5 New Year’s Resolutions for Your Home

Of folks who make a New Year’s Resolution, 46 percent are successful at their resolution six months later, a study from the Journal of Clinical Psychology reports.

If you’ve been dragging your feet on putting the finishing touches on your home, why not make it a New Year’s Resolution to really create good cleaning and de-cluttering habits?

Use these 5 New Year’s resolutions to get your house in good order.

1. Schedule biannual deep cleanings: The proverbial deep clean is a mainstay of keeping a clean, comfortable house. Early January, when the weather is chilly and you’re full of resolve to stick to your resolutions, is the perfect time for a deep clean. Work room by room, cleaning out all the nooks and crannies. Wash the walls, steam the shades, clean out clutter and donate things you no longer need to Goodwill. When you put away winter clothes for the spring/summer, do another deep clean. For tough smells, Clear the Air odor eliminators will refresh your home so you can start the new year off right.

2. Replace home goods: Over time, you may forget that you never got around to buying curtains for the dining room or fixing the rips in the screen door. You simply don’t see these home flaws. As you deep clean, inventory all of the little things that need fixing — and then fix them. For example, if you’ve been putting up with cracked blinds or ugly, stained window treatments, make replacing them a top priority. You can learn more about the 11 common types of window treatments online at Theshadestore.com, and then buy the right ones with confidence. When you enjoy your shades, you’ll be more motivated to keep those windows clean.

3. Personalize your home: Paint instantly adds character to a house. If you’ve been living with white walls for too long, personalize your living room, dining room or bedroom with a fresh coat of paint. The Augmented Colors app for Windows Phone ($1) comes in handy when picking paint colors. Just point and shoot to capture a color and get its hexadecimal code and RGB profile. Then head to your local paint store to grab a gallon and some brushes.

4. Maintain appliances: It’s all too easy to take your dishwasher or hot water heater for granted. However, preventative maintenance can keep your appliances operating at maximum efficiency, which in turn will save you money off your utility bill. Schedule an appointment with your plumber, HVAC specialist or other appliance repair person. When the seasons change, have your home heating and cooling systems professionally serviced. Seasonally, clean out the dryer vent, change the filters for your air conditioning and home heating, caulk any leaks around your windows and doors, and clean out dishwasher drains to prevent clogs.

5. Keep it up: It’s all too easy to devote a whole weekend to cleaning your home, yard, closet or basement and then let things get messy again. To realize a clean home in June, you’ll need to keep it up. Try setting reminders on your calendar or in an app to perform the big tasks. Perform small tasks, such as loading the dishwasher or wiping the counters, while tackling larger projects like cooking a family meal.

Mutt Monday’s Dog Of The Week

Check out Duke from the San Diego Humane Society.

Duke (#124538), is an American Pit Bull Terrier/Great Dane. He is 4 years and 6 months old and his Adoption Fee is only $95.00. Check him out:

Why I’d make a great companion: To know me is to love me or so I’ve been told! My name is Duke and I am an independent thinker who enjoys a bit of adventure. I am also devoted, loving and mellow as well. In short, I have a multifaceted personality that I believe that as you get to know me you will come to adore. I am well-mannered on walks and I take everything in stride, including passing dogs, skateboarders, bikes, cars and other distractions. Prepare yourself, as I am generally the center of attention when I am out and about because of and I quote ” stellar good looks and gangly long legs.” Although, I enjoy a moderate activity level, I am perfectly content with the occasional lounge session at the feet of my beloved pet parent where I can enjoy a chewing session with my tennis ball. I absolutely enjoy a good rub down and I L-O-V-E the sensation of ‘collapsing’ tennis balls in my mouth. But what I would really enjoy, is a family to call my own. I have been waiting to give my heart completely to my forever family and if that is you, than you can expect to rewarded a hundred-fold.

Type of home I’m looking for: I will do best in a house with teenaged children and without cats.

Other things you should know about me: My adoption fee includes my spay / neuter, current vaccinations, permanent microchip identification, a certificate for a free veterinary exam, a gift from Hill’s Science Diet, a license if residing in Oceanside or Vista, and limited veterinary medical coverage from VCA Hospitals up to $250!!

During the adoption process a San Diego Humane Society Trainer will be present to answer any questions and share how to best care for me and tips for continued training in the future.

How To Eliminate Pet Urine Odors

Clear The Air’s helpful tips to eliminating pet urine odors.

Cat & dog urine odor is one of the strongest and toughest odors to get rid of. Most products on the market are wet and must come into contact with the urine to remove the odor.

This means if you have urine that has soaked into the carpet you must pull up the carpet and pad and soak the carpet, pad and floorboards. What a mess! With Clear The Air Cat & Dog Urine Odor Eliminator just sprinkle the granules on top of the carpet leave on overnight and vacuum in the morning and the odor is completely eliminated. Works well on all surfaces pulling the odors out of tile and concrete. It also will completely eliminate the odors from your litter box and no one will know you have a litter box in the house!

Clear The Air is made from an all-natural mineral, is non-toxic and biodegradable and safe for Planet Earth.
It is also safe around children and pets even if eaten.

Directions to Eliminate Cat Urine Odors From Litter Box:

• Add granules to bottom of litter box, add litter, then add additional granules on top.
• Add ½ cup of granules each time litter is changed, scooped or as needed.
• Will prolong the life of your litter.

Eliminate Urine Odors From Carpets, Wood Floors, Tile, Concrete or Furniture:

• Remove feces and excess urine.
• Sprinkle granules over area until dry granules are present on top. Also works well on old dry urine odors.
• Leave overnight, then sweep or vacuum.
• Clear The Air pulls odors from carpet, padding, and subfloor.
• Typically one application will eliminate all odors; occasionally a second application is necessary.
• One canister covers 100 square feet.

How To Keep Pets Safe On Halloween

5 Halloween safety tips for your pets.

Halloween is just around the corner and as we all like to include our pets in our family activities, it is important to make sure we keep our pets safe and happy on holidays like Halloween.

Check out Clear the Air’s helpful tips to keeping your pets safe this Halloween:

• Pet Costumes – The safest pet costume is one that fits loosely and is simple. A bandana around your dog’s neck is perfect. Don’t let your pet’s costume restrict his mobility or allow him to get tangled up or strangled. Always make sure your pet is under your supervision when he has a costume on.
• Halloween Decorations – When decorating your home, remember to put decorations on display in an area they won’t be easily knocked over or reached from pets. This especially goes for any décor with lit candles.
• Noises – Pets can be scared and skittish of noises associated with Halloween such as the ringing of the doorbell, squeals and chatter outside the door and any small fireworks that are set off in the street. Additionally, scary costumes can alarm pets.
• Candy – Candy and chocolates are never a good idea for your pets. On Halloween there is an increased chance your pets may consume treats they aren’t meant to have. Provide your pets with pet-safe treats and toys to keep them entertained and keep all candies away from your pets during the holiday.
• Runaway Pet – Halloween is not the time to let your pets wander around outside. Keep your dogs on leash and your cats indoors. Unfortunately there are mean-spirited individuals that may be inspired to mess with your pets. This is also a great time to get your pets micro-chipped.

How To Remove Odors From Your House

Many different odors can emerge throughout your home.

Thankfully, Clear The Air can eliminate all those odors, no matter how bad they smell! Please share with us how Clear The Air has helped eliminate odors in your home by commenting below.

• Refrigerator Odors: Place one to two of our Odor Eliminator Bags in your refrigerator and let our product do its magic. Of course, taking out any old or spoiled food from your fridge will help take the odor away faster.
• Cat Litter Box: Add granules to bottom of litter box, add litter, then add additional granules on top. Add ½ cup of granules each time litter is changed, scooped or as needed. This will prolong the life of your litter, along with making the odor unnoticeable to your nose and your cats!
• Doggie Smell On Carpets/Furniture:  Remove feces and excess urine then sprinkle granules over area until dry granules are present on top. Our product will also work well on old dry urine odors. Leave product on overnight, then sweep or vacuum. Clear The Air pulls odors from carpet, padding, and subfloor. Typically one application will eliminate all odors; occasionally a second application is necessary. One canister covers 100 square feet.
• Cigarette and Cigar Odor:  Hang 1-2 Earth Care Odor Eliminator Bags in each room that smells like cigarette smoke. One bag will cover 50-100 square feet. The odor will be eliminated in 24 hours. One bag will last 1-2 months, if room is heavily permeated with smoke odor the bag may need to be changed more often at first.  If odors are particularly strong or room has been smoked in for years sprinkle Clear The Air Odor Eliminator for Carpet and Furniture granules on carpets and furniture. Leave down 24 hours and vacuum. Odors will be completely eliminated. One canister of Clear The Air Odor Eliminator for Carpet and Furniture covers 100 square feet; one bucket covers 900 square feet. Granules can also be placed in ashtrays and cigarette butt receptacles.
• Basement: Hang 1-2 bags in basement. One bag cover up to 100 square feet. Bags will continue to eliminate musty odors for up to 3 months. If odors are strong (or you have had a flood) also sprinkle Clear The Air Odor Eliminator for Concrete or Carpet granules on floor, leave down 24 hours and sweep or vacuum. Odors will be completely eliminated. One canister of Clear The Air Odor Eliminator For Concrete or Carpet granules covers approximately 100 square feet.
• New Carpet: Some new carpets contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are emitted as gases when they are first installed. When exposed to VOCs people may experience a wide range of symptoms that can include nose and throat discomfort, headache, allergic skin reaction, nausea, fatigue, and dizziness. Sprinkle Clear The Air Odor Eliminator granules over entire carpet. Leave down 24 hours and vacuum. When granules are down it is best to have some ventilation in the room such as a window open. One bucket covers 900 square feet. Also hang 1-3 bags in each room. Bags will last 3-4 months; we recommend you leave the bags up to continue removing new carpet odors. One bag covers 100 square feet.

How To Eliminate Dog Poop Odor From Backyard

Do you have a dog run or an area of the lawn that your dog frequents?

You also may have artificial grass which traps in the odor from urine or feces.  Sometimes, even though the area is outside, the odor is very noticeable.

Clear the Air’s Lawn/Yard Odor Eliminator will eliminate the odors and make hanging out in your yard pleasant once again.  This unique blend will absorb pet urine and feces odors from lawns and garden areas without chemical or fragrances.  No need to worry about harming your lawn or garden as the mineral is completely non-toxic and even acts as an excellent time-released nitrogen fertilizer.

This unique form of Earth Care Products Mineral can be sprinkled on your lawn and garden areas as needed to eliminate odors. Odors will be completely eliminated Granules are totally safe for all lawns and vegetation. Clear the Air does not have to come into contact with the odor producer; it will pull the odors from the entire area.

Clear The Air is made from an all-natural mineral, is non-toxic and biodegradable and safe for Planet Earth. It is also safe around children and pets even if eaten.

Visit our website to order your Odor Eliminator >> Lawn and Yard Odor Eliminator.

Does My Dog Know When I’m Sad?

Dogs are much more perceptive than we think.

You may not be able to talk with him about your bad day at work but when he lies next to you with his nose on your lap, you can tell he just gets it.

Did you know a dog’s mind is roughly equivalent to that of a human two-year old’s and they have the social consciousness of a teenager? The following are emotions dogs can sense you are feeling:

Sadness – When you are down in the dumps, your dog will probably act extra-tame. Why do you think they use dogs for therapy for sick and elderly people? Scientists are still a few steps away from saying dogs have true empathy for humans but they are optimistic. In a study published in the journal Animal Cognition dogs would lick all around sad people’s hands or faces and some sweetly brought over toys.

Unfairness – Your dog may notice if you play favorites with other pets. In a study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers found that when dogs saw other dogs getting treats for a trick they’d been performing unrewarded, the uncompensated dogs became visible distressed. In the study, as long as both dogs received a treat, one with a piece of sausage, the other with a piece of bread, both dogs were happy.

Priorities – When a baby comes home from the hospital and your pet is no longer the focus of your attention, he’ll pick that up pretty quickly. In some cases it can even lead to depression. Make sure you show love to your dog as well as your baby. A good suggestion is to bring an extra swaddling blanket to the hospital, wrap the baby in it, then bring it home and put it where your dog sleeps. This way your dog gets used to the scent from the very beginning and associates it with something he likes.

Annoyed or mad – If you’re angry with your dog, he’ll act submissive. That’s where the puppy dog look comes in. Interestingly enough, dog owners who scolded their pets whether or not they acted up, found the guilty look didn’t necessarily correspond to the dogs that actually had been naughty.

Fear – If something is menacing in your home, say a rat or intruder, as soon as you give off scared vibes, your dog will pick up on them. Unless you have a breed of dog that acts more as a guardian, your dog will most likely be just as scared as you are in that frightening situation. Your dog will usually mimic your emotion you put out. For example if you act cautiously and shy away, your dog probably will too.

Generosity – Did you know dogs watch and listen to your social interactions with other humans? In a study done out of the University of Milan, researchers had dogs observe two actors: one who kindly shared his cereal and sausage bits with a beggar, and another who shooed off the beggar harshly. Scientists found that, more often than not, dogs approached the more generous person when prompted—and it seems that a friendlier tone of voice made a difference. So beware: Your dog may judge your personality while you yell at your husband or kids.

Sickness – Believe it or not, it is not an urban legend that dogs can sniff out sickness. A fascinating research shows that many diseases, like lung cancer and prostate cancer, cause the body to give off odors that dogs are able to detect. In certain situations, a dog’s nose is between 1,000 and 10,000 times better than a human being’s. Dogs may not necessarily know if something is wrong, but they can tell something is definitely different.

Attention – Your pet is most likely sneakier than you think. In a study, researchers put treats on the floor in front several dogs, forbidding them to eat the food. The dogs behaved as long as the person watching them stayed in the room. When the person left, the dogs ate the treats within 5 seconds.

Danger – Does Your Dog Have Access These Dangerous Foods?

Our list of dangerous foods for your dog.

Some foods which are edible for humans, and even other species of animals, can pose hazards for dogs because of their different metabolism.

Some may cause only mild digestive upsets, whereas, others can cause severe illness, and even death. The following is just a small list of common food items that should not be fed (intentionally or unintentionally) to dogs:

• Moldy or spoiled food, garbage – can contain multiple toxins causing vomiting and diarrhea and can also affect other organs.
• Chocolate, coffee, tea, and caffeinated drinks – They contain caffeine which could be toxic and impact the heart and nervous systems.
• Mushrooms – Can contain toxins, which may affect multiple systems in the body, cause shock, and result in death. Wild mushrooms can cause abdominal pain, drooling, liver damage, kidney damage, vomiting, diarrhea, convulsions, coma, or death.
• Bones from fish, poultry, or other meat sources Can cause obstruction or laceration of the digestive system.
• Avocado – Can cause difficulty breathing; fluid accumulation in the chest, abdomen and heart; or pancreatitis.
• Onions & garlic – (raw, cooked, or powder) Contain sulfoxides and disulfides, which can damage red blood cells and cause anemia. Cats are more susceptible than dogs. Garlic is less toxic than onions.
• Nutmeg – Can cause tremors, seizures and death.
• Fruit pips, seeds Apple seeds, cherry pits, and peach pits, pear pips, plums pits, peaches, and apricot pits contain cyanide, which is poisonous.
• Grapes/raisins – can cause kidney failure in dogs. As little as a single serving of raisins can kill him. If the dog doesn’t eat enough at one time to be fatal, he can be severely damaged by eating just a few grapes or raisins regularly.
• Walnuts – walnuts are poisonous to dogs.
• Alcohol – can cause intoxication, coma, and death.

How To Use Our Product To Eliminate Dead Rodent Odor

How to use our Odor Eliminator Bags to eliminate dead rodent odor.

Dead rodents can die in your wall and often you are unable to find the carcass to remove it.

Earth Care Odor Remover Bags are used by Pest Control Professionals to remove dead rodent odors, and urine and feces odors associated with rodents. The carcass does not have to be removed to remove the odors.

Earth Care Bags do not have to come into contact with dead rodent or odor causing agent. Simply hang the bag near the odor and in 24 hours the odor will be gone. Earth Care acts like a magnet by attracting and neutralizing smells. It is made from an all natural mineral, is non toxic and biodegradable and safe for Planet Earth. It is also safe around children and pets, even if eaten. Earth Care adsorbs odors rather than masking them with a fragrance.

Watch our helpful video to find out exactly where you should hang our bags and how many you need to use:

Skeptical? Check Out What Others Are Saying About Clear The Air

Earth Care’s Clear The Air loves hearing about the success our users have with our product. If you are skeptical about using our product, check out what people just like you are saying. We also encourage you to watch the video below.

Recent testimonials from other Clear the Air users:

Some rodent died in our attic and we were unable to find it.  Our exterminator brought by two bags and got rid of the odor.  You have a great product. ~Kathy

Had another magic moment with Earth care – it wiped out a horrible garbage smell in my brand new car. ~Nancy Szerlag, Detroit News columnist.

Nothing works better on odors from Skunk, Urine, Refrigerators or Dead Rodents than Earth Care’s Odor Remover Bags, according to Pest Control Operators:

What a great product you have!  I had a horrible odor in my son’s room due to some animal that had died in the wall.  I tried a few things and they didn’t work.  Then I was introduced to your product by a exterminator.  I really didn’t think it would help, but a mere 12 hours later and there is a remarkable difference.  Thank you for making a product that actually works. ~Shelley Hansen

I wanted to let you know how impressed I am with your products.  The dog urine smell in our living room is gone thanks to Earth Care. ~Greg Voisen