Enjoying St Patrick’s Day in Boston

Canadian stand-up comedian, Russell Peters, once joked that everyone in Boston thinks they are Irish. Indeed, St Paddy’s Day Parade is a major event in the city of Boston, which is often called the capital of Irish America. The parade has been running since 1901 in South Boston, the most Irish neighborhood in Boston. It features marching bands and pipe bands from throughout North America, as well as colorful floats, music and plenty of Irish good cheer. The parade begins at the Broadway ‘T’ Station and ends at Farragut Road, South Boston. Stake out a spot somewhere on Broadway for a good view.

Kid dressed as a leprechaun — 3D render of a leprechaun leaning on an edge.

Whether you are Irish or not, it’s certainly worth sharing in the fun. Clearly, you need to dress the part – in green, preferably with Irish luck motifs like shamrock, or a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. You can even go all the way by dressing as a leprechaun, with green tall hat, red beard and even green hair! Be careful when you dye your hair and use other hair products. They can cause color loss to your clothing. When that happens, even your dry cleaner may not be able to save it. Kids often paint their faces, such as shamrocks on the cheeks, or a full-face Irish flag in green, white and orange.

How about Irish food? You will see these advertised on local supermarket flyers – cabbage, corned beef, soda bread and potatoes. Hop into an Irish bar for more festive beer and spirits, along with Irish music and dance! It’s easy to overeat or get drunk in big parties. If you do, you might need antacids, or gas relief and heartburn relief digestive aids from your local drug store. It’s better to control your appetite and save yourself the agony. Food spills are nearly unavoidable in parties, too. Don’t waste time trying to remove the stains yourself. Call the laundry delivery service and save your time for the more important things in your life!

How to Remove Pet Stains and Odors

We all love our furry friends, but the truth is they can be quite messy and smelly. Unlike humans, pets keep themselves warm with their soft fuzzy fur. But that fuzzy fur can shed, collect dander and be annoying to clean. Besides the hair, even the best-trained pets have accidents or throw up, usually in the most inconvenient of places. So for my fellow animal lovers, here are some tips on how to remove pet stains and odors from your home.

Carpet Stains

Pet stains on the carpet are the most frustrating since I can’t pack up my floor and take it to the dry cleaner near me or throw it in the laundry. But before you call a professional carpet cleaner, try this method. After soaking up as much of the fresh stain as possible with a towel, mix two cups of warm water with two cups of vinegar and four tablespoons of baking soda. Pour the mixture into a clean spray bottle and saturate the stain. After letting sit for 10 minutes, blot dry with a towel. For extra odor removal, sprinkle baking soda on the spot after it has dried. Vacuum it up about 30 minutes later. The baking soda vacuum method is also excellent for musty pet smells on their favorite sleeping spots.

Fabric Stains

Has your pet ever thrown up or peed on a favorite item of clothing? You’re not alone. If you’re lucky enough to find the mess right after it happens, you may be able to treat it at home. However, for set-in stains, it’s best to leave it for the experts at dry cleaners or a local laundry delivery service. Be sure to explain the nature and specifics of the stain so they can use the best method for removal. To treat at home, use the same vinegar/water mixture mentioned above to saturate the stain. For heavily soiled items, pour some of the mixture into a shallow container and allow it to soak for at least an hour. After soaking, wash in on a normal cycle in the washing machine with warm water. If the odor remains, repeat the cycle.

Remember for heavily soiled items or set-in stains, ask the experts at a dry cleaner nearby. And don’t get too frustrated with your pets, they may be smelly, but they sure are cute.

How to Repurpose the Clothes in Your Closet

The New Year is right around the corner, so it’s time to unclutter your life. When was the last time you cleaned out your closet? Are there clothes that need washing, or even professional cleaning by a dry cleaner? Put them in a pile and if there are a lot of clothes that need cleaning, it is wise to use a laundry delivery service.

It’s a great idea to donate the clothes you no longer wear, but what about those pieces that aren’t quite in shape to donate? Or the pieces you want to hold onto but aren’t sure how to use them? Read on for some ideas on how to repurpose the clothes in your closet.

A T-Shirt Quilt

Have lots of old band or travel t-shirts sitting around? A t-shirt quilt is a super cute way to preserve your memories while repurposing those old shirts. If you’re not the crafty type, don’t worry. There are several different companies and services that do this sort of thing for you or, ask around for local artisans.

Turn Long Sleeve Shirts into Wrap Skirts

Most dress shirts last 6 months to a year, whether you use a shirt laundry service or not. Cotton shirts lose their shape after a while, but there’s no need to throw them out. By wearing the torso portion of the shirt and wrapping the sleeves around your waist into a bow in the front, you’ve got a comfortable wrap skirt you can wear over leggings or on its own. This works for solid colored shirts of course, but prints are even better!

Turn Tees into Cardigans

Have some old tees that are a bit too tight but you’d love to hang on to them? Turn them into cardigans! This awesome hack lets you hold on to your favorite old tees while repurposing them into your current wardrobe. And you don’t even need to know how to sew! Using a pair of scissors, simply cut a line straight down the middle of the tee. Then use hem tape, which you can find at any craft store, to straighten the cut edges. If I want to add buttons or fastens, I can simply ask the expert tailor at the Boston dry cleaner near me to do it for a small charge.

So time to go through your laundry piles and clean out that closet! After gathering up donations for your local organization or shelter, try some of these fun ideas to repurpose your clothes.

Surprising Items That Can Be Dry Cleaned

When most of us think about taking clothes to our Boston dry cleaner, we think of our work casual wardrobe, suits, dresses and maybe some of our fancier attire like gowns, dresses and delicate materials. But there is actually more items that are safe to be dry cleaned than you realize. Read on for some surprising items that can be taken to the dry cleaners nearby.

Designer Jeans

We all have at least one pair of designer jeans that we splurged on because they just fit so amazing. To keep them fitting so amazing, did you know you can take them to the dry cleaners? Dry cleaning services include denim garments like jeans and jackets. Premium denim can lose it’s shape and color in the laundry when you run them through the washer and dryer. So to get your money’s worth, take those fancy jeans to the dry cleaners.

Comforters

Depending on what material your comforter is made of, you may be able to get away with washing it at home. If you have a down comforter, you should avoid taking it to the dry cleaners since the products used could damage it. However, most non-down comforters dry cleaned once a year. This is a great way to freshen up your bedding and have it look like new again.

Don’t forget that you can take advantage of a laundry drop off service in Boston for these bulky items. If you have a senior adult at home with in home living assistance, the home health aide can do this as well.

Throw Pillows

If you have throw pillows made of delicate materials like wool or silk, it’s best to leave the cleaning to the professionals. Home washing machines can be too harsh for decorative pillows. I would take them to a dry cleaner near me to clean your throw pillows thoroughly while maintaining the shape of the material.

Shoes and Sneakers

Yes, you read that right. You can have your shoes and sneakers dry cleaned. Check with the dry cleaners nearby about your specific shoes, but most will take gyms shoes and dress shoes. Suede shoes, in particular, should always be professionally dry cleaned as opposed to washed at home.

If you have an item at home that you’re not sure is safe to be dry cleaned or not, don’t be afraid to ask the dry cleaners.

Caring for an Aging Parent

Is your aging parent starting to need help with some of the everyday tasks at home? A change in functioning doesn’t necessarily mean it’s time to move to assisted living or a nursing home. Sometimes all they need is a little help with chores or some extra support so they can continue to live in their home. Start by asking your loved one what they need help with, discuss your concerns with them, and coordinate with their primary care doctor. That way they’ll still feel like they’re in charge and you’ll get a good feel for what is really needed to keep them safe, comfortable, and happy.

Maybe a few modifications to the home, such as grab bars for the shower or a stair lift can make things safer for them and reduce the worry for you.

Maybe you can stop by once a week to do yard work or household chores and prepare some meals for them. If they have difficulty with bathing or dressing, you could stop by once a day to help. However, don’t be afraid to get some extra care giving help. Here are some ideas:

Use a laundry pickup and delivery service to take laundry day right off the chore list.
Set up a reminder schedule for medications using specially designed pill boxes or high-tech reminder devices.
To save time picking up the medications, choose a local pharmacy that offers prescription delivery service.
Hire a home health aide who can help with some of the household chores and meal preparation as well as some of the personal care tasks and medication reminders.
Use a grocery delivery or meal delivery service.
Take advantage of programs and services at the local senior center, especially for socialization and exercise.

For busy professionals living in cities like Boston, caring for an aging parent can be overwhelming. Don’t sweat it out all by yourself. A little extra help here and there can make all the difference in your quality of life, as well as your parent’s!

Time-Saving Tips for the Family Caregiver

Too busy even to pick up your prescription at the local pharmacy? Life gets busy when you add caring for an aging parent or loved one to your full time job, especially when you still have kids at home who need you. Effective time management is the key. Here are a few tips for saving time and getting the important things done.

A little planning can save time. Identify what tasks need to be done and prioritize them. Make a to-do list and a schedule, either on paper or using one of the many smart-phone apps. Note trips or tasks that can be combined.
Organize medications so you know when to get more before you run out. Your community pharmacy can work with you to coordinate the prescription refill schedule to reduce trips to pick up medications. Ask if they offer prescription delivery. Some pharmacies will even set up personalized pill sorter boxes for their customers — a big time saver if either you or your parent takes a lot of medications.
Share the care-giving responsibility if you can. Hire a home health aide to provide respite care to take some of the pressure off of you.
Cross wash day right off your list with a laundry pickup service. Your local Boston dry cleaner may offer eco-friendly dry cleaning pickup and delivery as well.
Simplify meal preparation. Make a bunch of easy meals at a time and freeze them or use a meal kit subscription service. Use a grocery shopping and delivery app to help you track both the items you need and the items your parent needs. Look into other shopping and delivery services too. Nowadays you can get practically anything delivered to your door.
Use an online bill pay service or app and if you have access to your parent’s bank account, set it up for them too.

These time-saving tips allow you to spend more time with your loved one, which in turn can save time for you, too!

Taking a Walk in Nature

There is scientific research that shows walking a nature can do your body and mind a lot of good. It can decreased depression, improved well-being and mental health, and lower perceived stress. It can also bring about better cardiovascular health, healthy weight, and strengthened bones. In the city of Newton, MA, there are many places where you can walk in nature and enjoy its benefits. For example, Charles River Reservation, Cold Spring Park and Cutler Park are all well maintained and very popular spots for neighbors to enjoy a daily stroll or weekend hike.

Given the current concerns about EEE, it is important to take precautions when you take a walk a nature. It is wise to wearing long sleeves and pants and use insect repellent sprays. Mosquitoes are most active during dawn and dusk, so we should avoid being out in the woods during those hours. Of course, we should also bear in mind the usual warnings about ticks, mosquitoes, poison ivy, etc. On sunny days, sunscreens are a must.

You can get sunscreens and insect sprays from big stores like Target or CVS, but there are many advantages to shop local and go to a local pharmacy like Keyes Drug instead. You’ll get better service and the pharmacists will get to know you and your family really well. They can provide compounded medications to help you get the personalized health care that you need. Veterinary compounding services can make customized medicine for your pets as well.

Don’t forget that sunscreens and insect sprays can leave stains on your clothing. Here are some tips for removing sunscreen stains. For best results, bring the stained clothing to your local dry cleaner or use a laundry delivery service in Boston.

Summer is nearly over. Do take advantage of the beautiful Fall weather to enjoy walking in nature before Winter arrives!