Home Maintenance

Wooden shutters may be found both on the inside and outside of a house. Interior shutters are most likely installed in a different manner from exterior ones. You probably will have to unscrew the...

Bathtubs are a dirty, grimy area. Many times mold or some kind of scum is growing in a bathtub. This can cause the handles to get corroded or even look unsightly. The handles in a shower are a...

Calcium and magnesium deposits are a common problem in places with "hard water." The stains left behind by mineral deposits are sometimes difficult to get rid of if left unattended for too long....

Removing a damaged (or stripped) screw is often a trying experience because it can slow down an entire project. The frustration is compounded when the screw becomes even more damaged as you try to...

When removing carpeting and the carpet backing from a floor, often what is left behind is carpet glue residue. The glue is used to keep the padding in place, which it does really well. Removing...

Old, dried glue can be one of the most challenging substances to clean after. When it dries onto a surface, a bond is created that can be a difficult to remove. Glue residue is especially...

Dusting is a necessary part of home maintenance. Conducting daily activities in the home and moving from the outdoors to the inside of the home tracks in and stirs up dust. Most people dust in...

Your countertop may seem like a permanent part of your kitchen. Chances are, it's been there since you moved in. Whether you are remodeling the entire room or you just never really liked that...

Door hinges are not what they used to be, and neither is construction. Construction around the country is down and builders of new homes are trying to save money, so you can guarantee they will...

Do you have a white powdery surface on you granite? This could be efflorescence, it's a type of salt deposit. It happens when water (contain salt) evaporates and leaves behind the white powdery...

There are many simple ways to remove rust safely. Rust is a chemical reaction called oxidation that creates iron oxide. Rust appears as reddish-brown spots and occurs when oxygen and water are...

Moss is a simple type of plant that grows just about anywhere, especially in damp, shaded areas. Moss often grows on the northern side of a building because it receives less sun. Eliminating moss...

The Shop-Vac is one of the handiest pieces of clean-up equipment that you have in your workshop. Despite its rugged construction, you may develop a problem that requires you to remove and replace...

Whether it's Super Glue, Krazy Glue, or any other brand name, cyanoacrylate is a stubborn adhesive that is very difficult to remove from your countertops. Nevertheless, it somehow finds its way...

Loctite is a brand of adhesives and threadlockers that are designed to hold bolts and screws in place. These prevent jarring and loosening during rigorous activity or under stress. Due to the...

Storm windows are a good addition to any home. Besides providing an extra window to help lessen a storm's damage, they also provide an additional layer of insulation. Storm windows may seem to be...

Paint and ink markers can leave stains on a lot of surfaces, be they wood, furniture, carpeting or clothing. Marker stains can be especially troublesome, since they often absorb into whatever they...

Molds are useful outdoors, where they break down dead organic matter, but indoors, they can trigger allergies and adverse health effects. Mold spores are everywhere, but they cause a problem...

Hard water can lead to an unsightly buildup of iron, lime and magnesium in our bathrooms and kitchens and form water rings on the tile. Porcelain and ceramic tiles can be expensive, so it is a...

Caulking is used to repair surfaces and seal them to prevent future damage. If you have installed laminate in your home--it is frequently used in kitchen counter tops--you may have used caulking...

Lestoil is a household cleaner manufactured by the Clorox Company. Use Lestoil to clean and neutralize greasy spills and spatters from a variety of fabrics and services. Because Lestoil is...

Cosmoline is very similar to Vaseline. It was used as a preservative for firearms during WWI and WWII before the guns were put in storage. The guns would be dipped in a large barrel of Cosmoline...

No home, or car, should be without duct tape. There are so many unconventional ways to use duct tape you should really never leave home without it. Duct tape was invented during World War II for...

Refinishing cabinet doors can be done in two ways. You can completely sand them down and reapply the stain. Or you can revitalize the color and shine that is already there, without doing a...

Every six months, remove and replace your Amana refrigerator water filter to ensure that your family's water is clean and pure. After all, having a refrigerator water filtering system was probably...

Times are hard and the economy is in rough shape, this is no time to be sitting around. There has never been a better time to investigate what is going on with that couch in your living room. ...

There are many ways to remove paint from brick. Before deciding to remove the paint, look closely at the brick to determine if it was painted to hide imperfections, or to help to seal crumbling...

Summer begs us to use our outdoor grills. From simple burgers to ribs to whole turkeys, our outdoor grills provide some of the most memorable summer meals. At the end of the grill season,...

To increase the durability of an asphalt driveway it is important to keep your driveway clean. All oil stains and other spills should be cleaned up immediately. The longer the chemicals remain on...

My daughter means well and loves to help cook, but has not learned that garbage disposals will not eat up the metal 'hog rings' used to tie the ends of Turkey meat. To the ear I hear: clang clang,...

Remodeling a bathroom usually calls for removing the old fixtures.

.The process of removing a door is relatively easy and can be accomplished by yourself, however it will be much easier with two people. In order to remove a door you do not need remove any screws,...

Grout stains are unsightly and can be moldy. The lighter the color of the grout, the more apparent the stain will be. However, there are fairly easy ways to clean your grout and remove the stains...

Getting rid of those unsightly stains on your favorite glass pieces can be tough, especially if the stain is old and the glass piece is fragile. Although most glass pieces can be taken to a...

Once any urethane adhesive has cured, it is extremely difficult to remove without damaging the surface beneath or whatever it encapsulates. It is important that if you spill urethane adhesive...

Waxed floors will stay cleaner longer than unwaxed ones. But don't just dump the wax on the floor and spread it around with a rag. First you have to clean the floor. And if it's been a while, you...

When glass gets wood stain on it, it is sometimes necessary to remove the stain. Unfortunately, removing the stain can scratch the glass. With careful work, though, the amount of time for you to...

If you've ever caulked your bathroom yourself then you know what it's like to get silicone caulk on your skin and then try to remove it; it's a pain. Obviously if you can avoid getting it on skin...

Leaky Kitchen Faucet Do you have a leaky kitchen faucet? I can show you how to fix it quickly, safely and cheaply. Any leaking faucet spells trouble, let alone the kitchen faucet. When you fix...

If you have a case of bees in the wall, it is important to remove them as soon as possible to avoid risks. Bees can be harmful both to the house and to the people in the area. It is critical to...

Thermostats control your heater and air conditioner by sending a signal when the air temperature reaches a certain temperature. According to Happy Living Magazine, if the thermostat is faulty, it...

Finding rust in your well water can prove disheartening. The water may be a strange reddish-brown color and may also have a funny aftertaste that makes it undrinkable if there is a high...

Whether paint has accidentally splashed onto tile walls or purposely been painted on the tiles, there are various ways to remove the paint from the tiles. Commercial to homemade or home-ready...

In the past, homeowners only had one choice of material when building a deck: wood. Though beautiful, wood decks require rigorous maintenance, and frequent resanding and refinishing. Several...

Homeowners often find themselves faced with the prospect of removing dried egg from the paint on their house. Since mischief of this type often happens in the dark of night, it is rarely...

Sticky residue left from price tags, bumper stickers, and even Band-Aids are a common and annoying household problem. There are several solutions to try that should remove every type of gummy residue.

You expect and need your dryer not to fail you and reliably dry your clothes. As with everything else, however, things will break and wear out over time. When your dryer doesn't dry, the reason is...

When tub caulk is stained under the caulk it is time to remove it and replace with new caulk. In order to remove the old, grimy caulk, set aside a few hours and follow these steps.

When you are ready to remove your old door locks and replace them with a newer look, you will have an easy job to do. With a couple of tools and a few minutes of your time, you can do the job...

Nothing is more frustrating than trying to do your laundry and realizing the dryer is not working. When this happens there is basically only one answer. Your dryer heating element is not working....