How I'm Successfully Treating My Melasma

A few days ago, I shared tips on beauty from the kitchen.  Essentially this is using natural foods like cucumber, milk, lemon juice and oatmeal in place of chemically laden beauty products that can have a toxic effect on your body.  I have been battling melasma for about 15 years now and let me tell you it is a costly battle.  Melasma is a skin disorder that results in large patches of hyper-pigmentation similar to freckles or age spots but a lot larger.  It can be in the epidermis giving a brownish look to the patches or in the deeper dermis resulting in blueish-black patches.  By far, melasma in the epidermis is easier to treat.  The problem is, many of the treatments used to correct melasma are not only toxic to the body but they can actually make the condition worse.  Here are some I tried that were somewhat successful but had negative results:

• hydroquinone -  Hydroquinone is a chemical skin bleach available as a cream or gel.  It costs about $12 for a small tube so overall can become rather costly for long term treatment of melasma.  While hydroquinone can be rather effective after using for several months, one of the side effects is developing melasma in the dermis so even though your brownish patches are gone or considerably lighter, the blueish-black patches appear.  I used hydroquinone on and off during the early stages but never would have if I had known it could make my melasma worse.  The biggest problem I had with hydroquinone was constant diarrhea, a clear indication it was a toxin for my body.  I won't use it or any product with hydroquinone in it again!
• the mask - My dermatologist used a mask to treat the melasma.  It went on clear then turned a horrible brownish yellow and had to be left on for 8 hours.  When I removed the mask, my face was a bright red (inflammation) and remained that way for 4 days.  I was physically sick the entire time (toxic).  Then it was onto special creams to stop my melasma from reverting.  They made me sick and the melasma obviously didn't read the book.
• laser treatment -  Laser treatment for melasma is performed by a dermatologist as an outpatient.  The treatment is painful and the blotches form small scabs that fall off.  The patches are not fully eliminated but rather there is more clear spots in the patches.  Repeated treatments result in additional clearing.  It is costly.  I paid about $2,000 over the course of a year. The problems with laser treatment are not only does it damage hair cells it damages skin cells so the melasma actually gets worse.
• alpha-hydroxy peels - An alpha-hydroxy peel brightens your skin by removing the top layer of the epidermis making melasma appear to be lighter.  Using an alpha-hydroxy peel becomes part of the weekly routine for combating melasma.  Continued use can be costly.  The biggest problem with alpha-hydroxy peels is they make you skin more susceptible to sun damage and skin cancer
• MSM (methylsufonylmethane) - MSM in high doses has been reported to reduce the effects of melasma.  The problem is you have to take it in high doses which for me really affected my stomach as in vomiting shortly after taking a dose and I tried everything including eating before taking it.  I found I could work my way up to 1,000 mg a day but after that I got the ill effects.  It was nowhere near the suggested 20,000 mg a day for dealing with melasma.  

I finally got tired of dealing with the melasma - mainly the constant trips to the dermatologist, painful treatments and toxic effects on my body.  I decided to go as natural as possible treating both internally and externally.  The end result has been a marked improvement in my melasma plus I have extra space in the vanity cabinet and more money in my pocket.  My melasma is to the point of being barely noticeable.  Here's what I'm doing that is working for me:

• hydration - Keeping the body hydrated is one of the primary ways to have healthy, glowing skin.  It lessens the appearance of melasma as well as help remove toxins from your body that can promote melasma.  I drink a lot of water to keep my body well hydrated as well as 
• sun exposure - I avoid sun exposure other than to get enough daily for healthy Vitamin D production.  I always apply a high SPF (110) sunblock to my face even on cloudy day and most day three or four times.  But, I am also very conscious about getting in a daily walk.
• Vitamin C -  Vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin so you can't over dose.  It is an anti-oxidant that is commonly found in OTC creams for dealing with blotchy skin.  I mega dose on Vitamin C at 2,000 mg three times a day (6,000 mg total daily).  I know you can easily go higher by my stomach gets irritated when I take more that 6,000 mg daily.  Externally, I use Vitamin C in the form of lemon juice that has long been used for removing age spots.  I just squeeze the juice from a lemon then apply at least once daily.  Lemon juice can give a temporary tingling sensation and make your face feel a bit tighter but other than that it does work well with no other side effects.
• Vitamin A - Vitamin A is found in the retinol products for skin peels as retinoid acid.  I use a dietary supplement for Vitamin A.  Externally, I use milk on my face to promote the production of new skin cells.  I've also used yogurt as a mask that works just as nicely plus I eat yogurt daily.
• Vitamin E - Vitamin E is a rather powerful anti-oxidant.  I feel I get enough Vitamin E through my diet so don't use a dietary supplement but I do use olive oil that is rich in Vitamin E on my face nightly.  It eliminates the dryness of lemon juice yet helps to reduce the melasma.
• aloe vera - Aloe vera is a wonderful moisturizer that erases the effects of sun exposure.  I was told in Aruba that aloe vera actually fades any tan you get during the day.  I use it morning and night.  While I do have an aloe vera plant that is regularly harvested, I use so much of it I have to buy the gel.  Some aloe vera gels contain colourants and alcohol so it is very important to buy a certified organic aloe vera gel with no parabens, artificial colours or synthetic fragrances.  
• avoid food additives -  I really haven't seen this mentioned on a lot of sites but I avoid any food additives that I can.  I am convinced that food additives can affect hormones in women that will lead to the development of melasma.  We rely on home canned foods, home frozen foods and foods cooked from scratch using whole ingredients.
• the cover-ups - Many with melasma resort to cover-up make-up and there are a lot of good brands out there.  I don't unless it is a special occasion and even then go very minimal.  Cover-ups make your face look great and block UV penetration but they have a lot of toxins in them.  I use Vichy Dermablend ultra-corrective foundation cream stick for those times I really want to hide the melasma.  This is an amazing product that really does hide melasma and other skin blemishes nicely.  It is on the expensive side at about $40 per tube but you don't need much of it.   The Vichy Dermablend does work and it protects against sun exposure as well.  I got a colour matched to my natural skin colour then apply with a make-up brush to just the blotches and blend in the edges with a make-up sponge.
• sunblock - I wear a high SPF sunblock 24/7 and reapply every 2 hours when I know I will be outdoors.  Even indoors you can be exposed to UV through windows and lighting so with melasma it is very important to keep that sunblock on the patches.  It is hard to find a good sunblock that doesn't make your face look greasy.  The best I have come up with to date is Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-touch Sunscreen SPF 110 with helioplex.  This sunblock is waterproof, sweatproof, non-comedogenic, oil free and PABA free but more importantly is works well.  As sunblocks go it is a bit more expensive somewhere around $12 for a 3 oz tube but if using only on the face, that tube lasts a fair length of time.   

The Problem With Housework

Housework can be boring and repetitive but the real problem with housework is it never ends.  I'm not kidding.  You can have all the laundry done only to find more piling up in the hamper the very same day.  I know many set aside a day for certain chores and at one time I was rather rigid in my scheduling of the chores because I had to be in order to maintain sanity in our household.  I even religiously followed FlyLady for a few years.  A few years ago, I decided to forgo my planned career and stay at home as a result of an injury.  With that came a paradigm shift in my way of thinking about household activities.  The 'clean the bathrooms' every Monday, Wednesday and Friday routine clearly wasn't going to work.  I certainly did not want to spent 8 hours of my Saturdays cleaning either so I went onto plan B - clean as you go.

A good portion of housework involves dealing with clutter.  It's not that the house is dirty it is messy due to clutter.  The rules are: never leave a room empty handed and always leave a room better than you found it.  I kept the 27 Fling Boogie, 15 Minute Rescue, and shiny sink from FlyLady because quite frankly both work well for me.  We live in a bi-level house so we have an upper level, ground level (garage and entrance) and a lower level.  Why they call it a bi-level is beyond me because technically it is three levels but I don't think the ground level is considered living space.  I do a lot of activities that tend to create a bit of chaos especially home canning which involves moving equipment and ingredients from the lower level to the upper level then putting it all away along with whatever food was canned.  So, I am up and down those stairs several times in any given day.  Here's a few ways I keep our home neat and tidy without being a slave to housework:

• one in one out rule - Clutter can be a huge problem so we developed the one in one out rule. What this means if an item comes into the house then an item must leave.  For example, if I buy a towel it is to replace a towel that is worn out.  
• paper clutter - Honestly, I am the queen of paper clutter.  I'm not kidding!  I still have all my notes from university, hang on to grocery receipts and pretty much anything paper encouraged by the fact that one of my hobbies is genealogy so you  never know when you will need that piece of paper.  I have decided that enough is enough.  I went to digital for my day planner, to-do lists, and shopping lists so no more bits of paper floating around the house.  If I want to spurge on the rare magazine, I by an electronic version.  I am in the process of digitizing important papers but keeping only the ones we absolutely have to.  Essentially, what we have done is stopped the flow of paper clutter into our home which makes it a lot easier to maintain not having to deal with paper clutter.
• never leave a room empty handed - We have a large house which means I spend a fair amount of time each day moving from room to room.  We have developed the rule to never leave a room empty handed.  Surprisingly a lot of 'stuff' gets moved around and put away using this method.  For example, I get up in the morning and grab my bedside water bottle along with any dirty clothes.  The water bottle gets dropped off in the kitchen where I add any dirty t-towels to the dirty clothes then make my way to the laundry where I leave the dirty clothes and bring any air dried clothes back up to our bedroom and so it repeats.  This method is a sure fire way of ensuring nothing piles up anywhere.  
• 15 Minute Rescue - This method is ideal for quick kitchen and family room clean-ups like folding afghans and clearing coffee tables.  I can easily fold a hamper of clothes in 15 minutes or put a pot of homemade soup on.  The variations are endless but it is really surprising how much you can actually get done in only 15 minutes!
• the commercial break - At one time, I watched television during the day more for noise but occasionally to watch a program.  During the commercial breaks, I would toss a load of laundry in or fill the dishwasher or empty it.  You get the idea.  They were quick to do tasks that often get pushed to the back burner then all these quick tasks pile up resulting in hours of housework.  I still do this, taking a short break from whatever I'm doing just to tidy a bit.
• 27 Fling Boogie - The 27 Fling Boogie is a left-over from my FlyLady days but it works well for me.  I use the method at least once a week.  It's simple.  Grab a bag then go though you house and collect 27 things you don't need as quickly as possible.  Those items can be donated, put into the recycle bin or trashed but as long as they are out of your house you have met the goal.  
• the shiny sink - FlyLady stresses to always have a shiny sink.  It you do nothing else that day your kitchen sink should be scrubbed an polished.  The premise behind this task is it serves as a motivation to do another household task.  I took this idea a bit further because every room should have a 'shiny sink' in principle that serves as an incentive to keep things neat and tidy.  
• leave a room better than you found it - This goes hand in hand with never leaving a room empty handed but it is a bit different.  I do my morning routine followed by a quick wipe down of the bathroom sinks, faucets and mirror.  It takes only a couple of minutes but saves a ton of time later.  I keep spray bottles of rubbing alcohol and homemade cleaners in the bathrooms and kitchen so all I have to do is grab, spray and wipe.  In all of less than 5 minutes everything in that room is sparkly clean.  
• put things away as you go - We do a lot of cooking and home food preservation.  I am adamant about putting ingredients away as they are used so at the end of the cooking session there is no big clean-up.  This leaves very little in the way of kitchen clean-up so the kitchen is always ready to go for the next round of cooking the following day.
• cleaning baskets - I keep a basket of cleaning needs in both bathrooms, the kitchen and utility room.  That way if I notice something needs cleaning I do it right then before I forget about it.  This really helps to prevent having to do a larger cleaning session.

Tea Tree Oil

I first learned about tea tree oil way back when our kids were little.  We had a bought of the flu go through the house and the recommendation to  help control the bacteria was tea tree oil added to the wash.  Tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) oil has been a staple in our medicine cabinet ever since.  It has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties making it a very versatile product plus a little goes a long way.  I buy mine at the health food store for about $11 per 1 fluid oz (30 ml).  Don't let that size fool you because a little goes a long way.  Here's some of the ways I use tea tree oil around our home:

• as a beauty aid - Tea tree oil is wonderful for getting rid of blackheads as well as bacterial and fungal infections around the nasal flares.  Seriously, those little almost pimples around your nasal flares are actually a fungal infection according to my dermatologist.  I put a couple of drops on a cotton swab then apply where needed.  Usually only one or two treatments are required to clear the problem.  Athlete's foot can be cured by soaking your feet in warm water with two or three drops of tea tree oil and it also gets rid of the more common foot fungus, oncomycosis.  
• as a mouth wash - Tea tree oil is a must have when it comes to good oral hygiene.  It doesn't taste all that pleasant but it works and works well!  Rinse daily with a warm solution made from a half cup of water and two drops of tea tree oil to keep your mouth healthy and happy.  If you have a plaque build-up, you will notice it falling off within the first couple of weeks of using this rinse.  If you use steroidal inhalers that can cause thrush, this is a must use rinse.  I have an impacted tooth that for other medical reasons cannot be removed at this time.  It became infected once requiring antibiotics something I detest taking.  I switched to using tea tree oil rinses and have not had a problem since.
• as a purifying room blend -  A drop of tea tree oil added to grapefruit oil and 10 drops of lemon oil then placed into a diffuser makes a wonderful room purifier, killing off harmful bacteria without harming your lungs.
• in the wash - If a gastrointestinal illness is going through the house, I add about 5 drops of tea tree oil into my HE extra capacity washer.  Tea tree oil will kill off any bacteria that escapes the laundry soap and cold water washes.  
• tea tree oil spray - I mix 3 to 4 drops of tea tree oil in a litre of water then pour into a spray bottle.  This is an effective spray that kills fungus and bacteria on hard surfaces.  It is particularly useful on surfaces that will not tolerate a 50% ethanol solution that wipes 99% of all biologicals (eg. virus, fungus, bacteria).  It works nicely for germ control in vehicles as well.  
• in the dish water - If there is an illness going through our household, I add a drop or two of tea tree oil to the water for any hand washing.  It doesn't make the dishes oily feeling even though it is an oil but it does kill germs pronto.  Now, soap will kill about 95% of all germs anyway but the tea tree oil just gets the rest.

Beauty From the Kitchen

Several years ago during my final pregnancy, I developed the 'mask of pregnancy'.  I thought it would go away and it did somewhat only to return about 15 years ago.  I went to a dermatologist who put me on some lovely creams and told me to never go without the strongest sunblock I could find on my face.  The diagnosis was melasma.  Within days of using the creams, I was sick with severe gastrointestinal upset but never made the connection that it was due to the creams.  I finally stopped using the creams because it was a pain traveling to the dermatologist but I continued to use strong sunblock.  Little did I know back then that the hydroquinone in the creams could result in ochronosis, a skin condition where the blotches turn a blue-black.  Fast forward to present times...

I do not nor have ever used much in the way of make-up.  I use a high SPF sunblock and mineral powder.  I did however use a variety of lotions and potions to lessen the melasma including those with alpha-hydroxy and Vitamin C.  We have a boat, a pool and now spend about 3 months of the year at our vacation home in Florida - none of which are good if you have melasma.  Seriously, a 10 minute sun exposure can easily undo all the hard work over the past year that you did to lighten the melasma.  I discovered the Aveeno Positively Radiant line when we were in Florida early last year.  The results were promising so showed them to one of my kids who promptly asked "Do you know what you are putting on your face?" and showed me the Environmental Workers Group website.  Right then and there I decided to change the way I dealt with my melasma as well as take a more natural approach to skin and hair care, without all the toxic chemicals like: parabens, synthetic fragrances, artificial colours, hair damaging sodium and sulfates, alcohol and silicone.  I turned to the kitchen for help.

For years we have avoided preservatives and all types of food additives preferring to grow organic, preserve our own foods and eat healthy.  Why I did not make the connection that certain chemicals in our shampoos, conditioners and beauty products were toxic when absorbed through the skin, is beyond me.  The impact of taking a more natural approach has saved us a lot of money, reduced our waste, reduces our exposure to BPA an endocrine disruptor, reduces our exposure to petrochemicals, and extra space in the bathrooms.  More importantly, I have seen a reduction in systemic symptoms clearly related to some of the chemicals in the formerly used products AND my melasma has faded to the degree it is almost unnoticeable AND my husbands psoriasis is completely gone!  Here are a few things we use:

• 100% pure vegetable based soap - I actually make the soap myself so know what is in it. They are made right in my kitchen with vegetable oils, water and lye.  Most cleansing bars sold in the stores are detergent that can end up drying your skin out.  They have artificial scents and colourants.  My soaps use natural colourants and scents (eg. honey, cucumber) and occasionally I add essential oils.  
• aloe vera - I have always had an aloe vera plant in the kitchen for burns.  Earlier this year I discovered the benefits of aloe vera in Aruba and have been hooked ever since.  Aloe vera actually undoes the damage the sun does in a day.  Not only that, aloe vera is a soothing moisturizer that appears to undo previous sun damage.  I use a lot of aloe vera directly from my kitchen plant simply by cutting a piece and squeezing out the jelly.  I also buy certified organic aloe vera with no parabens, artificial colour or synthetic fragrances at the health food store.
• lemon juice - One of the ingredients used to lessen the appearance of melasma and age spots is Vitamin C.  I juice a lemon, dry the rind for baking and reserve the juice for my face.  I apply with a 100% cotton make-up pad focusing on the darker blotches.  It does give a bit of a tingle and can cause drying.  Some resources say to leave the lemon juice on for 5 to 10 minutes then wash off but I don't.  The reason being, any cream with Vitamin C is applied then left until night to be washed off and often reapplied then.  I use the lemon juice treatment at least once a day letting it dry on my face.  This method has reduced the appearance of my melasma by about 75%.  Lemon juice can be used as a safe and nature way to get sun streaks in your hair as well.  Just put the lemon juice in your hair where you want the streaks then go and sit in the sun until dry.  Wash out and the streaks are there.  If you want them lighter, repeat.
• olive oil - Olive oil is amazing!  Not only is it good for you, when combined with cooked tomatoes it makes the anti-oxidant lycopene more accessible for your body.  But olive oil is also a good moisturizer that also helps strengthen your nails.  It is a natural oil that can be used for psoriasis and cradle cap.   I apply olive oil on my face daily.  I simply apply with a cotton pad then let sit for 5 minutes and remove any excess.  It does not clog my pores but leaves my skin soft and silky.  I also rub olive oil into my finger nails to keep them healthy and strong.  We treat any rough skin patches with olive oil as well.  This method has completely cleared up my husband's psoriasis.  Not only that, I use olive oil as a hair treatment.  It can be used as a deep hair treatment by applying to wet hair then wrapping and letting it sit or applied sparingly after styling your hair similar to the way you would use a silicone based shine and frizz reducer product.
• milk/yogurt - Milk and yogurt contain lactic acid that act as a chemical peel to remove the upper epidermis of your skin to stimulate new skin cell production much the same way the high priced alpha-hydroxy creams work.  I apply the milk or yogurt using a cotton make-up pad then let sit until dry and rinse off.  I do this at night as part of my facial routine.
• oatmeal - Oatmeal is a staple in our kitchen not only for the health benefits but as a rash cure-all and beauty product.  Anytime we have a rash we turn to oatmeal to soothe the itch while drying out the rash.  As a beauty product, oatmeal soothes itchy skin while acting as an exfoliant to remove dead skin.  
• honey - Honey is a natural humifacant (moisture attracting) with anti-bacterial properties.  It is wonderful in homemade soaps turning them a rich golden colour with a lovely scent.  However, local unpasteurized honey is one of the best foods you can eat AND it is one of the best things you can use on your skin.  Honey greatly reduces if not entirely eliminates skin problems pimples and white heads.  It really gets to the root of skin problems, bacterial and/or fungal.  At the same time, honey is a great moisturizer for dry skin.  Simply apply local, unpasteurized honey to form a mask on your face.  Let sit for 10 minutes then rinse off.
• baking soda - Baking soda has a gazillion uses around the house but it is also widely used in cosmetics to help whiten smiles and control personal odours (eg. in foot spray, deodorants).    If you want a brighter, whiter smile all you have to do is brush your teeth with baking soda.  That's it, cheap and effective.  Sprinkle baking soda into your shoes then let sit over night to get rid of odours.  Baking soda is also a very effective shampoo.  It cleans and deodorizes your hair without stripping it of the natural oils.  In fact baking soda is the first part of the No-poo hair treatment.  Simply mix baking soda with with water to form a strong solution.  Shake well just before using then use that to wash your hair.  It does work!
• apple cider vinegar -  Apple cider vinegar (APC) is a must have almost miracle worker that can stop indigestion and intestinal upsets in their tracts.  Apple cider vinegar is the second component of the No-poo hair treatment, used as a rinse.  It leaves your hair soft and incredibly shiny.  APC also helps to control any scalp conditions like psoriasis, itchy scalp and dandruff because it restores your scalp's natural pH.  If your child comes home with lice. douse the hair and scalp good with APC then wrap in a towel and let sit for a half hour.  Problem solved.  Repeat if necessary but normally you won't have to.  APC is good for ridding the skin of dry patches and you can use it as a facial toner.  It does have anti-bacterial properties so will also help with any skin blemishes.  It also has anti-fungal properties to help clear any athlete's foot or fugal infections that can cause discoloured patches on your skin.
• avocado - Avocados are rich in Vitamin E and natural oils making them the idea kitchen food for reducing facial blemishes and scars.  Simply mash an avocado and apply it to your face as a mask.  Leave on for about 30 minutes them rinse off.  I do this treatment once a week to give a deep, soothing facial.  A light nap during the treatment helps refresh as well.  I really don't have much in the way of facial blemishes and never have had.  My face is free of scars as well.  However, others have reported this is one of the best treatments for both.  I just like it because my skin feels wonderful afterwards.  Mashed avocado is a very good treatment for dry patches of skin as well as psoriasis because not only does it moisturize it helps in the healing process.

Dusting Solutions

One of the selling features of our new home was hard flooring throughout.  It certainly makes you appreciate exactly how much gunk was hiding in our carpeting.  Dust is a mixture of dirt and soil coming in through window screens, pet dander, human hair and sloughed off dried skin, dust mite carcasses and feces, and so much more.  When this gets into your carpeting it is bad enough but carpeting also harbours the proliferation of dust mites compounding the problem.  Dust can give your house that 'old' smell, or just an off smell that says your house isn't clean.

Dusting is a bit more complex than simply dusting.  Many can get away with dry dusting but if you have allergies or asthma, you really need to damp dust without using an aerosol spray.  Damp dusting picks up the dust without allowing it back into the air.  Static cloths and microfibre dusting pads are a must especially if you have allergies or asthma.  They work well without any sprays  allowing you to dispose of the dust easily.  Contrary to many beliefs, dust does not just accumulate on horizontal surfaces.  Every surface in your home accumulates dust including surfaces you wouldn't normally think of like light bulbs and clothes in your closet. Walls should be routinely dusted and if you don't think walls accumulate dust just run a static cloth over a couple to see exactly what is on your walls.

The thing is if you have no carpets you will notice more dust.  That is just the nature of the beast but at least you are seeing the dust and can deal with it than if the dust were hiding in your carpet.  Put an air cleaner on your furnace along with good filters then set about dust control duty.  If you have allergies or asthma, you already know how important it is to get this dust out of your home. Here are a few tools I use and tips for achieving that goal:

• wet dusting - Wet dusting does not put the dust back into the air where it can get into your lungs.  A light solution of Murphy's Oil soap is suitable for most wood, wood veneers and pseudo-wood surfaces including laminate flooring.  Just dip your 100% cotton cloth into the solution, wring it out and use it for dusting.  Repeat if needed.  This does a wonderful job not only of dusting but cleaning at the same time.  I make up a Murphy's Oil solution then pour it into a spray bottle for quick touch up cleaning.  
• wands - Many of the dry dusting methods require using some type of wands.  The most common is Swiffer but there are other brands.  Our local dollar store carries the generic long wands for $2 meaning you can easily have a couple at a considerably less price than the brand name and trust me they work just as well as the brand name for a lot less money.  You will want a couple of the longer wands and at least one short dusting wand (dollar store find with pad $1.50).  The head should be designed to use the static cloths (eg. have teeth grabbers) and the reusable dusting pads.
• microfibre cloths, pads and slippers - I honestly can't say enough about these.  They are a reusable dusting mop pad that goes onto a wand much the same as a Swiffer wand.  They work whether wet or dry and are machine washable.  Surprisingly, our local dollar store is the best place to buy them at $2 each so I have a few.  I am rather partial to the larger loop style but the fine loop style is available as well.  Walmart is now carry the large loop microfibre slippers so you essentially are dusting as you walk about.  I haven't tried them yet but at $7 per pair, I am planning to.  Basically with the slippers you are dusting your floors as you walk about eliminating the need for separate dusting.  
• static cloths - By far the most popular brand is Swiffer and the cheapest place to buy them is Sam's Club.  Static cloths are highly recommended by allergists because they pick up the dust easily without chemicals then with a toss it is out of the house.  A couple of years ago Swiffer started adding scents to their cloths so be aware of that which is one reason I now prefer microfibre cloths over Swiffer.  Also weighing against the static cloths is they are disposable meaning you are continuously spending just to rid you home of dust.  However, and especially when first trying to get allergies and asthma under control, the static cloths are a must for some applications.  Avoid any static cloth that has any kind of scent.  
• hand held steam cleaner - Dust tends to get into lots of nooks and crannies.  It can combine with moisture to create gunk for lack of a better word but not a lot of gunk just a thin layer that can harbor mold spores.  A hand held steam cleaner is a must have for getting rid of this gunk especially in crevices.  Not only does it get rid of the gunk it sanitizes, killing any mold or bacteria present.
• vacuum cleaning - Allergists will stress using a HEPA filter vacuum cleaner as one of the best ways of controlling allergens in your home.  I've tried several models of HEPA filter upright vacuum machines plus a canister vacuum before installing a central vacuum system in this house.  By far, the central vacuum is the way to go and you can actually have it exhaust to the outside meaning nothing from the exhaust comes back into your house!  We did that three houses ago when we had central vac but so far have not vented outside for the new install in this house.  Vacuuming is not just for floors either.  It can be used for so much more like around your windows, horizontal surfaces, blinds, walls and more.  If you have upholstered furniture use the vacuum on that to reduce dust mites, and other dust.
• the dryer - The dryer set on air only is ideal for removing dust from pillows, stuffed animals and other textiles.  If there is a concern over dust mites as there may be with throw pillows or stuffed animals, put them in the freezer for an hour then run them through the dryer on air setting.  The freezer will kill off any dust mites present and the dryer will remove their carcasses along with any dust mite feces.

Recycling vs Not Recycling

We recently spent three weeks at our vacation home in the sunny south.  Now, our vacation home is in a retirement (aka over 50) resort.  It is beyond gorgeous.  What I don't like is the resort does not recycle.  We have been working very hard here at our permanent residence in beautiful Ontario, Canada.  I am pleased to say that between recycling and being very conscious in avoiding over packaging, we currently have our curb side waste down to a little under a kitchen catcher garbage bag per week.  That is still more than I would like but we are working on reducing it further.

We arrive at our vacation home where we have curbside collection twice a week.  I'm not kidding, we had two full sized garbage bags to put out for the first collection.  Then we had company staying with us for a week and that went up to three full sized garbage bags!  Everything, and I do mean everything, goes into the garbage there unless it can go into the food waste disposal.  Every jar, can, box and plastic container goes into the garbage to be whisked away to an overflowing landfill.  In this day and age of being eco-friendly and  leaving a lighter carbon footprint, it is a downright shame that this community does not use some type of recycling.  This is something I will be bringing up to our HOA.  Seriously, we need a recycling program at our vacation homeA!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2012

Waste Management App

We are on a quest to reduce our household waste.  At the same time reducing what has to go into the recycle bins is always a good thing as well.  Reducing is always better than recycling but recycling is better than it going to the curb for collection which finds it's way into the landfill.  Our municipality has two stream recycling so we have blue boxes (plastics, food cans, tin foil) and black boxes (fibers, cardboard, take-out coffee cups).  We also have a household hazardous waste event once a year for paints, stains, gasoline, pool chemicals, pesticides and medications but you have to take them to the transfer station yourself as well as yard waste collection from April 15 to June 15 and from October 15 to December 31.  Christmas tree are picked up on the day of your normal collection with each tree consider one bag towards your 4 bag limit.

The municipality sends out a nice paper calendar with all the collection information, the does and don't and pertinent information.  They have also put all this information on a handy free app for smart phones and tablets called my-waste™.  The app is a huge database of municipalities in Canada and the US participating.  To get your personalized waste management details, simply choose the country then type in your municipality.  Then type in your street address and all the information is at your fingertips.  The only glitch I ran into setting up the app was putting in the street direction which kept giving me no search results.  I set it back to the default 'street direction', hit search and up popped the information.  It is very easy to set reminders for all waste collection but I think it will be most helpful for the hazardous waste collection event.  The app also allows you to report waste collection problems directly from the app with an option to add a picture of the problem if desired.  You can even report road conditions, roadside debris, dead animal on road or a municipal tree requiring maintenance.

I'm hoping the municipality will give us an option for opting out of receiving the paper copy of the recycling calendar information.  It would certainly save a lot of paper if more folks used the app rather than the paper copy.  Now if we could just get the local newspaper to stop delivery whether we want it or not.  It's chuck full of flyers that we don't use, reaching weights of over 3 lb during the holiday season. 

Garden Gnome
©2006-2012