BrandSource Canada Blog – Page 14

February 22, 2019

Wool or Cotton Pyjama, Which One Is Best for a Good’s Night Sleep

Whether we sleep in the buff, only socks, only bottoms or something in between, pyjamas continue to be a constant giftable item. For Christmas and birthdays, the easy go-to gifts are the PJs, whether made with sexy silk or cool cotton, they are the popular gift because, well everyone sleeps, right?

Researchers have discovered that there is a “thermal comfort zone” which is most conducive to sleep and the fabric that will get us there. You will never guess that whether you live in a climate that is 40 degrees below zero or 40 above, wool is the unmatched winner! Although that may seem counter-intuitive especially on those hot nights, wool has a way of regulating our body temperature as it normally drops at sleep-time.

A recent study conducted in Australia researching young and old subjects, showed that wearing wool pyjamas adds 15 minutes to our sleep time. Younger subjects fell asleep 4 minutes faster and slept an average of 7 minutes longer while wearing pyjamas made with merino wool. The older subjects had the highest results with an added 20 to 27 minutes of extra sleep time! Although these tests were conducted in rooms with temperatures of 17 degrees Celsius, the results are still quite outstanding.

The study is not suggesting that we wear our large woollen sweaters to bed as the fibres could potentially keep us awake. The merino wool recommended is spun into a soft jersey-like fabric so irritation on sensitive skin should not occur. Before the industrialized revolution, the two most commonly used fabrics were wool and cotton. Enter synthetics, and everyone has forgotten about the benefits of natural fabrics. Science is bringing them back for consideration as we return to more natural and sustainable living.

Sleep.org, however, points out the benefits of using other fabrics for sleep. Wool may not be suitable for everyone and if we have sensitive skin or suffer from night sweats, ultimately wool may not be best. We should also keep in mind that Australia has the world’s second-largest sheep population behind China, so the study could be slightly biased.

Despite what benefits the Australian study show in wearing wool for sleep, it may cause the opposite results in some. Cotton, in cooler climates, may also be uncomfortable unless we use layers of blankets and it does a poor job in wicking away moisture. Fabrics made from bamboo and silk or going “au naturel” are still worthwhile considerations and ultimately vary with people’s preferences despite the studies.

In summary, the Australian study shows remarkable data when wearing wool pyjamas for sleep with the highest benefits for seniors. Clearly, this group has the most to profit from the fabric. In medical terms, the thermal comfort zone can vary from 15 degrees to 25 degrees Celsius depending on the individual, pregnancy, menopause and other medical issues. Considering wool if you never thought of it before, could potentially yield the results you are seeking.

Gerry, Your Sleep Expert

February 22, 2019

World Sleep Day: Healthy Sleep, Healthy Aging

World Sleep Day is a celebration of all things “sleep” as well as a time that brings awareness to sleep disorders and advancements made in the field. This internationally recognized event is organized by the World Sleep Society whose goal is to bring awareness to sleep-related issues and promote sleep health through organized events both worldwide and locally.

The 12th annual World Sleep Day’s slogan is “Healthy Sleep, Healthy Aging,” and will highlight the importance that sleep has on our health at any age. It is a well-known fact that sleep, as one of the main pillars of good health along with nutrition and exercise, is directly related to our overall physical, mental and emotional wellness. Quality sleep also affects how young we look and feel!

Participating in this event includes reviewing our own sleep hygiene habits and where we can make improvements that will ultimately affect our health and how we age!

We Are Career-oriented with Little Sleep

If we are the ambitious type who believes sleep is for the weak, we are not helping our career one little bit. Quality restorative sleep is essential to rest the mind and body so that it can continuously function and help us be productive.

Trying to climb the corporate ladder on little to no sleep will keep us at the lower rung. Our minds can’t fire-up on all cylinders to stay sharp and competitive. Remember, we should ‘sleep our way to the top’!

We Are a Couple Finding Balance

New couples seem to have the same complaints. One is a snorer, the other a light sleeper. One likes the mattress firm, the other soft. One likes the bedroom cool while the other warm. Couples who can ultimately sleep together in peace will truly find harmony in their relationship. With advancements in sleep technology and many resources on the topic, couples can find their perfect solutions.

We Are Parents with Young Children

Studies show that parents with infants get approximately 4 hours of sleep daily. That is about 50% of what we should be getting to function properly. This clearly affects us on a mental, emotional and physical level when we need to be the most alert. Recognizing that we need help during the first year of parenthood is the first step to getting what we need. Asking for that help is essential. Arranging sitters for a few hours a day so that we can get some rest is the best thing we can do for ourselves, and for our baby.

We Are Suffering from Chronic Pain

Many of us get caught in that cycle of less sleep brings more pain and more pain brings less sleep. This unrelenting cycle should be recognized early after an injury or chronic illness. Natural remedies, physiotherapists and alternative techniques are all worthwhile to consider as we help our bodies heal so that we can sleep.

Sleep is the best remedy for everything. Sleep helps us recover from injury and illness, even grief. Sleep is essential for our brains to function at optimum speed and efficiency. Sleep balances our moods that can affect our weight and how our bodies age. So, let’s circle March 15th on our calendars and take some time to review our sleep habits and enjoy the benefits of “Healthy Sleep, Healthy Aging”!

Gerry, Your Sleep Expert

February 22, 2019

Daylight Savings and the Impact on Our Sleep

The subject of daylight savings and the impact it has on our sleep has been written about ad nauseum and yet, we can still find new information on the subject! The concept of losing or gaining an hour is based on our fear of how much sleep we will lose or gain. It’s all about our precious hold on our sleep time and really nothing else, other than, yes more daylight time to enjoy!

First, the science. Melatonin a naturally occurring hormone which is triggered by the changes in light. As dusk begins to fall, this hormone kicks in, but very slowly until it reaches a peak, and then it begins to fall very close to dawn. Unfortunately, some of us with bad sleep habits may produce less melatonin and require taking a supplement to top it up. Shift workers are also affected by irregular production of the hormone as day and night become irrelevant.

If melatonin, then, is affected by the amount of daylight, it is safe to say that the hormone begins to produce much later during daylight savings. This is when room darkening curtains and eye masks get plenty of use. Our bodies know that it’s bedtime, but our eyes tell us it’s still too early to hit the hay! Here, then, begins the disruption in our sleep cycle.

Now, the reality and how to deal with the change! If we disregard the blinking clock on our DVD player and keep watching movies until it’s the right kind of dark outside, we will pay handsomely! The morning after the change, our bodies will be screaming for more sleep, and a few mornings after that, until our bodies adjust. Whether we are careless with our sleep time and don’t keep to our regular schedule, or convince ourselves we can handle it, we fail! It’s human nature.

When the sun gently peeked through our curtains later in the morning, now it’s blinding us at what seems the break of dawn! Well, it is, just at a different time! Every year, we know it’s coming and yet, we are often found unprepared. Keeping to our regular sleep schedule is without a doubt the best way to alleviate the stress on our sleep rhythm. For the first few days, taking a nap whenever possible can also help stabilize our sleep needs.

Irritability can often result from getting less sleep in the first few days. As a toddler who doesn’t get his afternoon nap, as usual, will throw himself into a full-on tantrum, we adults are no different. Equally upsetting is getting smacked in the face with a flashlight-like beam of sunlight and can get us started on the wrong foot.

Prepare! Prepare like a boy scout! We should know in advance what we need to hold on to our precious sleep. What do we need? A sleep-mask? Room darkening curtains? Melatonin for the first few days? Whatever we need, it should be ready to go as the powers that be dictate it is time to “spring forward”. In Canada, in 2019, that will be March 10th which is very close to National Sleep Day on March 18th! A coincidence? I think not!

Gerry, Your Sleep Expert

February 11, 2019

Quel lave-vaisselle Samsung est fait pour vous?

Comment peut-on faire un choix de nos jours alors qu’il y a tant d’options possibles? Par exemple, le plat à prendre au restaurant, où trouver le cadeau parfait pour son fils de 10 ans ou même les raisons de choisir un nouveau lave-vaisselle Samsung. Les recherches sur Internet sont utiles, mais l’information est tellement abondante qu’il est difficile de démêler le vrai du faux.

Toutefois, tout comme vous allez chez le concessionnaire pour obtenir de l’aide pour le choix d’une automobile, vous venez nous voir pour que nous vous aidions avec vos appareils électroménagers. Cela veut aussi dire de déterminer le lave-vaisselle qui répondra le mieux à vos besoins. Il y a tellement de fonctions et de modèles qu’il n’est pas facile de s’y retrouver tout seul! Voici quelques lave-vaisselle Samsung qui vont laver et désinfecter votre vaisselle de façon impeccable.

1. Lave-vaisselle Samsung avec technologie StormWash

Si vous êtes convaincu que vous ne devez jamais rincer une assiette avant de la mettre au lave-vaisselle, le lave-vaisselle Samsung avec technologie StormWash est sans doute fait pour vous. Le système de lavage StormWash a la capacité d’éliminer la graisse et de nettoyer entièrement les casseroles dont même une brosse à récurer n’aurait pu venir à bout des aliments collés. Les jets d’eau pulvérisés dans un mouvement circulaire s’attaquent à tous les angles de votre vaisselle, qui sera propre comme vous le souhaitez.

2. Lave-vaisselle Samsung avec technologie WaterWall

Parfois la vaisselle a besoin d’être nettoyée plus à fond, mais avec un lave-vaisselle doté de la technologie Waterfall, vous n’aurez plus à faire un deuxième lavage. En effet, un système de lavage linéaire puissant crée un mur d’eau coulissant pour s’attaquer à la vaisselle sale et donner des résultats remarquables. À la fin du cycle, la porte s’ouvre automatiquement pour permettre à la vapeur de s’échapper, et un ventilateur génère un rideau d’air pour protéger votre plan de travail. Cette fonction automatique améliore jusqu’à 35 pour cent les résultats de lavage!

3. Lave-vaisselle Samsung à commandes frontales et cuve hybride

Vous voulez un lave-vaisselle qui offre à la fois un lavage puissant et un espace de rangement fonctionnel? Vous avez de la chance! Avec un lave-vaisselle Samsung avec cuve hybride, vous pouvez placer tous vos chaudrons, Tupperware, vaisselles, couverts, ustensiles et plus encore sans avoir à vous casser la tête pour tout faire rentrer. Les trois paniers réglables sont faits pour que vous puissiez y placer toute la vaisselle, quelles que soient la forme et la dimension, ce qui vous permettra de remplir le lave-vaisselle facilement et rapidement.

En plus de son espace de rangement, cet appareil rend la vaisselle étincelante de propreté. Le système de lavage avancé procure une grande puissance de nettoyage, ce qui est exactement ce dont vous avez besoin pour le lot de vaisselle sale accumulé après un repas entre amis. Ce lave-vaisselle vous sera bien utile quand vous ne pourrez pas gratter les œufs brouillés qui auront collé dans la poêle ou lorsque la sauce à spaghetti aura décidé de s’incruster en permanence dans votre casserole.

Nous comprenons que le choix d’un bon lave-vaisselle puisse être une grosse décision. Heureusement, lorsque vous choisissez un lave-vaisselle Samsung, vous ne pouvez jamais vous tromper. Passez à notre magasin dès aujourd’hui pour découvrir notre gamme de lave-vaisselle Samsung et en apprendre davantage sur toutes les caractéristiques avantageuses qu’ils peuvent vous offrir.

Amanda, votre experte en électroménagers

February 11, 2019

Why GE Refrigerators Are Great for Making That Perfect Cold Brew

There’s nothing better at putting pep in your step on a dreary Monday morning than a hot cup of joe – except maybe a chilly glass of cold brew coffee!

Cold brew has been taking the world of coffee by storm recently, and for good reason. Cold brew isn’t just iced coffee (which is made by mixing double strength hot coffee with ice): it involves a nearly 24-hour-long process of using cold water to slowly extract all that caffeinated deliciousness from your coffee beans. It can take up to 24 hours to make a perfect batch of cold brew, but when you’ve got the recipe just right, the smooth and refreshing flavour of your morning coffee will be well worth the wait!

When it comes to achieving that perfect cold-brewed cuppa joe, one of the most important tools to have at your disposal is a good fridge. Brewing your coffee in the right fridge can make a big difference in the texture, taste, and overall quality of your coffee. That’s where GE comes in. If you’re interested in entering the world of cold brew, you’ll definitely want to keep your eye on a GE fridge. With top-of-the-line features and functions, your GE fridge is the best tool you could have to make that perfect batch!

Convenient Storage

GE fridges go all out on storage. Adjustable shelves and deep door racks give you plenty of space to put a French press, coffee carafe, or any special brewing system you might be using for your cold brews. Most other fridges have limited shelf space, forcing you to partially push down your French press plunger or tip the container on its side. This kind of uneven brewing won’t do your coffee any favours. But with GE, you’ll always have plenty of space to store your cold brew, no matter how big the batch is!

GE also offers fridges with door-in-door storage. That means a panel at the front of the fridge opens independent of the rest of the fridge for easy access to snacks and drinks. So, when you’re rolling out of bed before work and all you can think is “CAFFEIIIIIINE,” you can open up the front of your fridge and have your delicious cold brew right there waiting for you! No stress, no hassle, no more cracked eggs and spilled OJ on the floor when you’re digging around for your coffee fix in the early hours of the morning.

Flavour Leakage Prevention

The biggest challenge of properly storing your cold brew is flavour leakage. Cold brewed coffee has a more complex, delicate flavour than traditional heat-brewed coffee, and that taste can easily be ruined by lingering flavours and odours. Flavours like that old salmon filet or those leftover burritos you’ve been keeping in your freezer for emergencies. Yuck. But with GE’s TwinChill evaporators, which cycle fridge and freezer air separately, your cold brew won’t have any unwanted flavour contamination.

Safer Brewing

Although you don’t technically need a refrigerator to brew cold brew coffee, using your GE fridge can make the process much simpler and safer. Lots of people make their “cold” brews at room temperature, simply leaving the coffee to steep on the counter all day. However, this opens up the possibility of contamination and spoiling, especially if your home tends to be on the warm side.

Plus, leaving your coffee out in the open makes it much easier for kids, pets, or even a groggy, sleep-deprived morning-you to knock it right onto the floor, putting all that precious coffee to waste. It’s just not worth the risk. Keep that delicious drink safe in your GE fridge instead!

Temperature Control

When you open and close your refrigerator throughout the day, the warm air it lets in can change the temperature of the whole fridge. Temperature changes during the cold brewing process can result in an unpredictable batch of coffee – even if you’ve made cold brew a hundred times, one change in temperature can totally throw off those flavours you know and love!

GE’s Turbo Cool option is perfect for maintaining an even temperature through the whole dilution process. It keeps the fridge temperature stable no matter how many times you open and close the fridge doors, so daily life doesn’t get in the way of an incredible cup of coffee.

When it comes to sleepy mornings, GE and our appliance experts have your back every time. Don’t trust your cold brewed coffee out on the counter or in a fridge that won’t keep it chilled to perfection! The perfect cold brew is made in a GE every time. For questions about GE’s amazing features or how you can improve any food with a GE fridge, come down to our store and talk to one of our expert associates.

Amanda, Your Appliance Expert

February 11, 2019

Useful Cleaning Checklist for Your Living Room

If Marie Kondo hasn’t gotten you in the mood for some serious Spring cleaning and decluttering, we’re here to help even more. Cleaning can sometimes be a chore, but if you love your home and the “stuff” (furniture and décor) in your home, I encourage you to take pride in it and tackle little bits every day.

Cleaning and tidying up a room will make you want to spend time there. It also helps you keep track of all your things and with kids in the house; it can help keep sticky fingerprints to a minimum. Because let’s face it, they are never truly gone, are they?

Next to the kitchen, the living room is one of the most heavily used areas so it makes sense to start your cleaning habit routine with this space. Whether you eat on the sofa or not, giving your living room regular attention can help you enjoy the room while getting longer life out of your furniture, and be guest ready at a moment’s notice.

We’ve pulled together a handy checklist to help guide you in your quest for a clean (and organized!) living room.

Daily

Before bed, each evening or first thing in the morning, re-set the living room (put everything where it belongs)
Spot clean as necessary (wipe up any spills or marks)

Once a Week

Straighten cushions & throws
Wipe down tables and surfaces
Vacuum and mop floors
Spot clean as needed
Dust lampshades, ceiling fans, vents, photos & décor items, including mirror

Once a Month

Dust & wipe down behind the TV (it’s amazing how much dust gets in with all those wires)
Wipe down & sanitize all remote controls (they are germ heaven!)
Dust & clean all photos & décor items, including mirrors
Dust moulding
Vacuum under cushions/in your sofa/chairs

Twice Yearly

Clean and condition any leather and/or wood furniture
Deep clean carpets and all upholstery, including curtains
Wipe down baseboards
Touch up paint or wall cleaning as required

Doing little bits each day, especially putting everything back in its place, really helps when it comes time to actually cleaning. Why? Well, you can get right to work cleaning windows or polishing wood furniture rather than spending time “cleaning up” before you clean. It might not “spark joy”, but it sure will make your life easier (and cleaner!).

What is one of your favourite cleaning tips? How do you ensure your furniture gets the attention it needs?

Rebecca, Your Furniture Expert

February 11, 2019

How Does Sleep Deprivation Affects Your Health?

Over time, sleeplessness can have a huge impact on your health both in the short term and long term. Let’s examine what to look for by becoming more aware of your thoughts and behaviours. Although these are not all directly attributable to sleep deprivation, it is well worth keeping these in mind.

Drowsiness During the Day

Drowsiness could also be attributed to a lack of hydration – are you drinking the 8 glasses of water a day? But when you have that covered, why are you so sleepy if you got at least 8 hours of sleep? Examining this issue more closely could reveal some interesting facts about your sleep habits.

Want to know more, read this 5 Bad Habits Messing Up With Your Sleep.

Foggy Brain

When you have trouble concentrating, no matter how hard you try and how much caffeine you consume, you should consider the quality of your sleep. If you suspect sleep disorders like sleep apnea, you should consider taking a sleep study test.

Here is more on what is a sleep test: What It’s Like to Take a Sleep Study?.

Overeating and Weight Gain

Sleep deprivation can bring on hunger and cravings like no marathon can. If you are having trouble pushing yourself away from the table, it is time to consider how well rested your body truly is.

Read more on this topic here: How Bad Sleep and Weight Gain Go Hand and Hand.

High Blood Pressure

If your body is on constant high alert and unable to wind down, the results could be affecting how well or poorly your heart is pumping. Checking your blood pressure regularly with a home unit or a visit to the local pharmacy will help you keep a record and watch for fluctuations.

High Anxiety and Moodiness

Flying off the handle, as they say, could be attributed to a lack of sleep and not poor character. If you are noticing that your tolerance over little things that go wrong has become extremely low, it’s time to check on how much sleep you are getting.

Headaches

You should be aware of how much headache medication you are reaching for. If you discover you are taking them daily to alleviate headaches, you should examine if you are getting the restorative sleep that you need.

Back Pain and Other Aches

Your mattress could require a review if it is more than 8 years old. Sagginess can result in back pain and joint aches that come on suddenly. The proper pillow can also affect how your head and shoulders are cradled affecting the muscles and tendons in the area.

Not sure your mattress needs to be replaced, find out about the signs you should not ignore here: 6 Signs You Need a New Mattress.

Clumsiness and Work Accidents

If you suddenly have ‘butterfingers’ or easily trip over or bump into things, you could be sleep deprived. When this is not your regular functioning mode, then you need to look more closely at your sleep patterns.

Several of these issues can be attributed to other health concerns and should always be discussed with a health professional. In the meanwhile, considering your quality of sleep is worthwhile examining as sleep is one of the 3 pillars to good health, next to nutrition and exercise.

Gerry, Your Sleep Expert

February 9, 2019

Blowing Smoke or Why Kitchen Ventilation Matters

“I want a gas range.”

“Great. What kind of ventilation do you want?”

“What? Do I really need ventilation?”

Um. Yeah. You do.

We sell appliances, and ventilation is what our clients most overlook and undervalue in their kitchens. But for the health and safety of your appliances, your home, and your family; you need to get it right.

A ventilation appliance is the most important part of your kitchen. Shocked? Don’t be. Your range ventilation is responsible for removing heat, odours, particulates, and harmful fumes from your home. Get it wrong and you could end up damaging your appliances, harming your air quality, or even worse starting a fire.

If you’re thinking about remodelling your kitchen or even just upgrading your cooking appliance then you need to be considering your ventilation solution. Like right now.

Moving the Air

The first thing you have to do is calculate how much ventilation you actually need. Ventilation strength is measured in CFM or cubic feet of air moved per minute, and blowers range anywhere from 200 CFM to 2000 CFM.

Start by measuring your cooktop. It’s recommended that you have 100 CFM for every 12 inches of cooking space so a 30-inch cooktop would require 250 CFM. For an electric cooktop, that’s probably plenty – but gas is a whole other story.

Gas generates more heat and more emissions than electric cooktops and needs more CFM per inch. To calculate the minimum CFM you need above a gas cooktop, add 100 CFM for every 10,000 possible BTUs and at a minimum, many building codes require 400 CFM above a gas cooking appliance.

The length of your ductwork, as well as the type of food you cook, can also affect your CFM requirements. Be sure to speak with a professional installer if you have any concerns before you buy.

Choosing Your Ventilation

Once you’ve determined your CFM, it’s time to choose your new hood, and your kitchen design will go a long way to determining what type of hood you end up with.

Chimney style or pyramid hoods are amongst the most popular. Available in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. These units mount to the wall above the cooking surface and duct through a chimney vertically to the roof, or horizontally to an exterior wall.

Chimney Style Range Hood

Under cabinet hoods, vent similarly but they’re mounted under cabinetry (duh) and typically aren’t as deep as a chimney design. Similarly, inserts and liners are installed inside an existing cabinet or fascia and are hidden from sight.

Under Cabinet Range Hood

If you’ve got an island design, or your cooktop is installed away from the wall then you’ll need to consider an Island Range Hood. Similar in appearance to a Wall Mounted unit, Island hoods have in comparison a 3360-degree finish. Expect to pay a bit more for island hoods as they typically vent vertically through a chimney duct to an external cap on the roof.

Island Range Hood

Finally, downdraft ventilation is installed in the countertop next to the cooking appliance. It draws air down from the cooking surface and vents it downwards where it is either recirculated or vented outside. Most models lower into your countertop when not in use.

Downdraft Range Hood

Blowing Hot Air

The last thing to consider when choosing a ventilation appliance is the position of the blower. You’ll have three options; interior blower, inline blower, and an external blower. An internal blower is mounted in the hood, an inline blower is mounted along the ductwork inside the house, and an external blower is mounted in an enclosed unit on your home’s exterior.

Choosing the right ventilation for your home will depend on your budget, your tolerance for noise and your CFM requirements. So feel free to speak with a sales professional before heading off to your local Brandsource retailer to buy.

Isabelle, Your Appliance Expert

February 8, 2019

How to Keep Your Appliances in Perfect Condition

Aside from a house, or a car, major appliances are one of the largest purchases a family will make. And like any big purchase, it’s important to look after your investment.

With appliance repairs more common than they used to be, you want to ensure that you’re doing your best to take care of your machines. You’d be amazed by how much a little maintenance keeps things humming along.

At the end of the day, maintenance comes down to keeping your appliances clean. It really is that simple. A clean appliance performs closer to its manufacturer’s specifications is under less strain, and is less likely to suffer undue wear-and-tear.

I’ve created these helpful tips, to keep your appliances in tip-top shape.

Ovens and Cooktops

Cleaning your oven is easier than you think. Commercially available cleansers do a great job, but if you’d prefer a more natural solution then baking soda, vinegar, and even lemon will make the messiest oven sparkling clean. Self-cleaning programs are a big help here. Just make sure you remove the racks and bulbs before you start, and let the oven cool for a few hours afterwards before you wipe down ash.

A clean oven will improve performance and reduce the risk of fire. And that’s true of your cooktop as well. Glass cooktops should be regularly wiped down with soap and water to prevent stains and remove baked on food. While gas cooktops and electric coils should be carefully dissembled and cleaned piece by piece to remove food, grease and other particulates.

Don’t use aluminum foil on your cooktop or in your oven. No matter what you’ve heard, aluminum foil can short out your circuitry, block your vents or damage the coating of your oven. Don’t do it.

Refrigerator

Cleaning your fridge is a big deal. Not really. There’s a whole day dedicated to it. It’s that important.

Pull out the food, pull out the shelves, the drawers, all of it. Maintaining your fridge is a top to bottom job. Removing spoiled food will keep your fridge stain and odour free. And wiping down any sticky residue inside and out will make sure the gaskets and drawers aren’t working harder than they need to be.

Once you’ve wiped everything down, unplug the fridge and pop the kick plate off to expose the coil. A dusty, clogged coil is more likely to burn out so grab your vacuum and give them a good clean.

Manually defrosting your freezer and/or fridge will ensure that proper performance and optimum cooling temperatures are maintained. Aim to do it twice a year, or whenever the ice build up reaches two inches deep.

Microwave

Burnt and baked on food isn’t just unsightly. That excess waste can catch fire or burn the interior plastic of the microwave. A small dish of water cut with vinegar or lemon microwaved on high to produce steam for a few minutes will do wonders.
On the outside, be sure to wipe down any gaskets to prevent sticking, and carefully wipe down the control panels with a damp cloth or sponge.

Dishwasher

Keeping your dishwasher maintained is as easy as keeping the drum and filter clean. To sanitize the drum, run an empty hot water cycle with a cup of white vinegar on the upper rack. Afterwards, flush the drum on a hot water cycle with a few tablespoons of baking soda to scour build up, and eliminate stains.

Most dishwashers now have a manual filter located next to the bottom spray arm. Manually unscrew the filter and remove any captured food or residue. Remove the screen and give it a scrub under the hot water tap to remove any grease or odour causing bacteria.

Finally, scrub the spray arms, top and bottom using a toothpick if necessary, to unclog them.

Laundry

Keeping your filter’s clean is key for keeping both your washer and your dryer in good condition. On the washer, refer to your user’s manual to locate the filter. Unscrew and remove the filter from the machine, being careful to capture any water that drains, and scrub it with soap and warm water. Be sure to wipe down the cavity before replacing it. Once the filter’s clean, you can prevent odours by cleaning the drum with vinegar in a hot water cycle.

With your dryer, make sure you clean the lint filter before each use. It’s also very important to have the machine cleaned by a service technician once a year. Lint will escape the trap and settle inside the body of your appliance. And that’s a huge fire hazard. A service technician will be able to open and vacuum your machine for a small fee.

So grab your gloves, your bucket and your sponge. With a little TLC your appliances will perform trouble-free for years to come.

Isabelle, Your Appliance Expert

February 3, 2019

Do I Really Need a Box Spring for My Beautyrest Mattress?

Ah, the age old question of new mattress buyers: to box spring or not to box spring?

It’s a question without a simple answer, and what you decide is going to depend on you, your mattress, and the box spring itself. So do you really need a box spring to take home with that brand new Beautyrest mattress of yours? Let’s take a closer look and find out.

What Is a Box Spring For?

The main functions of a box spring are to absorb the impact of getting in and out of bed every day (reducing wear and tear on your mattress) and giving your Beautyrest mattress a firm surface to rest on, so your body is better supported while you sleep. Plus, of course, they help lift you up off the ground and away from dust, dirt, and allergens that may be floating around down there. Yuck! This can be especially helpful during the summer – you’d be surprised how much cooler you’ll sleep with that little bit of extra ventilation!

These days, box springs are a little more advanced than the rickety boxes of the past (many of them opt for sturdy metal or wood rather than actual springs) but they still serve the same basic purpose: providing a little extra support for your body while you sleep.

What Mattresses Work Well with a Box Spring?

Most of them!

A sturdy foundation is an absolute must-have for any and all mattresses, and a box spring is the perfect option. In fact, many mattress warrantees require you to use one as a universal standard to prevent unnecessary wear on the mattress.

Double-sided mattresses that can be flipped over do especially well on box springs. Though this type of mattress has largely fallen out of style, if you happen to own or buy one, you’ll want to invest in a good box spring. With most single-sided mattresses, having a box spring is not as important, as they typically come built-in with all the support a mattress needs on the underside. But providing a little extra cushion and support can be a big help.

Heavy foam mattresses especially tend to need the extra support a box spring provides. While a spring or hybrid mattress may do just fine on a slatted platform bed or even the floor, foam will tend to sag through the slats or squash against the ground. So do your Beautyrest mattress a favour and get a box spring!

So Do I Really Need One?

When it comes down to it, box springs aren’t an absolute necessity for many mattresses, but you will need some kind of supportive foundation one way or another. Depending on the Beautyrest mattress, you can always forgo a bit of comfort and ventilation and put your bed directly on the floor, or even on wood pallets, to firm up the mattress a bit. But if you want customized support that helps you sleep soundly and rest easy every night, you’ll want to invest in something a little more reliable.

Platform beds are another great option, as well as adjustable power foundations. Adjustable beds are the ultimate in comfort and support, letting you adjust your mattress depending on your needs. Some models even let you and your sleeping partner choose different positions, maximizing your comfort without going full-on 50’s sitcom couple. We have plenty of foundation options in store, and just as you should always test out a mattress before buying, you should always test out a bed frame too. Come have a snooze in our store and see which one feels best to you!

Whether you decide to go with a box spring or not, be sure to get a Beautyrest mattress that supports you just right, and a foundation that perfectly complements your mattress! Getting the right support is important, and that’s why our team is always ready to support you on your journey to better sleep with helpful blogs and expert advice in-store.

If you still can’t decide whether or not you want a box spring for your new Beautyrest mattress, come on down to our store! We can help you decide what type of foundation is just right for you – and offer you unbeatable selection and prices while we’re at it!

Angela, your sleep expert

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