A better way to clean a glass cook top

I have a love-hate relationship with the glass cooktop on my stove.  It looks beautiful when it's clean, but it gets dirty so easily and I could never figure out how to clean it without leaving streaks.  I read about how to clean the glass cook using baking soda, but then I ended up getting baking soda stuck in all the crevices around the burners.

Thankfully, I used my knowledge of chemistry to find a better way!  Are you ready for directions?  There are only two steps!

DIY air purifier: breathe easier!

My family has a lot of environmental allergies, so we like to keep several air purifiers going at all times.  We also currently leave near a construction site, so there is a lot of dust in the air!  The air purifiers you buy at the store are expensive and so are the filters you have to buy on a regular basis in order to keep them functionimg.  Here is a simple way to make your own air purifier, using furnace filters, which you can get for less than $10 at your local hardware store.

    

MATERIALS:
-a box fan
-furnace filter that is the same size as your box fan.  Mine are 20 x 20, but the size is really up to you.   Also, I like to buy the filters that catch dust and pollen.  Just read the label to fnd out what types of particles the filter can remove.
-heavy duty tape.  (Duct tape, pacing tape, etc)

DIRECTIONS:
-measure your fan to make sure the furnace filter will cover the surface
-use the tape to affix the furnace filter to the box fan.  I recommend that you use the tape sparingly so that it is easier to remove and change the furnace filter later on.
-plug it in and enjoy your clean air!
-remember to change the filter when it starts to look dirty.

Reusables! Save money and help the environment.

Cut down on waste in your home with a (small) investment in reusable products.  You will be saving money in no time.  I got started on the reusable kick many years ago when we got dogs.  I love my pugs, but man do they shed!  The regular broom we had didn't pick up the dog hair.  So, we started using swiffer sheets, but that was so expensive.  I started using reusable swiffer style microfiber (washable!) dust mop heads.

These are some ways that Hasslefree house has gone reusable and green:

-Microfiber dust mop heads.  You can use these for dry or wet mopping.  I like to spray my favorite cleaner on my hard flooring and then mop over it.  This makes our wood floors look flawless, and it is so easy and dries very quickly!

  

My adorable shedding machine!

-wool dryer balls.  I am in love with these!  You keep them in the dryer and they fluff your clothes so that you don't have to use dryer sheets or fabric softener, which is a bonus for people like me who are sensitive to the fragrances found in those products.  You can buy commercially made dryer balls from places like Amazon, or you can buy homemade ones on eBay or Etsy (what I did), or you can make them yourself.  Here's a great website if you want directions on how to make your own.  I have seven dryer balls, but you could use less.  Just remember, the more dryer balls you use, the fluffy and softer your clothes will be.  Dryer balls are also great for people who use cloth diapers, because they won't leave a residue on the diapers, so the diapers won't lose their absorbency over time.

-Stop buying paper towels!  Microfiber cleaning rags are awesome for cleaning your house!  Use them for everything from cleaning mirrors to cleaning counters.  A tip:  you can often get them in bulk, cheaply in automotive sections of stores.  Also, you can buy or sew cloth napkins to use at meal times.

-if you don't mind the "ick" factor, you can use cloth diapers and handkerchiefs.  For handkerchiefs, I recommend linen.  It is light weight. But tightly woven so it is absorbent.


-Is there anything I'm forgetting?  Share your tips with the Hasslefree community by writing in the comments section.