TORONTO - When Drake wanted a pair of new fur coats to celebrate his birthday and graduation, the homegrown hip-hop star and unabashed Toronto booster turned to hometown designer Farley Chatto to outfit him in high-end style.

"Believe it or not he's a regular client, we do a lot of work with him," the affable Chatto said during a recent interview at Four Seasons Fur, where he is designer-in-residence.

He recommended Drake select a silver fox fur — reminiscent of styles worn by the rapper's music industry peers — and Russian broadtail and chinchilla for "pure luxury."

"Sure enough, he bought them both, wore them out in the city, and then wore them on 'Saturday Night Live,'" said Chatto, referring to Drake's recent stint on the sketch series as host and musical guest.

"It's nice to see a Canadian promoting fur."

When Chatto makes his return to the Toronto runway at World MasterCard Fashion Week on March 20, the showcase will feature luxury furs including mink, fox and chinchilla.

Chatto said items in the collection will range from $4,000 to $20,000 — the price for a Russian broadtail trimmed with Barguzin sable, which he described as the "top end" of the sable family.

If there are no interruptions, Chatto said it takes a little over a week to create one coat from start to finish, from prepping the skins to lining the garments. With a staff of around 10 people, Chatto said Four Seasons Fur is considered the largest Canadian fur manufacturer, with coat production numbering "easily in the hundreds."

Chatto said his last official show in 2008 featured menswear. After seeing others incorporate bits and pieces of fur in their lines, he was motivated to return to the catwalk to show a full fur collection.

"Because Canada was founded on the fur industry, I thought what better way for: a) for me to come back — not that I was away — on the runway, and, b) to bring fur back to where it used to be — to its prominence.

"Fur is a beautiful, natural resource, and working in new shapes and new cuts, it definitely needed to be on the runway. Sometimes, it just loses it in a lookbook or a simple showroom setting."

Sewing since he was 10 and in business for 26 years, the eternally youthful 44-year-old said menswear, tailoring and bespoke remain his main loves. But his interest in fur dates well back to his time in school.

While he still creates ready-to-wear garments, Chatto said the market has become "soft" and "oversaturated." He has been working with Four Seasons Fur for the past several years and owner Angelo Papaevangelidis invited him to move in to the workspace.

Chatto works with Origin Assured furs, which means he can guarantee all furs are from North America or European countries that follow OA standards. Developed by the International Fur Trade Federation, furs bearing the OA label ensure that the garment is sourced from a country where local or national regulations or standards governing fur production are in place.

Despite the presence of such protocols, animal rights organizations like the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals remain steadfastly opposed to the use of real fur in fashion. PETA will have representatives in attendance at World MasterCard Fashion Week, with details for their specific plans to be provided closer to their event date, a media liaison said in an email to The Canadian Press.

"PETA does frequently visit fashion weeks around the world to let attendees know that animals are not ours to wear, and that there are fantastic options for people who want to be stylish and cruelty-free, and those options do include faux fur, faux leather, wool alternatives," said Ashley Byrne, a New York-based campaign specialist for the group.

Chatto said that fur is "the most green of all materials" and contends that the use of so-called "fun fur" is more damaging to the environment due in part to being a petroleum-based product.

"In order to get to make your fun fur, it's mined, so therefore the Earth is stripped. And in order to do that, it's processed. That means chemicals, pollutants go into the waters, into the air, into the land, and then to produce your garment," said Chatto. "After you're done wearing it, it gets thrown into the landfill and 200, 300 years later it stays exactly the same.

"Meanwhile, you buy a fur coat from me where the animals are treated humanely, their remains are usually left out in the wild for the other species to eat. It's like the circle of life, they actually have a source of food. And generation after generation, the coats are passed down. Coats can last up to 50, 60 years. They can be reworked and remodelled."

Byrne disputes the notion that the creation of faux fur is more environmentally harmful, saying that it takes "more than 15 times the energy" to produce a farmed fur coat than a synthetic faux coat.

Despite the controversy that continues to swirl around its use, many consumers continue to snap up fur garments — and not just within Canada. Chatto said they have sent coats to Hong Kong and London and worked with clients in the Middle East.

Chatto says their male clientele has "increased dramatically, with Drake a case in point.

"Wearing fur again, maybe (it's) not as a full coat for some of them. Whether it's a collar, whether it's a scarf or maybe wearing a vest, they're back in — and the younger, the better."

— Follow @lauren_larose on Twitter.

SAN FRANCISCO - Web surfing through the Internet's main gateway now looks slightly different on personal computers, thanks to a few cosmetic changes to Google's search engine this week.

The tweaks to the way Google's search results appear on desktop and laptop computers mirror a makeover on smartphones and tablets introduced a few months ago.

The new presentation increases font sizes and removes the underlines below the blue links of each search result on PCs. Ads appearing along the top and the right-hand panel of the results page no longer are presented in boxes shaded in blue and yellow. The marketing pitches are now marked by small ad tags to distinguish them from the rest of the results.

Google Inc. rolled out the new design on PCs with little fanfare, even though it will be seen by almost everyone who searches for information on personal computers. That's because Google processes about two out of every three search requests made on PCs.

The company's lead search designer, Jon Wiley, announced the makeover Wednesday with a post on his Google Plus page.

The changes are meant to make it easier to scroll through Google's search results and present a "cleaner look," Wiley wrote in his post.

Google's decision to transfer a design originally tailored for mobile devices to PCs also underscores the company's increasing emphasis on smartphones and tablets.

"Improving consistency in design across platforms makes it easier for people to use Google search across devices, and it makes it easier for us to develop and ship improvements across the board," Wiley wrote.?

Google, based in Mountain View, Calif., didn't immediately respond Thursday to requests for further comment about the new look.

As with any redesign of a popular Internet service, some users were expressing their dismay and frustration with Google's new search design on PCs. There were also compliments mixed in with the complaints on Twitter's short-messaging service and the comments section below Wiley's Google Plus post.

The main gripes about the makeover seemed to centre on the larger and different font and the lack of colour on the results page.

Google, though, typically faces much louder protests when its engineers complete a radical overhaul of the formula that determines rankings of search results. Those revisions can dramatically reduce the traffic of websites exiled to the back pages of the search results after a new formula is introduced.

In this case, Google is tinkering with the style of the search results, and not the substance.

NEW YORK, N.Y. - Devices that let you watch Netflix and other streaming video services on a big TV screen are popular, but there are limits to what you can watch.

NBC, for instance, didn't make its Olympics apps compatible with Roku, Apple TV and Google's Chromecast. With HBO Go, Comcast subscribers can use Apple TV but not Roku, while it's the other way around for Charter's customers. And with all of these devices, you need an $8-a-month Hulu subscription to watch what you can get for free using desktop computers.

The Internet is the Internet. It shouldn't matter what gadget you're using. But content providers worry that if they make the video streaming experience too much like regular TV, they'll discourage people from watching old-fashioned commercial and pay TV.

So I'm pleased to find a legal way around these restrictions with a new device called the Chromebox.

AsusTek Computer Inc. will start selling it March 28 at a starting price of $179. A version with a faster processor and support for ultra-high-definition video, also known as 4K, will be available in April for $369. That model includes a wireless keyboard and mouse; otherwise, the package is sold separately for $50.

To call the Chromebox a streaming device does it injustice. It's a full-powered desktop computer running Google's Chrome OS system. I'll get into the pros and cons of that later.

You can connect the Chromebox to a standard monitor just like any other desktop. Like other newer desktops, the Chromebox also has an HDMI port to connect to high-definition TVs. That makes it tempting to turn the Chromebox into a streaming device.

With most streaming devices, you need apps for individual services such as Netflix and HBO Go. If there's no app for that service, you can't watch it on the big screen for the most part. That's one of the big shortcomings with Google's Chromecast streaming device. Even though it's just $35, the list of services it supports is paltry.

By contrast, Chromebox works just like any other computer. As long as you can watch something in a Web browser, you can watch it on the big screen.

You can technically do that with any desktop computer if it has an HDMI port or if you get an adapter. Mac computers also have a feature called AirPlay to mirror the display through an Apple TV and your Wi-Fi network.

But those computers typically cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars. The Chromebox is just $80 more than a Roku 3 or an Apple TV, and it lets you watch —and do— much more.

I've managed to use the Chromebox to watch plenty of free Hulu offerings, replays of Olympics figure skating and some shows from ABC Family, a channel otherwise unavailable on streaming devices. Video is sometimes jerky and the audio sometimes out of sync, but that's something I get on other devices, too.

As I mentioned earlier, Chromebox is much more than a streaming device. Because it runs Google's Chrome OS, it comes with a Google's Chrome Web browser and numerous apps for Google services, including Gmail, Google Maps, YouTube and Hangouts chats. You can get apps for non-Google services, too, but not as many as you'd find for Windows and Mac computers.

Chrome OS is ideal for those who use a lot of Google services or can otherwise get what they need over a Web browser. That includes research for homework, checking Facebook and using Web-based email.

If you need professional apps such as Adobe's Photoshop or Microsoft's Office, look elsewhere. The tools available with Chrome OS are adequate for basic functions, but they aren't robust.

Another shortcoming of Chrome OS is its need for a constant Internet connection. Many apps don't work well or at all without that. That's more of a problem with Chrome OS laptops meant for use outside the home. You should never need to separate your Chromebox from the Internet.

Chromebox also has a new Chrome OS feature that lets you create supervised log-ins for your kids. You can choose to block certain sites or permit surfing of only pre-approved sites. You can also see a list of what your kid tried to visit.

Unlike parental control software from outside parties, Chrome OS doesn't try to impose a default list of approved or banned sites. It requires more work to configure, but it lets parents decide what's appropriate.

Chromebox works nicely as a secondary computer that family members share.

Besides the dual display ports, Chromebox has four USB 3.0 ports for printers and other peripherals, a slot for camera memory cards and an Ethernet port for wired Internet connections. It also has Wi-Fi, but not the newer, faster type known as 802.11ac.

My one complaint: You'll have to decide whether you want to use the Chromebox as a general-purpose computer or as a streaming device.

I recommend getting the wireless keyboard and mouse for streaming. Otherwise, the keyboard and mouse would be physically attached to the Chromebox, which sits closer to the TV than to you.

But that setup doesn't work well for general computing. I find text too small to read on a 42-inch TV that's 8 or 10 feet away. For general computing, you'll want a smaller screen and you'll want to be closer to it. But then it's no different from watching streaming video on a regular computer.

Of course, the Chromebox is cheap enough that you can buy two. But if you have to choose, consider this: There are plenty of other desktops for general computing, but few affordable enough to use just for streaming.

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Online:

http://promos.asus.com/us/chrome-os/chromebox

The trouble with sweet-and-sour chicken is that the flavour is mostly sweet — too sweet, at that — and weirdly acidic. It never seems to deliver on the satisfying balance of gently sweet and teasingly sour that I hope for.'

But a recipe in a British food magazine recently inspired me to create a better version. The recipe in BBC GoodFood magazine was for caramel chicken wings, though I wasn't much interested in the wings themselves. It was the caramel-based sauce that intrigued me. Spiked with ginger, lime juice and fish sauce, it seemed just right for what I wanted.

The result is deliciously sweet, but equally tangy and savory. Be warned: This isn't the gloopy red sweet-and-sour with pineapple and cherries you know from the takeout box. It is much better.

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SWEET-AND-TANGY CARAMELIZED CHICKEN THIGHS

Start to finish: 30 minutes

Servings: 6

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup fish sauce

2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

Juice of 1/2 lime

1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil

3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch strips

Scallions, thinly sliced, to garnish

Fresh cilantro, chopped, to garnish

In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar and water. Bring to a simmer and cook without stirring for about 10 minutes, or until the sugar has browned and thickened to caramel. Stir in the fish sauce, being careful of sputtering, then the soy sauce, ginger and lime juice. Return to a simmer.

Meanwhile, in a large saute pan over medium, heat the oil. Add the chicken and cook, stirring often, for 20 minutes, or until cooked through. When the chicken has cooked, use a slotted spoon or tongs to transfer the chicken (but none of the liquid in the pan) into the caramel sauce. Toss to coat the chicken with the sauce, then transfer it to a serving platter. Top with scallions and cilantro.

Nutrition information per serving: 400 calories; 170 calories from fat (43 per cent of total calories); 19 g fat (5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 150 mg cholesterol; 14 g carbohydrate; 0 g fiber; 13 g sugar; 42 g protein; 1260 mg sodium.

(Recipe adapted from the November 2013 issue of BBC GoodFood magazine)

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J.M. Hirsch is the food editor for The Associated Press. He blogs at http://www.LunchBoxBlues.com and tweets at http://twitter.com/JM_Hirsch . Email him at jhirsch@ap.org

MEDFORD, Mass. - Colleges are paying students to take a year off after high school to travel, volunteer or do internships so that students of all income brackets can benefit from "gap years."

A new program at Tufts University and existing ones at a handful of other schools aim to remove the financial barriers that can keep cash-strapped students from exploring different communities and challenge their comfort zones before jumping right into college.

The gap year program starting this fall at Tufts will pay for housing, airfare and even visa fees, which can often add up to $30,000 or more.

Although gap years are more popular in Europe, they have started to gain traction in the United States. About 40,000 Americans participated in gap year programs in 2013, an increase of nearly 20 per cent since 2006, according to data gathered by a non-profit called the American Gap Year Association.

In 2009, Princeton University began offering applicants gap-year aid based on need. Nearly 100 students have participated, volunteering in Brazil, China, India, Peru and Senegal.

The University of North Carolina offers $7,500 to gap year applicants, while students at Wisconsin's St. Norbert College can receive financial aid based on need, although airfare isn't covered.

Lydia Collins, a 19-year-old Tufts freshman from Evanston, Ill., said she took a gap year because she wanted to see what was outside of the classroom before committing to four more years of school.

"A lot of kids are very burnt out after high school," Collins said. "Taking this time to be with yourself and see yourself in a new community and light will only help you to succeed in college."

Collins worked in microfinance in Ecuador through the poverty-fighting group Global Citizen and said the experience inspired her to pursue international relations, something she would not have known about beforehand.

Students who take part are able to see the world beyond the bubble they grew up in and return to school with a better perspective of their future, said Holly Bull, president of the Center of Interim Programs, which counsels students on taking gap years. Bull said the benefit of the structured time away from school is too valuable to exclude lower-income students.

"Students return to the classroom more focused, independent and confident," said Bull, who took a gap year herself to Hawaii and Greece. She said the students also tend to have less trouble adjusting to dorm life.

Jeremy Rotblat, a 19-year-old Princeton freshman from Cherry Hill, N.J., said his experience volunteering at a hospital in Senegal better prepared him for college.

"This experience taught me that everything I learn in the classroom will be able to help me when I leave Princeton," Rotblat said. "It is easy at times to question the purpose behind all the school work. But seeing the value firsthand encourages me to push myself academically."

Students selected for Tufts' 1+4 program will be able to defer their admission for a year while still remaining tied to the university through video chat and email. Tufts is planning to work with organizations including Global Citizen, City Year and Lift — which offer volunteering positions in areas such as education, economics, health and the environment — to create packages that fit students' financial needs, including travel and living costs.

Patrick Callan, founding president of the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, applauds the gap year experience but said structure is key.

"Sometimes, for less motivated students, taking a year off could lead to them never coming back," he said, adding that students that go in without concrete goals can be sidetracked from their studies. "You need to come in having a plan."

For Collins, working in a foreign country away from her family and friends was a reality check.

"After that experience," she said, "I can definitely take on college. It's nothing now."

WASHINGTON - The Obama administration is spelling out new health insurance rights for same-sex couples.

Starting next year, health plans that offer spousal coverage to heterosexual couples cannot deny it to legally married same-sex couples.

The Health and Human Services Department announced the policy Friday in a blog post.

The department says insurance companies will not be allowed to discriminate against married same-sex couples.

The rule applies to plans offered in the new health insurance exchanges, as well as to many employer and individual plans offered outside that marketplace.

VICTORIA - When it comes to the cleaning products in Jill Doucette's home she has one basic rule — she should be able to eat or drink all ingredients in small quantities.

Doucette, founder of Victoria's Synergy Enterprises, doesn't use conventional cleaning products, which often contain chemicals and toxins; she uses household items like baking powder and white vinegar.

"There is a huge amount of packaging waste with store-bought cleaners," she says. "Many of these are also prediluted to the right ratio and quantity, which means the consumer is buying mostly water and accessible plastic."

With a greater focus on green and natural cleaning products, both for the good of the environment and for personal health, more homeowners are looking for alternatives, which can often be found in their cupboards.

Melissa Maker, Toronto cleaning expert with Cleanmyspace.com, says homeowners have a great arsenal of green cleaners in their homes. They just need to learn how to use them.

"There are lots of little things you can do," she says. "It's good to know that upon research you can figure out different recipes for cleaning products. Great cleaners can include everything from run-of-the-mill dish soap to white vinegar, baking soda, coarse or kosher salt, lemon, cream of tartar and even vodka."

Maker says dish soap can be used in a variety of ways. When combined with water, it can be used as an all-purpose cleaner. To create an all-purpose disinfecting cleaner, she recommends combining 250 millilitres (one cup) of water, 125 ml (1/2 cup) of rubbing alcohol and a couple squirts of dish soap.

To polish stainless-steel appliances, Maker says a combination of one part rubbing alcohol and one part water used with a microfibre cloth will effortlessly remove fingerprints.

A drawback to making your own cleaners is often they don't have the fragrances many people enjoy, but Katie Pearse, co-owner of Edmonton's Green Clean Squad, says introducing essential oils to your homemade cleaners adds natural scents.

"In general I think you'll find cleaning is more enjoyable when you aren't using poisonous products," she says. "It smells better too, and I actually have a lot of fun eco-friendly cleaning because the products are quite beautiful and they smell so good because they are using essential oils."

Even though there are many options for creating green cleaners at home, there are also several products on grocery store shelves that embrace greener, eco-friendly values.

According to Pearse, people should exercise caution when buying products because there is a lot of "green washing" when it comes to household cleaners. She says companies are using green washing to cash in on the trend toward green without meeting eco-friendly standards set by regulators.

"There are certification programs, one is called the Eco Logo program, and that is basically a third party that will approve things that are truly eco-friendly," she says. "There is a lot of green washing out there. We kind of laugh at some of what we see on the shelves that obviously don't meet what our definition of what eco-friendly green cleaning is.

"There are quite a lot of good green products. If you do a little bit of research and look at the labels you can see the Eco Logo stamp of approval on quite a few products. You really don't have to go out of your way to get those products."

A line of electronic wristbands used as pedometers and sleep monitors were recalled this week because skin reactions. Other recalled products include electric bicycles and decorations.

Here's a more detailed look:

WIRELESS ACTIVITY-TRACKING WRISTBAND

DETAILS: Fitbit Force wireless activity-tracking wristbands with model numbers FB402BK, FB402BKS, FB402SL and FB402SLS. The wristband operates as a pedometer, sleep monitor and watch. The model number is on the back of the recalled wristband below the charging port. They were sold from October 2013 to February 2014.

WHY: Users can develop allergic reactions to the stainless steel casing, materials used in the strap, or adhesives used to assemble the product, resulting in redness, rashes or blistering where the skin has been in contact with the tracker.

INCIDENTS: About 9,900 reports of the wristband causing skin irritation and about 250 reports of blistering.

HOW MANY: About 1,000,000 in the U.S. and about 28,000 in Canada.

FOR MORE: Call Fitbit at 888-656-6381 or visit www.fitbit.com and click on Recall/Safety Info on the right side of the page next to Terms of Use for more information.

ELECTRIC BICYCLES

DETAILS: Stromer ST1 electric bicycles, models M33 Elite and P48 Platinum. "Stromer" is printed on the top tube of the bicycle frame and on the seat and chain guard. The fork's serial numbers for the recalled bikes start with: ST1S2F, ST1S2G, ST1S2H, ST1S2I, ST1S2J, ST1S3A, ST1S3B, ST1S3C, ST1S3D and ST1S3E. The serial number is etched at the bottom of the rear fork. They were sold at authorized Stromer dealers nationwide and online from January 2012 to May 2013.

WHY: The bicycle fork can break, posing a crash and injury hazard to the rider.

INCIDENTS: One report of a fork breaking, resulting in minor scrapes and bruises to the rider.

HOW MANY: About 1,300 in the U.S. and 11 in Canada.

FOR MORE: Call BMC-USA at 800-819-4262 or visit at www.stromer.ch and click on Fork Recall for more information, or send email to andrew.gelles@bmc-switzerland.com for more information.

DECORATIONS

DETAILS: Gardeners Eden light-up autumn decorations. The wreaths are made of dried twigs held together with wire and twine. They are decorated with silk leaves, foam berries, papier-mâché pumpkins and gourds in autumn colours or silk leaves and papier-mâché Chinese Lantern fruit. The plant arrangements are made of twigs with papier-mâché Chinese Lantern fruit held together with wire and twine. LED lights are in the pumpkins, gourds and Chinese Lantern fruit. The LED lights are powered by three AA batteries contained in a black plastic battery box. Style numbers are on the price tags attached to hangtags on the products. They were sold at TJ Maxx, Marshalls, and HomeGoods stores from about August 2013 to September 2013. The following wreaths and Chinese Lantern arrangements are being recalled: Wreaths with style number 585738 and Chinese Lanterns with style number 585755 sold at T.J. Maxx. Wreaths with style number 805496 and Chinese Lanterns with style number 805509 sold at Marshalls. Wreaths with style numbers 667661, 667689, 676074, and Chinese Lanterns with style number 686740 sold at HomeGoods.

WHY: Exposed wiring near the battery box can lead to a short circuit, posing a fire hazard.

INCIDENTS: Two reports of units overheating.

HOW MANY: About 4,600.

FOR MORE: Call TJX at 800-926-6299 or visit www.tjmaxx.com, then click on Product Recalls at the bottom of the page and at www.marshallsonline.com and www.homegoods.com, then click on Product Info/Recalls at the bottom of the page.

WASHINGTON - Michelle Obama said Friday that a new focus of her anti-childhood obesity effort will be to help people cook more of their meals at home because they're healthier.

Addressing a health summit in Washington, the first lady said home-cooked meals have less fat, sodium, cholesterol and calories than meals prepared in restaurants — and save money, too.

She said too many people think they don't have the time or the skills to cook for themselves, but that plenty of meals can be pulled together in less than 30 minutes for cheaper than takeout.

Mrs. Obama began focusing on the nation's childhood obesity problem as soon as she got to the White House in 2009. She pledged Friday to stick with the issue long after she's gone.

"We cannot walk away from this issue until obesity rates drop for children of every age and every background," she said. "We cannot walk away until every child in this country has a shot at a healthy life. And that's why I'm in this thing for the long haul, and I mean long after I leave the White House, because I believe in finishing what I start."

Mrs. Obama praised recent federal statistics showing a sharp decline in obesity rates among children ages 2 to 5 as an important but small achievement. She said it was not enough evidence to declare the problem solved and urged everyone to keep working on solutions, especially among older kids.

"Now is not the time to take our foot off the gas and congratulate ourselves on a job well done," Mrs. Obama said. "Just the opposite. Now is the time to fight even harder."

Her strategy largely has been to cajole food and beverage makers, retailers, restaurants and others to make healthier products. Federal legislation and regulations are leading to changes in school breakfast and lunch programs, and are expected to bring an updated "Nutrition Facts" label to packaged products before the end of the decade.

The promised focus on helping families create healthier habits by cooking more meals at home fits that approach.

In her remarks, the first lady talked about working with supermarkets to distribute recipes and offer cooking demonstrations, with schools to develop the "home economics class of the future" to give students basic cooking skills, and with chefs to get them to offer affordable cooking classes in their restaurants.

She promised announcements of new initiatives in the coming months.

Mrs. Obama said research shows that cooking meals at home is one of the best ways families can improve their health. As far as her own family, she said her mother kept a strict food budget, planned her meals for the week and went grocery shopping every Saturday.

"The question is: How do we help families start cooking again, even if it's just one or two meals a week?" she told the audience of public health professionals, nutritionists, corporate leaders and others in the closing address at the conference organized by the Partnership for a Healthier America.

Mrs. Obama is honorary chairwoman of the non-profit organization, which was created in conjunction with "Let's Move," her initiative against childhood obesity. The partnership works to support the goals of "Let's Move" and with businesses to bring then on board and hold them accountable for the commitments they make to improve the health of Americans.

It so far has more than 70 commitments from companies of all sizes, said Larry Soler, its CEO.

Among them was yogurt maker Dannon, which announced Friday that it will begin reducing the amount of sugar and fat in all its brands.

___

Follow Darlene Superville on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/dsupervilleap

___

Online:

Partnership for a Healthier America: http://www.ahealthieramerica.org

Walls can get dirty before you know it — from a splatter of spaghetti dinner to the crayon artistry of a roaming toddler to fingers simply reaching for a light switch.

It's easy to pass by walls and woodwork every day without a second glance, but spring-cleaning season is a great time to give them the attention they deserve.

Like many housekeeping tasks, regular cleaning can help avoid bigger cleanup work later on.

"It doesn't have to be as difficult of a job as it sounds," said Amy Panos, senior editor at Better Homes and Gardens. "The easier you can make it on yourself, the more likely you are to do it."

DIRT AND SCUFFS

Walls tend to get dirtiest around light switches and door knobs.

"Even if a hand looks clean, it still has a little dirt and oils that over time build up and eventually make that area of the wall dirty," Panos said.

Walls also get marked up from accidental kicks or the brush of a bag near the baseboards. Parents know how toddlers' hands often find their way to walls, either with filthy fingers or with crayons or markers.

These fingerprints and other blemishes are best tackled right away. "The sooner you can get to a mark that is noticeable, the easier it will be" to clean, said Sharon Grech, a colour and design expert for Benjamin Moore.

People are wary of cleaning or washing painted surfaces because they fear the process will remove the paint. But Grech said the technology has improved over the last decade, and paints now are more stain-resistant and durable for cleaning.

Still, it's important to use the right products.

To remove everyday marks, Grech suggested using a clean cellulose sponge with a little warm water.

"Just give it a good rub," she said. "Wait for it to dry and see if it's clean."

If the dirt is still evident, repeat the process using a dab of dish detergent and wipe the area dry with a clean sponge, rag or paper towel.

"Warm water does miracles with a sponge," Grech said. "You want to avoid using regular household cleaners that have ammonia and other products in them" because they can change the sheen of the paint.

Panos likes the ease of a foam eraser pad, like Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, though be sure to test it first in an inconspicuous area to make sure it won't remove the colour or finish. Mr. Clean Magic Eraser is approved by the manufacturer for use on most paints, including flat and semi-gloss paint.

"They're quite incredible," Panos said. "They take care of a lot."

Don't forget doorways and trim, often coated in easy-to-wipe paints but in light colours like white and cream that make marks especially visible. Cleaning those areas can instantly make the room seem brighter.

"It really glistens," Grech said. "It's like putting on a nice lip gloss."

DUST AND COBWEBS

While most people know to take care of an unsightly mark, many overlook cleaning the whole wall, Panos said. Once you have a fresh coat of paint, lightly dust the walls about every three months.

"You don't need to get a bucket and soap and sponge and completely wash down the walls," she said. "Make it easy on yourself by getting a tool with an extension pole so that you can stand on the ground and take care of the job in just a few minutes rather than having to drag out a ladder."

Clean the ceiling first, with a dust-attracting microfiber mop on the extension pole for smooth ceilings, or a slightly damp paint roller on the pole for a popcorn ceiling, she said. The walls can be cleaned from top to bottom with the mop (dry or slightly damp), and the baseboards hand-cleaned with a microfiber cloth.

"Keeping the environment as dust-free as possible is helpful for a good interior air quality," Panos said.

Grech recommends regular cleaning where dusts collects, such as on baseboards, and on window ledges, where it can mix with moisture and turn into a mess.

While cleaning the walls won't prolong the paint job, she said, it will help keep them looking their best.

"You want to clean the areas that are getting a little bit more abused to keep it fresh," she said.