I am very particular with how my home smells. One of my pet peeves is when a particular odor lingers anywhere in my home. This is the reason I bought an exhaust fan to install in my kitchen.

But what can we do about smelly kitchen sink drain?

tips for an odor free kitchen drain

First and foremost, what causes a smelly kitchen sink drain?

The foul odor coming from a kitchen drain is caused by cloggging. When you wash the dishes in the kitchen sink, some of the food are washed down the drain and sometimes gets clogged somewhere down the pipes. When they rot, they will of course emit a foul odor. This odor will find its way out and will be emitted from the drain.

Here are a few things that you can do to remove the clog and foul odor from your kitchen drain.

Avoid washing food down the drain

As much as possible, wipe off all the grease and food particles from your used plates, bowls, spoons and forks before dishwashing. This will prevent food particles from clogging the drain and therefore avoiding any foul odors.

Salt or Baking Soda Does It

Pour a tablespoon of salt or baking soda down the drain. Followup by pouring a kettle of boiling water. The boiling water would solve the clogging part of your problem while the salt or baking soda would remedy the foul odor coming from the drain pipes.

There you have it. Simple and no-cost way to remedy a smelly and clogged kitchen sink drain.

What about you? Do you have other tried and tested ways of unclogging and removing a foul odor from your kitchen sink? Share it by commenting on this post or by emailing me at blog@mommymakeitbetter.com. I’d be so happy to hear from you.

Be safe!

A very happy new year to all! I hope you are all slightly glowing from the champagne, your tummies bursting from the sumptuous Media Noche, your tonsils hurting from belting out in the karaoke and your ears feeling a little bit violated by the noise of the firecrackers (I hate firecrackers, I admit I’m biased).

Anyway, now that the noise from all the fireworks has died down, I thought I’d come online and remind you all to have a safe cleanup.

How to Clean Up Used Fireworks

• The first thing you have to do is to make sure that all your fireworks and firecrackers have gone off. Do not touch a firecracker that has not gone off. If you think that any of your fireworks is a dud, do not touch it or attempt to even light it.
• Hose down your entire lawn or garage. Or any place which has been exposed to used fireworks. (You know those rocket fireworks thingies? I hate them. I don’t buy them. They are my neighbors’ fireworks and they ended up in my lawn. THEIR MESS, MY CLEANUP. LIFE ISN’T FAIR. Enough ranting.) Anyway, remember to hose everything down thoroughly.
• When all the used fireworks and remnants of firecrackers are soaked, you can begin collecting them and putting them away into trash bins.

Remember, never, ever, ever touch fireworks that didn’t go off. Safety first, always. Especially during post-fireworks display cleanup. Keep your fingers on! :p

Cleaning your home is not just about keeping it presentable for visitors. The primary reason for maintaining a clean home is to ensure a healthy family. Dirt, dust, grime, molds and viruses cause illnesses. So, to keep your family healthy and happy, make it a point to have a clean and orderly home.

Having a cleaning schedule and ample cleaning supplies and materials is important. Here is a list of basic cleaning supplies that you need.

All Purpose General Cleaner

An all purpose general cleaner usually comes in powder or liquid form. They are relatively cheap and easily available in supermarkets and local groceries. However, if you are suddenly in need of a cleaning solution but cannot find one in your supplies cabinet, mix a few drops of tea-tree oil with a solution of 2 cups of water and 2 tablespoons of dishwashing liquid. The mixture will give you a pleasant-smelling general purpose cleaner. Store the solution in a spray bottle for ease of use.

Baking Soda

Baking soda is a very effective and flexible in cleaning and deodorizing. It is mildly abrasive which makes removing dirt, soap scum and hard water scales.

Bleach

My personal favorite, bleach is very powerful in removing stains, whitening surfaces and disinfecting areas of the home. Keep in mind that bleach should never be mixed with other cleaners and substances such as ammonia or vinegar. Also, always wear gloves when working with bleach.

Hydrogen Peroxide

Available in drugstores and even grocery stores, Hydrogen Peroxide is a potent oxidizer. It is also an effective bleaching agent, able to remove different kinds of stains. Before using Hydrogen Peroxide on fabrics, make sure that the fabrics are colorsafe.

Lemon Juice

Probably the safest cleaning agent, Lemon Juice is a versatile cleaner, deodorizer, stain remover and disinfectant. It can be used undiluted or mixed with water.

Rubbing Alcohol

Rubbing alcohol, when mixed with water, makes a great glass and ceramic tile cleaner. This is my favorite solution when cleaning mirrors.

Acetone and Thinners

Acetone and thinners easily remove sticker marks and stains. Thinners, on the other hand, can get rid of paint.

Vegetable Oil and Petroleum Jelly

To keep surfaces shiny, vegetable oil or petroleum jelly can be used. They also provide a protective layer on surfaces, most especially on laminated wood.

WD-40

The popular WD-40 is an effective lubricant. Commonly available in hardware and electronics stores, this material can also remove dirt from surfaces.

White Vinegar

I have no idea why white vinegar is underrated. It is possibly the cleanser that is easiest to find, yet very effective and very safe to use. It can dissolve dirt, soap scum and hard water deposits.

These are the common household cleaning supplies that you need. The list is short and the items are very easy to find. No homemaker should be without these cleansers. They will help you keep your home clean and presentable, maintaining a healthy and happy family.

Having a to-do list is very important when running a household. To keep homemakers sane in spite of the many chores that need to be done, keeping a schedule and sticking to it is vital.

Sort housekeeping tasks into daily, weekly and monthly schedules. Below is a you can follow.

Daily Do’s

• vacuuming and mopping floors
• decluttering rooms
• cooking
• setting the table
• washing the dishes
• taking the kids to school
• fetching the kids from school
• helping the kids with homework
• bringing the garbage outside

Weekly Do’s

• doing the laundry
• folding and ironing clothes
• defrosting the refrigerator
• changing beddings and curtains

Monthly Do’s

• paying utility bills
• taking the family out on special trips

The lists above contains the very basic activities and chores that need to be done at home. You can follow the list to T or you can make your own, it all depends on your requirements and lifestyle. The most important thing is for you to do the listed items on schedule. Following a routine makes household chores seem very easy and manageable.

Stains are the thorn on my backside. Sometimes it just can’t be helped. Stains on polished furniture, on clothing and even on gadgets are sights for sore eyes.

So without further ado, I’d like to dedicate this day as stain-free day. Here are a few tricks to get of those nasties.

Getting Rid of Stains

Old vegetable stains that have hardened can e removed with petrol or benzene. Follow it up with a quick wash with soap and water.

Lemons are a great iodine stain remover. Just get a slice of freshly cut lemon and rub on the stain.

Mildew stains are not as tough as you think. You can get rid of them making a paste of one teaspoon starch, two tablespoons of salt and one teaspoon lemon juice. Spread the paste on the stained area. Let it sit under the sun for at least twelve hours. Wash as usual.

Cleaning ipods is very easy by using a soft, damp cloth. However, tough stains on iPods are remedied either by a window cleaner. Make sure that it has no alcohol ingredient. Alcohol can cause damage to the iPod’s paint.

Glue stains, when fresh can easily be removed by washing the garment in cold water. However, if the glue has already set and hardened, use methylated spirit.

Door knobs. Everyone in the house touches them. Even our guests sometimes get their hands on the door knobs. But of course, they enable us to actually get inside our homes and even each and every room inside the house.

It is therefore not a surprise that door knobs catches dust, dirt and grime. Even germs and viruses of different varieties can sometimes stick themselves on door knobs. Here are a few steps to keep them clean, shiny and germ-free!

How to Clean Door Knobs

• Start by using antibacterial wipes in each door knob in the house.
• Fill a pail or a basin with hot water and add some all purpose cleaner.
• Soak a soft cloth into the hot water and cleaning solution. Wipe door knobs thoroughly.
• Get another cloth or towel soaked in water only to rinse the door knobs.
• Finally, spray disinfectant on the door knobs.

Handy Tip!For a quick cleaning, especially when you are pressed for time, an antibacterial wipe, such as Wet Ones, will do.

I personally have spent a good deal of money on stylish yet secure door knobs like Yale and schlage hardware. Caring for these items that I bought with my hard earned money is a must for me.

Toys. I had lots of them when I was younger. They range from Barbie dolls, Lego, puzzles, Etch-a-Sketch, play kitchen set, and more. I loved them so much. They not only helped stimulate my imagination or pass the time, but they were special to me because even as a child, I knew the value of money, and beautiful, durable toys certainly do not come cheap.

So my parents were blessed to have a youngster who knew how to play with, and keep, toys. But it’s a different thing with me and my son. I am still in the process of teaching him how to handle toys, it is not easy, because I have to remind him over and over and over again, but I know he will get it. We are taking it one baby step at a time.

It is always wise to teach your kids the value of toys and how to properly play and take good care of them before you give them more expensive stuff like Leapfrogs and PS3.

Here are a few ways to teach your kids how to use and manage their toys.

Provide Age-appropriate Toys

Don’t give your kids toys they would not know how to play with. I learned my lesson well. I bought my son two huge remote controlled cars, and he only threw them around and stepped on them. He was three years old when I got them for him. And I almost cried because those toys cost so much, only to be wrecked a few hours after purchase.

Toy manufacturers provide the age bracket who would be most suited to play with the toys they make. Stick to it. Less complications for baby, less headaches for mommy.

Designate a Play Area

Where does your child play? Since I have a small house, my son plays in his room and in the garden. Those are the only two places in which he can play. Designating a play area and sticking with it is the key to avoiding lost toys. Since I started this rule about play areas, my son’s newest set of Lego blocks are all still intact and accounted for. As are the pieces of his new puzzle given to him the other day. Whereas before, it only takes a few hours before one of his toys goes missing.

Also if he plays anywhere else, he might think that every moment of every day is play time, and that everything is a toy. To avoid having your lipstick being mistaken as a crayon, do not let your child play in your room.

Putting Toys Away after Play time

I bought a huge chest that is able to house all my son’s toys. Works like a charm. There would not be a need for shelves, and they are hard to manage because then you still have to arrange the toys properly because they are displayed. So a toy chest is the most ideal. All my son has to do is to pick up his toys, dump them in the chest and be done with it. He is only four years old and he can clear his own clutter. Mommy’s proud.

No to Toy Overload

Joshua Becker, author of the blog Becoming Minimalist, listed twelve reasons . From among those twelve, this is what struck me the most.

Kids develop longer attention spans. When too many toys are introduced into a child’s life, their attention span will begin to suffer. A child will rarely learn to fully appreciate the toy in front of them when there are countless options still remaining on the shelf behind them.

As a bonus, having fewer toys will mean less clutter in the home, which can sure cut down some minutes of tidying up each day.

Toys need not be a headache for us moms. If we teach our kids the discipline of playing in designated areas and to declutter after play time, then it would be a big help around the house. Not only that, our kids will learn that there is a time and place for playing and that toys are to be played with, not wrecked or thrown around.

The perfect wedding gown, prom dress and tuxedo are sometimes hard to find. But once you do, their effects reach far beyond the special occasion for which they were bought. Wedding gowns, most especially, become cherished family heirlooms. Storing these precious items properly will make them last for a long time.

Storing expensive clothing should always be done right. It shouldn’t be so difficult to do either. Here are very simple tips to help you store your memorable items of clothing.

Tips on Storing Gowns and Tuxedos

• Ball gowns, wedding dresses and tuxedos, make sure to always have them dry cleaned first. Then hang them in a suit bag or place them in an airtight container. As an added precaution, place some moth crystals or moth balls inside the bag or the container.
• When storing clothes in boxes, make sure to wrap the clothes first in white, acid-free tissue paper. On the other hand, acid-free cardboard boxes are also available, but you have to replace them every five years.
• Never store valuable clothing in plastic bags. Over time, a plastic bag will break down and its chemical composition will ruin your precious clothes.
• Always store your clothes in a cool, dry place. A damp basement, a hot attic or a humid closet will surely cause mildew and turn your clothes yellowish.
• Keep all your gowns and tuxedos away from sunlight and any artificial lighting.

Expensive gowns and tuxedos have sure seen one of the happiest moments of your life. Recitals, Prom, Wedding. Keep your clothes safe and make it last a long time. Keep in mind these tips. They’re not that hard to do!

I was sorting my freshly laundered clothes the other day. My son was in the room with me, playing with his cars. We kept to ourselves, doing our own things until my son came to me with two pieces of clothing and said, “What’s this?”

He was holding two of my lingerie in his hands.

My son is almost four years old – that age when toddlers ask so many questions. And I mean SO MANY. So I composed my self, and said, “Those are mommy-daddy clothes”. There. I didn’t need to explain so much. Off the hook.

I then realized that I haven’t tackled lingerie in this blog yet. Well, how to clean them. So here are some tips in cleaning those delicate “mommy-daddy clothes”.

Walls provide a backdrop for the rooms in our home. Often, we tend to forget about our walls, that is, until really huge marks caused by crayons, ballpoint pens and other markers appear courtesy of our children.

Don’t despair. Cleaning walls isn’t really that hard. Here are some tips and tricks to help you keep your walls clean, shiny and new.

• To remove dirty fingerprints on the wall, a pencil eraser is an effective tool.
• Dirt marks on wallpaper can be removed by rubbing a soft India rubber or a small piece of stale bread over it.
• Ceramic-tiled walls will freshen up by brushing white shoe polish into the cracks of the tiles. Remove the excess polish streaks with a damp absorbent cloth.
• Moss that have accumulated on walls can be removed by pouring hot water over it and wiping with a cloth or scouring with a brush or scouring pad.
• Oil-paint walls can be cleaned with soapy water.

Make every inch of your home squeaky clean. Don’t ignore the walls!