock to ensure margins, images, and text alignments are where they ought to be. After any and all adjustments are made, then it's time to print on the cardstock.

Creating homemade cards takes time and effort, definitely not as easy as buying a card. It can be thrifty or extravagant, funny or sentimental. More often than not, though, a handmade card is one small gesture that becomes, for someone special, a cherished gift.

A Glance at Eyewear

I've worn glasses since high school. For years they were just for reading. Then about twelve years ago, after admitting to my optometrist that street signs had become metal flags with squiggles on them, I got my first pair of bifocals. They weren't the old-fashioned kind with the half-moon of fun-house glass at the bottom. No. These were transitional lenses. You'd never know they're bifocal! There's no line, no "jump" from near- to far-view.

But any glasses are uncomfortable. Mine pinch the ears if they're not aligned just right. Even when they are aligned properly, they leave a gruesome indent on one side of my nose which, until wearing glasses fulltime, I hadn't realized was crooked. Glasses fog up in cold weather and slide down the nose when it's hot. They smudge and get splattered. And, because bifocals narrow a person's field of view, driving is a challenge – to check the blind-spot I have to swivel my whole upper torso, just so the bifocals align enough to see clearly. Then, there are those mishaps, with glasses either on or off, which bend or scratch them. Several months ago I tripped and fell, my forehead last to touch down, and my glasses splayed flat upon impact. The skewed focal point, hopelessly lost despite taking them in for realignment, still gives me headaches. It's time again to get new glasses. Transitional lenses, however, are pricey.

Three years ago, after whinging to my optometrist about these issues, he convinced me to give contacts a try. I was resistant to wearing contacts, though. As a teenager, I'd almost gouged my eye out when an ophthalmologist attempted to position a retinal scanner on my eye. So the thought of purposefully trying to place something onto my eye, daily, worried me. Obviously familiar with skittish patients, his employee was very understanding, and after only a half hour of training I was able to put the contacts in and take them out again. It wasn't nearly as hard as I'd imagined. Wearing them was no problem, either. I expected to feel the lens with every blink but they effectively disappeared. The only time I feel the lens is when it dries out (usually after many hours of wear) or is inserted backwards (an easy fix.)

Best of all, the new lenses gave me back youthful vision. It's a fantastic feeling not to wear glasses yet see the world without blur. I still need reading glasses for small print, but non-prescription eyewear, available in many stores, is sufficient. So I began wearing contacts frequently and discovered benefits I wanted to share.

First, contact lenses are relatively inexpensive. My last pair of transitional bifocals cost about $800 and, due to deteriorating vision, I required a new prescription every 2 years at which time that cost has usually risen due to inflation. On the other hand, the contact lenses I use cost $20 per box of six and, because I require different prescriptions for each eye, two boxes are needed at one time. Each contact lens can be worn for about 3 weeks (20-21 days) so two boxes of six contacts will last about four months, if worn daily. (I'll note here that optometrists recommend giving eyes a day or two of rest from contact wear every few weeks, at least. However, for the purposes of this calculation, I've overlooked that recommendation though its compliance decreases these costs to some degree, depending on how long and frequent "rest periods" are.) So, given the price noted above, over two years, (of daily wear) contacts cost me about $240. Cleaning solution is required and that adds another $120-140. The drugstore "cheater" glasses I use were $20, so now the cost of wearing contacts for two years is $380-400. Three years, $560-590.

The best thing about contacts is their comfort. They don't pinch, fog up, smudge or get splattered. They don't mark my crooked nose. They stay atop the iris, so wherever the eye travels the contact travels too. It makes a world of difference when driving. No more swivelling my head like a possessed Linda Blair when checking my blind-spot. A simple glance over my shoulder suffices.

The most unexpected benefit of wearing contacts regularly has been to extend my need for a new prescription from 2 years to 3-4 years. This effectively decreased my prescription eyewear costs, too. I don't understand why this is but I have noticed that, after wearing contacts steadily for several days in a row, my vision actually improves. So much so, my need to wear "cheaters" lessens and they rarely get taken out of their case. Even with contacts out for the night, I can read the clock on my nightstand! Whatever the reason for this marvel, it's wonderful to see without glasses.

Wearing contacts hasn't eliminated my need for prescription glasses, though. Due to those rest periods, they're still needed. However, it's less expensive to by traditional bifocals or two pair of regular lens glasses – one pair for normal vision and another for reading and fine work – than buying a pair of transitional bifocals. If I were choosing glasses to wear daily, 365 days a year, I'd still prefer the transitional lenses because I'd quickly tire of having to switch glasses constantly or experience the visual "jump" with traditional bifocals. However, now that I'm a convert to regular contact wear, these other options seem more viable. Glasses will be worn so infrequently.

Odour Takes a Powder

A few years ago, concerned about the affects of aluminum compounds in various household products, I got rid of a few old pots and pans, stopped buying soda in cans, and quit using commercial antiperspirants.

Most antiperspirants (as opposed to deodorants) contain ingredients such as: Aluminum chloride; Aluminum zirconium tricholorohydrex glycine; Aluminum chlorohydrate; and Aluminum hydroxybromide ('How Stuff Works' article; May 2, 2001). Given the growing body of evidence linking these ingredients to Alzheimer's, breast cancer and respiratory problems ('Natural Medicine' article) the risks far outweighed – for me – the need to use an antiperspirant.

That set me on a path to discover an effective product that did not include those compounds. Health stores offered crystal and stick deodorants, most expounding the virtues of Aloe Vera, Tea Tree and/or hemp oil. While these additives are believed to be safe and, in some instances, beneficial, they just didn't work for me. Crystals crumbled and cracked, becoming torturous to use, and the fragrant ingredients in stick deodorants simply produced something viler than mere underarm odour alone. One product even resulted in a yeast infection. Not good.

My patience exhausted, I decided to try a home remedy of my own invention. Knowing that baking soda is effective at neutralizing odour and corn starch absorbs moisture – the latter once recommended by our family physician for my child's diaper rash – I combined the two. Applied like a dusting powder, using cosmetic pads (home sewn from scrap cloth; see: Rags to Niches) it can be a little messy so I do this over the bathroom sink.

It's astonishing how well this powder works. Not only does it completely eliminate odour and control perspiration, it's fantastically less expensive. It has an unexpected benefit to, too. Many commercial deodorants leave residue on clothing and some seem to lock odour into synthetic fabrics. This powder has the opposite effect. There is no stain, just a little dusting (at most), and the baking soda actually helps remove lingering odours from fabric.

To make your own, simply combine equal parts of baking soda and corn starch. I make small batches (one tablespoon of each ingredient) and change cosmetic pads daily to lessen the possibility of contaminating the powder. This two tablespoon batch lasts approximately two weeks, at which time I clean the container and make a fresh batch. The cosmetic pads are laundered in small-garment bags with regular loads.

For more than two months I've used this home-made product and, impressed with its effectiveness, cost, and bonus feature, doubt I'll ever buy commercial brands again. However, I am working on a liquid form for summer, when sleeveless tops will expose powdery armpits.

New Arrangements for the New Year

On this last day of 2009, I hope everyone has been enjoying a cheery holiday season. I wish you all happiness and prosperity in the New Year, too! This beautiful floral surprise greeted us this morning. It seemed such a positive portent I wanted to share it.

As usual, for me, at this time of year, I feel the urge to do some redecorating. This year that means reorganizing furniture that was hastily placed when we moved. The dysfunction of those placements has quickly become apparent.

Usually, this blog is about saving money and, in some aspects, the environment. Today's blog is about saving time and energy – human energy, that is. After all, when it comes to rearranging furniture, there can be plenty of both spent. I've found a way to save these less tangible but nevertheless valuable resources. Adapting the idea from some home design shows, I created scale-sized cut-outs of our furniture on (thin) cardboard, and room layouts on graph paper to the same scale. These pieces are saved in an envelope until each redecorating bug hits me. Then, I use these pieces to arrange – and rearrange – furniture, in various orders and groupings, all without straining hubby's muscles...and patience.

To make your own cut-outs and floor plan, you'll need:

1. Graph paper – I use 1/4-inch (approximately 6mm) [Download PDF file: Graph paper]
   
2. Scrap cardboard, thin, non-corrugated – I use old file folders or worn out gift boxes
   
3. Tape measure (25')
   
4. Pencil
   
5. Ruler
   
6. Scissors
   
7. Paste or glue (optional)
   

First, you'll need to decide on "scale." On 1/4-inch graph paper, I use the length of three squares to represent one linear foot. (Sorry for the imperial measures but the graph paper is older than my adult children.) Once you have decided on scale you'll need to measure and record the dimensions of all your furniture, appliances, and other items which take up floor-space. You'll only need to measure length and width, as height is irrelevant for most rooms. An exception would be rooms with bulk-heads or built-in cabinetry. You can take height measurements when the situation requires it.

Now, draw scale outlines of each piece of furniture on the graph paper. Trace that outline onto the cardboard, pressing hard to create a visible indentation. Cut out the cardboard pieces and label them (e.g. Sofa, desk, Grandma's side-board, etc.) If you wish, you can paste the graph paper pieces onto the cardboard, and then cut them out.

You'll make each room layout by first measuring and recording their proportions, and then draw those dimensions onto graph paper. If the room is large enough to necessitate it, you might have to tape two pages of graph paper together.

Initially, this project will be time-consuming as you measure, draw, and cut all your furniture pieces and room layouts. However, once they're created, a lot of time and energy can be saved. The only time you'll need to do any part of the scale-modeling process again is when you purchase new furnishings or move.

Finally, using the relevant furniture pieces and room layout, organize any room, moving things around and around until you achieve a pleasing and/or functional configuration. Then, you're ready to move furniture – once only! And, each time you feel the urge to redecorate those scale models are ready. Your helper(s) will thank you for sparing their backs...and tolerance!

Atmospheric Disturbances

Winter stinks. Literally. Cooking aromas, body odours, and laundry pong have nowhere to go so they just hang around. Often times the weather is just too foul to open windows and doors to get fresh air introduced and moving through the home. In colder climes, houseplants would be risked!

There are numerous brands of air fresheners on the market but, for me, their cloying scent is overwhelming. If the intense and artificial fragrance weren't choking enough, most leave an airborne slick of chemicals that, if you have the misfortune to inhale, leaves a bitter taste that lasts hours. Most are worse, even, than the winter reek they're meant to cover up. So, how to keep the home smelling fresh in those closed-home months? There are a few common household products that not only work well, they're thrifty to use, too.

First on my list are houseplants. Depending on the type of plant and its size, they scrub the home's air through the process of photosynthesis (Wikipedia: Photosynthesis.) Plants consume water and carbon dioxide (CO₂) and produce oxygen as waste. Their waste is our gain. Not only is the home cleaned of excessive carbon dioxide – which results from merely breathing – they convert that gas into clean air. The more plants you have, the more square footage of household atmosphere they'll clean. Dispersing plants around the home ensures odours have no hiding places.

Lingering food aromas can be the worst offenders. Rather than mask cabbage or fish smells with spray bursts of chemical lavender or citrus, consider using vinegar. Simmering a few ounces of vinegar on the stovetop for 20-30 minutes will clear the air. If you have a piece of cookware (stainless steel or brushed aluminum) which is blue-stained from cooking alkaline foods, you can serve two purposes by using it to simmer the vinegar. The pot will sparkle, and so will the air quality! After a party, a few small bowls of vinegar, strategically placed, will neutralize any funky remains.

Carpets and rugs tend to absorb odours and, when people tread on them, they're released back into the air. An easy solution is to sprinkle carpets and rugs, liberally, with baking soda and let stand for a half hour before vacuuming thoroughly.

Soda is also great for cleaning and refreshing the refrigerator. A tablespoon or two of this common kitchen ingredient in the wash water and fridge odours disappear. Then, leave the remainder of the box open in the fridge to collect odours until the next cleaning. If objectionable smells happen between cleaning, try adding a teaspoon of vanilla extract to couple tablespoons of water, in a small bowl, and put that in the fridge overnight.

For many years, my mother used charcoal to keep her refrigerator smelling sweet. In my opinion, it worked even better than soda. That type of charcoal (small chunk) is hard to find. Some Garden centers or Nurseries may sell it. If you are lucky enough to find this charcoal – I, so far, haven't been – you'll need about a cup of it in a mason jar with a perforated lid. When it no longer cleans the fridge air (usually about twice a year,) spread the charcoal on a baking sheet and heat it in a low oven (approximately 200 F degrees,) for about half an hour or until odours were purged. Then, cool the charcoal, replaced in its jar and back into the fridge. Used, heated, and re-used, time and again, this fridge freshener lasts years.

There are a number of ways to sweeten the air in closets and drawers, as well. I like to store fragrant guest soaps in with clothing to lend them a fresh scent. Cedar chips, balls, and bars, can be used in closets, and won't add intrusive odours to the garments. Homemade sachets, using common herbs and spices, are another easy way to freshen closed spaces. I buy these spices in bulk for much less cost that pre-packaged brands.

If you wish to create ambiance with scent, try simmering your favourite whole spice (most herbs will not work as well in this application,) combined with a cup of water, in a small pot on the stovetop, and simmer off and on throughout the day, adding water as needed. My favourite combination is cinnamon bark and whole clove, which lends a very nice holiday fragrance to the home. At other times, I use fennel seed, whole cardamom, bay leaves, or star anise. Use your imagination. The aromas you'll create will smell – and taste – so much sweeter than any chemical spray. It's a bonus they're thrifty as well!

Don’t Take A Bath On Dry-cleaning

Many of the clothes worn at this time of year are dry-cleanable. For this reason, laundering costs can be far higher in the winter months. Most heavily-structured or "couture" items of clothing – blazers, jackets, gowns – are not able to be washed at home. Their seaming, lining, and/or particular fabric could, and probably would, buckle or bunch. Keep those dry-clean only items out of the laundry! However, some clothing labels merely recommend dry-cleaning while also allowing laundering at home, given a little caution and extra care.

Woollens are one example. Many can be washed at home, but certain cautions must be taken or you'll end up with doll clothes. First, cold water must be used. Even warm water could cause shrinkage. Most delicate fabrics have tags recommending no scrubbing or wringing action should be used when hand-washing. That's why I have a clean toilet plunger I use on laundry only. The plunger gently forces water through the fabric with a gentle cupping action. I'm careful not to plunge completely, though, as the greater pressure can distort fabrics.

Another thing to remember when hand-washing is to rinse thoroughly. Cold water makes it more difficult to get rid of suds, so a couple or few rinses may be required. This is important. If soapy residue remains, fabrics will stiffen and be uncomfortable or irritating on the skin. To help the rinsing process, add a generous amount of white vinegar to the final rinse water. It'll not only help dissolve any remaining soap, it'll soften the clothing, prevent lint from clinging, and neutralize mildew and/or other odours. If you have any sensitivity to wool, you can also add a capful of creme hair rinse to the final rinse water and they will be softer to the touch. Glycerin can be used in place of creme hair rinse, but more will be needed to achieve the same result.

Before washing, test the fabric along the inside seam to ensure the colours won't bleed. If you choose to hand-wash non-colourfast items, make sure to wash them individually to prevent cross-colouring. It's possible to stabilize the colours and prevent fading by adding Epsom salts (1 teaspoon per gallon) to the final rinse.

Drying hand-washed clothes can be challenging, particularly as most cannot be wrung out. Again, I use my handy laundry-plunger to squeeze as much water from the fabric as possible. For clothes that could stretch, you'll want to lay them flat to dry. A blanket or towel works well to absorb the moisture, but the drying item should be kept in a well-ventilated area so the fabric dries as quickly as possible. A fan helps speed the process. A suspended drying rack will greatly improve the drying time by allowing the free flow of air around the garment. For clothes with resilience (non-stretching) hanging them will achieve faster drying but, again, hang in a well-ventilated area and make sure you have a drip catcher in place.

One drawback of hand-washing is the need for ironing. Woollens, of course, won't require ironing, but most other hand-washed garments will. Iron delicate fabrics on a low setting to smooth out any wrinkles. If the material is synthetic, use a piece of brown paper (cut from a grocery bag) between the iron and fabric to prevent shine developing. Ironing with brown paper will also enable a slightly higher temperature if a crease is desired (e.g. dress slacks.)

Although there is money to be saved by hand-washing, the main reason I duck the dry-cleaning is smell: I just can't stand the chemical odours that accost the senses upon entering the shop, and waft off the garments I bring home. So, for me, the greatest bonus of washing clothes by hand is the air-freshening attribute: damp clothes, smelling of mild soap, actually deodorize the room they're hung in. They smell great when worn, too!

Ultimately, the cost of dry-cleaning influences how I shop for clothes. I consider the garment's price to be not only what's printed on the sticker, but its lifetime cost of cleaning, too. Many items of clothing, unable to withstand that cost-analysis, never make it into my closet.