Working on our new photo shoot was definitely one of the highlights of my HAVEN journey so far. Turning all of our raw ingredients into these gorgeous vignettes takes so much creativity and effort, but the process yielded many awesome DIY decor ideas that I can't wait to use again. One of my favorite projects was creating faux honeycomb for our Polish shot. 

The texture is so awesome and I could see it working really well at a dinner party as part of the table decor. A few pieces broken onto a charcuterie platter that's served with a local honey would be a really beautiful touch. Here's how we did it!

Before you get started, please note that beeswax is a type of natural fuel, so you're going to want to melt it slowly at a low temperature and monitor its progress at all times, never leaving it unattended. Beeswax is tough to get off of surfaces, so be sure to use tools you don't mind messing up. If you don't have these items, check out your local thrift shop to see if you can source them secondhand. 

You'll need:

• Beeswax
• Pellets are the easiest way to work with beeswax but one ounce blocks are also pretty handy, too.
• Shallow Metal Pan
• Cookie sheets will work best if you want a really large piece.
• Bubble Wrap
• Enough to cover the surface of your pan.
• Parchment Paper
• Cover your work surface and anything you don't want to get waxy.
• Double Boiler
• Crock pots also work really well to melt wax, although it will forever become your wax crock pot so make sure you don't mind. 
• I make my double boiler using a dedicated pot for boiling water and a metal melting pitcher that has a handle I can hang over the side of the pot. The handle helps the pitcher sit in the boiling water without tipping. It's also much easier to pour beeswax from a pitcher, so this is the method I suggest.

We dedicate our new column to a gentleman in Brooklyn just looking to deep clean his kitchen. They're both great questions and good chores for the Spring to do list. They also seem a lot more annoying to fix than they actually are, which is always a nice surprise.

Have your own home project question? Email me at advice@havenclean.com.

Kayce, I need your help on two cleaning projects. First, I have some scorch marks on the bottom of an enameled cast iron skillet. I have tried the scrub and I have scrubbed quite a lot but those stains won't come out. Is all lost?

The steady darkening of the bottom of our favorite pan is definitely one of the most common kitchen annoyances. While I'm in the camp that a little patina on a well-loved pan can actually look great, it's good to keep it down to a minimum so you don't end up with unsalvageable cookware...

As an advice column enthusiast myself, I'm very excited to introduce my own column Kayce Cleans, where I'll be dispensing sustainable tips for cleaning up life's dirty little messes. 

From stubborn stains to grubby partners to pointers for fixing, decorating and organizing your space: give me your home challenge and I'll try to help. Email your questions to advice@havenclean.com. Now let's hit the deck!

Just in time for us to hit the refresh button for Spring, my first column is dedicated to deep cleaning upholstery, dealing with all of Fluffy's fluff and finally getting rid of little things previous tenants leave behind. Fur-st things first...

How can I stay on top of the cat hair? Just any tips whatsoever would be helpful. We Swiffer the place every couple of weeks, but it's just everywhere and we have completely failed to keep up with it.

Furballs! Animals provide so many benefits that totally outweigh the mess they leave behind but, oy, the mess part can be really annoying. The thing that will make the biggest improvement in your life is a really excellent air purifier. Be prepared to spend money ($200-400) on a good one but it'll be a life-changing purchase. Not only will it suck hair and dander out of the air before it lands all over your stuff, it'll also filter allergens, germs, mold, viruses and any unpleasant odors. I can't say enough about the benefits! 

When shopping, you'll want to pay attention to what size room the air purifier is built to filter and if the purifier will require expensive filter replacements. I have a RabbitAir purifier and chose it because it's powerful, incredibly quiet, doesn't require expensive filter replacements and is a nice, streamlined machine. 

On a similar front, a really incredible vacuum can also make the clean-up a million times easier. Dyson vacuums, while expensive, are incredible machines that will impress (and horrify) you by what they pick up. They make a pet-specific model with a variety of de-furring accessories and I've heard very positive feedback about its effectiveness. Also, to help with these larger expenses, check your credit card rewards to see if you can apply your points toward gift cards to places like Home Depot; that's how we got our Dyson and didn't pay a cent extra for it!

Finally, a less expensive life-saver is a special pet fur rake called the Furminator. This thing lives up to its name, as I've seen it take an entire shopping bag full of fur off of one animal. It's a fine-tooth comb that's much different from traditional brushes because it digs very deep into the underfur of the animal and pulls away an incredible amount of loose hair that hasn't been shed yet. Brush your animals once or twice a month and you're going to be shocked what you come away with. That's a TON of fur that won't ultimately end up all over your house!

How do you clean a fabric sofa? Or just, refresh the material a bit?

It can be intimidating to clean a fabric sofa that's had some wear but it's not an unbearable chore and, best of all, no harsh chemicals are needed. Who wants to cozy up to a big patch of Resolve?

First off, deodorize the sofa with lots of baking soda. I like to make a little "shaker" for jobs like this. I place a cup or so of baking soda into a mason jar that has a two-piece lid and add 30 or so drops of my favorite essential oil. Then I top the jar with a square of parchment paper and, using just the rim part of the two-piece lid, press the parchment paper down over the top of the jar and screw on the rim to secure, leaving the paper taut. Shake the baking soda/essential oil mix vigorously to blend.

Then, using a fork, quickly jab decent-sized holes into your parchment paper.

And shake, shake, shake all over the sofa fabric. Remove your cushions and spread the mixture over every square inch, even the innards. Leave for a few hours or even overnight to let the baking soda absorb odor and transfer the oil's scent. Then vacuum well.

Now to clean the fabric. Grab some gentle soap (castile soap is perfect for this) but avoid detergent soaps like those you would use for your laundry, as they're too harsh and don't rinse easily. Mix a couple capfuls of liquid soap (or melt a little bit of gentle bar soap) in a bowl of warm water, making sure it's nice and sudsy. Dip your clean rag into the mixture and wring out excess water. Using some elbow grease, use your soapy rag to work the nap of the fabric well and in every direction, rinsing your rag periodically with clean water from the sink and re-dipping in the soap mixture as you go. This will remove the majority of surface dirt. Finish by rinsing your rag with clean water and go over the couch completely with the damp rag, removing any residual soap.

If you have stubborn stains, trying using a more concentrated mixture of soap and water on the stain. Vegetable glycerine is also an excellent stain solvent and is really easy to find. (HAVEN's castile soap already has vegetable glycerine in it and is effective on greasy fabric stains.) Mix one part soap and one part glycerine with three parts water and dab the solution onto the stain. Let sit for a 10 minutes and dab again with a clean, damp rag to remove stain. Try not to rub the fabric, as it will only push the stain deeper. Once you're satisfied the stain is gone, remove excess moisture by pressing the spot with a dry rag. You can also shake a layer of baking soda over the area to absorb the moisture so it doesn't seep into your sofa cushions and vacuum up baking soda after it dries.

Finally, do one last round of germ-killing and deodorizing. HAVEN's Air & Linen spray is perfect for this task, but if you don't have any on hand, grab a bottle of distilled white vinegar. Top the bottle with a sprayer or decant the vinegar into a clean, dry spray bottle. Spray vinegar over the entire surface of the couch and let it dry. This will remove any lingering odor and bacteria. Don't worry, the smells fades quickly. Now just deodorize and vacuum your sofa regularly so you only have to do small, manageable clean-ups from now on.

Now I think you deserve a big bottle of vino and an at-home movie night, friend!

Side note: I love infusing vinegar with fresh herbs to mask the natural scent of the vinegar. Fresh basil is my favorite. Simply wash and dry a couple handfuls of basil leaves and bruise them to release their scent. Place the bruised leaves and vinegar in a sealed jar for 2-3 days to fully infuse. Strain the leaves and you'll be left with some pretty kickass vinegar that doesn't smell so, you know, vinegar-y.

I have tape that is stuck to my window -- it's been there since I first moved in, and I can't get it off. 

Ah, don't you just love all the little things people leave behind for future renters? When we moved into our place, the previous tenants left us an enormous box of Euro-brand Ovaltine, some other weird, unidentifiable snack food and a six-pack of beer. The beer made up for any annoyance, so I can't complain.

Lucky for you, tape is very easy to remove once you know what to do. My favorite tool for adhesive removal is a heat fun (Typo. Keeping it. A heat gun is fun.) but coming in at a close second is a bottle of any citrus essential oil. Grapefruit is my favorite. Place 3-4 drop of essential oil on a cotton ball and rub the oil over the entire surface of the tape. Let sit for 10 minutes and the tape should easily peel off as the oil breaks down the gummy adhesive.

If any goo is left behind on the window, rub the adhesive with the oil-soaked cotton ball until it's all removed. Wash the oil off your window and, voila, a perfect view!

Note: Essential oils shouldn't be be used undiluted on the skin because they're very potent, so wear some rubber gloves.

Thank you to those readers who submitted these great questions and I look forward hearing more. Feel free to include pictures of your problem project, as I'd love to feature them in a before/after segment.

If you have any helpful hints to add to my tips, please let us hear them in the comments. Thanks for reading!

Are you ready to have your mind blown? If you're like me, what I'm about to tell you is going to make your wallet weep for all the times its shelled out $15, $30, $60+ dollars for a fancy soap, face wash, cream, spot treatment or the millions of other things we're told will stop the hands of time or end skin ailments forever. Then you get home to find there are no miracles, most of it just makes your skin worse.

A little backstory! There's documented evidence that humans across the globe have been using honey for 8,000 years. In some cultures, it was so special it was used as currency. Cleopatra famously took milk and honey baths to stay youthful looking (the pitcher I've decanted my honey into above is a nod to this Queen Bee) and she was definitely onto something because honey is:

• An Antimicrobial & Antiseptic
• Its bacteria destroying properties are so amazing that medical grade honey is becoming widely used to heal wounds in hospitals around the country.

• A Humectant
• Honey draws moisture from the air straight to the skin, making it an excellent moisturizer.

• An Antioxidant
• Antioxidants are responsible for the quick regeneration of tissue and honey is packed with them, so it helps skin stay elastic and better-protected against sun damage.

I only started my honey face washing regimen a couple of weeks ago and am already pretty blown away. My skin feels incredibly smooth and all my little imperfections began to heal after only the first day. Added bonus: I haven't had to use a drop of moisturizer, even though my skin has been bone dry all winter. I know it sounds crazy but the honey really does it all. I'm hoping to retire most of my make-up by Summer and just rock good, clean skin.

The best honey you can use is the least processed kind, ideally raw honey. If you have trouble with acne, Manuka honey is known to have the strongest antimicrobial properties. You could also use regular squeeze bear honey, it's just won't have as high a concentration of the good stuff. You can get the rawest honey available by finding your local beekeeper. Your apiarist might even give you a tour of the miracle happening inside the hive. Bees are a precious resource that are currently in crisis and supporting local beekeepers is a great way to help.

Here are your honey cleansing basics!

• There are a few ways you can use honey on your skin. Ideally, use it twice a day. Straight honey should be used to clean a make-up free face, so I use this once in the morning. Then, I make a simple variation at night to remove make-up, exfoliate or both.
• To make your life easier, have a dedicated bottle of honey for your bathroom. It's no fun slipping and sliding your way to the kitchen mid-shower to grab the honey you forgot. I have sink-side honey in small glass pitcher (topped with a cork to keep out particles), as well as a plastic squeeze bottle of honey for the shower.
• Because honey's so sticky, be sure to keep your hair out of the way if you're washing your face at the sink.
• Remember, you need to use this regimen for two weeks to fully clear your pores and start the see the best results. Don't freak if you see some imperfections popping up, it's just your skin rebalancing and releasing toxins that you're drawing to the surface. Things will calm down.

MORNING RITUAL

Honey Only - Gentle Face Wash

1. Rinse your face well with warm water.
2. Pour a quarter-sized amount of honey into a wet palm and rub hands together to warm honey for application. You'll be surprised how easy it is to manage.
3. Rub the honey over your entire face and massage into skin for a minute or two.
4. Rinse with warm water and finish with a splash of cool water to close pores. 
   

EVENING RITUAL

Honey & Castile Soap - Make-Up Remover

1. Rinse your face well with warm water.
2. In the palm of your hand, add 1-2 drops of unscented Castile soap to a quarter-sized amount of honey. Rub between palms to work up lather (there won't be a ton of lather).
3. Apply to entire face and work in to remove all make-up.
4. Rinse with warm water and finish with a splash of cool water to close pores. 
5. If skin feels dry, briefly wash face again with honey-only and decrease the amount of soap you use on your next wash until you find a good blend. You can also use preservative-free, pure aloe vera gel as a light moisturizer if the honey just isn't doing it for your skin. I haven't had this problem yet, though.

AND / OR

Honey & Grounds - Exfoliator

Every few days, add an exfoliant to your honey-only or honey-soap cleanser. Baking soda, finely ground oats or almonds (grind these yourself in a food processor) and nutmeg (my favorite) are all excellent, gentle exfoliators. 

Nutmeg is especially good if you struggle with acne, as it has a wonderful, fine texture that clears the pores, plus it has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. It's also great for reducing the appearance of scars. We all have a seemingly endless bottle of Nutmeg sitting in our cabinets leftover from the holiday eggnog, right? It smells amazing and feels great, so put your bottle to good use the rest of the year. This narrow-neck bottle makes it easy to shake a little out into my palm but most spice bottles already have built-in shakers.

1. Rinse your face well with warm water.
2. Pour a quarter-sized amount of honey or honey-soap into your palm and sprinkle your exfoliator right on top. Rub between palms and scrub your face well (but using a gentle hand) for a minute or so.
3. Rinse with warm water and finish with a splash of cool water to close pores. 
4. NOTE: If you've used baking soda as your exfoliant, you'll need to balance the pH of your skin afterward with a toner. The best way to do this is to put 3-4 drops of apple cider vinegar on a cotton ball and apply to entire face. Get raw, unfiltered vinegar for best results. It won't smell great at first but quickly dissipates.

ONCE A WEEK OR SO

Honey & Clay - Oil Absorbing Mask

To absorb excess oil and draw out deep impurities, mix your honey with an oil-absorbing clay and apply as a face mask every week or so. Bentonite, Kaolin, Fuller's Earth or French Green Clay will work well in this recipe. Fuller's Earth is best for those looking to treat acne. Most of these clays can be found online at Mountain Rose Herbs or your local health food store. I did these masks twice a week when I first started.

1. To make honey easier to mix, warm it by placing the honey bottle in a hot water bath for 1-2 minutes.
2. Add 1.5 tsp of warmed honey to a glass bowl.
3. Sprinkle 1/2-1 tsp of clay over honey. 
4. Add 1 tsp of warm water and mix all ingredients well. I like to use a soft, wide paintbrush to apply this to my face. It feels so relaxing and any excuse is a good excuse for grown-up face painting.
5. Let mask dry for 15-20 minutes.
6. Rinse with warm water and finish with a splash of cool water to close pores. 

AND / OR

1. Pour a silver dollar sized dollop of honey into palm.
2. Smooth honey in a thin layer over dry face.
3. Leave for 10-15 minutes.
4. Rinse with warm water and finish with a splash of cool water to close pores.

Are you drinking the Koolaid yet?? The best part about this is that it really doesn't cost a thing to try. Rummage through those cabinets, grab your honeypot and let me know how it goes! I'd love to answer any questions or hear about your custom variations in the comment thread...if you can stop licking your fingers long enough to type!

I recently wore my beloved suede clogs out with friends and almost immediately had revelers' spilled drinks sloshing between my toes. This is pretty standard in crowded NYC bars (or any bar, anywhere for that matter) but my heart completely sank when I found this mess waiting the next day.

What. A. Bummer.

Thankfully, no special, chemical-loaded cleaner is required since I found a natural alternative that's 100x easier and, best of all, emits no noxious fumes.

I set to work and grabbed:

• Clean Towels
• A Rubber Eraser
• A Stiff Bristle Brush 

Make sure your rubber eraser is nice and gummy and remove any pencil lead from the surface by rubbing it vigorously over a clean piece of paper. 

Pretty much any natural bristle brush will get the job done, as you just want something that will brush up the nap of the suede and sweep away loose particles. I didn't have a shoe brush, so I improvised with this clean scrub brush and it worked great.

The first part of the process will immediately improve the look of your suede by removing any surface dirt and refreshing the nap of the leather. 

Brush the suede thoroughly with a clean, dry rag. Make sure you rub the suede in many different directions to ensure you're agitating the nap completely and getting all the dirt. Go over stubborn spots a little more vigorously with your cloth.

Step one just reduced my stress level significantly and got off the majority of the spots, leaving all the dirty evidence on my rag.

But there's still plenty of small, set water stains to tackle.

So, out comes the gum eraser.

Rub the eraser in a circular motion over each stain.

Use your bristle brush to remove the eraser rubber and loosened dirt. Repeat on all stains.

And that, friends, is one clean pair of shoes.

Suede, while durable and beautiful, is expensive. This impossibly easy, natural way to clean it will save many an item and many a dollar through the years.

I used HAVEN Polish to clean and condition the wooden soles and now these babies are ready to pound some more pavement.

I must admit that I have a strange love of Before & After pictures. I get pretty nerdy over a good transformation!

What better way to indulge than to show you a few of the ways HAVEN products can can be put to great use around the home.

POLISH is definitely one of the products I use the most. Coconut oil is an incredibly versatile natural ingredient and can shine up scuffed leather, wood (finished and unfinished), painted surfaces, smudges on stainless steel, rubber, car interiors and more. This special formulation restores luster to just about anything -- who knew one bottle could do so much?

SCRUB is also one of those great products that does more than you ever imagined. Just one canister will not only scour and clean just about every hard surface, it also melts tarnish off of copper and brass and adds a sparkle to dull stainless steel with the power of all natural fruit acids.

Check out all the amazing ways you can use each HAVEN products on our PRODUCT GUIDE page!