Discover the expert in you.
Discover the expert in you.
Birds do their business just like humans do. Their waste is noxious and toxic, and it can damage hard surfaces such as wood. Indoors, bird droppings can leave harmful germs in your bird’s food, water, toys and bedding. Just as you would clean your bathroom to keep it sanitary, you need to clean outdoor surfaces that have been “decorated” with bird droppings. Your pet bird deserves a clean, sanitary cage as well.
The automotive industry is a funny creature; both resistant to change and adaptable to it, the best automakers have a talent for grasping the finer points of public opinion and government mandates, and making the best of them. Evidence the thermoplastic bumper covers that started showing up in the 1980s. The bumper covers like those used by the 1992 Integra hid the massive, ugly bars in use since the 1970s, and used them as a foundation for part of the car's signature styling cues. But bumpers are ultimately the car's first line of defense against damage, encouraging wise manufacturers like…
Salt that accumulates on the underpinnings of an automobile can cause vital components to corrode at an accelerated rate. Whether the salt collected is from winter road-clearing compounds, or driving along an ocean beach, it should be removed at the earliest opportunity. Allowing salt to remain in contact with suspension components, exhaust systems, or low-hung electronics, can certainly result in severe erosion of these sophisticated parts. The efforts and exertions needed to remove the salinity depend on the intensity of the contamination, and ambient temperatures. Thankfully, no hazardous chemicals or cleaners are required to rid the car undercarriage of corrosive…
The Rover 214 Cabriolet is a fast, sporty vehicle with an average fuel consumption of 33.7 MPG and a top speed of 107 MPH. However, since Rover automobiles are imports, professional service costs are relatively high; therefore it pays to carry out your own routine maintenance wherever possible. An important safety measure is checking and topping up the hydraulic brake fluid level from time to time, as brake fluid tends to drop as the brake pads and/or shoes wear. Loss of material causes the calipers and wheel cylinders to take up more fluid as they extend further to compensate.
Tree sap is one of the most pernicious substances to remove from car finishes and auto glass. Auto glass made before 1917 was ordinary glass. Henry Ford first installed hardened auto glass in 1917 and in 1919 began using laminated glass. By 1929, all Fords came with cellulose laminated glass, which was eventually replaced by plastic glass laminate. In the '50s and '60s, manufacturers economized, switching to tempered glass for side and rear windows. Vintage glass may actually tolerate rubbing, scraping and power solvents better than the newer coated or tinted products in modern vehicles.
Pine sap, that sticky substance that oozes out of the rough bark of pine trees, is the lifeblood to this variety of coniferous tree. In addition to providing the pine tree with necessary nutrients, sap also helps to heal wounds on its outer surface. When the sticky substance gets on rugs it can quickly become a dirt magnet, turning a simple stain into a complete eyesore.
Vinyl is a type of plastic made from polyvinyl chloride. Auto manufacturers use vinyl to cover the seats in cars because of its low cost and high durability. Although this material is waterproof, ink, paint, grease and foods can stain it. Leaving windows open or convertible top down can expose vinyl seats to dirt, grime and wet leaves, which can cause mildew buildup. Stains can lower the value and diminish the aesthetic appearance of a car.
In a car guy's mind, if it smells like gas, then it probably is; if it smells like paint thinner but costs more, then its probably a conspiracy on the part of a manufacturer to charge you three times as much for a different can. But you may be surprised to learn that while they may seem very similar, carburetor and throttle body cleaners are quite different in terms of composition and function.
Velcro is a manufacturer of “hook-and-loop” fastener products designed for a wide variety of applications. Velcro suited for automotive dashboard and interior plastic components features an adhesive backing. Removing a strip of adhesive-backed Velcro from your dashboard is an easy task when using the correct tools and cleaning materials.
Foam adhesive tape is used on many automotive applications, including factory and dealership badges, window vent visors, fender flares and other accessories. The badges and accessories themselves aren’t difficult to remove, but they leave behind the foam adhesive tape and residue. This isn’t average tape; this tape is made to stay put through weather and for long periods of time. You can remove foam adhesive tape from a car body using tools found around your home.
If your car lacks that showroom shine, it may be time for a polishing. While polishing your vehicle by hand may be a safer option, especially for novices, high-speed buffers generally produce better results and complete the job in far less time. When using a high-speed buffer to polish your car, there are some guidelines to follow to ensure you get the best shine.
Dings or dents in wheels cause the mirror-like finish to look uneven and brings attention to the dings. Dings in aluminum wheels are common since aluminum is a soft metal and susceptible to damage. Dings in the surface of aluminum wheels don’t case structural harm even though they don’t look good. You can repair aluminum wheel dings yourself within an hour using inexpensive materials from an auto parts store.
Plum trees are popular in American gardens because they are decorative and resilient. All plum trees flower seasonally, and many produce a popular stone fruit: the plum. Studies by Texas A&M University have lauded the beneficial health properties of plum fruit. Plum oil extracted from the stone is used to create plum scents for body lotions and creams. Although the sap is vital to the plum tree, plum sap is of limited use to humans. Unlike the maple tree, whose sap is harvested for syrup, only insects consume plum sap. Regardless of the lack of direct uses for plum sap,…
The one thing more noticeable than a shiny, glossy finish on your car is the swirl marks on the surface. Swirl marks are cut into the clear-coat paint and can’t be washed or waxed away. Once there, they will remain until a professional removes them or you attempt to remove them yourself. There is a way to hand wax a car while avoiding swirl marks and still get a protective, glossy finish.
Keeping a Harley's aluminum wheels clean is an often overlooked but important part of routine bike maintenance. Wheels pick up brake and road dust, mud, oil and soft road tar. Regular, thorough cleaning will lessen the adverse effects of corrosive debris or chemicals on the finish. Harley-Davidson cleaning products are widely available and specific to the wheel type. However, using a mild liquid soap containing castile won't damage the aluminum or the tires. The average cost is less than half that of commercial cleaners. A light application of diluted lemon juice will remove stubborn grease and shine the wheels.
Made up of slightly abrasive components, car polish can be just the product needed to smooth out rough areas and create a shinier coat of paint on your vehicle. Multiple methods exist for applying polish to a car's exterior. You can simply use a cloth and apply the polish by hand. Expensive circular and orbital buffers require a level of expertise, but these tools typically provide a quick, effective polishing. Somewhere in the middle is the drill option. Using an electric drill and a basic head attachment creates a polishing tool capable of beautifying your car.
Tree sap leaves behind a sticky residue that later hardens. Oil-based products such as petroleum jelly loosen and break down the sap, but they leave behind a dark stain on fabrics such as nylon that is even more difficult to remove. Harsh chemical solvents break down nylon fibers and therefore also aren't suitable for sap removal. If you have a nylon jacket marred by sap, you instead must remove as much sap as possible manually, then carefully apply a mild solvent so you don't cause further staining or damage to the jacket.
A quick search through any number of motorcycle-related forums can often bring up at least one question regarding the feasibility of washing a motorcycle at a coin-operated car wash. The concern arises from the facilities' use of high-pressure water hoses that adversely affect a motorcycle's paint, seals and electrical components. However, most car wash facilities offer a low-pressure wash setting that can be used to gently cleanse your bike without fear. Keep in mind, however, that damage can occur if you are not careful with where you apply the water.
Rock salt, or halite, is an inexpensive, effective method to melt ice on paved surfaces, including your sideways and driveways. The product isn’t intended to melt the ice and snow completely to a liquid form, but rather soften it enough to manually remove it from the surface. This is a crucial piece of knowledge for any novice rock salt users because repeated, improper application of the product can damage paved surfaces. Learn the correct way to apply and transport rock salt to avoid damaging your driveway.
Black cars are known for being the hardest color vehicle to keep clean. The black surface allows dirt, scuff marks and other imperfections to show more readily than on a light-colored vehicle. Scuff marks from a white object are especially noticeable on a black car, standing out like a beacon. You can remove a white scuff from a black car in minutes by using a few simple products from a local auto parts store.
Aluminum wheels are shiny, light-weight and come in many designs and patterns for most bolt patterns. Aluminum is versatile because it is inexpensive and readily available. The downside of aluminum wheels is that aluminum is more easily gouged than chrome or steel wheels. Gouges usually come from driving too close to the curb and the cement takes a chunk out of the surface or the edge of your wheel. You can fix gouges in aluminum wheels without having to fully replace them.
Chevrolet cars and trucks come from the factory with stock wheels, also called rims, made of lightweight cast or billeted aluminum. When properly cleaned and polished, stock Chevrolet aluminum wheels take on the shiny luster of chrome wheels. Aluminum is a softer metal than chrome, magnesium alloy or steel, so special care must be taken while cleaning to prevent unsightly scratches. Clean wheels complete the sparkly look of a freshly washed and waxed vehicle.
Frozen snow is a problem for cars mainly due to its weight. Learn how to get frozen snow off the roof of a car with help from an expert in the automotive industry in this free video clip.
After a thorough washing and polishing, a well-executed wax job can bring a shine to a car's exterior. While a polish uses abrasives to create a smooth outer coat, wax protects the paint by forming a sealant on a car's body. Choosing the right method for applying wax depends on your experience and comfort level.
Car polish contains semi-abrasive components, meaning that every time you polish your car, a thin layer of paint is removed. Because of this, applying polish to your car is not as simple as it seems. You must take proper care to ensure you produce the best results with limited damage to your car's exterior. There are advantages to using either a hand or buffer method when polishing your car.
Car wax can be just the thing needed to brighten your vehicle's dingy appearance. When applied to your car's exterior, wax serves as a sealant, protecting the paint from environmental factors, such as sunlight and rain. Over time, a wax job will begin to fade, and the results are magnified when the car is frequently parked outside.
Ideally, a quality car waxing should leave your vehicle's exterior shiny and protected from environmental hazards. But if done improperly, your car may look worse than before with visible streaks in the shape of your application. Identifying the cause of these problems can help you prevent and remove streaking the next time you wax your car.
Tar and asphalt stains should be treated as soon as possible. The longer they sit, the harder they are to remove, and it may not be possible to completely remove them. Even fresh stains may have to be treated several times. If so, make sure you rinse thoroughly in-between treatments.
It can be overwhelming walking down an aisle of car exterior products. With dozens of different car polishes, waxes and sealants, choosing the right one can be confusing. Polishes, which typically come in liquid form, and sealants, which may be liquid or paste, actually perform two different tasks, which should be considered when determining your car's needs.
New remote control engine users often have a hard time in balancing the engine. They experience starting, idling or acceleration problems. These issues can be reduced by balancing the glow plug single-car RC engine. These small engines only have a single piston and no valves, which makes them hard to start. Even when they do start, they are often unbalanced and may seem to cough, spurt and choke. By priming the engine and using a fully charged glow plug lighter, you can start and balance the engine so it starts and runs smoothly every time you start it.
Removing salt from a saltwater aquarium needs to be done regularly. Saltwater aquariums obviously must contain salt, but inevitably a crusty layer of salt crystals, known as “salt creep,” will build up on the aquarium equipment as water from the tank splashes out of it and evaporates. Removing this unsightly, corrosive mess is a chore best done daily.
Engine, or crankshaft rotation, is the direction the engine spins: either clockwise or counterclockwise. Most vehicles have the standard rotation, counterclockwise. Only a few vehicles, such as early Hondas and the American-made Chevrolet Corvair flat-six, had reverse rotation, or right-hand spin in a clockwise direction. If you want to determine the turning direction of an engine, there are a few things to look for.
If you have spare gumdrops and pretzels laying around you can re-purpose them for a children's craft project. Pretzels are useful for building shapes, making lines or figures and outlining. Gumdrops add color and texture to the project. No matter what you choose to create with the gumdrops and pretzels, the children will have fun being creative with the food.
Piston development is an interesting sort of thing in engine history, primarily because it's less a history of "development" than it is of utilization. Most piston materials, production methods and dimensions in use today have been around for over a century, but the evolution of the engine around the piston has changed what materials we use and how we use them.
There are many reasons to use a mechanized car wash, from simple convenience to cold winter conditions that freeze dirty hand-washing water on the car before it can be rinsed off. All machine car washes have their limitations: The lower parts of the vehicle’s sides and the rear panel are likely to have some dirt, road salt and residual detergent left in place. That said, any method of removing harmful atmospheric and road deposits is preferable to leaving them to accumulate.
Aluminum wheels are sturdy, and available in many sizes and thousands of designs. The bad thing about aluminum wheels is that they look really bad in a short amount of time if left dirty. Dirt and mud build up to create little pits in the surface of the aluminum, allowing rust onto the wheel. Aluminum wheels become pitted very easily, but can be cleaned up even if they are really bad.
The 2001 BMW 325i, or E46, was equipped with an L6 2.5-liter engine. The 2001 325i was available as a sedan or a sport wagon. A removable headlamp lens is attached to the headlamp assembly on the 2001 325i. Removal of the lens is usually to replace the lens due to fogging or damage. Replacing the lens cover on the 2001 325i requires removal of some other body parts. The headlamp system on the 2001 325i uses two separate bulbs for the high- and low-beam lighting.
Center mount drawer guides, also called glides or slides, often are selected for installation on kitchen drawers because they offer functionality but are invisible from above the drawer. Like dual or side mount drawer glides, center mount guides are made of a variety materials, including coated steel and plastic. Weight ratings vary depending on the type of guide you choose, but most center mount drawer guides are intended for light to medium use in furniture and kitchen cabinetry.
Steam cleaning under the hood can significantly improve the appearance of the vehicle and may have other benefits as well. If your engine has an oil leak, steam cleaning may help with the diagnosis by removing the old oil and stuck-on debris, allowing a fresh look at the area of the leak. If you're not careful, you run the risk of engine damage.
The engine in your car is like the heart; without the engine the car wouldn’t be much good. Your engine may not be anything spectacular, but it gets you around. Or you may be a big horsepower fan with a powerful engine and aftermarket parts. Either way it’s a good idea to clean your car’s engine to keep it looking good. You can clean your car’s engine without harming the electronics using a few materials from around your home.
Vehicle paint is subjected to many harsh factors, such as dirt, tar, road salt, bird droppings, brake dust and other common contaminants. If left unchecked, these contaminants can damage the vehicle's paint, not to mention causing an unsightly appearance. In many cases, removing stuck-on dirt may require special automotive detailing products and techniques to avoid permanent damage to the paint when conventional washing methods prove ineffective.
Nothing creates an impression of having a beautiful, well-maintained vehicle like brand new tires. An excellent way to keep new tires looking glossy -- or make old tires appear new -- is to use a commercial tire shine product. While there are many such products on the market today, most use water-based or silicone formulas and can be purchased online or in auto supply stores. Read product labels carefully and try to choose a biodegradable tire shine formula that contains few toxic chemicals.
A playroom serves several purposes. It gives children their own place to play and provides an area to store toys. While parents can close the door and forget about the mess, this mess can become a hindrance. Children will not be able to find the toys they want and won't have room to play with them when they do. Incorporate a few good habits to keep your playroom clean, safe and usable for your children.
Extensive damage occurs in an engine that runs in an overheated state for a prolonged period of time. This is the reason almost all vehicles are equipped with a heat gauge or with a sensor that warns the driver if the engine heat is too high. When an engine overheats, the vehicle needs to be turned off immediately to avoid permanent damage.
Ethanol is a form of alcohol that is widely used in the United States to make fuel burn with fewer resultant emissions. Fuel with an ethanol additive is normally sold as an E10-grade fuel, a mixture containing as much as 10 percent ethanol. Drivers across the country drive with E10 fuel in their regular engines without noticing adverse effects on most days. However, there is a small risk that potential engine damage could occur as a result of ethanol fuel use.
Boker knives are made by Boker USA, though the company originated in Germany. The Boker Top Lock is a folding blade knife with a safety switch located on the side seam of the handle. The blade of the Boker knife is released from the handle by switching the safety down and then depressing a release button. However, the blade does not automatically move to the engaged position. Users who want the blade to move automatically to the engaged position can install a spring with an automatic conversion kit.
Whether a relic of a previous year's election or the crumbling, sticky remains of your favorite band from college, bumper stickers often linger past their welcome. After continued exposure to sunlight and the elements, even removable stickers can leave residue on your car. Remove bumper stickers without harm to the auto finish with household remedies. Finish-friendly bumper sticker removal is eco-friendly, so you'll be doing your car and planet a favor.
Despite the stronger composition of auto glass as compared to a typical glass panel, windshields inevitably form chips and cracks. An automobile's windshield is made up of two thick pieces of glass separated by a thin layer of plastic designed to prevent shattering during accidents. While a crack generally starts with a simple flying rock, there are a number of factors that contribute to the spreading of a crack.
Kenmore's drop-in and slide-in stove ranges make replacing kitchen appliances significantly easier. Unlike standard cooktops and built-in ovens, installation and removal of a drop-in range can be performed by almost any homeowner. Drop-in styles differ from slide-in styles because they attach to the cabinets alongside the range, giving the unit a custom, built-in look. Removing the stove means locating the screws in neighboring cabinets and removing any anti-tip devices installed for safety purposes.
Painter's tape is designed to help you keep straight edges on the surface you're painting and to protect the adjacent surface from paint as you apply it. Painter's tape is usually blue, to identify it as a low-tack tape -- "low-tack" means it sticks but peels away easily. If you use regular masking tape or another type of tape, and sometimes even if you are using painter's tape, you risk pulling up some of the new paint or that under the fresh coat when you remove the tape. Assess your paint, tape and techniques to figure out what's going wrong…
