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Sunday, April 1, 2012
When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Lemonade!!
OR, Simply put them to good use. See these great cleaning tips and yes, save money on all those cleaning detergents!
Put a shine
on metal
Sanitize
the microwave
Nix soap
scum in the shower
Hand-wash
dishes
Deodorize
the laundry
Sanitize a
cutting board
Clean
hard-to-reach places
LEMONS –
GREAT CLEANING TIPS
Forget the cleaning products under your sink. You probably have a
very powerful one right in your fridge: Lemon, which adds such welcome zest to
food and cocktails, is also a mild but highly effective cleaning agent.
What makes lemon
such a powerful cleanser? Its high acid content, which enables the fruit to
work as a powerful antibacterial sanitizer that combats common household
bacteria.
Put a shine
on metal
When it comes to copper, brass and chrome, nix harsh chemical
polishes and instead put some elbow grease behind half a lemon. “Lemons are
highly acidic, which enables them to cut through and loosen mineral deposits,
making them easier to wipe away. For extra oomph, before scrubbing, dip the
fruit half in salt—it will help exfoliate the surface for added shine.
Sanitize
the microwave
The lingering smell of popcorn, pizza and whatever you might have
heated up recently can overwhelm a microwave. Cut a whole lemon into super-thin
slices and put the pieces in a microwavable bowl. Fill the bowl with hot water,
place in the microwave and cook on high for one minute. The citric acid’s
antibacterial properties will kill bacteria while the heat works like a
humidifier to loosen icky, caked-on food. Afterward, wipe the oven with a damp
cloth.
Nix soap
scum in the shower
Instead of tending to the shower tiles, doors and fixtures with an
abrasive chemical treatment, use this homemade natural remedy: Juice six lemons
and pour the contents into a spray bottle. The citric acid will break down hard
water deposits and dissolve filmy soap scum. Also, the antibacterial and
antiseptic properties will sanitize the space.
Hand-wash
dishes
When you run out of dish soap, slice a lemon in half and sprinkle
baking soda on top, working the lemon half like you would a Brillo pad. Watch
as the citric acid cuts, loosens and then dissolves grease, giving your pots
and pans a shiny glow. Oh, and your dishpan hands will smell sweet!
Deodorize
the laundry
It doesn’t take much to combat the odors of work, the gym and the
everyday grind. Adding just one teaspoon of lemon juice to the laundry along
with detergent will provide a fresh, clean scent to socks, undergarments and
other clothing.
Wash the windows
Four tablespoons of lemon juice (either fresh or out of the
bottle) mixed with a half-gallon of water makes an effective window
cleaner—sans chemicals and streaking. The powerful citric acid dissolves dirt,
grime and water stains, leaving your windows sparkling.
Sanitize a
cutting board
Spruce up that kitchen workhorse—the cutting board—by squeezing a
lemon half over the top and letting the juice absorb for 10 minutes. (It soaks
into wood especially well, but this also works on plastic cutting boards.) This
will loosen stains. Next, kill bacteria by using the fruit to scrub the board.
Clean
hard-to-reach places
Make a paste of lemon juice and borax. With a toothbrush, use the
fresh-smelling cleanser to scrub tiles and around drains. This mixture is also
ideal for all those evil nooks and crannies!
Friday, March 30, 2012
The Month of April - Happy Easter
The month of April represents a few things that I love –
Easter, pansies, hot cross buns and school holidays. Which I think is more fun
for my daughter, but to have a house full of teenage girls with Blackberry
phones, loud music and laughter warms my heart!!
I just adore the childlike portrait of Easter - bunnies, colored
eggs and pastel colors. It really brings back childhood memories of Egg hunt
and receiving those beautiful big chocolate bunnies or hens, and not even to
talk about the plain white ones that look like real eggs. Those are actually my
favorite.
But, just like Christmas it is not about the bunnies and the
eggs, it is so much more!! It is a time to reflect and to be so grateful for
the biggest gift ever received.
In
Christ alone my hope is found,
He
is my light, my strength, my song;
This
Cornerstone, this solid Ground,
Firm
through the fiercest drought and storm,
What
heights of love, what depths of peace,
When
fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My
comforter, my All in All,
Here
in the love of Christ I stand.
In
Christ alone! - Who took on flesh,
Fullness
of God in helpless babe!
This
gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned
by the ones he came to save:
Till
on that cross as Jesus died
The
wrath of God was satisfied -
For
every sin on Him was laid;
Here
in the death of Christ I live.
There
in the ground His body lay,
Light
of the world by darkness slain;
Then,
bursting forth in glorious Day,
Up
from the grave He rose again!
And
as he stands in victory
Sin's
curse has lost its grip on me,
For
I am His and He is mine
Bought
with the precious blood of Christ.
No
guilt in life, no fear in death.
This
is the power of Christ in me;
From
life's first cry to final breath,
Jesus
commands my destiny.
No
power of hell, no scheme of man,
Can
every pluck me from His hand;
Till
He returns or calls me home,
Here
in the power of Christ I'll stand!
Copyright© 2001 Kingsway Thank you Music
Monday, March 26, 2012
The Joy of Giving
I have
decided to utilize my creativity by sharing it with everyone by starting a blog
– Sugar and Spice for Everyday Life with the main theme, The Joy of Giving.
This is a creative blog where I will share my digital art with you in the form
of daily inspirational messages and quotes, recipes, digital scrap booking and
many more goodies to spice up your day!!
Every encounter is an opportunity to give. Our
siblings, spouse, children, friends, relatives, co-workers, boss, customers,
and all those we meet will gratefully accept our gifts. The gifts I'm referring
to are spiritual in nature and, therefore, do not have any costs. We can all
contribute to the chain of giving.
We have the power to uplift spirits and make someone’s
day! At home or in the office, our words of encouragement can plant the seeds
of confidence in the minds of our children and co-workers.
The greatest gift we have to offer is that of time,
for time is the stuff life is made of. As our only nonrenewable resource, it is
precious. What greater way of expressing love, than by devoting time to those
we care about and those in need?
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