The 411 on Plastic Bottles and Containers

I don't know about you but I never know/remember what the numbers at the bottom of  plastic containers mean.  Here is a little primer from Earth911.com by way of The Green Guide, a website and magazine operated by the National Geographic Society .

"The safest plastics for.... storing food are made from high-density polyethylene (HDPE, or plastic #2), low-density polyethylene (LDPE, or plastic #4) and polypropylene (PP, or plastic #5)."

Watch out for plastics with #3s, #6s and #7s.  These containers have the potential to leach toxins when repeatedly  reused.  You are better off using these containers and tubs for non-food item storage.

Plastics with a #1 (PET), like plastic water and soda bottles are not known to leach harmful toxins into contents when reused. It can be tricky to properly clean and dry the plastic bottles with the small opening.  As a result the bottles may begin harboring harmful bacteria. Make sure to clean the bottles, carefully, or re-purpose them for non-food uses.

So, here are some other interesting uses for your plastic containers:
Bird Feeders: Using 1 liter bottles and miscellaneous other containers.
Here is  one of the options--it is a little involved though. Here is the link for instructions if you are so inspired.  Here are a couple of other bird feeders you can make with plastic bottles.







http://www.centsationalgirl.com/2011/02

Is this not the coolest looking light? You need bottles made of HDPE plastic (#2), milk jugs, shampoo, soda and water bottles. Another complex project but imagine how cool this would look in your place.

Photo: 19bis.com/objectbis

 

This last one is a little easier and something for the kids and all those yogurt containers.  Great project for the kids on a rainy day.

 

 

On a final and unrelated note, Bamboo Bedding Plus is having a sale on blankets and throws now through Sunday, March 10.  A shameless plug but imagine curling up on a cold night with one of these.

New Bamboo Bedding Offerings at Bamboo Bedding Plus

Bamboo Bedding Plus is pleased to announce the addition of a new vendor of 100% bamboo bedding offerings, bringing more sustainable and quality bamboo sheets, duvet covers, shams and throws to the environmentally conscious consumer.

February 11, 2013

Chicago, IL

Bamboo Bedding Plus (http://www.bamboobeddingplus.com) is excited to announce the addition of a new supplier for more bamboo bedding offerings.  Bed Voyage’s focus is similar to our own.  They are committed to sustainability, social responsibility and quality.

Aside from using bamboo for their sheets, blankets, shams and duvet covers, Bed Voyage has an extremely eco-friendly process.  They hold Oeko-Tex Confidence Certification, a review process conducted by large national retailers.  Their fiber processing is a “closed loop” system, meaning the solvent employed to transform the bamboo stalks to fiber is continually recycled during production.  This lowers emissions significantly, notably less than the manufacture of other man-made fibers.

Bed Voyage takes their commitment to social responsibility seriously.  In addition to keeping the emissions from their factories low, they only work with Asian factories that have passed a social responsibility audit: no children work at the factories that produce their linens; employees are paid fair wages and interviewed to make sure their working conditions are acceptable.

The quality of their bedding is exceptional.  Bed Voyage uses 100% bamboo in its line of bed bamboo bedding.  The bedding is constructed with a “twill weave”, making their extremely durable and exceptionally soft.  Their products are continually testing their products and conduct research to improve their products.  Knowing that what is on your bedding can seep into your pores while you sleep, Bed Voyage has omitted both Antimony Trioxide, a flame retardant, and formaldehyde, commonly used to make sheets wrinkle resistant.

Bamboo Bedding Plus is pleased to continue offering quality bamboo bedding and towels for the environmentally conscious consumer.  For more information and to view the selection Bed Voyage bedding and throws available go to www.bamboobeddingplus.com.

Bamboobeddingplus.com is an eco-friendly company, providing bamboo sheets and towels as an alternative to cotton, cotton blend and synthetic fiber bed and bath linens.

Bamboo Bedding Plus

Diane Fifles, Owner

Info@bamboobeddingplus.com

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New Uses For the Dishwasher

Hello All.  Loved this article from RealSimple.com.  Surprising Uses For Your Dishwasher.  They do list baseball caps.  Put in dishwasher instead of washing machine which will bend them out of shape unless you use one of those contraptions advertised on Amazon. Do not wash with plates and silverware as food remnants can get caught in the cap. Here are a few other uses they recommend.

1.  Rain Boots.  They recommend taking the lining out and and laying them horizontally.  You can also wash flip flops by hooking them onto the tines in the washer.  FYI: Your Crocs are not dishwasher-safe.

2.  Fan grills, switch plates and vent coverings can go in if they are steel, aluminum or plastic.  If enameled, painted or plated, do not put them in.  I am not sure where the grates over the heating elements on the stove fit in but I have put them in the dishwasher and had good results getting sticky stuff off.


3.  Shin guards, knee pads and mouth guards can be thrown in the top shelf of the dishwasher for a cleaning.

4.  Garden can be washed in the machine as long as the handles are not wood.  Since they may have come in contact with fertilizer or pesticides, they should not be washed with a load of dishes.

5.  Potatoes.  This one is my favorite.  Can put potatoes through the rinse cycle.  Do not use any detergent.  The author comments that is makes mashed potatoes for 20 a lot quicker than the traditional way.  They also claim you can make salmon in the dishwasher.  If you are interested, here is the recipe.  It does leave a smell in you dishwasher, so be warned.

For their full list of items, you can consult the article.  If you would like some tips on the "proper" way to load a dishwasher, check out their article, The Secret Life of Your Dishwasher.

Christmas Gift Cards Still Lying Around the House

By now, you have settled back into your daily routines and Christmas is a distant memory. But, you still have a bunch of plastic cards you are not sure what to do with. You love gift cards but for some reason, this year, the givers missed the mark on what stores you actually shop at. Well there are a number of sites which can help you get rid of your cards and get some cash in your hands.

Giftcards.com will buy your unwanted gift cards for cash. If you have $25 to $200 on a gift card, they pay up to 95% of the face value, they will send you a check within 48 hours of receipt. Or, you can go to one of their many locations and get your cash or trade your gift card in person. There are over 50 locations in Illinois and over half are in the Chicago area. Click here to see the video on Fox 32 News Chicago.   They also sell cards and have a handy tab for a number of cities, including Chicago, that give you lists of restaurants, shopping, hotels, spas and other types of venues with opportunities to purchase gift cards for each of the venues.  And, they have an A rating from the Better Business Bureau.

Other sites to go to sell gift cards. 

 

Coupontrade.com-- for selling gift cards it is more like a forum.  It is free to sign up for the site and list your gift card at the price you choose.  For some of the more popular vendors it is reasonable to expect that listing a card at 90% of its value and getting it sold, is reasonable.  The site is a BBB accredited site and they promote secure listings and privacy of the members protected and no hidden fees.

 

Cardpool.com -- They buy the cards directly from sellers and send a free shipping label to you for your cards. And, you will be sent a check within 24 hours of their receipt of your gift card.  They will buy them for up to 92% of their face value.  They also guarantee any cards purchased from them for 100 days that it will be accepted at the vendor and for the amount you purchased it for.  If for any reason you are not satisfied, you can send back the care for a full refund.

 

Giftcardrescue.com -- This one doesn't have any BBB accreditation or grade. But they do buy and sell gift cards.  You can get up to 90% back in cash or if you do a gift card exchange, you will be 5% over the value of the gift card.

 

So, if you have random gift cards lying around that you won't be using, it might be worth it to check one of these sites out and get what you really want.

DO NOT CALL REMINDER

This reminder was sent to me through one of my many newsletter subscriptions.  Thought it was worth passing on.  Happy New Year!

     
Cell Phone Numbers Go Public this month.

All cell phone numbers are being released to telemarketing companies and you will start to receive sales calls.  .... YOU WILL BE CHARGED FOR THESE CALLS.  To prevent  this, call the following number from your cell  phone: 888-382-1222. It is the National DO NOT CALL list It will only  take a minute of your time.. It blocks your number for five (5) years. You must call from  the cell phone number you want to have blocked. You cannot call from a different phone number. 

Random Clothes Tips from Household Magic Daily Tips

Wow-kind of a verbose name for a website but Household Magic Daily Tips has had some good ones for clothes and stains.  I haven't tried these yet but the tips look promising.

1.  Deodorant smudge on your dark shirt?   Use a clean pair of nylons/pantyhose to wipe it off.

2.  Trouble keeping that while shirt, white? In a basin of just boiled water, add the juice of one small lemon.  Soak the shirt for at least 30 minutes, then launder as usual.

3.  Need to remove grass stains?  Cover stains with rubbing alcohol and soak for 10 to 15 minutes.  Rinse out the alcohol and wash.

4.  Don't want to use dryer sheets but still want to eliminate static cling?  Crumble up a piece of tin foil and throw it in the dryer with wet clothes.  Be careful not to put in with delicates (sheer silk garments) or anything that can be snagged easily.

5.  One of the biggest causes of stains in my house is from chocolate.  Make a paste with borax powder and water or with meat tenderizer and water, rub it into the stain and let it sit for an hour, rub off the past and launder garment.  I don't have either of these in the house, but may start stocking up.

6.  Grease stains?  Now the ladies at Household Magic Daily Tips say to use salt on grease stains on a sofa, but don't see why it wouldn't work on clothes too.  Rub table salt onto the stain and let stand for a half hour to absorb the grease and then brush off.  Have to be careful with delicate fabrics.  I have also used corn starch on grease stains and that works too.

One last interesting tip they provide--use unwaxed dental floss to sew on buttons--it is stronger than cotton thread.

Hodge Podge..or random interesting tips I have picked up in the last week

Hi All:

Didn't have one topic to go with today so I am going to give a few few quick and dirty tips I've picked up in the last week or so.

1. Red wine stained your favorite blouse?  Use more wine!  White wine that is.   Pour white wine over the stain and through the cloth of the garment (think of the garment as a sieve, if you have trouble picturing it). Then run it through the wash and the stain should come right out in the cycle. Courtesy of The Domestic CEO by way of the Learnvest.com.

Matthew Petty/flickr

Pinned via the Web

2. Binder clips.  Not just for paper any more.  I have used them to clip open chip bags but others have used them to keep cords on their desk tidy and others have used them as "book ends" to stop bottles from rolling around in the fridge.  This is from an article on grandparents.com, 10 Organizing Ideas That Will Change Your Life.  Not sure about that, but they are good ideas.

3.  Keep your recycling bin near the front door so you can dump the junk mail as soon as you pick it up from the mail box.  This came from the same article. Thought this was excellent.  I end up with pieces of junk mail and fliers cluttering my counter until they find their way to the building recycling dumpster.

4.  And, for those who still send holiday cards, first, thank you.  Second, there is a site called CardsThatGive.org.  There are billions of dollars a year spent on holiday cards.  This site has more than 150 organizations which are selling cards to aid their organization. Some of the organizations include: the Art Institute of Chicago, National Wildlife Federation, and the Hunger Task Force of Milwaukee.  From Real Simple.