Housekeeping

If you drink a lot of coffee, tea, or iced tea, you probably have trouble with brown stains on your cups, mugs, and glasses. The stains often do not come out with simple hand washing or even...

If people joke that your desktop is an archaeological dig, then you are ready to honor "Clean Off Your Desk Day" on January 12th. But you do not have to wait until then to enjoy a new...

Beginning in 1888 with American John Loud, several people tried to develop and patent ballpoint pens, but they were all miserable failures through World War II. The ink would either be too thin...

Accordion pleated solar blinds, also known as cellular shades, block out UV lighting that can fade your carpeting and furniture. They also help absorb heat from the sun to maintain a much cooler...

New bedding is nice to have, but it often arrives full of wrinkles and creases after being scrunched up in a plastic bag. Whether it's Egyptian cotton, silk, satin or polyester, every type of...

Within less then six months, more than 100,000 dust mites can take up residence in a new mattress. Dust mites are an allergy sufferer's worst nightmare. Cleaning your mattress with commercial...

Chances are that if you have a swimming pool you use it when the weather gets warm. You will probably want to dry off before you get into the house, but then you have the problem of what to do...

Dog urine odor is one of the most unpleasant parts of pet ownership. Very strong and pungent, the scent can be difficult to remove. Dogs without proper housebreaking often urinate in the house,...

After washing and drying dress clothes or linens, the last thing you want is to stain them while ironing. Gunk from starch and lint can build up on an iron, making it surface sticky and putting...

Cleaning your refrigerator is a regular part of keeping up a household. Many people put it off because it seems overwhelming and time consuming. However, if you make it a habit to clean the...

A belt sander, with hundreds of revolutions per minute and dozens of available grits of paper, can put an edge on a knife that only hours of manual sharpening can achieve. Professional knife...

Fold-up beds, technically known as Murphy beds, are beds that fold up into the wall. They are advantageous for rooms that do not feature much area because they conserve space during the day. The...

Your shower is the ideal environment for mold growth because it is warm and moist. Mold is a microscopic fungus that grows on damp surfaces within 24 hours. Mold can form not only on tile grout,...

Ironite is a type of fertilizer with tiny iron granules in the mixture. This is great for plants, but terrible for concrete since the iron particles may wash onto the concrete during rainstorms,...

Stucco is a hardy building material, but it is prone to staining and getting dingy over time. While you can simply whitewash over the stains, if you do not remove them they will ultimately...

Ceramic tile is a popular surface for kitchens, bathrooms, and floors because it is durable and easy to clean. With regular, weekly maintenance, most ceramic tile will always look shiny and...

Mineral deposits seem to appear overnight. If you live in an area with hard water, your shower walls, doors and faucets may be covered with a cloudy film of mineral deposits. Water contains...

Painted hardwood floors are a popular refinishing method that can add a whole new look to the decor of your room. Painted wood floors can brighten the room and add a sophisticated look. However,...

Using a leather book cover on heavily used or valuable books can add a beneficial layer of protection. In many cases, though, the book covers themselves become objects of value for their owners,...

Molds are tiny, invisible to the naked eye, biological pollutants found in some water-damaged homes. Molds grow naturally outdoors and become a problem indoors when there is moisture in the air....

If you own a Dyson vacuum cleaner, you may eventually need to buy replacement parts, such as belts, hoses or tools. When you are buying new parts for your Dyson, be sure to have the model number...

Almost anyone who has done laundry and then put on their jeans knows that something happens in the washing process to make the jeans smaller. The simplest explanation is that the jeans shrink from...

The design of the Art Vacuum by German manufacturer Miele, as the name suggests, combines artistry and functionality in a slim, upright package with no unnecessary attachments or pieces. As a...

If you're walking around a home improvement area in sneakers, it is highly likely that at some point you will step on some caulk that you or someone else forgot to discard of immediately. If you...

You are cleaning the bathroom today. You have the sink, toilet and shower walls clean, but the shower pan just won't come clean. The dirt and grime has covered the pan's surface and your bathroom...

Hunter Douglas manufactures beautiful, low-maintenance window shades that are easy to clean. Luminette sheers allow light to filter through and still provide lots of privacy. Because Luminette...

Silestone is a quartz surface that is said to be easier to take care of and cleaner than granite surfacing. The leading manufacturer in silestone is Cosentino. Cosentino USA was developed in...

When one part ammonia gas is diluted into nine parts water, the result is a household cleaner, capable of dissolving grease and grime that often gathers on the handles and pulls of cabinets and...

Marble countertops give your kitchen or bathroom an elegant, luxurious appearance. Although marble countertops are highly desirable, you must provide the proper care to keep their beautiful...

If you have algae stains on your roof, then the aquatic plant is likely feeding on limestone in your shingles. While there are a variety of ways to prevent further growth, in order to fully remedy...

The Roomba Red is a robotized vacuum cleaner that automatically cleans your floors. Sensors in the unit will increase vacuuming power in dirtier areas as well as adjust the cleaning head for...

When shopping for shower tile, you should choose tile that can stand up to the moisture and humidity that are all too common in the bathroom. Glass, mosaic and ceramic tiles are all popular...

If your water contains high concentrations of iron, it can leave stains on your water heater, toilet tank and shower stall, among other places. According to the Minnesota Department of Health, an...

Samsung LCD TV screens should be handled carefully to prevent damage. Do not clean them the same way you clean a glass-television. Glass-cleaning chemicals such as ammonia, and scratchy cloths,...

Vinyl fabric is used for many things such as upholstery coverings, tablecloths and certain types of outdoor clothing. It is also possible to paint over vinyl fabric if you want to add designs to a...

Liquid soap dispensers eliminate unattractive bottle clutter and keep soap within easy reach. Dispensers may be refilled over and over, reducing waste. Over time, liquid soap dispenser pumps may...

Kohler shower bases, also called shower receptors, are made of either enameled cast iron or acrylic. How you should care for and clean these differs only slightly, depending on which kind you own....

Yeast is an organism (a fungus) that can be beneficial or harmful. Positive uses for yeast include bread-making and beer-brewing. On the negative side, yeast colonies that grow too large inside...

If your closet is more adventure than a brief search, it's a good time to focus on reforms.
 Here is a plan for success:

Boric acid powder is a less toxic way to kill roaches than using roach spray. Many people believe that boric acid is not a roach poison, but it is minimally toxic. It should not be left in areas...

As humans, we all need to unload at least once a day. When nature calls, either in the privacy of our own homes, a friends house, or a public restroom, our bodies produce unbearable odors....

Wooden blinds can make any home look more elegant and put together. Unfortunately wooden blinds are not always easy to clean. Fortunately there are a variety of techniques you can use to make any...

White plates can be an elegant method of serving food items. When set against a white plate a dish can really stand out. Unfortunately white plates can also sometimes be hard to clean. Fortunately...

The holidays are supposed to be a time for family and celebration, but they often instead bring stress and anxiety. Remember it's the time and experiences you share with family and friends that...

Tools are an essential part of most home maintenance and improvement projects. With that being said, the more easily we can find our tools, then the more likely we are to use them. In this article...

Toto manufactures many bathroom items, including bidets and toilets. Toto toilet bowls are made from vitreous china. The lid and seat may be made from this material, plastic or other materials....

Mayhem is a good word when it comes to organizing pot lids. They clatter around in drawers, get jumbled on a cabinet shelf and are generally just in the way. A great solution to organizing your...

Nothing looks worse on elegant dinnerware than marks or scratches. These marks show up especially well on solid colored or light colored dinnerware. Often times the black marks are caused by a...

High pressure laminated floor tile is made of several layers fused together with heat and pressure. This type of laminate is more durable and scratch-resistant than direct-pressure laminate...

Decorative metal tiles may be made of tin, brass, copper, stainless steel or other common metals. These tiles provide an attractive alternative to ceramic tiles as decorative accents in kitchens...