DIY Life

Mmm-mmm. Fresh basil. It's so very fragrant -- the indispensable ingredient in a host of mid-summer recipes.

My basil is lush, green and ready for picking. Okay, I don't have a whole lot of it out in my garden; however, I'm planning on growing a lot more next summer. In preparation for that lofty enterprise, I thought it'd be cool to find out how the expert basil-growers harvest their beloved herb. Here are some tips I picked up:

1. Know your basil. There are lots of varieties out there, and it's always good to know which one you have, as the flavors vary quite a bit between them. Chances are good that, like me, you've got the most common variety: Genovese sweet basil.

I'm sort of embarrassed to admit it, but mildew got its spotty little grip on my bedroom curtains this winter. The fabric was sort of bunched up against the window pane a lot. Little did I realize it, but every sunny morning was like a mildew fiesta back there.

When sunlight and warmth hit the cold glass, condensation formed on the inside of the pane. The curtains soaked up the moisture and the warmth. Lo and behold, a big ugly patch of mildew was the result. Yikes!

What makes mildew so revolting is its sheer persistence. Once it gets its hooks into any household surface--whether it be a painted ceiling, an item of clothing, or a home fabric such as curtains--removal is genuinely tough.

I don't use many store-purchased products to do my cleaning. I always end up with terrible migraines or my lungs hurt from breathing in the cleaning product. When I take the time and effort to make my own cleaning products, life suddenly gets much better and healthier, at least in the cleaning department.

Baking soda, lemons, vinegar, and salt are four items that can basically clean everything in your house, from countertops to clothing. I love making homemade cleaning wipes, knowing that when I use them, I will not suffer the consequences of cleaning. I also like to make my own homemade furniture polish, since, in my opinion, I get a better clean and a better shine with homemade polish.

Grab a lemon out of your fridge and squeeze the juice out of it. If you don't happen to have a lemon, then grab a container of lemon juice and pour out about four tablespoons into a small spray bottle. Mix the lemon juice with three tablespoons water and two teaspoons olive oil. Put the sprayer in the bottle and shake well. You now have an excellent homemade furniture polish. Anytime you want to polish your furniture, you should make a new batch, as the olive oil may become rancid if you only polish your furniture once a month. When I use homemade furniture polish, I use a soft terry cloth instead of paper towel. The cloth just seems to give a better shine to the furniture.