Home Care

• No need to purchase supplies to keep your windows sparkling! Chances are you've got what you need at home. Prepare a solution of two tablespoons of vinegar to one quart of water, spray it on and use crumpled newspapers to clean away streaks.
• Want to keep your refrigerator sweet smelling? Put a few drops of vanilla extract on a piece of cotton, tuck it in your fridge and kiss odors goodbye!
• Stock up on lemons for your Spring-cleaning! Lemon juice dissolves soap scum and hard water deposits, cleans and shines brass and copper and can be mixed with vinegar and/or baking soda to make cleaning pastes. Even put a whole lemon peel through the garbage disposal to freshen the drain and the kitchen!
• Don't want to smell last night's fish at this morning's breakfast? After cooking, simmer a small pot of white vinegar (don't boil) in the stove for about ½ hour. The slight vinegar scent will disappear along with any food odors when you toss it out.
• Make your own draft blockers! Just make a long tube of your favorite fabric and stuff with newspaper. Place at the base of doors and windows where cold air slips in.
• In times when natural light is scarce (i.e., winter), you can easily liven up your domicile with unnatural light by installing anything from ambient light fixtures to wall sconces and track or accent lighting.
• Here's the green way to handle a clogged drain: pour 1 cup of baking soda down the drain, followed by 1 cup of white vinegar. Put in the stopper to contain the fizzing action and the clog is history!
• Moldy shower curtains can be revived. A nice long bleach bath followed by a light scrub, or just a trip through the washing machine usually cleans everything up nicely.
• Did you know that field mice hate the smell of peppermint? If these pesky little creatures have invaded your home this winter, try placing cotton balls soaked in peppermint oil in the corners of rooms and under appliances.
• Mix expired medications with coffee grounds, then toss them rather than flushing them down the toilet. This prevents your medications from contaminating the earth.
• Put some baking soda on a wet sponge to remove grease from the stove or the wall behind the stove. It provides just enough scouring power to get rid of the grease without scratching any surface.
• If you're looking for a New Year's resolution, try drinking less bottled water! They fill up landfills and waste resources through transportation, and bottled is often no more safer or tastier than regular tap water.
• Out with the old! During the darker, colder winter months, make the most of your time inside by reducing your material load. Look for unwanted clothes and never-to-be-used canned foods and donate them to a worthy cause!
• This winter, get a sweater for your water heater! Chances are your heater is in an unfinished basement, so wrapping it in an insulating blanket will keep energy in!
• Don't stress your rugs by beating or shaking the dust out of them. A weekly vacuuming prevents dirt and soil from becoming embedded into the rug's fibers, and will extend the life of your area rugs.
• Reach for the white vinegar to cut grease, remove mildew, odors and wax buildup around the house.
• Did you know ants don’t cross cayenne pepper, lemon juice, cinnamon or coffee grounds? Place a small line at your doorstep and say adios to pesky ants!
• There are many inexpensive, natural alternatives that can safely be used in place of commercial household products. Try cornstarch to clean windows, polish furniture or shampoo carpets and rugs.
• Make your own furniture polish by combining 1/2 teaspoon olive oil and 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice in a squeeze bottle. Shake well, squeeze a little onto a cloth and apply to wood surfaces. 
• To freshen your home naturally, simmer some organic apple cider with a few sticks of cinnamon and several whole cloves over low heat for three to four hours. 
• Attention all bath lovers! Put a little moisture back into the air during winter, when heat dries the house out. Just leave the water in the bathtub overnight. Your skin will thank you!
• To clean grout between tiles in kitchens or baths, use a hand-held steam
• cleaner to loosen debris and stains. Then scrub with a stiff brush, moving
• it in small circles, wipe away debris, rinse and dry.
• Having company for the holidays? Whether it’s family or friends, you want your home to look good. Do floors and countertops with a Conair Steam Cleaner. Saves time and leaves surfaces sparkling clean!
• To prevent unwanted holiday guests of the rodent kind, make sure to seal exterior home foundation gaps with mortar, weather-strip basement and garage doors and keep all food in hard plastic, glass, or steel containers.
• It’s easier to keep bathrooms clean if you keep a general cleaning product, a glass cleaner, a powder or soft scrub, and rags and a scrub brush under each sink. Then when the “uh-oh, it’s time to clean” moment comes, you’re ready!
• When redecorating your home or simply repainting, pick a friendly, happy color for the bathroom - and always be sure to use mold-resistant paint!
• Window air-conditioners have filters that need to be cleaned to let air flow through. Once a month, remove and rinse filters under running water. Pat dry and put back!
• If your towels have a musty odor, add a cup vinegar to the wash and they’ll be fresh as a daisy in no time!
• Summer is a great time to wash your driveway. For asphalt, use 1 scoop of laundry detergent in one gallon of water. For concrete, use 1/4 cup dishwashing detergent to 1 gallon of water. Scrub with a push broom, then rinse thoroughly.
• Don't lament the demise of your bulky old appliances. Newer ones are more conveniently sized and more energy-efficient. Upgrading today will save you money in the long run and give you a great reason to go shopping!
• Put a few tablespoons of fresh, unused ground coffee into several clean old socks and hang them in your closets to eliminate musty odors.
• Often find science experiments in the fridge? Make a habit of looking through the refrigerator when taking out the trash. Toss the furry green stuff.
• Too much humidity is hard on everything from walls to wood to carpet to furniture. If you can’t open windows in kitchens and bathrooms, be sure to have exhaust fans installed. And use them!
• Dry winters are hard on more than skin! Keep your house from feeling some of winter’s aches and pains with an indoor fountain. Trickling water is a soothing sound, and you’ll be surprised how much water evaporates into thin air!
• Fabrics that hold onto wrinkles – like linen – should be ironed while still damp. You’ll be surprised how the wrinkles disappear!
• Steam mopping is great for all kinds of hard floor surfaces. It is also good for removing fingerprints from walls and sanitizing surfaces like countertops and walls.
• If wooden drawers don’t slide easily, try rubbing paraffin wax along the runners. Don’t have wax? Try a candle. As long as wood is sanded smooth, that should do the trick!
• Never underestimate the power of baking soda! This easy “odor eater” can be sprinkled into kitchen trashcans to keep them smelling fresh. Put an open box in the refrigerator to absorb odors there.
• To avoid a dust storm, use a Q-Tip to clean out the back of your computer, near the fan, where lots of dirt can collect over a short period of time. Don’t forget to turn it off and unplug it before doing any cleaning.
• Dirt and dust don't settle just in your carpets – furniture cushions and heavy drapes can use a good vacuuming too!
• When using candles to set the mood, make sure they're set on a clean, flat surface away from anything that could catch fire. Enhance the atmosphere even more with CONAIR Sound Therapy.
• Conserve energy with a sticky-note. Leave reminders to shut off the lights, TV and other appliances before leaving the house. You’ll be amazed how a little piece of paper gets your attention!
• Batteries and aerosol cans shouldn’t be thrown out in your regular trash! Place a separate bin aside for these items and dispose of them as often as needed at the proper location.
• Did you know you can steam away germs from baby’s bathtub toys? That eliminates the need for harsh chemical cleaners, and it just takes seconds!
• Did you know that the Conair Steam Cleaner has SEVEN attachments?!?! Each one helps you with a particular chore; you’ll never need any other cleaning equipment. It’s compact; it’s a multi-tasker and is stored easily under the sink.
• Fresh cut flowers brighten up any room in your home - and you needn’t spend too much. A simple bunch of white daisies or carnations is inexpensive and wonderfully cheerful.
• Nothing renews a home like an open window. For an instant pick-me-up use nature’s air freshener. It’s free and uplifting!
• Overwhelmed by your list of cleaning tasks? Take one room at a time, and one tool - the Conair Steam Cleaner. Clean windows, counters, tile, upholstery in a jiffy. Then take a break!
• To save space in a tight apartment, consider adding a classic oval-shaped chrome mirror to your desk for an instant vanity!
• Use the Conair Steam Cleaner in areas you used to have to scrub and slave over, such as your shower stall grout, toilet seats, kitchen tiles and sinks, tires, BBQs, stovetops, conventional ovens - and much more.
• Here’s a quick way to clean up after making a meal in your kitchen. Simply steam all the grime away - no need for a sponge or harsh chemicals swirling about. Just point and steam your way to order and cleanliness.
• Who wants to inhale harsh chemicals when they clean? Now you can clean a multitude of areas with sterilizing steam.
• Your home reflects your personal style. In your bathroom, try a luxurious "Pouring Rain" showerhead, both functionally and aesthetically pleasing.