Keep These 7 Things Far Away From Your Vacuum

PLUS: Fizzy cleaning tabs for reusable water bottles, the gift of cutting yourself slack, and more. PLUS: Fizzy cleaning tabs for reusable water bottles, the gift of cutting yourself slack, and more. June 27, 2022 [View Online]( Good morning! As anyone who’s ruined something in their dishwasher can tell you, it’s easy to misjudge the abilities of our appliances, and that includes vacuums. In order to avoid a pricey repair—or worse, your vacuum’s untimely demise—Today’s Good Thing will teach you what not to vacuum up. And if you have a history of being hard on yourself, don't miss today’s Monday Motivation. Be a high achiever, but let yourself be human too. Jillee TODAY'S GOOD THING Keep These 7 Things Far Away From Your Vacuum [Photos of various vacuuming tips.]( Your vacuum isn't indestructible, and these 7 items can lead to clogs or even damage it beyond repair. I use my vacuum on virtually every type of floor in my home–tile, carpet, and even hardwood. Because it can “do it all” in that sense, it’s easy to fool myself into thinking my vacuum can “do it all” in terms of cleaning up any mess. But even modern vacuum cleaners aren’t designed to clean up every possible household mess, and vacuuming something you shouldn’t can have dire consequences. Possible outcomes include clogs, punctures, and even total electrical failure, which could put your vacuum beyond repair. The best case scenario for vacuuming up something you shouldn't is simply making the mess larger or worse, but I think most of us would prefer to avoid even that outcome. Luckily, the tips I’m sharing today will help us all avoid unfortunate vacuum consequences. I’ve come up with a list of 7 things you should never vacuum up, along with safer alternatives for cleaning up each one. That way, you can avoid the hassle of repairing or replacing a damaged vacuum while still enjoying perfectly clean floors. Find out which 7 things to keep away from your vacuum, both for its sake and your own, by following the link below. [Keep These 7 Things Far Away From Your Vacuum ➜]( Related • [This Unexpected Tool Will Make Your Vacuum Work Better]( • [11 Easy Cleaning Hacks That Will Make Your Floors Sparkle]( ⚡️QUICK TIPS⚡️ • Dreaming of longer lashes? Try this simple homemade serum that nourishes and strengthens lashes naturally. [Read more ➜]( • Vintage recipes can be hit or miss, but this 1950s pineapple dessert is as light, creamy, and delicious as it ever was. [Read more ➜]( • Fabric softener and dryer sheets both have their advantages, but you’ll get the best of both with these DIY dryer sheets. [Read more ➜]( CLEANING Fizzy Cleaning Tabs For Hard-To-Clean Bottles [Photos of homemade fizzy cleaning tabs for water bottles.]( Not only are these tabs easy to make, but they clean narrow water bottles quickly and easily. I first made these cleaning tabs after buying a narrow steel water bottle that I could carry in my purse, because I hadn’t anticipated I might need a special tool to clean it. But these fizzy cleaning tabs ended up being an ideal solution, and they work just as well in glass and plastic. Here’s how to make them: Add 1 cup of baking soda, 1/2 cup of citric acid, and 1/4 cup of salt to a small bowl and stir. Add 1 teaspoon of dish soap to the bowl, then add 1/2 teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide a few drops at a time while stirring gently. (There might be some bubbling, but that’s okay.) Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, then scoop some of the mixture into a melon baller or small scoop and pack it down tightly. Remove the formed tab from the scoop and set it on the parchment, then repeat until you've used up all of the mixture in the bowl. Leave the baking sheet in a warm, dry spot overnight, or until the tabs are completely dry, then transfer them to an airtight container. How To Use Them: Fill the container with water, then just drop one of the cleaning tabs in and let it fizz for 2 minutes. Place the cap or lid on the container, give it a good shake, then dump the water out and rinse with clean water. [See the full tutorial ➜]( STAY SAFE OUT THERE Don’t Get Starstruck By Celebrity Imposters [An image of two smartphone screens someone looking the Instagram account for George Strait.]( If a celebrity reaches out to you on social media, proceed with caution and a heaping helping of skepticism. Finding out what your favorite celebrities are up to used to mean thumbing through gossip magazines or watching interviews on late night shows. Today, however, many mainstream celebrities have an active social media presence that allows them to connect directly with their fans. Unfortunately, scammers are more than willing to take advantage of fans’ enthusiasm. In these schemes, a criminal posing as a celebrity will contact their fans with the intention of getting their money, often by claiming the money will go to charity, secure them a spot at a meet-and-greet, or enter them in a big giveaway. While any celebrity can be exploited by imposters, scammers appear to have a preference for those who have a special bond with their fans. That’s likely why so many country music stars, including Toby Keith, George Strait, Travis Tritt, and others, have been mentioned in recent complaints about celebrity imposters. But on the bright side, it’s not hard to sniff out imposters. Celebrities who use social media often have verified accounts, indicated by a blue check mark on their profile. If you get a message from an unverified celebrity account, or the person's name is misspelled or has weird punctuation, it’s almost certainly an imposter. As far as money goes, you know the drill—don’t send money to anyone you haven’t met in real life, period! MONDAY MOTIVATION Make Peace With Your Inner Critic If there’s one thing I can honestly say has been a lifelong struggle for me, it’s being my own harshest critic. Those of you who have perfectionist tendencies can probably relate, because perfectionism and self-criticism are usually two sides of the same coin. I have high standards for myself, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. I strive for excellence because I feel that you—yes, you!—deserve nothing less than my best effort. But there’s a difference between striving for excellence and demanding it, and it’s a distinction my inner critic often fails to make. My inner critic is also a lot harsher toward me than I am toward others. When my colleagues need help or fall behind, I don’t berate them—they're only human, after all! But I’m only human too, and yet I'm not nearly as willing to give myself the same consideration. The key to making peace with our inner critics is learning to honor our limitations. When we feel tired, we can honor that by resting. When we’re stretched thin, we can honor that by saying no to things or asking for help. And when we flat out fail, we can honor that by recognizing that we tried, which is all anyone can do. Repeat after me: “At this moment, I’m doing the best I can with the skills, knowledge, and resources that I have. That’s all I can expect of anyone, including myself.” A FEW MORE THINGS... Who’s Feeling Lucky? Today is National Bingo Day, celebrating a game that’s been popular in the US since the 1920s. Bingo is one of the few games that people of all ages can play, and there are endless variations with different themes and styles of play. (For instance, British bingo is played on a 9x3 grid rather than 5x5.) Invisible Wounds: Today is also National PTSD Awareness Day, which aims to educate people about post-traumatic stress disorder. PTSD is an anxiety disorder that develops in some people who experience or witness a traumatic event, and while it’s especially prevalent in military veterans, it can affect anyone. Learn more by checking out the VA’s [Understanding PTSD booklet](. 🤔 Wordle: [Solve today's 5-letter word](. What did you think of today's email? [Not good]( | [Just okay]( | [Loved it!]( 🏠[Visit the By Jillee Shop]( 🤗 [Join OGT Free]( Let's connect! [facebook]( [instagram]( [pinterest]( [youtube]( If you have thoughts, comments, questions or a tip or trick you'd like to share, I'd love to hear from you! My inbox is always open, so just hit "reply" and let me know what's on your mind. See you tomorrow! Sending you bright ideas and simple solutions to help you create a home and life you love. My mailing address is: One Good Thing by Jillee 841 S. Main St. Heber City, UT 84032 If you're not happy please reply to this email to tell me why. Update your email preferences or [unsubscribe]( [here](. 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