Healthy Living

  For the most part, you can generally do laundry at home if you have a washer and dryer. It’s convenient, and it’s not that difficult. However, there are times when using a dry cleaning service really is the better choice, even if you have access to laundry facilities. Take a look: 1. You Have Bed Bugs Bed bugs are creepy, crawly, and incredibly tough to get rid of. If you find them in your home, you should have a professional pest control service come treat the space. However, the task of treating your clothing and bedding is usually your responsibility. Having your clothing, linens, sheets, throws, comforters, and even drapes dry cleaned is the best way to ensure you rid these items of bed bugs. Dry cleaning machines reach high temperatures of up to 122 degrees Fahrenheit. Bed bugs cannot survive these temperatures. When treating a home for bed bugs, you need to be thorough. You need to remove them from all your garments and household items. Professional dry cleaners ar...

 Father’s Day is the perfect opportunity to honor your dad and thank him for everything he has done for you. While big Father’s Day celebrations can be nice, some dads prefer to keep thing simple. If your dad is more the subdued type, or if a big celebration is just not in the cards this year, here are some simple ways to show you care. 1. Help Dad look his best. When was the last time your dad had his suit cleaned? Consider taking it to the dry cleaner for a nice refresh. The dry cleaner near me does a fabulous job of removing any stains, repairing buttons and pressing the suit. Find the best dry cleaner in your neighborhood and ask them to pickup your dad’s shirt and suit for cleaning. When your dad wears the cleaned suit, he will feel like he’s on top of the world. If you do have bigger plans for Father’s Day, such as going out to dinner at a nice restaurant, you can always have his suit dry cleaned in advance so he can wear it to the special event. 2. Make him a ...

Memorial Day is just around the corner! Thankfully, most people in Massachusetts have had the COVID-19 vaccine, and with the gradual reopening of the economy, we are heading in a positive direction. Celebrating Memorial Day in a wide, open, outdoor space is a relatively safe option for most people. If you want to make sure this year’s Memorial Day party is one to remember, here are some planning tips. 1. Get vaccinated, and remind others. Gathering outdoors is safer tha n gathering indoors, but you’ll be even safer if you and your party attendees are vaccinated for COVID-19. Schedule your vaccine at the local pharmacy if you have not already, and remind your friends and family members to do the same. Remember, it takes several weeks to build immunity after a vaccine, so get vaccinated sooner rather than later. 2. Take table linens and flags to the dry cleaners. After a great party, you don’t want to have to spend all week cleaning up! Make plans to take your table linens, ...

Caring for an aging parent can be both complicated and rewarding. Having a little extra help can make all the difference. It’s important to take care of yourself, as well. Being a family caregiver can be both emotionally and physically exhausting, so here are some tips for caring for an aging parent at home. Cooking Simple Meals Part of holding on to your dignity as you age is remaining as independent as possible. So even if your parent needs significant assistance with living by herself or himself at home, there are ways to make it so that they can do some of the everyday tasks themselves. For example, on weekly grocery trips, be sure to pick up food items that they may be able to prepare themselves. Prepping ingredients beforehand and labeling them in containers in the fridge is always a great way to lend some assistance without overstepping. Laundry and Cleaning Laundry and cleaning are chores that require physical exertion, so it is best to get help with these tasks as much as poss...

COVID-19 has changed the world, and changed the way we do just about everything. Local businesses are being hit hard, and now more than ever, we need to come together and support them. Here’s how. Support Your Local Dry Cleaners The  dry cleaners near me  are taking quite a beating right now, since the majority of the office work force is now operating remotely. You may not have suits or fancy work clothes to clean, but what else do you have lying around the house that could use refreshing? Comforters, linens and specialty fabrics maintain their shape and longevity the best when cleaned once a year. Call your local dry cleaners ahead of time to check on their current hours and policies. Support Your Local Pharmacy You may think that pharmacies are doing fine during the pandemic, but that may not be the case. Smaller, independent pharmacies are being hit just as hard as everyone else. Your local pharmacy isn’t just for  prescriptions , they also carry most of the supplies...

Do you have sensitive skin? Since 70% of Americans describe themselves as having sensitive skin, I'm going to guess that you do. Sensitive skin is defined as skin that gets easily irritated by the use of products with added perfumes, dyes, or chemicals. Irritation can present itself as redness, itchiness, or even rashes. So if you have sensitive skin, you should be careful, otherwise you would end up spending a lot of money on skin products or even need to see a dermatologist for compounded medicine for skin care . Fortunately, there are easy precautions you can take when it comes to doing the laundry or cleaning in your home, to avoid aggravating your skin. Photo by  Sarah Brown  on  Unsplash Always Read Labels Whether it's laundry detergent, cleaning products, or face wash - I always read the labels on any product I buy to look for ingredients that may irritate my skin. Sometimes that can be tricky if you're not sure which ingredients are causing your ...

If we humans find snow and ice such an inconvenience, imagine how our furry companions feel! The rock salt that we spread all over the ground to help combat the slippery ice can actually wreak havoc on the sensitive little paws of our doggy friends. The salt can also be damaging to their noses, skin and even digestive systems if ingested. So how can we be more careful in the wintertime to protect our precious puppies? Keep Your Pup’s Feet Dry It’s a good idea to rinse or wipe your dog’s feet off if they’ve been walking in the salt and ice. But make sure to dry them afterward. Wetness behind your dog’s toes can lead to bacterial or yeast infections, so it’s essential to keep their feet dry after spending time outdoors. Golden retrievers and labs are prone to skin infections due to wetness, as are most dogs with longer fur. If you own a long-haired breed, it’s a smart idea to keep the hair around their nails trimmed. This can cut down on bacterial growth. Buy a Cute Dog Jacke...

Stains can be extremely frustrating, especially if it’s on something noticeable like the carpet or a favorite piece of clothing. Some items might be able to be saved by taking to a  Boston dry cleaner , but let’s try to salvage them at home first. Read on for ways to remove stains around the house using easy to find ingredients. Baking Soda Baking soda is pretty much a superhero when it comes to stain removal. To make a stain-fighting paste, mix a few tablespoons of baking soda with a little bit of water at a time until it forms a thick paste. For carpet stains, rub the mixture on using an old toothbrush, let dry and then vacuum up. This is a great method for pet stains because it acts as an odor remover as well. For clothing, blankets and comforters, mix a bit of laundry detergent with the baking soda paste and pre-treat stains with a toothbrush or small nailbrush. Let sit for about 20 minutes before washing normally. You may need to repeat the process once or twice more ...

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 i...

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 av...

Condo prices have gone up again this year in downtown Boston, according to Boston Magazine. For example condos in the South End area cost nearly $1 million while in Back Bay they are over $1.2 million. As more and more businesses in the innovation economy move to Boston, mostly technology and life sciences companies, the demand for residential condo units go up. Most of these condo developments are in the high end category and concentrated in the Seaport District, Back Bay, West End and also across the river in Cambridge. South End is one of the most desirable places to live in the City of Boston. There you'll find interesting upscale specialty shops, coffee shops and restaurants, convenient services like dry cleaners , salons, and friendly community pharmacies . The brownstone lined streets are charming and relaxing with plenty of green public areas. It's also a stone's throw from major shopping centers in Copley where you can find major luxury brands. There is...

In case you haven't heard of Auburndale, MA, it is one of the thirteen villages that comprise Newton. Situated in the West part of Newton, it borders Wellesley on the West and Waltham in the North. It is conveniently situated at the intersection of the Mass Pike (Interstate 90) and Route 128 (Interstate 95). It is home to Lasell University and Woodland Golf Club. Auburndale Park has play & picnic areas, trails, tennis courts & a ball field in a tranquil location by the river. The playground equipment includes slides and climbing nets that blend in well with the natural surroundings. Auburndale Plaza is a shopping center conveniently located on the main thoroughfare, Commonwealth Avenue. It is anchored by the supermarket chain Star Market. There is also a dry cleaner , Utopia Cleaners, a Bank of America, Supercuts and Bruegger’s Bagels. Utopia Cleaners provides green dry cleaning services , as well as wash and fold laundry service . It’s open Monday through S...