Chester's Clean House

How To Remove Rust Stains From a Driveway

noreply@blogger.com (Chester) — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 20:08:00 +0000

Reader Robert asks:

How do I remove rust stains from my driveway?

White vinegar can help break down the rust stain. Lemon juice can also be effective. Just soak the area and scrub with a stiff scrub brush. CLR Cleaner or muriatic acid can be used if all else fails. Be careful, especially with the muriatic acid. Follow all of the instructions and make sure to keep it out of storm sewers. Once you have cleaned the surface, make sure to seal your concrete with a good sealer to prevent stains in the future.

Good luck!

Why Install an Automatic Faucet

noreply@blogger.com (cmvendely) — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 01:41:00 +0000

Until now, you would never think of installing an automatic faucet in your home. However, recently they have become more economical and readily available for home use. So let’s take a look at the benefits and an inexpensive option for the home and find out how difficult it is to turn your traditional faucet into an automatic one.

An automatic faucet helps reduce the spread of viruses and bacteria and helps you save water!

You have undoubtedly used an automatic faucet by now. Most modern public restrooms are now equipped with them as well as other automatic devices such as hand dryers and soap dispensers. The benefit to these devices is simple; they stay cleaner longer and do not allow the transfer of germs and viruses from one user to the next. With all of the current influenza concerns and the outbreak of the H1N1 virus, we all need to do our part to minimize the chances of spreading these diseases.

Hands-free faucets can also reduce the amount of water used, which saves money and the environment. They are also great for families with children. They are easy for any child to turn on and they always turn themselves off. They also require a pre-mix valve that combines the hot and cold water before the faucet. This keeps children from burning themselves. None of the faucets that I looked at come with a pre-mix valve, but you can pick them up for about ten bucks total at any local home store or any plumbers’ supply store. If you have flexible plastic water lines, installing the pre-mix valve is a snap. If you have copper lines, it will require a little cutting and pipe fitting.

There are a number of commercially available hands-free faucets for the home and they start at about $250.00. I found a decent looking faucet at Sam’s Club for that price. Before I began my search, I was concerned about how difficult that it would be to install an electrical outlet near my sink because of the need for a ground fault indicator outlet. I was surprised at first to find out that almost all of the automatic faucets use batteries. It does make sense that you wouldn’t want a 110 volt outlet right next to your sink. I got the faucet for my downstairs bathroom. This is the bathroom that is closest to my kitchen and used by all of my guests.

You install an automatic faucet just as any other faucet. It fits through the holes in your sink and requires that you carefully install the pre-mix valve and water lines to ensure that you do not get any leaks. You may need to use a little Teflon tape to make sure that plastic connectors fit together perfectly. To install the batteries, simply follow the instructions on the faucet. I am not sure how long the batteries last yet, but am very happy with the faucet so far! I am thinking of also getting an automatic soap dispenser. I also love the fact that you almost never had to clean them because you never touch them!

Garage Cleaning Tips

noreply@blogger.com (Chester) — Wed, 05 May 2010 01:41:00 +0000

Springtime is the time to clean. It is also the time that I have to start getting the yard work done. This means that the garage becomes more than just my storage area, but it becomes the command center for all of our backyard projects. Now is the time to prep the equipment and get a start on enjoying the great outdoors.

First off, remove any extra clutter that you can. This may be a good time for that trip to the dump! As with storing old clothes, if you haven’t used it in a few years, you’re never going to use it again. I found my old broken mower in the back of the garage. Why did I keep it? Well, I had planned on fixing it up and selling it but never got around to it. Now that it has sat with no oil in it for a few years, it’s not going to be easy to fix. Make sure that when you dispose of old equipment or empty oil cans that you take them to a proper disposal facility. Just a few drops of oil can cause serious environmental problems.

If you have any oil spills in your garage, even old ones, I have found a great trick to cleaning them up easily. Go and get yourself some non-clumping cat litter. Any brand will do. Cover the oil spill or stain completely with the cat litter. Let it sit for a few minutes and then work it in to the oil with a stiff-bristled brush. The dust in the cat litter will absorb all of the oil. Repeat if necessary.

If any of your tools for equipment has left rust stains in your garage get some CLR Cleaner. Wear gloves and work the CLR into the rust stain. The rust will come off with minimal scrubbing. I found a ton of rust stains under my old patio furniture. Make sure that you remove the source of your rust stains. A little elbow grease with a wire brush and a little spray paint will keep your rust problems away.

Be sure to collect all of your shop rags and cloths. You can use our stain removal guide to get them sparkling clean.

Once you have scrubbed your garage floor and have it looking great it is time to seal the floor. Any good concrete sealer will usually do a good job; just make sure to follow the instructions. Sealing your concrete garage floor will keep it from cracking and will make it easier to clean next year!

The Best Suede Cleaner

noreply@blogger.com (cmvendely) — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 12:16:00 +0000

Suede is just one of those fabrics that is both wonderful to the touch and horrible to have to clean! The popularity of this fabric has made it a common material for shoes, coats, and even furniture. Suede is soft, pliable, comfortable, and so easy to stain! Luckily we have found the best suede cleaner and the best ways to maintain your suede!

Suede should be pretreated with a protective spray the day that you buy it to help reduce your need for a suede cleaner!

One of the first things that you need to buy after purchasing any suede product is a suede brush. These brushes are specially designed to help restore the softness and pile of the suede fabric to its original state. They also help to restore the look of the suede after you have cleaned it. You should also protect your suede with a suede protective treatment. These are readily available and can make the cleaning of your suede infinitely easier. Pre-treating your suede will also make it last longer, just make sure that you follow the directions to ensure that you do not destroy the soft and subtle nature of your suede!

If you have a dry stain on your suede, use a pink pencil eraser to slowly work out the stain. By using light pressure, you can essentially erase the stain as the stain gets absorbed into the eraser bits. You will have to brush out the suede to restore the look, if you do not have a suede brush, you can rub the surface in a uniform direction with a clean, dry cloth.

If you have a wet stain on your suede, absorb as much of the liquid as possible by placing paper towels on top. Carefully blot up all of the liquid making sure to not spread the stain by rubbing. Once you have all of the liquid removed, use the pencil eraser to remove any residue. Finally, brush the area with your suede brush to restore the look of the suede. If you cannot remove the stain using these techniques, you will need to have the fabric professionally cleaned. If you have already pretreated the suede, you can use white vinegar. Start by dampening a clean towel with water and completely wring it out until it is barely damp. Next, add a few drops of white vinegar and slowly work it into the stain. Be very careful with white vinegar. Always test a small inconspicuous area with the white vinegar first to find out how your suede will respond to the cleaning. Once you have removed the stain, again brush with your suede brush to improve the appearance of the suede.

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How to Use a Sewer Snake

noreply@blogger.com (cmvendely) — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 18:18:00 +0000

Clogged drains can be a real nuisance. They only seem to get clogged when I am in a hurry and need to get my day going. I don’t understand how, but my sink works just fine at night when brushing my teeth and then is completely clogged in the morning when I am trying to shave and get to work! I used to just use our Natural Drain Cleaner to clear blocked drains, which was until I bought my own sewer snake!

Why Buy a Sewer Snake

A home sewer snake or auger only costs about $30. When you compare that to the cost of each bottle of drain cleaner, it doesn’t sound too bad. Also, a sewer snake is not going to be nearly as harsh of your pipes and it is infinitely better for the environment! The drain cleaner that you keep pouring down the drain has to go somewhere after all. The other benefit to owning your own sewer snake is that the clog is taken care of immediately. You don’t have to wait for the drain cleaner to dissolve the clog to get your drain running again.

How to Best Use Your Sewer Snake

Whenever you are cleaning a drain, wear gloves. Remove any drain stops or any other obstructions from your drain to provide ease of access and to help make it easier to remove any materials that need to be extracted. Fish the end of the snake into the drain until you feel pressure. Pull the snake back about an inch and slowly push into the blockage as you spin the snake. By constantly moving the snake into the clog, you can break up the clog into smaller parts which will be easier to remove and this method is also easier on your snake. I place a couple of paper towels around the drain before I begin. I use these to clean off the snake as I am working the clog. They also act to protect my countertop and keep my post-snaking cleanup to a minimum!

Related Posts:

Keep Your Drains Running Clean

Cleaning Tips Galore - Fourth Edition

noreply@blogger.com (Chester) — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 15:43:00 +0000

Welcome to the fourth edition of cleaning tips galore.

Sylvia Blake presents The Low-Maintenance Yard: Save Money With These 7 Ideas For Your Yard posted at The Digerati Life.

Julee Morrison presents Mommy's Memorandum: Laundry Tip posted at Mommy's Memorandum, saying, "A proven way to get grease spots out of clothing--"

Quirky Momma presents DIY Household Cleaners posted at quirkymomma.com, saying, "These are some really easy-to-make recipes to make your own household cleaners. Our favorite is the laundry detergent! Saves us a ton!"

Madeleine Begun Kane presents Contending With Time posted at Mad Kane's Humor Blog.

Kiera Pedley presents 7 More Uses For Household Vinegar | Natural Parenting Tips posted at Natural Parenting Tips.

Casey Markee presents 20 Surefire Ways to Organize Your Life in 2010 posted at Almost Organized Blog - KeepandShare.com, saying, "Need to declutter your home in 2010? Check out these 20 surefire ways to organize even the most hectic lifestyle. Implement them today and save your sanity (and that of your family) tomorrow."

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of cleaning tips galore using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

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How to Kill Mold

noreply@blogger.com (cmvendely) — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 14:08:00 +0000

Any home that has ever suffered from water damage knows the problem with mold. However, even if you haven’t had a recent flood or broken pipe, mold can still be a major problem. Mold exists anywhere that there is moisture. Bathrooms with improper ventilation and homes without dehumidifiers can quickly grow a mold problem.

Mold is alive, take away its source of food or water and it goes away!

Mold is a living thing. Is needs water and food to exist and it is always trying to grow more mold by releasing spores. These spores are the primary culprit of the respiratory and other health issues that are associated with mold. Anyone with a compromised immune system of who is prone to allergies should address any mold problems immediately. Black mold is especially dangerous and should be dealt with by professionals. Black mold removal is dangerous because it is extremely toxic. If you even try to remove black mold you will need to wear a respirator and wear full body and eye protection.

Mold Removal Products

There are several commercially available mold removal products. You need to be very cautious when using these as they can often be more toxic then the mold you are trying to remove. I have found that white vinegar or bleach (never mix bleach and vinegar) mixed with water are pretty good mold cleaners.

When removing mold always wear a mask or respirator. No matter how careful you are, when you disturb the mold, spores will be released. To reduce the number of released spores and to begin the cleaning process, wet down the area that you are going to scrub with a spray bottle filled with equal parts of water and white vinegar. Scrub the pre-soaked area with pure white vinegar and a scrub brush or sponge, depending on the surface that you are trying to clean. I admit, the white vinegar smell is strong, but it does dissipate very quickly. Test a small area of your surface before you start cleaning to make sure that is doesn’t discolor. Do not use bleach to kill mold in any living areas! Bleach, even diluted, will harm the surface that you are trying to clean and it will harm your family.

If you find mold on any of your drywall, make sure that you kill it immediately and solve your moisture problem. Once mold gets into drywall, you have to remove all of the drywall and replace it to kill the mold. Drywall is a perfect incubator for mold. It spreads across the paper and exists off of the moisture stored within the drywall. There is no mold cleaner for drywall mold. Always use waterproof drywall in bathrooms when remodeling!

Remember; until you address the moisture issue you will always have mold. If the mold is in your basement, you may have to install a sump pump and seal your walls. Also, look for any other sources of water or moisture. Mold doesn’t require much water so even the smallest leak or source of dampness is enough to sustain the mold. Adding a dehumidifier will also help. If you are getting mold in bathrooms or other interior rooms, look into installing an exhaust fan. Many different makes and models exist and some can be incorporated into light fixtures so that the fan turns on with the light. Remove the moisture, remove the mold!

Cleaning Tips Galore - Third Edition

noreply@blogger.com (Chester) — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 13:03:00 +0000

Welcome to the March 27, 2010 edition of Cleaning Tips Galore.

Peach presents Top 5 Spring Lawn Care Tips | Spring Lawn Care - Lawn Care Tips posted at Lawn Care Tips, saying, "Five common mistakes people make maintaining their lawn in the spring."
My Wallet presents Green Cleaning Products: How To Clean Your House The Eco-Friendly Way posted at The Smarter Wallet, saying, "Ideas for green cleaning."
Madeleine Begun Kane presents The Five-Second What??? posted at Mad Kane's Humor Blog.
The Healthy Living Site presents House Zone | The Healthy Living Site posted at The Healthy Living Site, saying, "A Natural Health Blog Bringing You Healthy Living Tips For You, Your Family, Pets & Home. New Articles Added Every M-F"
Frederick Yarmy presents 50 Excellent YouTube Videos for DIY Home Repair Help posted at Construction management degree, saying, "In this list of 50 excellent YouTube videos for DIY home repair, you can learn how to prioritize home repairs as well as learn how to do most of the work yourself."
Jocelyn Harris presents 100 Tips & Tools to Create the Ultimate Home Library posted at Online Degree, saying, "Home libraries ought to be constructed with careful deliberation – and with these tips, tricks, and resources, anyone hoping for a little reading room to call their own can piece together a space that reflects their unique tastes."
Aparna presents Some quick tips for your eyes only posted at Beauty and Personal Grooming, saying, "Leave your eyebrow pencil in the refrigerator overnight and it will sharpen easily. For scanty eyebrows add a few drops of glycerine to a little castor oil and apply I it on the eyebrows. Leave it overnight. It will take about 6 weeks for improvement."
Linda@NHE presents How To Fix A Clogged Drain With Baking Soda posted at Natural Health Ezine, saying, "t’s the sound that everyone dreads. The sound of a slow running drain. Whether it’s the kitchen sink, bathroom sink, or the shower drain, clogs happen."

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of Cleaning Tips Galore using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

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Chester's Urine Odor Removal Tips

noreply@blogger.com (cmvendely) — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 23:24:00 +0000

If you have ever had pets or have recently become a parent, then urine stains and urine odors are a new part of your life. Consider it one of the rights of passage to adulthood. These stains are going to happen, just make sure that you are well armed with knowledge to deal with them correctly! No matter how clean your home is, house guests will immediately smell pet urine odors! It is just one of those smells that cannot be ignored.

Removing Pet Urine Stains from Carpet

If Fido or Fluffy has an accident in the house, it is important to treat the stain as soon as possible. You can remove pet urine stains from carpet by mixing one part of white vinegar with four parts clean water. Mix in a spray bottle and apply liberally to the stain. Cover the stain with dry paper towels or a folded towel and cover with a heavy object. Wait until it pulls all of the liquid out of the stain into the towels and repeat if the stain still exists. If the stain is still there, clean your carpet with our carpet cleaning tips! The pet stain is only part of the problem, removing the pet urine odor is going to be a whole different process. You will also need to treat the urine odor differently depending on if the perpetrator was a cat or a dog.

Dog Urine Odor Removal

Dog urine usually does not have too strong of an odor, if it does you dog is probably sick and should go see the vet. Needless to say dog urine doesn't smell nice so you will need to take some extra steps to remove the odor. The first thing you need to do is determine exactly where the stain is. A black light works great to find where the actual pet stain is located. Now that you know where the stain is, you need to treat the odor. For dog urine odor I like to use plain baking soda. After you have cleaned the stain using the above method and the area has dried you should sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda over the area and let it stand overnight. Vacuum the area thoroughly the next day. The baking soda should have removed all of the odor. If there is an odor left you can move on to the cat urine odor remover as it works on much smellier cat urine.

Cat Urine Odor Remover

Cat urine is one of the worst smells. Our cat has gotten ill several times where he could not control his bladder. Needless to say it took quite a bit of work to get that smell out of our carpets. We had a couch but decided to just get rid of it because we couldn't get the cat urine odor out of it.

So what makes cat urine smell so bad? Several different types of substances are in cat urine. The cat’s scent marker is made up of a unique chemical compound, called the spray, and uric acid. This is what makes cat urine smell so bad. Even after clean up the liquid and pigment portions of the urine, the crystals and salts from the uric acid remain, causing the odor. The crystals are insoluble and will attach to anything they come into contact with. Using most normal cleaners actually makes the smell worse because any type of liquid will reactivate them. Even humidity in the air can bring out the smell.

To get rid of these crystals you need to use an enzyme cleaner. Enzyme cleaners break down the crystals and bacteria left from the urine. So unless you use and enzyme cleaner you are never going to be able to completely remove the cat urine odor. Whatever you do never use ammonia on pet stains as it will react with the crystals and attract your pet to go there again.

To use an enzyme cleaner you will need to thoroughly soak the area with the cleaner and let it work it's magic. It may take several days for the wetness to go away, but during that time the cleaner is breaking down the bacteria and crystals that are buried deep in your padding and carpet. If the area still smells a second dosing has always gotten rid of the odors in our house.

Commercial Odor Removal Products

Enzyme cleaners take about three months to make on your own. They sell several at you local pet store, but they can be pricey since they are relatively hard to make. Enzyme cleaners are actually very environmentally friendly cleaners. Here are a few that we have tried:

Zero Odor - is a non-toxic odor eliminator. I have only seen it sold on-line and that is where we bought ours. It is pretty pricey but does work. It did not take us very long to use it up. We have not bought any more because several of the other products are available locally.
Urine Gone - This product was first pitched as a As Seen On TV product. You can buy it at Target and Wal-Mart. It works really well and comes with a battery powered black light which will help you find the stains, even the ones from last year.
Nature's Miracle - We bought this at our local pet supply store. The advantage to this cleaner is that you can buy it in bulk for a relatively cheap price. If you have lots of old pet stains around the house, buy a gallon of this. We use Nature's Miracle the most because it is readily available and priced well. When buying it at the store check which enzyme formula you are buying. They make several different formulas for specific jobs like blood stain removal or urine odor removal.
Odoban - We used to use this a lot, but unfortunately they changed their formula by adding a scent to it that my wife and I really don't like. It does work, and we would use this the most as it is by far the cheapest, but the new fragrance is not to our liking. You can buy it at most stores. If you want to buy it in bulk they sell it at Sam's Club.

Removing Human Urine Stains from Bedding

It is going to happen if you have kids. It is just a fact of nature. You may find yourself getting mad, but instead just get informed on how to clean it up right! Hydrogen Peroxide mixed with a little water in a spray bottle is your first line of defense. Once you have lightly sprayed the area, let it dry and clean with a mixture of one part white vinegar, one part baking soda, and four parts water. Scrub the area with the mixture and allow to dry completely. You can speed up the entire process by placing clean paper towels on top of the stain after each treatment and weight down with a heavy object. This will help extract the liquids from the urine stain. Check out our other great clean tips for Hydrogen Peroxide!

Removing Human Urine Stains from Clothing

If you are using cloth diapers or just simply have an infant, you know that you are going to have to deal with urine stains at some point. Pre-treat the stain with a mixture of one part baking soda and three parts clean water. Work the mixture into the entire stained area. Next, soak the item for at least twenty minutes in a basin filled with water and a cup of vinegar. Once you have soaked the stain, wash the item as normal. Your urine stain and smell will be a thing of the past! Be sure to read our laundry stain removal guide for solutions to all of your laundering needs.

How to Get the Best Results with Concrete Paint

noreply@blogger.com (cmvendely) — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 11:15:00 +0000

Concrete was one of the greatest building innovations ever. It allowed buildings to become bigger and stronger, it also allowed homes and garages to have amazingly strong foundations. Today, concrete comprises the majority of walls and floors in our home’s basements. It is also the primary flooring material of garages and carports. Concrete is amazingly strong especially when it is reinforced with metal as it is in most modern construction.

Why paint concrete? Concrete is a porous surface that will suck up spills and stains. It also can become discolored over time. Concrete also can look very industrial, which is a look that most of us do not want to come home to! Concrete paint gives you a washable surface that is easy to take care of and has a uniform color and finish that can brighten any room’s walls or even floors!

Proper prep of your concrete is the only way to get the best results with concrete paint!

The first rule to painting concrete is proper preparation of the surface. No matter how good or expensive your paint, without proper prep, it will not last and will not provide decent protection for your surface.

Step 1 Paint Removal: All previous paint must be removed to do a great job at getting your concrete paint to last. In areas where it is practical, a power washer is a must have. Use the power washer to remove old paint and dirt. If you do not have access to a power washer or if it is not practical to use one (like in your home!) you will need to scrape as much of the old paint off by hand.

Step 2 TSP: You will need to scrub the surface with TSP. TSP, or Tri-Sodium Phosphate, is a readily available cleaner that will remove any grease or oil from the surface. Carefully follow the instructions on the package and make sure that you let the area dry before moving on to the next step.

Step 3 Sealer: All concrete surfaces must be sealed or else moisture can seep through ruining your paint and your room. When you are choosing a sealer, make sure you look for one that is right for your location. There are sealers that are specially formulated for garage floors and sealers that are designed for use inside of your home. Also, when you are sealer shopping let them know that you plan on priming and painting the surface, there are a few sealer/primers available that will remove the next step from your project.

Step 4 Primer: Sealers are only for stopping moisture unless you use a sealer/primer. Therefore, the surface must be coated with a primer to ensure that your paint will stick to the surface. Primers create a bond between the paint and the sealer making the paint last longer and look better because it helps form a consistent surface.

Step 5 The Painting: Once you have allowed the primer to completely set, it is time to start painting. Use a roller to apply your paint, this will speed up the process and helps put a little texture into the paint which can cover up any small imperfections in the concrete itself. You will want to apply two light coats of the paint, allowing for the first coat to dry before starting the second. Two light coats are always better than one for making the paint last the longest. If you are painting a concrete floor, you may want to add some texture by adding paint texture additives to your second coat. Painted concrete floors can get very slippery, especially when they get wet!

Step 6 Let it dry!: Next to proper preparation, this is the most important step. I only say this because I have seen plenty of permanent foot prints in painted concrete floors. It may look dry, it may feel dry to the touch, but do not step on it until you are absolutely sure! It is not worth ruining all of your hard work by jumping the gun!

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Cleaning Tips Galore - Second Edition

noreply@blogger.com (Chester) — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 12:56:00 +0000

Welcome to the March 20, 2010 edition of Cleaning Tips Galore.

Aparna presents Clean your tongue to avoid bad breath posted at Beauty and Personal Grooming, saying, "The tongue is a haven for bacteria to breed, multiply and attach to teeth and gums. Tongue cleaning is just as important as hand washing in prevention of common colds, flus and other serious health ailments. Bacteria in the mouth often leads to gingivitis and bad breath (halitosis)."

Madeleine Begun Kane presents Does Your Guilt Spring Eternal? posted at Mad Kane's Humor Blog.

Natalie Thomas presents The First-Time Home Buyer Guide: 100 Must-Read Blog Posts posted at Construction Management Degrees, saying, "The listed blog posts in the article offer great tips on every aspect of homeownership. They cover every step of the way, from deciding whether or not buying is a wise idea to settling in with decorations and repairs."

sugspc presents The 5 Second Rule- How dirty are your floors? posted at Mixed Nuts Mommy.

Harold Gelien presents How Many People Go To College Every Year? | How To E-D-U posted at How To E-D-U, saying, "Making green changes to your home can save you money over time. When you green your home, you are creating a home that uses fewer resources, saving you money."

BWL presents 9 money-saving uses for vinegar posted at Christian Personal Finance, saying, "If you have never tried cleaning your coffee pot with vinegar, it really is pretty easy... These are the simple steps..."

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of cleaning tips galore using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

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Basic Homemade Cleaning Solutions

noreply@blogger.com (Chester) — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 12:37:00 +0000

Homemade cleaning solutions are not only good for the environment they are also good for your wallet. You can make them quickly and easily with items you can find in your pantry. Some of the most popular are baking soda, distilled white vinegar, olive oil, lemon oil, and a good squirt bottle always helps.

Vinegar Clean

The general all purpose cleaner is good for cleaning kitchen counter tops, bathroom countertops and anywhere you would need to clean daily with a mild cleanser. You can make a quick solution by mixing one part vinegar and one part water into a spray bottle. You can also use this homemade cleaner on glass countertops and toilets. You should never use this on granite countertops or wood because vinegar is acidic and can damage those surfaces.

When doing the laundry, especially if you have hard water, adding 1/2 cup of vinegar during the rinse cycle will help soften your clothes and also will cut down on odors. This will leave your cloths feeling soft and fluffy.

Baking Soda Clean

When cleaning the bathroom mix baking soda and water to form a paste. You can use this paste to scrub fixtures and tile. This works really well on tile and bathtub stains. Baking soda is also good at cleaning the toilet, just sprinkle some into the toilet bowl and add a splash of vinegar. The vinegar and baking soda will react and starts to create carbon dioxide. This bubbling action is a great way to clean the toilet without having to get out your scrub brush.

Lemon Clean

Mixing two parts lemon juice and one part olive oil makes a great wood cleaner. Pour a small amount of the cleaning solution onto a rag and wipe down any finished wood you have in your house. This works exceptionally well on kitchen cabinets.

Making your own homemade cleaners is easy. Not only will you save the environment you also save a lot of money. No longer will you have to drive to the store to buy more cleaner. Next time you are starting a new cleaning project, think about using one of these homemade cleaning recipes.

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Chester's Laundry Stain Removal Guide

noreply@blogger.com (cmvendely) — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 03:58:00 +0000

If anyone tells you that they enjoy doing the laundry, you have to question their sanity. Laundry is just a fact of life, it has to be done. I don’t mind doing the laundry, but I do hate stains! Especially the set-in ones! Here are some of our best tips for removing laundry stains.

Blood Stain Removal

Hopefully you don’t have to use this great tip too often! The best way to remove blood stains, even dried-on blood stains is to make a paste out of meat tenderizer and water and apply to the stain. Let it stand for about an hour and rinse off with water. If the stain still exists, repeat and this time work the paste into the stain. Rinse off and launder as usual.

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Coffee Stain Removal

Coffee stains happen, luckily making your own coffee stain removal solution is easy. The first thing you should do with a coffee stain is rinse out as much of the stain with water as possible. The best way to do this is to turn the garment inside out and place it under a running faucet. Next mix 1 cup hot water with about 1 tsp of dish soap. Blot with a sponge and dry with a white terry cloth. If the stain is still there, try mixing 1 part distilled vinegar and 2 parts warm water. Again blot the area with a sponge and dry with a terry cloth towel. Do not rub, that will only spread the stain. Wash regularly and verify that the stain is completely removed before you dry it. You can repeat each of the coffee stain removal methods as needed. As always test for color fastness.

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Deodorant Stains Removal

Deodorant stains can ruin any dress or shirt. I have two different tricks for dealing with these stains, however, you must test each one first in a inconspicuous place to make sure that they do not cause the color to fade or damage the fabric. The first trick is to wipe the stain with white vinegar as a pre-treatment for the stain. Launder as usual and the stain should be gone. The second trick is to soak the deodorant stain with denatured alcohol. Once you have soaked the stain, wash with the highest temperature setting that you safely can use.

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Grass Stain Removal

Grass stains are horrible. If you can get to them before they completely set, then just use a pre-wash stain remover such as the Spray and Wash Stick. It will keep the stain from setting even if you pre-treat and ignore until your normal laundry day. However, if the grass stain has set completely, you have to take more drastic measures. Mix two parts of ammonia with one part vinegar. Work the mixture into the stain and then launder as usual.

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Homemade Laundry Detergent

Diane T. sent in her homemade laundry detergent:

Here’s a recipe for laundry detergent which makes no suds, leaves no residue, and leaves your clothes soft. I dry my clothes on a clothesline and since I started using this detergent, I rarely have to iron anything –the wrinkles seem to just fall out! This recipe makes almost 5 gallons at a cost of about $3.00. I use a cup of detergent per full load and get 55-60 loads of clothes from each batch of soap. Pretty cheap, yes? I make mine in a large recycled paint bucket with a lid and store it under the pantry counter. I keep a smaller container by the washing machine which I refill from the large bucket. I buy all the ingredients from my local Kroger grocery store or they can be purchased online, which would increase the cost. Since I have very hard water, I sometimes add ½ cup of baking soda to the wash load to soften the water. (This works great when washing dishes, too, both in the dishwasher and hand washing).

HOMEMADE LAUNDRY SOAP:

Ingredients:

1 very large container (5 gallon )
1 bar Fels Naptha Soap
1 ½ cups 20 Mule Team Borax
1 ½ cups Arm & Hammer Washing Soda

Directions:

Put 12 cups (3 quarts) water in a large pan, bring to a boil.
Grate the bar of soap into a bowl and pour into the boiling water. (I shave the bar of soap with a potato peeler.)
Stir until dissolved.
Add the Borax and Washing Soda, stir until dissolved.
Put 8 cups (2 quarts) HOT water into a 5-gallon container.
Add soap mixture and stir well
Add 2 gallons ( 8 quarts) water, stir well.
Let mixture sit for 24 hours and it will kind of jell, like Jello.
Use a whisk or mixer (or paint blender) to make it smooth. This step is not absolutely necessary, but makes for a smoother soap.
Add 1 cup per regular washer load of clothes.

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Ink Stain Removal

Ink is one of the hardest things to get out of clothing. Inks are made in many different ways, so it is hard for me to tell you what will work best for removing your ink stain since I don’t know what kind of ink it is. The strategy for ink stain removal is to use a solvent to remove the stain from the fabric. Not all ink can be removed but you will not know about your stain until you try. In the worst case the following solvents will at least lighten the stain.

When working with all of these solutions soak a clean terry cloth rag with the solvent and blot at the stain. Never rub an ink stain because you will only work it further into the fabric. If you get an ink stain, treat it immediately if possible to make ink stain removal easier once you get home. You can treat with waterless hand sanitizer or just plain water if that is all that is available.

Hairspray is the most common ink solvent, and it works fairly well. Be patient and keep spraying and blotting. It will take some time for the stain to come up. Sometimes I will let the hairspray soak for a few moments before I blot. Rubbing alcohol, nail polish remover (acetone), Lestoil, and turpentine all work well on removing ink stains. Some ink formulas may need the use of one or more of these solvents to remove the ink.

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Laundry Odor Removal

Teri V. sent in the following tip:

I have a teenage son with raging hormones and body odor! To help fight the odors in the laundry I use the bleach cup in my washing machine and fill it with isopropyl alcohol. The rubbing alcohol not only boosts the power of the detergents, it also removes all of the odors, even the tough ones.

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Laundry Soap Residue Removal

If you start to notice that your laundry is coming out of your washer with soap residue or your clothes seem to be getting stiffer the more you wash them, then you have a detergent build-up in your washer. Adding one cup of white vinegar to your laundry will help to break up that residue. I recommend adding vinegar about once a month to keep your washer clean. Just make sure to never add vinegar to any load of laundry that you are adding bleach to.

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Red Wine Stain Removal

We have all been there before. You are having a wonderful time at a party and turn around to talk to a friend when you accidentally bump into a glass full of red wine. You new dress is ruined. To get the red wine stain out mix 1 tsp of dish detergent and 1 cup of hydrogen peroxide into a bowl. Use a clean towel or sponge to dab the area. Start from the outside and dab your way around the stain slowly working toward the center of the stain as it is removed. Hydrogen peroxide can bleach your clothing so test before you begin.

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Tough Laundry Stain Removal

If a stain has been completely set-in and even if it has already gone through the dryer, Lestoil can still save the day. Work the Lestoil into the stain and launder as usual. Make sure that you never use Lestoil on any garments that are dry-clean only. Also, test in an area that will not be noticed to make sure that it does not fade or damage your clothing.

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Share Your Tips

Do you have a great laundry stain removal tip? Please add it to the comments or email it to us so that we can share it. Together we can knock out even the toughest stains.

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Cleaning Tips Galore - First Edition

noreply@blogger.com (Chester) — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 13:27:00 +0000

Welcome to the first edition of cleaning tips galore.

Madeleine Begun Kane presents Dear Press: Clean Up Your Own Damn Mess! posted at Mad Kane's Humor Blog, saying, "Spring cleaning humor."

Household

Aparna presents Beware of dust mites on your pillows posted at Beauty and Personal Grooming, saying, "Dust that gets accumulated in our houses is a host to millions of germs and microorganisms. Dusting and cleaning the house in itself is a cumbersome task, what with dust settling on sofas and beds, carpets, curtains and clothes. We all bother so much about insects, mosquitoes, houseflies and do our best to get rid of them. But we often forget about the tiny, almost invisible creatures called dust mites, which are present and booming in millions in the cozy comforts of our homes."

Tips

Samantha Marks presents Gutter Cleaning How-To Guide | Backyards And Gardens.com posted at backyardsandgardens.com.

Fred Lee presents Hand Washing: A Great First Defense posted at Parenting Squad.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of Cleaning Tips Galore using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our
blog carnival index page.

Technorati tags:
cleaning tips galore, blog carnival.

Leather Cleaning Tips

noreply@blogger.com (Chester) — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 03:40:00 +0000

Leather is a popular fabric for furniture, jackets, boots and belts. It is becoming more popular every year because of its versatility, strength and ease of maintenance. We have had several leather sofas over the years and they have always lasted longer than their fabric counterparts. One the reasons we have enjoyed our leather furniture is how easy they are to clean. Here are some leather cleaning tips that will help you enjoy your leather for years to come.

Furniture Leather Cleaning

Furniture leather needs special care to keep it from becoming too dry. If the leather dries out it becomes brittle and prone to cracking. To help prevent this you want to use a leather cleaning solution that also conditions the leather. The first step is to determine if you leather is finished. Almost 90% of leather furniture is finished. You can tell by looking at the surface of the leather, if it is rough and nappy like a pool table's felt, it most likely is not finished. This type of material is often called suede or nubuck. If the surface is smooth and shinny it most likely is finished leather. You can double check by taking a small amount of foaming leather cleaner and letting it sit on the surface of the leather. If it soaks in the leather is unfinished.

Homemade Leather Cleaning Solution

If you look at most commercial leather cleaners you will notice the same ingredients used in all of them. Olive oil, lanolin and Neats oil are the most commonly used. You likely have these ingredients at home and making your own leather cleaner is easy. Just mix one cup distilled white vinegar and two cups food grade linseed oil or olive oil. Just wipe the solution evenly over the leather’s surface using a lint free cloth, microfiber works great. Then use a second lint free cloth to buff and polish the leather surface. Use every three months to clean and condition.

Automotive Leather Seats

If you car has leather seats this cleaner will also clean and condition them. You can also take a few steps to protect your car’s seats. Heat is leather’s enemy, so try to park in a shaded area or use a windshield sun shade. If you have small kids, use a blanket under child car seats to protect against scratches and indentations from the seat rubbing against the leather. If you have a dog, a blanket can protect the seat from the dog’s nails.

Removing Leather Stains

Many stains can be removed from leather. Try these on your tough leather stains:

Toothpaste – Lightly scrub the area with a terry cloth and a small dab of toothpaste.
Hairspray – Ink stains can be tough to remove from leather. Spray the area liberally with hairspray and use a terry cloth two wipe away the ink. It may take several attempts to get the desired results.
Mayonnaise – Water rings can be removed from leather by covering the stain with mayonnaise for a few hours. Use a terry cloth to wipe the area clean. Use our homemade leather cleaner to make it look like new.

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The Best Home Floor Polisher

noreply@blogger.com (cmvendely) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:39:00 +0000

We have tile in our kitchen and bathroom. It gets dirty, but we always try to keep up with our spills and messes. However, after a while it just looses its shine and starts to look dingy and dull. Without regular polishing, tile floors start to appear to be dirty even when they are completely clean. This is due to the minor abrasions in the surface and to the small amounts of polish that are left over on the surface. Once your floor has hit this point, there is only one thing that you can do. Strip off any remaining wax and polish your floors!

Without a floor polisher, be prepared to spend a lot of time on your knees!

Now, when commercial companies need to strip and polish their floors, they bring in the big guns. They use large orbital buffers that can throw a man across a room. I know, I have wrestled with these things before! For home applications, there are only two choices. Going completely manual, and getting on your hands and knees and slowly stripping and polishing the floor. Or, number two; get a home-size floor polisher. I had a chance to play around with two different home floor polishers and I have to say that if you have more than one room with tile floors, these are a must have!

The Gloss Boss Buffer

This is a compact floor buffer with two heads that is perfect for small areas. It is very lightweight and quite powerful for its size. The buffer heads can be covered with different pads and scrubbers and it comes with two microfiber pads. It also cost under $100, making it perfect for homes with only a few tile floors.

Koblenz P-2500 Floor Scrubber/Buffer

Koblenz makes a large number of commercial-grade floor polishers. So, naturally, I expected a lot out of their home model. This unit cost just under $200, but it does boost a more powerful motor. It also has two rotating scrubbing heads and comes with a couple of different scrubbing/polishing pads. However, the weight is significantly higher than the Gloss Boss. This floor polisher is perfect for the home with multiple, large rooms with tile floors.

Both of these home floor polishers have major pros and cons. If cost is your only concern, the Gloss Boss is perfect for you. If speed and power are required, the Koblenz is the right choice. Either way, both units really impressed me. If you have the chance to demo these models, I highly recommend it. Just make sure that you use the right polishing liquid for your floor type. Check with the manufacturers’ website to find the perfect fit.

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Microfiber Mops

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Floor Cleaning Week Recap

Different Types of Wardrobes for More Bedroom Storage

noreply@blogger.com (cmvendely) — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 13:55:00 +0000

I constantly run out of storage room in my bedroom. My closet is very shallow and can barely hold my suits and hanging clothes, much less my wife’s. When we got married we inherited two dressers, one large, one quite small. My wife uses the smaller of the two and I quickly overloaded the largest. The problem with dressers is the fact that you cannot hang cloths to keep them from getting wrinkled. This is what started my quest for the best wardrobe for our needs and for the different needs of our readers.

I was surprised by how many different types of wardrobes existed!

First of all, there are many fairly inexpensive wardrobes commercially available. My brother and his wife bought the IKEA Hopen wardrobe system with two vertical storage units and one horizontal storage unit that they placed in the middle for shoes and folded clothes. This was a great wardrobe for their needs, but is simply too large for what I needed. My wife and I have a fairly small bedroom. We need to find the best wardrobe for our limited space that fits are needs. Here is how I broke down the floor space verses clothes needs wardrobe options.

First, determine the amount of hanging clothes space that you require. This is determined by how many hanging items that you have multiplied by their average horizontal space requirements. My hanging clothes require an average of two and a half inches of horizontal space to not become wrinkled. So my calculation was 15 articles of clothing times two and a half inches or 37.5 inches of horizontal hanging space. I also needed room for my folded winter sweaters and fleeces. This means that I also needed a large shelving area. I started shopping for different wardrobes that could meet our needs.

After an exhaustive search, here is what I found. There are a number of wardrobes that are designed to fit in corners. This would be fantastic for us, given our limited space, but all of the different corner models that I found have very limited space for hanging clothes. What I decided on was the 48” Ameriwood Oak Wardrobe. The wardrobe provides over 46” of hanging clothes space and the price was right around $200, which was the limit that I allowed myself to spend. It has adjustable shelves for my folded clothes and has two separate areas for hanging clothes so that I can separate my pants and shirts and jackets. I also was able to purchase it at our local Meijer store so that I didn’t have to wait.

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How to Clean Hardwood Floors

noreply@blogger.com (cmvendely) — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 15:03:00 +0000

Hardwood floors are beautiful and can easily last a lifetime if you take proper care of them. First of all, when we talk about hardwood floors we are talking about sealed hardwood floors. Unsealed floors have not been installed in homes for a very long time. If you think that your floors are not sealed, they must be sealed immediately or they will absorb every liquid spilled on them and will quickly start to dry out and fall apart.

Great Homemade Cleaner for Hardwood Floors

There are a wide variety of commercially available wood floor cleaners. Many of these are quite expensive and contain harsh chemicals. A very simple homemade cleaner can be made from adding a few drops of basic dish soap with distilled water. Put the mixture in a misting spray bottle and clean your hardwood floor in small sections. Make sure that you spray the area that you want to clean and then wipe up immediately with a micro fiber cloth or clean towel. Never let any area remain damp for any period of time as moisture is your floor’s enemy. Adding a splash of white vinegar and lemon juice will add some major cleaning power to your homemade floor cleaner. However, if you add these ingredients to your cleaner, you will have to do a quick wet mop with clean water before you dry each section.

Quick tips to maintain your hardwood floors:

Sweep your floors at least every week with a Swiffer or with a soft bristled broom. To save time, I have found a get trick for cleaning your floors. If you are sweeping your floors, sweep the dust and dirt onto a carpeted area of your home. Vacuum the carpet thoroughly to remove all of the debris and to help keep abrasive dirt off of your hardwood floors.
Always wipe up all spills immediately. Water and other liquids can do severe damage to even sealed hardwood floors.
Protect your hardwood floor by placing furniture pads under the legs of each piece of furniture. This will spread out the weight of your furniture over a larger area and keep your floors from getting scratched.
Use area rugs to protect your hardwood floors in highly trafficked areas. Also, use floor mats in all entrances to your rooms with hardwood floors. This helps trap dirt and debris and keeps them from scratching the surface of your floors.

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Cleaning and Maintaining Bathroom Sinks

noreply@blogger.com (cmvendely) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 16:14:00 +0000

Besides your toilet, your bathroom sinks are usually the messiest place in your bathrooms. Toothpaste drips, hair clippings, and all of the rest of our daily routines can quickly turn a beautiful porcelain sink into a messy disaster. Here are some great tips to keep it looking and working great!

Bathroom Sinks are almost always the messiest place in your bathroom.

For quick cleanups of your bathroom sink, use a little hydrogen peroxide on a sponge and simply wipe up the entire surface. As we mentioned in our post Hydrogen Peroxide – Cleaning, Sanitizing Wonder, hydrogen peroxide is both a great cleaner and a wonderful sanitizer for your sink.

To deep clean the surface of your bathroom sink, Bar Keepers Friend can remove even the worst stains. Read our full review in Bar Keepers Friend is My Friend Too to learn more about how you can use Bar Keepers Friend to not only deep clean your sink, but also polish your faucet and other bathroom fixtures to a fantastic shine.

One of the biggest problems that I have at keeping my bathroom sink clean and spotless is the amount of daily products that I use in the bathroom. If the surface is completely covered, you are never going to be able to properly clean the sink. By finding the right bathroom storage ideas from our article, Bathroom Storage Ideas, you can keep only the bare essentials out in the open. I now have enough storage space to not have to keep my razor and other necessities out in the open.

If you sink gets clogged, pour baking soda down the drain followed by vinegar or lemon juice. The chemical reaction that is caused by the two combining can power its’ way through even the toughest stain, all without having to resort to dangerous, and expensive, drain cleaners. As we mentioned in our article, Cleaning the Kitchen Sink the Non-Smelly Way, lemon juice leaves the sink smelling great whereas the vinegar leaves a pretty strong smell!

Chrome Polish

noreply@blogger.com (cmvendely) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 15:27:00 +0000

Chrome is one of those surfaces that cannot have any imperfections. Since chrome has a perfect mirror surface, any dirt or rust shows up immediately and ruins the entire look. Chrome has long been a standard for the automotive world, but it has also found its way into the home. Chrome accents have become commonplace on many household fixtures. Unfortunately, these fixtures usually exist around water, soap, toothpaste and other mess-makers. Luckily, we have a great chrome polish for you and a number of simple tricks to maintain the look of your chrome.

With a little elbow grease and a pinch of Nevr-Dull Metal Polish, you can bring even pitted, rusted chrome back to life. Nevr-Dull is available at most car parts shops and once you have tried it, you will find a thousand used for it. Nevr-Dull is perfect for cleaning and polishing brass, aluminum, steel and chrome. It removes even the worst tarnish and leaves behind only a light residue that, if you desire, can easily be wiped off with a microfiber clothe.

Bar Keepers Friend is also a great chrome polish. Use on a damp, clean cloth and work in circles to help buff up the chrome. Rinse well and dry to a perfect shine. Be sure to never use any abrasive cleaning pads. Chrome can be easily scratched.

Quick Tips for Keeping Chrome Fixtures Looking Great

An easy way to clean chrome fixtures is to wipe them down with a fabric softener sheet.
For really dirty fixtures try rubbing alcohol and a paper towel. You will be amazed at how well this can remove the nastiest spots.

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How the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Saved a Bathroom

noreply@blogger.com (Chester) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 10:08:00 +0000

One of my friends has been in a little bit of a funk lately. He was laid off from his job six months ago and hasn’t been able to find full time work. He has been pretty depressed lately so I have been spending some extra time with him trying to cheer him up. The first thing I noticed when I when to his house was that he had stopped cleaning. His house was a disaster zone. There were pizza boxes and fast food bags everywhere. He hadn’t taken out the trash or done the dishes. After an hour of cleaning the kitchen and living room I had to use the restroom. That’s when I had the big shocker. The bathroom was disgusting. I don’t if know if I could really explain in words how bad it was.

Your Bathroom Can Make You Sick

The first thing I asked my friend is how he had been feeling. He said he had been fighting a cold for around a month. He said he would start to feel better but would always start to get sick again. He was surprised when I told him that it was likely that his nasty bathroom was making him sick. I showed him all the mold and mildew and explained how those can weaken his respiratory system, allowing other viruses and bacteria infect his body. So I convinced him that we need to deep clean his bathroom to help keep him healthy.

After looking around the house it was looking pretty bleak as to being able to clean the bathroom with my normal arsenal of homemade cleaners, so we started to tackle the task with the tools available. We had a bottle of Scrubbing Bubbles Foaming cleaner so I turned on the bathroom fan and sprayed the entire shower down and left the area until the fumes cleared. After an hour I went back to rinse the shower but there was still a thick layer of soap scum and hard water deposits. This was going to be a challenge. A quick perusal of the cleaning bucket brought me to one of my favorite cleaning tools, the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. The magic eraser is great at many tough cleaning jobs, but it does require a large amount of physical work. A good hour of rubbing and scrubbing later the shower was as clean as the day it was installed. Exhausted, I left feeling good about a job well done.

Two weeks later my friend let me know that he was feeling better, so much better that he got off the couch and got a new job. When we go through these tough times we all just need a kick in the butt to keep on going. If you are having a tough time or know someone who is, give them some help. We all need to work together to get out this funk.

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How to Use Toilet Cleaners and Alternatives

noreply@blogger.com (cmvendely) — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 14:16:00 +0000

There are many different commercially available toilet cleaners. These products all do a good job at cleaning your toilet. They do require using the old nasty scrub brush and it’s always a good idea to wear rubber gloves when using strong cleaners. If the stains in your toilet are very bad, I recommend using a plunger to lower the water level. Simply plunge the toilet a number of times until there are just a few inches of water left. Spray the stains with your toilet cleaner; let it sit for a few minutes to let it work on the stain with its full strength. Then scrub until the toilet is spotless. You can use hydrogen peroxide to clean your toilet. It’s safe for septic systems and easier on the environment!

In-tank toilet drop-ins are very popular because they limit how often you have to clean. They also help with reducing smells. These drop-ins usually contain bleach or other strong chemical cleaners. Make sure when you are cleaning your toilet that you do not mix chemicals. Using ammonia to clean a toilet with a bleach drop-in is a very dangerous idea!

I have always had a problem with drop-in cleaners. I find that as they dissolve they tend to break apart and can stop the seal from forming around the stopper causing the toilet to keep running. I have come up with a great solution for this. I place the drop-ins into the feet from old panty-hose. You can also use cheesecloth which is available at most cooking stores if you don’t have access to old panty-hose. Tie off the top of the panty-hose and hang them from the side of the toilet tank with a couple of paper clips bent backwards. By putting two drop-ins into the panty-hose and by adjusting the height of the drop-ins to suspend the tablets halfway out of the water, you don’t have to add new drop-in tablets as often.

Avoid Toilet Cleaners with a Little Maintenance!

Going to be away for awhile? Pour 1/4 cup of bleach into the bowel before you leave to come home to a sanitized and cleaned bowel.
To keep rings from forming, pour a half-gallon of white vinegar in the bowel every four weeks. Close the lid and let it soak overnight before flushing.
To avoid a slow drain and to minimize odors, pour one cup baking soda down your toilet weekly. With just a few simple steps, you can all but remove the need for breaking out the nasty scrub brush and rubber gloves!

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How to Clean Grout Like The Pros

noreply@blogger.com (cmvendely) — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 17:44:00 +0000

In your kitchen, bath, and just about anywhere else in your home, tile provides a very durable and stain resistant covering. Unfortunately, tiles are separated by grout, and grout is not nearly as stain resistant. Since grout is generally white, or at least a very light color, every stain shows up immediately. With our simple tricks, we can make cleaning grout a very simple task.

Some Tricks to Become the Best Grout Cleaner

If you have tile floors, the grout is definitely going to become stained at some point of time. Surface stains can be removed easily with sandpaper. Fold the sandpaper, and work the crease back and forth in the grout. If the grout is too soft for the sandpaper you can also use a normal pencil eraser. If the sandpaper or eraser doesn't do the job or the grout still remains discolored, you can create a solution of one part bleach and four parts of water. Saturate the grout with the solution and scrub with a small brush. A toothbrush is ideal; just throw it away when you’re done. Rinse well with clean water and let dry.

In your kitchen, your tile is constantly assaulted by food and spills of various natures. If you do not like using a lot of harsh chemicals around your kitchen, we have a great natural cleaner for you. Mix 1/2 cup of baking soda, 1/4 cup ammonia, 1/4 cup white vinegar, 1 teaspoon lemon juice and about 6 cups of water in a spray bottle. This cleaner really gets under those dried-on food stains and leaves the grout looking like new. Spray on your grout liberally, and scrub with a soft bristled brush or a toothbrush.

If your tile is heavily stained around your kitchen or bathroom, work in a little Soft Scrub with Bleach with your finger. Let it work on the grout overnight. By morning, even the toughest stains will have disappeared. Rinse with warm water and dry with a clean towel or paper towel. No need to scrub the grout with a toothbrush any more!

As a quick cleaner, wipe down your grout with hydrogen peroxide. This keeps your grout white and kills off all of the bacteria that can be living in it.

Make sure that you do not ever mix any cleaning products made with bleach with any products made with ammonia! The two combine to form chlorine gas, which is extremely dangerous. Rinse away all cleaners thoroughly after you have used them.

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Keeping House bugs Out of Your House

noreply@blogger.com (cmvendely) — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 13:32:00 +0000

Over the years, we at Chester’s Clean House have given you many different tips to keep your home free of bugs. Using these simple tricks, you can keep the house bugs, out of your house!

Homemade Garden Pest Control

To create an effective insecticide spray for your garden, finely chop 2 garlic cloves and combine with 2 teaspoons of mineral oil. Let the mixture soak for at least 24 hours. Add a quick squirt of liquid soap to 1 pint of water and combine with the garlic mixture. Stir thoroughly and strain with a coffee filter into a glass jar for storage. Combine 1 tablespoon of the solution mixture to a spray bottle full of water. Test the solution on a single leaf of any delicate plants.

Home Remedies To Get Rid of Ants For Good

Some Great tricks for getting rid of ants:

Salted cucumber peelings are said to repel ants. Just place them where you see them. I would do this outside as not to attract other things into your house.
White pepper, red pepper, or sage are said to repel ants also. Mothballs may also work. Apples will kill an ant colony.
Cut up an apple or leave the peels or the leftover core near the entry to the colony. The ants will take it back killing the queen.
Mixing borax with honey, maple syrup, butter, or lard will also kill an ant colony. You'll have to test each as some ants like sweets and others like greasy foods. You can leave the mixture in a bowl or on the ground.

Cockroaches May Live Through A Nuclear War, But Boric Acid Will Kill Them

After you have cleaned your home thoroughly, try sprinkling Borax inside all of your cupboards, except where you store food. Brush it all over the bottom of the cupboards and be sure to get the Borax into all of the cracks. Where you store your food you can leave an open container of Borax to keep the cockroaches out. Boric acid will take some time to kill the cockroaches, but it and cleaning well are your best defences. Also be sure not to step on cockroaches as you can get their eggs on your shoes, enabling them to spread.

Create a Barrier For Crawling Bugs

You can create a barrier to repel crawling bugs by painting your baseboards, walls and cracks with the following solution. Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil then add 2 tablespoons of alum(aluminum sulfate). Once the alum has dissolved and the water has cooled, use a paint brush to paint your baseboards or anywhere you would like to create a barrier.

Get Rid Of Spiders, And Keep Them Away

Spiders hate American Pennyroyal (Hedeoma pulegioides). This herb can be found in two major forms American Pennyroyal plants and Oil of Pennyroyal. You can buy the plant at most nurseries. To repel spiders with the plant dry some leaves and place crumbled up leaves where the spiders congregate. Oil of pennyroyal can be found at most heath food stores and can be placed on cotton balls where the spiders live. Once you place the pennyroyal to spiders will leave, in a hurry!

Choosing the Best Pet Hair Vacuum

noreply@blogger.com (Chester) — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 21:37:00 +0000

One of the biggest challenges to keeping our house clean is pet hair. We have a Newfoundland dog and an orange tabby cat. I could have made several sweaters from all of the hair that they have shed over the years, too bad there isn’t a market for Newfoundland dog fur sweaters because I would be rich. We started using the FURminator brush several years ago, and while the brush does a great job, we still get lots of pet hair scattered throughout the house. When we first got Bear, we vacuumed everyday to keep up with her hair output. During shedding season we couldn’t keep up vacuuming two to three times a day. Needless to say it wasn’t too long before our vacuum gave out. After our first sweeper broke we started the process of finding a new one.

Over the last 10 years we have bought too many vacuums; the first thing we learned is that not all vacuums are made with the same quality. Using the vacuum every day, most models only lasted a year or so. The other thing we noticed was that over time they all started to lose suction as we used them. No matter how well we cleaned their filters or changed the bags they just lost all of their power over time. We were not buying the right pet hair vacuum.

The Dyson Animal

After going through 5 different models in five years we decided to splurge on a new vacuum that was specially made for pet hair. We chose the Dyson DC17 Animal after a lot of research. At first I wasn’t willing to pay close to $500 dollars for a pet hair vacuum, but I am glad that we did. The Dyson is by far the best pet hair vacuum that we have ever used.

The Dyson is an engineering masterpiece. The first time you use one you will quickly notice the attention to detail used in its construction. First, the Dyson has an incredible amount of suction. Not only is the suction strong but it hasn’t lost any of its power in the last five years. The hoses and attachments all snap tightly together and don’t fall off when you use them. Each of the attachments is also made with a lot of thought and quality. For instance, the upholstery tool has red velvet lint collectors built into each side of the tool. This allows the tool to really grab any pet hair that is caught in the upholstery. This tool does wonders at removing pet hair from your furniture and carpet. We use it on the stairs with great success.

Pet Hair Vacuum Features To Look For

If you are looking for a new pet hair vacuum, from my experience you should look for the following features. Suction is the most important factor in a good pet hair vacuum. Suction is what will pull the hair out of the carpet and upholstery, so without good suction you will not be able to get the deeply embedded hairs. The vacuum should also have an aggressive beater bar and other materials that will help to physically grab the hairs so that the suction may capture it. The collection bin is also important because the volume of hair can be overwhelming, so having the right size dust bin will keep you from excessive empting. One optional feature you might want to look for is a HEPA filter. We have noticed a dramatic decrease in the amount of dust around our house after we started using one. With these features in mind you should be able to find the best pet hair vacuum.

Chester's Clean House

How To Remove Rust Stains From a Driveway

Why Install an Automatic Faucet

An automatic faucet helps reduce the spread of viruses and bacteria and helps you save water!

Garage Cleaning Tips

The Best Suede Cleaner

Suede should be pretreated with a protective spray the day that you buy it to help reduce your need for a suede cleaner!

How to Use a Sewer Snake

Why Buy a Sewer Snake

How to Best Use Your Sewer Snake

Cleaning Tips Galore - Fourth Edition

How to Kill Mold

Mold is alive, take away its source of food or water and it goes away!

Mold Removal Products

Cleaning Tips Galore - Third Edition

Chester's Urine Odor Removal Tips

Removing Pet Urine Stains from Carpet

Dog Urine Odor Removal

Cat Urine Odor Remover

Commercial Odor Removal Products

Removing Human Urine Stains from Bedding

Removing Human Urine Stains from Clothing

How to Get the Best Results with Concrete Paint

Cleaning Tips Galore - Second Edition

Basic Homemade Cleaning Solutions

Vinegar Clean

Baking Soda Clean

Lemon Clean

Chester's Laundry Stain Removal Guide

Table of Contents:

Blood Stain Removal

Coffee Stain Removal

Deodorant Stains Removal

Grass Stain Removal

Homemade Laundry Detergent

Ink Stain Removal

Laundry Odor Removal

Laundry Soap Residue Removal

Red Wine Stain Removal

Tough Laundry Stain Removal

Share Your Tips

Cleaning Tips Galore - First Edition

Household

Tips

Leather Cleaning Tips

Furniture Leather Cleaning

Homemade Leather Cleaning Solution

Automotive Leather Seats

Removing Leather Stains

The Best Home Floor Polisher

Different Types of Wardrobes for More Bedroom Storage

How to Clean Hardwood Floors

Great Homemade Cleaner for Hardwood Floors

Quick tips to maintain your hardwood floors:

Cleaning and Maintaining Bathroom Sinks

Chrome Polish

How the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Saved a Bathroom

How to Use Toilet Cleaners and Alternatives

How to Clean Grout Like The Pros

Keeping House bugs Out of Your House

Choosing the Best Pet Hair Vacuum