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* Easily Scratched!

First we have to understand a little bit of background about LCD screens to know why we should be careful when cleaning. LCD stands for Liquid Crystal Display; which has crystal molecules sandwiched under layers of polarized panels. These panels are usually made of "plastic-like" polymer materials, and like any plastics they can be easily scratched or gouged, even by just your fingernails! That's why cleaning LCDs requires special care while cleaning compared to the old glass CRT monitors!

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* What You'll Need

- rubbing alcohol (aka isopropyl alcohol)

- distilled water (not tap water!)

- A soft cloth (lint-free)

* Steps

1. Dilute the rubbing alcohol into a mix with about 50% alcohol and the rest distilled water.

2. Pour this solution into a spray bottle. Old Windex bottles are good as they spray in a mist pattern with just the right amount to get good coverage on your screen. The spray bottles that squirt a single stream tend to drip solution all over the place.

3. Spray the mix onto a soft lint-free cloth. Old t-shirts and microfiber car wash cloths are both good choices. Large cloths are better since it helps to reduce the risk of leaving streaks on the screen from too much pressure.

4. Gently wipe the cloth on the screen in a circular consistent motion. Apply even pressure to the cloth and be careful not to push too hard, or scrape the screen with your fingernails!

* Suggestions

- Costly products that you buy at the "computer screen cleaning" aisle of your local computer store contain the same basic ingredients of alcohol and water! Some even contain other harmful chemicals such as ethylene glycol, which may be ok on older glass CRT monitors, but should NOT be used on LCD screens! Some of the extra chemicals can also be harmful to the environment and to your health.

- Be sure to use Mineral water! Not tap water; you don't want hard mineral spots on your screen.

- Don't use tissue paper; they will leave lint and spots of paper stuck to your monitor. Also they're too thin, risking damage from your fingernails poking through.

- Don't apply too much solution. If you do, just wipe it off with the cloth and use less.

- You can also use lint-free lens wipes from photography stores, but they're thinner so be careful about your fingernails poking through.

- For a cheap ready-made solution from the store, you can also use CD/DVD cleaner, It's already designed to be plastic-safe, and is a simple solution of about 50% isopropyl alcohol.

* Some Precautions

- Don't use Windex or other glass cleaners! These contain ammonia, which is ok for glass, but WILL hurt your LCD screen!

- Try not to use the really cheap paper towels, like the tough brown ones in public washrooms. They can scratch your screen.

- Be sure to shut down your computer and your monitor, then unplug from the wall. This reduces the risk of electric damage in case you spill some of the solution on components.

- Don't drink isopropyl alcohol! It's toxic!

- If you aren't sure, you can test a small corner of the screen first.

Follow the steps and suggestions above, and your trusty LCD monitor should give you years of clean, clear, trouble-free service.

Johnny Waymire is an entrepreneurial enthusiast that has branched into the internet arena with web sites dedicated to helping consumers make wise decisions when purchasing kitchen appliances and flat panel TVs.

When you think of cooking blue crabs you usually think of heaping them into a huge pot and steaming them alive. Even though I worked in a Crab House for years and that is the method we used to cook the crabs, I still come back to cooking them the way I learned growing up. We would clean them while they were alive and then cook them.

Now, to clean a blue crab while it is still alive you have to be very careful that they do not chomp down on your finger with their claws. To avoid this there are two methods that you can use to slow their reflexes.

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1. You can place them in very hot water

2. You can ice them down real good

These two methods will allow you to pick up the crab and not have to worry about being bit.

Cleaning a live blue crab

Once you have them sedated you will need a knife, running water, a huge trash bag and a place to put the clean crabs. Follow these steps to clean the live crab.

1. Lay crab on its back and using the knife remove the apron/abdomen of the crab.

2. Take the knife and insert it through the opening where the apron once was and remove the shell of the crab disposing of it in the trash bag.

3. While rinsing under running water, remove the dead men gills and any guts that were left in the crab, being very careful not to remove any of the white flesh/meat.

4. Usually the face of the crab will come off with the shell but if not be sure to remove the crabs face as well.

5. Do one final rinse under the water and place clean crabs in a bowl and set aside.

With your crabs now clean it is time to cook them.

Cooking blue crabs

Since you know longer have the shell on the crab it takes a lot less time for you to cook the crabs then it normally would. Add water and seasoning (we use J.O. Spice #2 ) to the bottom of the pan and stir. Place lid on the pot and bring it to a boil. Once it starts to boil, place about 10 crabs face down in the juices, cover and let cook for exactly 10 minutes. I like to move them around half way through cooking them to ensure that the juices soak into all the crab's meat.

There you have it! After all that hard work, melt you some butter, get you some vinegar and enjoy your blue crabs.

Audrey grew up on the Chesapeake Bay where her love for Blue Crabs began. Her entire family spends summers together where they clean bushels of crabs and cook them for their annual family "Crab Feast." She has recently taken her love for blue crabs online and you can follow her post, videos, advice and recipes at http://blue-crabs.blogspot.com/

Nobody wants to be taking a shower or a bath, cleaning themselves up, only to look up and see a dirty, scummy shower curtain. Unfortunately, your shower curtain is going to get dirty. Being in such damp conditions and with such soap scum build up - well, you're going to have a dirty shower curtain on your hands. Luckily, there are some things that you can do to clean up your shower curtain.

You can wash your shower curtain in your basic everyday clothes washer. Just use about 1 cup of vinegar and 1 cup of bleach. Then add white towels and a regular amount of your normal laundry detergent and run the machine. Also use some liquid fabric softener. Do not run your machine on hot - plastic shower curtains could melt.

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When you're done washing your shower curtain, do not place it in the dryer (again, it could melt). Instead, simply hang it up in its regular place on the shower rod and let it drip dry.

No matter what your shower curtain is made out of, fabric, vinyl, or plastic, you can stick it in the washing machine with a cup of baking soda instead of bleach and vinegar. It is also a good idea to read the label on your shower curtain to check for any warnings or suggestions.

If you soak your shower curtain in salt water, it will prevent mildew (although, it could leave small crystals on your curtain if you use too much salt). Before hanging shower curtains, soak in vinegar or salt water solutions to prevent mold and mildew. To remove mold and mildew, wash in hot soapy water with a little bit of bleach. For plastic curtains, clean with laundry pre-wash spray. Spray along the top, letting it run down to cover the curtain. Allow it to sit for a few minutes, then rinse it off.

Anne Clarke writes numerous articles for websites on gardening, parenting, fashion, and home decor. Her background includes teaching and gardening. For more of her articles on bathroom decor and cleaning tips, please visit Shower Curtains.