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One of the challenges in cleaning the kitchen is removing grease, food and oil from the stove area without damaging painted surfaces, enamel or special cook tops. Using products that help to break down oil and taking care to avoid scratching the stove top or affecting the walls' finish give you a safe way to clean the kitchen. Learn how to get oil off your stove top and walls to remove spots and residue thoroughly, without marring the surfaces.
Hair spray is a harmless-looking substance that many women apply with reckless abandon. All it takes is a sunny day or a bright light to see that the spray is often diffused in many directions, landing on any and all objects in its trajectory. If you’ve discovered drops of dried hair spray on the frosted glass in your bathroom, try several homemade remedies to remove the tough buildup. Since hair sprays contain different ingredients, you may have to try more than one remedy to return your glass to its original sparkling state.
Adhesive from stickers, labels or tape can leave a gooey residue on your wood surface that detracts from its appearance. Adhesive that's left unattended attracts dirt and debris, creating a bigger eyesore. Although solvents are often recommended for the removal of adhesive, the harsh chemicals in them can damage your wood surface. Instead, you can use supplies around the home to successfully remove adhesive from wood while protecting the wood's condition.
You don't have to sacrifice light to retain privacy in your home. Several options allow you to have both, whether you're creating an entirely private space, such as a bedroom or bathroom, or you want to create a feeling of separation without the boxiness of four walls, perhaps for a home office. Possible solutions range from major alterations to sublimely simple fixes. Choose one that suits your situation and budget.
Since the 1940s, most house chimneys have been built with a chimney liner -- often called a flue liner -- surrounded by a utilitarian “box” made from cement block or cheap, unattractive brick. Enclosing this box with an attractive, watertight exterior veneer or sheath is a common practice. Such an enclosure, when run up the outside of a house, is properly called a chimney chase.
According to studies by laptop insurance provider Protecsure, spilled liquid ranks among the top four causes of damage to portable computers. From that agonizing, slow-motion moment when the spill happens until the instant the liquid lands on your computer, you have just seconds to remove the battery and unplug the power adapter. The faster you do this, the better chance you have of avoiding a short circuit and saving your computer.
Getting teens to clean their rooms daily is sometimes a lot easier said than done. Find out how to get teens to clean their rooms daily with help from a licensed marriage and family therapist in this free video clip.
You can get the scratches out of your eyeglasses in a few different ways, so long as you have access to the right tools. Get the scratches out of your eyeglasses with help from an optical business professional in this free video clip.
Everyone has to deal with a stuck cover on a glass cocktail shaker every now and again. Get a stuck cover off a glass cocktail shaker with help from a mixology educator in this free video clip.
Making underwater videos can be a fascinating experience, especially when shooting fish or unique species of underwater plant life. However, the process of underwater videography is somewhat different than when shooting on land. Applying a few basic video techniques can enhance the experience for you as the videographer as well as your viewing audience.
People are pretty hard on cellphones. We expect them to work tirelessly 24/7 and rarely, if ever, choose to care for them properly. As such, it's no surprise that cellphone screens become scratched and cracked, making them harder to read and use. Light scratches are easy to remove with polish, but others require more work.
For vision-impaired and somewhat clumsy people everywhere, it’s a very good thing that plastic eyeglass lenses can be manufactured with a scratch-resistant coating. Far from impervious, though, this coating eventually fades, fogs, flakes and otherwise makes vision a challenge. Rather than take your glasses to an optometrist for a costly repair, you can remove the scratch protectant yourself – and then happily fix your sight on the expense you’ve spared your monthly budget.
Surface scratches in your wooden tabletop are easily repaired by filling them in with furniture polish of a matching color, but deeper scratches require a different approach. If a deep scratch is detracting from the appearance of your wooden table, you can fix it through a process called patching to smooth the surface and make your tabletop look the way it did before the scratch occurred.
Dragged furniture or abrasive soles on shoes can result in scratches on your Varathane-sealed floor and cause permanent damage until the scratch is filled in. Varathane creates a professional finish on your wood floors that imitates specialized treatment and consists of polyurethane to provide the thin coating used to seal and stain the floor. The type of scratch repair for your Varathane-sealed floor depends on your personal preference and the severity of the scratch, as fill sticks, touch-up markers and wood fillers are available for eliminating unsightly scratches.
Your respect for silicone lubricant, or silicone caulk, is bound to grow once you try removing it from wood. This is because the caulk is superb at sealing wood so that water and moisture cannot penetrate it. Removing the lubricant from tile and glass is rather simple, as you can usually scrape and lift it right off. With wood, however, the lubricant tends to penetrate the surface, making removal a bit trickier. Still, with a steady hand, patience and repetition, you can remove the lubricant and refinish your wooden piece so that it looks like new.
Wilton Armetale serving pieces add beauty and functionality to your dinner table, whether it's a special occasion or just another day. The products are composed of 10 different metals, the main metal being aluminum. Similar to other metal serving pieces, the Wilton Armetale brand can become scratched during use. While these scratches ultimately add to the character of your pieces as they age, you can remove or reduce the appearance of scratches with careful techniques and appropriate supplies.
Exposed wires outside a house are not only in danger of damage from weather and animal life but offer a potential electrical hazard. Covering the exposed wires is a priority as well as a legal requirement, according to most building codes. With an electrical conduit, you can cover exposed wires from the point of attachment inside your home to the point where they attach to an outside device. When covered, the wires present less of a hazard, with the added benefit of lasting years longer before needing replacement.
Your gleaming stainless steel Whirlpool refrigerator is attractive and trendy, but a scratch can detract from its sleek look. With all the action that kitchens typically see, especially in a household with active children and pets, scratches will happen. However, it's possible to remove scratches from your fridge using common items you may already have around the house.
Installing windows in your home is not always as straightforward as you might think. The location of the windows is critical when choosing the glass used. Some windows, based on their height from the floor or ground, must be made of tempered glass. If you adjust the height of the installation, you may be able to opt out of using this specialty glass and install regular window glass instead.
When water leaks occur and cause stains on a ceiling, some homeowners may think of replacing the tile. The undesirable dark-brown stains do not always need to be replaced; they can be sealed and repainted. If excessive damage including peeling or noticeable warping occurs, replacement may be the only option.
Combination grills give you an option for heat sources and can be configured for specific types of cooking. Most combination grills use propane as their primary fuel source but can also utilize charcoal or wood. Propane is cleaner burning and easier to control, but many people prefer the taste that wood or charcoal imparts to their food.
A downflow furnace is formatted so that cold air enters the top of the unit and flows down, exiting the bottom of the furnace as hot air. Most commonly installed in an attic or other upper location in a home or business, downflow furnaces operate the same way as other furnace types, including upflow or horizontal models. If the condensate drain on the downflow furnace is not working, water may leak and the furnace may not heat accurately. Troubleshooting the condensate drain should only take a few steps.
Tiles are applied over many different types of surfaces to create a more elegant, clean look in a room. However, wall textures can prevent tiles from laying flat. It is important when installing tiles on textures to buff the wall flat and even use basic home improvement tools. Instead of hiring a professional craftsman to buff down the textured walls, you can save money by purchasing the supplies and tools yourself to sand the wall and install the tiles.
Oil primer is a preparatory coating used on wooden surfaces before the application of oil-based paint. When used properly, oil primers can enhance the adhesion of paint to the wooden surface, promote its durability and provide additional protection. Since oil primer is designed to encourage bonding, removing it from a wooden surface can be quite difficult. While sanding wooden floors, doors and picture frames to remove the oil primer might work in some cases, using mineral spirits is often a better option.
Harsh weather can take a toll on your vehicle, especially in the areas where moisture, dirt and grease are prevalent, such as the fenders. Left untended, a small patch of rust can quickly grow into an ugly, flaky hole. Though large holes should be professionally serviced, small patches of rust can be repaired with a few well-placed pieces of duct tape and a container of Bondo sealant.
If you are a cheerleader, dancer or gymnast, you probably need to know how to do a cartwheel. While this move comes easily to some people, others need a little extra practice before they are able to perfect it. If you are having trouble doing a cartwheel, practicing your technique against a wall can help you to learn. Practice this way until you are comfortable enough with your technique to do a cartwheel on your own.
GPA brand horse riding helmets are an essential piece of equipment for safe horse riding. Similar to other types of sports equipment, a horse rider's helmet is exposed to dirt, dust and other stain-causing materials that leave the helmet dirty. Clean sports equipment contributes to the presentation you make when riding your horse. You can clean the outside of your GPA helmet with simple supplies that remove dust and dirt without damaging the surface.
Snowboards are built to take on the rigors of season after season on the slopes, but cosmetic damage is inevitable. If your board has collected its fair share of scratches, scuffs and scrapes over the years, don't just run out and pick up a replacement. Surface scratches can be buffed out relatively easily using household products and a bit of general purpose rubbing compound. With some elbow grease, your board will look good as new.
If you're on the market to remodel the exterior of your home and you're interested in creating a traditional look, consider installing red brick veneer siding. Brick veneer offers the look of natural brick, yet is far easier to install than full-sized bricks. Similar to tile, brick veneer is thinner and more lightweight than the full-sized material that it replicates, making it easier to work with and install.
Wicker is generally woven from fibers of plant-based material such as cane, rattan and whole reeds or shoots of bamboo. It is formed into a rigid material that is sturdy and durable when used to make chairs or other furniture. Vintage wicker furniture is highly desirable in home decorating. Transforming new wicker furniture into furniture with a worn and heavily used appearance is a simple task requiring few tools and materials and only two to three hours of your time. The result is a vintage look around which you build your interior decorating theme.
Washers and dryers are great to have in the home, but they can get in the way. The distance between the back of your washer and dryer and the wall constitutes wasted space in your home. Most of this wasted space stems from washer draining needs and dryer vent requirements. Amending your draining and venting situation may help save you considerable space. Always check with local building codes on washer and dryer installation before changing your setup.
Condensation buildup on interior walls is due to a wide difference between the indoor and outdoor air temperatures and moisture in the air. It occurs most often in unheated areas of the home such as garages, attics and basements. Garage walls are particularly susceptible to condensation because the walls are not air-tight and they contain little, if any, insulation. Additionally, the north wall gets less exposure to sunlight than other walls in the garage, so that wall may be more susceptible to condensation than the other walls because there is less warmth and light to dry the area. To stop…
Sandblasting is a cleaning method that removes old stain or paint from the ceiling so you can stain it a new color. While sandblasting generally is completed by a professional company, staining the bare wood is a do-it-yourself project that requires basic painting skills. Sandblasting strips the wood, which might need a filler to bring the surface back to a smooth texture that does not collect dust.
Microphonic squealing from mechanical vibration commonly occurs when the gain and other controls are set too high. Extreme gain puts unnecessary pressure on the pre-amp tubes and doesn't necessarily improve the sound. If an instrument is unplugged or its volume is off, squealing may still occur; this usually indicates that a pre-amp tube has failed. Check the control settings for the cleanest sound and minimal to moderate gain. Then, replace the bad pre-amp tube if necessary. This approach may save you money and time you would spend waiting for your rectifier to return from the repair shop.
Garages serve a variety of purposes, only one of which is housing the family car. Many homeowners use garages as workshops or even as game rooms, complete with full sound and entertainment systems. Others use them for band practice or to build their own music studios. One question you may wish to consider before embarking upon a project to turn your garage into something other than a car storage facility is whether or not your garage will effectively muffle sound to the point that it won't disrupt your family's life and the life of your neighbors.
The lower edge of your roof normally extends beyond the fascia board funneling water into the gutters. If your house does not have gutters or eaves, install a vented drip edge. Without the drip edge, your house is susceptible to rotted roof sheathing, stained siding and possibly soil erosion leading to a damaged or flooded basement. The vented drip edge is available in a variety of colors matching your home.
Brick walls are often included within a home or landscape for their attractive, dignified and durable appearance, so it may warrant concern and prompt action if stains appear on the face of the wall. Marks that appear as etchings on the brick are probably leached salts caused by efflorescence or lime stains. Regardless of whether salts, limes or some other type of staining is responsible for what is identified as "etching," the use of sand paper or sandblasting should be avoided, as this can damage the brick faces and mortar joints.
Whether by choice or necessity, gutting a room means lots of sweat and hard work. If you're doing a full scale remodel of a space usually requires removing everything "to the studs." A natural disaster, such as a flood, may force you to gut a portion of the house. In a nutshell, gutting means pulling or ripping everything out of a room and getting down to the bare structural elements. Once gutted, you're ready to rebuild the room however you see fit.
Fashion designers have turned to the high ponytail for a clean, elegant look that emphasizes striking cheekbones. You can get the same look on your own with little more than a hair band and a good brush, whether you’re going out on the town or just need to keep hair away from your face and neck for a tough workout. If you struggle with getting your hair to lie flat against your head in a high ponytail, a few steps can help tame the frizz and embarrassing “bumpy hair.”
Laminate surfaces such as floors, countertops and cabinets provide a long-lasting shine when carefully cleaned but are prone to light scratches caused by abrasive cleaning products and gradual wear caused by frequent use. Slight scratches are easier to remove from the laminate surface's top coat than deep scratches, which require the use of laminate fillers. Laminate fillers include wax or a pencil that fills in the scratch mark to hide the existing scratch and prevent the scratch from deepening over time.
The foundation of any building, including a garage, is built upon footers. These are small concrete slabs buried in the ground below the frost line, upon which the slab of the foundation is laid. The footers provide support for the foundation, helping to protect it from the ground shifting. Before the footers are poured, wooden forms must be built for them.
Framed photographs of treasured friends and family is a common addition to any home. However, over time pictures may stick to glass frames, making them difficult to remove without damaging. This usually happens because of moisture that softens the gelatin in the photograph, which makes it stick to glass frames. With a few household items, you can remove the photo without damaging it.
Remove scratches from TFT monitors by rubbing petroleum jelly lotion into the scratches. This method works because petroleum jelly possesses the same optical density as the plastic coasting on a TFT screen. As such, when you view the screen from straight on, you will not see the scratch anymore. This solution is not perfect, however, in that the scratch will still be slightly viewable from different angles.
The Elfa storage and shelving system is The Container Store’s No. 1 organization system, allowing users to tailor shelving systems to fit their needs. The Elfa system has some drawbacks, though, despite its popularity. Understanding these disadvantages can help you decide if Elfa is right for your home.
Black water tanks are dirty places. Sludge and toilet tissue can accumulate on the walls of the tank and stick to the sensor probes, causing inaccurate gauge readings. RV sewage maintenance is tricky when you cannot accurately determine if your tank is empty or full, and can lead to overflow accidents that are a nightmare to deal with. Fix the problem of inaccurate readings due to dirty sensor probes with a thorough tank cleaning.
GE ranges made of stainless steel of porcelain are durable, but they are not scratch-proof. Cooking appliances are prone to scratches caused by dragging cookware across the burner grates, which results in minuscule scratches that dull the otherwise smooth finish. Stainless steel ranges require buffing the surface to reduce the appearance of the scratch while a porcelain surface is fillable with touch-up paint sold by GE. The scratch will no longer be visible once it is buffed or filled in.
A military aircraft model in any scale looks realistic when maintaining a clear cockpit canopy. But these acrylic transparent parts are easily scratched to ruin the illusion in the model and there are no replacement parts you can buy from your hobby craft store. You can remove those scratches using some common hardware items with under an hour's work. Severe scratching or clouding caused by strong chemicals may require more restorative work.
By the time you're finished with your yearly fireplace cleaning, you should not only have a clean and clear chimney and a scrubbed down firebox, your fireplace surround and mantle should sparkle, too. If you notice scratches on your stone fireplace surround, it's time for a buffing to remove them. As an added bonus, the stone will gleam like new when you're done.
The technology of a Liquid Crystal Display, or LCD, has advanced tremendously over the last several decades. Today it is common to see LCDs used in TVs, laptops, cell phones, and portable gaming systems. Over time, you might notice scratches on your LCD device. Instead of spending money on costly repairs, you can take care of minor scratches using a few simple techniques.
The Nook is a brand of e-readers made and sold by Barnes & Noble. The Nook Color has a 7-inch full color touch screen. The wallpaper is the background image on the screen. The Nook Color includes several wallpaper patterns you can select for the background image, but you can also upload new photos and images from your computer and use these as wallpaper. The device supports photos in JPEG, GIF, PNG and BMP file formats.
