Cleaning cloths are of many types...

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Cleaning cloths are of many types, some are better than others, depending on what it is used. It's very different to clean wooden furniture or stainless steel kitchen. In addition you also have to take into account, how to keep them so they are always right and if they should be of a particular color. The composition is also very important, as is usually the best 100 % cotton, with synthetic fibers is almost impossible to clean ...

To clean dust are fine microfibers. The shape of the fiber gives them a high absorption capacity and in fact absorbs twice the cotton. Generally are thin and light, and have the advantage that we don’t need use any cleaning product. Withstand many washings and high temperatures, won’t warp, shrink or enlarge. Wash them to keep them in good condition at 40°C and when dry in the dryer, use a program with low temperature and do not dry them at all: if you let them a little wet , better clean the dust.

The microfibers are very practical for cleaning bathrooms, or used slightly damp with a little product for fast cleaning or very wet to clear after a thorough cleaning.

For the kitchen area we suggest the following:

1. Drying dishes and glassware, the better the cotton, no matter if they are grooved, but its composition has mostly cotton. The Microfiber abound, not because they do not dry well absorbing components. Better make that 100% cotton and cuddly, capable of adapting to the piece to dry. The ideals are ones that have the most sunken squares, like a sort of “honeycomb”.
2. To dry pots and less delicate items are very useful called curly cotton cloths, which are like towels dry hands.
3. To clean the work areas of the kitchen, if stainless steel is also used to rinse, after using white fiber, hot water and soap - microfibers with plenty of hot water. We dry immediately with a towel to avoid leaving water fences.
4. Use different dishcloths when handling meat and fish. To not go wrong, you can, for example, buy white dishcloths for meats and fish, and other foods, use dishcloths of other colors.
5. Do not dry your hands in a cloth directly after handling raw foods. Before, wash your hands well.
6. Wash dishcloths and cloths often sanitize them: Add a splash of vinegar to the wash water. From time to time should be used for dishcloths, which tend to accumulate a lot of fat, type Solvay soda or sodium carbonate, can be soaked cloths hours or directly put the soda in the washing machine.
7. The dishcloths should be kept clean and dry, because wet facilitates the spread of germs. Do not keep ever wet. Change them every 24 hours if you cook daily.

Did you know... ? There is a color code for the cloths, which prevents errors and

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makes hygiene when cleaning:

Red: To clean and disinfect toilets and high-risk areas in bathrooms

Yellow: To clean sinks, mirrors and low-risk areas
Green: To clean areas where food handled and stored
Blue: For all other areas and surfaces

Is there a formula to set the color of the clothes?

Often we buy brightly colored clothing and wash it scares us because we feel they will lose color. This is almost always the case, why should not "abuse" of the washes, because nowadays although we use the best detergents, the reality is that the clothing is losing color in each wash. The first time you wash these "dubious" we will hand clothes, to ensure color fastness ... always in cold water. But also in what way we can fix the color? ... Here we leave a formula. You put the clothes in a "bowl" or a bucket with this mixture and let soak one hour 

1/2 kilo (2 lb.) of coarse salt

1/2 liter (1 pint) of vinegar 

2 liters (4 pints) of water 

If it works the color will be fixed, but that does not mean it never will lose color, as we know it depends on the type of dye that has clothes. There are some dyes which are not solid and it makes the load look old and, after two or three washes. If in doubt, try this solution to fix the color ...

Tips for hand washing

Before washing clothes by hand we classify them by color: Always wash separate white and light colors and on the other hand dark colors (black, blue, brown etc). You also have to wash separately -each separately- the colors are not resistant and is the first washing. For example there are strong colors pashminas,  like red or green and when we see them know that they will fade. Once we have the clothes by color treat stains and heavily soiled areas like collars and cuffs ...

For hand washing clothes we suggest the following:

1. We normally use warm water and soap for delicate fabrics, usually neutral, so it is NO alkaline.
2. Put it in a bowl or bucket a little detergent, the ratio is usually indicated on the boat ... detergent for 3, 4 or 5 liters of water. It has to be well dissolved in water with hand stirring. If it does not dissolve well, for example in the case of silk can be spotted.
3. We put the garment in the soapy water and let soak 3 to 5 minutes maximum. With the hand placed the clothes so as to penetrate evenly water and soap. This step we don't do with wool and silk, should not leave to soak. The wool can be caked and in the case of silk, what you do is put in and take the pledge several times in water and detergent.
4. If it was necessary, rub gently some area without twisting or squeezing of excessively.
5. We rinse the clothes completely in warm water until the water runs clear, should change the water several times.
6. In some cases it is fine to use towels to remove excess moisture, such as sweaters, socks and delicate lingerie. The garments are hung only in case that the weight of water do not stretch and deform them.

The Color of Clothes

When one needs to wash clothes in the machine (that is for residences, dormitories etc…) one possible organization flow/ working system is as follows:

1. If possible, put out 2 different carts, a cart for light colored clothes and another cart for dark colored clothes

a. Light colors: white, beige and pastel tones like pink, blue or green

b. Dark colors: black, brown, dark blue. We can also add intense colors like red, fuchsia, orange, lilac, garnet, dark green. 

2. We can start putting the dark colored clothes in the washing machine first since this requires less stain removal treatment

a. Separate dark colored pants, dark colored shirts, dark colored blouses. One can wash them at 30º temperature and if they are very dirty, one can increase it to 40º. This separation can help one organize how the clothes need to be dried to facilitate ironing.

For instance, blouses need to be a bit wet/humid for ironing. Some pants need to be very dry while others need to be a bit wet. Shirts need to be fully dried so that one can immediately fold them without ironing.

For drying, it is better to choose programs which have a lower temperature even if it means more time since this avoids shrinking.

b. However, if there are a few items, one can wash them all together: dark colored pants, skirts, blouses and shirts.

c. One can also separate the washing of intense colored clothes (red, orange, fuchsia, violet). If a garment is new, it is better to wash it separately in cold water. The color of fabrics made of cotton or have mixed fibers usually run.

d. Blouses of different styles and prints (floral, stripes, checkered) can be washed all together.

Note: If one thinks that the color will run, it is better to wash them separately.

3. While the dark colored clothes are being washed in the machine, one can start classifying the light colored clothes

a. Put white blouses in one cart (wash them at 40º)

b. Put in another cart white blouses which need to be treated (ex. stain removal, dirty collars or cuffs). Treatment can be done by hand washing the garments in warm water using talc soap or with a mixture of 50 ml neutral liquid soap, 100 ml of ammonia and the rest water to make up a litre). Wash it in 30º.

c. One can place the white colored pants, skirts etc… in another cart. Check if there are parts of the items that need to be treated first (example hem of the pants, collar of blouses etc…)

d. Following the quantity of clothes that need to be washed, one can wash them by color: beige, pink, clear blue. However if there are not much clothes to be washed, one can put them all together in one washing. It is better to classify them and use detergent with bleach for 3 a, b and c and detergent for colored clothes for 3d.

In all cases, it is important to always do the following:

1)      Read the tag.

2) Check if there are stains so that one can remove them before washing.

3) Unbutton the bottons.

4) Check pockets and empty them of its contents.

What to look for when choosing a mattress

Hours of rest are the engine to take the rest of the day and, of course, throughout the week. To ensure a peaceful sleep and proper rest is necessary to have a good pillow and mattress that fits every need. Most people don’t know what to look for choosing a mattress and also know the importance of choosing the right one for their welfare.

Photo: Ikea

Over the years the mattress starts to deform and this new form taking the fibers affects the position of the body, while generating tiredness, fatigue, muscle aches, anxiety, among other effects. It is best to change the mattress every 9 years, depending on what has been given.

There are basically three aspects of what to look for when choosing a mattress:

1. Adaptability: Make sure that the mattress fits the shape of your body and at bedtime legs are slightly raised compared to the rest of the body.
2. Uniformity: The mattress should provide the proper support to every area of ​​the body.
3. Firmness: your choice should be a middle ground between soft and hard, it’s vital to provide sufficient time for the column has adequate rest firmly. Mattresses are combined which provide greater firmness, for example springs and Visco.

Note that each mattress you buy will be used approximately for 10 years, which is why you should make a good investment acquiring a high-end mattress keeps in top condition for as long as it‘s in use. Air mattresses and water are not suitable for everyday use, it’s ideal to choose memory foam mattresses for optimum adaptability or spring mattresses for perspiration.

Why or why not use fabric softener?

Why or why not use fabric softener? I was reading about it in the Eroski magazine, I realized what it is to be taken into account when choosing the fabric softener ... The softener is sold dissolved in water and added in liquid form to the washing machine. The most important ingredients of fabric softeners are cationic surfactants, quaternary ammonium type usually. These surfactants are adhered to the fibers of the fabric, providing softness, bulk, provide fluffiness and antistatic properties. A good softener must maintain a pleasant sensation of the tissues and provide an attractive aroma.

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What does the softening power depend?

As always, if when we seek a good detergent we want it wash efficiently, about softener we are looking to leave soft clothes. Most water softener is cationic surfactants. In the composition of the softening elements also come as mineral salts or dyes, nothing affecting the real power of easing.

Does it affect whether it is more or less liquid?

Contrary to what we might think, a more viscous softening does not have to contain a higher proportion of active material and therefore be more effective. A less viscous product is dispensed more easily, is better diluted in water, obstructs least the washing ducts and less product is lost in the container. Concentrated softeners have a higher percentage of cationic surfactants. Regarding pH, is considered to be better a softener slightly acid -between 4 and 4.6- to neutralize the alkalinity of the detergent during the final rinse.

Would you like your clothes smell good?

The aroma is a fundamental aspect of a softener. I personally use increasingly less softener. When I do, I do because I notice the clothes softer and because of the aroma. I've also read a lot about it and it seems that contrary to what everyone thinks the smell doesn't mean either that a detergent is better, nor softener. If I use it less now rather by an economic issue ... plus the soap I use for wool clothing, smells good and has already incorporated the softener.

Do you value the softness in some clothes?

If we use, it's best not to use with natural fibers, especially viscose and yarn  (but natural polymer chemistry), because it removes the natural sizing they possess. Use for wool, acrylic, polyester, polyamide is advised. In these clothes we really notice that provides softness and prevents the formation of wrinkles. The garments of wool and acrylic are not necessary to iron them, we leave them to dry on a towel. For polyester and polyamide garments, we can use fabric softener to remove electrostatic charges, not ironed, we hang right them out of the dryer.

5 Tips for washing baby clothes

When it comes to baby clothes we mean all clothing that are in contact with the baby; bedding, towels and other items such as gauze, bibs or teddies.

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1. Remove stubborn stains before: baby clothing is stained with stool frequency, leftover food or vomiting that must be addressed before proceeding with normal washing. If these types of stains ,soak the garment in place with a little soap to remove dirt more important.
2. Wash clothes separately from the rest: during the first six months, it is recommended to wash baby clothes separately from other clothes of people living in the home.
3. If you wash by hand: when clothes are washed by hand must rinse very well, to avoid leaving traces of soap or detergent. It should be hand washed clothes of wool, silk, organza and including embroidery, beading or lace.
4. If washed in the washing machine: if possible, it is best to use a program that includes double rinse to prevent detergent residue on clothing.
5. Soap type: better to use a special soap for delicate or specific baby clothes. From roughly six months may introduce other detergents. It is best not to use fabric softeners and additives.