Lilac City Momma

Mommy Blog

4 Practical Tips for Cleaning Your Glass Shower Enclosure

by

A glass shower enclosure is a good addition to your bathroom. It makes you feel excited heading to the shower each morning. You also have something to look forward to when you head home after a long day at work. Once you are inside, you can just isolate yourself and forget everything that is going on around you. But if you’re a busy mom like me, you will want to keep it clean and spend the least amount of time doing it. 

Even if you spend quite a lot of money to have this enclosure installed, it is an investment worth the price. The enclosure needs to be properly cleaned and maintained just like any other item inside your bathroom. Here are some tips to guide you when cleaning.

  1. Use squeegees or microfibre cloths

When soap bubbles and water accumulate on the glass, it could pose health risks. You should not let this buildup happen. It can be easily removed with the help of a squeegee. This is like a windshield wiper that has a handle. This makes it easier for you to remove stains on the glass. If you don’t have one, you can use a small cloth just to wipe off the buildup of soap bubbles on the glass. It does not have to be done daily, but at least you do it once you notice stains and soap bubbles building up.

  1. Use a dryer sheet

If you want to instantly clean the glass, get a dryer sheet, damp it lightly and use it to scrub the entire glass shower enclosure. It easily wipes everything away. This is perfect if you don’t have enough time to clean everything. You can also add a cleaning agent to soften the fabric and allow the stains to be easily removed.

  1. Use an old shirt

If you have time to wipe the stains off, get a cleaning agent and put it in a spray bottle. Dilute it with water and use it to clean the glass enclosure. To remove the cleaning agent, use an old shirt. You can use the same shirt when cleaning up the enclosure in the future. A worn out shirt helps easily remove the stains out.

  1. Check the enclosure for problems

Aside from the cleanliness of the glass shower enclosure, you should also check it for any issues. There might be broken parts that have to be replaced. If the glass is cracked but is still intact, don’t wait for it to finally give in. Have someone come over and replace it. The same thing is true for the shower and other accessories found inside the enclosure. Maintenance is essential since it prevents more serious problems from happening.

It is nice to have a shower enclosure at home. Therefore, you need to make sure it will last for a long time.

The Proper Way to Fix a Budget for Your Kitchen Refurbishment

by

If you feel your kitchen is due for a remodeling, refurbishment, or a complete overhaul, you may be both excited and worried – thinking about that beautiful new kitchen can make you energised, but thinking about the possible expenses might make you anxious. That’s perfectly normal; refurbishing projects rarely go without a hitch and require some careful planning.

Luckily, there are experts who are willing to give you some invaluable – and free – advice. Are you planning to upgrade your kitchen? Are you worried about the costs? If you’re a mother like me, you have to worry about grocery costs, clothes and much more. So that you don’t worry about a kitchen upgrade cost, here’s the proper way to fix a budget for your kitchen refurbishment.

Think about the budget, and stick with it

This seems obvious but it can be tempting to add during the project, and that’s often a mistake. When fixing your budget, consider that your labour costs can amount to anywhere from a fifth to a third of your budget. Secondly, consider the reasons of (and the long-term implications of) your refurbishment. Are you planning to move in a couple of years? Is it worth a large investment? Do some research.

Break it down

Once you’ve fixed your budget, list down what you really want and what your priorities are. Breaking down your budget into categories can guide your decision-making process. On the average, certain items require more funds than others:

  • Labour – 20 to 35%
  • Cabinets and worktops such as beautiful quartz worktops London from J.R. Stone – about 33%
  • Appliances – between 20 and 30%
  • Tiling, windows, and other items vary greatly depending on the quality.

Establish a buffer

It’s very common to have unexpected expenses when it comes to construction or renovation projects. This is not necessarily due to bad management or poor design choices, but simply because during the process unforeseen problems can pop up – for example: cracks in the walls, or the discovery that the plumbing is in bad shape. Establish a buffer; expect to spend 20% more than planned.

Keep track

During the project, money is going to flow out the window at a very fast pace. To avoid misunderstandings and unpleasant surprises, make sure you keep careful track of your expenses, and regularly check whether or not this fits with your budget planning.

Here’s one more important factor to consider whilst your kitchen is undergoing its renovation: do you plan on staying in the house? Staying somewhere else will encourage you to spend more. Furthermore, even if you decide to stay in the home whilst the work is going on, you’re probably going to be spending more money on take-out food or eating out. These expenses might be trivial, but many small expenses do make a larger amount, and it has to be factored in from the start. Your project needs to be planned well, and this includes the budget. Keep track of it carefully.

Reasons Why Miniature Circuit Breakers are Better Than Fuses

by

Miniature circuit breakers are automatically operated electrical switches that are designed to protect various electrical appliances. People are also protected against electrical shocks and other related issues.

Under normal working conditions, the amount of current flowing through a network causes no problems. However, if there is a fault which occurs in the network, or if the current exceeds the safe limit, this could lead to damage to appliances, and pose a huge risk to people. Therefore, the moment the electrical current surges, there should be something to regulate it, and this is where miniature circuit breakers are useful.

Previously, a fuse did the job. Fuses are still widely used to regulate the flow of current. However, these days, there is a preference for the use of miniature circuit breakers in most residential and commercial electrical installations. Here are some reasons why circuit breakers are more effective.

Circuit breakers are more sensitive

If there is abnormal current flow, the circuit breaker automatically switches off the electrical circuit. It stops all problems right away. This happens in less than a second. This is how effective they are in sensing problems. This is not necessarily the case if just using a fuse.

Faulty zones are easily identified

The good thing about circuit breakers is that if there are problems, the faulty zone is immediately identified. With a fuse, the wire needs to be checked through the fuse grip, which needs to be opened, in order to confirm where the faulty zone is. It takes time and effort.  

There is a better interface

Using a knob, circuit breakers have a better interface compared with a fuse. With a fuse, the entire component needs to be taken out. Again, this takes a lot of time. It is not really ideal especially when it comes to emergency cases.

MCBs are generally safer

Compared with fuses, miniature circuit breakers (MCBs) are generally deemed safer. The overall design makes the circuit breakers easier to handle. There is also a lesser risk of fire and other problems. Circuit breakers are also reusable. They need not be maintained all the time. There is a smaller replacement cost. On the other hand, a fuse has to be replaced whenever it blows. Therefore, even if you feel like you have saved money because a fuse is cheap, you end up spending more in replacement costs.

With a Miniature Circuit Breaker, the upfront cost is a bit higher, but it can be used over a longer period of time. You won’t have to worry about safety and efficiency. There is no wonder most people now opt for miniature circuit breakers. They are also highly recommended by experts.

Excellent Gift Ideas To Celebrate Newborn Babies

by

When a friend or a family member has a baby, it is common to get them a gift to help celebrate the occasion, but it can be hard to know what to get, especially with so many other people buying gifts also. You can find some excellent ideas for newborn babies on the pinterest.com.au website to help get you started, and you can also carry on reading below and find some great gift ideas.

An Arm Full Of Nappies

If there is one thing that you can never have too many of, it is nappies. You can get some excellent nappy cakes in a variety of different designs, which often include a soft cuddly toy for the child. There will come a time when this gift is more than appreciated!

A Basket Full Of Gifts

There are baby gifts sold online throughout Australia, and one of the most popular items that people buy is baby hampers, which are the gift that just keeps on giving. A baby hamper is made up of an assortment of different products for newborn babies such as;

  • Nappies
  • Clothes
  • Blankets
  • Soaps
  • Powders
  • Toys

The hampers will usually come in a variety of different sizes, which also means that there is one to suit pretty much any budget and be very helpful to any mommy. The baskets are designed to include all of the essentials for a newborn baby, which get used regularly and have to be continuously stocked up.

A Gift For The Parents

You tend to find that the majority of gifts that people give are geared around the baby, so you may wish to give something to the parents that they will appreciate. Your options are only limited by your budget and can range anywhere from a gift voucher for a city break for two, or even just offer to babysit one day to give the new parents a couple of hours off. You could just get a couple of bottles of their favourite wine and a takeaway meal, but no matter what you decide to give trust that it will be very much appreciated.

A Gift For Years To Come

Another excellent idea for the perfect gift for a newborn baby is a family portrait from a local photography studio. What better way to commemorate an addition to the family by having all of your family on a set of photographs that you will be able to keep and look back on for many years to come.

Clothes, Clothes, And More Clothes

Something else that the child will go through like no tomorrow is clothes. Many people will bring clothes suitable for the first couple of months which is fine as they will get used no doubt. But you can also buy clothes for the baby that they will grow into in the coming months, which will be one less thing for the proud new parents to buy. Just make sure that you buy the right colour clothes for the sex of the baby, or you could find that they go unworn!

3 Creative Recipes for Spiralized Vegetables or Fruit

by

Along with the newly risen awareness of healthy eating came a bunch of kitchen devices to help us prepare colourful and fun recipes. With Paleo and Keto on the rise, the top rated vegetable spiralizer transforms boring everyday fruits and vegetables into long veggie noodles or appetizing fruit desserts. The top rated vegatable spiralizers are devices that are normally able to not only produce one kind of spiral, but many different kinds due to interchangeable blades. Such as the “Brieftons 5 blade spiralizer” that not only got the highest rating, but also offers great value for the money. It offers the possibility to five different vegetable spirales and has a costumer-friendly desgin. A bit cheaper, but also delivered with five blades, is the much smaller “SimpleTaste Spiral Slicer”. This vegetable spiralizer is much more simple than a lot of kitchen appliances but very handy. Additionally: most spiralizers don’t cost more than $30 and you will use these devices for years to come and can help with many fun and healthy mommy recipes!

Once you see what great recipes can be composed – you’ll be happy to invest the money! All recipes are for two adults, so adjust the amounts based on the servings you need.

1. Everyone’s staple: low-carb zucchini pasta with traditional Italian sauce
One of the most popular recipes out there – and so simple it’s a shame you haven’t tried it before!

Ingredients: 

3 large zucchinis – yellow or green
fresh or dried basil (10 leaves or 1tbsp)
1 tbsp of nutritional yeast
1 small onion
12 ounces of sleved tomatoes
1tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
pinch of salt and pepper

Instructions: 

Wash and clean the zucchini of any soil, then use a small to medium blade in your spiralizer and slice zucchini into long crunchy raw noodles. You will want to stop from time to time and cut through the spiral as it might be hard to eat the dish otherwise. Once your zucchinis are done you prepare the sauce.

Peel and cut the small onion and put it into a small pan together with the olive oil. Fry for a short period. Add the tomatoes, the nutritional yeast, salt and pepper as well as the basil. Cook for five minutes. Add additional water if needed.
Arrange the zucchini pasta and serve with the hot pasta sauce!

2. So pretty: colourful Indian summer beetroot salad

Ingredients:

4 raw beetroots (medium to large)
1 medium parsnip
1 medium carrot
2 medium oranges
1 cup of cashews
1 small lemon
4 tbsp of white vinegar
a hand full of fresh rucola
pinch of salt and pepper

Instructions: 

Peel beetroots, parsnip and carrot and use spiralizer with a small blade to cut into spirals. Peel and cut oranges and slice them into thin pieces. For the dressing use a blender and add cashews, the juice of one lemon as well as the vinegar and salt and pepper. Blend into a creamy dressing. Wash the rucola. Arrange the colourful noodles first, put the oranges second, top with rucola and finally sprincle on the dressing to your liking.

3. Spiralized cinnamon apples with vanilla ice cream

Ingredients: 

4 medium apples
1 tbsp of cinnamon
1 tbsp of maple syrup
1 ounce of vanilla icream
2-4 fresh
mint leaves to decorate

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Peel apples and use medium to large blade to spiralize the apples. Mix spiralized apples with cinnamon and maple syrup and bake for ten to fifteen minutes. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and some fresh mint leaves on top. Enjoy!