Coffee Maker Cleaning

Your coffee maker could be killing you. Well it is if your morning cup of coffee is a matter of life and death and you have a filthy coffee maker. When was the last time you thoroughly cleaned your coffee maker? Washing the pot is important but getting the internal components of a coffee maker clean is a task that should n’t be skipped. Did you even know that you were supposed to clean it? A clean coffee maker can be the difference between a good cup of coffee and a nasty cup of sludge.

A clean coffee maker really makes a big difference in how your coffee tastes. Left over coffee oils can accumulate inside your coffee maker. Also mineral deposits can form especially in areas with hard water. These deposits are called “scale”. There are two kinds of scale, lime scale and mineral scale and you don’t want either one. Scale can affect the heating unit and the water flow of your coffee maker and reduce it’s efficiency. How quickly scale forms depends on the quality of your drinking water. If you use bottled water to make your coffee, scale probably won’t form as fast but you still have to worry about accumulated coffee oils. Better to play it safe and clean your coffee maker regularly.

Cleaning your coffee maker is not a hard task to accomplish and in fact it’s as easy as making coffee. All you have to do is pour a pot of half vinegar and half water into the coffee maker’s water reservoir. It goes without saying that white vinegar should be used. Steer clear of the red wine or apple cider vinegar varieties. Then just turn on the regular brew cycle. You’re kitchen will probably have a nice salad smell while it’s brewing which you may even like. If you’re not a salad fan though, just remember that it’s a small price to pay for a good cup of coffee.

Now rinse the coffee maker out by using only water this time in the water reservoir and running the brew cycle again. You may have to do this a few more times if you still smell vinegar.

Another easy way to keep the coffee maker clean is to put a glass marble in the water chamber. All the mineral deposits that would usually accumulate inside the coffee maker will instead accumulate on the marble. Every once in a while just remove the marble, wash it and then place it back in the chamber. How much easier could that be?

The best solution would be to clean your coffee maker with vinegar monthly while also using the marble method. Change the marble once a week and you’re coffee maker will be in great shape.

If you have an old coffee maker and you are n’t happy with the taste of it’s brew, why not try cleaning it. A clean coffee maker will brew better tasting coffee.

To Circumcise Or Not To Circumcise

If you’re about to have a baby, no doubt the subject of circumcision for a boy baby has entered your mind. Circumcision is a personal choice – but, of course, it’s one that you’re making for another person- so you tend to feel a fair amount of pressure to make a good decision. Here are some things to think about that might make your choice easier.

In the US, the majority of boys are circumcised, though the numbers are declining somewhat. In other parts of the world, most non-Jewish boys are not circumcised. The difference seems to be almost entirely cultural. There is really no right or wrong answer here, but I think one good guideline is “like father, like son”. The father is most likely the person who will teach the boy how to handle his personal hygiene in this area, so taking Dad’s personal situation into account might be a good way to make the decision. My husband is circumcised, as is our oldest son, but our younger son is not. He was not circumcised when we adopted him at ten months, and we chose not to add the trauma of circumcision to his life, considering all the other adjustments he had at the time. My husband had to do some research on the subject to feel prepared to teach our son the proper care of an uncircumcised penis. Our son is six, and at this point, has never asked about the difference between his penis and his older brother’s and Dad’s.

One thing to consider about circumcision – it is a decision you need to make early on. Part of the reason we chose not to have our younger son circumcised was the fact that, at ten months old, it would have been much more physically painful than if he had been circumcised as a newborn. I’m sure it’s no walk in the park at any age, but do realize that if you don’t have your son circumcised right away, it might not be wise to change your mind a few months down the road.

A final note about circumcision- not all penises are the same. Some boys have much more foreskin than others. If your son has only a small amount of foreskin, your doctor may refer to this as a “natural circumcision”, and recommend that you not have a circumcision performed, unless it is for religious reasons. This means that your son’s foreskin is not likely to cause hygiene issues, nor will it be prone to infection, as are some uncircumcised penises.

It’s wise to talk to your doctor before you make a decision about circumcision. It’s a decision that you need to feel good about, and worth the time it takes to sort out the facts.

Living With Pets Keeping Your Baby Safe

So, up to this point, your dog or cat has been your baby, but now there’s a little human on the way. It is normal and, in fact, wise to be concerned about how the two are going to mix. The chances are very good that everything will work quite well and your pet and your child will be very close buddies, but there are some things you can do to be prepared. First some tips for dogs:

Teach your dog to stay out of the nursery

Start right away putting up a baby gate or keeping the door closed to help your dog learn to stay out of the baby’s room. Later on, you can allow the dog in the room, especially if you are in there, but it’s best to prepare him at first to stay away.

Introduce your dog to some other babies

If he’s never been around a baby, carefully introduce some into his life. He is much less likely to be anxious around your baby if he is introduced gradually.

Make sure he is well trained

A baby’s behavior is not predictable, so your dog has to be the grown up in this case. If your dog does not obey you, it’s time for some training before the baby arrives. If your dog is a male, and you haven’t had him neutered, this is a good time for that, too. It should make the dog calmer and more well mannered.

Then, there’s the cat – some of the same ideas work for cats, too, except that training them to stay out of a room is pretty difficult. They scale baby gates, and cribs, by the way with ease. So, in addition to a baby gate, it’s wise to purchase a net to go over the crib, to keep the cat out. Also, if your cat sleeps with you, don’t put the baby in your bed with the cat in the room.

For both types of pets, keep the food and water bowl away from the baby. Babies love to play in them, and this can not only make a mess, but can cause the animal to be even more jealous. Also, at some point, if your child can get to the pet food, he will try to eat it. I promise.

Your child and your pets should develop a good relationship with little trouble. Just be diligent for a while until everybody is comfortable, and you should continue to have a happy home.