Speed Queen Consumer Laundry Washers and Dryers

Avoiding the Holiday Weight Gain

The Holiday 's are wonderful. The sights, the smells, the food and the weight gain. Wait! Hold on, the weight gain? That isn't right. The weight gain is the worst part of the holidays. On average we can gain anywhere from two to five pounds during the holidays. Some of us say "oh well, that's just part of the holidays," while others stress out and obsess over every little morsel they put into their mouths. But, the holidays don't have to be like this. You can control the weight gain with out the obsession.

Be realistic

The Holiday 's are not the time to start a weight loss program, be realistic and work towards weight maintenance during the time between Thanksgiving and the New Year.

Be selective

Just because it's there, it doesn't mean you have to sample it all. Be selective about what you choose. For example, go for the good piece of chocolate rather than the cheap stuff.

Bring what you can eat

Whether it's a holiday buffet at work or a party with friends and family bring a healthy dish to pass, that way you feel like you have at least some control over what is being served.

Eat before you go

Many party goers will fast the entire day and by the time they get to the party they are starving, which causes overindulgence. The day of an event eat a healthy breakfast and lunch. A half-hour before you leave to go to the party, have a light snack of an apple and water or broth and a piece of toast. This way you arrive at the party feeling satisfied.

Cut in half

No matter what you choose to eat, cut the serving in half that way you cut the calories consumed in half too!

Be a vulture

Before a vulture goes in for dinner it circles the sky, do the same thing with a buffet. Circle the buffet and see what is being offered. Then leave the area and decide what you want to eat. Start with the salad first, then the entrée and veggies and if your still hungry, grab some dessert but remember, cut it in half.

Exercise

Add 10 to 15 minutes to your current work out program. If you aren't working out add 10 to 15 minutes of extra physical activity to your day. This will help burn some of the extra calories you consume during the holidays.

Alcohol is not a free food

Alcohol has calories and those calories count. To lower your caloric intake from alcohol, try limiting yourself to one or two drinks. Have a glass of water in between each drink.

Mingle first

Ever arrive at a party and feel like a bundle of nerves and stress? Take a deep breath, count to 20 and rather than heading for the food, go find a friend to talk with.

Say no to leftovers

Even if it is the dish you brought to pass, say no to leftovers. If they are in your house you will eat them. Instead offer to the help the party host and take the leftovers to the local shelter, spreading holiday cheer to those who might not be having as great of a holiday as you.

The Holiday 's are a time for love, friends, family and fun. Don't make it about the food; after all, they only happen once a year.

De-Stressing the Holidays

When we were kids the Holiday 's were a magical time of year. Everyone seemed a little nicer; there was a glow around everything; even the cold and snow was a welcomed sight. But then we grew up. Instead the Holiday 's are filled with crying kids at the mall, nagging teenagers, tons of parties, an over flowing amount of food and the list goes on. So how do you get that magical feeling of the holidays back? To answer that question, I gathered some sure fire tips from friends.

Tip One - Make room for you

Whether it is taking an extra 15 minutes at the gym to sit in the sauna or soaking in a warm bath with a good book, take extra time for yourself whenever you can.

Tip Two - Start early

A friend of mine is obsessed with getting each person on her list something special. Throughout the year she will write down things she sees that remind her of her daughter, mom, friends, etc. Starting in September she returns to those stores and purchases the items.

Tip Three - Make it once

Each Holiday season it seems as though you have no less than three holiday parties to attend. When it comes to preparing a dish to pass, save yourself some time and prepare enough for each party at one time. Separate it into different containers and freeze it. That way all you have to do is thaw it out.

Tip Four - Say goodbye to Polly Perfection

The Holiday 's aren't about perfection; they are about love, family, friends and good food. If your house doesn't look like it came from Martha Stewart, don't worry about. If the gifts aren't wrapped perfectly, don't worry about it. And if the tree falls over, don't worry about it, it's a new memory that you can share with generations to come.

Tip Five - Set a Budget

Growing up, the Holiday 's weren't about how many gifts you got or how much money was spent. Set a budget and stick with it. By making a list and shopping early you can stretch your dollar more.

Tip Six - Delegate Tasks

Around the Holiday 's time is a commodity. Get the family involved. Have your kids do the laundry, cook a meal once a week and in order to earn holiday spending money, have them make sure the house is clutter free.

Tip Seven - Do something for someone else

Get the family together and pick a charity that you can get involved with. Whether it's ringing the bells for the Salvation Army or working at the local food pantry, helping someone that is less fortunate than you is a great reminder of the true meaning of the season.

Tip Eight - Family First

This is the most important tip. No matter what is going on and how many constraints there are for your time, put your family first. Before sending an RSVP, ask yourself if it conflicts with your family. Take one night a week and plan special activities such as decorating the tree, baking cookies, playing games and watching movies.

Don't set yourself up for failure - simplify. Families come in all different shapes and sizes and sometimes you can't recreate your childhood memories. Be realistic regarding what will make this time of year special. After all, how magical your Holiday Season will be is up to you!

Eat Up (and Burn it Off!)

Eat Up

Velvety mashed potatoes doused in gravy, juicy turkey with cornbread stuffing, hot mulled cider, tart cranberry sauce, rich pumpkin and pecan pies ... no wonder we feel like we pack on pounds after just one Thanksgiving dinner. However, you can enjoy your once-a-year favorites guilt-free - just use our handy chart and to find out how to burn off all those extra calories. (Approximate calorie burn is based on a 145-pound woman).

Burn It Off

- Bethany Gumper

©, November 2004, Weider Publications, LLC. Reprinted with permission.

Germ Warfare in Laundry

Let's face it, kids get sick this time of year and with a shortage of flu vaccines we all will be facing a higher risk of getting ill. But there are things we can do. For example, we can wash our hands more often, disinfect phones, bathrooms and door handles and we can do our laundry.

"Doing laundry is a great way to fight spreading germs," said Bev Larkin, spokeswoman for Proctor & Gamble's Tide.

Even though we tell our children to use a tissue, odds are they aren't with them on their playground, but their shirt sleeves are and when they wipe their noses on it, they are wiping their germs on it too.

The Truth about Germs and Fabric

According to Chuck Gerba, professor of environmental microbiology at the University of Arizona , some viruses and bacteria remain active on hard surfaces for 72 two hours. So what does that mean for our clothing and linens?

"Viruses last longer in organic matter, even when it dries out," said Gerba. "So it could be possible that viruses are active if contained in mucous."

According to Tide, the leading manufacturer of laundry detergents, both bacteria and viruses can persist on fabrics for hours or days depending on the level of the mucous.

"Most respiratory illnesses are exclusively viral and many are very sensitive to drying," said Larkin, "The rhinovirus (common cold) is more robust than influenza, but would still not survive for more than a day or two."

Even after the virus dies, the thought of your child's dried snot on his or her sleeve is still disgusting, so it remains important to get clothing clean.

Getting Laundry Clean

Most people do not do their laundry correctly. By unknowingly performing many of the common laundry mistakes they are not getting their clothing as clean as it could be.

"One of the most common laundry mistakes is overloading your washer," said Chuck Melton, National Sales Manager for Speed Queen laundry equipment. "If you over fill your washer with clothes, the wash action isn't performed properly and instead of cleaning your clothing you will be washing the dirt and detergent back in."

To know if the washer is being overfilled Melton suggests referring to the manufacturer recommendations.

"Each manufacturer suggests something different. We recommend only three or four dress shirts or one twin sized sheet and pillow case for small loads and for extra-large loads two queen size sheets, four pillow cases, and three sets of pajamas," said Melton. "But when in doubt, set the water setting one level higher and/or reduce the size of the load."

Another common mistake made is not using detergent properly. The amount of detergent and when it's added has an important impact on the cleanliness of your clothing, experts said.

To know how much detergent should be added is based on the size of the load. If too much detergent is added it causes over-sudsing and can leave detergent residue in clothes. As for adding detergent, experts suggest adding it first and letting it mix with the water and begin to dissolve before putting in clothes. If detergent is added to the top of the load, it over saturates those items and the rest of the laundry won't get as clean.

With all the different viruses that we can catch this time of year a good disinfectant in the laundry is extremely important. Experts agree that the most effective way to kill viruses is by using bleach whenever possible. It can kill the common cold, flu virus and the stomach flu, but when it comes to clothing, there is a proper way to use it.

"When it comes to bleach," says Gary Ziesemer, product development manager at Alliance Laundry Systems, manufacturer of Speed Queen laundry equipment, "a little goes a long way."

The Clorox Company recommends using 3/4 cup for a standard consumer washer and 1 3/4 cup for extra large washers and is effective in both hot and cold water.

If bleach is not an option for your clothing, Proctor & Gamble's Tide suggests using a higher dosage of a detergent with bleach additive.

"I would recommend a full scoop or even two-times the dose with warm water and an extra rinse cycle," says Larkin. "If the clothing item needs to be washed in cold, use an extended cycle of at least 14 minutes if possible."

Experts also recommend not throwing clothes into the wash that haven't been properly pretreated. While pre-treating stains won't disinfect clothing, it will remove large particles that could get trapped in clothing.

"Always treat the stain as soon as possible," says Larkin. "It increases the chance of complete removal."

When handling clothing that has stains it's also important to be careful. "We should keep in mind that a home with sick people is like a hospital," said Vicki Friedman, spokeswoman for Clorox. "One needs to use common sense-hygienic practices when cleaning soiled linen."

In addition to handling clothing with more caution when illness is involved, it is equally as important to wash your clothing often. "Doctors recommend that this time of year, we all wash our hands more," adds Larkin. "The same is true about your clothing."

There is no way that the world will ever be germ and illness free, but by taking simple precautions like washing clothes properly and more frequently, along with increased hand washing, covering our mouths with a tissue when sneezing and by using common sense, the risk of getting sick can be reduced.

For more information on how to get your clothing clean, health or viruses check out these websites:

www.cdc.gov/germstopper

www.medlineplus.com

www.nih.com

www.kleenex.com

www.tide.com

www.clorox.com

www.speedqueen.com

Laundry Room Trouble Shooting

When the laundry piles up and your laundry equipment isn't working at its optimum level, don't panic. Before you call for the service repairman try some of these common trouble shooting techniques to help get your washer and dryer back in peak condition.

Help, My washer won't fill!

• Step one: If your washer won't fill, make sure you have the power cord plugged all the way into the electrical outlet.
• Step two: Make sure the hot and cold water faucets are turned.
• Step three: Look to see if there are any kinks or twist in the fill hoses. If there are remove them.
• Step four: Pull timer knob out to start washer.
• Step five: Make sure that the controls are set properly.
• Step six: Make sure that the last spin cycle has been completed.
• Step seven: Clean the screens in the water mixing valve and the filter screens located at the end of the fill hoses.
• Step eight: Check to make sure the drain hose has been properly installed and still in position.

My spin cycle has stopped!

• Step one: Make sure the lid is closed tightly.
• Step two: Pull the timer knob out to start the washer.
• Step three: Make sure that the power cord is plugged all the way into the electrical outlet.
• Step four: Check the house fuse or circuit breaker to make sure you didn't blow something.
• Step five: The motor overload protector may have stopped the cycle. Wait a few minutes and try to restart the washer.
• Step six: Look to see if the drive belt is broken. If it is, call your local service person.

I ran the dryer and my clothes didn't dry!

• Step one: Make sure the timer isn't set to cool down, cool tumble or extended tumble setting or that the fabric selector is not set on No Heat.
• Step two: Make sure the laundry room fuse(s) isn't blown or loose, or the circuit breakers aren't open. The dryer doesn't have an electrical fuse. An electric dryer has an electrical circuit with two fuses.
• Step three a: Gas dryer only - make sure equipment and main gas line valve is turned on.
• Step three b: Check the exhaust duct to the outside to see if it's kinked, blocked or needs cleaning.
• Step four: Check the weather hood to make sure the flapper moves free and hasn't been pushed in or been blocked.

Okay, I washed and dried my clothing and it stinks!

• Step one: Check the room for odors before putting clothes in the dryer. Any odors in the room (fried foods, paint, varnish, burning wood, etc.) will transfer on to the clothing as the dryer draws air from the room. If possible ventilate the room prior to drying by opening up a window.

For additional trouble shooting tips, consult your equipment owners manual.

Organizing your Laundry Room

Getting Organized

Laundry is one of those tasks that we need to do. Unfortunately it is probably one of the most dreaded chores. Weekly, the average American family does between eight and 10 loads of laundry. With it taking about hour to an hour and a half per load, that it is a lot of time spent in the laundry room.

The laundry room is not traditionally a focal point in any home and is not the place many of us want to spend our time. To help make laundry a little more pleasant to do, try some of these design tips and get organized:

Sorting Clothing

To help keep dirty clothes out of sight, consider using a multi-compartment laundry sorter. Designed with three fabric bags, these sorters are easy to use and look great. For larger families consider more than one set. You can also use them to sort clean laundry by family member. Just remove the bags for easier delivery back to drawers and closets.

Line Drying

When it comes to delicate fabrics such as rayon and washable silk, line drying is a must and clutters up a clean laundry room. To combat it, try adding garment racks or a retractable clothes line.

Tip: Use plastic hangers versus metal. They are sturdier and won't rust.

Check to see if the manufacturer of your dryer also manufacturers a dryer rack. These racks fit into the dryer and use the heat but on the tumble feature. It's great for shoes and sweaters.

As for wool sweaters and other items that need to dry flat, without heat, try stackable sweater dryers. They are convenient to use and can store away nicely.

Keeping things Moving

It seems as though the washer is always done before the dryer. Rather than putting damp clothes in a laundry basket to await their turn in the dryer, try using a stacked dryer. The stacked dryer/dryer from Speed Queen can help you get your laundry dry in twice the time.

Ironing

The best drying center with the most uses that I've seen is the Laundry Center found on stacksandstacks.com. There is a built in ironing board, garment rack and storage for laundry detergents. If space is an issue, try the ironing organizer from Rubbermaid®. It installs on walls or doors and holds the iron and ironing board when not in use.

Storage

With all of the cleaning solutions, fabric softeners and stain removers that are used to get clothing clean, keeping them out of sight can be difficult. To keep them hidden and out of site from little ones, add cabinets to your laundry room. If space is an issue, try a plastic storage locker that can fit into a corner.

By keeping your laundry room organized, it will make doing laundry seem less like a chore.

Stain Removal Corner

It's that time of year! Autumn is in the air and the holidays are right around the corner. Some of the most popular holiday traditions such as pumpkin pies, jack-o-lanterns, turkey dinners and Christmas trees, often become some of the most stubborn stains. Below are some tips on how to remove each type of stain!

Turkey Goodness

In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed Thanksgiving a national holiday. Today, it is estimated that Americans eat 46 million turkeys every Thanksgiving and another 22 million on Christmas. With many different ways to prepare a turkey, from deep frying to roasting, there is a definite guarantee that it will stain your shirt or your table cloth.

Removal Guide - Light Stains

1. Always read the care label on clothing or fabric.
2. Using a pretreatment spray stain remover, spray stains and leave sit for a few minutes.
3. After the pretreatment has soaked in, treat spots by pouring a small amount of laundry detergent on each stain and rub gently.
4. Wash according to care label.

Removal Guide - Heavy Stains

1. Always read the care label on clothing or fabric.
2. Lay out paper towels on your counter. Make sure they are white and contain no colored patterns.
3. Place the soiled fabric stain side down on the paper towels.
4. Following the instructions on the back of the bottle, use drycleaning solution to blot out stain. You will need to change the paper towels often.
5. Allow the item to air dry and then rinse out the drycleaning solution.
6. Wash the item in the hottest water that is safe for the fabric.

Pumpkin Pie A'La Shirt

Annually, America harvests more than 1.5 billion pounds of pumpkin to turn into jack-o-lanterns, pumpkin pies and pumpkin puree. The pumpkin has become part of a holiday tradition in pies, side dishes and desserts; and is a decorating favorite for the autumn season. Since accidents will happen try this technique for removing a pumpkin stain.

Removal Guide - Light Stains

1. Always read the care label on clothing or fabric.
2. Using the hottest water safe for the fabric, clean the item with detergent. Avoid using natural soap since it could make the stain harder to remove.

Removal Guide - Heavy Stains

1. Always read the care label on clothing or fabric.
2. Mix one quart of warm water to 1 teaspoon of an enzyme presoak. Add the soiled item and let soak for at least 30 minutes.
3. Wash following care label instructions.

Deck the Halls

Since 1850, Christmas trees have been sold commercially in the United States . With approximately 36 million trees harvested annually, 21 percent of American households display a real tree. With a real tree comes sap and usually it is on your hands and your clothing. To keep that pine smell limited to the tree and not permanent on your clothing, proper stain removal is important.

Removal Guide - Light Stains

1. Always read the care label on clothing or fabric.
2. Using a stain remover, pretreat the stain and allow to absorb for several minutes.
3. Using liquid laundry detergent, pour directly onto the stain and rub gently.
4. Wash the item according to the care label instructions.

Removal Guide - Heavy Stains

1. Always read the care label on clothing or fabric.
2. Lay out paper towels on your counter. Make sure they are white and contain no colored patterns.
3. Place the soiled fabric stain side down on the paper towels.
4. Following the instructions on the back of the bottle, use drycleaning solution to blot out stain. You will need to change the paper towels often.
5. Allow the item to air dry and then rinse out the drycleaning solution.
6. Using a stain remover, pretreat the stain and allow to absorb for several minutes.
7. Using liquid laundry detergent, pour directly onto the stain and rub gently.

Wash the item according to the care label instructions.

See more stains by viewing our stain removal guide!

Toy Of The Year Awards

AFTER MORE THAN 38,000 HOURS OF PLAY, CHILDREN DECIDE WHICH TOYS WILL TOP THEIR HOLIDAY LISTS AS FAMILYFUN MAGAZINE ANNOUNCES TOY OF THE YEAR (T.O.Y.) 2004 WINNERS

Rescue Heroes Robotz Hyper Jet HQ and Bratz Among Top 10 Toys Selected by Children Toy Testers

FamilyFun Magazine announced the winners of its 13 th annual T.O.Y. Award, a nationally recognized toy test during which children voted for the toys that could be the holiday season's hottest sellers. The top ten highest ranked toys among the 21 winners, which cover four age groups and 21 unique categories, were unwrapped today at Dylan's Candy Bar in New York City .

According to The Wall Street Journal, a T.O.Y. Award is "a laurel as coveted in the toy industry as the Oscar is in Hollywood ." After more than 38,000 hours of play, more than 1,000 children at KinderCare™ Learning Centers across the country tested and voted to select the winners. This year, 159 manufacturers submitted a record 520 toys for review. Of these toys, 63 were selected as finalists and 21 received the sought-after T.O.Y. Award. The finalists and winners are featured in the November issue of FamilyFun Magazine, which hits newsstands today. Submissions were separated into age groups that they were most likely to appeal to, and divided into categories including Learning Toys, Playmates, Vehicles, Arts and Crafts, Building Sets, Games, Role Play, Playsets, Cuddly Friends, Interactive Play, Skill Toys, and Activity Sets.

This year's number one toy is the Rescue Heroes Robotz Hyper Jet HQ by Fisher-Price. This command center has more bells and whistles than a five-alarm fire, including the pop-up mission screen that issues commands and backpacks that allow Rescue Heroes action figures to bark orders. The Jet can also be reconfigured to form a giant space robot.

The Top 10 Winners are...

• Rescue Heroes Robotz Hyper Jet HQ (Fisher-Price)
• Speedstars Halfpipe Highway (Playskool)
• Bratz Tokyo A Go-Go Dolls (MGA Entertainment)
• Bratz Flashback Fever Party Bus (MGA Entertainment)
• ESPN GameStation (Fisher-Price)
• Hershey's S'mores Maker (Spin Master)
• Hogwarts Castle (Lego)
• V.Smile TV Learning System (VTech)
• Magic Talkin' Kitchen Crew (Playskool)
• Shrek 2 Twisted Fairy Tale Game (Milton Bradley)

Past T.O.Y. Award winners, such as Bratz and Tickle Me Elmo, have traditionally gained exceptional attention at retail shelves.

"We are proud to say that for thirteen years running, the T.O.Y. Awards stand as a leading vehicle for children to put their seal of approval on many different kinds of toys," said Alexandra Kennedy, Vice President and Editorial Director, FamilyFun Magazine. "By making children the judges, we can ensure that the winners of the T.O.Y. Awards are products that children are really going to want this year."

"The winning toys are also a great predictor of some of the year's hot toy trends, " adds Kennedy. "Trends which emerged from this year's competition include fitness toys, retro toys, heroes and board games."

The complete list of the 21 winning toys, broken down by age groups and categories:

Ages 3-4

• Arts and Crafts: Doh-Doh Island Beach Buggy (Play-Doh)
• Games: V.Smile TV Learning System (VTech)
• Role Play: Magic Talkin' Kitchen Crew (Playskool)
• Playsets: Rescue Heroes Robotz Hyper Jet HQ (Fisher-Price)
• Vehicles: Speedstars Halfpipe Highway (Playskool)
• Playmates Wiggle Walkers (Mary Meyer)

Ages 5-7

• Arts and Crafts: Imagine Nation Stained Glass Stickers (NSI)
• Games: Shrek 2 Twisted Fairy Tale Game (Milton Bradley)
• Playsets: 3240 Zoo (Playmobil)
• Learning Toys: Pretend & Play School Set (Learning Resources)
• Playmates: Bratz Tokyo A Go-Go Dolls (MGA Entertainment)
• Cuddly Friends: FurReal Friends Luv Cubs (Tiger Electronics)
• Vehicles: Bratz Flashback Fever Party Bus (MGA Entertainment)

Ages 8-9

• Activity Sets: Hershey's S'mores Maker (Spin Master)
• Skill Toys: i-Top (Irwin Toy)
• Building Sets: Hogwarts Castle (Lego)
• Games: Harry Potter Championship Quidditch (Mattel)
• Arts and Crafts: The Klutz Book of Paper Airplanes (Klutz)

Ages 10-12

• Playsets: Smithsonian Crime Lab Investigation (NSI)
• Games: Scene It? Jr.: The DVD Game (Mattel)
• Interactive Play: ESPN GameStation (Fisher-Price)

FamilyFun.com was at the annual T.O.Y. event announcing the upcoming debut of a sister program to the T.O.Y. Awards: Video Game of the Year (www.familyfun.com/videogameawards). For the first time ever, FamilyFun will honor achievements in family-friendly video game entertainment for 2004, showcasing games that are rated E (Everyone) by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB). Video Game winners will be announced November 15.

In addition, advertising agencies ZenithOptimedia and Grey Worldwide as well as manufacturers nominated for this year's T.O.Y. Awards will donate toys to Toys for Tots as part of a special toy collection drive on behalf of FamilyFun Magazine.