Naturally Healthy: I'm Going to Try Coconut Oil Pulling for a Week

I'm a big fan of natural health remedies. From toothpaste for treating acne to Preparation H on puffy eyes, I'll try anything if I think it will keep me healthy and looking good without using harsh chemicals. From the moment I saw a post about oil pulling, I knew I had to give it a try. That's just how Captain Dapper rolls.

There's this blog post on Fashion Lush about oil pulling that has gotten all kinds of buzz lately. I saw it on Facebook and was drawn in by the name: oil pulling. Is makes me think of taffy pulls. (And taffy pulls make me think of people in ye olde costumes playing tug of war with giant stretchy, sticky, red, tasty taffy. But that's beside the point.) Erica at Fashion Lush purports endless benefits of oil pulling, citing case after case of friends and loved ones who have healed health woes with this all natural remedy.


So what is oil pulling? Basically, you put a spoonful of coconut oil in your mouth, swish it around for twenty minutes and then spit it out. The oil purportedly pulls the toxins out of your mouth, thereby ridding your body of them when you expel it. The oil is said to whiten teeth, prevent cavities, cure hangovers, alleviate allergy suffering and more. As Erica says in her thorough blog post and follow-up comments, you can use other oils, such as a sesame or sunflower. I happened to have coconut oil on hand because I use it for popping popcorn.

So how is oil pulling? Despite the rather disgusted look on my face in the video above, it's not all that bad. The texture is a bit strange and I was reacting to that more than anything. The hard part about keeping the oil in your mouth for twenty minutes is not swallowing. it. But that's key, actually. Although ingesting coconut oil is not harmful (it's actually pretty good for you) if you're swishing it in your mouth to collect the toxins, you certainly don't want to send those toxins down to your tummy. Also, you don't want to spit the oil into your sink. Over time the oil will solidify and mix with hair and you'll have to call a plumber to fix your bummer sink. Spit the oil into a paper towel or directly into the garbage.

I've only tried the treatment once so far. I think I'll try it every day for a week and see what happens. Erica has made it part of her morning routine and swears by the benefits. I don't think morning will work for me so I'll try to introduce it to my bedtime ritual. Stay tuned!

Image and video: Jason Loper

Dapper Duties: Wash Your Windows

As the first snowflakes fell on Chicago last week, I was worried that I had missed my chance to clean the windows at Captain Dapper HQ. Yes, that's right. Captain Dapper cleans his own windows. What can I say? I'm very old fashioned when it comes to household chores.

I wash the windows at Captain Dapper HQ twice per year - once in the spring and once in the fall. Our apartment is on the third floor and has windows that face east and west. The window glass gets covered with all sorts of urban schmutz. Bird poop and street dust and rain spots cover the windows in a layer so thick that the windows take on a gray cast.

Luckily for me, the windows in our apartment tilt inward so they're easy to clean. And although it seems like one of those pain in the ass tasks that gets repeatedly pushed to the bottom of the to-do list, it's actually a fairly quick and painless job. It only takes about thirty minutes to clean all seven windows in the apartment. And that's thirty minutes well spent.

The thing that always surprises me when I clean the windows is how dirty they are on the inside. While I expect the outside of the windows to be covered in a dirty film, I'm always shocked when the inside is too. But with the windows open all summer and with a cat who likes to press her nose against the glass as she gawks out at the birds and squirrels, it's really no surprise that the inside is almost as dirty as the outside.

Here's my fool proof method for cleaning windows:

• Skip the glass cleaner and fill a bucket with water and dish soap. Yes, dish soap. It gets your drinking glasses clean and clear, right? It does the same for windows.
• I've saved old bath towels that I've cut into 12" x 12" squares to use as rags. These are perfect for cleaning windows. Drop one in the soapy water and have two more dry rags on hand.
• Starting with the outside of the windows, wash the glass with a wet, soapy rag. You may have to use a little elbow grease to remove any dried bits (ahem, bird poop) from the glass.
• Immediately follow up by drying the glass thoroughly with a dry rag. 
• Repeat on the inside of the glass. Be sure to wash the pane and sash as well.

Pretty easy, right? So now you have no excuse not to clean your windows! Throw on some tunes this weekend and boogie around your house while you wash your windows. Then spend the rest of the day marveling at how clean and clear your view outside is.

Image: Jason Loper

Captain Dapper Loves Bulkr: How to Download All Your Flickr Pics

Captain Dapper has been saving photos to Flickr since June 2008. In that time I've uploaded almost 6,000 photos to the photo sharing site. I started using Flick as way to promote the line of handbags I was producing at the time. As I would shoot photos of new bags, I would add them to my Flickr photostream and tag them to get more eyes on them. Then I started added shots of Chicago and photos of my home projects and tagging them as well. Flickr proved to be an effective way to get more eyes on my designs and websites.

Over the years my use of Flickr has changed. While I started out using the site to promote my photos and blogs, it eventually became a repository for all of my mobile images. As cell phone cameras improved, I used Flickr to back up my digital photos. Some apps, like Instagram, even provide a direct upload to Flickr. If you follow me on Instagram, you know I'm a prolific picture taker. So it should really come as no surprise to me that I have amassed almost 6,000 photos in my Flickr account. And yet when I saw that number, I thought WHOAH! My next thought: I need to download all of those photos! Now that Flickr has changed how Pro accounts work, it's feels even more important to download all of my images off the site.

And that's where Bulkr comes in. Bulkr is a free downloadable app that allows you to easily backup and download all of your Flickr photos. Like ridiculously easily back up. After downloading the app, I plugged in my Flickr log-in info and got the screen that shown above. This gave me the option of downloading my entire photostream or even scrolling through my sets and favorites just as I would on Flickr. Now, downloading 5,728 photos was not a fast process. It did take quite awhile for all the images to be saved to a file on my computer but the process was totally seamless and easy.

*I was not paid to endorse Bulkr. Like everything that I post here on Captain Dapper, I am simply passing along info about the things that make life easier and more lovely.

Image: Jason Loper

8 Things to Do at Home Before Cold Weather Arrives

With Labor Day weekend behind us, there's no denying that summer is coming to a close. Soon we'll be huddling around bonfires and drinking hot cider as we begin to nest for winter. Before we hole ourselves up in our homes, let's get them prepared. Use the waning days of summer to get your home in shape and you'll be able to enjoy hot toddies in peace.

1. Clean your windows. In a few months you'll be huddling inside your home, looking out your windows and wondering why you didn't clean them before it was too cold. Wash your windows now and enjoy a clear view all fall and winter long.

2. Air out your mattress. If you're able to, pull your mattress outdoors and let it sit in the sun for a couple of hours. This will no only give your mattress that fresh outdoor smell, the sun will also help kill the little dust mites and other creep crawlies that live in it. If you don't live in a place where you can leave your mattress sitting outdoors, pull off the bedding and mattress pad, throw open the windows and let the mattress air out.

3. Launder your duvet and pillows. Now that your mattress is feeling fresh, don't forget the duvet and pillows. Many pillows and duvets can be machine washed and then thrown into the dryer on a low setting. To help the pillows fluff up, throw a few tennis balls into the dryer too. You can also have your pillows and duvet professionally dry cleaned.

4. Clean your radiators/vents. This is a good time to get your radiators and heat vents cleaned before they're too hot to handle. For radiators, use a vacuum with a crevice tool or a long feather duster to clean between the pipes. For vents, have a professional service clean your duct work.

5. Wash your curtains. You've had your windows open all summer so chances are your curtains have collected dust and debris. Wash your curtains before you close up your home for the upcoming cold weather season. If you wash your curtains while it's still warm enough to have windows open, you can re-hang them while they're still a little wet and let the fresh air and sunshine do the rest.

6. Have your rugs cleaned. You've spent the summer running in and out of the house, tramping all sorts of things inside in the process. If you use area rugs, send them out to be cleaned. If you have wall to wall carpeting, have it professionally shampooed or rent a shampooer and DIY it. Do it now while you can still have doors and windows open to help the carpeting dry.

7. Have your fireplace prepped. One of the best things about cold weather is having a crackling fire in the fireplace. It's a good idea to have your chimney swept once a season. Or, at the very least, burn a fireplace cleaning log.

8. Check your smoke detectors. Between using the fireplace, heating up the oven more often and burning candles, your home is one big fire hazard. Make sure you'll be alerted to an emergency by checking your smoke detector batteries.


Image: Jason Loper

Everything You Wanted to Know About Men's Shoes A Guide to Men's Shoe Styles

A note to Captain Dapper's gentleman readers (and the ladies - and gentlemen - who help dress them):

People notice your shoes. If you think that people don't look at your feet because they're down there on the ground, you're wrong. Everybody looks at your feet. When you're walking down the street, people look at your feet. (I'm totally going to write that line into a song.) When your standing at a party having a conversation, that person is probably going to look down at your feet. Whether you're wearing a suit, jeans or shorts, wearing the right shoes at the right time can elevate your look substantially.

When I came across this great infographic, I knew I had to share it. In one simple-to-bookmark graphic, you can get a great little compendium on men's shoes. From boat shoes to oxfords, this guide helps you identify shoe styles and when to wear them. It also points out when you can skip the socks, weather conditions most appropriate for each style and a few helpful tips about care and fit.

Check out the full infographic (and a tirade about sandals and pedicures) after the jump:

Dapper Duties: 5 Tips for Getting Free House Sitting

Captain Dapper wants you to get away ... and find some free house sitting while you're gone.

Going away on a vacation can be stressful. If you have pets, finding someone you trust to stay with them can seem totally daunting. And even without pets, the worry of leaving your home empty can take all the fun out of going away in the first place. Of course, you can hire a house or pet sitter but before you take that step, follow this advice for getting free house sitting.

1. Ask a friend who works from home. I've been working from home for the past three years so I love any opportunity for a change of scenery. When my friend put out a call for a house sitter, I volunteered right away. This gives me a new place to work during the day and gives her piece of mind that someone is hanging out with her kitty and keeping her home safe and sound.

2. Use your home's amenities to tempt a potential house sitter. My friend's "house" is actually a condo in a lakefront high rise with underground parking, a swimming pool and a gym. All she had to do was dangle these perks in front of me and, like a dog with a treat, I was practically begging to stay here.

3. Offer a house sitter free food and beverage. They say the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. The same can be said for house sitters. Offering full use of a stocked fridge and mini-bar may net you a free house sitter.

4. Ask your out of town friends if they'd like a mini vacation. If you live in a major city, you may have a friend who would be willing to stay in your home just for the vacation. The same can be said if you're in the suburbs or country - one of your city friend might enjoy the break from city life.

5. Appeal to friend and family with roommates. If you have a younger sibling who shares an apartment with roommates, they may be willing to house sit for the peace and quiet of living alone. This also works for friends with spouses and those who still live with their parents.

Of course, you'll want to choose your house sitter wisely. That friend who always loses his keys or seems to be perpetually surrounded by drama may not be the best house sitter. Stick with friends you know to be reliable and trustworthy.

Image: Jason Loper

Dapper Duties: How to Shine Your Shoes

Captain Dapper is a sucker for a nice pair of shoes. And he likes to keep them looking nice, too.

Shoe shine pros: It will keep your shoes looking new longer. It can revive and refresh old shoes. It protects the leather from snow, ice and city grime. It provides maximum benefit with minimal effort.

Shoe shine cons: It will make you nostalgic for your grandfather. It may trigger an out of body experience as you flashback to your past life as a shoeshine boy/girl.

Here's a little shoe shine tutorial to get you started.

Shoe Shine Supplies:

• Saddle soap
• Neutral shoe polish
• Color shoe polish (optional)
• Soft brush
• Rags

1. Use a wet rag to clean excess dirt and dust from your shoes. Be sure to clean around the area where the leather meets the sole. You'll also want to clean around the outer edge of the heel.

2. Open your tin of saddle soap. Saddle soap conditions and protects the leather while also giving them a thorough cleaning. Using a wet rag, rub the saddle soap until it begins to lather. Apply a thin layer of saddle soap to your leather shoes. With a damp rag, wipe any remaining saddle soap from the shoes and then allow them to dry.

3. If your shoes have scratches or deep scuffs in the leather, you can use a color-matching shoe polish to help cover them. While scuffed and dirty, the leather on the shoes I'm polishing here are in pretty good shape so I skipped this step.

4. Using a dry cloth, apply a thin layer of neutral shoe polish to your shoes. Shoe polish not only shines your shoes like they're brand new, it also helps protect them from water, salt and other potentially damaging elements. This is especially important in the winter, when you're tramping through snow and slush. Allow the polish to dry for a few minutes.

5. Use a soft bristle brush to buff the polish on your shoes. This removes excess polish while also giving your shoe a nice new sheen.

The shoe on the left has been buffed with the brush - the shoe on the right is covered with polish and awaiting its buffing.

And that's it! In just five simple steps, you've given your shoes new life. Be prepared for people to ask you, "Are those new shoes?" You can lie if you want to. "Why, yes, I just got them." No one needs to know that you're stretching your dollars with last year's shoes. Or you can put on your self satisfied face and tell them that you shined your old kicks because you're a money-saving style setter who appreciates quality over quantity. It's totally up to you.

Images: Jason Loper

Dapper Duties: Why I Hang My Clothes to Dry

Captain Dapper takes his laundering very seriously.

Laundry day around Captain Dapper HQ usually looks something like this. Shirts and pants hang from shelving, curtain rods and hooks all over the apartment. If I had outdoor space, I would definitely have a clothes line but, lacking that, spreading the clothes around the apartment works.

I do have a dryer, mind you. In fact, I only hang some of my clothes to dry. Underwear, t-shirts, socks and the like all get tossed into the dryer, along with household items like towels and bedding. Shirts, pants, jackets - they all skip the trip through the dryer. I started doing this for a couple of reasons. First, it's gentler for the clothes. I avoid a lot of the shrinkage and fading caused by the heat of the dryer. Second, I end up with clothes that don't require additional ironing before wearing.

There's a trick to that, though. Notice I said they don't require additional ironing. When I take the shirts and pants out of the washing machine, I run a hot iron over them while they're wet. This get the wrinkles out of them with minimal effort. Then I put the clothes on hangers and place them where they'll dry. Once dry, they're neat and clean and ready to wear.