Can You Wash Towels and Clothes Together?

Laundry is often a chore you want to get done as quickly as possible. You might think you can save time by mixing and matching different items—towels and clothes. If they’re similar colors, it shouldn’t be a problem, right? But can you wash towels and clothes together?

Unfortunately, no. Washing towels and clothes together has very little to do with darks and lights, and everything to do with the spread of bacteria.

When you wash towels with clothes, you run the risk of transferring bacteria from the towels onto your clothing. It’s not sanitary, and could actually end up making you sick if you wear some of that clothing right away and the bacteria is still lingering.

Instead of tossing your towels and clothes in the wash together, make sure you know how to wash towels on their own properly.

First, make sure you always use hot water when washing towels. Not only will it keep the colors brighter, but it will help to kill any bacteria in the fibers. If you really want to get them clean, use a detergent with color-safe bleach. Some washers have specific “towel” settings, but if yours doesn’t, go for a normal or regular cycle.

Everyone loves a warm, soft towel when they get out of the shower, so avoid overdoing it on the fabric softener. It can cause buildup and actually shorten the lifespan of your towels. If you’re going to use fabric softener, limit it to every third or fourth wash.

Washing your towels separately from your clothes might take a bit of extra time and effort, but it’s worth it to keep yourself clean and safe and to boost the longevity of your favorite fluffy towels.

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Did You Know?

The Spanish brought so much gold and silver home from the Americas between the 15th and 17th centuries (approximately a span of 150 years) that it caused significant inflation and damage to the European economy.

Today I Learned

Did You Know?

According to Pixar, there were a whopping 1,484,437 little toy monkeys spilled out of the Barrel o’ Monkeys in the opening sequence of Toy Story 3.

Is Canadian Bacon Just Ham?

Canadian Bacon

Whether you’re indulging in eggs benedict, swinging through the McDonald’s drive-thru for an Egg McMuffin, or even committing the tastiest pizza crime of them all—ordering a Hawaiian pie—you’re likely familiar with Canadian bacon. But is it really just ham?

While this salty breakfast meat might taste familiar, Canadian bacon and ham are different, but some of those differences are subtle.

Canadian bacon and ham have similar flavor profiles. And let’s face it, it’s hard to go wrong with cured, salty meat. The major difference between the two pork products, though, is where they come from on a pig. Canadian bacon (also known as back bacon) comes from, you guessed it, the back of the pig. Traditional American ham comes from the back legs. Ham is also often slightly fattier and can be cut and sold in a variety of ways.

Canadian bacon is usually cured and smoked, and is known for being sold in signature circles, or as a whole “log” consumers can cut themselves.

While they have those differences, you can certainly swap out Canadian bacon for ham in most recipes. But, part of the appeal of Canadian bacon is its convenience. It’s usually pre-cut, making it easy to throw on a breakfast sandwich and simple to cook batches in a skillet. If you want to achieve that “signature” look when you’re preparing a homemade McMuffin or eggs benedict, you’ll stick to Canadian.

So is Canadian bacon ham? Technically, the two are different, but that doesn’t mean you always need to stick with one or the other. Try both in different recipes and you’ll soon figure out your porky preference!

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Did You Know?

Forty is the only number that is spelled with its letters in alphabetical order.

Water in Tail Lights

Water in Tail Lights

We were waiting in line at the Drive-Thru at CVS Pharmacy, at the weekend, here in Indiana, USA, when I spotted that the vehicle in front of us had one tail light half full of water. It slopped around whenever the vehicle moved. The vehicle was a Toyota 4Runner, with a rusted out back bumper. Unfortunately, I did not snap a picture of it. The picture above is one I found on the web, for illustrative purposes.

That brought back memories of seeing the same thing, back in the UK, in the late 1970s or early 1980s. I have been wracking my brains, trying to remember which type of vehicle used to collect water like that. I think one of my cars did that, so I think it was a Ford Escort Estate. It must have had a bad seal at the top, letting in water, which could not escape. I kind of remember one cheap cure was to drill a small hole, in the bottom, to let the water escape.

Surprise! Pyrex and PYREX Are Different

pyrex measuring jug

You likely know Pyrex thanks to the brand’s iconic glass measuring cups and beloved casserole dishes. Turns out, though that those iconic items aren’t always the same. There’s Pyrex and PYREX, so what’s the difference?

The difference between Pyrex and PYREX is all about the type of glass used to make the cookware and bakeware.

Pyrex has long had a reputation for being, well, explosion-proof. The cookware is known for its ability to move seamlessly between hot and cold temperatures without cracking. However, thanks to social media documentation, people have begun to see Pyrex dishes crack under extreme temperatures, and the type of Pyrex might be why.

The bakeware of old is PYREX with all capital letters. It’s made of borosilicate which is comprised of boron trioxide and has a low thermal expansion rate. Essentially, it can withstand temperature changes like going from oven to fridge without breaking. When you see the capital letter PYREX, it’s likely made of borosilicate and less likely to break.

Pyrex, in lowercase letters, is made from soda-lime, the same glass used to make many drinking glasses and other kitchen glassware. The difference is that Pyrex’s soda-lime is heat treated to become tempered so it can withstand temperature changes much better than your pint glass. While it’s still not common for a Pyrex to break, it’s more possible than if you use a PYREX.

But why do both even exist? Well, technically, in the United States, PYREX is no longer sold. Instead, the brand sells Pyrex, the soda-lime product. Any PYREX product is likely vintage and was thrifted or has been in your family for a long time. PYREX is also sold in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, so if you’ve bought bakeware abroad, it could be made from borosilicate.

If you’re ever on the hunt for new cookwareand stumble across some PYREX in a thrift store, yes, it is different than your home goods store’s Pyrex.

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Quote of the day

The future is much brighter than the past. You just have to find the light switch.

Debasish Mridha

American physician, philosopher, and poet

Why Do We Say Cats Have Nine Lives?

1 life left

A common myth we’ve all heard is that cats have nine lives. Well, clearly they don’t—but where did this phrase come from and why has it been a part of cat lore for so long? Let’s find out!

What Is the Origin of Cats Have Nine Lives Phrase?

It turns out the idea that cats have nine lives has been around for a while, although it’s hard to pinpoint exactly from where it originated.

Some say the phrase came from an ancient English proverb that says, “A cat has nine lives. For three he plays, for three he strays, and for the last three he stays.” Others point to William Shakespeare as the coiner of the term in Romeo and Juliet when he wrote the line, “Good king of cats, nothing but one of your nine lives.”

Others look away from England toward Egypt for the origin. Cats were revered in ancient Egypt and were believed to possess divine energy. In Ancient Egyptian culture, the sun god, Atum-Ra, who gave birth to the other eight gods, took the form of a cat. The nine-lives connection may have come from this symbolism—Ra plus eight gods equal nine.
Still, other cultures have had this myth around for a long time as well. For instance, in China, cats are also believed to have nine lives, although there the number nine itself is what’s considered lucky. Other countries, such as Germany and Greece, toss around the notion that cats have seven lives, while some Arabic traditions indicate that they have six.

When it comes to the origin of cats having nine lives, things are still a mystery, but it’s likely a blend of mythologies coming together and making it into a global cultural lexicon.

Why Has the Phrase Stuck Around?

Wherever the phrase began, the idea that cats have nine lives is still around today. Why? Our guess is that it’s most likely because of cats’ survivalist behavior. Cats are intelligent and defensive—anyone who owns one knows how easily they scare. They also have lightning-fast reflexes that allow them to escape from dangerous situations quickly.

Cats’ heightened senses are truly incredible. They have excellent eyesight in both light and dark areas as well as a keen sense of hearing and touch. They have every ability to sense danger before it arrives, which gives them extra time to evade life-threatening situations.

The phrase “cats always land on their feet” may also play a role in the furtherance of this myth. While cats don’t always land on their feet, they are extremely agile and able to recover from situations that could very well be fatal to less flexible animals. All of these characteristics, while not enough to grant them extra lives, certainly help cats get the most out of their current ones.

While we might not be able to totally nail down where this old phrase comes from (and as cat owners, we wish it were true), what seems most likely is that cats’ impressive senses and physical abilities coupled with mythologies have led to this old wives’ tale’s continuation.

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