New cleaning products

New cleaning products

How do you know your toddler’s toys are clean?

You know, the ones he puts in his mouth?

Dapple, founded by two moms, is a line of baby-safe and baby-specific household cleaning products safe for bottles, cups, toys, dishes and more.

They are made with natural-based ingredients that are biodegradable and free of parabens, synthetic dyes and fragrances.

The line includes dish soap, dish powder, a toy-cleaner spray and toy-cleaner wipes.

For more information, visit dapplebaby.com or call (888) dapple-1.

A greener countertop

Energy Secretary Steven Chu once told a Washington audience that new houses could be made more energy efficient for as little as $1,000, “but the American consumer would rather have a granite countertop.”

Well, now you can have your energy efficiency and eat of it, too.

ECO by Cosentino countertops (cosentinoaz.com) are made from 75 percent post-consumer recycled raw material — old mirrors, glass from windows and bottles, porcelain from china, sinks and toilets. The other 25 percent consists of natural materials such as stone scrap, which is bonded with an eco-friendly, corn-oil resin.

Cosentino expects to reuse the equivalent of 60 million glass bottles each year with the launch of this new line.

The countertops are stain- and scratch-resistant, but slightly less heat-resistant than their granite and marble forebears.

They come in 10 colors and two finishes — polished or matte.

The line is available at all Lowe’s stores and select other retailers.

Be your own helper and save money

Here’s a clever way to cut costs on a professional home-improvement project: Ask whether the contractor will hire you as a helper or laborer.

David Beam of Midwest Building Contractors in Broadview Heights, Ohio, has used that tactic on a few projects. Beam said the arrangement benefits the homeowner by reducing the cost of the work, and it benefits the contractor because he or she doesn’t have to hire a laborer, especially for a smaller job that might not be worth a full day’s pay.

He assigns the homeowners unskilled tasks such as demolition, painting, cleanup and moving materials. Projects that required special skills, such as electrical work or plumbing, wouldn’t be appropriate for that kind of arrangement, although Beam said he once allowed a homeowner to help with the framing work in a basement remodeling because the man wanted to learn.

The homeowner generally needs to be available during the day, he noted.

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