Housekeeping

While they may be cute to some, rats can be a real pesky problem. When they’ve gained access to your home or have settled in your backyard, it can be challenging to get rid of them. Whether you’ve got one rat or a whole infestation, it is vital to quickly and carefully deal with the issue.

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’ve ever wondered if mice can get into your refrigerator, you may be surprised at the answer. While refrigerators are made from metal and can successfully ward off many different types of critters, mice are clever and can find a way in.

Carpet on stairs presents a few extra challenges when it comes to cleaning. It’s not like you can quickly run your vacuum across the steps. However, knowing how to clean carpet on stairs doesn’t take a lot of specialized knowledge or tools.

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.

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?

When a bathtub is installed, there are gaps that are purposely left between the tub itself and the wall that is to be adjoined to. This is what is known as an expansion joint. The purpose of this is to allow for a little movement between the position of the tub and the wall it is adjoining.

Your furnace is an important part of your central heating system. It keeps your house warm in the winter, but what happens when your furnace starts to age? 

Ingesting non-potable water shouldn’t seem like a major problem in well-developed countries like the United States. But in 2017, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) reported close to 500,000 hospitalizations and 7,000 deaths from waterborne diseases.

One of the more common reasons your sheets can make you itchy has to do with your laundry detergent. The main goal of washing detergent is to clean clothes. Many brands add fragrances to leave your clothes and sheets smelling nice. This all sounds great in theory, but in practice, it can cause issues.

You should never move a fish tank with water in it. A fish tank with water, decorations, equipment, and substrate is quite heavy. The combined weight of everything can crack the glass and create a huge, dangerous mess. Moving a tank with fish in it can also cause physical trauma, and they may even die.

Doorbells are a great invention. It seems like you either get the soft-knockers at your door or the overly-loud people who bang on your door. Over time, you’ll either miss people at your door or become annoyed with the people who endeavor to bang loudly. However, what’s even more annoying, is a doorbell that keeps ringing, especially if you can’t seem to turn it off! So, how do you fix it?

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.

Whether you’re looking to restore a piece of furniture, wooden molding, or another type of woodwork, you’ll likely find yourself needing to strip down the pre-existing layers of paint. As with any other paint job, the initial preparation is the most important step. In fact, the condition of the painting surface heavily determines the quality of the finish once you’ve completed painting.

In recent years, memory foam has become the pillow material of choice because of its long lifespan. Memory foam pillows can either be one solid piece or shredded pieces of foam.

You think you smell Raid in your house, even though it’s been days since you used the insecticide  eliminate ants and termites? Well, chances are that you went on a little overkill while trying to get rid of the insects. Raid has a strong odor, which takes time to wear off, especially if you empty a can to eliminate the insects.

The hole in the middle of your basement floor serves an important purpose: to prevent flooding and water damage. Whether you have a washing machine, a sink, or a water heater in the basement, this drain plays a crucial role in making sure your basement doesn’t flood if something goes wrong. Furthermore, it prevents flooding from inclement weather since basements are situated underground.

Return air vents keep your home’s air fresh and circulated. If you’re remodeling a room, or even just rearranging some furniture, you may wonder: can I block that vent? It doesn’t seem to be doing anything. Those return vents are a vital component of your home’s air circulatory system.

If there is one vegetable that’s a classic, all-American dinner table favorite, it’s broccoli. The cruciferous vegetables are some of the most widely eaten, not to mention the most detested by children. If you’re like many frugal home chefs, you will want to store broccoli for as long as possible. The question, of course, is how you can do that without making your broccoli soggy or brown.

It can be extremely frustrating to see a stranger’s car parked in front of your house. Things only get more annoying the longer that the car stays there, and it can feel like a violation. So, is it legal for them to park there and can you have their car towed?

Bugs are a pesky invader anywhere in your home. If you find bugs in your kitchen, it can be especially horrible. This can spell trouble for all the food you’ve got in the pantry! 

While there are standard hanger dimensions, there is no universal size standard. For children’s clothing and narrow closets, you should buy narrower hangers. For large jackets, you may require hangers that can handle more weight and are wider than a typical hanger.

The air conditioning of our home can play an integral role in daily life. Especially in warmer climates or during the hotter months of the year, air conditioning that is working properly can make life a lot more comfortable. Perhaps you have begun noticing that your air conditioner is leaking water. So, what do you do? How do you fix this?

Nothing ruins wash day like a broken appliance. Not that wash day is much fun to begin with. But when you have a problem, it just makes it that much worse. You get all your wet clothes into the dryer and turn it on and… nothing happens.

Insulated fiberglass exterior doors are notoriously durable and long-lasting. Similar to steel, fiberglass is more energy-efficient and secure than conventional wood constructions. In addition to their strength, they also require little to no maintenance.

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. 

You have a big event approaching, guests are coming over to visit or you’re putting your house up for sale. There couldn’t be a more perfect time to give your carpets a much-needed cleaning. However, after shampooing, your carpet now has new stains and bald spots, leaving you feeling defeated.

Having black appliances can be a double-edged sword. On one hand, they are sleek and can hide food stains well. On the other hand, cleaning can be difficult for appliances that come into frequent contact with food and fingerprints.

We’ve come a long way from the first mechanical dishwashers, way back in the late 1800s. Since early dishwashers were wooden and had to be hand-cranked, they were inefficient and impractical. Fast forward to the current day, and a dishwasher is only one of the many domestic conveniences we take for granted.

If you are having trouble opening your garage door or getting it to close properly, the problem could be linked to a faulty garage door cable. Cables are often installed incorrectly, a problem that leads to the garage door cables either being too short, too long, or out of balance. If your garage door issues are caused by cables in need of adjustment, here is how to fix the problem.

Having an efficient swamp cooler in the summer results from taking care of your cooler in the winter. In this article, we will give you a step by step process to winterize your swamp cooler properly. Preparing your swamp cooler for the off-season is not difficult, and it will increase the life of your unit.

If you have kids, pets, or a spouse, you’ve probably discovered Zep’s Foaming Wall Cleaner or Instant Carpet & Upholstery Spot Removal products. People swear by both of these products, and claim that they’ve removed stains they thought it was completely impossible to get rid of! So between the two, which is better?

Staining wood can bring out some of its natural patterns and deep colors like nothing else. If you want to change a wood surface’s color without painting it, staining is a great option. However, stain must be properly applied otherwise it will not dry and still feel sticky and rough hours later.

No matter how hard you try, it always seems like something gets spilled or tracked on your carpet. As clean as you try to be, sometimes things just get tracked into the house on someone’s shoes or your dog’s feet. Motor oil is one of those stains that make you want to panic. But you don’t have to.

It’s not uncommon to have water damage on your drywall, whether it be ceiling or walls, especially if you live in an area that experiences heavy rainfall. If you have water damage on your ceiling, you have probably wondered if painting over the problem area is a practical solution. After all, simply applying a couple of coats of paint is far easier than replacing ceiling material.

Depending on where you live, the inside of your home may get excessively humid. An easy fix is to run a dehumidifier to suck the hot air out of any room. But what happens when it’s not working properly, and you’re stuck sweating inside?

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.

The HVAC unit is responsible for your home’s cooling and heating as the weather changes. However, many factors influence the system’s efficiency, including duct sizing. Using ducts that are too large or too small can render your HVAC system pretty useless, so it’s important to know duct sizing rules of thumb.

You cannot establish rules with your roommates until you have a conversation. This is everyone’s chance to voice their opinions, concerns, and expectations. Make a mental list of talking points before the conversation to make sure you cover everything.

If you only have one type of vinegar in your home, then it should probably be distilled white vinegar. While this isn’t necessarily the most flavorful vinegar, it is certainly the most versatile. White vinegar is inoffensive in flavor, which allows for its versatility in cooking. It’s perfect for poaching eggs and adding to baked recipes, as it doesn’t have an overwhelming flavor. This vinegar is also ideal for cleaning, as it has no color, and is great at removing bacteria.

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.

If you have a damp house or maybe just a damp room, you may be considering purchasing a dehumidifier. Or, quite possibly, you already have one and wonder if it’s safe to run a dehumidifier constantly. Dehumidifiers are great for reducing moisture in your house, but if moisture is a major issue, a dehumidifier might not be a permanent solution.

Cluttered floors make it hard for professional cleaners to vacuum and mop surfaces. This can add to how long it takes, make their jobs harder, and even mess up their schedule. The last thing you should do is leave clothes, shoes, and toys on the ground before cleaners come.

The “rough-in” building stage is when the plumbing fixtures and pipes are all lines are put in place, but they are not yet connected. Plumbing rough-ins, such as sink drains, are just one of many things inspected throughout the building or renovation process.

Adding a neutral wire can be a little daunting, especially if you’re dealing with a light switch that you’ve had for years. A neutral wire makes smart home creation easier and also better completes your electrical circuits. If you are adding a smart home switch box to your place, chances are that you might need to add a neutral wire to your current setup.

If you already have a sprinkler system in place, it is definitely time that you think about hooking up the sprinkler timer into the system itself. The timer has many benefits over the long run that will make it more than worth the time.

Buying appliances is expensive When it comes to large appliances like refrigerators and stoves, you are typically going to be spending more than a thousand dollars. So, you want to make sure you are getting your money’s worth when you do have to get something like that.

Cheesecake is a near-universally loved desert. It can be sweet and unctuous and surprisingly filling as well. Breaking out some cheesecake makes for a great after-dinner treat whether you are hosting or enjoying a quiet night in.

Kerosene is known for being one of the most pungent types of fuel on the market, and if you are like many people out in the country, you sometimes have to carry it indoors during winter months. The only problem? Kerosene can spill, and when it does, it can reek and also stain your carpet something awful. So, what can you do if you’re faced with a kerosene spill?

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.

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?

A Jacuzzi is a great way to add a sense of calm and luxury to your home. However, there is nothing luxurious about getting into a Jacuzzi full of chunks of black flakes. So, what is the black stuff coming out of my Jacuzzi jets?

When you first got your fireplace, you probably were wondering how to use it. This is particularly true with ignition. You might have had an ignitor in your design, or you might not have. Either way, when you want to use a fireplace and don’t seem to have a proper way to light it, it can be frustrating. So, what can you do?

Having animals in the attic is not only frightening to deal with, but it is an invasion of your home’s privacy. Sure, it may only be a furry critter, but animals stuck in your attic create noise disturbances as well as a sanitary risk. Most homeowners’ first instinct when they hear an animal in the attic is to reach for the phone and call a service to get it removed.

We all heard Elvis Presley’s “Blue Suede Shoes,” but what about your blue suede couch? Suede is one of the hottest options for couches as well as couch covers. It’s satiny, leather, and absolutely gorgeous. It’s a good choice for matte looks. But, how do you wash suede couch covers, or at the very least, keep it clean?

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?

Many homeowners prefer propane over natural gas because it is safer and more convenient. With that said, it is still wise to be aware of your propane consumption when you use a stove. So, how much propane does a stove use?

Kids these days have some very odd toys that they play with. Flarp is one of the weirdest. Actually, adults seem to like it too. It is just putty-like Silly Putty, but it makes a farting noise when you play with it. But Flarp is not so much fun when it is stuck in your carpet.

Sausage makes for a delicious treat any time, day or night. Have some sausage links or patties with breakfast or a big fat brat with dinner. There really is no time of day or year where a sausage doesn’t work perfectly.

Flat roofs are a popular roofing choice used in many homes. They offer a classic look and are easier to build and maintain than many other roofing options.