Herbs seem to work best if they are moved around once in awhile. It brings the oils to the surface of the leaves and releases more of what it is that the pests don't like. Just brushing against a growing plant or stirring up the leaves of a dried one should do it.

1. Basil

Most people know fresh basil is delicious in pesto, tomato based dishes, and salads but did you also know that it is one of the best ways to keep flies out of your house? Just plant basil next to the doors, use as a foundation planting mixed in with your flowers, or plant in containers. The flies will stay far away.  As an added bonus, mosquitoes don't like it either.

2. Bay Leaf

Flies seem to hate the smell of bay leaves.

You can grow bay outside in the summer but you will need to bring it indoors during the winter months. You can buy dried bay leaf at the store if you find you are unable to grow it; the dried variety that you put in stews and soups works as well as the fresh for keeping pests away

3. Lavender

Besides being a beautiful plant that smells wonderful, Lavendar repelles flies as well as mosquitoes. Lavender also repels moths, mosquitoes, and fleas.: - Hang a bundle of it in your closet or lay a few sprigs of it in with the out of season clothes you are storing. - Grind it to a powder and sprinkle it on your pet's bedding. - Grow it in containers on your patio to repel mosquitoes. - Grow it in your kitchen garden to keep rabbits out of your lettuce and spinach.

4. Mint

Mint is repugnant to fleas, ants, flies, and mosquitoes Mint planted around the foundation of your house can keep both ants and mice out of your home. Neither of these pests seem to like the smell and all but the most determined will head to a better smelling yard. You can also place shallow bowls of the dried mint leaves in your pantry to discourage mice..

5. Rosemary

Rosemary is one of my favorite herbs, not only for cooking and grilling but because it has a number of uses medicinally and as a household herb. As it grows it repels flies and mosquitoes.

Herbs were the original household cleaners, disinfectants, and bug repellents. They had been used for thousands of years with good results before humankind came up with toxic chemicals in a can. These herbs are not only better for the environment; they actually improve the environment. Herbs continue to work for you when you have finished with them and discarded them to the compost heap. They enrich the soil and add nutrients. Next time you are tempted to reach for the fly spray, reach for the basil instead.

“The V&A Waterfront now offers guided V&A Waterfront Historical Walking Tours.  These scheduled tours operate on a daily basis, 7 days a week, and depart from Chavonnes Battery Museum at 11:00.  Please book in advance to avoid disappointment.  The tours offer visitors a chance to step back into the history of the Cape Town Harbour, the making of the V&A Waterfront and where we are today.  Historical points of interest include:  historical Clock Tower, Robertson Dry Dock (one of the oldest of its kind in the world), Timeball Tower, Breakwater Prison Treadmill and prison markings on the wall, Breakwater Secret Tunnel.  The tour takes about 45 minutes to an hour, depending on visitor interest and  photo stops.

 We are extremely excited about this new offering and would like to encourage visitors to take a step back into the history with us and experience the historical sights that our wonderful city and harbour has to offer.

 Please find attach a press release on this new offering, a copy of the brochure as well as a direct link to our website (http://www.waterfront.co.za/Pages/VandAWaterfrontHistoricalWalkingTours.aspx). 

 You are welcome to contact the V&A Waterfront Information Centre on 021 408 7600 or info@waterfront.co.za for additional information.”

 The V&A Waterfront, Cape Town  is definitely worth a visit to all, from locals to tourists alike.

" Hospitality should be reserved for guests, not for pests, but in summer this is easier said than done. Cockroaches, ants, flies, rats, mice, bedbugs and fleas can cause damage to health and reputations if guest house owners fail to follow a simple set of rules. Quality assurance manager for Rentokil, Deena Govender, says the following measures should always be kept in mind: Train staff on how to look for and identify the major pests and remind them of the diseases that pests may carry. The oriental rat flea transmits bubonic plague and endemic (murine) typhus to humans and pets, while mice and rats are associated with salmonella and leptospirosis. Leptospirosis infects most animals but particularly rodents, which excrete live, fully virulent organisms in their urine and thus contaminate the environment. Apart from these health dangers, small rodents can also cause huge structural damage. Insecticide aerosols can be kept handy for treating small infestations immediately but be mindful of their potential harm to humans and pets. Use protective gear when applying them and ensure that no pesticides are left lying around. They should be properly labelled and locked away from food. Govender also recommends more permanent preventative measures which every guest house owner should put into operation.

• Keep all doors and windows closed as much of the time as possible.

• Make use of insect screens on doors and windows.

• Seal all gaps, openings, cracks and crevices in the building and keep the premises clean and tidy.

• Rotate stocks regularly.

• Vacuum clean carpets on a daily basis and wash bedding in hot water.

 Those who believe that prevention is better than cure will call in a professional pest control operator.   Govender explains why. “It will give guest house owners peace of mind to know that pest infestations will be prevented or treated as soon as they are detected. We use operators who do regular inspections and are trained to apply chemical treatments only when necessary. This ensures maximum protection with a minimum use of dangerous pesticides.”

Here are a few basic energy saving tips, if you, as the guesthouse owner, and your staff follow these basic tips you will save hugely on your monthly electricity bill.  Start by educating your staff on energy saving.

1.  Fix dripping taps. A small drip from a hot water tap can cost you around R610 per year.
2. Insulate your water pipes and wrap your geyser in a geyser blanket.
3. You can reduce your hot water use even further by installing energy and water saving shower heads.
4. Turn your geyser down to 60°C and be sure to switch it off when not in use.
5. When using small quantities of water, like for washing your hands; use cold water if hot water is not necessary.
6.  Traditional round, incandescent light bulbs are not at all energy efficient. Incandescent bulbs waste most of their energy producing heat and only produce light as a by-product. 
7. Switch the lighting in your home to Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs). These lamps will help you to consume about 80% less electricity and, as a bonus, will last up to six to eight times longer than traditional light bulbs.
8.  Simply switching off lights in unoccupied areas is one of the simplest ways of reducing your monthly electricity costs.
9. Install movement sensors on your security lights instead of leaving a light burning all night.

10.  Use solar powered lights in your garden. They’re easy to install, make attractive features and rely completely on energy from the sun.

11.  There are appliances in your home that use electricity even while they’re remotely turned off! We call them ‘vampire appliances’. These are appliances that have a standby (a non-operational mode). Sitting in standby mode still uses up to 50% of the electricity that the appliance would normally use. Appliances such as TVs, VCRs, home entertainment systems and computers all consume power, while not performing their primary function.

12.  When you cook in the oven, always ensure that the oven door is kept closed until the food is done. Constantly opening and closing the oven door dissipates heat and energy is wasted in reheating the oven. Make sure that all the plates and reflectors on your stove are clean and that the pot or pan you’re using completely covers the stove plate. That way all the energy is being used to cook the food. Hot plates retain heat, so turn off the stove before you’ve finished cooking. It won’t affect your food, only your electricity bill.

13.  When you use the kettle, remember to boil only as much water as you need.

14.  Don’t open the door to your fridge unnecessarily and you won’t use extra energy keeping the fridge cool. Let hot food cool down before putting it in the fridge, defrost your freezer regularly and don’t make it work too hard by filling it to the brim, and you will save energy.

15.  Insulate your ceiling. It has been proven to reduce the amount of energy needed to heat or cool rooms. In uninsulated homes, approximately 40% of heat loss takes place through the roof.

Table Mountain is in the running to become one of the New7Wonders of Nature, but this South African attraction is falling behind!

The New7Wonders will be announced on November 11, 2011 and we need your help to ensure our place in the history books.

I, myself, have personal experience travelling the world and trying to reach all of the 7 Man Made Wonders of the world.  These keep changing, so I find myself having to travel to more countries. I am not complaining, mind you.  In fact I have had some of the most amazing experiences of my life in this endevour.    If  Table Mountain is made one of the New 7 Wonders of the World, this will put our beautiful country, South Africa, more on the map and bring in more tourism, which in turn will benefit our country.

Please help in this campaign.  In order to do so, go to http://www.votefortablemountain.com

Time is running out and each vote counts.

Recycling Tip: 

Cooking oil should never be dumped in the kitchen sink or in the toilet bowl. Put oil in a sealed non-recyclable container and dump it with your regular garbage.  Cooking oil can be recycled. It can be used to produce soap  and biodiesel.

Please keep posted for more recycling tips.  All guesthouses and accommodation establishments should take this seriously and do your part in helping out.

Before You Start:

There are a few things to consider so that the cleaning will be finished quickly as possible.

• Check your cleaning supplies.
• Assemble your supplies and put them in a bucket to take with you when you clean. Items such as cleaning rags, all purpose cleaner, glass cleaner, cleaning rags, feather duster, disinfectant, and furniture polish. If you are interested in ‘going green’, Kerry of Better Earth www.betterearth.co.za has an amazing range of household products.
• Get rid of the junk. Hold a garage sale. De-clutter your guesthouse and garage to turn trash into cash or think charity, there are many charity shops that will be more then grateful to you if you drop off your unwanted goods, from old clothes to books to household goodies. 
• Pick a week and start your spring cleaning.
• Make a list: Make a list of all things you would like to replace, fix or give to charity, and prepare a budget if necessary.
• Open the doors let the fresh air in: open all the doors, let the fresh air in, start some music and start working in the room.

Take it one room at a time

A common mistake that people make when spring-cleaning is moving randomly around the house.  Try to clean methodically from room to room.  This will conserve your energy and ensure that nothing gets missed out.

Clean your curtains

In order to prolong the life of your curtains and keep them looking as good as new, curtains need cleaning at least once a year.  You will be able to clean and iron most curtains, if the fabric is washable at the guesthouse.  It is important to release the pleats or gathers if curtains are gathered at the top and look for mildew.  Mildew often happens when the curtains rest against damp windowsills or against patio doors, so please remember to wipe down sills and windows frequently.

Rescue your carpets

Carpets accumulate a lot of dust, dirt and even fungi over time, this is unhygienic, unsightly and can be a potential health hazard.  Most of carpet dirt is loose and can be removed with regular vacuuming. To tackle those really stubborn bugs and stains, it's well worth hiring professional steam-cleaning equipment for a day.

Get your duvet dry-cleaned

Duvets should be cleaned at least twice a year. Now's the perfect time to do it, as you switch between Winter and Summer duvets.   Domestic washing machines are generally too small to clean duvets effectively.  Professional dry-cleaning is more likely to kill of dust mites and the allergens produced by them.

Clean your oven

If your oven is in desperate need of a clean after all of the Winter roasts, here is a useful tip to make life easier.  Mix some bicarbonate of soda into a thick paste, then smear it inside your oven - including the door - and leave for a few hours or overnight. Then you simply wipe it away with a damp sponge. No chemical cleaners required!

Clean out your pantry and kitchen cupboards

Remove everything from your cupboards and drawers, and vacuum them thoroughly inside and out, then wash the insides with soap and water. Moths and cockroaches love to eat, mate and lay eggs in dark, dusty, undisturbed corners.

Store away your winter blankets and bedding

Always wash or dry-clean your winter blankets and bedding before putting them into storage. Moths feed on the proteins in wool - and they especially love the food, skin and hair particles left behind. Store out-of-season blankets and bedding in cotton, breathable bags - never in plastic, as this can attract dust and condensation.

Think charity

Do your bit for good causes by donating any clothes, books, blankets, sheets, towels etc that you haven't used in the past year. Remember, charities will also be glad of books, music, films and home accessories. E.g:  www.ruralchild.org.za

Get your windows squeaky-clean

Now the sun is shining, it's time to get that natural light flooding through your windows.  Here’s a useful cleaning tip: Use  a spray bottle to mix together 1tsp washing-up liquid, half a cup of white vinegar and two cups of warm water. Spray this solution on to your windows and use a soft, dust-free rag to wipe clean.

Now is it time to use your vases and display the beautiful flowers that are in bloom

If your favourite vases have become discoloured with grime and greenery over the winter months, you can give them a new lease of life.  Use a few tablespoons of vinegar and add warm water, let your vases soak a few hours and now they are ready to use.   Buy yourself a bunch of spring flowers as a reward for all that cleaning...

"The cold grip of winter has sent most of us running indoors and away from the torrential down pours, ripe and snowfall, but we are not the only ones. Rats, mice and other rodents are also looking for shelter against harsh conditions. Although many pests go dormant for winter, rodents seek a warmer shelter in order to stay active.

Rodents aren’t picky, they will live anywhere where there’s warmth - be it a house or a commercial building. They search diligently until they find an opening they can squeeze through.

Once they’ve made it inside they will set to work building a nest with any material left unattended to. They need a safe location near food and water, e.g. behind walls, between ceilings and floors and enclosed areas such as cupboards. Rodents mostly hunt during the night and into the early hours of the morning.

Worldwide, rats are considered one of the most destructive pests; they can contaminate food and can cause severe damage to buildings and equipment in warehouses, restaurants, bakeries, guest houses and hotels. The incisor teeth of rodents don’t stop growing, and to wear them down they will gnaw on any available object, woodwork, metal pipes and electrical cables. This in turn can lead to considerable damage and pose a serious fire risk.

The average life-span of a rat is 18 months; young are born about 22 days after mating and are mature and ready to mate by 3 months. During a one-year period, a  female rate can have as many as 6 litters.

Tell tale signs of a rat infestation include droppings near food sources, gnawing, rub marks, tracks, burrows and damage to stored products.

To keep rodents away, make a note of the tips below;

• To prevent squirrels, rodents and other animals from roosting in the eaves or attic, repair and patch any holes or other damage

• Clean out gutters and overhangs, where rodents can also build their nests
• Store yard waste like leaves and moss away from the house prior to disposal. These materials are popular nesting materials
• Keep birdseed in a sealed metal container. Mice can gnaw through plastic and eat seeds.
• Common entry points are around pipes, where small cracks are frequently just large enough for a mouse to squeeze through. Block holes with steel wool.

Visit www.rentokil.co.za for more information, alternatively read their blog deBugged ."

 

"It is shocking to think that a seemingly harmless item such as the office keyboard could pose a bigger health risk that that of a toilet seat. Surprising, but true. The lack of strict health and hygiene protocols for work environments, especially when it comes to food and one’s work station, is the main reason why this has largely gone by unnoticed until now.

With winter in full swing, there will be a steady rise in staff absenteeism due to colds and flu. Added to which the global swine flu epidemic is still on most people’s minds, making it even more important to have a strong focus on creating awareness of overall hygiene practices within the office environment.

 When it comes to your work station and the work environment, the tendency to share the phone and other IT equipment should be avoided, as this is the quickest way to spread germs and bacteria from one person to another.

 “Colleagues should also be discouraged from eating at their desks, as a combination of food morsels, hair and skin build up in keyboard cracks and crevices, promoting bacteria and viruses to spread”, says Rentokil Initial Health and Safety Manager Madelein Massyn.

 For this very reason, Rentokil Initial urges staff not to eat at their desks and to be more cautious of the health risks involved.  Encourage colleagues to take a proper lunch break away from their desks.  This will also reduce the likelihood that pests such as rodents and cockroaches will be attracted by crumbs and dropped food, and germs will be less likely to fester.

 The up-side of this potential health threat is how easy it is to avoid, and to create a hygienic work environment.  Apart from not eating at your desk, food should never be stored at any work station, but rather be kept in a dedicated kitchen area.  Should you drop crumbs, ensure the floor space around you is clear to allow cleaners access.  Bins should contain bin liners to avoid the build-up of food residue which can provide a food source for pests such as cockroaches and rodents.

Surfaces should be kept dry and steer clear of over watering office plants as fruit flies thrive in damp environments.  On a more personal note, you should wash your hands after you’ve touched items exposed to a large amount of germs such as the office copy/fax machine or water cooler.  

It is hard for personnel to clean effectively in phone headsets or under keyboard keys, other than doing the standard short-term surface clean.   To ensure that optimal office hygiene is put in place, a workplace hygiene expert should be contacted.  For more information regarding office hygiene, visit www.initial.co.za "

Theme 2011

Forests-Nature At Your Service-

Forests cover one third of the earth’s land mass, performing vital functions and services around the world which make our planet alive with possibilities.  1.6 billion people depend on forests for their livelihoods.

They play a key role in our battle against climate change, releasing oxygen into the atmosphere while storing carbon dioxide.

On World Environmental day thousands of activities were organized worldwide, with beach clean-ups, concerts, exhibits, film festivals, community events and much more.  Do your part to show how important our forests are to you and make every day world environmental day.

Re-use and recycle!!!