Over 100 students sick after norovirus outbreak

Clean and Sanitize with the lotusPRO Chemical-Free Cleaning System!

Click here for Pathogen Kill Rate for Norovirus:

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Chemical Free Cleaning at Home and Business

Source: totalcontentz.webs.com via Total Contentz on Pinterest

Awesome bags which look and feel like a purse.
Great for transitioning from travel to work.
Disguises your expensive camera gear through security at airport and looks beautiful and stylish.

How to care for your Wooden Kitchen Utensils:

Wooden Spoons, Spatulas, Pastry Pins, Mortar & Pestles,
Salad Hands & Spreaders

Wooden kitchen utensils have been around since man (or woman) first picked up a stick. Although the plastics industry tried to convince people that using wood was unsafe - studies since have proven that fact wrong. Wood spoons have lasted through the ages. Every time we visit any location of historic significance Tom can usually be seen gazing at the old wood work or looking at the old wooden spoons in a kitchen.

Wooden kitchen utensils require care - if you won't take care of them - buy yourself some cheap plastic and replace them often. If you do want to take care of your investment - these tips will help your wooden spoons, wood spatulas, wood pastry pins and other wooden kitchen utensils look like new. Plus, it doesn't matter if you need to take care of the cheap imports or a quality wooden utensil - this is the way to do it:

Hand wash your wooden utensils! Use a mild dish detergent and wash the wood in warm, soapy water. Once clean, towel dry and then allow the wood to air dry. Do not allow wooden kitchen utensils to soak in water! Never place a wooden utensil in the dishwasher! Heat from a dishwasher will kill the wood and eventually cause it to crack. Don't panic if you have a utensil distressed from being in a dishwasher, we can still save it...unless it is cracked!

Most wooden utensil you buy will eventually develop a fuzzy feeling. That is known as "grain-raise". The grain of the wood slightly rises from moisture and this creates the fuzz. What to do? Simple - if you have some 400 or 600 grit sandpaper, just lightly rub the sandpaper across the spoon and you will quickly remove the fuzz. Then wash the spoon and when dry, proceed to the final step. No sandpaper? No problem. Use a piece of old brown paper bag. The fibers of the bag act as a fine sandpaper and will remove the fuzz. You may have to rub a bit longer - but it works! Eventually the wooden utensil will become seasoned and not require this.

For more severe problems, such as a burn mark, a stain or a dent, a bit more work may be required. In some cases, heavy sanding may be required. You can start with 50 or 60 grit sandpaper to remove the burn or stain. With a dent, you may want to soak the area overnight - something you don't usually do with wood! Soaking may help the wood to expand making the dent easier to remove. Once you've cleaned up the area, you can move on to 80 grit, 100 grit, 120 grit, 150 grit, 180 grit, 220 grit, 400 grit and if you desire, 600 grit or beyond. The important thing to remember is that if the stain or burn mark isn't gone at the lowest grit - moving to higher grit snadpaper won't help. Higher grits simply remove the scratches left by lower grit sandpaper. Trying to remove a stain with 100 grit paper simply means you'll work harder, longer and waste more sandpaper.

To renew your wood, lightly oil it with mineral oil. Why mineral oil? Cooking oils will go rancid. We know, we've been there and it isn't pretty. A rancid utensil can not be saved. Some people swear that olive oil will not go rancid - but it is a food based oil - do olives go bad? Peanut and walnut oils have also been used by spoon makers - but some people have an allergy to nuts. Mineral oil is non-toxic and food safe. It is sold as a laxative - a what? Don't worry, you are using such a small amount there will be no problems. You can purchase it in the pharmacy section and a small bottle costing less than $2 - $3 will last you a LONG time. Oil your wooden kitchen utensil and you will see the beauty of the grain emerge. Allow the oil to soak on the piece for at least five minutes. We usually let them sit overnight. Finally, wipe off any excess oil and your wooden kitchen utensil will look brand new!

How often should you oil your utensils?
Tom usually oils Dierdre's every two or three months. When they start looking dull or if one gets fuzzy, he just does them all at the same time. If you are using wooden utensils for serving on a buffet, we highly recommend you oil your wooden spoons a few days ahead so they look great!

What about Spoon Oil or Cutting Board Oil?

These are usually mineral oil that have a bit of pure, non-toxic beeswax melted in. You will pay much more for these than you would a bottle of mineral oil. Save yourself the dollars - it is the same basic stuff!

What's the difference between the terms "vintage," "antique," and "collectible"?

These terms are often used interchangeably to describe items made in the past. Their usage is somewhat fluid, but each has a distinct meaning.

An "antique" is an item made at least 100 years ago. (Objects from ancient cultures are further categorized as "antiquities.")

"Vintage" applies to objects that are neither contemporary nor antique, such as a 1950s Edward Wormley sofa or 1960s Vera Neumann linens.

"Collectible" describes items coveted by enough people to create a market for them. These pieces may have been made at any time by hand or machine.

In the Aftermath of Hurricane Irene, Insurance Claims Filing Begins For Homeowners

The I.I.I. Provides Tips For Facilitating the Claims Settlement Process

August 28, 2011

I.I.I. Video:
Filing a Homeowners Insurance Claim: Six Steps

INSURANCE INFORMATION INSTITUTE
New York Press Office: (212) 346-5500; media@iii.org

NEW YORK, August 29, 2011 — If you are filing an insurance claim in the wake of Hurricane Irene, which tore through the East Coast over the weekend, there are steps you can take to make the settlement process faster and easier, according to the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.).

Standard homeowners policies cover wind damage caused by tornadoes and severe weather. Homeowners insurance policies also provide coverage for additional living expenses that policyholders will need to finance temporary housing costs and other daily necessities. Damage and flooding to vehicles is covered under the comprehensive section of standard auto insurance policies, which is optional.

The I.I.I. offers the following advice to facilitate the insurance claims filing and settlement process:

• Be prepared to give your agent or insurance company representative a description of the damage to your property. Your agent will report the loss immediately to your insurance company or to a qualified adjuster, who will contact you as soon as possible in order to arrange an inspection of the damage. Make sure you give your agent a telephone number where you can be reached.
  
  
• If it is safe to access the area, take photographs of the damaged property. Visual documentation will help with the claims process and will assist the adjuster in the investigation.
  
  
• Prepare a detailed inventory of all damaged or destroyed personal property. Make two copies—one for yourself and one for the adjuster. Your list should be as complete as possible, including a description of the items, dates of purchase or approximate age, cost at time of purchase and estimated replacement cost.
  
  
• Collect canceled checks, invoices, receipts or other papers that will assist the adjuster in assessing the value of the destroyed property.
  
  
• Make whatever temporary repairs you can without endangering yourself. Cover broken windows and damaged roofs and walls to prevent further destruction. Save the receipts for any supplies and materials you purchase as your insurance company will reimburse you for reasonable expenses in making temporary repairs.
  
  
• Secure a detailed estimate for permanent repairs to your home or business from a licensed contractor and give it to the adjuster. The estimate should contain the proposed repairs, repair costs and replacement prices.
  
  
• If your home is severely damaged and you need to find other accommodations while repairs are being made, keep a record of all expenses, such as hotel and restaurant receipts.

Serious Losses Will Be Given Priority

If your home has been destroyed or seriously damaged, your insurance agent or company representative will do everything possible to ensure your claim is given priority.

For more information on filing a claim, the Insurance Information Institute has a free brochure, Settling Insurance Claims after a Disaster.

Different Types of Leather Used in Furniture

By Abe Abbas, About.com Guide

Florence Sofa - American Leather

Photo (c) American Leather

Leather furniture is made using many different types of leather that are created using different processes. That is what accounts for the different look, feel and quality of leather furniture, and ultimately even how to clean it.

Leather comes from many different sources, some obvious such as cattle, sheep and pigs, and some not so obvious as stingrays and ostriches. Even so it is the way it is processed that ends up placing it into three main categories, aniline, semi-aniline, and protected or pigmented leather.

Aniline Leather

Aniline leather is highly prized for the way it looks. It is the most natural looking leather and retains the unique surface characteristics. Aniline leather is dyed by immersing the hide in a dye bath, and the surface is not coated with any polymers or pigments. Only the very best hides are used as all surface marks remain visible, which is why it is also called "naked leather."

Advantages: Aniline leather is very soft and comfortable. It retains the unique markings and characteristics of the hide, making each piece different.

Disadvantages: Since it is not protected, aniline leather can be stained easily. It is not recommended for young families or very high traffic areas for that reason.

Semi-Aniline Leather

Semi-aniline leather is a little bit more hardy than aniline leather because its surface has been treated with a light coat that contains some pigment and this makes it more soil and stain resistant.

Advantages: While it retains the uniqueness of aniline leather, semi-aniline leather has more consistent color and is more resistant to stains.

Disadvantages: The markings are not as apparent, and therefore less unique than aniline leather.

Protected, or Pigmented Leather

Protected leather is the most durable type of leather, for that reason it is the most used leather in furniture and car upholstery. Protected leather has a polymer surface coating containing pigments.

While the thickness of the surface coating may vary, it allows the manufacturer to have more control over the properties of the leather. It is possible to add more resistance to scuffing or fading.

Advantages: This type of leather is easy to maintain and stands up to different conditions and uses.

Disadvantages: This type of leather does not have the uniqueness of aniline leather, and looks less natural. It can be hard to tell one kind of grain apart from the other as the surface is coated and embossed.

Is Bicast Leather Really 100% Leather?

By Abe Abbas, About.com Guide

Question: Is Bicast Leather Really 100% Leather?

Answer: In a word, no. Bicast leather is not 100% leather. It is not even leather, but a leather by-product.

Bicast leather is made from split leather which is then laminated with a polyethylene top layer. It has been made available thanks to modern technology, which lets leather be split into a number of layers. The layers used to make bicast leather are of very inferior quality, which, without the coating, may not be of any use at all.

After the polyethylene coating is applied, grain patterns are embossed into the surface to make it look more leather-like.

While bicast leather furniture may look like leather at first glance, you will find that it does not behave like leather. For one thing, it does not develop leather's suppleness or patina with time. You may find that it may have a strong chemical smell at first, which dissipates after a while. It may look like leather, and you may find plenty of color choices, but the grain might appear too even. Bicast leather may also be prone to splitting and cracking.

What bicast leather has going for itself is that it is more affordable than real leather, and easy to keep clean. All the same, it is misleading and dishonest to sell it as 100% leather or real leather. If you are looking for real leather, then bicast leather is not for you. If you want your furniture to last a while, again, bicast leather is not for you.

Note:Bicast leather is also known as bycast leather, bi-cast leather or PU leather.