THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, January 14, 1996 TAG: 9601100125
SECTION: HOME PAGE: G1 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: AROUND THE HOUSE
SOURCE: BY MARY FLACHSENHAAR, SPECIAL TO HOME & GARDEN
LENGTH: Medium: 98 lines
ACCORDING TO HELOISE, the best and cheapest way to dry windows you've just washed is with crumpled newspaper. The printer's ink makes the glass sparkle.
That is just one of the 100 cleaning hints offered by the Queen of Clean in the January issue of Good Housekeeping magazine. Here are a few more of her majesty's most useful and most unusual tips for all of us who have made a resolution to keep a clean house in '96.
Sink drain: To keep it sanitary and odor-free, pour in 1/2-cup baking soda and 1 cup white vinegar. After it foams, flush with hot water, then cold. Repeat once a month.
Kitchen counter tops: For stubborn stains, squeeze fresh lemon juice on the area and let soak for 15 to 30 minutes. Then sprinkle with baking soda and rub gently with a soft cloth. Rinse with water and dry.
Wood chopping blocks and plastic cutting boards: To disinfect, mix a solution of 2 to 3 tablespoons bleach to 1 quart of water and pour it over the wood. Wait a few minutes before rinsing well.
Stale carpet smell: Using a flour sifter, sprinkle the carpet with baking soda. Leave for 30 minutes, then vacuum.
Miniblinds: Slip a terry sock over your hand, spray it with all-purpose cleaner and dust.
Chandelier: For sparkle without drips, quick-clean the crystals with pre-moistened, alcohol-based towelettes.
Fiberglass tub: Any inexpensive hair shampoo makes a great, low-cost cleaner. Scrub away using an old stocking rolled into a ball as a cleaning pad.
Toilet: As a cleaning shortcut, drop in a few denture tablets and let them fizz. Swish with toilet brush.
Room freshener: Before you vacuum, add a handful of whole cloves or potpourri, or a sprinkle of ground cinnamon or nutmeg, to the vacuum cleaner bag.
Musty closets: Keep a bowl of activated charcoal in the closet to absorb the moisture that creates the odor.
Lamp shades: Dust with a soft, clean paintbrush.
Silk flowers: Place flower-end first into a paper or plastic bag filled with 1/4-cup salt and shake a few times. LITTLE LIGHT GOES A LONG WAY
For consumers who are literally in the dark, a new gadget called FlashCard is a ray of sunshine. Only slightly bigger than a driver's license and weighing less than an ounce, FlashCard is a flashlight in miniature, fitting smoothly in a palm, purse or pocket.
The bulb, switch and long-life disposable battery are enclosed in a waterproof vinyl case in either black or burgundy.
A simple squeeze of the battery-operated card will light the way when you're trying to open the car door in a dark parking lot or find your way through a house hit by a blackout.
And those are just the obvious uses. The manufacturer, Lumatec, boasts that FlashCard is indispensable for cyclists, campers, boaters, hikers or for the poor soul whose contact lens has just disappeared into a dark corner.
Ten seconds a day of use will keep the card going for two years or more, promises the company's press release.
The suggested retail price is $6.99. Locally FlashCard is available in the women's accessory department of J.C. Penney, the Virginia Opera gift shop at Harrison Opera House in Norfolk and at The Open Road Bicycle Shop, 12715 Warwick Blvd., Newport News. For other locations, call (800) LUMATEC (586-2832). KEEP IT SIMPLE
According to the January issue of Better Homes and Gardens, ``Decorating has gone on a diet . . . in fresher, uncluttered settings, reassuringly familiar elements and sumptuous materials.'' The trend for the coming year ``is about simplicity and earthiness but with all new style.''
Here's what's hot, according to the magazine:
Earth colors like greens, browns, reds, warmed by generous use of yellows, with soft blues, purples and metal grays offering a cool balance.
Furniture designed for comfort, especially big ottomans, sleek chaises.
Wood furniture that is unadorned, unpolished and green.
Soft, tactile fabrics like chenille and velvet.
Less formal dining rooms, with simplified backdrops, earthy textures and a centerpiece from roadside or garden.
Bigger and better-dressed beds.
Laundry rooms that are brighter and airier and that function as multipurpose work spaces.
Trendy tiles decorated with florals, stripes, garlands, fish.
Lever latches and vintage faucets.
Tall ceilings, tall windows and transoms.
Art glass inserts in windows.
Barns, roosters and other farm images on borders, posters, fabrics and lamps.
Front porches. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
JIM WALKER/The Virginian-Pilot
Crumpled newspaper is a cheap, easy way to dry windows after you
wash them.
by CNB