Housekeeping

A clean home is a healthy home, right? Wrong. Harsh chemicals are dangerous for your health and hazardous for the environment. The true tools you need for cleaning are natural, inexpensive and...

Silver becomes dull and tarnished when it comes into contact with sulfur in the air. Tarnish doesn't damage the silver, but is unsightly and difficult to remove. Aluminum foil is used to polish...

Foam bed pillows contain special materials that will absorb water and then retain the water for an extended time. Because of this chemical composition, owners should not wash foam pillows in the...

We have all neglected a pot on the stove or some meat sizzling in a frying pan, ran to answer the phone or got otherwise distracted and came back to discover a blazing inferno on our stove top....

Urine stains on mattresses from pets and people can create an overpowering odor and an unsanitary sleeping place, but a thorough cleaning and preventive measures will extend the life of your...

The lingering odor left after smoking a cigarette or painting a room is seemingly indelible, but there are numerous ways to eliminate the odors of fumes and smoke. The key to getting out fume and...

Ridding a home from a lingering smoke odor can be tough. Smoke seeps into everything that it comes into contact with including walls, carpets, light fixtures, appliances, clothing, and furniture. ...

One of the most common places to find rust stains is on tile floors in kitchens and bathrooms. These stains are frequently actually due to hard water that is used when cleaning, which makes them...

Mold can be found in older homes or in rooms that are not used frequently. Basements are notorious breeding grounds for mold and mildew as they are usually closed off without proper air...

Pottery Barn shag rugs are made of wool yarn with a backing consisting of cotton canvas and synthetic latex. These rugs are maintained in the same way as most area rugs you might have in your...

Kitchen sink is used throughout the day.Draining,rinsing and cleaning dishes all takes place in the sink.Gradually,you notice stubborn stains all around.Especially,around the tap where you cannot...

Rock tile showers add a touch of elegance to the shower experience. These tiles display soothing, neutral colors with a rustic outdoor feel and are becoming popular in many modern homes. Caring...

Even though Americast sinks are made of steel, they look like just porcelain-enamel coated cast-iron sinks, and should be cleaned the same way. Cleaning any porcelain finish is usually easy...

Sediment can often build up in a tub drain, as hair, dirt, and soap scum get rinsed down the drain on a regular basis. This makes it important to incorporate a cleaning routine into your...

Whereas cotton fabrics are absorbent and allow the skin to breath; synthetic fabrics offer no breathing room for the skin and retain odors. Synthetic fabrics such as polyester and nylon tend to...

An enamel kitchen sink is powdered glass that presses into a metal surface. This gives the item a glossy finish. Enamel can scratch and damage easily because it is a delicate material. Rust is a...

No matter how well you clean your tub, occasionally, clogs happen. Before shelling out large amounts of money for expensive and caustic drain cleaners, try an old home remedy with baking soda and...

Here is a cheap, easy way to get rid of nasty fruit flies in your home. These pesky little fruit flies can really multiply quickly so it is important to get rid of them at the first sign. Nothing...

Green clean recipes are the entire rave! Not only do you save money, which is essential in this day and age, but you also keep your environment clear of harmful chemicals that can cause health...

by following these few simple steps, you will always have a "like new" looking microwave, both inside and out

When water or other substances cause streaks and stains on your marble, it is called "etching." Etched marble can appear to be permanently stained, but by using the correct cleaner, you can...

Marble can lose its original shine after years of being subjected to foot traffic and dulling cleaners. Luckily, your marble is not completely ruined. You can restore its original luster using a...

Travertine is part of the limestone family of tiling options, commonly found on kitchen backsplashes. The neutral-colored stone adds a simplistic touch of elegance to any kitchen, creating a warm,...

CorningWare, dishes and bakeware that can typically withstand the heat of the oven as well as the cold of the freezer, can, over time, become stained dark brown or black by burnt on food and...

Pet stains are unsightly and can cause odors to permeate a house long after the spots have initially been cleaned. A variety of chemicals are available for personal home use, but these can cause...

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, nearly one-quarter of all homes in the United States use a septic system for household waste. As a homeowner, it is your responsibility to keep...

Getting bacteria out of clothing can be challenging, and laundry detergent does not always eliminate germs or bacteria. Using vinegar, baking soda and pine oil are effective additions to the...

Self-cleaning electric ovens often require manual cleaning as well. Baked-on food, grease and grime do not always come off in the self-cleaning mode. Commercial oven cleaners are available for use...

Sodium carbonate, a type of soap, is simple salt made up of carbonic acid and sodium. It's more commonly known as washing soda or soda ash, and you can often purchase it at a hardware store....

An ink stain on a wood table can diminish the appearance of the entire surface. Whether you have an ink stain from a newspaper, pen or marker, you can remove it by a variety of methods. Some wood...

Pet households can experience a number of problems, from pet accidents to lingering pet odor. It can sometimes be difficult to keep up with the tasks required to keep the home clean and odor-free,...

Most commercially available home cleaning products have some serious downsides. They often contain poisonous or toxic chemicals, and they can be very expensive. Although more and more non-toxic...

Cleaning baby oil from tile grout is a tedious task but not a complicated one. The key is to find the right products that neutralize the oil and dissolve it, allowing you to clean the tile grout....

If you have old steel nails that have not been stored in an airtight container, the odds are good that you now have old, rusty steel nails. Fortunately, this does not necessarily mean that you...

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...

Both marble and grout are easy surfaces to clean, when you apply the proper cleaning routine. It is important to find ingredients that will clean effectively yet be mild enough to cause no damage...

Hard water in the home is prevalent in many places in the United States. As its name suggests, hard water can be harsh and abrasive on skin, and leave stains and buildup on flooring and fixtures....

Vinyl tiles are very susceptible to stubborn rust stains, especially in areas with hard water. Even a small splash of hard water on vinyl kitchen floors can leave a stain if allowed to dry....

A cookie sheet can see a lot of wear and tear, especially around the holidays. It can commonly accumulate baked on cookie dough, crumbs, pie filling, cooking oil, and other types of food-related...

The intense smell of urine in your house, car or clothing can permeate the air and cause you much grief. Having small children or pets that have urine accidents on their bed, walls or carpet can...

With everyone concerned about the H1N1 flu virus they might be cautious about all the germs in public places, but what about their own homes? Do they realize how many germs are lurking on things...

Keeping the tile in your home clean is important to preserve the beauty of the tile. But most commercial cleaners contain toxic chemicals such as bleach or ammonia that can be hazardous to your...

When your chest of drawers has odors in it, your clothes and other items will pick up the odors if they aren't causing the bad smells. The first thing to do is empty the drawers and wash the...

All households with free roaming pets are subject to pet stains, which can quickly set into hardwood floors if not handled quickly. By incorporating a clean-up routine, and acting quickly when a...

Having a cockroach infestation in your home can be tiresome and extremely difficult to get rid of. There are some homemade, non-toxic ways to get rid of roaches which have an added bonus of not...

Cleaning the grout in limestone tile can be an easy process, as the hardest part of the process is finding a cleaning agent that will safely clean the grout without harming the limestone tile....

The grout between tiles on bathroom walls, kitchen floors and other surfaces can provide a haven for germs and stains. Clean your tiles and grout for both health and aesthetics. Unfortunately,...

Sometimes washing a stainless steel coffee carafe with soapy water or even in the dishwasher is not enough to remove stubborn stains. Coffee stains can be difficult to remove even for the most...

All purpose surface and glass cleaners Surfaces like sinks, tubs, and title all need a deep cleaning every now and again. Using scoring pads is not only tough on the grime, but your hands, and...

With the economy bringing higher prices to everything and environment being a constant factor, why not start making your own laundry soap. My grandparents have been making their own laundry soap...