Finding the Perfect Feather Pillow
By Mary Donlan
Have you decided that you would like to try sleeping on a feather pillow? Maybe you recently slept on one at a friend’s house or a hotel and now you’re hooked? Well, there are a lot of choices out there. To find the perfect pillow it’s a good idea to know some of the key factors involved. The highest quality feather pillows are those made from goose down. Geese provide the softest, most resilient feathers. Goose down pillows will also be the most expensive on the market, but can last for years if you take care of them. Less expensive pillows will be stuffed with duck down or a blend of duck and goose down.
Some shops will advertise that their down feathers come from geese in Canada, Hungary or Siberia; where the winters are coldest and the down is the warmest! Gooses down feathers do not have quills to poke through the casing as other types of feathers do. They rarely give off any type of odor and can be fluffed up so that your pillow retains its loftiness even after years of use. Hypoallergenic down pillows are also available for people who are allergic to feathers.
The next factor to consider is the firmness of your pillow. If you prefer a firmer pillow, you will want to look for a feather pillow with a fill power of 700 to 800. If your idea of the perfect pillow is a little softer, then you can get away with purchasing a pillow with a lower fill power.
You want to look for a pillow with a high quality encasing. The pillows with coverings that have a higher thread count will be better protected over the years. Lower quality pillows may have issues with feathers coming out or seams breaking after extended use. To extend the life of any feather pillow, it’s a good idea to use a pillow protector as well as a pillowcase. Once you’ve made a few decisions you are ready to begin your quest for the perfect pillow. You can find many options at department stores, shops specializing in down products and of course, online. Good luck!
The Good, Bad, Ugly Bathroom Towels Part 3
Well here we are about to talk about the ugly towel. Most times a design is appealing to you which are ok. Beware though of towels with outlandish designs and unusual color schemes. Most of these towels are often times marked down because people do not want to purchase them. Most time these ugly towels won’t match any color scheme you have in your home. If by chance you inherit some ugly towels you’ll probably keep them tucked away somewhere in a storage box or in the back of your linen closet. This great bargain is no bargain at all if you never use the item.
When the next time you are purchasing towels as a gift for some one remember the towels in you storage box or in the back closet and look for soft velour towels that are high quality made with 100% cotton and good thread count.
The Good, Bad, Ugly Bathroom Towels Part 2
This is the second part of my writings on good, bad, ugly bathroom towels. We are going to talk about the “bad quality” of towels.
Towels that are of bad quality are very thin, flimsy and loose weave material. There design is usually a printed design rather than a design that is embroidered. More often these dad quality towels won’t last after several trips to the washing machine. Bad quality towels are mostly made from materials that are not very absorbent.
When buying towels for your home, carefully read the manufacturer tags before buying ,to discover what materials that were used in the making of the towels. There are other problems with towels made with synthetic material is that they may easily scorch, may even melt if used in handling items coming out of an oven and removing a hot pot from the stove top, or when they are thrown into your dryer. Egyptian cotton towels made of 100% cotton is still your best buy.
Next and last part three will be about the ugly towel
The Good, Bad, Ugly Bathroom Towels Part 1
This is a topic on good, bad and ugly bathroom towels that I have broken up into three parts. Today is the first part and I will talk about the good towels. The most common item found in the home these days is towels. Let me talk to you about selecting the best quality and towel accessories for the home.
Let’s start with the goo-quality towels. These are made from solid sturdy fabric. Towels made of good quality will use colorfast dyes. To purchase good-quality towels will cost more than the cheap towels, but they will last longer especially if your towels are laundered frequently like hand towels and dish towels.
Towels that are made of good quality are also made from absorbent materials. Other towels made with synthetic fabrics don’t absorb even a drop of liquid.
The towel that get’s the best judgment of most people are made from 100% cotton. The most recognized around the world by many is Egyptian cotton towels as being made from superior fabric. When shopping for towels you will pay more for Egyptian cotton towels than any other type, but in the long term it is worth the investment as they will last for years to come.
The next article part two will be about the Bad -Quality of towels.
White Bath Towels
By After taking a long and relaxing bath or shower, there is nothing greater than having a large and soft white towel to wrap your self in. There are so many kinds of towels in stores today, and most people tend to gravitate towards those that are the least expensive. This is not an all out bad idea, but sometimes cheap towels wear out easily. To get your money’s worth, you should know what to look for in a bath towel. Here are a few tips which you can use the next time you go shopping for towels.
Bath towels come in various colors and sizes. White bath towels are the most preferred by many people because they look neat, clean and really welcoming. They are made from different types of cotton that have varying weights and grades. The more expensive ones are the Brazilian and Egyptian cotton towels.
Choosing white towels for your home should not be solely based on their prices. You should select the ones which are soft and velvety. Try to feel if it has enough weight. There manufacturers that put in fabric softeners to their products to give the false impression of being softer and more luxurious. Weight is a reliable sign of a long lasting and high quality bath towel.
Try to look closely and see if the fibers are standing up straight and are tightly woven. Stay away from those that have rough textures and loose weaving. Lightweight towels are also a no-no. Remember that the most absorbent towels have the most number of loops per square inch.
You can also check out other colors, but towels are less likely to look faded, old and worn if they are white. White bath towels can blend in to any type of bathroom design. If your shower curtains and bath mats have a particular theme going on, white towels will never look out of place.
A decent towel costs between $15 and $20. You can also purchase a set which includes hand, bath and face towels, and does not cost more than $60 on sale.
Simple Solutions to Sleepless Nights
I started having trouble sleeping a few months ago and just couldn’t pinpoint the cause of the problem. At first it occurred to me that I should stick to a regimented sleep schedule - maybe a strict routine would get my mind and body used to resting at a given time of night. That approach didn’t work at all; I just spent even more time tossing and turning in bed. Then I saw my doctor and he prescribed some sleep aids.
The pills did what they were supposed to do - they knocked me out and left me hazy and exhausted the next day. I knew then that pharmaceuticals were not the answer; rather, it was up to me to find a safe, natural solution. A friend recommended that I take a simple approach and just find some softer bedding. I switched from my lumpy old blankets to goose down comforters, and the difference was immediately apparent. Ever since, I’ve been sleeping soundly through the night.
How Can I Make My Old Towels Soft and Fluffy Again?
Written by S.E. Smith
The stiff sensation of old towels on the skin can be very unpleasant. Some consumers dispose of towels when they start to get old and less absorbent. However, there are ways to make old towels soft and fluffy again, and when well cared for a towel will provide years of productive use. Caring for a towel well throughout its life will prevent the old towel phenomenon as well.
There are several types of material used for towels, all of which behave differently. Terry cloth is most commonly used for towels. Terry cloth is woven on a loom while using additional thread to create loops of material, also called pile. Velour towels are made in a similar manner, but the pile is sheared on one side to create a decorative shiny surface. Other towels include embroidery and other embellishments. It is time to retire old towels when the fibers have worn thin or the towel has developed holes.
When you purchase a towel, make sure that it is of high quality. Cotton tends to wear well throughout the life of the towel, and is easy to care for. Towels made from mixed fibers tend to wear poorly, and also tend not to dry the skin as well. In some cases, mixed materials can cause skin irritation. A towel of high quality will last longer because of the sturdier construction.
A common problem with old towels is that the colors tend to dull. Towels should always be washed with like colors to avoid bleeding of dyes onto other towels. In addition, white towels should always be washed separately. Use lemon juice instead of bleach to wash white towels, as bleach will damage the fabric. Old towels which have experienced color fade can sometimes be redeye, as long as the color is solid.
Old towels tend to be less absorbent and can sometimes acquire a crackly feeling when used. This is caused by being washed in hard water, or excessive detergent use. A fabric so0ftner can lead to lack of absorbency, because the fabric softener coats the fibers in the towel. Washing with vinegar will help to eliminate odor issues and will strip buildup from the towel. If you are concerned about odor issues with your old towels, wash in baking soda for a fresh scent.
Wash towels in warm water with like colors and fabric weights. Try to avoid overfilling your washer so that the towels will be evenly washed and will dry quickly. When you take the towels out, fluff them out before hanging them to dry or putting them in the dryer. Keep the dryer on medium heat and remove the towels promptly. Fluff the towels again before folding.
Old towels do not have to be banished to the darkest corner of the linen closet. Make sure to keep your linens rotated, which will prolong the life of your fabrics. Discard linens which are no longer suitable for use, or turn them into rags for use around the house. Make sure that towels do not remain in an extremely humid environment for more than few days. If the weather or the bathroom is humid, dry the towels in the dryer every few days, and wash them at least once a week.
Staying in a 3 Star Hotel
Last week I had the opportunity to stay at a 3 star hotel. I was going to a small conference in a city not far from home but knowing it would be late at night to drive home I decided to book a room. I book the hotel on line and some times you wonder if the rooms are as nice as the pictures.
When I walk into the hotel it was every bright and clean and well kept. The room I had was just like the picture on the website.
It had a mini kitchen with full frig, 2 electric burners to cook on, a microwave oven and a dish washer all the amenities of home. There was chesterfield on one side of the room and the bed on the other.
The bed was made up with nice white cotton sheets and lots of pillows. The comforter was a chocolate color with a white design through it. There was also a matching pillow to go with the down comforter.
This room was all that I hope it would be well maintain ,clean, bright and with all the luxuries you look for when you book a hotel room away from home.
This hotel was to me a 3 + more and I would look to stay at this hotel again if it was in the area I was going to in the future.
Does Thread Count Affect Bed Sheet Quality?
By Corinne Waldon
There is no feeling better than getting into a clean bed, turning the lights off, closing your eyes and falling asleep as your head hits the pillow. On the reverse side, there is nothing worse than crawling into bed, turning off the light, tossing, and turning for hours on end, trying to get comfortable so you can get some sleep. The night seems long and never ending, and knowing you are going to be tired the next day when you get up makes it all the worse. Statistics show that people need between seven and nine hours of uninterrupted sleep nightly. Being comfortable in bed is important since so many hours are spend sleeping, and good bedding can make the difference between sleeping like a baby or laying awake counting sheep.
What is Thread Count?
Measuring fabric and seeing how many yarns or threads there are woven into the length and width of one square inch, is know as the thread count.
Bed linens can be anywhere between 80 to 1,000 and the average range that is commonly carried in most stores is from 150 to 400. Sheets made of cotton, muslin other cotton blends typically have a count of 150. Thread counts of around 160-180 believed to be average quality. Two hundred and over are sometimes referred to as percale. A standard rule is the higher the number, the more expensive the bed sheets.
Does Thread Count Affect the Quality of Bed Sheets?
Consumers want to purchase bed sheets that feel wonderful and will be around many years. Thread count is important but there are also some other things to consider. Among other factors, does affect the ‘hand’, or the feel of the bedding when it touches your skin. You need to consider what fabric the bed sheet is made of and the finish. Counts in the range of 200 to 600 are very durable and soft but remember that other features should be important to you also. When choosing your bed sheets, here are a few items to remember:
1. Cotton/polyester blends of fabric do not feel as crisp and cool but the seldom wrinkle.
2. Flannel and brushed cotton are the right choice for you if you are looking for warmth.
3. By picking 100% cotton weaves, you will get the feeling of satin but it will not be as slippery.
4. Cool and luxurious percale gets softer with each washing.
5. Egyptian cotton has the longest fiber and is known as the ‘King’ of sheets. It becomes softer with each washing while remaining luxurious, smooth and durable.
Most people enjoy a good quality bed linen with a relatively high thread count for optimum comfort. To make sure that the correct sheets are purchased check the thread count before making a decision.
Turn Down the Heat at Night
In these harsh economic times, it’s not unusual for American families to live on a tight budget. For me, “shoestring” doesn’t even begin to cover it. Of course my wife and I are sure to provide for our children’s every need, but sometimes there’s nothing left after grocery shopping and the other staples are out of the way. In any case, it’s taught us to live in a thrifty and energy-efficient manner.
I took special care to weather-proof our home this fall, and we’ve talked to the kids about conserving electricity and heat to drive down the bills. As it turns out, my wife and I have been able to turn the heat down several degrees at night knowing that we’ll stay warm beneath a queen goose down comforter. I’ll be looking for smaller versions of the very same comforter for the kids.