Problem: Article: White vinegar (acetic acid) is a great cleaner that can remove even the toughest deposits and stains without affecting the surface below. Acetic acid is a biocompatible and relatively gentle chemical, making it an effective alternative to commercial cleaning products for use in appliances.  To clean a kettle or coffeemaker, fill it with equal parts water and vinegar.  For washing machines or dishwashers, pour vinegar into the dispensing drawer of the machine.  Lemon juice is also a good substitute for vinegar if you don't have any in your home. If you are cleaning out a coffee maker or kettle, let the vinegar sit for an hour. This allows the vinegar to sink into the water compartment, which is usually the part of the machine that suffers from limescale. Run a cycle of the appliance you are cleaning. The acid of the vinegar along with the heat will work to infiltrate the limescale and remove it from the inside of the appliance. After you have done a vinegar cycle, do a regular cycle. For coffeemakers and kettles, fill with water and boil. For washing machines and dishwashers, put the machine through a cycle without any soap or cleaner. This will wash out any remnants of the vinegar to leave your appliance vinegar and limescale free!
Summary: Pour vinegar in the appliance. Let the vinegar sit. Run a vinegar cycle. Run a water cycle.

Problem: Article: Start with clean, dry hair. Then, brush your hair back, taking down any volume on your top or sides as you work your way back. Use hair wax, gel, or pomade to keep your style in place. If you have wavier hair, adapt this style by using a matte paste. The longer you grow your hair, the more pronounced your wave will be. Instead of trying to control it with various products, part it in the middle and wear it naturally for a low-maintenance style.  Add a small, quarter-sized dollop of mousse to your style to reduce frizziness without matting your hair down. Apply a curl-defining cream to enhance your curls. Give yourself dreadlocks at home or have them professionally done if you have time to maintain the look. Dreadlocks need shampooing, conditioning, and routine rubbing to stay clean.  Dreadlocks work best on curly and natural hair. In certain cultures, dreadlocks have symbolic meaning. Wearing dreadlocks casually might be frowned upon in some situations. Thick hair responds well to perms, giving your style volume and weight. A perm can also keep thick hair from going frizzy or getting split ends. Use small amounts of gel or mousse to keep your perm in place. Use a moisturizing conditioner to keep your perm shiny. Sometimes, gels and hair waxes can weigh hair down. If you want your hair to look neat, yet effortless, brush your hair out and wear it down without adding in hair products. Use bobby pins to keep your hair in place if it gets in your way.
Summary: Slick your hair back with some product if you have straight hair. Wear your hair loose and tousled if you have curly locks. Style your hair in dreadlocks. Get a perm if you have thick hair. Style your hair without product for a natural look.

Problem: Article: Instead of using nicknames or generic greetings, like “kiddo” or “buddy,” use their name to show you know who they are and that you respect them. Especially avoid clumping them in with their parents by saying things like, “Hi, Becka’s child.” This communicates that you don’t care to take the time to learn their name, which is hurtful.  Similarly, if they always go by a nickname or shortened name, make sure to use their preferred first name. For example, if a child named “Charles” prefers to be called “Charlie,” try to use that when you talk to them. You may also develop your own special nickname with the child over time, depending on how often you spend time with them. Try to be aware of your tone and talk just like how you would to a friend or coworker. You may need to switch out some vocabulary, but in general, you don’t need to simplify your sentences. Talking with a higher register won’t feel natural to you, and kids can tell when you’re behaving strangely. When children are infants or toddlers, baby-talk is practical and normal, but once kids are past the age of 3, it’s a good idea to start talking to them normally to help them develop their own language capabilities, too. Use phrases like “tell me about…,” “what do you think about…,” or “how do you…,” to encourage a conversation rather than an interrogation. You could even ask silly or funny questions. For example, if they have a favorite toy they bring with them everywhere, ask them what its favorite meal is.  Be aware of the age of the child you’re talking to. For younger children, ages 4-8, try asking them about their favorite activities, movies, or books. For children 9-13, ask them about their friends or if they have any hobbies. Make sure you really listen to their answers to your questions! If you don’t understand what they said, it’s okay to ask them to repeat themselves. When you do understand, elaborate on the conversation by summarizing what they told you. For example, if they tell you that they woke up that morning and went on a walk with their mom and dog, you could say, “So on your walk this morning, did you see any other people walking their dogs?” Encourage them to keep talking! Sometimes kids might feel overwhelmed or insecure around adults or uncertain of whether their stories and information are welcome. Saying “tell me more” shows that you are engaged and want to hear what they have to say. This is also great because it doesn’t ask a specific question but instead lets the child lead the conversation in the direction they want it to go. Are they helping their parents make dinner? Or do they feed the family dog every morning? Do they know how to braid hair? Ask them to show you how to do something—this increases their confidence and gets them talking about something without you having to ask a lot of questions.  They may in turn ask you how you do something—this is a great way to build rapport with children! Try to keep your instructions short and to the point, and show them examples when you can. For example, if you are showing them how to fold towels, show them the first step, have them do it themselves, and then show them the next step, and so on. For example, children ages 4-8, could show you how to play a game or do a craft. Older children could teach you about any of their hobbies, video games, or sports. Be willing to talk about weird or gross things, like bugs or fairies or what they think their fish talk about at night, if this is what the child brings up in conversation. Don’t worry about whether or not the things you are talking about are silly or real, just roll with the conversation! Think back to when you were a child and the things you liked to talk about—chances are you were really invested in different worlds of make-believe, and today’s kids are no different. It may sound counterintuitive, but try ignoring them for a while if they seem standoffish. Talk to the parent, if they are around, or scroll on your phone or read a book, but stay in the same area as the child. Try saying something like, “I’d love to talk with you whenever you’re ready. Until then, I’m just going to talk to your mom, okay?” Let them be, and chances are they will come to you on their own. Let the child set their own boundaries for conversations—if they don’t want to talk, don’t continue to ask them questions—just let them be for a little while.
Summary:
Use their name when you talk to them. Avoid baby talk with children who are no longer infants. Ask open-ended questions rather than “yes” or “no” questions. Say “tell me more” to invite them to open up. Ask them to teach you something. Let the child lead the conversation, and be open to different topics. Don’t try so hard to force a conversation with them.