[ketto]

Actually, the ones we use are full of wheat. If you google "wheat bag" or "hot wheat bag" results will come up for a number of companies that sell them. I think they work well.

http://www.wheatbags.com/
http://www.painreliefcushions.co.uk/natural-wheat-bags.html
http://www.heatwheat.com/shop/

[Persiflager]

I have another question! I need to put heat pads on my neck, and am trying to work out which is more environmentally friendly - a hot water bottle (which I already own), or one of those packs you put in the microwave. Am I correct to assume they're full of weird stuff that will be difficult to dispose of nicely?

Thanks!

By the way, most UK supermarkets now charge for plastic bags or give you loyalty points for using your own.

[tankgirl]

I buy a lot of things in bulk and try to reuse my bulk bags. I sort of wish there was a way I could go and fill up my glass jars and they could just take off the weight of the jar. Bags are so flimsy, but they are the only thing you can really refill. Someone needs to invent something better.

[ketto]

Here in Canada Superstore doesn't give you a discount, but charges you to use their plastic bags. Frankly, I think it's a great system. It seams like almost everyone who shops at superstore either has their own baskets or their own bags. Winnipeg is cheap cheap cheap.

[rubberdollz]

Well around here, Kroger gives 10 cents off for using your own, Whole Foods does and if you bring your own bags into Trader Joe's they give you a slip of paper which you write your name and phone number on and they enter you into a drawing for like a 25 dollar gift card towards their store. Something like that???

I'm not sure about any other store though?

[whatagirlwants]

Which stores are offering a discount for using your own bags? I haven't heard anything about that discount here in Los Angeles. 10 cents is still a discount to me, even tho its such a little amount. I see using my own bags when I shop more of a benefit towards us anyway since we doing our part to be green for the earth.

[rubberdollz]

I think a nice incentive to using your own bags is some stores offer money off. I mean it's like 10 cents per bag but hey, it's still 10 cents! My husband won't carry them though and we shop at different stores so he'll come home with a ton of plastic and here I am carrying my own re-usable bags. Even if that means keeping some plastic ones and toting them around. I know Whole Foods when plastic free on their bags and all they offer is paper, I think it's cool but the paper totally sucks and those handles always break!

[ketto]

It seems like a helluva lot of people use their own bags here at most grocery stores, but I went to Wal-Mart a few weeks ago to pick up some work supplies and told the cashier "no bags". She kept saying, "So...you're sure? Really? No bags!? You're sure?" She was flabbergasted. I didn't think it was such a big deal anymore. A town near me is attempting to go plastic bag free.

[freckleface7]

I am finally remembering to use my cloth shopping bags - hurrah!
weird looks I still get be damned- I feel smug sometimes now even lol.
(& I even re-used the cardboard drink tray at the fast food drive thru the other night ( I know I know!) & the woman working was like ' cool!' )

[rubberdollz]

I think according to the website you use 1 cup of water. I put the vinegar in a glass measuring cup and pop it in the microwave for about a minute or so and I haven't had a problem with the vinegar evaporating. You are using so much of it and I'm not taking it to a point of it boiling, just hot.

[vixen_within]

rubberdollz, how do you heat up the vinegar in a way that doesn't let it evaporate?

[stargazer]

my stepdad is a big proponent of vinegar and baking soda for the drains. he uses vinegar at room temperature. he normally runs the vinegar/baking soda combo every couple of weeks for maintenance.

persiflager, if your roommates long hair may contribute to clogging up the sink, then you might want to purchase a Hair Trapper.

[rubberdollz]

Persiflager, I've used the baking soda and vinegar trick quite a few times on the drain and it is great. If you check out this website: www.vinegartips.com it has a TON of ways to use vinegar in your home for various things. I'm an avid vinegar user and haven't touched a chemical in quite some time. I think the only chemical I use in my home for cleaning is toilet bowl cleaner but that's only because I haven't found anything that cleans it good.

On that website it does tell you to heat up the vinegar before you pour it down the drain, which is what I do. I haven't tried it with room temperature vinegar so I don't know what the difference is?

[Persiflager]

Thank you very much, tankgirl and avaadore! I really like the zip-it but I think I'll struggle to get hold of one in the UK, so I'm going to go with the baking soda and vinegar.

[tankgirl]

Does anyone know of a way to clear slow-draining shower drains that doesn't involve pouring an entire bottle of chemicals down there? I'm pretty sure it's just hair clogging it up (the inevitable result of sharing a house with two long-haired girls!).

Thanks!

Pour some baking soda down there, a few shakes, then about 1/4 -1/2 cup of vinegar down. Plug it up for 5ish minutes and chase it down with some hot water. Sorry it's so vague, but really, it doesn't need to be precise.

[avaadore]

This was mentioned on another board a few months ago and it's supposed to be pretty great. I think it was in the groddy gross out board.

http://www.zipitclean.com/more_info/gadget_guy.htm

[Persiflager]

Does anyone know of a way to clear slow-draining shower drains that doesn't involve pouring an entire bottle of chemicals down there? I'm pretty sure it's just hair clogging it up (the inevitable result of sharing a house with two long-haired girls!).

Thanks!

[tankgirl]

cool, thanks for the suggestions. I don't buy wool or DC only things so I have no idea about this stuff. I know there is environmentally friendly dry cleaning, but I am still new to this area and don't drive, so it might take me a bit to figure something out if I want to go that route. I think I am going to wait till it gets a bit warmer and wash it how ketto suggested and dry it outside in the sun.

[ketto]

I did a quick internet search and came up with these suggestions:

http://www.hgtv.com/crafting/washing-quilt...ting/index.html

# Wash quilts filled with wool batts only in cold water using neutral pH soap.
# Soak wool batt quilts in a large sink or bathtub filled with enough water to cover the quilt.
# Gently squeeze the fabric with your hands. Do not agitate the quilt—agitation and rubbing wool fibers causes felting, which is an irreversible process.
# After washing the quilt, frequent rinsing may be necessary to remove the soap residue.
# To extract excess water, place the quilt in the washing machine on the spin cycle only.
# Line dry only.
Caution: Do not dry a quilt with wool batting in an automatic dryer.

http://ths.gardenweb.com/faq/lists/quilt/2...5225014281.html
This site has more details.

[pepper]

there is eco-friendly drycleaning. it costs more but really, it's worth it considering all the work involved in hand washing such a large item.
good luck!!