Do DIY Whiteboard Cleaners Work?

I'll admit, I'm not the best at cleaning my whiteboard regularly. In fact, my latest "brain dump" has been sitting on my whiteboard for 2 years. Cringe.

According to Polyvision, the best way to maintain the cleanliness of your white board is to clean it regularly with white board cleaner. Oops.

Since I didn't have any white board cleaner on hand, I tried out several DIY Whiteboard Cleaners to see if I could get my 2 year old marker off without leaving anything behind. Here's what happened:

DIY Whiteboard Cleaners Test

*I used a soft microfiber cloth with each mixture

1. Water + 1 tsp White Vinegar

 = Fail 

2. Water + Rubbing Alcohol

 = Fail

3. Hydrogen Peroxide only

= Fail  

4. Windex only 

= Success!

While this technically isn't a DIY recipe, it is a household cleaner that most people have, versus whiteboard cleaner that not everyone has on hand. 

I used Windex all over my whiteboard and it took off all the most recent (2 year old) text. 

However, it didn't take off the ghost lines that have been there for years (those marker lines you can still see faintly after cleaning your whiteboard). 

5. 70% Isopropyl Alcohol only 

= Success! 

*Rubbing Alcohol is the ONLY thing that removed the "ghost lines" that have been there for years! I didn't use this all over my whiteboard because I was afraid it might damage the glossy finish, but it didn't. I still would recommend only using rubbing alcohol on the most stubborn stains.

DIY Whiteboard Cleaner Winners

Disclaimer: I have included convenient links to each product. As an Amazon Associate I earn a small commission for each sale purchased through my links. Thanks for your support!

The Best DIY Whiteboard Cleaner

Windex (which isn't so much DIY, as it is more of just a household item for other things)

Buy it here: Windex

The Best DIY Whiteboard Cleaner for Ghost lines

70% Isopropyl Alcohol (aka Rubbing Alcohol)

Buy it here: 70% Isopropyl Alcohol

The Best Whiteboard Microfiber Cloths

Buy it here: Microfiber Cloths Set

Buy here: The Best Actual Whiteboard Cleaner (that you should be using  every week)

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Watch me get this 2 year old stubborn writing off my whiteboard!

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Shannon Sorensen is the creative force and blogger behind Shannon Sews

You can watch her Youtube videos, follow her on Instagram and 

She is also the founder and CEO of Fairface Washcloths, a popular sensitive skin care line of washcloths, and hosts the Fairface Podcast and Cut, Sew, Grow Podcast on Apple podcasts.

She is currently working on a program to help others find success with their own sewn products with her upcoming course line Cut, Sew, Grow.

You can follow her on Instagram @FairfaceWashcloths, @CutSewGrow and @ShannonSorensenDesigns 

DIY Fix: Paint your toilet seat so it's like new again!

"Want to see my toilet?" said no one. Ever.
Well, except for me that is, because I seriously want to show you my toilet.

This DIY fix was just too good not to share because it worked like a charm!

Why are you so worried about your toilet, you ask? We are in the process of moving, and by in-process I mean I think about how much I need to pack. Every day. And then I blog about painting my toilet. 

We are finally leaving a loud city apartment and upgrading to a house in the quiet tranquility of a rural small town, just outside Seattle. We're really excited, but the packing, cleaning and moving part isn't so much fun (especially since in July we actually packed and moved everything out, but due to a bad situation, ended up having to move right back in. Blah!).

So, in an attempt to leave this place better than we found it (and a full deposit refund!) we need to pretty up the old toilet seats that have been cleaned so many times the paint has started to rub off. They're not gross and dirty I promise! Just in need of a little re-painting so they look as clean as they really are.

I stumbled on this Toilet Seat Makeover post that gave me the how-to's, and promptly ran over to Home Depot to grab some spray paint. And away I went.

HOW TO PAINT YOUR TOILET SEAT SO IT LOOKS LIKE NEW

WHAT YOU WILL NEED (*product links included)

• Rust-oleum Painter's Touch 2x Ultra Cover Spray Paint + Primer in Gloss White - through Amazon or Home Depot (as recommended by the other website & worked great; unless your toilet's a different color)
• A well-ventilated area such as outside or a garage  (*I tried to spray paint the toilet seat in the bathroom as the other site directed, but I fumigated myself. Gah! So I took it outside, even though it was like 30 degrees. I'd rather freeze than faint.)
• Newspaper, painters cloth or other cover that can get painty
• Clothes to spray paint in

PAINTING INSTRUCTIONS

STEP 1: Give your toilet a quick and thorough cleaning, and let the toilet seat dry completely.

STEP 2: Remove your toilet seat (SIMPLE! just use a flat-head screw driver) and bring toilet seat to a well-ventilated place

STEP 3: Use your drop cloth or newspaper to cover areas of the toilet seat you don't want to get painted.

STEP 4: Follow the directions on the spray paint can and shake til its well mixed

STEP 5: Spray a light coating 6-10 inches away on the toilet seat and let it dry. Don't spray too close or over spray or you'll get drips and bubbles. I waited about 30 or so minutes in-between each coating.

STEP 6: Repeat step 5 as many times as you need to for desired results. (*previous website warned not to over-spray or it won't look good)

STEP 7: Once completely dry (which according to the can, and by can I mean paint (pun fully intended), it should be "dry enough to handle in 1 hour/ fully dry in 24 hours"), & return your *LIKE NEW* toilet seat to your throne.

It really is a great transformation because this re-painted toilet seat now looks as clean as it is! It will sparkle and shine so much they may give us a bonus in addition to our deposit! Ha! Not likely. But the new tenants will be happy with their toilets, and what's not to love about that?

Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to go pack! ;)

*This post contains product links, added for your convenience. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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How to fix a hole in your t-shirt: tutorial

It's been a while since I've shared a tutorial, and since my how to fix a hole in gauze or light-weight fabric post has been so popular, I thought I'd share how to fix a hole in t-shirts that might also be of help.

You know those holes. The little ones that suddenly pop up on your t-shirts. Where did you come from?? Let them sit...and slowly they start to get bigger.

Well have no fear! There's a quick and easy way to stop those little t-shirt holes in their tracks and make them look like they were never there at all.

How to fix a hole in your t-shirt

Supplies Needed
(*product links included)
Stitch Witchery
Light-weight Stabilizer
Parchment Paper
Iron
Ironing Board
Damp, clean, non-terry cloth
Straight Pin or safety pin
Scissors






Step 1: Put a medium-sized piece of parchment paper down on your ironing board. Turn your t-shirt inside out and place it on your ironing board on top of your parchment paper and locate the hole you want to fix. *The parchment paper under your t-shirt will prevent the stitch witchery from accidentally adhering to your ironing board.

Step 2: Using your pin, gently pull and tuck the fibers around the hole to come together as closely as possible.

Step 3: Cut a small piece of stitch witchery and a bigger piece of light-weight stabilizer. Place stitch witchery directly over t-shirt hole and place stabilizer over the top of that. Turn on your iron according to the stitch witchery instructions and grab your damp towel cover.

Step 4: [Your layers should be as follows: Ironing board + Parchment Paper + T-shirt + Stitch Witchery + Stabilizer + Damp Cover Towel + Iron]. Following the instructions on the stitch witchery package, "glue" stitch witchery in place.

Step 5: Once completed, carefully remove your hot towel and check your results. Check to make sure the hole completely fused closed from the front and the stabilizer is secure inside. Repeat if necessary.

The outside results should appear as if the hole was never there. The inside of the t-shirt will have a small piece of stabilizer attached to secure the fixed hole. You can cut the stabilizer down to be smaller inside if needed.

This method also works well on slightly bigger rips by using bigger pieces of stitch witchery and stabilizer.

Remember to check out the post on how to fix holes in light-weight fabric such as a shirt or skirt with this same method, with great results!

*This post contains product links, added for your convenience. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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DIY Bath & Body Works Foaming Hand Soap

My sister gave me Twisted Peppermint Foaming Hand Soap from Bath and Body Works for Christmas. Mmmmm! It smells SO good and lifts my spirits every time I use it!

Did you know that Peppermint oil has been shown to increase energy and mental clarity? Um, yes to both please!

So as the bottle began to run low, you can imagine my feelings of woe, never wanting this magic bottle of foaming hand soap to end....so when I stumbled upon this great DIY recipe for foaming hand soap, from Wellness Mama, I knew I'd hit the jackpot!

Bath & Body Works Peppermint Foaming Hand Soap DIY

By combining simple ingredients like distilled water, Peppermint Castille Soap (liquid)  & a dash of oil (I used jojoba oil since it's what I had on hand), the perfect copy cat version of Bath and Body Works Twisted Peppermint foaming hand soap was born! No more crying, now I have a lifetime of refills! And energy to boot!

Be sure to check out the recipe - it's so easy to make! Other DIY foaming hand soap recipes use vegetable glycerin instead of a colored oil and I think I'll do that next time, since it does leave a little yellow jojoba oil floating on top. But nothing a little shake-shake can't help.

I love using DIY skin care products and household cleaning products when I can, because I know exactly what I put in them and always look for gentle ingredients that won't irritate my sensitive skin. My next batch will be using Lavender Castille Soap to make my own foaming shower soap! It only seems to work in a foaming soap container, so don't throw them out when you're done with the bottle!

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Remove yellow shirt stains + ring around the collar with hydrogren peroxide

I often get obsessed with things, and then leave them in the dust for the next big thing. I'm fickle that way. Right now I'm all about "DIY Green Cleaning" my house and laundry.

You should see my Practical/Useful Pinterest Board! It quickly turned into a mass of vinegar, baking soda, lemon, essential oils and hydrogen peroxide cleaning recipes. And it's official. The next obsession has begun.

Don't even get me started with DIY green house cleaning tips, or I'll have you here til midnight, so lets save that for another post. 

Today, I'll share a whitening non-bleach alternative laundry tip that saved us $200 in men's dress shirts! It's truly a miracle cure for removing yellow shirt stains and ring around the collar from my husband's dress shirts. They are like NEW!

Remove yellow stains + ring around the collar

Okay, lets give you the before and after again. Just for the shock effect.
BAM!

It's totally real. Not just photoshopped. It will change your life. It will save you money. Let me tell you how its done.

I stumbled upon this miracle cure for removing yellow shirt stains on One Good Thing, by Jillee. If I could hug her, I would. She has a great blog with lots of fantastic tips.

Non-Bleach Alternative for removing yellow shirt stains

What you'll need (*includes product links for easy access):
Small bowl to mix
Scrub brush (mild enough for clothing)
Surface to scrub (inside kitchen sink works well )

Ingredients:
1 part blue Dawn liquid dish soap (*I used 1 Tbsp)
2 parts Hydrogen Peroxide (*2 Tbsp)
1/2 part Baking Soda (*1/2 Tbsp)

Instructions:
Mix together Dawn, Hydrogen Peroxide, and Baking Soda
Gently spoon/pour mixture onto yellow areas
Scrub mixture into shirt with scrub brush
Leave untouched for about 2 hours (that worked for me)
Launder as usual

My husband was shocked and amazed when he came home to see his "new" white dress shirts!
I didn't spare him any details on how I had miraculously saved the day. ha!

*Update: FOR COLORED SHIRTS: I tried it on my husband's light blue shirt and it worked about half as well as it did on white. However, it did remove enough of the stain to make the shirt wearable, so good enough for me!

*This post contains product links through Amazon.com and as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

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Add water bottle holders to a fanny pack

{photo: Add water bottle holders to a fanny pack © ShannonSorensen}

Sometimes I embarrass myself. Sometimes the thrifty-crafty-I-can-make-it-myself side takes over and I should hide my head in shame, but instead I share my faux-pas on the internet.

Since taking up biking, I've needed a fanny pack with water bottle holders for long rides. Many of the good ones are a little pricey and don't have 2 water bottle carriers, so I've been left toting a heavy backpack. Ugh.

In a *frenzied moment* when I was due to go out on the bike in 15 minutes and couldn't bare the thoughts of lugging a heavy backpack again, I grabbed whatever I had on hand (enter: thrifted shower curtain loops + elastic) and slapped this baby together. And I do mean slapped.

It wasn't my best work by any means (mismatched fabric, thread and elastic) and I'm a little embarrassed when "real bikers" pass me and pray they don't laugh at my DIY fanny pack bottle holders, but it did the job. Who needs dignity anyway, when you're wearing biking shorts that feel like a big adult diaper? At least I'd be hydrated.

Here are some quick how-to's:

Add water bottle holders to a fanny pack

{photo:  © ShannonSorensen}

What I did, in the hurried / thrifty version was to cut loops off the top of a thrifted fabric shower curtain to use as the bottle slings, and elastic to secure the water bottles. In my perfect version, I would have used coordinating fabric or nylon webbing (like backpack straps) + matching elastic.

1. Determine the length of your slings.
If there are water bottles you use most often, measure their length to determine how long you need your slings to be. The elastic will help make up for differences in width, but if your bottles are longer, you'll need longer strips for your slings.

2. Cut strips of coordinating fabric for your sling strips. Choose fabric or material that coordinates with your fanny pack or use nylon webbing (like backpack straps). The sling length should be a little over 1/2 to 3/4 the length of your water bottle. The width should be about 1-1/2 inches or more.

3. Sew one end of your sling strip to the waist belt of your fanny pack.

4. Cut 4 pieces of coordinating elastic. Two for each side. Measure the length of elastic by wrapping it around your water bottles and cut it so it fits snug.

{photo © ShannonSorensen}

5. Sew the elastic to the sling strips - 1 about 1/3 of the way up from the bottom and the 2nd at the top of the sling strip which you will also attach to the waist band of the fanny pack.

And that's about it. It really doesn't take a lot of time and has been a life saver on longer bike rides.

Every time I use this water-bottle-toting-fanny-pack the gunslinger song from old westerns goes through my head and I feel like spinning my water bottles and tossing them back in the holsters.

DIY Lavender Water: Make your own

{Make your own Lavender Water © ShannonSorensen} 

If you've never made one thing I've taught you, you need to make this. It will change your life! And I'm not just being overly dramatic.

Going to the lavender farm on San Juan Island was a life-long dream of mine. And boy, oh boy was it worth the wait.

The gentle scent of lavender is one of the most soothing smells there is. It's like a summery breeze that sweeps over you as it lifts and carries your worries away. (Sigh)

Making your own Lavender Water is incredibly easy, and only takes a few ingredients. It not only smells dreamy, it has health benefits as well (see below). And as I always say, if it's simple enough for me to make, you can certainly do it!

How to Make Lavender Water 

Supplies:

• Distilled water (do not use tap water unless you boil and cool it first)
• Essential Lavender Oil
• Witch Hazel (ethyl alcohol, isopropyl or vodka) *acts as an emulsifier & helps spray dry faster
• Measuring cup & spoon
• Funnel
• Spray Bottles

{Easy Lavender Water Tutorial  © ShannonSorensen}

Directions:

• Pour 2 cups distilled water through funnel, into a jar or directly into your spray bottle.
• Drop 16 drops of lavender essential oil into the distilled water (1 oz. oil to 1 oz. water)
• Add 2 Tbsp Witch Hazel (or other emulsifier listed above)
• Shake before each use

Your lavender water is ready to use!

Benefits / Uses of Lavender Water

• Induces relaxation and helps ease anxiety
• Spritz your sheets at night to sleep better! Lavender lowers heart rate & blood pressure, promoting relaxation
• Freshen the house, linens, closets, hampers, and more
• Spray on beds, sheets and pillow cases to keep dust mites away
• Use when ironing fabrics for that extra fresh scent
• Spritz baby's crib before nap time
• Use it as an air freshener near a baby's hamper
• As a natural anti-inflammatory, spritz your skin, pillow cases and linens to help reduce itching, swelling or red skin (do a spot test to make sure you skin's not too sensitive)
• Calms nerves, lowers stress and anxiey
• Can ease breathing with colds and stuffed sinuses (*try steam treatment with lavender water)
• Soothes sunburns, scrapes and bug bites with a few spritzes
• Heat lavender water for a soothing foot soak
• Keep in the fridge and spritz on a hot day to refresh and cool yourself down
• Dip a soft washcloth in lavender water & use as a cool or warm compress to relieve headaches
• Spritz yourself before going outdoors to repell insects!
• Can increase the effectiveness of other relaxants for insomnia, anxiety and depressants (see doctor)
• Spray household surfaces as a disinfectant
• Add lavender oil directly to bathwater to improve mood and promote circulation
• Add lavender oil to laundry rinse water to freshen clothes

It's safe to say I have sprayed just about everything that is spray-able in our house with lavender water! It smells so fresh and clean, and really is calming. I spritz our bed every night and I swear I've been sleeping better. It just makes you feel so much more calm and peaceful.

In a burst of enthusiasm, I asked my husband if it would be okay to spray our "under-clothes" with lavender but he wasn't so keen riding from his office to the car in a shuttle full of men, while smelling like lavender. I don't blame him. ha!

{Lavender Farm San Juan Island © ShannonSorensen}

*affiliate links have been included for your convenience. As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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Sew your own Bowl Covers

The school year hasn't even ended yet and I'm already checking off some of my summer to-do's! How's that for ambitious?

I've been meaning to sew myself a bowl cover for my Kitchen Aid for eons. Every time I looked at that shiny silver bowl on the counter I felt guilty. Must. Do. That. Later.

Lets just say "later" never came, and I got really tired of washing the dust out of the bowl every time I used it.


Making your own bowl covers comes in handy, not only for covering your Kitchen Aid bowl, but they are great for covering all sorts of things - storing food in the fridge, taking a large salad for a potluck and oh, one more - you'll never guess. You can also use it to cover your head.

Yes, this simple bowl cover pattern is basically the same as a shower cap. How's that for a two-for-one?!

Okay, lets get started.

How to Make your own Bowl Covers

MEASURE

Trace around your bowl so you have the circumference. *You will be adding 1-2 inches around your circle for your pattern or you can choose to trace a bigger bowl than the one you're covering.

CREATE YOUR PATTERN & CUT YOUR FABRIC

For your cover to fit, you'll need to add 1-2 inches to the diameter of your bowl. *You can either trace a larger bowl than the one you're making the cover for, draw in the extra room to your pattern, or add it when you cut out your fabric.

HEM THE CIRCLE

Hemming a curve or circle can be a bit tricky. I chose to use my rolled hem foot. Even with this tool it was a bit of a challenge. I found this great tutorial on How to Hem A Curve by adding some gathering stitches. I'll have to try it on my next bowl cover.

STRETCH-SEW YOUR ELASTIC

Instead of creating a band or casing to thread elastic through, I decided to stretch-sew it to the fabric circle.

1st: Measure and cut the elastic to the size you want (how tightly you want the bowl cover to fit). 

2nd: Pin elastic in 4ths around the circle to get it evenly distributed.

3rd: Stretch only the elastic (not the fabric) in front and behind the presser foot, as you sew it in place with a zig zag stitch. 

*The best tip is to stretch and sew little sections as a time to make sure you get the best elastic stretch.

ADMIRE YOUR HANDY WORK

Just about ready to add it to my bowl. I love the dainty ruffled edge!

USE YOUR NEW BOWL COVER

Sigh. Now every time I catch a glimpse at my Kitchen Aid, I smile. My new bowl cover fits perfectly. I can hide away my Kitchen Aid tools and won't have a dusty bowl to wash. Hip hip hooray!

Now it's time to sew a few more bowl covers...pot lucks, family dinners...left-overs...and maybe even a shower cap ;)

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DIY Grippy Hangers: Stop shirts from sliding off hangers

It drives me nuts when shirts slide off their hangers.

You slap that baby back on the hanger, give it a good stare down to show it who's boss, and then ever so carefully return it to the closet. 

But when your shirt's too wide for the span of the hanger? It will inevitably slide off again...and again...looking quite sad, slumped and crumpled. I don't know why it irritates me so much. Grrrr.

Since I don't have any fancy hangers with that fuzzy stuff on them that makes shirts stick like a charm, I decided I must have something crafty I could use to make my own. And in fact, I did. It pays to be a girl with a glue gun.

How to Make your own Grippy Hangers
{Stop shirts from sliding!}

Supplies:

*Hot Glue Gun with glue stick
*Hanger (works on plastic, wood and wire)

Instructions:

*Heat your hot glue gun
*Squirt a line of glue across the top arm of the hanger on both sides. If your hanger has divets, don't go in them.

*Once your hot glue has been applied, it should look something like this (below).
*Wait for the hot glue to dry (usually only takes a few minutes)

*Once dry, the hot glue becomes more cloudy in appearance (below). Touch it to make sure it has completely dried. That rubbery substance is what will keep your shirts in place!

*Gently peel off any stray glue strands.

And voila! You now have a Grippy Hanger that will keep those sliding t-shirts in place!

Not bad for a 5 minute project.

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Job Update:
For those of you following the saga of my job change, I'm still in limbo. What was once an "unalterable change", is now possibly changing again. What? I can only hope that means I'll get to stay at my school, but I'm not holding my breath. After a lot of prayers and talking things through, I feel more at peace about everything. Although my number one wish is to stay with my current kids, staff and school, I know I can make a difference wherever I go, and if I'm needed elsewhere, I will be sad, but I will accept that. I'll keep you posted. xo

EDIT (same day after work): You won't believe it. I'm still having a hard time believing it myself, but the big boss changed his mind and is allowing me to stay at my current school! I am so grateful and happy. This is truly a miracle and answer to many prayers. I'm walking on sunshine! Woohoo!

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Keep Bookends from Sliding: simple fix

In honor of tackling my new year's resolutions head-on, I decided it's time to jump on all those,"I've been meaning to fix that"  projects and get to it!

If I had a quarter for every time this cheap metal bookend slid. Yes, I'd be dining with Beyonce'.

Do you have sliding bookends of your own that need a little help doing their job?

How to fix slipping bookends

Supplies:
(*Amazon Affiliate links included)

• Bookend (obviously) ;)
• Adhesive Spray
• Non-skid drawer or shelf liner
• Scissors

How-to:

Lay the rubber shelf liner over the bottom of the bookend, trace it and cut it out or just cut as you hold it.

In a well-ventilated area, spray the bottom of the bookend with adhesive spray, and with a steady hand, put the piece of cut rubber shelf liner in place. It will stay put, so one try is all you get!

Since it dries in seconds, your new and improved NON-sliding bookend is ready to use! It work perfectly! It snuggled right up next to my files and didn't budge. Perfect! Problem solved.

I love being able to check something off my list that takes such little time. And so little effort. ha!

On to my next project!
Look out 2013! I'm on a roll!

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DIY Vacuum Extension Tube Replacement

ATTENTION: Don't throw away your empty wrapping paper tubes!

Left-over empty cardboard wrapping paper tubes aren't just for kids to shout through or hit each other over the head with (still tempting as an adult). There is a practical and exciting use for them! Yes, I do get excited about the strangest things.

We inherited this vacuum a while back. I love vacuums with hose attachments to reach those hard-to-reach places where dust bunnies like to hide.

The vacuum itself works great, but the extension to the hose is missing. Drat! Still too short to do the best of the dirty work.

{Enter: Empty Wrapping Paper Tubes}

The perfect DIY solution for replacing missing vacuum extension tubes! 

After combining the odds and ends of left-over wrapping paper onto one roll, we ended up with a few empty wrapping paper tubes that fit snuggly into the hole for the hose attachment. Wahoo!

And look! My empty cardboard wrapping paper tube works perfectly. I'll take that over spending a bunch of money on a replacement vacuum extension tube. And it works just as well! Look out dust bunnies!

A few quick tips:

• Make sure the tube fits snugly in place.
• Label the top and bottom of the tube and attach the top to the vacuum each time (after using it several times the bottom end starts getting a little beat up). 
• Do not alter the end of the tube (I tried squeezing one end together to mimic a skinny spout and the suction of the vacuum ended up sucking the tube together. Oops.)

Only 1 more day til 2013. Crazy!
Have a Happy New Year!

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Soft Washcloths for Cold and Hot Compresses

As I mentioned in my Why Buy Handmade post, I put a lot of love into everything I make.

Recently, I was reminded why making things with love matters.♥

It was like any other sale. At first. A few sets of my soft Fairface Washcloths for sensitive skin. Since they are all I can use for my super sensitive skin, I make them with lots of love in hopes they can help someone else like they've helped me.

It turns out, my sweet customer needed these soft washcloths made with an extra dose of love. These soft washcloths will be used as a cold compress to soothe her face, as she goes through a chemotherapy treatment.

It's moments like this that make it all worth it. Knowing that I am helping someone else with what I make, is as good as it gets.

As it turns out, there are a lot of conditions where a soft washcloth cold compress or hot compress can bring relief. 

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Using a Soft Washcloth 
as a Cold or Hot Compress

Sources: Livestrong.com, Mayoclinic.com, Webmd.com

COLD COMPRESS REMEDIES:

Cold compress: Reduces inflammation (swelling), itching, irritation, bruising, and constricts blood vessels. A cold compress can be made by soaking a soft washcloth in cold (ice) water or placing a cold, damp washcloth in the freezer for 10 minutes and then applying. When the washcloth warms up, cool off again, ring out and reapply.

Headache
Place a cold washcloth compress on your forehead allowing blood vessels to constrict and reduce the inflammation that causes the pressure and pain in your head.

Eczema or other Itchy Skin
Apply a cold, soft washcloth compress for 10 minutes to ease itchy skin. Repeat as needed until itch subsides.

Puffy eyes
Put a soft, clean washcloth in cold water, ring it out, and place it on your puffy eyes (best time right after waking). Repeat until the puffiness subsides.

Vaccination sites *See heat also
Place a cold compress on the site to reduce swelling, redness and tenderness within the first 12 to 24 hours. *See heat for next step

Wisdom tooth or other tooth pain
Hold a cold compress against your jaw to relieve pain for about 10 minutes, keeping cloth cool.

Fever
Cool your body down by placing a cold, soft washcloth compress on the forehead or nape of the neck where the hypothalamus is located for optimal cooling effect.

Sunburn Relief
Cold washcloth compresses can help relieve the heat of your sunburn, even if it's only temporary. Also try putting your clothes in the freezer before wearing to keep sunburned body cool (never thought of that before!).

Acne *also see hot compress

Temporarily relieve cysts, or other painful acne that haven't come to the surface. A cold compress (dampened, then frozen for 10 minutes) can reduce inflammation and pressure (gives you a numbing affect). 

Breast feeding *see also hot compress
Cold compress after nursing can bring comfort. Heard this from a friend, so do what works best for you.  

Sinuses, Allergies *see also hot compress
Alternate between hot and cold compresses to relieve a stuffy nose. Hot loosens the mucus, cold reduces nasal swelling and pressure. Use two separate washcloths. Soak one washcloth compress in hot water and lay over sinuses, below eyes, over nose. After 1 minute, rotate out with new cold compress at same location. Continue rotation about 10 minutes until you find relief.


HOT COMPRESS REMEDIES:

Hot compress: Increases blood flow, loosens and relaxes sore, stiff, achy muscles, tired dry eyes and relieves arthritis. Heat can also promote healing acne. Hot compresses are made by soaking a soft washcloth in hot or warm water (not too hot to burn yourself), ringing it out and using it on the affected area. When the washcloth cools, re-submerge in hot water, ring out and repeat.

Eyes
Ease tired dry eyes, reduce muscle pain, relieve a stye, and increase circulation around your eyes. 

Vaccination *See cold compress
During the 24-48 hours after the shot, elevate and apply a warm compress to the vaccination site to help relieve the muscle pain. *See cold for first 12-24 hours.

Sinuses, Allergies *listed in cold compress
Alternate between hot and cold compresses to relieve a stuffy nose. Hot loosens the mucus, cold reduces nasal swelling and pressure. Use two separate washcloths. Soak one washcloth compress in hot water and lay over sinuses, below eyes, over nose. After 1 minute, rotate out with new cold compress at same location. Continue rotation about 10 minutes until you find relief.

Acne *also see cold compress
Moist heat helps bring white blood cells to the affected area, speeding healing, and bring impurities to the surface. To close your pores again, rinse with cold water.

Breast feeding *see also cold compress
Warm washcloth compress before nursing can bring comfort. Heard this from a friend, so do what works best for you.

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Who knew there were so many uses for a soft washcloth? Instead of reaching for an ice pack or heating pad, which can sometimes damage skin tissue if used incorrectly, reach for a soft washcloth compress. Hope it helps! xo

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