Housekeeping

Squeegees were invented around 1844, though they may have gone by another name then. A squeegee is a piece of rubber set on a handle that is used to clean windows. It is fairly simple to...

When cared for properly, a marble floor can last thousands of years. Daily dust mopping and regular wet mopping marble floors is imperative, but you should avoid certain cleaning chemicals. It's...

If your floors are covered with carpets, then cleaning carpet stains is a common maintenance task. Anything can fall or spill on the carpet, and while clean-ups may be easy at times, some stains...

We have probably all seen pennies caked in a hard green dust. You may have assumed those coins were rusted. In fact, the only pennies that can truly rust are those manufactured in 1943....

Ketchup is one of America's favorite condiments: we drizzle it on hamburgers and hot dogs, and drown french fries and hash browns and eggs in the stuff. As much ketchup as we consume, we should...

Tree sap, in all its varieties, can make for a bad day when found on your car, clothing or in your hair. The sticky substance does not easily release from surfaces, and traditional cleaning...

Although some view chemical rug cleaners as more effective than natural cleaning methods, this is not necessarily true. Not only are natural rug cleaners available commercially, but there are...

Homemade cleaning solutions are inexpensive because most of the ingredients are found in your kitchen cupboard. Using a homemade cleaning solution allows you to avoid strong chemicals found in...

Oriental carpets are beautiful with their intricate patterns and bold colors, and they add warmth and style to any room they adorn. Keeping an oriental rug looking its best requires regular...

Antique glassware can add beauty to any table setting, whether casual or formal. While some people prefer to collect and display glassware, it is meant to be used and can provide years of...

Wine is a nice accompaniment to a delicious meal. However, wine drinkers everywhere know that spilling a glass of wine can be a disaster--especially if the wine is red and the carpet is white....

Eating a healthy salad is not only enjoyable but good for you. One of the times when you look back with regret at eating a salad is when you spill the salad dressing on your clothes and get an...

Hand washing a king size comforter may be the only method available to completely clean the bedding. Some comforters should only be hand washed, according to the instructions. A large capacity...

Kitchen tile can hold up to almost anything, and as such, this makes it a popular and stylish option for installation in kitchens. However, as with anything in the kitchen, it will be a target for...

Stop using chemical-laden dish washing soap and help the environment by making your own dish washing liquid. Making your own soap is also cost effective. The ingredients for dish soap are easy to...

Furniture polish keeps wood looking lustrous and protects it from damage. Unfortunately, polish spills can get on upholstery, carpet and your clothes, leaving behind unattractive stains that may...

Since utensils cut your food and enter your mouth, it is important to make sure that you learn how to properly clean utensils. It may seem as though cleaning utensils is something that everyone...

Dirty windows can make your entire home feel dirty. So many cleaners claim to be streak free and the best product available, and while these products aren't bad, you'll pay unnecessary sums of...

Difficult stains to remove include coffee, tea, blood and toner stains. Toner stains that are set in require more treatment than ones that just happened. Treat the stain as soon as possible after...

Coffee can stain just about anything it comes into contact with, including plastic. Most plastic is not porous and so is easily cleaned after a single spill. Stains can eventually accumulate...

Ants are one of the most common household pests, but getting rid of them can be as simple as a thorough cleaning. Before you call the exterminators, try getting rid of the ants on your own.

A set of strong, sharp kitchen knives complements any chef's kitchen. There are several methods for sharpening, including using a sharpening rod, sharpening stone, or a commercial knife sharpener....

Urine stain removal from a mattress can be tough, whether it is caused by bed-wetting, or is caused by one of your pets. Either way, there are some simple home remedies that can help remove the...

Dealing with mice is not a fun task. But if you want to keep your home clean from rodents and their droppings, it's a task you can't avoid. Best is to get rid of field mice naturally, as poisons...

Clotheslines to dry laundry are fast becoming popular a means to conserve energy and simplify lifestyles but without adequate props, lines will sag and threaten to soil your fresh-washed laundry....

While pets are terrific companions, it's just a shame they can't clean up after themselves. That being said it is ultimately our job to do so and most of the time it's only a minor inconvenience...

If you have carpet in your house, there will come a time that it will need to be cleaned. Steam cleaners are an easy and efficient method of accomplishing this task. If you don't own one, you...

Using natural ingredients to freshen the air in your home is a great way to absorb odors and create a nicely scented environment for your family. These air fresheners are non-toxic, and safe for...

Removing stains on dry-clean-only clothes can be difficult. The fabrics often are delicate, and some cleaning methods will hurt the garment. It's not always easy to take the garment right to the...

The Bissell Proheat is a self-propelled carpet cleaner that uses heat to maximize its power and efficiency. Various attachments such as the bare floor tool, stain brush, upholstery tool and...

According to Consumer Reports Magazine, Hoover vacuum cleaners are a "best seller," but despite its popularity, the brand is "less reliable" than some competing upright vacuum cleaner...

It seems that no matter how careful you are, getting a stain is inevitable. Clothing, carpets and upholstery seem to be magnets for dirt, wine, grease and other unsightly marks. There are a lot of...

If you feel that your garage is overflowing and you don't have enough room for all of your stuff, it's time to come up with better storage and organization in your garage. There are so many...

Deodorants are a fact of life to keep people smelling good. However, the mere application of deodorant can causing unpleasant staining on clothing and ruin an otherwise good shirt or blouse. There...

Cigarette smell has a way of lingering upon every surface it touches. While fabric is perhaps the worst for trapping in odors, cigarette smoke doesn't discriminate and can cling to just about...

Tea stains, caused by the tannic acid in tea, can be tricky to remove if you don't get to the stain right away. Tea can be used as permanent dye to give an antique look to fabric, and tannic acid...

Soft water is ideal for washing laundry compared with hard water. The reality is that soft water is not the norm. If you're fortunate enough to have soft water, then there are a few things you...

Microfiber is, as the name indicates, made of very small fibers. This feature means that microfiber can be very soft and, therefore, gives microfiber upholstered furniture a very pleasant texture....

Pergo is a brand name for laminate flooring. It was made to look like wood but cost less and be much easier to maintain. Pergo makes its own cleaners designed especially for wood laminates, which...

Dust mites are tiny little pests that live predominantly off dead human skin. We naturally shed skin cells every day. Dust mites especially like a hot, humid, dark environment. Mattresses and...

There is a right way to mop a floor and a wrong way, especially if you are mopping a wood floor. By following all of the proper procedures, you will cut back on the time spent cleaning. You will...

Grease stains can be so easily acquired and so temperamental to remove. If you've already run it through the wash, you're sure to notice that it's still there. These stains require special care,...

When your bedroom isn't organized, it isn't the peaceful retreat you need and deserve. Should it stay in a state of disarray, it may very well become the last room you are willing to spend time...

Whether you are spot cleaning or cleaning the entire piece of wood, it is important to make sure that you are taking the right steps, especially when it is sticky wood that you are dealing with....

Bleeding colors is a laundry problem that many dread because it can ruin clothing. There are methods to prevent color bleeding from occurring. But if bleeding has already happened, there are steps...

Sink traps can become clogged with grease, hair and food particles over time. Physically cleaning out the trap is more efficient than pouring costly chemicals down the drain. Household septic...

Pet stains are one of the hazards of pet ownership. Urine, feces and vomit are the main offenders. Even well-trained pets sometimes have accidents or soil when ill. Removing these stains can be...

Linen water can make the dreary experience of ironing a pleasurable pastime. If you have never used it, linen water is scented water that is sprayed on clothing and linens as they are being...

Grease stains can spell disaster for clothes. Traditional laundry detergents often don't remove these stains, and the dryer will permanently set the stain. Fortunately, there are a few methods to...

Oil stains are some of the most difficult to remove, especially when they are not caught immediately and have had a chance to set in for a while. Unfortunately, oil stains are usually also very...