Kick off the merriest month!
For December 1, here's just a wee taste of the holiday season that's upon us!
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Tuesday, 1 December 2015
An Adorable Animals Advent Calendar: December 1
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26 Cats Working Toward The Destruction Of The Patriarchy
Overthrowing centuries of injustice one nap at a time.
This cat doesn't give a damn about body-shamers.
She'll eat *exactly* what she wants.
This cat believes that the phrase "walk of shame" stigmatises women's sexuality.
That's why she's doing a "stride of pride" instead.
This cat is protesting representations of women in the mainstream media by shredding a newspaper into a thousand tiny pieces.
This cat is always keeping an eye out for sexist microaggressions.
In the workplace, in the classroom, on your roof.
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27 Of Australia's Most Adorable Animal Moments In 2015
*Boop*.
When a baby kangaroo and emus were cuddling... AT LAST.
What even is this world?
Newspix / REX Shutterstock
When these kittens were abandoned by a MONSTER outside a veterinary clinic and then reunited with their mother.
Road Vet Clinic / Road Vet Clinic / REX Shutterstock
When this baby koala did a photoshoot that was too cute for words.
Youtube / Symbio Wildlife Park / Via youtube.com
When this hot and bothered kangaroo just wanted to hop into a pool.
Amy Garraway
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18 Of The Laziest Employees You Will Ever Meet
Honestly how do they still have a job?
Look at this. She barely even began stocking the ciders before falling asleep.
And this guy, sweet-talking his way into having other people do his work.
Visit the Purrfect Pals shelter to meet other "hard-working" kitties!
You think this employee is going to help you find that book for your Mom? No way.
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It's despicable how some people can sleep the day away while the rest of us sweat trying to do our best.
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15 Pets Who Double As Circle Scarves
Who needs a circle scarf when you have a husky?
It's getting colder and colder out there so grab your scarf or husky puppy and prepare for winter.
Via imgur.com
Scarves, hats and mittens are great but do you know what's better? A furry friend.
Via imgur.com
Larger ones and smaller ones, it doesn't matter. Look at this big guy who's just concerned about you catching a cold.
Via imgur.com
Can your scarf give you kisses while simultaneously regulating your body heat? Didn't think so.
Via imgur.com
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How to Get Rid of Morning Breath
Who doesn’t hate waking up with a mouth full of smelly, yucky breath? Morning breath, a form of halitosis, results from a decrease in saliva during the course of the night, which creates an environment for bacteria to flourish. Everyone suffers from morning breath at least some of the time, and while it’s unlikely that you’ll ever wake up with a mouth that smells like a fresh bunch of flowers, there are steps you can take to tame the beast of morning breath.
Steps
Practicing Good Oral Hygiene
- Brush your teeth often. You should brush your teeth in the morning and right before bed, as well as after every meal. Use a soft bristled toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste and brush for two minutes.
- It may be a good idea to invest in an electric toothbrush, as these are more effective than manual brushes at removing plaque and bacteria. In addition, most have timers that will help make sure you brush for the recommended two minutes.[1]
- Consider keeping a travel toothbrush and tube of toothpaste with you when you are at work or school so that you can maintain your brushing regimen throughout the day.
- Replace your toothbrush every three months and after every time you are sick.[2]
- Brush your tongue. After finishing with your teeth, run the bristles of your brush over your tongue as well. Or, if the back of your toothbrush has a rubberized tongue scraper, you can use this on your tongue instead. This practice will remove the odor-causing cells and bacteria from your tongue, just like brushing your teeth does for your pearly whites.[3]
- You can also buy an inexpensive tool called a tongue scraper at most drug stores.
- Floss daily. Floss reaches in between teeth where a toothbrush cannot, allowing you to remove food that would otherwise remain stuck there for bacteria to feed and grow on.
- Gargle with mouthwash. Mouthwash can also reach areas of your mouth that a toothbrush can’t—on the insides of your cheeks and at the back of your throat, for example—allowing you to get rid of bacteria that otherwise would have remained in your mouth and contributed to bad breath. Use the amount specified on your bottle, and swish in your mouth for 30–60 seconds. [4]
- Since alcohol is a drying agent, and a dry mouth creates an environment for bacteria, chose a non-alcoholic mouthwash.[5]
- If a dental problem is to blame for your morning breath, then mouthwash will actually mask the problem rather than aid in curing it.[6] It’s very important, therefore, that you see your dentist regularly to rule out any underlying cause of mouth odors.
- Try antimicrobial toothpastes and mouthwashes. If brushing with regular toothpaste and flossing prove insufficient, you may want to try out dental products, such as TheraBreath, that are specifically designed for eliminating the germs and microbes that build up in your mouth overnight.
- Visit your dentist regularly. Regular dental checkups are an important part of any good oral hygiene routine, and if you are experiencing trouble with morning breath, your dentist may be able to determine if it’s being caused by underlying problem such as a cavity, an infection in your mouth, or acid reflux.[7]
Eating the Right Way
- Consume a healthy, balanced diet. Food has a significant impact on your breath: as it is digested, the food that you eat is absorbed into your bloodstream and eventually exhaled by your lungs, which means the food odors come out of your mouth when you breathe. Foods like garlic and onions and spicy foods can lead to morning breath.[8]
- Fruits and vegetables are an essential part of a healthy diet that helps to keep bad breath at bay.
- Try chewing a sprig of parsley to freshen your breath. This herb contains chlorophyll, which helps remove odors from the breath.[9]
- Avoid low-carb diets and extreme fasting. These modes of eating are no-no’s when it comes to friendly breath. When you don’t consume enough carbohydrates, your body shifts to breaking down fat at a high rate; this leads to the production of ketones and the phenomenon known as “ketone breath,” which is another way of saying “stinky”![10]
- Eat breakfast. Eating stimulates saliva production, which in turn wets the mouth and creates an inhospitable environment for foul-smelling bacteria.[11] Get an early start on the fight against morning breath and eat breakfast first thing in the a.m.
- Switch from coffee to tea. Coffee has a very strong aroma that lingers in your mouth, and it’s difficult to brush off the very back of your tongue. For a quick pick-me-up with a less offensive smell, try tea in an herbal or green variety.[12]
Maintaining a Breath-Friendly Lifestyle
- Stop smoking. Tobacco dries your mouth out and can raise the temperature of your mouth—both of these things contribute to bad breath by allowing bacteria to flourish.[13]
- Smoking also increases the risk of tooth decay, and a mouth with unhealthy teeth is a mouth more prone to bad breath!
- Drink responsibly. Alcohol dries out the mucous membranes, so if you’re going to consume it, especially in the evening, you should try to drink one glass of water in between every alcoholic beverage—this way, you’re keeping your mouth moist.[14]
- Stay hydrated. Bacteria flourish in dry, stagnate environments, so drinking lots of water and other fluids throughout the day is very important to staving off odors in your mouth the next morning.
- It is especially important to drink water right before going to bed, as the mouth dries out a lot over the course of the night when we’re sleeping and not consuming any food or fluids for many hours.
- Aim for eight 8 oz. glasses of water a day. If you aren't able to drink that much, supplement with milk or 100% fruit juice as necessary.
- Owing to their high water content, fruits and vegetables offer another great source of hydration, in addition to water. Beyond this, the high fiber content of vegetables helps flush your body of toxins that may contribute to morning breath.[15]
- Chew sugarless gum. Xylitol, the sweetener used in a lot of sugar-free gum products (and mints), can decrease bacteria that causes decay and bad breath. And flavored gum with Xylitol will not only help to eliminate bacteria that causes odor—it will also give your breath a scent of your choosing.
- Chewing gum twenty minutes after you eat might help to stimulate saliva flow.[16]
- Consider your medications. Some medications, such as insulin, can cause bad breath on their own, while others, like antihistamines, cause your mouth to dry out overnight, and lead to morning breath that way.[17] If you have concerns about any over-the-counter or prescription drugs you’re taking, talk to your doctor.
- Rinse out the mouth in the morning. Take rubbing alcohol put it in a cup, then mix it with water drink it. Swish it around in your mouth like mouth rinse (you can use mouth rinse instead of, if preferred), then spit it out. Be sure to have a cup full of just water, then after you spit it out, swish the water in your mouth and spit it out. Repeat as necessary.
Tips
- Since morning breath is borne of a dry mouth, if you wake in the middle of the night, try drinking some water or swishing water around for a few seconds to wet your mouth.[18]
- Snoring increases your risk of having morning breath. This is because breathing through your mouth all night will cause it to dry out even more.[19]
- Xerostomia, the name for dry mouth, can cause morning breath. This condition may be the result of something as simple as breathing through your mouth or not drinking enough water, or it may have a medical root, such as salivary gland problems or connective tissue disorders such as Sjögren’s syndrome.[20]
- Sucking on ice or eating bananas or peanut butter might be helpful.
Warnings
- Children often sleep much longer than adults and so can wake up with particularly foul-smelling breath. If your child has other symptoms of illness along with bad breath, however, you should take him or her to the pediatrician to be sure there’s not an underlying problem, such as tonsillitis.[21]
Related wikiHows
- How to Choose the Right Chewing Gum
- How to Get Rid of Bad Breath
- How to Check if Your Breath Smells Bad
- How to Get Rid of Bad Breath from Onion or Garlic
Sources and Citations
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How to Clean out a Humidifier
Humidifiers moisten indoor air and are useful for treating cold and flu symptoms, healing dry skin and helping babies sleep more peacefully. Humidifiers that are not cleaned properly may pump bacteria into the air, so it's important to use the right technique and clean your machine out often. Learn how to perform a basic cleaning, disinfect the humidifier and prevent bacterial growth.
Steps
Performing a Basic Cleaning
- Rinse the filter. Unplug the humidifier first, then remove the filter. Hold it under the faucet and rinse it with cold water to wash away any impurities. Let it on a clean towel to dry while you clean the remaining parts.
- Don't use cleaning solution to clean the filter. Chemicals can permanently damage the filter so that it will no longer work properly.
- You may have a model of humidifier that requires you to change the filter every now and then. If this is the case, check the manufacturer's instructions and change the filter as often as is recommended.
- Wash the water tank. Remove the tank from the humidifier and pour out the old water. Fill the tank with 3 cups of vinegar, swish it around so that it covers the bottom and sides of the tank, and let it sit for at least 1 hour. The vinegar acts as a natural cleanser that loosens buildup from the bottom of the water tank. Rinse the tank thoroughly when you're finished.
- If necessary, use a scrub brush to scrub away some of the grime at the bottom of the water tank.
- Using another type of cleaner could have negative consequences, since the liquid from the water tank gets pumped into the air. Stick with vinegar to make sure you're creating a safe environment for your family.
- If the water tank does not have access for a brush, put in a few tablespoons of rice with the vinegar and cold water to make a loose slurry. Close the tank and agitate vigorously for a minute or so and then let stand for a while. Repeat until the grime has been dislodged. Rinse thoroughly to make sure all the grains are washed out.
- Wipe down the frame. Use a sponge dampened with vinegar and water to wipe the remaining parts of the humidifier. This prevents dust and other debris from entering the water tank, and inhibits the growth of mold or bacteria.
Disinfecting the Humidifier
- Use a bleach and water solution. Pour a gallon of water and a teaspoon of bleach into the water tank. Let the solution sit in the tank for an hour to completely sanitize the inside of the tank. Pour out the solution and rinse with clean, cold water.
- Be sure the tank has been thoroughly rinsed before you replace it on the humidifier frame.
- Don't let the bleach sit in the humidifier for more than an hour, or it could damage the machine.
- Use peroxide. Pour a few cups of peroxide into the water tank. Swish it around so that it covers the bottom and sides of the tank. Allow the peroxide to sit in the tank for an hour, then pour it out and rinse the tank with cold water.
- Do a deep clean with vinegar. Fill the water tank with a cup of vinegar and a gallon of water. Plug it in outside and let the humidifier run for an hour. After an hour, pour out the remaining liquid from the tank, rinse it with clean water, then fill it with clean water and run the humidifier for another hour. Rinse out the tank one more time before using.
- Don't run the humidifier run indoors when you're using vinegar in the water tank. It will make your home smell like vinegar.
- Don't use bleach or any other chemical to do a deep clean through the working part of the humidifier. Turning the humidifier on and running chemicals through the system could cause permanent damage.
Preventing Bacterial Growth
- Change the water often. Leaving water to sit in the water tank for long periods of time causes mineral deposits to collect on the bottom and sides. The longer you leave the water sitting there, the more deposits will collect and the harder they'll be to remove.
- Clean the humidifier every three days.[1] When the humidifier is in heavy use during the winter or when a family member has a cold, clean it every three days with a simple vinegar or hydrogen peroxide rinse. Do a deep clean every two weeks or so.
- Replace the humidifier when necessary. Old humidifiers that have gotten a lot of use may start to break down over time. The worn-out parts will be more prone to hosting bacterial growth.
- If you've had your humidifier for more than a five years or so, you might want to consider replacing it.
- If you aren't ready to replace your older humidifier, make sure to clean it with bleach or peroxide every few weeks.
- Keep the area around the humidifier dry. If the humidifier is causing the area around it to become damp, turn it down. Surrounding the humidifier with dampness can lead to the growth of bacteria and mold.
- Store the humidifier properly. When it's time to put the machine away after the winter, clean it thoroughly and make sure it is completely dry before putting it away. When you take it out again next year, clean it again before using.
Tips
- If you're trying to stay away from harsh cleaning chemicals, use vinegar to break up the water solids.
- Depending on water contents, other cleaning solutions may be used.
Warnings
- Make sure humidifier has had time to cool down before cleaning.
Things You'll Need
- Dish soap
- De-lime spray or solution
- Non-abrasive brush
- Warm water
Related wikiHows
- How to Maintain a Dehumidifier
- How to Use a Humidifier
- How to Use a Dehumidifier
- How to Make a Humidifier or Air Conditioner
Sources and Citations
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