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Tips for Eliminating Bed Bugs

September 7, 2011 By Admin Leave a Comment

This year a number of hotel guests have had to deal with unwanted roommates with bedbugs lurking between mattress fibers and nipping at heels and ankles. It’s enough to deal with this inconvenience while away, but the last thing you want to do is bring any home as souvenirs! Once bedbugs get into your home, they can be a pain to completely eliminate, therefore it’s important to take thorough measures in cleaning your house so it remains pest-free. As with getting rid of lice, bedbug hunting will require planning and timely execution, so if you need help remember these tips.

Vacuum Your Rooms

The second you suspect the little biting bugs have invaded your space, get all fabric out of the rooms – strips sheets and remove clothing – and use a high-powered vacuum on the carpets. Take your hose extension and get every inch of the mattress as well, keeping an eye out for the pests. You’ll need to make sure you get eggs and larvae as well, and clean out your vacuum when you are done.

Dry Clean Everything

Your first instinct may be to run load after load of laundry, but this could prove a fruitless effort. Even in high water temperatures, bedbugs can survive a spin and wash and remain in your sheets. Your fabrics will require a chemical treatment that takes care of the pests for good. If you do not have it in your budget to dry clean everything, send what you use most out and take the rest of your fabric in air tight bags and leave them in a safe place for several weeks. Cutting off the oxygen supply can help eliminate what bugs are left, then wash on hot before restocking.

Use Garment Bags

For clothing and sheets you don’t use often, use garment bags for protection. You may find them at your local bedding or home store. This will help keep pests away from your fabrics while in storage.

Call an Exterminator

When all else fails, hire a pest control specialist to take care of your bed bug problem. Depending on the severity of your infestation, you may be required to leave while the chemicals take effect. However, a day of inconvenience far outweighs a longer period of dealing with insects.

Bedbugs are a nuisance, but thankfully can be controlled and eliminated if you know what to do. Be diligent and vigilant, and you will be fine.

Kathryn Lively is a freelance writer specializing in articles on latex mattresses and organic mattresses.

Filed Under: Eco, Green Living, Health Tips, Latex Mattresses, Nutrition, Organic Bedding, Rest Tagged With: ,

Is Your Mattress Really Natural?

December 17, 2010 By Admin Leave a Comment

If you are eco-minded, you know doubt have done everything you can to green your home. You have installed energy efficient light bulbs and insulation, and perhaps you have opted for low-flow shower heads and toilets to conserve water. In the bedroom, maybe you have set up a mattress made of biodegradable materials or so you think. Can you really be sure that what you are sleeping on can help reduce your carbon footprint?

For a mattress to be labeled as certified organic, it must adhere to a specific composition ratio. The majority of materials inside the bed must be natural – like untreated wool and cotton batting, and natural latex and rubber. What goes into the mattress must not be treated with chemicals like certain fire retardants that can cause people with multiple chemical sensitivities numerous health problems. Now, you may wonder if a bed not treated in this fashion can be resistant to flame, and the answer is yes. A green company typically has the means to craft a mattress or topper to meet fire code standards naturally.

How do you know you are getting a “green” deal when you buy your new bed? You may wish to contact a state-run organization that monitors businesses that operate via environmentally friendly procedures. Anybody can stick a label on a product and declare it “natural” or “organic”, but to truly be considered so that product must hold to specific standards. A true natural mattress will be comprised of organic materials at a higher ratio that synthetics like coils and springs.

If you want to totally go green, look beyond the labels as you shop.

Kathryn Lively is a freelance writer specializing in articles on organic mattresses and organic pillows.

Filed Under: Eco, Green Living, Latex Mattresses, Organic Bedding Tagged With: , ,

Is an Organic Mattress Good for Your Health?

November 22, 2010 By Admin Leave a Comment

“Make sure you’re getting a good night’s sleep,” you’ve no doubt heard from your mother, or teacher, or even your physician. A minimum eight hours of shuteye of often touted as the best medicine around – sleep recharges your body and mind and prepares you for another day of activity. With our busy schedules, however, finding the time to sleep can be as much a challenge as resting comfortably in bed. Especially if you have back issues and snoring problems, enjoying some shuteye becomes a problem even when you have the time for it.

For many people, the problem lies, literally, with the mattress used. Over time, coil mattress may take on a lumpy texture and cause discomfort that prevents deep sleep. If you have recently experienced illness or injury, this can further enhance your difficulty. Rather than count endless sleep through yet another frustrating night, take the initiative to invest in a new mattress, preferably one made of organic materials that can benefit your health.

Why organic? Think about what goes into your mattress. If you’re not familiar with how bedding is constructed, you may thinks it’s all coils for support and stuffing for softness. That partly puts the picture together, but many brand mattresses contain foam and synthetic fabrics and stuffing that are treated with various chemicals for stain prevention. What lingers, in turn, stays on your bed while you sleep. You therefore run the risk of inhaling various toxins, which definitely does nothing for your health!

Organic mattresses, by comparison, must be certified to contain a certain percentage of natural materials like untreated cotton and latex or rubber. Fabric covering these eco-friendly mattresses tend to be more breathable, and provide support and comfort where needed.

While some might argue that a natural mattress offers better opportunity for rest, is claiming such a bed is healthy going a bit far? Consider this: when you fall into REM sleep and dream, your body receives the recharge it needs for better motivation throughout the day. Fatigue, depression, and other symptoms related to insomnia decrease over time as you regain your energy.

If you find sleep doesn’t come as easily anymore, consider a new mattress for may restful nights.

Kathryn Lively is a freelance writer specializing in articles on organic mattresses and eco-friendly mattresses.

Filed Under: Eco, Green Living, Latex Mattresses, Organic Bedding Tagged With: , ,

Hampton Roads Sustainable Living Fair

March 3, 2010 By Admin Leave a Comment

Organic Comfort Zone, CozyPure and Sunrise Solar and Wind joined forces this past weekend to exhibit their services and wares at the first ever Hampton Roads Sustainable Living Fair.

It was great meeting some of our local customers, as well as networking with fellow ecopreneurs from Hampton Roads.

Here’s some pics from AltDaily.com

The Get Fresh Cafe from Five Points Farmer’s Market was onsite to offer everyone great local freshly prepared food. Mmm mmm good. Hans is still raving about the Brunswick Stew.

Speaking of which… if you’re from Hampton Roads and you need a break from cooking… then you MUST visit the Farmer’s Market on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday because they have their yummy freshly cooked dinner specials at a crazy price!

You really can’t beat such a great price for a healthy dinner out. Fill your belly then go home to your bedroom to relax in your CozyPure bedroom for a wonderful night’s sleep. You don’t need an expensive week-long spa-retreat to feel healthy and energized. Good local organic food and good local organic bedding can produce the same benefits EVERY NIGHT throughout the year.

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Above: Our owner, Cheryl Hahn chats with Deborah Tabor of The PetWay while she enjoys some time relaxing on our comfortable CozyPure organic mattress with a fluffy organic wool comforter and La’Noodle pillows.

Filed Under: Eco, Green Living, Recycling

What Part do you Play in the American Economy?

December 12, 2009 By Admin Leave a Comment

flag.jpgWe all agree that the state of the American economy is not good – but really who is at fault? The Government? The War? Or could it be that a large part of the blame should be placed right in the hands of the American citizens?

Consider for a few minutes your purchases over the past couple of years – all of your purchases; from laundry detergent to appliances and automobiles. How many, (if any), were American made? My guess is if you are like most Americans; not many.

With the slightest bit of logic, it\rquote s easy to predict and conclude the economic outlook and if you squint your eyes, you can see who is making the large profits; the folks at the top of companies that import cheap foreign products.

Granted, at one time or another, we have all bought into the hype of the discount merchandisers – more stuff for lower prices, but we lost sight of the long-term consequences which is financial devastation for our own economy.

Compound the financial decline, the lack of quality control and the environmental impact manufacturing and importing foreign goods has and the inexpensive imported products prove to be much less of a bargain than originally thought. In the long term; cheap imported merchandise is much more costly than quality American made products.

When buying American manufactured goods, a consumer can be assured a higher quality and that the dollars they spend are recycled back into the economy, thereby enriching American koffers. The money spent on American goods re-circulates, helping to empower the economy, thereby enriching all of us.

Commonly, people excuse themselves when asked why they did not consider purchasing American made by explaining the difficulties and effort involved in finding homegrown merchandise. Today, that excuse is voided thanks to the internet. With little energy, American made goods can be found online and delivered right to the customer\rquote s door. Less stress and a wider selection is only a few key strokes away.

Granted, I work for an American company that sells American made products and it is in my best interest for customers to purchase from CozyPure , but if you trace the origins of our merchandise, you will find that the chain extends well beyond the sales floor and how many people are reliant on your purchase.

A CozyPure mattress begins with the milk of the rubber tree which is converted into natural latex rubber foam. The cotton used is American grown Certified Organic Cotton and is the absolute most pure form of cotton available today. No pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers are used during it’s cultivation and no chemicals or preservatives (such as formaldehyde) are added in the processing. It is premium cotton that’s pure and clean – soft and beautiful. The cotton is carefully milled in America in order to create a safe, beautiful finish.

Like our cotton, CozyPure wool is also American farmed. In the natural surroundings of the northern coastal areas, there is always a fairly strong sea breeze and in the course of time, the high humidity combined with the cold wind has created an environment where the sheep have learned to protect themselves against these harsh weather conditions by developing a thick and long-crinkled fleece with an extremely high content of lanoline. The high crinkle factor of our pure wool provides a unique thermal system: while regulating air; it insulates warmth at the same time.

From growing the cotton, raising the sheep, carding the wool and milling the cotton to finally, building our mattresses and creating our fine line of bedding products; we are keeping Americans employed. The entire process from placing the cotton seed in the grown to the delivery driver who delivers yours beautiful organic mattress and bedding is all part of the chain that keeps your American dollar recycling

Filed Under: Eco, Green Living, Latex Mattresses, Uncategorized

Simple, Eco-Smart Holiday Shopping

October 28, 2009 By Admin Leave a Comment

naked-spa.jpgMore eco-smart folks are shopping online than ever before. The savings in fuel, the frustrations of driving, parking and fighting the crowds can make the Holiday experience much more pleasant and to say the least; much better for the environment.

This year, do something wonderful for someone else and for the planet. By giving a gift that is both healthy and environmentally friendly, you show that you really care.

Here at Organic Comfort Zone, we have a large variety of organic and natural products for any price range; from organic soaps and body sprays to bedding and organic mattresses. As an added bonus; our merchandise is American made with the highest level of craftsmanship available.

This year, shop smart, shop early and give gifts that will bring joy and happiness without damaging the planet or more importantly; the recipient’ s health.

Filed Under: Eco, Green Living, Uncategorized

Green Your Clean

September 22, 2009 By Admin Leave a Comment

THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT NEWSPAPER, Published September 19, 2009
GREEN TIDINGS by Cheryl Hahn

The kids are back in school and the temperatures are beginning to drop – it’s time for a clean sweep to get your home ready for the cold months ahead.

I’ve been cleaning green since we started our flagship company, Tomorrow’s World, back in 1991, but I noticed after my kids were born I became extra cautious with every product I purchased. Reading the warning labels usually freaked me out with images of my toddlers finding the bottle and having a toxic tea party. That was enough for me to put the product back on the shelf, go home, and conjure up my own recipe.

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I had friends who laughed and couldn’t believe I didn’t use bleach. Sure we made the sacrifice of wearing dingy whites, but otherwise I never missed having bleach around to slowly eat away everything in its corrosive path.

As a very clumsy cleaner, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve splashed cleaning solution in my eyes. It’s great knowing I don’t have to worry about my eyeballs melting. It’s also nice to know my green cleaners help keep the earth from melting too.

Times have changed over the past few decades and manufacturers are finally making safer cleaning products for our home. But consumer beware: Greenwashing still prevails in abundance. Greenwashing is a term for marketing products, companies and services as being eco-friendly when, in fact, there are many hidden truths to the contrary. Seventh Generation is a trusted brand that’s been around as long as my company, and I remember their early beginnings as a retail catalog. They’ve been offering safe cleaning products for twenty years; no bandwagon for them. The good news? You can now find this terrific brand on the shelves of many local supermarkets.

Winter will soon come our way, bringing blustery winds and cold days. Windows will be shut tight while we spray away with cleaners containing ingredients we can’t pronounce — and we’re forbidden to touch.

Today there’s no excuse for creating this type of hazardous home environment when we have so many greener cleaners readily available at many stores. Grab your rags… it’s easy to be a green cleaning machine.

Cheryl Hahn is founder of Norfolk-based businesses Organic Comfort Zone, manufacturers of organic bedding and Tomorrow’ s World, one of America’s first eco-stores. For more information visit organiccomfortzone.com or tomorrowsworld.com, or call (757) 480-8500.

Filed Under: Eco, Green Living, Uncategorized

A Sleeping Prince found dreaming green on our organic mattress

April 20, 2009 By Admin Leave a Comment

About a week ago, a woman came to our retail shop with her son to look at our Cozypure organic mattresses. It would be her second CozyPure mattress purchased from Organic Comfort Zone in less than a year and she wanted some time to consider the selection.

Cheryl took the lady into the organic mattress showroom, closed the blinds and turned on some soft meditative music – she closed the doors and left the shopper alone.

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When selecting a new sleep system, we encourage folks to take their time to ensure that they are getting a mattress that is the most comfortable to them, so it’ s not uncommon for visitors to spend an hour or more relined on various mattresses.

After about 45 minutes, the lady emerged from the showroom with her decision. She spoke softly and explained that shortly after she went into the showroom, her young son had climbed onto the CozyPure Haven organic mattress and fallen fast asleep. I glanced around the corner and saw her young son all snuggled up, safely and comfortably sleeping. He was sleeping as securely as if he was at home in his own familiar bed. It made me smile that people can come into Organic Comfort Zone and feel so relaxed that they can quickly drift into slumber. It let’ s us know that we have not only created an extremely comfortable mattress, but also an environment that is conducive for organic sleep system shoppers; a stress free, cozy, homelike space.

Organic Comfort Zone is casual, comfortable and pressure free. We invite you to stop by anytime and visit us. We’ d love to meet you face to face and have the opportunity to show off our wonderful selection of organic and natural products and if you fall asleep, we won’ t be offended – it’ s always taken as a compliment!

Filed Under: Eco, Green Living, Latex Mattresses

Everything’s Green on St Patty’s Day!

March 24, 2009 By Admin Leave a Comment

Everyone’s Irish and everything’s green on St Patty’s Day! Green hair, green beer and green food are common traditions, so why not take “green” to the next level?Many people celebrate the holiday cooking at home for friends and family, singing Irish songs with pots of steaming ham and cabbage, and of course lots of beer. Unfortunately, most of the produce in our supermarkets is heavily sprayed with pesticides, picked months in advance, stored in freezers with added preservatives, and shipped thousands of miles, before finally reaching our local grocery store. Lucky for us, Hampton Road’ s folks have the opportunity to buy the Irish fixin’s right here locally. Smithfield Virginia hams are readily available in many stores, and a quick trip to the local farmer’s market provides plenty of choices for greener menu selections.
I went to Five Points Farmer’s Market in Norfolk and found locally-grown fresh cabbage, potatoes, green beans and green eggs. The Peace & Plenty Farm in North Carolina has chickens that produce eggs with a green shell which puts a literal spin on the green eggs and ham menu. “Farmer’s use St. Patrick’s Day as the day to begin planting”, says Bev Sell, general manager of the market, which is located in an open-air warehouse not far from the Norfolk Zoo. Some of the food and produce comes from the Carolinas, Pennsylvania and Florida, all located on the eastern seaboard and much closer than Idaho, California or China. “Virginia has a few microbreweries as well”, Sell continues, “and we’re hoping to someday offer locally-produced wine and beer at the market.” Well, I’m all for products made in Virginia, so I’ ll drink to that.
Choosing local food and drink supports our local economy while reducing our carbon-footprint and it’s healthier because small family farms don’t spray their crops with highly-toxic pesticides. And if you really don’t care about any of those things, then maybe taste will convince you because locally-produced food is fresh and yummy. According to Irish lore, there’s a pot of gold at the end of every rainbow. If we all follow our local rainbow, we’ll find a glowing pot of great products made right here in Virginia. Greener, cleaner, healthier choices support both our local communities and our environment. I can already see the Irish eyes a-smiling with our good fortune. Cheers to everyone; and may the green be with you!

Filed Under: Eco, Green Living

Green Tidings

February 25, 2009 By Admin Leave a Comment
“The tide is turning green in Tidewater.” That’s a phrase I’ve been saying for the past year because now more than ever, folks in the Hampton Road’s area are showing a real interest in eco-friendly options.
With the economy right now, it makes a lot of sense to embrace a greener lifestyle because so many things can actually save you money.
In celebration of Valentine’s Day, let’s tackle the idea of giving green gifts.
Here’s one that falls under the category ” Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” : One of my favorite things to give someone is a beautiful photograph.
They are uniquely special, something you can enjoy for years, and you certainly won’t find this gift on a store shelf.
Choose your favorite image and display it in an attractive frame. Better yet, make a wonderful collage with an assortment of photographs. Clip words or phrases from old magazines to express your thoughts while also enhancing the visual arrangement.
Thrift stores usually have nice selections of tacky artwork displayed in great frames that are perfect to use for your collage.
Whether large or small, if done right, your recipient will love displaying your new gift somewhere in her home. The cost is minimal, while the long term enjoyment can last for years.
If you’re looking for more traditional gifts, try a beautiful plant instead of cut flowers. Write your own prose and create a card.
Got a sweet tooth? In today’s fast-paced world, many of us are so busy that spending time with someone can be the most wonderful gift of all, so pick a date and make homemade chocolates together. You get the candy and the company.
If you want to do something more romantic, then light the candles, play some music, make a delicious gourmet dinner and have the kids clean-up the mess.
Don’t have kids? Let the mess wait for morning. Make sure you get in one slow dance before the night is over. Simple pleasures can be true treasures. You don’t need a lot of money to express gratitude towards someone special, and you don’t need to be a tree-hugger either.
Speaking of hugs, be sure to give one to your valentine; they’re simple, they’re powerful and they’re free. Oh yeah, they’re eco-friendly too!

” The tide is turning green in Tidewater.” That’s a phrase I’ve been saying for the past year because now more than ever, folks in the Hampton Road’s area are showing a real interest in eco-friendly options.
With the economy right now, it makes a lot of sense to embrace a greener lifestyle because so many things can actually save you money.
In celebration of Valentine’s Day, let’s tackle the idea of giving green gifts.
Here’s one that falls under the category ” Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” : One of my favorite things to give someone is a beautiful photograph.
They are uniquely special, something you can enjoy for years, and you certainly won’t find this gift on a store shelf.
Choose your favorite image and display it in an attractive frame. Better yet, make a wonderful collage with an assortment of photographs. Clip words or phrases from old magazines to express your thoughts while also enhancing the visual arrangement.
Thrift stores usually have nice selections of tacky artwork displayed in great frames that are perfect to use for your collage.
Whether large or small, if done right, your recipient will love displaying your new gift somewhere in her home. The cost is minimal, while the long term enjoyment can last for years.
If you’re looking for more traditional gifts, try a beautiful plant instead of cut flowers. Write your own prose and create a card.
Got a sweet tooth? In today’s fast-paced world, many of us are so busy that spending time with someone can be the most wonderful gift of all, so pick a date and make homemade chocolates together. You get the candy and the company.
If you want to do something more romantic, then light the candles, play some music, make a delicious gourmet dinner and have the kids clean-up the mess.
Don’t have kids? Let the mess wait for morning. Make sure you get in one slow dance before the night is over. Simple pleasures can be true treasures. You don’t need a lot of money to express gratitude towards someone special, and you don’t need to be a tree-hugger either.
Speaking of hugs, be sure to give one to your valentine; they’re simple, they’re powerful and they’re free. Oh yeah, they’re eco-friendly too!

Cheryl Hahn is the founder of Norfolk-based business ” Organic Comfort Zone” , manufacturers of organic bedding, and ” Tomorrow’s World” , one of America’s first eco-stores. For more information visit www.organiccomfortzone.com or call 757-480-8500 or 800-229-7571.

Filed Under: Eco, Green Living