"With these inexpensive products and tools. you'll have everything you need to tackle the whole house."
Tree lights are notoriously nefarious. They get twisted and tangled and knotted, and the bulbs burn and short out. Some folks even avoid the frustration and purchase new sets each year. But with a little planning 'round New Years, your lights can be in perfect shape come tree time.
Materials
The winter time is the right time for nestling besides the glow from your fireplace. Unfortunately, the escape of smoke can often leave deposits on the stones or bricks on your hearth, To clean them, simply dissolve Tri-Sodium Phosphate (TSP) into a bucket of water, following the directions on the package, then scrub it down with a firm-bristled brush. Repeat as necessary, then rinse.
You know your shower isn't functioning properly when it spurts and sputters, or your forced to rinse yourself with a minimal trickle.
The traditional technique is to unscrew the showerhead, and soak in CLR for a few minutes, then scrub away any buildup with a toothbrush, as suggested in this tip from Real Simple.
But, to avoid the drama of removing your showerhead, simply fill a plastic sandwich bag with white vinegar, and tape it around the… Continue Reading
This six pack wine rack from Elsewares is unbelievably clever. Not just because it’s made of renewable and recyclable materials, but because of how it’s constructed. Made of four pieces of 17" x 5" wool felt, it’s totally DIY-able!! To make it, I’d first sew the center two pieces of heavy fabric together in three equidistant rows and then sew the outer two pieces of fabric to the center two pieces in four equidistant rows.… Continue Reading
They just coming, and coming, and coming...
Read the full article from eHow.
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"Next time you go shopping for home cleaning supplies, consider adding large-leaved plants for every room in the house. They reduce unhealthy pollutants as well as airborne bacteria and fungi while adding the humidity needed to combat respiratory and allergic conditions."
Top 10 Air Cleaning Plants
1. Areca palm
2. Reed palm
3. Dwarf date palm
4. Boston fern
5. Pothos
6. English ivy
7. Australian sword fern
8. Peace lily
9. Rubber plant
10.… Continue Reading
"The EPA has noted that indoor air can be almost ten times worse than the air outside. Thus, air purification has rapidly become a multi-billion dollar industry. While a small, no-frills air cleaner for your personal space can be had for less than $100, a state-of-the-art medical-grade air purifier aimed at microbiological abatement can cost over $1000. For those who wish to breathe in healthier air without spending a lot of money, read the… Continue Reading
Mio Culture is featuring these storage pockets, which serve as ‘vertical real estate’ for life’s flotsam and jetsam. Particularly good for the office to clear space on your desk, the 21" wide by 26.75" long grid wall is made of ‘a combination of wool felt, polyester and rayon.’ At 65 bucks it isn’t crazy expensive, however, it looks DIY-able to me. Some felt, a sewing machine, a scissors or craft knife–to… Continue Reading
Say goodbye to mystery leftovers:These collecting jars are perfect for storing excess and bulk items in the kitchen, bathroom, workspace, or office, and the dry erase surface guarantees that you'll know exactly what lies inside.
"When it comes to how-to advice on cleaning vinyl siding, I'm amazed at how often the word "bleach" comes up... But think about it -- is bleach really necessary? After all, it's harmful to the environment, including your very own local waterways, flora and fauna. And not just wild fauna -- I met someone whose little dachshund was killed when a careless neighbor accidentally sprayed the pup with a bleach solution while cleaning his siding.
Here are… Continue Reading
I've got tremendous allergies to furry things, so fish and lizards were my only pet option. When cleaning or changing water, I, out of ignorance, apparently made a few mistakes, and the next morning, my dander-less friends were often floating atop the tank.
I was asked to help clean and change the water of an aquarium at a nursery with which I am associated, so this time I decided to do it right! I found these tips from EHow to be of most… Continue Reading
Don’t get me wrong, I think this wine rack is kinda cool, but it does look like a bunch of waste pipe. Nice waste pipe, to be sure, but waste pipe none-the-less. Instead of spending the 158 bucks, I just might visit the plumbing department at my local hardware store and attempt a DIY. But how to attach them all in that wonky way? Epoxy? Not sure...but something to think about.
Oh, and by the way, it IS suggested that you store your… Continue Reading
Now that Mother Nature has turned her attention to fall, you might be thinking about swapping your summer clothes for something a bit more toasty. But what’s the best way to store all those warm weather togs? Real Simple breaks it down like this:
1. Empty the pockets and wash and dry or dry clean everything you plan to store.
2. Of those items coming back from the dry cleaner, make sure to remove the dry-cleaner bags.
3. Store your clothes in… Continue Reading
"The intention here is to provide the basic data on how to make soap from the most basic materials. There are many fancier soap recipes which make better soaps, as long as you have all the ingredients.
Materials:
A small plastic dishpan, about 10″ x 12″
A glass or enamel 2-quart saucepan
1 can of lye (sodium hydroxide), 12 ounces
3 pounds of lard
Plastic gloves [really; use eye-protection… Continue Reading
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