It’s the season to enjoy the great outdoors. Warmer temperatures and longer days invite you to soak up the sun like a Sheryl Crow tune.

However, too much exposure to our celestial neighbor and source of life can leave you with burns. Worse, it increases your cancer risk. Fortunately, you can protect yourself with the following five sun safety tips for summertime.

Stay Made in the Shade

You don’t have to stand in direct sunlight to reap the benefits of the outdoors. Doing so might leave you feeling more like a wilted daisy than an energized human being.

When you head outdoors, seek facilities that offer sun cover for you and your little ones. For example, playground canopies can keep play areas as much as 20 degrees cooler and prevent your little one from burning their paws on scorching-hot metal monkey bars.

Covered areas also offer another way to knock high summer temperatures down a few degrees. Installing a misting system around your outdoor patio or deck cools you off if you live in an arid climate, although they won’t help much when humidity soars. You can also mount ceiling fans on covered outdoor spaces to keep a breeze circulating, making you more comfortable.

Wear Sunscreen

Wearing sunscreen is more important today than ever before in history. The reality of ozone depletion means your skin faces stronger UV radiation than before.

You’ll find no shortage of options on store shelves. What should you look for? Mineral-based sunscreens are generally more natural and non-toxic than their chemical counterparts.

These often use zinc oxide and titanium dioxide to protect your skin from damaging rays. They act like millions of tiny mirrors, reflecting UV radiation instead of absorbing it, causing damage. Many moms feel safer using these products on their infants instead of chemicals they might struggle to pronounce.

However, it isn’t sufficient to slather on cream in the morning and then forget it. Ideally, you should reapply sunscreen every two hours. You can safely bend this rule if you spend the morning inside working at your desk, but you may need more frequent applications if you’re swimming or exercising up a mean lather.

Learn the Signs of Heat-Related Illness

Heat-related illnesses pose serious threats in the warm months. These can cause brain injury and even death. Learning the signs and taking preventative actions before the situation becomes dire is your best bet for positive health outcomes. Here’s what you should look for in yourself or your child:

●    Heavy sweating: This sign often appears first. However, as heat exhaustion progresses to heat stroke, perspiration may stop as the skin grows hot and dry.

●    Cold, pale, and clammy skin: Again, this may become hot and dry as severity progresses.

●    Rapid pulse

●    Nausea and vomiting

●    Headache

●    Tiredness or weakness

●    Dizziness

●    Confusion

●    Loss of consciousness

Stop any physical activity immediately and move to a cooler area at the first sign of heat-related illness. You can remove clothing and apply cool, damp cloths to lower the person’s internal body temperature, adding a fan to keep the air moving if available.

Should you drink? It depends. If you’re still in the heat exhaustion stage, it’s fine to sip on cool — not cold — water. However, hold off if you’re nauseous, as vomiting can dehydrate you more.

It’s also critical to stay hydrated during the warmer months. Please carry a reusable water bottle with you and get your kids in the habit, providing them with fun stickers and charms to make their vessel unique and playful.

Protect Your Peepers

Your skin isn’t the only organ that can suffer damage from too much sun exposure. UV radiation increases your chances of developing age-related macular degeneration and cataracts. You should make efforts to protect your peepers.

Perhaps the easiest method is to invest in a wide-brimmed hat that provides natural shade. Double up with sunglasses that block damaging UVA and UVB radiation. You should never look directly at the sun, even as it sets — doing so can damage your cornea.

Tend to Sunburned Skin

Sunburn isn’t always an inevitable part of summer, but knowing how to treat it is a vital sun safety tip. Blistering burns increase your chances of developing skin cancer later in life — and they hurt like the dickens right now. Putting on a bra can prove downright painful.

Your best natural remedy for sunburn relief is probably aloe vera. You can find the gel over-the-counter, but you can go even more primitive if you have a plant. Simply break off a leaf and squeeze the contents onto the inflamed area.

Honey is another salve to try, particularly if you blister. The sticky stuff contains potent antimicrobial action to protect your healing skin from germs. Mixing baking soda or cornstarch with water to create a paste can minimize friction between your skin and your clothes, although you might look a bit snowy as it dries and flakes off.

Sun Safety Tips for Summertime

Summertime means a return to fun in the sun. While the warmth can feel glorious, it can lead to painful burns or worse.

Follow the above five sun safety tips for summertime. You’ll enjoy this beautiful season while safeguarding your health.

Of all the places in the world, your home should be the one place you feel safest. But oftentimes, homeowners don’t realize that they’re living with dangers around them every day. Knives on the kitchen counter, poisonous cleaners under the sink, and electrical cords running across walkways can all lead to accidents if not dealt with properly. In this blog post, we’ll provide tips for preventing dangerous hazards in your home. Implement these tips today to make your home a safe haven for you and your family.

Fire Risk Assessment

Fires are one of the most dangerous hazards that can occur in a home. Every year, thousands of people are killed or injured in fires, and many more lose their homes and possessions. A fire risk assessment is an important tool that can help prevent fires from happening in the first place.

By identifying potential fire hazards and taking steps to mitigate them, you can greatly reduce the risk of a fire occurring in your home. Posted signs, working smoke detectors, and clear escape routes are just a few of the measures that can be taken to prevent fires and keep your family safe. Don’t wait until it’s too late- make sure you conduct a fire risk assessment today.

Pool Fence

A pool fence is a great way to keep your pool area safe and secure. By installing a fence around your pool, you can help to prevent dangerous accidents and injuries. A pool fence will create a physical barrier between the pool and the rest of your property, making it more difficult for small children and animals to access the pool area.

In addition, a pool fence can also help to deter potential vandals and thieves. By making it more difficult for unauthorized individuals to access your pool, you can help to keep your family safe and reduce the risk of theft or damage to your pool equipment. Ultimately, a pool fence is an effective way to improve the safety of your home and protect your family from potential hazards.

Mats In The Shower

One of the most dangerous places in your home is the shower. Wet floors are a breeding ground for slips and falls, which can lead to serious injuries. One way to help prevent these accidents is to use a mat in the shower. A mat helps to provide traction and prevent slipping, and it also helps to absorb water and prevent puddling.

In addition, a mat can also help to protect your shower from damage. Water that drips off your body can cause limescale buildup and mildew growth, but a mat can help to catch this water and keep your shower clean. As a result, using a mat in the shower is an easy and effective way to prevent injuries in your home.

Remove Sharp Objects

It’s important to keep your home safe for everyone in the family, and that includes removing sharp objects. Sharp objects can pose a serious hazard, particularly for young children who may not realize the danger they’re in.

Even something as innocuous as a pencil can become a deadly weapon if it’s sharpened to a point. It’s best to err on the side of caution and remove any sharp objects from your home, or at least keep them out of reach of children.

Even something as simple as a kitchen knife can be dangerous in the wrong hands, so it’s important to be vigilant about sharp objects in your home. By taking a few simple precautions, you can help to prevent dangerous accidents and keep your family safe.

Prevent Electrical Hazards

Each year, electrical fires claim the lives of hundreds of people and cause billions of dollars in property damage. There are several steps you can take to prevent electrical hazards in your home. First, make sure that all electrical outlets and cords are in good condition and free of defects. Second, never overload outlets or extension cords.

Third, keep electrical products away from water sources. Fourth, avoid using electrical products in damp or wet areas. Finally, always contact a qualified electrician if you have any questions or concerns about the electrical system in your home. By taking these simple precautions, you can help to prevent electrical hazards and keep your family safe.

Retailers across the country are urging customers to complete their holiday shopping as soon as possible because supply chain issues are on the rise. Shortages are posting a concern.

Mailing companies like UPS, U.S. Postal Service, and FedEx have released their deadlines for the holiday packages as well as cards. It’s basically a reminder for customers to mail their packages soon because it’s going to be peak season.

Picking your holiday gift is only half the work. You will also need to plan ahead of time to ensure that the gifts reach the recipient on time. There is nothing worse than knowing that the special present you bought for your loved one reached after Christmas.

When ordering online, you must remember that online retailers have their own deadlines for deliveries.

To make sure you spread the joy, it’s important to ship your package in time while the pandemic continues. To help you make a quick work of your holiday packages, here’s a round-up of useful tips to get the holiday gifts wrapped and shipped on time:

1: Mark the Date on Your Calendar

Want to qualify for free shipping and to be sure that your present reach your doorsteps in time for Christmas? Make sure you ship your package by December 14th to qualify.

For that, it’s best to save the date in your calendar like you save the date to Spectrum call service for paying your monthly bill. If the gift involves shipping it to a loved one’s address, last-minute Christmas shopping won’t work here. Shop in advance and make sure you ship before the deadline.

2: Plan It All Out

By using usps.com, you can avoid long lines at the post office and stay safe and healthy at home throughout the holidays. Create an account and order Priority Mail Forever Prepaid Flat Rate boxes after you’ve done so.

Postage-paid boxes are delivered to your mailbox, allowing you to pack and ship your gifts without ever leaving your home. Your return address, free tracking, and unlimited postage are all included in the boxes. Before the Christmas rush, stock up on all of your shipping and mailing goods at home so you can send out gifts with ease while sipping hot cocoa and avoiding the post office chaos.

3: Know the Mailing Deadlines

The United States Postal Service, FedEx, and UPS have all released their “Last Day to Ship” schedules for the 2021 holiday season, making it simple to know when to ship if you want your gifts under the tree by Christmas morning.

4: Pack With Care

Since it’s a present, it should be wrapped safely. Nobody wants to open their Christmas gift to find a damaged item inside.

The holidays are full of expectations, one of which is that a shipment arrives on schedule and in good condition.

Carriers transport a large number of shipments, and despite their best efforts, packages can get damaged. Improper packaging materials are frequently the cause, and if a carrier discovers that this was the case, they may refuse to replace the item as well. This means you should pack everything nicely.

Each item should be cushioned for at least two inches and put at least two inches away from the box’s walls. This way, even if the box walls are destroyed, the thing inside remains undamaged. A good place to start is with approved packing materials like packing peanuts and bubble cushions. To limit the chance of damage, make sure a package doesn’t rattle and can’t be tossed around.

5: Choose a Service with Good Tracking Function

Nobody wants their package to be lost in the transition. This is why mailing companies let you track the order.

There could be delays due to the exceptionally large amount of holiday shipments. Hence, it’s critical to choose a courier that offers frequent tracking updates because they will cover all stages of transportation (from pickup to arrival, then departure, and final delivery.) You will be able to keep a close eye on their shipments.

6: Mail Directly to the Recipient

There is a way to cut the hassle and not have to ship the gifts by yourself. How do you ask?

Simple! Just mail the order to the receipt’s address.

Rather than ordering the item, wrapping it, and paying to send it again, save time and money by having an internet order mailed directly to whomever you’re gifting it to. Many online businesses provide free or low-cost gift wrapping. Look for this option at the check-out stage.

This could mean you are sending the present in advance (i.e., before Christmas) because every retailer has its own shipping policy.

When it comes time to redesign your bedroom, it’s hard to know where to start. You know some of the elements you’d like to include, but how do you put together a plan where everything falls into place as you go along?

There must be some kind of logical order to get things done in, right? Actually, there are important elements that need to be considered first; then you can figure out how to work them in, in a sensible order.

Where Not to Start

Perhaps it would be best to tell you where not to start. Although this is going to be the most important thing in the room once you are done, it’s not the place to start. Let’s start by asking this question. What do you consider to be the most important element in a bedroom? If you are like 99.99% of those asked, you will probably respond, “The bed, of course.”

Actually, that’s not what interior decorators suggest. They say that although the bed is the most important feature in the bedroom, you first need to consider color, light, and then the size of the room.

Once you’ve done that, you can choose the right bed for your room. Color, after all, sets the mood, and you want to do that before getting to bed!

Comfort Above All Else

So then, now you are tasked with finding a bed that has a perfect relationship with the color and light scheme you’ve chosen.

However, the first thing you need to consider is the purpose of a bed which is obviously comfort because that is what they are made for! If not, we’d all be sleeping on yoga mats on hard floors.

Whether you are looking for one of the top adjustable bed frames, as mentioned in this review, or are limited by size of the room, there is no reason to think you can’t find the size, style, and quality you need to fill the actual purpose of the room. Again, that means comfort.

Understand Why Lighting Is So Important

Let’s get back to bed for just a moment. One of the biggest mistakes so many people make when taking measurements for the placement of their bed is to ignore where daylight can be filtering into the room.

Unless you are a person who wakes before the crack of dawn, you don’t want to be facing the window where the bright sunlight can wake you before your time to get up. This means you will also need to know the direction in which your windows are facing.

Most interior designers suggest that if you have two opposite windows, one pointing toward morning sun and the other toward afternoon sunlight, you should choose the latter. This will help you conserve electricity at the same time as it will prevent that bright morning sunshine from waking you up too early. It’s all about your circadian rhythm sleep patterns.

Your Final Takeaway

Once you have all those elements in place, you can start with all the embellishments you’ve always wanted. Perhaps now you can see why the bed, as the most important element within a room, isn’t necessarily the place to start in a redesign project.

What about big, oversized pillows to lay across the head of the bed as it is in a slightly raised position?

No one says you need to leave it horizontal and parallel to the floor. How boring would that be when you have a bed you can adjust into interesting positions to hold your intriguing spreads, pillows, and shams?

Work with the color scheme you’ve selected, and you will have a redesigned bedroom you could only dream of having once upon a time.

Car sharing is among the transport options when you don’t want to own a car. The trend is fast growing because of the numerous benefits customers get, such as flexible transport schedules and affordable rates. Unfortunately, not every car is worth settling for. There are many unreliable companies that are only after profit, not customer welfare. But what makes a good car-sharing business?

Prioritizes Safety

Without ensuring customer safety, your car-sharing company is worthless. Customers are unlikely to trust a company known for renting defective vehicles. Bad customer service may also lead to negative ratings. A good company should therefore maintain their cars through regular inspection.

Pocket-Friendly Prices

Car sharing companies should have competitive and affordable rental rates. As a customer, you focus on quality and affordability. To get the best offer, compare the prices of different companies but do not be lured by very low prices. The services may not be standard, or there may be hidden fees.

Organization is Key

Operating a car-sharing business comes with a lot of responsibilities. The organization is essential; fleet maintenance, customer service, and accounting. Successful companies use car-sharing management software to organize their business.

Excellent Customer Service

Before renting a car, clients look for friendly, fast, and excellent service. The company should have all the answers a client wants. In addition, the customer care representative should be able to respond quickly. A good company should also offer any assistance a client needs on the way.

Have No Hidden Fees

Transparency in business will help you gain customer trust and, thus, more sales. Nobody would like surprises, especially if the information wasn’t included on the website. A company should disclose the security deposits, late fees, and insurance in advance.

Insurance Coverage

A car-sharing company should offer insurance cover for the driver, other passengers, and the car’s damage. With an insurance policy, you can drive the vehicle anywhere without worrying about your safety or the vehicle. However, ask the company what their insurance covers before taking the vehicle. This way, you’ll know what to expect if something goes amiss.

Discounts and Special Offers

Customers go to places with discounts and offers. A company should have offers for special occasions or for returning customers. This fosters good relationships, customer returns, and recommendations.

Offers Free Delivery

It is so frustrating to have to walk for kilometers or wait at a bus stop to pick up the car. A good car-sharing company makes it easier to take the vehicle to the airport, hotel, or central place where it’s convenient for the client.

Have a Variety of Automobiles

Clients are demanding; a car-sharing company should have a wide range of cars, especially those most customers prefer. A company offering few choices can limit the customer’s choices and lose them. In addition, the cars should be in the right shape. A user may pay for damage or mechanical faults if the car is faulty. Companies like Avail car sharing are sure to have a wide range of vehicles to choose from for whatever needs you may have on a specific day.

Simple Booking Procedure

A good car-sharing company should have an easy booking process. If the client is booking through a company website, the process should be easier and smoother. In addition, the pricing, pickup point, and car model description should also be available. If the client is to create a booking account, the process should be short and easy.

Mobile-Friendly App

Most people use their phones when searching for a car. A good company’s website should be mobile-responsive, easy to use, and display accurate car images and information. With a mobile-friendly website, you will gain more customers.

Car sharing is becoming increasingly popular with local and international travelers. The majority use cars for work or vacation travel. However, customers must ensure the car-sharing companies are reliable and offer good customer care service to get the best service.

Have you or one of your kids got a driving test coming up in Washington State? The Evergreen State has one of the toughest driving tests in the country, so it’ll require more preparation than most. Here are some essential tips for ensuring you pass your road test.

Prepare Your Car and Documents

When you take your road test in Washington State, you’ll bring your own vehicle. Make sure you know its registration and Washington car insurance documents along with your social security number and ID, as you’ll be asked for these upon arrival at the DMV. Required documents might change depending on each state and country. Some states also require a Social Security card or Social Security denial letter, while UK citizens must fill out DVLA licence application form to obtain a driver’s license after passing the test. You’ll also need to make sure your vehicle meets the following requirements:

● Half a tank of gas

● Working car horn and rearview mirror

● Unobstructed view through windshield and all windows

● Correctly inflated tires

● Car doors all open and close properly from the inside and the outside

● Working turn signals, brake lights, taillights, and headlights

Test your brakes before the test. A WA road test involves testing your emergency brakes, known as a brake reaction test or a simulated emergency stop. Make sure you’re practiced at this and your brakes are up to scratch.

Drivers under 18 will also need parental permission, so either bring a parent or get them to sign a parental authorization affidavit form. You must bring a licensed adult with you to the DMV if you’re under 18.

Practice Reversing Around a Corner

One of the reasons the WA driving test is so hard is one of the commonly required maneuvers is backing around a corner. This will usually happen in a quiet, residential area. When you drive in reverse, it’s essential that you turn and look out of the rear window.

You won’t have a rearview camera, and if you only use mirrors to back up, you’ll lose points. Once you’ve backed around the corner, you’ll need to continue back in a straight line.

Practice Parallel Parking

Yet another difficult maneuver that is included on a WA driving test is parallel parking. Even experienced drivers dread having to do this, so get plenty of practice beforehand. During the test, you might need to parallel park between two cars or between two poles or cones. The second option is best as it avoids the risk of hitting another car and getting an automatic fail as a result, but parking between poles can also be more difficult.

Check Your Blind Spots

A common way to fail a WA road test is to forget to check your blind spots using mirrors and by turning around. You can do everything perfectly, but vision errors can knock a lot of points off your test and cause you to fail. Make sure you turn to check your blind spot when reversing, changing lanes, and when parallel parking.

Know The Automatic Fails

There are some absolute no-gos on a WA road test that will automatically fail you. Remember not to do any of these:

● Speeding

● Collision with another car, pedestrian, or cyclist

● Driving off-road into obstacles

● Failing to stop

● Dangerous driving, such as when you cause near-miss accidents.

Your mood automatically lit up when your home smells good. A home is your identity and your own space. If it doesn’t smell good, you won’t feel cozy at all. No More Dust Maid Services, alexandria va offers a variety of packages tailored to fit individual home or office cleaning needs. Whether you need a one-time deep cleaning, regular scheduled maintenance services or specific area cleans in your home/office, our staff can accommodate your unique needs. We use only the most modern equipment available, as well as eco-friendly products to ensure a safe environment for our teams and for you.

Sometimes we visit someone and become enchanted by how fresh their place smell. Then we come to our own home and wonder how to keep our home always smelling fresh. Well, stick with me; I will show you how. 

Empty Your Dustbin

You first have to make sure that you regularly empty your trash can. Otherwise, leftover food and other trash can make your home smell terrible. 

You must replace your kitchen and bathroom trashcan liners every other day. Change it more frequently if a foul odor comes from it. 

Clean Your Refrigerator

I’m sure you keep all your leftover food in the fridge like every other. But unfortunately, it is another culprit responsible for the bad smell. Sometimes we keep our leftover foods in the fridge instead of throwing them out. 

That is why our fridge starts smelling terrible, covering our whole house with a bad smell. So, regularly clean your fridge to allow the fresh smell to retain. Additionally, set an appointment with domestic cleaning service to deep clean your house.

Use Baking Soda to Absorb Bad Odor

Baking soda has this incredible power to absorb any lousy smell. It does not just mask foul odors but completely removes them. You will find it especially handy after cooking. Because your home fills up with smells from ingredients when you cook. 

Place a few bowls of baking soda here and there scattered all over your house. It will remove the smell from your place. Do not forget to replace them once a week. 

Roast Coffee Beans

Another fantastic way to make your house smell good involves coffee beans. Roasting coffee in the oven will make your home smell fresh. Think I’m exaggerating? 

Take a few coffee beans and place them into the oven. Then roast the beans at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes and leave the door open. You will see your house fills up with an energizing fresh coffee smell.

Heat a Cup of White Vinegar

The usage of vinegar has no bound. White vinegar is already an excellent cleaner. But according to many chefs, it is also a great source of deodorizer. Take a cup of white vinegar and heat it on a stove for a few minutes. 

You will find a fresh smell all over the place. Vinegar is acetic acid, and it binds with bad-smelling molecules when heated. 

Boil Lemons for Fresh Smell

Somehow when we think about freshness, the smell of lemon comes to our mind. Freshness and lemon are related to each other. So, when you boil lemons, they will produce a fresh smell and spread all over your house. 

You can use freshly cut lemons or lemon rinds to boil. Place them in a pot and fill some water into it. Then simmer the lemons in low heat for hours. You will see a beautiful fresh smell has covered your entire house. 

Whatever you do, don’t let your baby stay swaddled in their swaddle blanket all day long. Swaddling, or wrapping babies snugly in blankets, is an awesome way to keep them feeling secure and help them sleep soundly at night. However, it can also be dangerous if babies aren’t given the freedom to move and kick around occasionally throughout the day – otherwise, they could become swaddled too tightly, which could put pressure on certain parts of their bodies and even cut off blood circulation! So here’s a quick guide on how to use a swaddle blanket and how to dress your baby when wearing one.

Appropriate Attire For Swaddling

The majority of swaddling blankets are made from a thin muslin that has been cut into long sheets. When wrapped around your baby, these thin fabrics don’t provide much warmth for her body; she might even feel chilled. Make sure to dress your baby in layers underneath her swaddling blanket, so she doesn’t feel cold or chilly.

In colder months, opt for outfits made from thicker fabrics like flannel or terry cloth. In warm weather, opt for lightweight cotton clothes that will help keep your baby cool when swaddled and easy to layer as temperatures change throughout the day. Be sure any items that go on underneath are free of buttons, zippers, or other features that could be hazardous if they got caught in her swaddle wrap.

What to Wear Under A Swaddle Blanket

Whether you need an undershirt, tank top, bodysuit, or something else depends on your child’s age and weight, as well as whether he or she sleeps hot or cold. But that doesn’t mean figuring out what’s appropriate for bedtime can’t be a challenge; some parents find themselves second-guessing their decisions when it comes to planning what clothing to put on their children before they head off to sleep.

First, make sure you know how hot or cold your baby is likely to get at night. While newborns aren’t capable of regulating their own body temperature until their several months old, babies older than six months will typically let you know if they’re too warm or too cool. The best way to know if your little one needs extra warmth at night is by paying attention to him or her throughout the day. If he or she tends to feel chilly in lighter outfits during waking hours, it might be time for a heavier blanket in bed at night.

Baby Swaddle Blankets Outfits

Baby swaddle blankets are one of your baby’s favorite things to wear at a young age. They are always easy to find and keep their little arms snuggly. However, just like any outfit, it can be tricky to find what is appropriate for a baby under these blankies. While most of them are extremely comfortable and functional, baby swaddle blankets should always be accompanied by an appropriate clothing choice. This will keep them healthy during all weather conditions and reduce the risk of illness or discomfort in extreme temperatures. During the cooler months of fall and winter, you should use long-sleeve fleece onesies to make sure that they’re warm enough under the swaddle blanket. For the warmer months of spring and summer, a short sleeve onesie such as Sandstone’s newborn onesies should be enough to keep them comfortable.

Although some babies may enjoy being bundled up underneath those warm layers of fabric—especially on a chilly night—others may prefer to kick off their clothing and snuggle down comfortably in just their pajamas. Be sure to take cues from your baby so that they can tell you what’s comfortable for them.