YumSugar

How To: Clean Your Computer Inside and Out

GeekSugar — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 10:06:05 PDT

As you know, Spring cleaning isn't restricted to your house and home (or Spring). We live our digital lives via our computers every day, so expect to find a lot of random files, folders, and media that you've collected all year, but don't ever use. That's not even mentioning all the dust and grime on the outside. Dump all that wasted space and clean up your computer inside and out! Ready to start clean and fresh all year long? I thought so.

Are You a Neat or Messy Cook?

YumSugar — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 12:15:05 PDT

I have a friend who doesn't like to watch Barefoot Contessa Ina Garten on TV because she's such a sloppy chef, but I don't mind her lack of precision.

It's good to know that even great cooks sometimes chop haphazardly and spill flour out of measuring cups. Are you messy in the kitchen?

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Rachael Ray's Garbage Bowl: Love It or Hate It?

YumSugar — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 04:03:35 PDT

By now I'm sure you're all aware of Rachael Ray's garbage bowl technique. She keeps a bowl on the countertop during cooking, and stashes all the trash and bits in the bowl. It's actually a pretty great tip and helps make cleanup a breeze. I sometimes follow it myself, and just use one of my smaller mixing bowls. Recently Ms. Ray has actually started selling her own garbage bowls ($17.95). What do you guys think of them? I'd rather use a bowl I already have. After all, do I really need a special bowl for "garbage"?

How Often Do You Clean Your Keyboard?

GeekSugar — Wed, 07 May 2008 03:00:56 PDT

When I read this story on Lifehacker, I immediately got grossed out and bolted straight for the canned air and Clorox Wipes. Keep reading and you'll find out why.

A study conducted in a regular run of the mill London office concluded that the keyboards harbored more germs than a toilet seat and held 150 times the recommended limit of harmful bacteria. What's more, the mice were even dirtier! Ever wonder why office colds and flus travel around so quickly? Yeah, wonder no more. Let this be a gentle reminder to do the deed today, and keep doing it, cause I don't ever want to talk about this again.

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Trials of the Dead Mighty Mouse Scroll Wheel

GeekSugar — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 15:00:38 PDT

If you've gotten used to the joys of the Mighty Mouse scroll wheel, then you know how utterly annoying it is to go to scroll down a page and not have it work. I mean, where am I without a scroll wheel?! Back to the early '00s with the whole point, click, and drag thing, that's where. Since you can't get in there to find the cause for the breakdown or blockage, you'll probably assume it's time to replace it - but don't give up hope just yet. You might be able to save yourself a few bucks and try to bring the little guy back to life yourself.

I've done some legwork and attempted a number of cleaning methods to see which one worked the best. Test methods included pressing down on the wheel and scrolling, wiping down the wheel with cleaner, trying to smack whatever might be lodged in there loose by tapping the mouse on my desk, and spraying it with canned air. To see my verdicts,

Unfortunately, pressing down on the scroll wheel and scrolling only works for so long. I even thought I might be at risk for pushing the little wheel down into the mouse, never to be heard from again if I pressed any harder!
No dice for wiping down the wheel with alcohol swabs. Unfortunately cleaning the wheel does not clear whatever is inside.
Smacking the mouse on my desk to dislodge whatever might have been stuck in the mouse proved more annoying to my officemates than effective.
The last and winner of the test was the canned air. I use this stuff to clean my keyboard, and it works wonders with the mouse as well.

It's been a number of days since I cleaned my Mighty with the canned air – having sprayed in all visible cracks to ensure my mouse was fresh and clean – and it's still scrolling along like the first day we met. If you don't keep canned air around, it will set you back at least five bucks, but you'll end up saving $45 to $65 in replacement costs!

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LappyMats Keep Your Screen Clean

GeekSugar — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 09:00:55 PDT

I abuse my laptop. I can't help it. I'm constantly on it, mistakenly touching its screen and leaving my fingerprints all over. So how does one protect their screen? Aside from being more cautious, you can use LappyMats, an ultra-microfiber cloth that was designed to protect your laptop's LCD screen.

The mats act as a soft cushion to be laid in-between your laptop lid and keyboard to provide full protection from scratches that are caused by your keyboard or trackpad while traveling. You can also use the cloth to clean dust, dirt and everyday oils off any part of your laptop.

The screen protectors are available for just about any make or model of laptop/notebook on the market from 11.1” widescreens all the way up to 20” custom laptops. They cost $10-20.

Reduce The Amount Of Cupcake Clean Up

partysugar — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 07:56:31 PDT

What I hate about making cupcakes is having to scrape and scrub the muffin tin afterwards. Removing the caked on batter hurts my arm and ruins my nails. So I developed a system: I cover the muffin tin tightly with aluminum foil. Next, I slice a hole where the cupcake batter is supposed to go and press the foil into each indentation. I place the cupcake paper liners in the hole and fill with batter. If any of the batter spills it gets on the foil and not on the pan! After the cupcakes or muffins are finished baking & cooling, simply peel off the dirty foil and dispose.

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After-Party Mess Be Gone!

YumSugar — Tue, 26 Dec 2006 00:09:56 PST

Empty bottles, half eaten appetizers, bottle caps, used napkins, and cookie crumbs. There is natural disarray that occurs after any sort of party. While some mishaps (shattered wine glasses, candle wax on the tablecloth, spills on the carpet) are unpreventable, there are some messes that can be avoided with the proper planning. To minimize the clean up after the party,

Try to keep your kitchen organized from week to week. Take the extra ten minutes each day to put plates, glasses, and cookware in their specified places.
If hosting a large party fill several large plastic tubs with hot, soapy water. During the party place dirty dishes in here (instead of stacking them up in the sink) where they can soak for several hours. After the party, dishes can be rinsed and placed in the dishwasher.
Designate a place for dirty glasses so they won't be knocked over. If you have the room, lay stemware on its side in a large roasting pan lined with dish towels.
If hosting a dinner party, quickly scrape the first course plates clean and place in the sink before serving the main course. Do not turn the dishwasher on in the middle of your meal, it will be loud and may cause discomfort among your guests.
Start the party out with an empty bag in your garbage and recycling bins. If it becomes too full ask your husband, boyfriend, or trusted friend to quietly take the trash out.
It's 2006, recycle all bottles, cans, and glass.
If a guest offers to help clean up, let them help you!
Once the party is over it's tempting to want to crawl into bed, but if you have the energy turn on the TV or your favorite dance mix and get the cleanup done now. The mess will only be harder to clear once it has sat all night and all morning. You'll be glad you cleaned up the night before when you wake up rested the following morning to a spotless house.

Easy Peeling Clean Up

YumSugar — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 00:30:56 PST

The worst part of peeling vegetables is the clean up. I used to peel them over the sink and then scoop everything up afterwards. It was a slimy sensation that I decided I could live without. Now I place a few layers of newspaper on the bottom of the sink before peeling. When I'm done I just wrap it all up and toss the whole thing out.

4 Stylish Outfits to Try Over the Long Memorial Day Weekend!

Allison McNamara — Fri, 25 May 2012 14:11:02 PDT

Memorial Day is coming up this weekend, so that means fun-filled days of sun, barbecuing, and the beach! Accordingly, we've styled up some great outfits to keep you chic all weekend long. For a classic, clean look, try out a crisp LWD, and if you're in the mood to test out Spring's Hawaiian-print trend, then we have the perfect bikini for you. You can also elevate your weekend attire with a maxi dress and structured white blazer. Let us know which Memorial Day outfits you like best! On Allison McNamara: Madewell top.