Category: Cleaning Tips

How to Easily Clean Your Showerhead

February 28, 2022

There are lots of little things that can get overlooked when you clean your home. One item you may not have touched in a while is your showerhead. Here’s how you can clean your showerheads this weekend in just a few minutes. Importance of a Clean Showerhead There are a few good reasons that you should regularly clean your showerhead. Cleaning will help keep your showerhead working for longer. Over time, showerheads can succumb to mineral buildup, especially if you have hard water. This not only looks unpleasant, but can limit the effectiveness of the head. Mold and grime can also start to collect inside the head and on the nozzles, which can be harmful to your health. When You Should Replace Your Showerhead You may find that even a deep cleaning won’t fix your dirty showerhead. In this case, it’s best to just go ahead and buy a new one. You should be replacing your showerhead every seven months anyway, but not everyone remembers to. It can also be time to replace if the nozzles get damaged and the water is plugged. Scrub the Nozzles First, you’ll want to scrape off whatever gunk has accumulated on the nozzles. This

Caring for Your Leather Furniture

February 21, 2022

Leather furniture can be the perfect piece to tie any room together. And while leather is usually more durable, it can get worn down from excessive use. Luckily, a little bit of TLC will keep your couch or chair looking great even longer! Cuts and Scratches If you have pets or small children, your furniture may have lots of small cuts in it. The good news is that they’re fairly easy to repair. If the scratch hasn’t completely punctured the material, all you need is some high quality leather conditioner. Start by cleaning the surface and then wait for it to dry. Then continually apply the conditioner until the leather can’t absorb it. Let the last coat sit until it’s dry, and most of the cuts should disappear. Peeling or Flaking It’s not uncommon for blended leather to start flaking off after a while. Although you might opt to just replace the piece, you can get a few more years out of it. First, remove any loose flakes that are on the furniture. Then use either a leather paint or leather filler to fill in the area left behind. Seal it off with a coat of finish and let it

How to Protect Your Hardwood Floors from the Cold

January 17, 2022

Wood floors provide a classic look to your home that really makes it stand out. However, they require special care in order to maintain their uniqueness. As the cold rolls on, it can be the toughest time of the year for your hardwood floors. The good news is with some diligence, your floors will stay looking like new through wintertime. Changing Temperatures As the weather starts to cool off, it can cause your floors to change as well. Major differences in temperature make the wooden planks shrink and create gaps. Then when they warm back up, they can crack. If you like to crank the heat inside your home, consider dropping it back a few degrees. That way the difference in temperature won’t be as extreme. It also helps to use a humidifier to keep some moisture in the air that can be absorbed by your floor. Tracking Things Inside There’s a whole assortment of debris that you track in your home during winter. Sand, salt, and snow all make a mess of your floors and cause lasting damage. The tiny pieces caught in your boots can scratch up the surface, and if you don’t clean the water and de-icer

Prevent Your Pond From Freezing

November 29, 2021

A man-made pond can transform your yard into your own personal oasis. They offer a place for you to relax after a long day and make the perfect spot to entertain guests. As the temperature starts to drop, you might not use your pond as often. To ensure it’s ready come springtime, here’s what you should do. Should You Turn Your Pond Off? A frozen pond can look just as beautiful as one in full effect. Especially if you have a large waterfall feature, icicles and snow make the perfect wintery backdrop. However, they can also take a toll on your pond. Ice build-ups make it harder for water to flow through the system and can crack the piping. A pond de-icer or pond heater can help break up these ice dams, but generally it’s better for your pond overall to shut it off for the season if you live where the temperature can hit zero. If you experience more mild winters (50 degrees or above), you’ll likely be fine leaving your pond running. Clean and Keep Leaves Out Leaves can turn your beautiful pond into a puddle of muck. In addition, they can also ruin your pond’s pump system

Turn Up the Heat: Prepping Your HVAC System for Winter

November 8, 2021

As the colder months roll in, it’s time to start preparing your home for chilly weather. One item you need to have on your weatherization to-do list is readying your HVAC system. Especially in locations that get sub-zero temperatures, your heating system will start working overtime. But before you flip on your heater, you need to ensure that it’s ready to go. Change out your air filters. Prior to turning your heater on, swap out the old air filters. These are one of the most important components of keeping your HVAC running efficiently. Clean air filters will also help if you suffer from allergies by cutting down on the amount of dust that’s recycled through your home. There are certain filters that are less porous and catch more dirt to cut down on allergens. However, these styles can hinder airflow and make your HVAC overheat. Clear space around your heater and vents. Being able to easily access your heater is essential to maintaining it. That means moving any furniture, boxes, or kid’s toys that are blocking your path. Keep about a three-foot radius around your heater to allow for maintenance work and prevent anything nearby from catching on fire. If

Make Your Home Fire-Safe this October

October 1, 2021

October is here! While this autumnal month is most commonly associated with tricks and treats, it’s also recognized in both the United States and Canada as Fire Prevention Month. The first week of October has also been designated Fire Prevention Week in both countries. Close to 360,000 home fires occur annually, with many of them being preventable. To make your home fire-safe this year, here’s what you need to know. Have multiple fire extinguishers at the ready. A portable fire extinguisher can help stop a fire before it gets out of control. According to the National Association of Fire Equipment Distributors (NAFED), fire extinguishers are successful in extinguishing 95 percent of house fires. When they can’t fully put out a fire, extinguishers can effectively contain it until emergency services arrive. There are different variations of fire extinguishers, so it’s important that you have the right style for your home. Keep one on each level of your house in places where there are lots of appliances, mechanical equipment, or chemicals. Clean out your dryer’s lint trap. If it’s been a while since you last cleaned your dryer’s lint trap (or if you never have), start making it a regular habit. Lint

Best Tips to Remove Carpet Stains

September 21, 2021

The right carpet can really tie a room together by adding both comfort and style. It can also add some extra cleaning work. Pets, kids, and normal wear and tear dirty up your carpet and turn it from “chic” to “ick.” Luckily, there are some easy remedies to salvage your stylish carpet and prolong its lifespan. Stains in All Shapes and Sizes Anything from mud to Merlot can cause you to stress about having a giant spot on your carpet forever. A few of the most common stains are: General Rules to Remember When it comes to what you spill, each substance has special instructions. How you clean up muddy pet prints will differ from ground-in gum. That said, there are a few generic tips you can apply to any stain. First, you’ll want to start from the outside and work your way in. Removing the excess will make the spot easier to work with. Next, you’ll want to incorporate some sort of cleaner whether it be club soda, a vinegar solution, or store-bought chemicals. Lastly, remember to blot, not wipe. You’ll keep from driving the spill deeper and leaving an unsightly stain. Cleaning Drinks and Other Liquids As soon

Caring for Your Stucco Siding

July 19, 2021

Stucco is one of the most durable siding materials. Because of this, homes that use stucco can be some of the oldest, as they’re highly resistant to fire, rot, and insects. This makes upkeep easier than other forms of siding like vinyl or traditional wood. While you don’t, for the most part, need to do intensive maintenance, it’s still good to schedule in regular cleanings to keep your stucco in top shape. What Goes Into Stucco Stucco, sometimes called “plaster siding,” is a mix of different substances that hasn’t changed very much since it was first used. It’s common for stucco to only be on the outside of the home, but it’s also possible to have a stucco interior. The exterior portion traditionally has four layers, but newer methods only need two at the most. Builder’s sand, Portland cement, hydrated lime, water, and fiber are all mixed together to create the coating. For places where the earth shifts more, polymers are added to increase the siding’s flexibility. Use Water on Dirt Spots Because it’s so porous, stucco tends to collect dirt and grime fairly easily. Luckily, you don’t need more than a bucket of water and a brush to clean

Top 10 Summer Home Maintenance Projects

May 17, 2021

Summer is the perfect time to tackle all those big tasks on your to-do list. Here are the top 10 chores you should do to keep your home looking great and its components running smoothly. Clean Your HVAC Cleaning your HVAC system can help prolong its life and improve its efficiency. Inside your home: Outside your home: Clean Your Grill Grease accumulation on your grill could present a fire hazard. Consider a cleaning routine after each use, and a more detailed cleaning 1-2 times per season. Deck and Patio Maintenance Lack of maintenance with your deck can present numerous safety issues. In addition, a run-down deck can detract from your home’s curb appeal. Pest Control Warmer weather brings about more wildlife, which can be both a concern to your home’s physical structure and your personal health. It’s a good idea to have your home professionally treated on a scheduled basis. Clean Ceiling Fans One of the possible reasons your fan “wobbles” while running is that the fan blades have a dust or dirt buildup. Clean Window Screens Cleaning your windows is one of those routine maintenance items that’s often forgotten. Generally, all you’ll need is a bucket of water with

5 Easy Ways to Save on Your AC Bill

May 3, 2021

Everyone looks forward to the warm weather that the summer season brings–until it turns their house into a sauna. With above-average temperatures projected for this year, you might find yourself staying inside more and cranking up the air in an effort to beat the heat. However, running your AC on high all summer puts a strain on your cooling system and your bank account. Here are our tips on how you can still keep cool, extend your HVAC’s life, and lower your bills all at once! 1. Open Things UpIt seems counterproductive to open your house during a heat wave, but doing so during certain periods of the day can actually help cool it off. The early morning or late night hours tend to be cooler than the middle of the day and you can use it to your advantage. A nice, refreshing breeze through your home simulates your air conditioner and blows out all that stuffy air that comes from keeping your house sealed up. Check out the weather forecast to determine the best time to crack your windows. Setting up a few box fans by your windows can really get air moving. 2. Block Out Direct RaysYour home’s