Self Help

When you first get your iron you’ll need to read the instruction manual to find out the right ways to clean and maintain it.

Here are some tips for keeping chrome in tip-top shape.

Most people have somewhere to sit and put on their stockings, sock, or night slippers. Depending on your taste and the size of your room, you might choose a hassock, a trunk, a rocking chair, or an overstuffed wing back. If you’re cramped for storage space, a trunk or a lidded bench is a good idea.

Pet odor caused from urine or feces is one of the toughest deodorizing problems you will face. Unless you completely deodorize the area where the pet accident occurred, the animal, especially cats, will return to the spot and resoil it.

Keep your cool air flowing during the hot summer months with regular attention to the air filters and condenser coils of your air conditioners. A clogged filter puts extra strain on the mechanism, increases the energy cost, and restricts the machine’s performance.

These types of ovens use very high temperatures to clean the oven’s interior. After a self-cleaning cycle (about three to four hours), all you have to do is wipe out a little ashy residue.

Start with a mattress pad or cover; this protects the mattress from wear, and it feels more comfortable than lying down on a bare sheet and feeling mattress buttons through it. A mattress pad also protects the mattress from light stains. If you need to guard against heavier stains or spills, choose a waterproof one.

Rust removers are readily available at grocery stores, home centers, and hardware stores. Some of them are for use only on white clothes and others can be used on colored fabrics, too. If you are using one of these chemical products, be sure to read the directions very carefully to avoid failure.

The following is a list of the most troublesome types of stains and some suggested remedies.

A clean pool is free of the obvious dirt and debris, but chemical purity plays an important role in its pristine condition.

the 4 types of air filters that are available.

Everyone has a favorite shirt-ironing technique. Some books recommend doing it in just the opposite order of the procedure I’m about to describe. The outcome is probably the same for both.

Self-polishing wax in liquid form, sometimes combined with a cleaning compound, is easily put down. Just a light buffing with a soft mop or cloth polisher brings up the desired shine.

Birds are not the neatest of pets, and cleaning up after your feathered friend is one of those never-ending jobs you love to hate. Daily quick cleanups make the thorough weekly or monthly cleanings less of a chore.

The first step in washing your floors is to remove as much of the furniture as possible from the room to obtain a clear path and eliminate the need for shifting things around.

A coating of hard wax helps protect marble from absorption of dirt, makes cleanup easier. Wash by mopping with hot water and a detergent with ammonia.

Before cleaning non-washable wallpaper, it is wise to consider your options. With particularly fragile papers, such as screen or hand-printed ones, you run the risk of rubbing off the surface if you wipe or brush too vigorously.

to get rid of those crawly creepy bugs.

Tips to clean all of your electronic equipment.

Dishwashers can turn brown inside, but they’ll sparkle immediately if you run them empty on a cycle with a little citric acid.

When your cat or dog vomits on your carpet floor, resist the temptation to wipe up the mess. If there are solids that can be picked up with a paper towel, do so, but do not smear the accident into the carpet.

You need a housekeeping schedule that works for you. Lots of people like the unhurried feeling of sprucing up on a Saturday morning. But if you can’t bear to spend weekend time on housekeeping, choose an evening and block out a couple of hours to zip through and get everything done.

Wipe bulbs occasionally with a dry dustcloth for cleanliness and better illumination. Remove a burned-out bulb by turning it counter-clockwise, slowly and steadily, so the glass bulb does not twist loose of its base.

The best way to organize toiletries is to go through your shelves and drawers one by one, removing all containers of makeup, skin and hair care products, and other toiletries.

The surfaces of walls and ceilings escape the daily spills and footprints that leave their mark upon floors and carpets. But walls and ceilings are by no means immune to dirt.

Chemical drain cleaners drain openers are among the most dangerous products on the consumer market. Most drain cleaners are essentially lyes - caustic substances that, by definition, destroy or eat away material by chemical action.

Amazing! Learn how to remove virtually all tough stains.

Here are 16 ways baking soda can be used to clean & deodorize.

9 handy tips for kitchen upkeep.

Here is a quick guide to cleaning multiple types of leathered items.

First, check the top corners and light fixtures in your home. Use an extension pole or climb a ladder to remove any cobwebs.

Here are 12 fantastic ways white vinegar can be used for cleaning.

If you are experiencing sleeping difficulties from time to time and know that it is not serious enough to require medical attention, these few simple steps may help.

If you are experiencing sleeping difficulties from time to time and know that it is not serious enough to require medical attention, these few simple steps may help.

If you are experiencing sleeping difficulties from time to time and know that it is not serious enough to require medical attention, these few simple steps may help.

If you are experiencing sleeping difficulties from time to time and know that it is not serious enough to require medical attention, these few simple steps may help.

As we age, many changes occur in our bodies. Parts of our body and mind begin to deteriorate and other parts slow down. In the area of sleep, some changes that occur are a result of normal aging and there are many others that are pathologic.

The biggest interrupter is probably the phone. If you have young children, stay flexible and expect interruptions because its all part of parenting.

Most closets are too small. However, if you look at your closet you will see a lot of wasted space, usually below the clothes and above the clothes rod.

How do you handle the mail? Well of course you must open it first, but then handle it only once if possible.

Interruptions are a roadblock to work, but they come all day long in the form of babies, friends, and personal and household emergencies. Life involves learning to accomplish things in spite of interruptions. Don’t wait to organize yourself until all the interruptions are gone.

An important element of clothing storage that is often overlooked is the clothes hanger. Get rid of the wire hangers; buy plastic tubular ones instead. And have enough hangers.

Kids have more toys, and parents live in smaller quarters. Add those two together and without management you have a mess.

Another way to organize your house cleaning is to “spring clean” one room at a time. Do it
completely, but don’t upset the whole house. You can learn to work without making a giant mess if you pay attention to what you are doing.

What is the level of cleanliness in your home right now? Give your house a rating from one to ten, with one being filthy-dirty and ten being sterile.

There are many filing systems out there, with some so complicated that only the person who set them up can use them. Therefore, it’s worthwhile spending some time to discuss setting up a household filing system that works so below are a few tips to help you out.

A great way cut down cleaning time by changing organizational patterns is to plan not to let things get dirty. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cleaning up.

A well-thought-out laundry system will keep your clothes ready to wear and take less time. Here are some tips for getting control of your dirty clothes.

What does your morning commute into work look like? How about the trip home? Not a pretty picture, huh? Isn’t it time you revamped how you get from here to there?

Problems with organizing your household and handling your housekeeping duties seem to fall into four main categories. Some of them overlap a bit, but I am sure you can recognize them easily and pick out the ones that relate to you most strongly.