Cleaning with Club Soda

As part of our miracle cleaning solutions, we have club soda. Now I for one am new to using club soda. I always preferred the run around screaming stomping up the red kool aid with a towel method. Okay, well maybe I didn't prefer it, but that is what I did. Then one day a wise woman grabbed the bottle of club soda and started pouring. I was amazed to see the kool aid come right out. In fact I was so amazed, I took the bottle and started cleaning all the spots in the living room, while the party was still going on. Yes, the things you do when you find a cleaning product that works.

Here are some tips from the club soda pros who have known all about this secret weapon for years.

Don't be afraid to get your carpet really wet. It won't hurt it.
Blot up a spill easily by folding a rag and standing on it. The pressure will help the towel soak up the spill
The carbonation in the soda brings the spill to the top and the salt in the club soda keeps the stain from setting.
Using a dab of club soda works on clothing too, should you spill in a restaurant.

What does Lemon Juice Clean?

Lemon juice is a natural bleach and disinfectant. Not only that, but it's safe and leaves a pleasant smell.
To make a cleaner in a easy to use spray bottle, you need 2 cups of water, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice 1 teaspoon of borax. You could always add a drop or two of dish soap if you find you need a more sudsy approach. This is an all purpose hard surface cleaning agent. Perfect to hand off to your kids to clean kitchen counters and bathrooms.

One of my favorite uses for lemon juice is cleaning stains off of kids hands. I wish I knew exactly why it works so well, but it does.

Here are a few other handy little tips for using easy to find and inexpensive lemon juice.

1. Using lemon juice and salt, you can scrub and shine all your pots and pans
2. Remove rust from clothing
3. Remove fruit based stains in clothing (a summer helper)
4. Perfect straight from the bottle as a toilet cleaner

The Wondrous Cleaning Power of Vinegar

With all the latest "green" cleaning products on the market, and still the laborious task of deciphering exactly what is in those "green" cleaners, why not step back in a time just a little and look at the wonder products of your grandmothers day.

White Vinegar - A true wonder cleaner. Here are just a few things vinegar is good for when you are cleaning.

• Spray on vinegar to showers, tubs and sinks. Let sit for 15 minutes. Removes even the toughest soap scum
• Add 2-3 tablespoons of vinegar to hot water along with your regular dish washing liquid. Cuts grease on dishes and crystal
• Add 1/4 cup vinegar to the washing machine during the final rinse to soften clothes and remove lint from dark clothes!
• Apply undiluted vinegar to your skin and let dry. Bugs hate the taste of it and the scent disappears quickly.
• Make window cleaner with 1/4 cup vinegar to 1 quart water.
• Clean vinyl floors with 1/2 cup vinegar to 1 gallon hot water 
• 1 cup of borax along with 1 cup vinegar in your toilet bowl will have those stains coming off. If you have a stubborn stain, pour vinegar over the spot, sprinkle with borax, and let sit for two hours. Swish and flush, it should be that easy.

Tomorrow the power of baking soda.....

Spending Time With Your Children At The Library

Summer time is a great time to check out your local library. Many libraries have summer reading programs with prizes going to the family or child that reads the most books or reads out of the most categories. Many times the library will have childrens's programs for differing age groups including teen book groups. This summer grab a book from your local library and hit a nice shady park and read for a bit.

Talking to your Children About the Oil Spill

This article deals will give you some ideas on how to talk to your child about the oil spill. While families living farther away from the oil spill may not have children who are constantly in contact with it, the news or local paper will catch their attention. 

Erin Street wrote a great article on how and why you should talk with your children about it. It can be found at Sunset Magazine or by following this link. How To Talk To Your Kids About The Oil Spill

Five Cleaning Products You Should Never Run Out Of

This summer with the kids at home running in and out with their friends, the pets running around and the general business of summer, you need these five cleaning products stocked up and ready to use. They are:

1. White Vinegar
2. Baking Soda
3. Lemon Juice
4. Club Soda
5. Spot Shot Instant Carpet Stain Remover

You won't have to worry about opening all the windows just to clean the house this summer. All of these products are safe and most importantly, cost effective. Over the next few days we will explore what each of the wonder products can do to help your house stay clean.

Summer Fun In Your Own Back Yard

Sometimes its the simple things in life that are best. Kids remember a book better when it's read as a family. They enjoy vacation more if mom and dad are laughing and having fun instead of stressed about the next best thing to see and do. It's true about your own back yard too. While many times we go to great pains to save up for the latest and best back yard set, kids enjoy four boards thrown together with a blanket over it that they made better.

Here is a simple activity that you can do in your back yard that will not only keep your kids brains going this summer but is easy for anyone. It's called What is in a Square Foot?


Here is what you need:

• 4 Pieces of 12 inch string for each person
• 1 Ruler for each person
• Magnifying Glass per person
• Pencil and paper

Mark off a square foot by laying down your string in a square pattern. Use your ruler and magnifying glass to measure and see all the interesting things in your square foot. Draw and write about each item you found.
Many times you will find all sorts of bugs, mini plants, small pieces of trash or toys. When your done compare notes. Did anyone find something unusual? Did they find a lot?

It's a simple little activity, but opens the door to so much more. Take time this summer to enjoy your kids and nature.

Is Mom or Dad Addicted to Technology?

It's a well known thought that pre-teens and teens are highly addicted to all the social media outlets. My Space, Facebook and Twitter are quickly out pacing plain old emails. Texting is a new way of communicating, even in the same room. Yes, that is very sad! Here comes the "but".....but, did you know parents are just as guilty of this addiction? With blackberries that can go anywhere, download email, update facebook and automatically tweet we have become information addicted. What happened to the days when the answering machine caught all your calls while you were out? Go back even farther, what happened when no one was home?
CBS recently covered this topic. Here is the video, that may just convict you. If it doesn't, either your doing a great job keeping your priorities in check or your listening to this video while your tweeting that your on the computer.



Watch CBS News Videos Online

Photo Scavenger Hunt is a Perfect Birthday Game for Teens

Most of us have been part of a scavenger hunt at one time or another. It's fun and anyone can play. One of the biggest challenges we have as parents of teens and pre-teens is to throw a party with games that they enjoy. Pin the tail on the donkey just doesn't cut it for a 13 year old. Find a limb, a stone and a green item, well it doesn't cut it either.
So here is a new twist on the old scavenger hunt. It really can be done in one of two ways. The first way is to hand out disposable cameras, or have everyone bring a digital camera and have a list of things they need to take pictures of. This can be done in teams, one camera per team and should be done with-in walking distance of the object you want photographed. Here are some ideas:
church building
bell tower
playground
yellow house (or what ever is near)
field
horse
beetle
You get the idea. Customize it to items around your neighborhood.

The second idea will take some parent cooperation but is more memorable and fun. It's called a video scavenger hunt. With a parent driving, and someone recording on a digital camcorder you go around town doing required activities. Here are some examples:
walk through a drive through and order a hamburger
play Chinese fire drill at a red light
get everyone in your group in the shower and turn on the water(dressed of course)
unroll a roll of toilet paper
Get someone to unroll their window and offer them some grey poupon mustard
Order a hamburger with no meat or sauces, then eat it for the camera
Stuff an entire donut in your mouth
Everyone has to climb on a fence and smile for the camera
Run 1/4 mile on a school track, backwards

Have a time limit and when it is all done, everyone meets back for popcorn, or cake and ice cream and watches each teams videos. Everyone wins, because everyone had fun.

The Photo-shop Effect

In this day and age having a healthy view of your body is important. Letting your children know that the perfection they see in magazines and on advertisements is not real or really even attainable. In the last few years the Hollywood secret has been let out. Every photo released is indeed photo shopped. Understanding this yourself, and imparting this to your children, will help them to have a real understanding of health and beauty. Don't be fooled by the perfect models in a magazine.





Thank you to Diet Health for putting out this video. If you are interested in more of what they have to say take a look at their website.

The Mozart Effect

Dr. Glenn Wilson on the Mozart Effect. I appreciate Dr. Wilson's views on this subject. It has been well touted over recent years that by having your children listen to Mozart or any classical music you could create a genius child. The studies, while they show it does help, do not prove that to be so. After you watch this video, head over to his site and watch his entire speech. It's educational and easy to understand. Truth be told, enough research has not been complied to prove or disprove this theory. Listening to complex music is good for a child and for the adults too.

Product Recall - GE 12 Cup Coffee Makers

We here at Growing Your Family feel the need to keep up on product news and recalls that can affect your life. Since we think a majority of our readers drink coffee or at least own a coffee maker we wanted to bring to your attention the latest recall. Here is an excerp from the Consumer Products Website :

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

Name of Product: General Electric®-branded 12-cup digital coffee makers
Units: About 900,000
Importer: Walmart Stores Inc., of Bentonville, Ark.
Hazard: The coffee maker can overheat, posing fire and burn hazards to consumers.
Incidents/Injuries: Walmart has received 83 reports of overheating, smoking, melting, burning and fire, including three reports of minor burn injuries to consumer’s hands, feet and torso. Reports of property damage include a significant kitchen fire and damage to countertops, cabinets and a wall.
Description: This recall involves General Electric®-brand 12-cup coffee makers sold in white or black. The digital coffee maker has programmable functions and plastic housing. The GE logo is printed on the base of the coffee maker and the model number is printed on the bottom of the base.


No other models are included in this recall.
Sold exclusively at: Walmart stores nationwide from March 2008 through January 2010 for about $30.
Manufactured in: China
Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled coffee makers and return the product to any Walmart for a full refund.
Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Walmart at (800) 925-6278 between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s website at www.walmart.com