LilSugar

Casa Quickie: Hot and Then Cold

CasaSugar — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 07:00:09 PDT

If you own a top-loading washer, or live in a building that has older machines, you may be using soap flakes or powdered detergent instead of liquid laundry detergent. However, if you want to wash your clothes in a more energy-saving manner by keeping the water temperature on cold, you'll benefit from trying these tips with your non-liquid detergent.

First, try adding the powder to the bottom of the washing machine and letting a little water run before you add any clothes. This will help to ensure that the detergent will dissolve and not get stuck in folds of your clothes, which can damage the garment and guarantee another round of washing.

If this doesn't do the trick, try dissolving the powdered detergent in a pitcher of hot water before adding it to the machine. Problem solved!

Casa Quickie: Lighten Up

CasaSugar — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 13:00:00 PDT

A recent article in the New York Times brought up an interesting subject: how much dishwasher detergent should we use? Every time my detergent runs low - which is often - I wonder how little can I get away with. As it turns out, "Washing machines and dishwashers are made to use far less water now than older models and, therefore, need less soap. And detergents have also become increasingly concentrated." So, the answer is less is more. What a relief! If you're a numbers girl (or boy) like me, you may need digits: the Times' expert dishwasher repairman says that 1/8 to 1/2 of what's usually recommended should be enough. Try this at home! It should save us all a pretty penny.

I Don't Buy It: Special Detergent For Your Fitness Clothes?

FitSugar — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 08:00:00 PDT

Of course, I think it is imperative to wash your fitness gear after every workout, but come on - do you expect me to believe that I need special soap to do it? This Sport-Wash ($10) says you should use this instead of regular detergent to "keep the high-tech in your high-tech fabrics so your workout wear will continue to look good and perform its best." This soap claims that it "leaves no residue to interfere with moisture control, breathability, water-repellency or insulation. It even restores factory-applied waterproofing." Is it me or do you agree that this is a total scam? Now I know workout gear can start to stink after a while, and detergent that gets the funk out is a necessity for some clothes, so that I'm down with. As for this Sport-Wash, I think it's a waste of money because if the fabric itself can't withstand washing in regular detergent, then chances are the gear isn't going to last very long anyhow. What do you think?

Source

Ecotot: Baby Detergent

LilSugar — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 04:00:41 PST

Kids produce piles upon piles of laundry. While carting the clothes to the washer is one chore, lugging the weighty jugs of detergent is another. An earth-friendly option I found is ECOS Free & Clear concentrated liquid detergent that is 100 percent non pollutant, biodegradable, nontoxic and natural.

Two ounces of the fluid cleans an entire load of my children's soiled clothes as well as any mainstream brand and because it has a neutral PH, I don't have to worry about it irritating their sensitive skin. Sold in a recyclable container, 50 ounces is $8. Best of all, your children will have clean clothes and you won't have any more arm aches.

Lil Tip: Wash Up For Baby

babysugar — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 07:00:00 PST

Your shower has come and gone, and your due date is quickly approaching. Instead of just sitting around and waiting for baby, make sure all of those little onesies and sheets are ready for their sweet skin. Babies can be prone to eczema, atopic dermatitis and allergies so it's important to treat their clothes with a different kind of detergent than you would normally use.

All Free and Clear is free of dyes and fragrances, which help to protect your lil one's precious body. Dreft and Method Baby are popular detergent choices for moms, too. They are dye free, but both contain small amounts of fragrance, which I personally love.

Here is a list of things to wash:

All of Baby's clothes
Towels and washcloths
Bibs and burp cloths
Bedding sheets, blankets, bumper, pillows
You might want to wash some of your shirts, too

Also, steer clear of the fabric softening liquids and dryer sheets. They can
cause flame retardant clothes to lose their effectiveness.

Get to throwing those loads in the washer. As for folding, you're on your own!

So Fresh, So Clean: How to Make DIY Detergent

Emily Co — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 13:15:26 PDT

We love all things budget and eco-friendly, so it's only natural that making our own detergent is on the top of our must-do list. It's much cheaper to make your own, and it'll cost up to 80 percent less than a store-bought detergent. Read on to see how it's done.

How to Make DIY Detergent and Other Savvy Hits of the Week!

Emily Co — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 03:05:20 PDT

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How to Find the Best Deck Chairs For Your Home

Stylelist Home — Wed, 02 May 2012 09:00:13 PDT

We're happy to present a post from Stylelist Home!

Without a doubt, one of the most essential furniture pieces for outdoor lounging is a comfortable deck chair. And, over the years, the deck chair has come to include a wider selection of designs, from colorful slingback seats to larger adirondack styles (some even recline). Lounger-like deck chairs make relaxing seats by a pool, while foldable and stackable ones can serve as extra garden chairs in a more traditional backyard.

Although the style of your deck chair depends on your personal preference and your backyard, there are a few very general things you should keep in mind when you're shopping for one. We break down these basics for you here.

Keep reading for tips for finding the best deck chairs for your home.

Sugar Shout Out: See Some Cute and Creative Prom Invites

Katie Henry — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 23:55:49 PDT

5 Ways to Use Your Dishwasher More Efficiently

Business Insider — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:15:57 PDT

If you're not using your dishwasher efficiently, you're wasting money, energy, and water. Business Insider shares the right ways for you to use the dishwasher.

In leaner times, plenty of households boycotted energy-sucking appliances like dishwashers and went back to basics: manual scrubbers, a bottle of detergent, and a lot of elbow grease.

But is all that extra effort really helping us save in the long run?

In short, the answer is no.

That theory might have held water a few mini industrial revolutions ago, but technology has simply become so advanced that what was once considered a costly convenience has become vastly more affordable.

Cut Energy Costs This Summer by Taking a Cold Shower

In fact, research has shown hand-washing uses as much as 27 gallons of water and 2.5 kilowatt hours (kWh) of energy, compared with just four gallons of water and 1.5 kWh used by a hyperefficient dishwasher.

The key word, of course, is "hyperefficient." Upgrading your home appliances to any of today's energy-efficient models could be one of the wisest ways to cut back on utility bills, especially for larger households. According to the EPA, choosing an Energy Star-rated dishwasher could shave as much as $40 off your utility bills and save 5,000 gallons of water.

Here's how to use your dishwasher right:

Never run a partial load. Fill that sucker to the max and only use those "intense" cycle settings if you really need them. They'll use far more energy and water than the normal settings.

Shop for soap wisely. Dishwasher detergents can contain harmful phosphates - chemicals that seep into the water system and hurt aquatic life after they've made their rounds in wastewater treatment plants. Search for phosphate-free brands (they shouldn't be hard to find, as many states have banned them from detergents anyway).

Read on for more.