By Natalie Matthews, Lucky magazine

I suspect my editor's motivation when assigning me this story was similar to my mother's when buying me a hair straightening treatment. It's wonderfully convenient for me to gloss over things like my frizzy hair and slightly unkempt clothes as an intentional thing I do to channel casual-undone-vaguely-French-coolness. But in truth I'm just lazy.

Obviously, I'd love my hair to evoke a VO5 hot oil commercial and I'd like my white jeans to not have a small cappuccino stain underneath the right belt loop that is definitely, non-arguably noticeable. As for the latter, I somehow convince myself I'm being low-maintenance and cool rather than gross by not properly fixing it (and I'm sure it drives my boss insane because I wear those white jeans really quite a lot).


Read more: Spring's Must-Have Nail Colors

But now I'm somewhat of an expert about white jeans care, so I can stop pretending their hint of dinginess makes them look Inès de La Fressange-nonch

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Stainless steel appliances have a fantastically modern and chic look-right up until the moment someone damages them and scars them forever. If you've got stainless steel in your home, it'll look great for years to come, provided you give it the right care and avoid the following damage-inducing errors.

1. Scrub them with steel wool or rough materials.
Stainless steel can easily be scratched, and once they are marked, there is no remedy. Clean it gently, with a soft side of a sponge and soapy water, and go with the grain, if your stainless has one.

2. Clean with abrasive cleaners.
Like steel wool, abrasive cleaners, such as Ajax, can easily scratch the finish on your stainless steel appliances, especially if you scrub against the grain. Stick with gentle cleaners and if you need to scrub, do so with the grain with a soft cloth dampened with soapy water.

3. Forget to rinse and towel dry.
Despite its name, stainless steel can, in fact, be stained-even by wa

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Baking soda can do a lot more than just sit in the back of the fridge. Try these easy tips and put baking soda to work in every room of your house!

1. Skip produce washes-just put some baking soda on a damp sponge, scrub and rinse.
2. Soak hair brushes and combs in a mixture of 1 teaspoon baking soda and a small amount of warm water. Rinse and dry.
3. Before you store your patio furniture for the season, scatter baking soda under chair cushions.
4. Keep your grill clean all summer long by putting some baking soda on a damp brush, scrubbing the grate, then rinsing.
5. Freshen rugs by sprinkling baking soda on carpet, wait at least 15 minutes (preferably let sit overnight), then vacuum up.
6. Add 1 cup of baking soda to your next load of laundry (along with your regular liquid detergent) to get clothes cleaner and brighter.
7. Remove baked-on residue by shaking a generous amount of baking soda on pots and pans. Then add hot water and dish detergent, let sit for 15 minutes and wash as usual.

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Cleaning doesn't need to be a daunting task. Here are easy easy to get your kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, living room, and more in tip-top shape.

THE KITCHEN

1. Take Inventory of Small Appliances.

Donate the novelty appliances you rarely or never use. Clean out the inside of your microwave. And turn your attention to your must-have appliances: the coffee maker. To clean your coffee maker, brew a pot using 2 parts distilled water and 1 part vinegar. Brew this mixture through 3 times, then follow up with 3 brews using distilled water.


You might also like: 9 kitchen organization and and storage ideas »


2. Create a Natural Air Freshener

Give your room a fresh scent. Whip up a room deodorizer on the stovetop by simmering orange rinds or lemon slices and rosemary in a pot of water. The scent will freshen your space.











THE BATHROOM


3. Scrub Tile and Grout

Clean grout is like a facelift for your bathroom. To remove mold and mildew, home care expert Cheryl Mendelson, author of Home Comfort

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By Monique John, REDBOOK

Need simple solutions fo

r sprucing up your home and wardrobe this spring? Our experts will get you decorganized in no time flat.

1. Give Stained Clothes a Second Chance

Before shelling out big bucks on a new wardrobe for spring, do a quick survey of the beautiful clothes you already have. Have a shirt you love but can't wear because of an ink stain? Before cleaning it, soak it in solution with two-parts milk and one part white vinegar overnight. Stain, be gone.

2. Clean Your Toilet-With Kool-Aid

It may be better known as one of America's favorite juice mixers, but Kool-Aid can be used in another very important way: as toilet bowl cleaner. "Kool-Aid is natural and non-toxic. It's full of citric-acid that will clean the toilet," cleaning guru Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan says. The cherry flavor is his favorite.

Before you go to bed, flush your toilet and pour in a packet of Kool-Aid. Let it sit overnight and flush in morning. Don't worry about stains; becaus

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