So here it is 2 years later from the first time our dishwasher backed up and I was forced to do a major de-gunking in order to get it running back up to speed.

That was then, this is now...

Today, when I glanced at that basket in the back of our dishwasher, I noticed lots of "black gunk" had built up underneath the basket itself.

There was so much blackness in there, that you could actually tell from a distance that there was some serious build-up going on in there. No water backing up this time, just lots of slimey black gunk.

Here's what I did. (Much the same as last time, with 2 new steps...)

Trying to choose a good cleaner can be a hassle because the store shelves are full of so many different cleaners, and a lot of them basically do the same thing.

Personally, I clean about 200 homes in a year's time -- not including my own home. So I use a lot of cleaning products.

I have tried a variety of different cleaning products, but I usually stick to the ones that I think are the best. 

These household cleaners work the best, in my opinion:

This morning on NBC's Today Show, they were talking about all of the controversy surrounding the numbers on the bottom of plastic bottles. There is a new government report regarding the safety of plastic bottles.

Supposedly, if there's a 3, 6, or 7 inside that little triangle on the bottom of the bottle, then it's not the best kind of plastic that you'd want to be eating or drinking from.

For example, some plastic bottles contain Bisphenol A, a chemical that has been linked to reproductive and fertility problems. Turns out, this may just be the tip of the iceberg...

Since my earlier article describing how I fixed our clogged dishwasher myself was such a hit, I thought I'd offer up a few more great tips for 'fixing' your dishwasher and keeping it running smoothly.

I've collected these through the years from home magazines and consumer product shows on TV...

I was watching HGTV the other day... probably an episode of "I Want That" or something similar. And I remembered seeing an interesting new product called the Purse Pal.

What's cool about it is the fact that not only does it give you a place to put your purse -- so it's always within your sight and up off the floor -- it also gives you a place to put your other things like your hat, your scarf, your gloves, and your shopping bags when you're out & about.

Plus, it's small and compact, so it's easy to tote along whenever you're out shopping or traveling.

That one product intrigued me enough to want to check out HGTV's database of unusual products & ideas.

I found some even better one-of-a-kind items!...

Jim and I are definitely do-it-yourselfers. In our six (plus 1) years of marriage, we have never once called a repairman to our home whenever something broke or stopped working.

Around the house, if something goes wrong, Jim usually has enough handyman skills in him to get us out of practically any jam.

And with my research skills, I'm usually able to point him in the right direction anytime he's unsure about something. I guess we're a pretty good team.

But last week, Jim was out of town -- for a total of 10 days.

Just my luck... on Day 1 the dishwasher decided to quit working!

The water would not drain from the bottom of the dishwasher. The entire tub was FILLED with water... all the way up to the point where the door opens. Ugh!

Believe it or not I managed to fix it myself.

Here's what I did...

Kids, ages 7 to 12 can get a free Lemonade Stand (plus lots of fun "extras"!) to sell lemonade in their own neighborhood!

But you've got to act quickly...

Only 10,000 FREE lemonade stands are being distributed on a first come, first served basis.

...and word is, they started giving them out on the First Day of Summer (June 21st), and they're over half gone already!