Freshening pillows and stuffed toys

With winter fast approaching, now is the time to get some "autumn" cleaning done before the weather turns.  Warm sunny days are ideal for washing summer bedding before it's put away and the winter blankets are brought out. It's also a great time to wash pillows and all those stuffed toys the kids have. You can wash them in the washing machine easily if you put them into a pillowcase. Wash on the delicate cycle with a gentle detergent and they will come out smelling fresh and they won't be a matted mess.  To avoid items coming out of the pillowcase during washing, use a hair tidy to close the open end. Choose a windy day and hang on the clothesline to dry.