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Many of us have a wooden cutting board on our counter top or stashed in our kitchen cupboards somewhere, and we butcher more than meat on it- salads, carrots, and scraps all get worked on (and into it). The value of a "butcher block" is the very fact that wood is hard enough to work on but soft enough to allow knives and sharp tools to be used on it and even pierce it, without dulling the knife or chipping the block. Hence a block surface has only an oil treatment- none of the usual wood finishes like varnish or paint can be used on it. So the blows of our preparation instruments aren't the only thing it absorbs- food particles, fats,meat and vegetables, juices, etc. can soak in and provide a fine encouragement for bacteria growth and o...

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Here's a simple way to keep your data safe from potential bad actors in one easy step. Are you ready? Here it is: Log out and lock your computer whenever you're not in front of it. That's right, it's so simple it can almost be seen as an analog approach to cybersecurity. But make no mistake, all those in-depth disk encryption efforts can be rendered pointless. If you step away from your computer while it's on and unlocked, anyone passing by can access it. Working Remotely Promotes Data Vulnerability What's perhaps most insidious about someone gaining physical access to your computer is the fact that the attacker doesn't need any advanced technical know-how to steal sensitive information. A momentary lapse in vigilance at work or a coffee...

Your Grandma always "aired out the house" in the spring. This airing out announced the coming of spring. but is it really necessary? Yes, it is! Today;s homes actually need airing out even more that Grandma's did.The house, which had been draft-proofed as far as possible with storm windows, heavy curtains, felt strips around the door and window frames, and blankets stuffed under the doors, was opened up to let the fresh spring breezes flow through. And as winter's cooking and heating odors wafted away on the wind, serious spring cleaning began. But talk about closed up! Our modern homes make those of thirty or forty years ago seem like wind tunnels by comparison. You can almost feel your ears pop when you slam a door. Our homes today ar...

This is a question we are asked often. So, let's compare them. A sponge is easier to handle, you can even cut them to fit your hand. They hold five times the liquid a cloth does. A sponge will soak up liquid liquids more speedily. They work well on flat surfaces. With a cloth, you can exert more finger power. They are far superior for situations where it's important to be able to come up with a lot of clean sides. A cloth can fit into very small spaces. So there you have it, either one will do the job. My personal preference as a professional house cleaner is a dish cloth. I think sponges will stay damp longer and hold more germs. I keep a cheese shaker filled with baking soda and a few drops of essential oil next to my kitchen sink and...

Your Grandma always "aired out the house" in the spring. This airing out announced the coming of spring. but is it really necessary? Yes, it is! Today;s homes actually need airing out even more that Grandma's did.The house, which had been draft-proofed as far as possible with storm windows, heavy curtains, felt strips around the door and window frames, and blankets stuffed under the doors, was opened up to let the fresh spring breezes flow through. And as winter's cooking and heating odors wafted away on the wind, serious spring cleaning began. But talk about closed up! Our modern homes make those of thirty or forty years ago seem like wind tunnels by comparison. You can almost feel your ears pop when you slam a door. Our homes today ar...

There;s no doubt that a lot of the messes we clean up aren't ours but those left by relatives, neighbors, and friends. We love to have people come by, and most visitors leave a good feeling, but many also unthinkingly leave a mess also. Crumbs and spills, dirty dishes, crumpled napkins and candy wrappers, wet towels and toys left out- the list goes on and on. When all this is left for you to clean up, it's a big job and can dampen the afterglow of a pleasant visit.

A lot can be done to change this, and it's mainly a matter of training your guests. If you act like you don't care, others simply won't worry about leaving a mess. If you give them some good hints that you expect them to pick up after thenselves and make it easy for them to ...

Did you know that there are over 17,000 petrochemicals available for home use, only 30% have been tested for their effects on human health and the environment. Presently we know very little about the implications of these products which we are breathing in every day. Cleaning smells are everywhere, homes, offices, and even our cars. Have you ever stopped to read what is in a car freshener? They have that "delicious smell" because they are made with synthetic fragrances created by additional chemicals rather than natural scents.We are spraying , burning, and plugging in chemicals everyday to get that "fresh smell" in our homes and vehicles with little regard to what it may be doing to our health. Well, here is good news- you can have you...

Everybody has holiday hangovers. I'm not talking about the food and drink we've over-consumed. but to those decorations that have seen better days. No matter how far gone they are, we take them back down, tape or splint them together, and tuck them back into a box. They won't improve any in storage, no matter how well we wrap or pack them. A lot of this stuff was never meant to hold up for more than a couple of months anyway, so look at the stuff as short-term trimmings. When the party's over, part with it. ( It makes some of the prettiest color flames in the fireplace!) Christmas is the big collector here. Most of us have boxes somewhere filled with flattened bows and broken Christmas balls, wads of hopelessly entangled ornament hooks, ...