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7 Super Easy Home Maintenance Tips That Can Save Your Time and Money

home maintenance tips

Buying a house is every human’s dream. After working hard day and night, we build our dream home. We must consider many things when buying a house. Many people mostly think about their financial responsibility first. However, it isn’t long before homeowners become interested in easy home maintenance tips to maintain the condition and value of their home.

And when you invest your huge saving in building a home, proper home maintenance is a key factor that should not be overlooked. Regular maintenance makes your home more sustainable and long-lasting.

If you find any maintenance work in your home, then you either start doing it yourself, or you hire some professional or a service provider.

As you know, your home bears different types of seasons every year, like spring season, summer season, fall season, and winter season. Do you often worry about whether my house has the power to withstand every season?

Especially in winter and spring season so, this is some home maintenance tips for you. It includes general house maintenance tips that could save your foundation, home roofs, windows, and other essential parts of your dream home. These tips will be beneficial in your home maintenance and a very economical way, saving both time and money together.

Here Are Super Easy Home Maintenance Tips

1. Home Roofing Maintenance

Roofing Maintenance

Is your house new or it is an old one? If your house is brand new, then for 1 to 2 years you do not have to worry about the maintenance too much. But if your house is old, then it is essential to think about its regular maintenance.

Especially the home roofing. The roof in a house plays a vital role. There are so many changes in the weather where you live. In such a situation, the roof protects you and your home from all kinds of adverse weather such as rain, snow, and heat in summer, insects, animals, and other falling debris.

If you do proper maintenance of the roof of your house from time to time, then your home roof can sustain with you for many years.

Inspect your roof from the scratch or ground in every two years, at the time of spring and fall. I am telling you some problem that we often ignore. You should find that roofing problem and rectify them.

These are the roofing problems such as missing and lifting shingles, heaps of granules, missing or exposed closures, injured drip edge, gutter cleaning, trim the surrounded trees, inspection for moss and algae, and check the proper insulations.

Hence the proper insulation and undercooling in your bay can help to put your roof in a nice state by preventing ice damage from forming and reducing dampness.

Make use of all the valuable tips and suggestions that enables you to conserve and protect your interior stay space for many years to come.

Related Reading:
How To Clean A Roof By Using Pressure Washer
101 House Cleaning Tips and Tricks – How to Clean Smartly

2. Install an Automatically Regulated Temperature Device (Thermostat)

Thermostat

Talking of summer, we used to use old, manual thermostats to monitor the temperature of the house. But now new and modern, programmable smart thermostats have come in the market, making it very easy for us to control the temperature of the house.

While searching for an excellent and reliable thermostat, you get to know its quality and features together, which makes it very easy and convenient for us to install thermostats in your house. And due to which we can prepare ourselves for how to save energy at a low cost.

Do you have young children in your house? Do you want to set up the temperature of your house to be perfect and pleasant in the winter and summer both?

If your children are at home and you are not present there, then you need such a device that can automatically reduce the temperature remotely. It can control each room’s temperature by using the temperature sensor available in the thermostat device, which can be controlled by the mobile app.

3. Fix Draughty Windows

Draughty Windows

Before fixing the draft window, it is important to know where the leak is coming from. If we do not find this out, the problem will not be solved, so first go to the root of the problem and then only come to a conclusion.

So, what should we do for this? On a cold or windy day, place a tissue paper near the window frame, so that it stops flapping of the window and then place the tissue paper on where it is leaking. This is the ultimate way to prevent air leakage from the window.

Apply window caulking, invest in shades, curtains, and snakes, install weather stripping, consider storm windows and add additional insulation to your home windows.

4. Clean The Roofing Gutters

Often the gutter practically goes unnoticed when you complete the house maintenance task. But the gutter is an important part of your roofing, which we cannot ignore.

Gutters are your home foundation and the main line of defense between the siding and the elements. Your gutters are designed to catch runoff of water and debris from the roofs and installed to keep water away from the inner walls and exterior of your home.

Physically remove debris from the gutter channel and clean your gutters once or twice a year by using garden hose properly. The main advantage of cleaning gutter is that it can avoid the cost of gutter guards.

Related Reading:
How To Clean Stucco Quickly And Easily By Pressure Washer
Important Information About How to Clean Brick

5. Clean Your Refrigerators

Clean Refrigerator

The principal part of one’s fridge that should get your attention could be that the door clogs. Keeping your door seals will keep it tight, and you may reduce the amount of energy it requires to maintain your food frozen and cold, but will also keep your refrigerator economically, preventing early tear and wear of internal refrigerator components.

6. Use Expanding Foam Filler

As I am talking about the Foam filler, it’s a bit easy to do work with. However, it may be messy, and it surely will probably expand more than you believe that it will.

These stuff foams are the easiest to find the brand in hardware chain stores; they make special products for obstructing fire dangers, insulating windows and doors, substantial cracks and openings, and much others.

7. Keep Your Humidifier Clean

Humidifier Clean

Do you live in an area where winters are particularly cold and dry? So, buying a humidifier for your home is definitely a smart investment. You can improve your health and your indoor air quality by installing Humidifier in your home.

Home humidifiers are a vital factor of any allergy victim’s environmental control treatment. Humidifiers can protect your skin from drying when you crank up the heat. To efficiently use this crucial device, it is must to maintain the cleanliness of your humidifier. Be sure to follow the user manual properly and this specific humidifier.

Conclusion:

These quick and easy tips of regular house maintenance can greatly help you in having a sustainable and long-living dream home. Smartly engage some amount of time in regular home maintenance and get a beautiful and well-performing space for you. No matter, your house is old, with these tips you can keep it alive for a long.

Author Bio:

Larson Simmons is the writer to write the blogs and articles in the house maintenance, metal buildings industry, storage building, and Quonset buildings domains. He writes the blogs and article for the leader in mini storage buildings, climate-controlled storage buildings and shares his quality content.

This is a contributor’s article from Larson Simmons.

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Eco-Friendly Interior Decor Ideas To Make Your Home Beautiful

Eco-Friendly Decor

They state it’s what’s inside that counts. If we talk about of one’s home, when said interior consists of sustainable possibilities. If it comes to home interiors, sustainability usually signifies green decoration and design, utilizing materials that emphasis on better air quality and condensed environmental effect.

Decorating a house is frightening enough without needing the environment into account but picking eco-friendly decor will be further valuable in the long run.

Below are a few essential tips for green alternatives that will help save you some cash on the way and even reduce your carbon footprint.

1. Cultivate Greenery Indoors

House Plants

This can be a no-brainer. Plants provide air and filter out harmful compounds from the air. Plus, they give you natural beauty, freshness, and ambiance, bringing only a little outside into your house.

Think pine scent or mint, or any number of blossoms’ lovely fragrances. Lilies, bamboo hands or gerbera daisies mainly perform wonders in refining air value.

Houseplants displayed in public areas and quarters create a decor in your home statements, which can be both eye-pleasing as well as also practical.

House plants – standing in large part, or if hanging in a window, place atop a desk – function as living sculptures that add heated chambers oxygen and warmth that is welcome filter out toxins and enhance the overall quality of air for your home.

2. Select Wood Carefully

Select Wood

Although you’ve got your heart set on a piece of furniture but wish to get your bit to help battle deforestation, then make certain it’s produced from FSC certified timber. Products created from this sustainably sourced wood patent by the FSC’s ‘tick tree’ logo.

By buying furniture, you can make sure it’s been made from wood, which was harvested according to the 10 FSC fundamentals, meaning it is really a lot better to the environment than traditional furniture.

Read More: Best Pin Nailers To Your Next Woodworking Project

3. Smartly Cover Your Walls

Walls

Perk up an area with green decoration, like paints and wallpapers that won’t adversely impact the indoor air quality of your home. Purchase zero – or moderate VOC-emission paints (volatile organic chemicals), backgrounds, stains, caulks, and adhesives.

Start looking for background crafted from recycled paper and printed with ink that is water-based. Or add layout to a perimeter with stencils and low-VOC paints.

Probably one of the most inexpensive approaches to provide a fresh lease of life to a room would be by giving it a fresh lick of paint. It’s important to know that not all paints have been created equal.

In actuality, some paints can have a variety of nasties called volatile organic compounds (VOCs). ‘This can be detrimental to your planet and much worse for you and your family, that can possibly be breathing those chemicals in for years in the future.’

4. Select Thermal Curtains

Thermal Curtain

By swapping your regular curtains with their thermal substitutes, you’ll lessen your energy bills for future years. This is as decent for your wallet as it is for the Earth, creating this one a no-brainer. Choose a basic thermal curtain lining and dangle it behind your curtains of selection.

5. Let the Light Inside

Light Inside

The perfect lighting can make all the change in your house. If you reside in a cold climate, always work to maximize the pure sun on your area by alerting windows of heavy drapes and blinds – simply make certain that your windows are completely secure concerning insulation so no heating escapes and no undesirable cold moves in.

Dual varnishing and appropriate window trappings like filling and weather-stripping aid lessen air seepage. An additional tip is to create spaces as bright as they can be possible.

Evade painting walls in dim colors, and if probable, position rooms so that bedrooms and bathrooms appear north (with less sun) and kitchens and living rooms in front the sunnier south.

6. Make Energy Efficient Home

Energy Efficient Home

Avoid being considered a drain on Earth’s energy sources. Replace obsolete appliances with Energy saver models, which can be 50 percent more efficient than typical varieties.

Change incandescent light bulbs (which exude heat together with light) using LED (light-emitting diodes) or CFL (compact fluorescent light) tubes to lessen utility bills. Use motion sensors and programmable thermostats that turn on lights and heating systems when required.

7. Avoid Carpet

Carpet

Avoid carpeting if you wish to be as environmentally friendly as possible when renovating your home. It filled with pollutants and chemicals; it hurts our entire world when it is manufactured, but also releases a myriad of toxins in your home throughout its life span.

Plus, even the hardwearing carpet lasts around ten years before it needs to be replaced. When it comes to replacing hardwood, floors opt for wood that is real if you want to be as eco-friendly as you can.

8. Build Better Backsplash

Glass, stoneware, and metal tiles made from recycled resources make drawing backsplashes that live green and look magnificent. Ask experts in the community home center or tile store to show you eco-friendly backsplash options.

Want to stretch your allowance? Mix pricier tiled flooring using tiles that are inexpensive to fashion focal point backsplashes that won’t breakdown the wallet.

The is a contributors’ article by Eli Owen

Author Bio About: Eli Owen

With her passion for making interior and exterior attractive in Metal buildings of all sorts, Eli is a trusted author, bringing up new ideas in creating unique styled buildings. She has studied ‘Decoration with different Construction and Non-construction materials’ and worked with some leading metal carports manufacturer and supplier.

Important Cleaning Tips For Your Entire Home

Entire Home Cleaning Tips

It is important to keep your house neat and clean. It includes your living room, bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, study room, windows, doors, floor, wall, etc. Here are some house cleaning tips that will definitely help you clean your home in a hassle-free way. I think you’ll enjoy the tips.

Living Room Cleaning Tips:

Cleaning Tips for Sofa/Couch

Cleaning Tips for Your Sofas

Cleaning coach or sofa by leather cleaner and conditioner, upholstery dry cleaner solution, or water-based upholstery detergent is very easy. To get details read here how to clean your sofa or couch.

Coffee and Side Tables Cleaning Tips

Coffee and Side Tables Cleaning

You can clean your coffee and side tables easily by using this solution of a tablespoon of salt, few drops of water and white vinegar. To get full instructions click here.

The Easiest Cleaning Solution for Cabinets

Cabinets

Cleaning cabinet will be quite easy if you apply some techniques. You can use warm water, diluted all-purpose cleaner, wood cleaner or white vinegar to remove stains and grease from your cabinet.

Select suitable cleaning solution and ingredients on the basis of your cabinet type: wooden, painted, metal or laminate. Check here to get full directions for cleaning of all types of  cabinet.

Stain Removal Tips from Rug

clean rug

Using a vacuum cleaner you can clean or remove stains from your rug easily. To get full directions how to clean and stain removal process from your rug click here.

How to Clean your TV Screen?

cleaning tv screen

You can clean your TV screen sampling giving a spray and wipe it down. But it may prove unsafe for your TV. To get details of safe TV cleaning process click here.

Bedroom Cleaning Tips:

Mattresses Cleaning Tips

How to clean a mattress

Fresh, clean and fragrant mattress helps to get a sweet sleep at night. Using a vacuum cleaner, solution of vinegar and water you can clean your mattress and remove a deeper stain from the mattress. To get full instructions on how to clean your mattress click here.

How to Wash Whiten Yellowed Pillows?

washing pillows

To wash yellowed pillows use 1 cup of laundry detergent1 cup of dishwasher detergent, ½ cup of borax, 2 spoons of bleach and hot water. To know more click here.

Tips on how to Wash Duvet

wash duvets

Use tepid water and detergent to wash your duvet and start early in the morning so that it gets time to dry out. For further information or tips to clean your duvet read here.

Tips on How to Keep your Dressers and Chests Odor Free?

drawers

You can keep your dressers and chests odor free by using vinegar, baking soda and borax. Read here to get full directions.

Mirrors Cleaning Suggestions

To clean your mirror you need flat-weave microfiber cloth, glass cleaner, and alcohol to remove nasty goofy stains on glass. Watch this video to get full instructions for cleaning the mirror.

Bathroom:

How to Remove Toilet Stains?

how clean toilet stains

Try green route made up of mild, natural acid, such a lemon juice or vinegar to clean the stains off your toilet. For further process read here.

Useful Hints for Cleaning Bathtubs

how to clean a bathtub

Use squeegee, vinegar, microfiber cloth to clean your bathtub. Check here for gradual process to clean your bathtub.

Cleaning Tips for Disinfect Wooden Bathroom Cabinets

Bathroom Cabinets

Use a commercial disinfectant or distilled white vinegar to clean your wooden bathroom cabinets. To get step by step instruction check here.

How to Clean a Vanity?

bath vanity

Choose a perfect cleaner to clean your bathroom vanity on the basis of your vanity type: glass, wooden or marble. To get how to clean process click here.

Kitchen:

How to Keep Kitchen Cabinets Clean and Stain Free?

kitchen cabinet clean

Food smudges, greasy build-up, and fingerprints make your kitchen cabinet dull and dingy. It is must to clean your kitchen cabinet regularly. For cleaning tips for your kitchen cabinet click here.

Cleaning Tips for Oven

clean oven

To ensure longer use of your oven, it is must to keep your oven clean. Check here to get helpful tips for cleaning your oven. Like Microwave Ovens, Conventional Ovens, Toaster Ovens, etc.

How to Clean your Ceramic Stovetop?

CLEAN CERAMIC STOVETOP

Clean your ceramic stovetop by using baking soda. To know how to clean method click here.

Cleaning Tips for Smelly Dishwasher

dishwasher

To keep your dishwasher running efficiently and smelling fresh, clean it once in a day. For cleaning tips read here.

How to Clean your Fridge?

Cleaning Fridge

Clean your refrigerator or fridge using some easy tips. To get step by step process for cleaning your fridge click here.

How to Remove Stains from your Crock Pot?

Clean Crock Pot

To remove the fume stains from your crock pot spray few drops of oven cleaner. To get clear instruction Click here to get details.

How to Clean Out the Pantry?

Pantry

Start cleaning your pantry with a feather duster. For further information please check here.

Easy Process for Cleaning your Toaster & Toaster Oven

Clean Toaster

Use trashcan, sponge, warm water, vinegar to clean your toaster. To know detailed cleaning methods click here.

Cleaning Solution for a Stand Mixer

clean stand mixer

To clean your stand mixer use hot soapy water and clean kitchen rag. For details visit here.

Esay Cleaning Solution to Clean your Coffee Maker

Coffee Maker

Make a solution of white vinegar and warm water to clean your coffee maker. For details process click here.

Faster and Smarter Cleaning Tips for Countertops

Cleaning Tips for Countertops

Clean your countertop by using mild bleach solution and baking soda. Then rinse it with clean water. To know detailed information check here.

Cleaning Sink Faucet is Quite Easy Task

Cleaning Tips for Sink Faucet

Remove water spots, mildew stains and assorted grime from your sink faucet by using white vinegar. To get details click here.

Clean Bagless Vacuum for Longer Safety

cleaning tips for bagless vacuum

Take canister apart and remove stubborn dirt and fluff from it. After that rinse it with warm water.To get more guideline for clean your bag-less vacuum click here.

Clean your Kitchen Sink and Disposal without using any Chemicals

clean kitchen sink

Clean your kitchen sink without using any harmful chemicals or cleaners like lemon, vinegar or detergent. To get step by step process visit here.

Cleaning Tips for Wooden Dining Table

clean wood dining room table

Use a soft clean cloth, walnut, iodine, mayonnaise, and wooden conditioner to clean your wooden dining table. Read here to get details.

Cleaing Tips for Deep Stains Removal Process from Dishes

Dishes Deep Stains

To remove deep stains from dishes, rub Zud cleanser on the stains and leave it for few minutes. For details process of stain removal check here.

Cleaning Tips for your Cutting Board

Clean Cutting Board

To clean your cutting board, use lemon and kosher salt. Click here for details.

Study Room Cleaning Tips:

How to Clean Up your Computer System?

Clean Computer System

To clean cluttered or infected hard drive or physically clean your computer parts, read here step by step instruction.

Care and Cleaning Tips for your Books

booksheles

Clean your bookshelves weekly to preserve the life of the books. To get how to clean and care process click here.

How to Clean and Organize your Desk?

Organized Desk

To keep your desk clean and organized follows some tips. Click here to get some helpful tips to keep your desk clean and organized.

Others:

Window:

Window Cleaning Tips

Use spray bottle filled warm water, microfiber cloth, cleaning tooth brush and a squeegee to clean your window. To get detailed instruction read here.

How to Clean Blinds?

Clean Blinds

You need vacuum blind lambs-wool duster, a rubber sponge and an all-purpose cleaner to clean your blinds. For detailed cleaning process check here

Doors Cleaning Tips:

How to Clean Wooden, Glass, Interior, and Exterior Doors?

Wood Door

Prepare a homemade cleaning solution with 1 teaspoon baking soda, a dab of liquid soap, 4 cups of hot water to clean your glass doors. Check here to get the full instruction.

How to Clean a Doormat?

Doormat

To clean your doormat, you need a vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment, baking soda, scrubbing brush, garden hose, visit here to get full instructions.

Floor Cleaning Tips:

Cleaning Tips for Stainfree, Clean Tile Floors

Cleaning Tips for Stainfree, Clean Tile Floors

Use hot water and d-greasing product to clean your tiles floor. Click here to get more cleaning tips for cleaning your tiles floor.

Tricky Way to Clean Hardwood Floors

Hardwood Floors

To remove dirt, oil, and grime from your hardwood floors, use bleach or vinegar solution with warm water on the basis of the stain type. For further information read here.

Walls:

How to Clean Painted Walls?

clean painted walls

Make a cleaning solution with warm soapy water and baking soda to clean painted walls. Click the link below to get full details.

http://www.wikihow.com/Clean-Walls

Porch:

Sweep your Porch without Sweeping Much

Sweep Porch

Clean your porch by using a blower. It will save your time and effort. To know how to sweep porch with a blower visit here.

Vent Cover:

Tips for Cleaning an Air Conditioner Return Vent Cover

Vent Cover

Use the vacuum cleaner to remove dirt and debris from your air conditioner vent cover. For more information, click here.

How to Clean a Light Switch?

Clean Light Switch

Use rubbing alcohol or all-purpose cleaner to clean the switch plates. Check here to get the method of cleaning switch plates.

Gas Grill Cleaning Methods

Cleaning Gas Grill

Make a solution of hot water and dish soap. Apply it to the grill and scrub with scouring pad or a wire brush.

Easier Cleaning Tips to make your Old Curling Iron to New One

Clean Curling Iron

Use a piece of non-soapy steel wool to make your old curling looking new. Check here to get more details.

Cleaning Tips for Sanitize and Odor Free Washing Machine

cleaning tips for washing machine

Clean your washing machine to sanitize and remove smells regularly. To get step by step directions check here.

The Easiest Ink Removal Process From Clothes

Remove Ink

Use rubbing alcohol or methyl spirit to remove an ink stain from your clothes. To get detailed information on gradual process of removing ink stain from your cloth visit here.

Easiest and Shortcut Hair Brushes Cleaning Tips

hair brushe cleaning tips

To clean your hair brush use flat comb, dish washing detergent or shampoo and an old tooth brush. For more information click here.

How to make Old Sneakers to New One?

Restoring Old Sneakers

To make your old sneakers to new one use some toothpaste while scrubbing it with a plastic brush. To know more about sneakers cleaning tips read here.

Cleaning Tips for your Glue Gun

glue gun cleaning tips

Use foil ball to wipe off anything from the body of the glue gun or can heat it up slightly. To get details cleaning tip for your glue gun check here.

Related Article

101 House Cleaning Tips and Tricks – How to Clean Smartly

101 House Cleaning Tips and Tricks

Keeping a clean home is not a difficult task; however, it can become overwhelming when things get out of control. In many homes nowadays, both adults are working, they have social engagements after work, children, sports, and classes. The truth is our lives are busy and it is hard to keep up on the house cleaning all of the time. The best way to keep a clean home is to do a little bit each day.

Just 15 minutes in the morning and evening each day can help to keep your house cleaning and organized.

house cleaning tips

Below, you will find many house cleaning tips and tricks. Try doing a few things each day and you will have a perfectly clean home in just a few short weeks. Continue doing the small tasks each day to maintain your home and always be prepared for visitors.

House Cleaning Tips for Keeping the Interior of your Home Clean and De-Cluttered

The following house cleaning tips, will address how to lean in each interior room of your home. Some rooms will not take more than 15 minutes to complete. Others may take longer.

Some days you may only feel like working for 15 minutes twice a day and other days you will be more ambitious. No matter what is going on, it is important that you make time for house cleaning your every single day. These house cleaning lists should serve as a guide to cleaning and maintaining your home.

Bedroom

Bedroom
  • Pick up any stray items from the floor and place them on your bed.
  • Sort through the items and put them away in the proper place.
  • Collect any laundry and take it to the laundry room.
  • While you are in the laundry room, start the washer and put in a load of laundry.
  • Grab a dusting cloth on the way back to the bedroom.
  • Dust all of the surfaces in your bedroom.
  • Make sure to get the dresser, bed posts, window sills, fan blades, night stands, television, and any other furniture that you may have.

Bedroom Dusting Tips

  • Use a bendable duster with a long handle to reach ceiling fan blades and above the window sill.
  • A mop is helpful for gathering dust on the walls. A dust mop works especially well.
  • Vents can collect large amounts of dust. Used a vacuum cleaner hose to remove dust and cobwebs from vents.
  • You can find more bedroom dusting tips here.
  • Once you have dusted, remove your bedding and replace it with fresh clean bedding.

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How to Make Your Bedding Smell Fresh and Clean

Bedding Smell
  • Launder your sheets and blankets often.
  • Use a laundry soap that has a pleasant smell.
  • Add extra fabric softener to your sheets.
  • Spray Febreeze on your mattress and pillows. Check here also how to clean a mattress.
  • Place your pillows in direct sunlight to eliminate odors.
  • Wash your bedding often.
  • Allow your sheets to air out before making the bed in the morning.
  • Take the time to vacuum.
  • Use a nicely scented baking soda based vacuum powder on your carpet to create a nice aroma.
  • For more tips to keep your mattress and bed smelling fresh check out this site.

Bathroom

Bathroom
  • Remove any nonessential items from your bathroom and put them away.
  • Store Hair products, lotions, deodorants, extra soaps and razors in cupboards.
  • Once you have cleared the surfaces in your bathroom, you can use a Lysol wipe to wipe them.
  • If your bathroom is heavily soiled, you will want to use a cleaning spray and a sponge.The Best Bathroom Cleaning Sprays:
    • Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day Bathroom Cleaner
    • Lysol 4 in 1 bathroom Cleaner
    • Seventh Generation Toilet Bowl Cleaner
  • Squirt toilet bowl cleaner into the toilet bowl making sure to cover the entire bowl.
  • Scrub the toilet bowl with a long-handled brush.
  • If there is a lot of build up in your toilet, allow the cleaner to sit in your toilet without flushing for about 30 minutes. When you come back scrub it again and flush.
  • Spray the shower and scrub the walls, handles, and spout with a sponge or stiff brush.Tips for Cleaning Showers
    • Use bleach water to get rid of soap scum and mildew.
    • Use an old tooth brush to scrub corners and shower door tracks.
    • Use liquid car wax when finished to prevent further build up.
    • Find more Shower Cleaning tips here.
  • Mop the Floors

You can also read 5 Dangerous Bathroom Germs – You Should Know

Kitchen Cleaning Tips and Tricks

Kitchen Cleaning
  • Wash the dishes and take the trash out every day.
  • Sweep around the table after dinner (this is a good chore for a 9-13 year old child).
  • Remove juice and coffee stains from counter with hydrogen peroxide.
  • Use the self cleaning feature on your oven approximately every three months.
  • Check out this site for more kitchen cleaning secrets.

Also read 7 Deadly Germs of Kitchen (Infographic)

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Living Room

  • Use a laundry basket to gather items that do not belong in the living room.
  • Put the items away, do not just toss them into other rooms.
  • Dust your furniture, fans, and windows.
  • Use a product like Windex to clean windows.

Window Cleaning Tips

  • Wash each side of the window using strokes in different directions.
  • Clean Windows on a cloudy day. Sunlight Dries cleaning product too quickly.
  • Polish windows with newspaper.
  • For more window cleaning tips, check out this site.

Basement Cleaning Tips

  • Clear cobwebs with an old broom.
  • Sweep up cement floors and use an hose to spray them clean ONLY if you you have a basement drain.
  • If you have carpet in your basement be sure to vacuum.
  • Treat concrete floors with bleach powder.
  • Find more helpful basement cleaning tips here.

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Floor

House Cleaning Tricks

Carpet

  • Vacuum often to prevent build up.
  • Use a carpet shampooer at least twice a year.
  • Baking Soda Powder can freshen carpet and get rid of odor.
  • Use a spot cleaner to get rid of stains and discoloration.

Hardwood

  • Use a dust mop daily to remove dirt, dust and pet hair.
  • Mop with a damp mop and Murphy’s Oil Soap once a week.
  • Finish with a wax for hardwood to prevent scratches and damage.

Linoleum and Vinyl

  • Use a dry microfiber mop to remove dirt.
  • Sweep using a broom and dustpan often.
  • Mop with Pin-Sol or vinegar water.
  • Find more floor cleaning tips on this site.

Furniture

  • Polish furniture with furniture polish and a dust cloth.
  • Use a Vacuum cleaner to remove dirt and crumbs from under couch cushions. Read here detail how to clean furniture effectively
  • Use a steam cleaner to clean upholstered furniture.

Mistakes to Avoid

  • Never use bleach on carpet or upholstery.
  • Never rub a spill. This just spreads the stain further. Before scrubbing, blot up as much of the stain as you can with a cloth or paper towel and then treat.
  • Do not use furniture polish every time you dust. This causes build up on your furniture. Dust with a soft cloth and use polish sparingly.
  • For more tips on what to avoid when cleaning visit this site.

Cleaning Tools and How to Care for Them

Cleaning Tools
Mop

 

  • Thoroughly ring your mop out and store it upside down when not in use.

Bucket

  • Make sure to rinse your bucket well and dry to prevent build up.

Broom

  • Pull hair and dust out of the broom regularly and dispose of it in the trash can.

Cleaning Cloths

  • Use old cut up towels or t-shirts if you want to be frugal. Launder after each use.

Paper TowelsChlorine Bleach

  • Store in a safe place out of reach of children and pets.

Hydrogen Peroxide

  • Store in a safe place out of reach of children and pets.

Furniture Polish

  • Store in a safe place out of reach of children and pets. Aerosol cans should be stored in a place that is cool and dry.

Sponge

  • Ring out and allow to dry after each use. Launder if necessary or place in the dishwasher for cleaning.

Stiff Brush

  • Rinse well and remove any hairs from the brush. Store in a dry place to prevent mildew.

Long Handled Toilet Brush

  • Bleach and rinse after using on a dirty toilet. Store in proper receptacle.

Window Cleaner

  • Always store in a safe location away from children and pets.

Floor Cleaner

  • Always store in a safe location away from children and pets.

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Personal Safety Tips

  • Always wear rubber gloves when cleaning with hot water or cleaning products to protect your hands.
  • Always wear a protective mask when using harsh chemicals to clean.
  • Be mindful of wet floors to prevent slips and falls.
  • Empty water buckets right away to keep children from drinking or playing in the water.
  • Find more personal safety tips here.

Tips for Exterior Cleaning

Exterior Cleaning

Garage:

  • Remove unwanted items and donate or give away.
  • Use small containers to organize nuts, bolts, screws and other small items.
  • Use Ceiling Hooks to hand large items such as bicycles that take up valuable floor space.
  • Group similar items together on shelves and wall hooks.
  • Check out this site for more valuable garage cleaning tips.

Vinyl Siding

  • Use a hose or pressure washer to loosen dirt and debris.
  • Scrub with bleach water or hydrogen peroxide to remove mold and mildew.
  • Murphy’s Oil Soap can be used on Vinyl siding to remove sticky residue.
  • Use Soap Pads to remove paint splatter.
  • Vinegar and water is a nice natural alternative to harsh chemicals for siding.
  • Check out this site for more vinyl siding cleaning tips.

Fence

  • Maintain weeds and brush around fence to help keep it clean.
  • If you have a wood, vinyl, or metal fence, you can use a presser washer to clean it.
  • Treat and stain wood fences yearly to keep them looking nice and new.
  • Mulch around fence posts to keep weeds at bay.

Lawn

  • Regular lawn maintenance keeps your home looking great and increases the value of your home.
  • Mow your lawn weekly or as necessary
  • Keep lawn watered when the weather is hot and dry.
  • Treat your lawn each year for grubs and weeds.
  • Replant grass seed in areas that are bare.
  • Find more great lawn care tips here.
  • Rake Leaves on a Regular basis and burn them or set them out for trash collection.

Driveway

  • Sweep and spray debris from your driveway regularly.
  • Clean up oil and grease from vehicles right away.
  • Cat litter is great for absorbing oil.
  • Use a pressure washer to remove stains from driveways.
  • Solvent is great for removing paint, but could be harmful to pets and plants.
  • Simple Green is a fantastic product for drive way cleaning. You can find more information about simple green and tips to clean your driveway at this site.
  • Maintaining your homes roof will make it last for many years
  • A roof that appears clean will enhance the overall appearance of your home.
  • Hot water, bleach and detergent are excellent roof cleaning aids.
  • Clean your roof on a cool cloudy day to prevent your mixture from drying to fast.
  • For step by step instructions on how to clean your roof.

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Roof

  • Maintaining your homes roof will make it last for many years
  • A roof that appears clean will enhance the overall appearance of your home.
  • Hot water, bleach and detergent are excellent roof cleaning aids.
  • Clean your roof on a cool cloudy day to prevent your mixture from drying to fast.
  • For step by step instructions on how to clean your roof, click here.

Gutter

  • Use a ladder to reach your gutters and remove any leaves or debris that may be clogging them.
  • Use soap, bleach and a stiff brush to scrub stains on gutters
  • Keep branches from trees and shrubs trimmed and away from gutters.
  • Use a hose or pressure washer to spray gutters clean.
  • Invest in gutter guards to keep leave from clogging the gutters.

Mistakes to Avoid

  • Do not store chemicals in a place where children or pets can access them.
  • Put ladders away after each use to prevent children from climbing on them and falling.
  • Test cleaners in an inconspicuous area before using them on your siding, driveway or roof.
  • Do not try to clean up sticky residue with water. It will just make it worse. Oil based products are better for house cleaning sticky residue.

Tools Needed and How to Care for Them

Rake

 

  • Store in a corner of the garage or shelf or on the wall. Never leave it laying down to prevent injury.

Lawn Mower

  • Check gas and oil levels regularly.
  • Make sure nuts and bolts are tight.
  • Sharpen blades Yearly
  • Keep away from children.
  • Inspect air filter often.
  • For more Lawn mower maintenance tips click here.

Pressure Washer

  • Drain hoses after each use.
  • Clean out unused detergent.
  • Store in a dry place away from rain, cold and snow.

Hose

  • Wrap hose after each use and place on hose reel.
  • Drain hose in the winter time to prevent freezing.

Outdoor Detergent

  • Store in a safe place away from children and pets.

Chlorine Bleach

  • Store in a safe place away from children and pets.

Trimming Tools

  • Sharpen blades often.
  • Keep in a dry Place
  • Keep out of reach of children.

Shovel

  • Never leave your shovel laying down in the yard or garage.
  • Place shovel upright to prevent injury

Personal Safety Tips:

  • Wear protective gloves when your hands could be injured (trimming, mowing, hot water)
  • Wear a mask when dealing with harsh chemicals
  • Keep hands and other body parts away from blades of mower.
  • Use caution with trimming trees and bushes.
  • Wear protective eye glasses to shield eyes from the sun and debris.

In conclusion

House cleaning is a big job, but when broken down into many smaller tasks it is manageable. Always remember these three things.

  1. Take at least 15 minutes morning and night to help maintain your home.
  2. Complete large jobs, such as basement cleaning and yard work as a family.
  3. Keeping an organized home makes life less stressful!

We hope that these housecleaning tips were helpful to you.

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How To Clean A Boat Efficiently By Using Pressure Washer

Clean Boat Efficiently

Boats are not a small investment so you want to ensure proper maintenance and care so that you can enjoy your boat for years to come. Knowing how to clean a boat effectively is a critical part of regular maintenance.

You want to keep your boat clean, but there is no need to clean it on a daily basis. There are a number of boat cleaning tips that all boat cleaners can use to ensure that they are cleaning all parts of their boat efficiently so that you can get the job done and then enjoy your time on the high seas.

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Boat cleaning
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How to Clean Boat Seats?

Most boat seats are vinyl because this material stands up the best against the elements. When you are cleaning your boat seats, keep the following in mind to protect your seats:

  • Do not use any gasoline, kerosene acetone on your seats
  • Do not use a power washer on boat seats because they are too powerful
  • Do not use any cleaners that have a petroleum or silicone base

You want to use gentle cleaners that are designed for vinyl so that it cleans it and protects it simultaneously. You can also apply a vinyl protectant after you clean and dry your boat seats. This helps to protect your seats against the elements so that they last longer without cracking or wearing down.

How to Clean Boat Carpet?

You should clean your boat carpet one to two times a year, depending on how often you use your boat and what you use it for. You can use a pressure washer with a more gentle attachment so that you can remove dirt and other grime that is stuck in the boat’s carpeting.

You can also use an outdoor carpet cleaner along with a pressure washer to remove tracked in dirt and grime for your boat’s carpeting.

Before you attempt to wash your boat carpeting, be mindful of the type of carpet that is on your boat. Read the instructions that come with the carpeting to ensure that you are using methods that will not damage the carpet.

For example, certain types of carpet should never be cleaned with more abrasive cleaners and cleaning techniques because it will ruin the carpeting.

After cleaning your boat carpet, make sure that it dries completely before using your boat again so that you do not track dirt into damp carpeting.

How to Clean a Boat Hull?

Clean a Boat Hull

Keeping your boat hull clean and maintained ensures that you enhance overall boat performance while protecting the value of your boat. This area of your boat is constantly assaulted by the elements and they sustain a lot of action.

If your boat is in an area with salt water or heavily polluted water, it is even more important to maintain a clean hull because this will reduce barnacle growth and corrosion.

Ideally, you want to clean your hull about once every two months to keep it clean and maintained.

Use the following steps for basic hull cleaning:

  • Rinse the hull thoroughly with a lower power hose that is attached to a fresh water source. The purpose is to loosen up things like mold, salt and algae.
  • Use a boat hull cleaner to scrub your hull to the water line.
  • Make sure that you are using a soft sponge so that you do not scratch your boat.
  • Cleanse the hull using circular motions to remove anything stuck to it.
  • Use the hose with fresh water again to rinse away the boat hull cleanser.
  • Soak a sponge in fresh water, wring it out well and then wipe the hull down to remove any remaining cleanser residue.

About twice a year, you should also do an extensive cleaning of your boat’s hull, using the following steps:

  • Use a hose with fresh water to rinse away lose debris.
  • Combine water and muratic acid and spray this on your hull.
  • Let the acid and water mixture to sit for approximately five to 10 minutes to dissolve things like grime, dirt and moss.
  • Remove any stuck on grime with a soft bristle brush.
  • Use a hose with fresh water to rinse the acid away.

Remember that you must rinse thoroughly. If any of the acid remains on your hull, it can lead to corrosion and rust spots.

General Boat Cleaning Tips

General Boat Cleaning

While the seats, hull and carpeting are the three primary things that you want to clean on a normal schedule, there are other elements of your boat that you want to clean.

There are a number of things to remember when it comes to how to clean a boat. These will ensure that your boat is clean and maintained for a long time. Use the following advice when you are working to clean your boat:

  • Use a good wax on your boat after you completely clean and dry it. This will protect the fiberglass component of the body of your boat. You should use wax one to two times per boating season.
  • Make sure that you keep your boat windows clean since dirty windows can impair your ability to drive your boat and enjoy the water views.
    You can use a glass cleaner or use a mixture of vinegar and water.
  • Look for a good sealant so that you can ensure that none of the joints in your boat are impaired. This will prevent leaking, rusting and corrosion at the joints.

Now you know how to clean a boat effectively so that everything looks great and is well-maintained. Boat cleaning is something that all boat owners can do so there is no need to pay someone else to do.

It is best to create a cleaning schedule for the various parts and adhere to this. This ensures that your boat remains in good condition, but you can work the schedule so that it does not interfere with the leisure time you want to spend on your boat doing things like cruising and fishing with your friends and family.

Using a Pressure Washer for a Car Wash

If you want to ensure that your car gets as clean as possible, using a pressure washer for car wash is a good option. Before you wash your car with a pressure washer, there are a few things that you should know.

Once you tackle this information, it is easy to take your driveway and turn it into your own personal car wash.

Pressure Washer Car Washing Procedure

When you are ready to wash your car, there is a quick procedure to follow that ensures that you get the most out of power washing.

Follow these steps to get a straight from the showroom clean:

  • To get started, connect to your water source and power up the washer
  • Give the vehicle a good rinse to remove any loose debris and dirt from the surface. Make sure to soak the entire vehicle well
  • Use an approved soap solution and spray the entire vehicle thoroughly
  • Wash the vehicle starting at the top and then working your way down using a 25-degree spray tip. The ideal PSI at this time is approximately 1,200
  • Rinse your vehicle completely with a 40-degree spray tip
  • Dry the vehicle of any excess water to prevent any spotting
Recommended Pressure Washers For Cars

There are a few quick things to keep in mind to ensure the best cleaning experience:

  • Never use more than 2,000 PSI or else you risk damaging the paint on the vehicle
  • Use an anti-spotting solution to reduce spotting after the vehicle dries
  • Make sure that you do the bottom and the undercarriage of the vehicle last
  • Use strokes that are overlapping and smooth for the most effective clean
  • After applying the cleaning solution, allow it to sit on the vehicle for approximately five to 10 minutes to dissolve dirt and grime

Using the Right Spray Tips

Types of Pressure Washer Spray Tips

The spray tips play the biggest role when it comes to washing your vehicle with a power washer. The following four tips are common and it is important to know which ones to use:

  • Red tip: This is a zero-degree tip and it is not meant for vehicles because it may cause paint damage
  • Yellow tip: This is a 15-degree tip that works best for the secondary rinsing after using the cleaning solution
  • Green tip: This is a 35-degree tip that works for quick washes to remove dirt and salt deposits
  • White tip: This is ideal for areas with pin striping and the windshield because it is the most gentle, and it is a 40-degree tip

As you can see, using a pressure washer for a car wash is a good way to get a professional cleaning right in your own driveway.

As long as you are using the right pressure washer and soaps, you can quickly remove dirt and grime from your vehicle.

This ensures that your vehicle always looks like it just came out of the showroom.

17 Common Household Bugs and Pests and How You Can Get Rid of Them

Common Household Bugs and Pests

Ridding your home of common pests can be a difficult task. Some pests and bugs can be harmful to our health and well-being, while others are just a nuisance. Either way it is important to know how to get rid of household bugs.

Below you will find helpful information on 17 common household pests and how to rid your home of them.

Common Household Bugs, Where they grow, Their Effects, and How to get rid of them

Centipedes

Centipedes

Where they grow:

Common house centipedes are known as, Scutigera coleoptrata, and are generally found in the Mediterranean region. These centipedes can spend their entire lives growing and breeding indoors.

They tend to live in walls and floorboards in damp areas of basements and bathrooms. These centipedes can lay 50-100 eggs at a time and can live 3-5 years.

Effects

While they have a creepy look to them, these little pests are relatively harmless. They generally do not bite humans and keep to themselves.

Tips to get rid of Centipedes:

There are several methods used to get rid of centipedes in your home. The most effective method is to maintain a clean home and keep naturally damp areas like the bathroom dry.

Seal any cracks in your foundation and around windows and doors to keep centipedes and other pests from entering your home.

Products like diatomaceous earth and boric acid can be helpful in getting rid of a centipede infestation. Most standard bug bombs and sprays will kill the centipedes as well.

For more details on how to rid your home of these bugs check out here

Ants

Ants

Where they grow:

Most ants live in large groups and colonies. Ants work together to bring food back to their colonies. These pests can often be found in the kitchen or other places in the home where food and crumbs are found, such as the kitchen or the dining room.

It is uncommon to find ant colonies inside the home. Often ants come into the home and find food and then take it back to their colonies to share with other ants.

Effects

With the exception of fire ants, ants pose very little threat to humans. They can be very annoying and can contaminate food that is left out on tables and counters.

Tips to get rid of this Common Household Bugs:

One of the most important things that you can do to keep your home free of ants is to keep your kitchen and dining areas clean and free of food and crumbs. Sweep up after each meal and mop often. Make sure to put any food in airtight containers so that ants cannot get to it.

If you have a lot of ant hills around the outside of your home, eliminating these using pest control sprays can help to keep ants at bay.

Ants leave a scent trail as they travel along. Other ants are attracted to this scent and will follow it to find food. Make sure to clean your floors, tables, and counters with a mixture of vinegar and water to get rid of the scent.

For more details on how to rid your home of these bugs check out here

Bed Bugs

Bed bugs

Where They Grow:

While the term bed bugs lead up to believe that these little critters live only in beds, that is not true. Bed bugs can be found in vehicles, stuffed animals, furniture, carpet, and clothing. Bed bugs can be found in just about every region of the world.

They are transported in suitcases, clothing, boxes, and bags. Bed bugs are not limited to only homes. They have been found in schools, hotels, retail stores, taxicabs, and restaurants. Anywhere that there is a human host, bed bugs can live.

Effects

Bed bugs bite humans. Their bite are relatively harmless to most humans; however, some people may have an allergic reaction to bed bug bites. These bites can cause itching and may become infected.

Previously scientists believed that bed bugs carried a host of other diseases. In recent years this has proven to be false.

Tips to get rid of bed bugs:

Bed bug breeds rapidly and requires a professional to remove them. They can lurk in tiny crevasses of your home such as baseboards and wallpaper.

Below you will find some things that you can try to eliminate bed bugs, but because bed bugs have become so prevalent, it is highly recommended that you seek professional help to remove bed bugs.

  • Use a stiff brush on baseboards, furniture, curtains, mattresses, and walls to remove any eggs that are laid by bed bugs.
  • Treat all areas with alcohol.
  • Clean all bedding.
  • Seal any cloth items in plastic bags and place them outside of you home preferably in direct sunlight.
  • Vacuum often.
  • Wash all parts to your vacuum and store it outside your home in a sealed plastic bag.
  • Spray pesticides labeled for use against bed bugs.

For more details on how to rid your home of these bugs check out here

Fleas

Fleas

Where They Grow:

Most often fleas are found on our pets, but they can also live in carpet, upholstery, hardwood, and even concrete. They can also hibernate for up to two years.

Fleas that are found in our homes are called cat fleas, but despite the name, these fleas can live on cats, dogs, hamsters, rabbits, and Guinea pigs.

Effects

Fleas can bite humans and be very harmful to pets. This is especially true in cases where the pet is allergic to fleas. They can lead to anemia, tapeworm, plague, and cat scratch disease.

Tips to get rid of fleas:

The first step to getting rid of fleas is to treat your pet with a proven medication to prevent fleas. You can get this from your vet or purchase it over the counter.

You should be warned that many of the off-brand medications do not work as well as those like Frontline and K9 Advantix. Save yourself some money in the long run and purchase the good stuff the first time.

Often times, just treating your pet is enough to rid your home of fleas, because fleas cannot live without a host; however, for severe infestations, you will need to treat your home.

Use a spray that will kill the adult fleas as well as the eggs in all areas of your home. You will also want to treat your carpet with flea powder and vacuum often.

For more details on how to rid your home of these bugs check out here

Flies

flies

Where They Grow:

Most flies are found outdoors and come into our homes through open windows, doors or cracks. Some flies can live in attics and walls; however, these flies look different and are much slower than those that live outdoors.

Effects

Flies are fairly harmless to humans and pets, although they are quite annoying and have a tendency to buzz around and land on food and drinks which are unsanitary.

Tips to get rid of flies:

The first step to getting rid of flies is to keep your windows and door closed or make sure that you have screens that prevent flies from coming in.

You can also use fly traps which will attract flies and stop them in their tracks. There are also many recipes for homemade fly deterrent using essential oils.

For more details on how to rid your home of these bugs check out here

Lice

Lice

Where they grow:

Lice affect as many as 12 million kids in the USA on an annual basis. They live in human hair and children as well as adults can get lice.

Effects

Lice cause the scalp to be itchy and irritated; however, they do not cause harm to the body. They are not known for transmitting diseases. Excessive itching can lead to open wounds which can subsequently become infected and need medical treatment.

Tips to get rid of lice:

Commercial treatments can be used to get rid of lice; however, lice have become immune to these over the years. There are also prescriptions that you can get from a doctor to get rid of lice; however many parents do not like to use these treatments on their children because of the side effects.

Many natural treatments can be used to remove lice as well. To fully get rid of lice you will need to eliminate both the adult lice and their eggs (nits).

You will need to me vigilant in your treatments and continue to perform them for several weeks to make sure all of the lice are gone. It is also important to wash pillows and pillowcases to kill any lice that may be living on them.

For more details on how to rid your home of these bugs check out here

Mites

Mites

Where they grow:

Dust mites can be found in pillows, carpets, curtains, and linens. Garden mites can be found in gardens and on houseplants. Dust mites tend to live in areas where there is a lot of dust and garden mites live on plants and vegetation.

Effects

Dust mites can bite. Their bites can lead to serious skin irritation. Many humans are allergic to these mites and reactions may include:

  • Swelling
  • Itching
  • Irritation
  • Bumps

Itchy skin can lead to lacerations which can become infected and need medical treatment.

Tips to get rid of mites:

Pesticides can be used to get rid of mites on many plants. Although, it is important to only use pesticides on plants that do not bear fruits and vegetables. Getting rid of dust mites can be tricky.

It is important to maintain humidity in your home, use protective covers on mattresses and pillowcases, wash any affected linens, and vacuum often. Replacing any affected furniture is recommended. Professional help may be needed to remove dust mites.

For more details on how to rid your home of these bugs check out here

Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes

Where they grow:

Mosquitoes can be found all around the world, but especially in areas that have high humidity. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in water, so areas near oceans, lakes, rivers, streams, and ponds are especially susceptible to mosquitoes.

Effects

Mosquitoes are bloodsuckers. When they bite you the suck a little bit of your blood. That is how they survive. In addition to the red bump and itchy skin that a mosquito bite leaves, there are other dangers as well.

Mosquitoes are known to spread diseases by biting one human and then another. They are also well known for the spread of West Nile Virus.

Tips to get rid of this harmful and Common Household Bugs mosquitoes:

You can certainly have your yard sprayed for mosquitoes, but this does not always keep them at bay. Make sure you remove any standing water sources around your yard.

If you have uneven places in your lawn, that retain water, fill them in to prevent standing water. There are also many natural ways to keep mosquitoes away. Try using lavender spray before you go out in the evening.

For more details on how to rid your home of these bugs check out here

Pantry Moths and Meal Moths

Pantry Moths

Where they grow:

These moths are found in home pantries and can be a huge nuisance. They will often invade pantry items such as cornmeal, flour, and pasta. These little pests will eat anything that they can find, so it is important to keep a clean kitchen to avoid them.

Effects

These pests can live on just about any little crumb of food and they breed rather quickly. A few meal moths can turn into hundreds very quickly. They can ruin your food and cost you a lot of money in waste.

Tips to get rid of pantry moths:

Clean your kitchen from top to bottom. Make sure to wipe every surface and every item in your pantry. Store open goods such as cereal, pasta, sugar and flour in airtight containers.

Even the cleanest of homes can become infested with pantry moths because they are brought into the home in prepackaged food containers from time to time.

There are many pantry moth traps available on the market. These are great for catching any lingering pantry moths once the kitchen has been cleaned.

For more details on how to rid your home of these bugs check out here

Common Household Bugs Cockroaches

Cockroaches

Where they grow:

Most cockroaches can live and grow in dark, damp areas such as basements and inside of walls. They also love the smell of paper and will live in stacks of newspaper and even office paper. Cockroaches can be found throughout the world and travel in luggage, on airplanes, and in vehicles.

Effects

Cockroaches can reproduce at a rapid rate. If you see one cockroach (especially during the day), you should know that there are likely hundreds more lurking in your home. These little guys also spread bacteria throughout your home. It is important to work to get rid of them at the first sign of cockroaches.

Tips to get rid of cockroaches:

Cleaning is the first step to take to get rid of cockroaches. Clean your entire home and make sure that thee are no crumbs or food particles left out where cockroaches can get to them. Make sure to store any boxed pantry items in airtight containers.

Eliminate clutter and paper stacks where cockroaches may live. The next thing that you want to do is purchase roach traps and roach away.

These items will help to keep the roaches at-bat. Scatter the roach traps around your home and mix the roach bait with flour, peanut butter and water to make a paste. Put this paste in inconspicuous areas around your home where the roaches will find it, eat it, share it with their friends and die.

In cases of severe infestation, you may need to call a professional pest control company for help.

For more details on how to rid your home of these bugs check out here

Common Household Bugs Spiders

Spider

Where they grow:

Spiders usually come into your home from the outside, but they can lay their eggs in your home. They love cluttered areas, so it is important to keep your home clutter-free.

Effects

While most common house spiders are not harmful to humans, they can be a nuisance. Some varieties of spiders do bite and some are venomous. It is important to keep your home free of these types to prevent illness and injury.

Tips for getting rid of spiders:

Keep your home as clutter-free as possible. Vacuum and dust your home often. The easiest way to keep your home free of spiders is to prevent them from coming inside.

Make sure that your windows and doors are well sealed. Keep firewood stacked away from the home. Keep plants and shrubs cut back away from the house. Spray the perimeter of your home with peppermint oil.

For more details on how to rid your home of these bugs check out here

Ticks

Ticks

Where they grow:

Ticks tend to live in trees and brush. They often will spend their entire life on a single host (animal or human). They are most active during warm weather, although they will sometimes try to find a host even during freezing temperature.

Most of the time, ticks do not live and breed in homes. They are brought into homes by animals such as bats in an attic or a pet that goes inside and out.

Effects

Ticks are harmful to humans and animals. They bury their heads under the skin of humans and pets to feed off of their blood. Ticks can spread and carry a host of diseases, however, the most concerning is Lyme disease.

Tips for getting rid of ticks:

Keep the areas around your home free of brush and firewood. If you have been out working in the garden or hiking in the woods immediately wash clothing in hot water.

Wear a hat when you are outdoors and check your head for ticks when you come in. Make sure to treat pests for ticks every 2-3 months during the summer.

For more details on how to rid your home of these household bugs check out here

Household Bugs Termites

Termites

Where they grow:

Termites that feed on dry wood live in warm areas of the country that do not get below freezing. Other types of termites do live in regions where the weather gets below freezing. Each of these types of termites feeds on wood.

Effects

Termites are not poisonous or deadly to humans, but they are detrimental to our homes and structures. These little guys can eat up to a pound of wood in 5 years. While the damage is slow it is a problem that you want to stop right away to preserve the structure of your home.

Tips for getting rid of termites:

There are many ways to eliminate termites, but it does take some time. Orange oil is effective for killing termites that can see, however, it is not as effective for those that are burrowed deep inside the wood.

Boric acid is another chemical that is useful in getting rid of termites. Often times for a particularly bad infestation, a microwave or electrocution is used.

For more details on how to rid your home of these household bugs check out here

Household Bugs: Carpet Beetles

Carpet Beetle

Where they grow:

Carpet beetles live and bread in carpet, rugs and other surfaces near the ground. They can be found on mounted and stuffed game animals as well. They can live in the northern and southern US as well as other parts of the world.

Effects

Carpet beetles are not harmful to humans and do not bite pets. The can be detrimental to the carpet, furniture, and other linens. An infestation of carpet beetles can grow rapidly and it is important to remove them as quickly as possible.

Tips for getting rid of carpet beetles:

Getting rid of the item that the beetles are infesting is the best way to go about getting rid of them. Although in the case of carpets and furniture, this is not always a choice.

Extreme heat and cold will kill these pests. If you have the option heat the item to 120 degrees or freeze the item for 48 hours. Insecticides can also be used to kill carpet beetles.

For more details on how to rid your home of these bugs check out here

Wasps

Wasps

Where they grow:

Wasps grow in nests which are found outdoors in trees and among dwellings. Sometimes wasps nest can be found in attics. They are usually active in the warm months and dormant during the cold.

Effects

Wasps are dangerous to humans as they sting. Wasp stings are painful and some people are even allergic to them. It is important to eliminate wasps in and around your home quickly and effectively.

Tips for getting rid of wasps:

It is important to be saved and wear long sleeves and pants when trying to eliminate wasps. A swarm of wasps can be deadly so make sure that you cover as much skin as possible when dealing with wasps.

Leave getting rid of large wasp nests to the professionals. Raid makes a product that kills wasps and wasp nests. There are also natural sprays available to get rid of wasps.

For more details on how to rid your home of these household bugs check out here

Box Elder Bugs

Box Elder Bugs

Where they grow:

Boxelder bugs can be found both inside and outside homes. They like to congregate in and on walls that are south facing. They generally arrive in the spring and in the fall. In the springtime, they emerge from their hiding places to breed. In the fall they return and lie dormant for the winter.

Effects

These household bugs are not dangerous to humans. They are more of a nuisance than anything because they arrive in very large numbers.

Tips for getting rid of box elder bugs:

Pesticides can be used to get rid of these pests, but before you go spraying harmful chemicals around your home there are some other things that you can do. Seal your home during the summer months to prevent the household bugs from returning.

You can also use a vacuum to suck up visible elder bugs inside your home. Place powder insecticides in cracks and crevices.

For more details on how to rid your home of these household bugs check out here

Stink Bugs

Stink Bug

Where they grow:

Stink bugs are all over the United States. They really seem to like brick homes because of their ability to harbor heat from the sunlight; however, these bugs can be found in all homes and in large numbers.

Generally stink bugs come out from their hiding places in the spring and return in the fall, although they can be found year-round in homes.

Effects

Stink bugs are not harmful to humans, but they do release a foul-smelling odor when they are killed or feel threatened. If you must kill a stink bug do not squash it.

Tips for getting rid of stink bugs:

For visible stink bugs, you can vacuum them up in a tight sealing vacuum cleaner. You can also spray them with a solution of water and dawn dish soap.

Seal off any areas of your home where the bugs may enter. Stink bugs are resistant to common pesticides. If you have a large infestation of stink bugs, you may need to call a pest control company.

For more details on how to rid your home of these bugs check out here

Always remember that the best way to keep your home pest free is to keep your home clean and free of clutter. In severe cases call a professional to help you rid your home of pests.

It is important to always wear a face mask, eye protection, and gloves when dealing with harmful chemical pesticides.

 

 

 

How To Tips On Garden Clean Up Throughout The Year

Garden Clean Up Tips

Having a garden is helpful to those who enjoy growing their own food and feeling responsible for their own lifestyle. Gardens are a healthy hobby to have, as they require exercise and fresh air while certain tasks are taken care of on a daily basis. Garden clean up can even be a benefit, as it requires a certain amount of time spent outdoors.

As another plus, gardens can be a source of income to a family or simply a project that everyone can share in and share the sense of accomplishment when crops are successfully cultivated and harvested.

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Seasonal

Other cleaning

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Tools required for cleaning

Tips

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However, when it comes to having a garden, there is more than just planting seeds and harvesting the plants. Gardens require a considerable amount of land, rich soil to optimize growth potential for the plants you choose to cultivate and a significant amount of tools to help keep the plants cared for and the soil maintained.

Gardens require a significant amount of time dedicated to the various points in the growing process and even need attention in the off-season.

It also takes some serious cleanup efforts to maintain the garden and keep it at optimal standards for plant growth. Garden cleanup is different for each season and requires different equipment for various aspects of the process.

In order to be prepared for the various tasks that require attention, it is necessary to have an idea of what tasks need to be done at the beginning of each season.

It also is necessary to know your tools and the amount of work it takes to keep each tool ready and avoid the need to run out for a replacement when you attempt to do work for that particular season.

Spring Garden Clean

Seasonal:

Fall Garden Clean Up

  • Remove weeds and diseased plants. Make sure to not compost diseased plants on your own home compost pile.
  • Remove all overripe fruits from the ground around plants.
  • Provide enough water for the fall for all plants.
  • Plant new perennials, including trees and shrubs.
  • Plant quick-growing greens in a vegetable garden.
  • Plant grass seed.
  • Divide and move peonies.
  • Save tomatoes, peppers, peas and bean seeds for next year.

Winter Cleaning

  • Dig up cabbage and replant head first, with the roots showing.
  • Potatoes and carrots can be dug up and reburied as well, marked by a mound of straw and dirt.
  • Spinach can be planted four to six weeks before the first frost. Cover with straw for a late winter or early spring harvest.
  • Plant garlic, rhubarb and shallots for next year.
  • Plant a cover crop, like buckwheat, to protect the top level of soil from erosion.
  • Cover with a layer of compost to further protect and enrich the soil.

Spring Garden Clean Up

  • Pick up all debris to promote new grass growth
  • Use leaf blower as necessary
  • Remove annual plants that did not survive the winter
  • Trim perennials and ornamental grasses
  • Clear debris, straighten and turn soil in planting beds.
  • Prepare lawn work equipment for the upcoming busy season.

Other cleaning:

Fence or Boundary

  • Make sure to keep fencing clean and looking attractive.
  • Trim hedges or trees that create a barrier between your yard and a neighbor.
  • Pressure wash wooden fencing to keep residue from cleaners off the fence.
  • Use light pressure, lots of water and even strokes when pressure washing a wooden fence to avoid stripping the wood.
Garden Backyard Floor

Garden Backyard Floor

  • Gather tools, like large garbage bags, gloves, and clippers. Also, be prepared for a long haul if you have not been taking regular care of the area, so sunscreen is a must.
  • Have a plan of where you want to start and what areas are next on the to-do list. This helps prevent getting overwhelmed by a huge project like cleaning a large expanse of yard.
  • Make weeding a top priority. Enlist help if it seems to be too much for you to handle alone. If they aren’t dealt with, weeds can take over. Avoid this if possible.
  • Remember that the important thing is to get the job accomplished, not who actually does the work. If it is too monumental a task for you, don’t hesitate to hire a landscaping company. They can typically do things quickly and efficiently for a reasonable cost.

Garden Deck

Garden Deck
  • Sweep away debris and wash down the deck first with water.
  • Use cleaners. A cleaner with bleach makes the wood look brighter. Meanwhile, a cleaner without bleach is environmentally friendly yet cleans dirt and grime from the wood without damaging it or hurting nearby shrubbery.
  • Apply a clear wood preservative or exterior stain. Apply with roller or brush, and be sure to brush out any puddles on the surface.

Tools that are required for cleaning:

Garden Clean Up Hand Tools

Garden Hand Tools

Hand tools are easy to care for and store. They can be used for a majority of the garden clean up tasks that occur on a regular basis. Still, there are some things you can do to keep these tools at their best for longer periods to avoid the cost of replacement.

1. Pitchfork/Manure Fork

  • Clean and oil tines.
  • Hang on wall to keep clean and organize storage space.
  • Spray on penetrating oil periodically

2. Leaf Rake

  • Replace handle or sand off rough edges.
  • Hang on wall neatly to prevent bending of non-wooden parts.

3. Garden Hose

  • Make sure hose is empty of water.
  • Coil neatly.
  • Check for holes and cuts in hose length.

4. Long-handled Pruner/Lopper

  • Clean blades with stiff brush and dish washing liquid.
  • Sharpen blades
  • Spray metal parts with WD-40.

5. Wheelbarrow/Garden Cart

  • Maintain handles, sanding off rough edges.
  • Make sure wheel has sufficient air and is not left in one spot too long to rot.

Garden Power Tools

Power tools require more maintenance and attention to make sure they are at their optimal ability for use. Still, in some situations, like maintaining the lawn, using power tools is unavoidable.

Below are some tips for keeping these particular power tools clean and well-maintained.

1. Pressure washer

  • Keep both oil and fuel filled. Change oil if necessary, per the manufacturer’s recommendations.
  • Check inlet screen. Flush with water if dirty or clogged.
  • Regularly check hose for leaks or cuts; also make sure couplings remain in good shape.

You can also read: The Secrets of Pressure Washer Maintenance

2. Lawn Mower

  • Keep blades sharpened.
  • Make sure all fuel and oil is kept full
  • Regularly check air filter to avoid clogging.
  • Keep fuel tank empty over the winter. Stale fuel can cause problems with starting the mower at the beginning of a new season of lawn mowing.

You can also read more details about lawn mower maintenance.

3. Leaf Blower

  • Keep oil and fuel filled.
  • Clean exterior surfaces.
  • Make sure throttle lock and stop switch are in good repair.
  • Make sure collection bag is without holes and zippers work properly.
  • Keep fan blades on flywheel clean.

4. Electric Clipper/Trimmer/Shears

  • Keep cord wound to prevent tangles.
  • Keep edges sharp to enhance cutting performance.

Health and Safety Tips While Cleaning

  • Always be aware of where your tools are to avoid accidentally stepping on them.
  • Be careful of new plans, as they can pose unknown dangers if they are new to your yard.
  • Be careful when working in overgrown areas, as you can be tripped by the weeds or overgrown grasses.
  • Always be aware of yourself and your surroundings when working with power tools. Injuries can occur quickly if you are not paying attention.
  • Working on garden cleanup means the possibility of discovering new bee hives or anthills. Either of these can be dangerous to those with allergies or simply to someone who gets stung multiple times. Be prepared and observant at all times while working outdoors.

Garden clean up can be a challenging undertaking. This is especially true since different seasons of the year require different knowledge and experience, as well as different tools. For those who wish to put in the effort, however, it is a worthwhile endeavor to create and maintain a garden.

Growing your own food and knowing what pesticides were used or the organic benefits of the food you grow can be a great self-esteem boost and also a health boost for the entire family.

Taking the time to keep tools maintained and organized makes the garden cleanup process much smoother and typically cuts off some time needed to complete such a project.

Therefore, while it is time-consuming to maintain a large inventory of tools, it is better to do the maintenance regularly than to let it all build up until it can no longer be avoided.

Finally, enjoy the fruits of your labor and the beauty of a well-maintained backyard and garden area.

These will be the envy of neighbors and also a chance to spend quality time with loved ones, working in the garden. It can be an educational pastime handed down through generations.

 

 

 

Common Pressure Washer Uses – What You Can Clean Smoothly

Knowing about the various pressure washer uses allows you to determine if this is the right type of cleaning equipment for you. It also helps you to choose the right type of pressure washer to get the job done.

You can use this type of cleaner for a wide variety of jobs, so owning one helps to ensure that you always have what you need to keep your property clean and in great condition.

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What you Can Clean with a Pressure Washer?

This piece of equipment is something that you can use on various areas of your home to ensure the most effective clean. The following are common examples of what you can use a pressure washer for:

  • Bikes
  • Outdoor furniture
  • Motorcycles and scooters
  • Exterior stairs
  • Stone and garden walls
  • Terraces and swimming pools
  • Garden tools
  • Garden paths and pavers
  • Fencing
  • Vehicles
  • Off-road vehicles and motor homes
  • Driveways and garage floors
  • Home exterior

Paving Slabs

When you look at your driveway, you may see things like oil stains and moss. You can use a power washer to eradicate both of these. The power from this type of equipment can penetrate porous surfaces to remove stains and other impurities from underneath the surface to ensure an optimal clean.

Decks and Patios

Decks and Patios

At least once per year, you will want to fully clean your deck or patio to that it is ready for the warmer months. This will remove leftover debris, dirt, salt and other things that assault your outdoor spaces during the winter months.

Power washing your deck is also ideal before you restain or repaint it because this ensures a clean surface.

Vehicles Cleaning

Vehicles

You can wash your vehicles with a power washer to get clean that is like you would get at a car wash. This will eliminate all traces of dirt and grime from the body and undercarriage of your vehicle. You can use detergents in a power washer to ensure the best clean possible.

You can also read : Using a Pressure Washer for a Car Wash

Outdoor Furniture

Outdoor Furniture

Since your outdoor furniture is exposed to all types of elements, it makes sense that you need to give it a good cleaning once per year. You can do this at the beginning of spring to wash away the dirt and debris of winter. It helps to alleviate stains and ensure that your furniture is fully clean.

House Exterior

House Exterior

Whether you have siding, stone or brick, you need to give it a good cleaning at least once per year. Using a power washer will save you from having to get up on a ladder and use sponges to get the job done.

You can also read: 101 House Cleaning Tips and Tricks

With so many different pressure washer uses, it is easy to see that this is a very valuable and versatile piece of equipment. You can use it around your home for so many different things to ensure adequate home maintenance.

It can save you time and money on your maintenance projects, giving you time for the more important things in life.

 

 

 

Pressure Washer Safety Tips – How To Use Without Getting Yourself Injured

Pressure Washer Safety Tips

Pressure washers can be a great tool for washing and cleaning whether you are using it at home or at work. However, it can be equally dangerous for you and others around you if you don’t take the necessary safety tips before use.

We have outlined some of the basic safety tips you need to keep in mind before using.

  • Check the engine oil level each time before use.
  • Avoid over filling the engine with oil. Overfilling can have dangerous affects such as the spark plug may get damaged and oil may overflow to the air filter damaging your equipment.
  • Refrain from turning on the pressure washer before turning on the water supply. This can damage the pump.
  • Don’t refuel an engine that’s running hot, wait a while for it to cool down.
  • When the washer is pressurized do not open the high-pressure hose.
  • While you are spraying make sure that you do not change the spraying pattern or spraying tip. This can cause damage to other people around the washer.
  • Make sure you are always in a stable position when you are using the washer.
    Avoid using from ladders or other unstable positions where you are not in full control of your balance. This might cause you to hit other people or wall surfaces.
  • The high pressure hose is one of the most crucial components. If it’s damaged avoid trying to repair and just purchase a new one for use.
  • ALWAYS read all the instructions in the operating manual and the safety stickers on the washer.
  • Do not forget to wear safety goggles. The spray may break loose bits of paint or other particles which might enter your eyes.
  • Before spraying maintain a firm stance so that you won’t be knocked back if the gun kicks back before you press the trigger. Use both hands to firmly grasp the spray gun so that you don’t lose control once the gun starts spraying.

 

 

  • Do not directly spray any animals or people. The high-pressure spray may cause cuts and so be very careful while spraying.
  • Avoid wearing shoes where your toes are exposed. The spray can cause damage to your toes if hit directly.
  • Be EXTRA CAREFUL when spraying near electrical cables or power lines. Avoid hitting the cables or power lines directly at all costs, as it may damage them and cause short circuit.
  • Do not spray on windows because it may break the glass and you might hit anyone outside or near the window.
  • Keep the pressure washer away from the reach of children and do not allow children to play around the washer while operating.
    If you have small children at home do not leave the washer unattended for even a second.
  • Every time after you’re done using the washer make sure to squeeze the spray gun trigger after you have turned the engine off. This releases the extra pressure trapped in the spray gun.

Follow each of the steps mentioned above to ensure maximum safety for use. Remember using the washer carelessly can be dangerous. Happy washing!