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Do you know what’s in your medicine cabinet? When was the last time you checked the expiration dates on any medications that you have? I can’t say that I ever thought about it before, but I took the time recently to to do just that and I was surprised to find that so many of my over the counter medications were expired. I don’t mean recently expired, I’m talking being expired for some time.

Aside from any prescription medications you may be taking it is a good idea to have some of the following items on hand.

Aspirin, for use as a painkiller and a fever reducer.  Although it is not wise to give aspirin to children, you should still keep some on hand for when it is needed.

Ibuprofen like Advil and Motrin and naproxen like Aleve and Naprosyn are also effective painkillers for adults and children over 12 years.

Decongestans and over the counter cold medicine is another must. Cough syrup for adults and children are sometimes needed in the middle of the night, so keep those handy. The same thing goes for antihistamines and allergy medications.

Keeping antacids tablets, calamine lotion, antihistamine cream and cortisone creams available is smart.

Bandaids, bandages, gauze pads and medical tape should be in every medicine cabinet. As well as an oral thermometer, toothpaste, floss and a spare toothbrush.

We don’t always think about things like medicine cabinets and what should be in them. Don’t be unprepared and make sure to check for any expired medications which can make you sick, and replace them with brand new supplies. You’ll be glad that you did. Make it a point to check your medicine cabinet regularly.

Take care. I’ll talk to you soon!

Post from: Keeping the Castle

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Toilet Bowl:
If you find that commercial toilet cleaners are too expensive then there is a cheaper way to get a spotless toilet bowl. Just put a cup of vinegar in the bowl and swish it with your toilet brush.

Hard Water:
To get water stains off of the bottom of your tub, use a paste of vinegar and baking soda. Don’t use this on fiberglass as the baking soda could scratch but on porcelain and cast iron tubs it is great! If you have a fiberglass tub try a Mr. Clean eraser and a lot of elbow grease.

Chrome Fixtures:
You can clean chrome fixtures by rubbing on a bit of vinegar and then drying and buffing with a clean cloth. If you don’t have any vinegar on hand you can clean your chrome in the bathroom using rubbing alcohol in the same manner.

Shower Heads:
To clean your shower head place some vinegar in a baggie and place the shower head inside. If you don’t want to unscrew the head, just use a rubber band to hold the baggie on the head. Leave it sit overnight and you have a clean, unclogged shower head.

Shower Curtain Liners:
If you have mildew on your shower curtain liner and it never seems to get clean in the washing machine, try this. Fill the tub with about 2-3 inches of water and ½ of liquid bleach. Remove the liner from the curtain bar and drop it into the tub. Let it sit for about 20 minutes and rinse. Hang it back on the curtain bar and let it dry before putting the curtain back on. All of the mildew will be gone. It not only cleans, but deodorizes too.

Take care. I’ll talk to you soon!

Post from: Keeping the Castle

Today I finally decided that enough is enough.  I needed to find some sort of system that works for me so that I can keep my bathroom looking better.  I have decided that I will continue to hand mop the kids’ bathroom each week.  It just grosses me out and I have to stick to that one.  I will use the mop for the master bath and kitchen and then once each month I will hand mop those floors.  This will help me to know that my floors are getting properly cleaned yet it will cut down on my cleaning time.

Do you hand mop your floors?  What cleaning dilemmas have you solved in your home?

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Post from: Keeping the Castle

For a while now, I’ve seen a dingy looking area in our vinyl bathroom floor. It’s hardly noticeable except when I remove the bathroom rug for washing. And there, in all its un-glory, was brown beside the almost pristine floor that was protected by the rug. I figured the light brown stain was made by years of hair-spray use in front of the mirror. Particles of hair spray would settle on that area and attract dirt. No amount of sweeping or regular mopping would remove it.

Finally, I stumbled on a solution. Scrubbing Bubbles! I sprayed some on the vinyl, and let it soak for a few minutes before wiping away with a paper towel. Repeat as needed. Now the entire floor is spot-free, rug or no rug!

Note: My bathroom floor is vinyl and there seemed to be no harmful effects from the use of Scrubbing Bubbles. However, I will not be held responsible for any damages that result from this tip. If you’re not sure, test Scrubbing Bubbles in a small out-of-sight area first.

Post from: Keeping the Castle