Archive for October, 2011
Shopping Tips for Oriental Carpets
If you are thinking of investing in oriental carpets then we can assure you that now-a-days it has become the most profitable investment. In fact some people say that it is much more profitable than stock market as well. Here we are presenting some essential tips that you should follow while buying oriental carpet. Please spare some time to have a look at the following.
The very first duty is to make some detailed research regarding this oriental carpet. You can buy some books or simply rely upon online resources. Whatever the source may be you have to get to know the whole thing in detail. There are many types of Oriental rug, it would be convenient for you if you choose a particular type over others and do some research on it and visit some shops to identify it.
Now you are ready to buy the best one. Make a trip to the famous shops or you can go to some auction houses as well.
How to Clean a Rug with a Vacuum
If you want to get the original effect and perfect personalized touch, then you should clean your rug regularly which will help you to maintain its original color and texture. According to the experts, one should clean their rug at least once in a week. But undoubtedly it is a tough job to do at home. For the best result you can hire some professional cleaners, or if you still want to do it by yourself then please have a look at the following methods.
First with the help of the suction of the vacuum cleaner, you have to clean the whole rug. Then with the help of the broom handle remove the dusk from it. Then wash it using mild shampoo and then dry it. Your rug is absolutely ready to welcome your visitors.
So bring these to reality and make your home more attractive and beautiful.
Hardwood Floors under the Carpets
Hardwood floors look very elegant but they also call for a lot of maintenance if you wish to keep it anew. Apart from a regular dusting and periodical polishing, make sure to get it an adequate outer cover for its optimum protection.
Thus, if you have hardwood floor in your home, don’t forget to invest on good carpets as these will keep the floor protected from any external elements. Hardwood floors are very vulnerable to scratches and get damaged easily. Hence, you have to get thick carpets for the maximum protection.
Carpets on hardwood floors are especially necessary when you have the typical flooring in high traffic areas like dining or living rooms. It’s not uncommon for your girlfriends or cousins to walk in with stilettos inside the room if you have a party going on, which are very harmful to your flooring and might distort its surface if you cannot get a carpet cover for it.
Learn to take care of your home, the eco friendly way
Today when environmental pollution from all over is posing a great threat to our existence, it’s always best to take the eco-friendly way in the maintenance of your own household. Here are some tips. You don’t have to refurbish the home entirely, but making a few alterations here and there can bring about the desired result.
Firstly, go for the water efficient installations as these fixtures can save nearly over three trillion gallon water as well as more than 18 billion USD per year. In fact, if one in 100 homes opt for the water efficient installations, we can save nearly 100 million KW of electricity every year avoiding tons and tons of the greenhouse gas emit.
Then invest on CFL bulbs as these are truly eco friendly and also last longer than the regular options, up to fifteen times. Besides, get rid of all the toxic and chemical cleaners from the house as they are highly harmful while you can rather settle for the natural ones.
Ways to fix a noisy garage door
A noisy garage door is pretty irritating. It especially irks if your study or bedroom is situated close to it causing disturbances in work and sleep. Here are some tips to help in fixing up the problem.
Firstly, check for the loose nuts as this is one of the potential causes of the door noise. Thus, if this is the case do not delay in tightening them. Then, if you have old metal rollers, they are sure to make noise as they get worn out with time. So, you have to replace them with a new one. It’s best if you invest on nylon rollers since they are quieter compared to metal rollers and don’t need much lubrication.
Check out the hole of the hinge which holds your roller system. Sometimes if the hole gets oblong with time, it may cause noise and the only solution here is to replace it. However, if all these fail, you are left with no other choice but to get a fresh garage door.
Ways to clean your kitchen tiles
Kitchen is that place in the house where you cook gourmet delights for the people you love the most and you obviously do not want such a place to be dirty. Keeping your kitchen clean is a matter of hygiene as well. Kitchen tiles become yellow very easily and you should make it a point to them regularly. Vinyl and linoleum tiles become yellow due to heat damage and waxy buildup.
To clean the yellowed kitchen tiles you should mix ammonia with water in a cup and apply it on the tiles. Wait for ten minutes and try to wipe it off. If it comes out clean then the waxy buildup has led to yellowing of the tiles. If it does not then heat damage has yellowed the tiles. In a bucket, mix white vinegar with one cup of tartar cream. Scrub the mixture on the tiles in circular motion. After half an hour rinse it off with mild warm water.
Learn to keep your brass bathroom fixtures good as new
Brass bathroom fixtures are definitely a great addition to your bathroom but the problem with brass bathroom fixtures is that they become tarnished over time and cleaning them becomes extremely difficult. So, if you want to keep your brass bathroom fixtures as good as new you have to make it a point to clean them regularly.
To clean your brass bathroom fixtures you should wrap them with cloth dipped in soapy water. The soap should be mild like hand soaps and dish washers. Keep the wrap for a couple of hours. If there are stubborn spots on the fixtures you can use lemon juice or vinegar to clean it. Make sure that you dilute the vinegar with water. After cleaning the brass bathroom fixtures with lemon juice or vinegar clean in properly with water to prevent damage. Prevent water spots in the fixtures by cleaning them with soft, dry cloth.
Learn to remove stain from your couch with home ingredients
No matter how careful you are with your furniture, it is almost impossible that you never had a stain on your couch. Since the guests usually come in and head straight for the couch you obviously cannot afford to have stains on it. So getting the stains removed from the couch is important. And the good news is you need not hire professionals to get rid of the stains. You can actually remove the stains from your couch using home ingredients.
When there is a stain on your couch blot it immediately with a dry cloth. Rubbing will spread the stain more, so refrain from it. If traces of stain remain after blotting, you can use water and mild soap to wash it. In case of stubborn stains you will have to mix dish soap and water at 1:4 ratio and mix it with an electrical mixer. Apply the mixture on the stain and scrub it gently with a brush.
Tips to clean your kitchen counter tops
You use your kitchen countertop everyday and the countertop experiences something akin to a battle every day. Therefore, making sure that your kitchen countertop is clean is very important. Kitchen countertops are made of different materials like granite, quartz, laminate and ceramic. So, when learning about how to clean kitchen countertops you should know how to clean each one of them.
For cleaning granite countertops you should use cloth and a special granite countertop cleaner at least one a week. And for daily cleaning you can use mild soap and water. To clean quartz kitchen countertops you have to use water and mild soap. Certain household cleaners also remove the dirt from quartz countertops. For solid surface kitchen countertops you can use DuPont Corian with soapy water. Household cleaners that have ammonia are very good for solid surface kitchen countertops. For ceramic kitchen countertops you can use warm water, mild detergent and sponge.
Ways to take care of your potted plants
You must be extremely happy about the beautiful potted plants that your friends have gifted you. Potted plants have a host of uses and you should know how to take care of them properly. Here are some tips. Choosing the right place to keep the plants is important. You can keep the potted plants in your patio or inside the house. Learn about the lighting requirements of the potted plants. While some potted plants survive in low light others need ample sunlight.
You will have to water each of the potted plants according to their needs. Insert your index finger into the soil, if the moisture is felt till your first finger joint it means that the soil has enough water. If not, then you need to water the plants. During the period of new growth you should feed the potted plants. This will keep the plants healthy and make them strong.