Housekeeping

Grandma has passed down her old, antique vintage lace tablecloth, curtains or doilies to you and it needs to be washed. You don’t want to ruin the delicate fabric, so what do you do? You can wash...

Cleaning dog urine stains from fabric may require multiple attempts, and the methods will vary by the type of item. Upholstery benefits from the rinse-and-blot method, whereas clothes and linens...

If you often find yourself running out the door in wrinkled clothing, you need to find a quick wrinkle fix for those last-minute emergencies. There are a few household wrinkle reducers that you...

When excess moisture finds its way to fabrics within your home it can create a rather perplexing problem. It’s odd that a clear clean liquid such as water can cause a stain; to make matters worse,...

Ever had that experience of getting gum on your clothes? Before you try anything else, here are some helpful tips.

Inkjet printers are one of the most common types of printers on the market. They are a staple in most home and commercial offices because of their ability to produce quality images. Many people...

Naugahyde is a stain-resistant, faux-leather upholstery fabric that is extremely popular in the United States. While this fabric is hard to hurt, it can accumulate rust stains if it comes in...

Jet Glue is a quick-bonding, cyanoacrylate glue. It is similar to Super Glue or Krazy Glue. When Jet Glue gets on fabric, the bond is very strong and can be tricky to remove. It is best to wait...

Almost anyone who has ever sat down to eat a meal can remember spilling some food on their clothing. Some fabrics are easier to remove stains from than other fabrics are. Acrylic fabric is one of...

Nothing can ruin the beauty of an outfit quite like wrinkles. Whether you are going on a job interview or out to dinner wit your friends, you want to look your best, and wrinkles can ruin that in...

On many garments, the label will express that clothes need to be washed by hand and with a certain temperature of water, usually cold water. This is usually due to a delicate material or...

Polyester is a fabric that easily wrinkles. Even when a polyester garment is removed immediately from a drying cycle, it can be covered in wrinkles. When this problem occurs with a polyester...

Whether you are a mother of a young child or someone who spends a lot of time playing outdoor sports, you know the frustration of trying to get ground-in soil out of uniforms and clothes. At times...

Originally designed as a potential rubber substitute for use during World War II, Silly Putty has been used by physical therapists for rehabilitative therapy of hand injuries, as a house hold lint...

Washing your clothes and other fabric items is an important part of housekeeping. However, you need to handle each item you wash correctly to avoid spoiling it or spoiling any other article of...

In a fire, treated fabric creates a protective barrier between your skin and the flames. Some fabric comes from the manufacturer treated with a fire-resistant coating while untreated fabric can be...

Silly Putty has been used by physical therapists for rehabilitative therapy of hand injuries, as a household lint picker-upper and even by Apollo astronauts to secure tools in zero gravity....

Organizational structures are important for keeping homes clean and orderly. A do-it-yourself hanging pocket organizer is an easy project that fits any space. The benefit of constructing this...

Pointe shoes are elegant and light shoes worn by ballerinas and those studying ballet. The shoes have thin soles and long ribbons that lace around the lower legs to keep the shoes in place. One of...

Artificial nail tips are applied to natural nails with glue similar to super glue. Nail glue is harsh and long-lasting, and if you move before it's dry, you're likely to end up with the glue...

It can be distasteful to open your patio umbrella and discover mildew forming within the folds of the fabric. Mildew forms in damp places where oxygen does not circulate effectively. When you keep...

It is upsetting to buy a printed fabric that you like--and then see that the dye has run after you washed it. While no single technique will set all types of dye, many dyes can be set by the use...

Whether you left a pen in your shirt pocket, accidentally marked on your favorite jeans or your kid made artwork out of your bed sheets, it is possible to remove ink from fabric. Don't throw away...

Market umbrellas provide a large shaded canopy for outdoor dining and open-air businesses such as a fruit stand at the farmers market. Because the umbrellas are constantly exposed to the elements,...

Glue stains are among the most difficult to remove from any surface because of glue's adhesive properties. It not only spills onto things but also bonds to them. Glue that is still tacky is...

Wet clothes left in a washing machine overnight may smell moldy the next day. Running those clothes in the washing machine as you normally would may not remove the smell from the fabric. A mold...

The moisture associated with a marine environment makes boat fabrics prone to mold growth and mildew. Most boat owners have to deal with mold at some point. Rapidly forming mold grows in the dark,...

Removing glue from a fabric pillow can put you in a sticky situation---literally. No matter how the glue got on the pillow, you more than likely want it off. It is important to let the glue dry...

There's nothing like removing Silly Putty from that little plastic egg and pressing it on all sorts of surfaces to see the impression it will make. Unfortunately, there's also nothing like...

Black grease from bike chains and grimy engine parts tends to leave stubborn oily stains on clothes. It might take some hard work to get out grease marks, but you don't have to discard the soiled...

There is nothing like a beautiful tablecloth to set the theme and tone for a dining experience. If you don't own a fancy tablecloth, there are easy ways to create one in a short time. It can be...

Hot glue guns revolutionized the craft industry. The glue is inexpensive and relatively easy to use. The downside is it tends to get all over everything. A hot glue gun uses a thermoplastic...

Paint can spice up a room, but it also can add unwanted decoration to your clothes. It's all too easy to get paint on clothing, whether you're a fingerpainting preschooler or a 40-year-old doing...

Fabric softener keeps wrinkles away, can prevent staining in your clothes, and often adds a wonderful fragrance to clean laundry. One of the hazards of using fabric softener, however, is that if...

The perfect strawberry is as sweet as it is juicy. And even though your taste buds are happy, your clothing may not be. Strawberry stains leave a bright red reminder of a single tasty moment, one...

Bath towels can be plush and luxurious or purely functional, but either way, they are a monetary investment that you'll want to get as much service from for as long as possible. Often the towel...

There's nothing more annoying than hanging up a freshly ironed pair of pants or skirt and finding an ugly iron scorch mark across the fabric. Luckily, there are several ways to remedy the mistake,...

Some of the most beloved non-human members of our family can have the sharpest claws. While these claws serve a purpose to the cat, they can be detrimental to homes and furniture. Fixing a cat...

When painting any surface that is in close proximity to brick, you must take extreme care not to splash any of the paint onto the brick surface. Not only does brick absorb paint quickly, its...

After you spend valuable time and energy doing the laundry, it's always aggravating when you remove your clean clothes from the dryer and discover that they are covered with unsightly fuzz balls....

Whether you are unable to iron your clothes due to being short on time, being away from home or for whatever reason, a quick and easy way to get wrinkle free clothes is with spray wrinkle...

Candles can create a warm, even romantic atmosphere, but some candles tend to drip and can stain surfaces. If you try to remove candlewax stains the same way you would other stains --- with water,...

Removing odor from clothes can be challenging because so many cleaners that will remove odor from other surfaces can damage the fabric of clothing or fade the color of the fabric. While many...

Pee happens, and sometimes it occurs in places you'd rather it didn't. Whether it's the family dog or the baby, cleaning urine from fabric is a common household task. Fortunately, it's also...

When your sofa has a static electricity problem, it can be a big issue for a couple of reasons. First, pet fur and hair will be attracted to it, making for a frequent clean-up job. Second, shocks...

The sofa is one of the most expensive and hardest working pieces of furniture in the average household. Protecting and maintaining the sofa is essential to prolong its lifespan to ensure that you...

Leaf stains are a common problem encountered by any homeowners with outdoor patios, boats, and cars. Tree leaves contain oils passed on from the tree, and each species leaves its own distinct type...

Removing stains from fabric can be tedious, and costly if a dry-cleaner must be involved. But removing old stains presents a different set of problems. The longer a stain sets, the harder it is to...

Oil-based paint is fabulous until it gets onto your furniture. To remove oil-based paint, use a simple application of soap and water to do the trick, and stronger ingredients may be necessary. As...

Getting ready for a large family dinner takes a lot of preparation, including the immaculate table covered in delicious food and wines. It all starts with the table and the first step to a huge...