Tag: laundry

How Pets Are Changing The Way We Design Homes

August 28, 2023

Pets demand so much attention, but homeowners have a tendency to bend over backwards in order to accommodate. Frequently, cats and dogs can seem to rule their homes, and since the pandemic saw over 23 million American homes adopt pets (per the Washington Post), the ways in which homeowners are learning to spoil them seem to be spiking. Barkitecture is a term used in reference to the recent trend of remodeling homes with pets specifically in mind, with more permanent and invasive remodeling efforts invested to make family dogs and cats feel more at home. If you’re in the market for a new home, or you’re considering a remodel to make your dog feel more at home, here are a few stylish and subtle home designs you might want to try out. Starting with the Classics With these more traditional pet accommodations in mind, let’s move onto some of the more unique home Barkitecture trends that are changing home design. Home Barkitecture Trends Dog houses, on the other hand, have been around for quite some time. In the past, these structures have been fairly simple, usually consisting of a few walls and a pitched roof. Nowadays, as TikToker @chipgirlhere has

How To Show Your Home You Care

February 13, 2023

Our homes are always there for us. They keep us warm and dry on rainy nights. They offer a calming retreat after a hard day’s work. Life is busy. Oftentimes, homeowners get caught up with their regular routines, and many helpful home maintenance tasks understandably get forgotten. People do what they need to and rarely much more. Considering everything that our homes do for us, we should take every opportunity to give back! Going above and beyond with home care can extend the lives of crucial systems, and mitigate potential breakdowns. To add to your regular routine, add these home maintenance tasks to show your home you care. Test Your Sump Pump While not every home has a sump pump, these drainage systems are vital to avoid flooding. Located in basements, sump pumps consist of a small basin and a hole which detects water levels. When working properly, these pumps expel water from homes when these levels are too high and redirect floodwaters safely away. Homeowners can test their sump pumps easily by filling a bucket with water and dumping it into the drain. If things aren’t working properly, discovering the issue during one of these controlled tests is certainly

How to Clean Your Dryer Vent in 3 Easy Steps

July 18, 2022

A hidden fire hazard that’s often overlooked is the threat posed by clogged dryer vents. In fact, clogged dryer vents are the cause of 17,000 house fires each year. However, these fires are completely preventable by clearing your dryer’s ventilation systems on a regular basis as doing so not only helps to prevent fires but improves the efficiency of your dryer as well. Luckily, the process of cleaning your dryer vent is an easy one that does not require the assistance of a professional. Supply Checklist Before we begin, you’ll want to make sure that you have all necessary supplies on hand. All you’ll need is a vacuum cleaner, preferably one with a hose extension piece, and a cleaning brush. For starters, you’ll want to move your dryer away from the wall to locate the dryer vent. This is usually located near the bottom of the machine either in the back or side of the appliance. From there you’ll want to identify the short exhaust pipe to the machine. Finally, you’ll want to ensure that you unplug the appliance for safety purposes. Now that everything is in position, you’re ready to clean the dryer vent. Cleaning Your Machine You can

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

High and Dry: Making Sure You Optimize Your Dryer’s Life

April 19, 2021

Your washer and dryer are two of the most used appliances in your home. And if you don’t take proper care of them, you could drastically cut their lifespan. There’s also potential for danger. Almost 16,000 house fires are started each year by dryers that have large amounts of lint stuck in the trap and in the vent. Just a small bit of maintenance every so often can help protect your home and your family from a scary situation. When to Clean If you’ve noticed that your clothes are taking more cycles to dry, it’s the right time to clean. A full trap obstructs airflow and prevents your dryer from fully heating. Your dryer’s lint trap should be cleaned after every use in order to avoid blockages and keep it working correctly. Even if there isn’t much to clean off, you shouldn’t let the lint accumulate into a big pile. For your vents, it’s best to give them a deep clean once every 10-12 months. What You’ll Need Luckily you won’t need special equipment to clean your dryer– you can find what you’ll need around your home. You can also pick up specialized brushes that’ll allow you to get into

How to Tell If You Have Hard Water

September 17, 2019

Hard water. Soft water. If you’re not sure what the difference is, or what that difference means for your home, you’ve come to the right place. We’ll explain everything you need to know about hard water and how to tell if it’s an issue in your home. Is Hard Water Safe?We’re getting this out of the way first thing. Yes, hard water is completely safe to drink, cook with, wash clothes in, and anything else you’d use water for in your home. Hard water is simply tap water that has a higher than ideal content of minerals, namely calcium and magnesium. While hard water isn’t dangerous in any way, it can be a hassle to deal with. As we’ll see, if your home has hard water, you’ll see the effects every time you cook, clean or bathe. Sure Signs of Hard WaterIt can be hard to tell whether your water is hard—since you can’t determine the mineral content of your water by sight, you have to rely on the signs hard water leaves behind. Here are some of the ways to tell: What to Do About Hard WaterThe simple answer is investing in a water-softening system. Water softeners treat your

The 9 Best Household Uses for Bleach

February 22, 2019

Bleach is a classic solution for taking care of myriad cleaning projects around the house. It’s so ubiquitous, in fact, that we’re betting there are some uses that you don’t even know about yet. Check out these nine ways to use bleach for your toughest household tasks. 1. Clean your cutting boards.Butcher block countertops and cutting boards can start harboring lots of bacteria over time. Combine one teaspoon bleach with two quarts of water, dip in a brush and use small circles to scrub boards and counters. Wipe with a damp paper towel and then dry immediately. 2. Get rid of mold and mildewBleach is notorious for its ability to eradicate mold and mildew, but it’s all about doing it right. Follow the following ratios to get rid of mold and mildew in these tough places: Painted surfaces and siding: Mix one quarter bleach with two cups water and apply with a brush to any areas showing mold or mildew. Allow to set for 15 minutes and then rinse. You may need to repeat. Shower curtains: Wash in warm water with half a cup of bleach and a quarter cup of detergent. Let the washer run for a few minutes

Folding Fitted Sheets Made Easy

September 14, 2018

Here’s a familiar sight—your sheets are fresh out of the dryer, and now everything needs to be folded. You take care of the flat sheet, no problem. Pillow cases, easy. Fitted sheet? Hold on a second. If you think the only way to fold fitted sheets is to crumple them into a messy ball and throw them in the closet, you’re not alone. Sure, fitted sheets are unruly, but there’s a better way to fold them that’s a snap to learn. Before We Get Started Why are we going through this in the first place? Isn’t it enough that your fitted sheets get sort of folded and stuffed in the linen closet? At least they’re not ending up in a pile on the floor, right? Well, there are a few good reasons to take the extra minute and do the job correctly. First, your sheets will stay wrinkle-free, which we all know deep down is better than the alternative. Second, folding your fitted sheets actually saves a ton of room in your linen closet, so if you’re one of those people who keeps more sheets, towels and other linen-closet-y things than you probably need, anything you can do to create

How Long Your Appliance Will Last

August 10, 2018

Whether you’re getting ready to move into your new home with its own set of aging appliances, or you’re just taking stock of the ones you already own, it’s helpful to know just how much life they have left in them. New homeowners typically forget to budget for the average of $9,000 in hidden expenses they’ll run into in the first months and years of home ownership, and appliances are a substantial part of that expense. Here’s a breakdown of how long your home appliances should last, and how you can lengthen their lifespans to save money in the long run. For All Appliances Before we get started, the numbers you’ll see below are averages. You can get a rough estimate of how long your appliances have left before they give up the ghost based solely on their age, but what’s more important is how much use they get. A washing machine that handles clothes for a family of 5 will see a lot more action than a bachelor’s, for example, which will shorten its lifespan accordingly. Oven Range: 13-15 Years Whether you have a gas, electric or induction range, they tend to have similar lifespans. The best way to