Housekeeping

If you’re like the average renter in my area, your landlord has a lease that stipulates that you need to have your carpets shampooed at least once a year. And let me tell you, shampooing your carpet is not exactly the easiest thing to plan out. This is doubly true when you realize you can’t actually step on the carpet until it dries. But…how long does that even take?

Adding a fireplace to your house is a great idea whether you want to raise the aesthetics of the living room or just want to get through those daunting winters with comfort.

You use your shower to get clean, so if any part of it’s gross, it feels icky instead of relaxing, and you say, “eww” more than “aah.”. If the shower floor starts to get scummy or grimy, it boosts the ick factor because you feel like you’re standing in filth. So what’s the best way to clean the shower floor so you’re not cringing while you’re washing up?

Vinyl siding is a great choice for your home’s exterior. It’s durable, colorful, stylish…and it also tends to be a magnet for glue residues. This can be pretty bad if you need to tape something to the side of your house. After all, no one wants to spend their afternoon scrubbing away at tape residue, right? Thankfully, you don’t have to. There are tape options that won’t mark up your vinyl siding.

Mold can be one of the most troubling things that you will find in your home. The spores travel everywhere, and mold can actually be quite dangerous if left unchecked. You can find spores from mold all over your house; however, mold spores really love to flourish in warm, moist areas, like your bathroom.

Cats, like many animals, have a strong sense of smell, which you can use to your advantage. Many smells deter cats, such as thyme. Many people love the smell, but cats dislike it enough to avoid your counters altogether. 

When your microwave just doesn’t seem to heat up your food anymore, a simple fix might get it back in working order. Any microwave repair begins with discharging the capacitor. Even unplugged, a charged capacitor makes microwave repairs dangerous.

If you’re a frequent party host, parent to a big family, or simply store many cold beverages at home, you probably have an extra refrigerator in your garage. Often referred to as a “beer fridge,” garage fridges are a handy way to store the overflow from your kitchen fridge or bulk items that you’d like to have cold and ready to pop open. Some people even use garage refrigerators to freeze meat throughout the winter or store frozen meals for days when you don’t feel like cooking.

No matter where your dryer is located, venting it is just as important as setting the dryer up itself. A dryer’s vent directs moisture and heat away from the dryer and out of the house. If you install a dryer without a vent, you run the risk of moisture building up, leading to mold, mildew, and water damage.

When you have a dog or a cat, letting them roam around your yard just makes sense. They need fresh air, after all. Unfortunately, if you have a gap under your fence gate, the safety you are trying to offer them through your fence just won’t be there. A gap under a gate doesn’t have to be a major issue, though. All you need to do is know how to fix it.

You come home ready for a nice shower.  After a few seconds in the shower, you notice something just isn’t right.  What could be going on in your shower or bathtub?  What could cause your shower to work poorly or not work at all?  How do you know if the diverter valve on your tub or shower is bad?

An unusually high sewer bill can leave us scratching our heads. If you’ve recently had a more expensive sewer bill than expected, don’t fear – there are several common reasons for this. In this article, we will outline why your sewer bill is higher than usual and what you can do to bring the bill down. Thankfully, this problem can be remedied.

Spray foam is a common, easy to install insulation to improve the efficiency of your home. The bad thing is that, unless you are covered head to toe, it is all too easy to get that spray foam on your skin. It can take hold quickly and can be very annoying to deal with even if it really doesn’t do any harm.

Oobleck is one of the many incarnations of slime that parents have had to deal with over the past 20 years. It’s the homemade version of slime, and as a result, often ends up staining things left and right. Unlike gak, oobleck is one of those things that can pose a serious problem to clothes and carpets. So, how can you clean it up without causing serious damage to everything around you?

If your furnace is relatively modern, it will most likely be outfitted with a furnace inducer motor. This is definitely one of those parts that you don’t consider until something is wrong with it. As the furnace inducer motor is one of the most common pieces to fail on a furnace, it’s important that it is properly understood.

Natural light might be a desired quality inside your home, but it’s the last thing you want to expose your unopened wine to. UV light can break down wine quickly, diminishing the flavors even spoil the wine prematurely when it’s stored anywhere bright. Wine kept in the dark retains the most flavors and lasts the longest.

If you want to park in front of your house or have your guests do the same, that’s your prerogative. More than likely, you keep the area in front of your house clear for mail delivery, garbage pick-up, and similar events. But what do you do when your neighbors keep parking in front of your house?

One of the most popular aftermarket accessories among four-wheel off-road enthusiasts is LED lightbars.  The advances in LED technology afford amazing lighting performance at remarkably reasonable prices. However, mounting these lightbars poses a problem for some vehicle owners.  The question of how to mount a lightbar on a vehicle roof without drilling comes up often.

Hosting your entire family for one of the winter holidays is a significant undertaking. There is a lot to coordinate and plan, and the costs can quickly add up. Food, decorations, and equipment rental fees can amount to many hundreds of dollars, which is why it can be helpful to find ways to save money when hosting a holiday gathering.

This pointer might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but when it comes to small spaces, it’s a game-changer. Remove closet doors and replace them with curtains. Here’s why.

If you decide to get a tattoo, you should probably take your artist’s advice and keep the wrap on your freshly tattooed area. However, sometimes, the wrap can slip off. When this happens, the residual ink can land on the floor, staining your carpet. As we all know, tattoo ink is permanent. So how do you get it out of your carpet?

Fleas are a nightmare for any homeowner whether you have pets or not. Sometimes, flea activity stays local to a single room or area in the house without spreading. So, can you flea bomb one room and stay in the house?

Selling a house is a stressful process, so it helps to do everything you can do to ensure it goes smoothly. It’s no secret that pets are messy and can even be destructive, and that’s a concern for many homeowners when they sell their houses. Does having a pet decrease house value?

These days, liquid detergent isn’t the only thing one can use to get their dishes clean in the dishwasher. Now there are dishwasher detergent pods, and these are beneficial because they pack a good cleaning punch while also being convenient and easy to use. But are dishwasher detergent pods safe? Such is the question that this article will answer.

Pinesol has been around since the late 1920s and has made its way into every household in America at one time or another. People use it as an all-purpose cleaner to clean their showers, toilets, floors, and countertops. But, are you able to use this on your carpet? That’s the real question.

Coffee machines are super convenient to have in your home, especially cause so many of them come with timers now, so you don’t have to remember to turn the coffee pot on in time before heading to work or starting your day. However, one thing that gets super annoying is the need to descale it. But, it needs to be done! But what if you have a Breville Coffee Maker? How do you descale that?

Dryer sheets and dryer balls are very different, yet achieve some of the same results. Primarily, they both help reduce static cling in your clothes while in the dryer. While there are other similarities between the two, there are also many differences. Since these two dryer tools sometimes achieve different results, you may wonder if it’s better to use dryer sheets or dryer balls for your laundry.

Your oven is essential for everything from an elaborate Thanksgiving dinner to a simple frozen pizza. You can bake cookies or broil vegetables with relative ease as long as your oven is functioning properly. In order to ensure your oven cooks consistently and evenly, you need to make sure it is clean and free of burnt debris. But exactly how do you know when it is time to deep-clean your oven?

Owning a fish tank is rewarding, even if it takes a lot of work. However, it’s easy to forget about how your fish tank can affect the rest of your house. So, can a fish tank cause mold?

On-demand running water is a fantastic convenience that many of us could not imagine living without. Unfortunately, sometimes the system can have problems that cause the water to run at unexpected times. The sounds of running water in your walls and the threat of a leak can be very nerve-wracking. Here are some things you can do to identify and fix the issue.

Whether you just purchased a new car, moved to a new state, or got a fun new vanity plate you want to show off, you need some screws for a new license plate. Unfortunately, the screws on license plates are not a simple singular size across the board. In fact, most brands tend to use different screw types and sizes.

I grew up around smokers and am used to living in a house full of smoke. When I got older, I ended up smoking too. As an avid hookah smoker, I know how bad it is for my health and my walls.

Countless homeowners have done everything that they can to transform their houses into smart homes. It’s easy to overlook certain simple devices that make it easier to go about your day as a homeowner, such as smart plugs. So, do smart plugs save energy?

Today, we live in an era that is celebrated for being the age of lifehacks. Want to wash a wall? There are tricks for that. Want to wash a floor? Just go on Google and you’ll find a ton of information on how to do it quickly and effectively. These days, we’re even talking about power washing rugs. Is this actually okay, though?

Who doesn’t like a good plate of pasta or spaghetti? This culinary classic is not only delicious but super easy to prepare. On top of that, it is an inexpensive meal to boot. For those reasons and more, you would be hard-pressed to find a home that hasn’t enjoyed this Italian delight at some point.

Space heaters come in handy for all homeowners, especially during fall and winter. The majority of space heaters you’ll come across run at 1,500 watts, and that is likely what you have. Now that it’s getting cooler outside, your heater will run all day, but how much will it cost?

Granite is a popular high-end material for sinks. While it looks beautiful and luxurious when you buy it, it can be hard to keep it that way.

Repairing or installing water lines within your home typically requires that you use crimpers, adhesives, or solder. However, adhesives can smell awful and be a very messy undertaking. Also, crimpers are pricey, can be challenging to install in smaller areas, and solder requires that you use an open flame to heat the pipes.

Bringing a dog into your life ensures you’ll always have a playful companion by your side. Dogs bring joy and endless entertainment to any household they inhabit. Unfortunately, they also bring hair, slobber, smells, and messes that weren’t present before your furry friend moved in. Thankfully, there are many simple things you can do to keep your home clean and organized if you have a dog.

If you have young children, you likely know all about the challenges of keeping a home clean. Young kids are bundles of boundless energy and they tend to make a mess when they’re having fun. Give them crayons to play around with and things can get messy pretty quickly.

A washing machine is one of the most essential appliances in your home. It ensures you always have clean clothes to wear and allows you to launder your sheets and towels regularly. While its primary function is cleaning your dirty clothes and bedding, you might be surprised by some other household items you can put in the washer.

With the weather quickly taking a turn to the colder, the topic of heating quickly becomes a priority. If you’re like most people, having a furnace that’s going bad might be an issue you want to take care of sooner rather than later. One of the more common issues people deal with is a bad HVAC blower motor. But, how can a casual DIYer figure out if a furnace blower motor went bad?

If you’re anything like me, there’s nothing that is better at night than experiencing a nice hot bath. We often don’t give our water heaters enough credit in that department, or appreciate how much they do until we notice that things aren’t doing too well in that department. Having your water running lukewarm might be okay if you’re in the kitchen, but it’s still pretty bad when you’re trying to run a bath and should be cause for concern. Ever wonder what could cause this?

Furnaces can generally come in both gas and electric. There is, however, the issue of a gas-like smell that occurs when running the furnace. Keep in mind that this will not be a problem for the electric varieties; this is a gas-only problem.

Having an automatic garage door does not mean much if the opener will not work. For some reason, the Sears Craftsman garage door opener remotes just stop working after a while. This means you have to buy a new remote. Or does it?

If you need to have wood waterproofed, then chances are you’ve applied Thompson’s Water Seal to it. This waterproofing stain is known for being one of the best in the home improvement world when it comes to keeping your materials looking great. Of course, many of us want to make our projects look even better with a fresh coat of paint. But, is this actually doable?

Sometimes the pots and pans you use to cook Thanksgiving food get crusted over and burnt. There is a lot of dairy and sugar cooked on this holiday, so don't be surprised if all your pans have a bit of crust that is hard to remove. 

Nothing is inviting about dirty gym equipment. Not only is it unsanitary, but your gym equipment will only get dirtier with time if you don’t clean it. Zogics is a popular brand of disinfectant wipes that many people use to clean their gym equipment. 

Easter is an important religious holiday for many people. It’s also a day that symbolizes rebirth, and flowers are among the most common decorations used on this day. There are also bunnies and chocolate eggs, but it’s the vibrant and pastel blooms that give Easter its color and joy. It’s no surprise that flowers and plants make perfect gifts at Easter.

Whether it's the drain in your kitchen sink or the one in your bathroom or shower, you’ve probably dealt with some annoying clogs. Clogs always appear at inconvenient times, especially if you don’t work hard to prevent them. You can avoid stubborn clogs if you keep up with a monthly drain maintenance routine.

Homeowners come across many new discoveries about their house as time goes on. Sometimes it feels like you learn new things about your home every day.

Pet allergies tend to become amplified in the winter months. This is due to breathing in recycled air and the fact that people and pets spend more time inside in the winter. Therefore, it is entirely possible to have a pet allergy that you never notice in warmer months, only to struggle with it throughout the winter.

When you’re excited about tackling a home project, it can be very tempting to jump in and get it done quickly. However, if you skip vital prep work, you might end up with shoddy work and wasted time.

If you are someone who gets bitten by mosquitos in the summer months, then you will be happy to know Epsom salts can help. Not only will an Epsom salt bath help your skin feel better, but dissolved salts can also help relieve itching associated with mosquito bites.

Streaks of rust coating your vinyl siding will harm your home’s curb appeal. In addition to being an eyesore, rust stains present a challenge when trying to clean the exterior of your home. Thankfully, there are several solutions to this problem. Below you will learn how rust stains happen, what you can do to remove them, and how to keep them away for good. 

Does your heat pump have a buildup of ice or is it having trouble entering defrost mode? Eventually, almost every heat pump will reach a point where it creates ice on its mechanisms. The machine will then enter a mode known as defrosting in order to combat and melt the ice.

Getting dents in your carpet may seem unavoidable if you have heavy furniture. However, your carpet isn’t doomed to have dents forever, especially if you take preventative steps. Luckily, we have several easy tips for how to protect your carpet from heavy furniture.

Installing a home sauna is a big step, but many homeowners find it worth the time and money. However, it’s only worth the cost if you prioritize maintenance, or else you’ll experience problems, like mold. You’re not alone if you’ve ever wondered how to prevent mold in a sauna.

A water hammer occurs when there is a sudden increase in a pipe’s water pressure when the water is suddenly forced to stop. This occurrence often creates a loud banging sound. Water hammers do more than create an annoying level of noise. These abrupt changes can severely damage a piping system.

Showerhead clogs can be caused by deposits of calcium, magnesium, lime, silica, and other minerals in hard water, especially well water. This mineral deposit may block the canal, which will prohibit your showerhead from operating at full force. This is especially true in bathrooms and kitchens, hard water can leave off-white or brown stains on ceramic or glass surfaces.