How to….

Looking to add a touch of elegance to your Christmas tree this year?  Making soap flake snow for your tree is an easy, inexpensive and creative decoration that gives a unique look to the tree. 

Follow this link for a complete recipe for making soap flake snow – this inexpensive, simple to make embellishment will spruce up any Christmas tree.  All that you need is liquid starch, soap flakes, water, and a few drops of blue food coloring.  Some people make shavings out of their own bar soap, but the easier way to go about it is to buy the soap flakes.

Simply mix 1/3^rd cup of liquid starch into 1 cup of snow flakes, slowly add in 1 to two tablespoons of water while mixing until the consistency is thick, and add a touch of blue food coloring if desired.

I love seeing a touch of white on Christmas trees, but always hated the spray on stuff that comes in a can.  Apparently this is an old trick to make your own artificial snow – but I had never heard of it before and chances are you might not have either.  Happy Holidays, enjoy decorating!

This is not my bathroom countertop, but it looks very nice and clean!

I recently heard this bathroom cleaning tip from a group of super clean women: wipe down the bathroom counter daily. Take everything off and wipe everything down and put it back. I started doing this last night and it was so nice to wake up to a clean bathroom!

I can do this at night right after I brush my teeth. I’m usually not in a rush when I’m going to bed, so I have plenty of time to move everything off the counter and do a thorough wipe down. Never again will I need to do a grimy deep cleaning of counters in a rush! I won’t be embarrassed when someone drops by unexpectedly, and all I can think about are my dirty counters (actually I’m not that neurotic yet, but it crosses my mind from time to time).

Of course, I’m using my favorite all-purpose bathroom cleaner, Soft Scrub Total Bath & Bowl. But you could use any bathroom cleaner you prefer. Check out CleaningProductsWorld.com for more bathroom cleaning supplies such as sponges and wet wipes.

Tips for Cleaning Your Dryer Vent

Thanks to All Pro Chimney for the image!

One place that you might never suspect of needing cleaning is your dryer’s vent. This innocuous looking flexible tubing collects lint from each load of laundry that cycles through your appliance, eventually accumulating and leading to the potential for a fire.

Safety Considerations
You do not want to be featured on the news for blowing up your house due to a gas explosion, so if your clothes drying appliance is run by natural gas, disconnect the gas. If it is electric, unplug it. Wear a face mask to keep dust and lint out of your mouth and nose. Do not reach your bare hands into the vent tubing, as there are screws and sharp pieces that may injure you.

1. After disconnecting your dryer from its power source, slide the appliance out about two feet from the vent extension.
2. Use a screw driver to unscrew the vent clamp from the back of the appliance.
3. Take the vent off the back.
4. Reach into the vent opening on the back of the appliance and use a vacuum hose to remove built up lint around the opening.
5. Use the vacuum hose to suck up the lint.
6. Use the vacuum hose to reach all the way into the tubing as far as the vacuum hose will go.
7. If there is a lint buildup that your vacuum hose cannot reach, a plumbing snake can go through the full length of your tubing.
8. Put the clamp back onto the vent opening.
9. Screw the clamp back into place on the appliance.
10. Re-attach the vent tubing.
11. Put the appliance back into its place.
12. Go outside and remove the outside portion of vent tubing. If it also needs cleaning, bring it into the house or garage and use your vacuum hose to suck out the lint. Note: This tubing might be difficult to remove, as it may be caulked in place. If this is the case, a razor blade can liberate the tube from the caulking.
13. Return the outside vent tubing and secure it. If you need to recaulk it, do so on a dry day so the caulk will seal properly.
14. Turn on the electricity or gas to your appliance.
15. Run your appliance for 10 to 15 minutes on its lowest, non-heating setting to blow any lingering debris out through the vent tubing. Do not stand outside to watch this, unless you want to end up looking like a dust bunny or tumbleweed.

Hiring Professionals
Handymen and professional cleaning services can take care of the task of vent and tubing cleaning for you. Expect to pay anywhere from $25 per hour plus a service call fee for a handyman, or a flat fee of about $100 for a professional cleaning service. If your vent tubing is especially long or if the outside vent is difficult to reach, expect to pay more. If any parts need replacement, expect to pay more for the parts and installation.

Janice is a health administrator, part-time web copywriter, and dryer vent cleaning master. When not completing her own home improvement projects, she loves sharing her how-to tips for cleaning, storing and organizing even the most off-putting spaces. 

Looking to get a new puppy?  While very rewarding, be prepared to spend a lot of time training and cleaning up various messes.  If you are new to pet ownership, these tips for cleaning up puppy accidents and generally picking up after your dog will save you a little time as well as maybe save you from pulling your hair out! 

Even the most experienced and attentive owners will end up with messes they would have rather not had, and find themselves cleaning up after the dog regularly.  These tips can make having a new puppy more manageable.

1)Having the right cleaning products nearby can help save your carpet and furniture.  An all purpose disinfectant cleaner and PLENTY of paper towel, probably more than you think you would need, (I just went through 4 rolls this week personally with my new puppy) will help you clean up puppy accidents immediately.  If the puppy accidentally goes on the carpet, the faster you can clean it the better.  Take some paper towel, and pick up or mop up the mess without rubbing.  Next, spray liberally with the cleaner and repeat using more paper towel until the mess is gone.

2)I’d recommend puppy pads over newspapers while working on housetraining your puppy.  The puppy pads are more absorbent, and if you have to leave the dog alone for a period of time it will be much easier to pick up after your dog than if you used newspaper.  The humanesociety.org has an excellent guide for housetraining.

3)You may not have a lot of dog toys at the moment, but week after week, year after year, they will certainly accumulate!  Having a decent sized storage bin for all of the puppy toys is a must.

4)Spot cleaning the carpet, even if you act fast, still leads to a good chance of a stain remaining behind.  Once a stain sets in, a carpet stain remover will be most effective rather than trying to scrub it away later with regular cleaner.

5)Having difficulty with pet hair getting on everything?  A dog breed that sheds a lot can cover your furniture very quickly, and scrubbing at it with a cloth won’t get you anywhere.  A neat trick that works on most furniture is to use a lint roller or rubber lint brush to get the hair off easily.   Also if you don’t want your furniture smelling like your favorite pooch, Febreze air and fabric refresheners are great for eliminating odors.

Halloween is typically a safe and fun day for adults and children alike, and, contrary to popular belief the crime rate is not really different from any other day of the year.  However, certain types of vandalism are more likely on Halloween.  If you’re an unfortunate victim of one of these messy pranks, you may end up spending a lot of time (and money) having to clean up the mess if you don’t act quickly or correctly.  Here is a simple guide to cleaning the top 3 Halloween pranks you may encounter:

1) Removing Toilet Paper from Trees - The best item you can have on hand is a long pole or broom and masking tape to assist you in this.  Use the pole to hook under the larger pieces of tape, then when only smaller pieces remain wrap the tape (sticky side out) around the top of the pole or broom to collect the remaining toilet paper.  Time Sensitivity – Before it rains or you will really have a mess!

2) Cleaning egg from a car or siding – Egg can potentially be very damaging to your car or house paint, you’ll want to remove it as quickly as possible  as the longer it sits the more damage it is likely to cause.  Waxing your car the week before Halloween can help a bit, or cars with newer paint are a bit more resistant to damage; but even so the key is to not let the egg sit very long.  Don’t rub it away, or the eggshells will scratch the paint, instead use a hose to wash it off, then after the pieces are gone use a gentle wiper and some car wash soap to remove the egg.  Time Sensitivity – Clean ASAP!

3) Soaped Up Windows – This prank looks worse than it is, a soaped up window is difficult to see out of but luckily easy to clean up, and has an added benefit of thoroughly washing your windows.  Use a hose to get the majority of the soap rinsed away, and use a soft brush or window squeegee in combination with the hose to get rid of the rest.  Time Sensitivity – Can be cleaned the next day.

Have a safe and fun Halloween!

 I’ll be honest, I’m not much of a shopper.  I don’t typically buy lots of products, or see a commercial and get the urge to go buy whatever it is being advertised.  However, products that have a versatile list of uses always grab my attention.  Whether it is one wrench that can replace and do the job of 10 other wrenches, or some other deluxe tool, I find myself buying more of them than I probably need. 

WD40 is one of these products, I always have a can on hand in the home.  I used WD40 to fix two things lately that I thought would be worth sharing, then while doing some research found nearly an endless list of uses for the product, as well as some fun facts.  (There is even a WD40 fanclub that will email you a ‘use of the day’).

For a few months, going home and unlocking my door was always unpleasant.  The key would go in most of the way, but then you would really have to force it in the last centimeter or so.  I found it annoying, but my poor wife would nearly bruise her hand.  I finally said enough is enough and thought to spray WD40 in the keyhole, and the key now works as it should with very little effort.  That was about 3 years ago and it hasn’t gotten jammed up again yet.  If you need to fix a rusted lock WD40 will likely do the trick.

Another time the stopper switch for the bathtub was stuck in the open position so we couldn’t fill the tub up with water.  It was fine the previous day, then all of the sudden it just wouldn’t budge, and felt like it would break if I tried to force it.  So I sprayed it, waited 5 minutes, and lucky for us it worked like magic.

Lastly I had a sticking sliding glass door that was getting harder and harder to open every day, a little WD-40 in the tracks made it glide like new again.

Other great home Uses for WD40:

-Protect snow shovels from salt

-Lubricate hinges on creaky or sticking doors

-Spray on toy truck wheels if they start sticking

-Slide-out attic ladders that aren’t working smoothly

-Lubricate joints on a metal bed frame that are rusting

I can say with confidence that one of the most useful items I’ve had while renting an apartment and now owning a home is WD40.  You never know what use you may find for it.

Special Thanks for Information referenced at WD40 Website.

Cleaning your printer will not only make it look better, but it will prolong the life of the machine. It will also help you avoid smudges and ink blotches on printouts, skipped areas, and paper jams by removing any dust that could cause malfunctions. By doing a simple cleaning once or twice a year, you can save money and avoid having to buy a new printer. You can’t just take a wet cloth or cleaning fluid to the inside of a printer, though. There are a few things to keep in mind if you are cleaning your printer for the first time and want to avoid damaging anything important.

1. First and foremost, unplug your printer and allow it to cool down if it has been in use. Using a damp cloth while cleaning can be dangerous with a plugged-in electronic.

2. Remove the ink cartridges and clean them one at a time, carefully wiping away any excess ink. Use a lint-free cloth, so that there won’t be any fibers left on the port or microchip.

3. Sometimes, if a piece of paper is taken in incorrectly and the printer still tries to print the image or text, ink can build up inside the machine. This can cause ink blotches on other document. If you can take your printer apart easily, look inside and wipe any excess ink away.

4. With a slightly damp cloth – never dripping – clean any dust and dirty out of the paper basket and off of the outer shell of the printer.

5. If your printer has been out of use for a while, go to the printer’s control panel and perform a print head cleaning. You can do this at any time and it might eliminate any skips or anomalies in printing that you are getting.

6. Clean your printer at least twice a year, in winter and spring. Pollen and dust are worse at these times of year and can get into your printer.

7. When you use a cloth to clean your printer and its components, you can moisten it with water, alcohol, or a combination of water and vinegar to keep smudges in scanning parts at bay.

8. If you have hard water in your home, using distilled water will minimize leaving behind any mineral residue.

9. If you want to use a cleaner that comes in a spray can, do not spray it directly into your printer. Always spray it on the cloth beforehand.

10. Make sure that you are using cleaning products that are safe with your printer. Check the owner’s manual to make sure what you are using won’t harm any components. If using a prepared cleanse, be sure that it is safe for both the plastics in your computer and electronics.

11. Don’t use compressed air to clean inside your printer. The propellant in compressed air can add moisture to the inside or the printer. This is bad for any electronics, as well as damaging to any scanner components that your printer might have.

12. Never use household vacuum cleaner attachments on your printer. Home printers are delicate and a vacuum cleaner has a chance of damaging parts.

13. Clean the area where your ink cartridges snap in. Ink can build up here and cause problems, including clogged cartridges.

14. Use a cotton swab to clean the corona wire – the thin wire hanging inside your printer. You can damage this by using other cleaning implements.

15. Printer paper, especially cheaper varieties, can leave lint inside your printer. This can clog up the printer rollers. Make sure you check the rollers for lint and other debris and wipe it away.

16. You can buy printer roller cleaner sheets made to clean ink and paper lint from the rollers. These are convenient. However, you might want to be careful with them. If your printer has a habit of getting paper jams anyway, these will jam up because they have a sticky surface that allows them to collect dust and lint.

17. You can find special, miniature vacuums specifically for use in computer and printer parts. With these, you can safely remove dust and debris without endangering the delicate inner components of your printer.

A great extra tip: read your owner’s manual. Manufacturers often give tips on printer maintenance in the documents that are included when you buy your printer. If you have lost the manual, most manufacturers provide support for their printers, including previous models, on the product website.

Today’s guest article was authored by James Adams who writes and is a product analyst with CartridgeSave, a store where you can order Dell cartridges in Great Britain.

Those glasses might look clean, but if you are simply using the dishwasher residue is being left behind that can diminish the quality of the beer.  People who take their beer seriously don’t want any films, oils, or other impurities to remain after the cleaning process. 

 A “beer clean” glass has no residue leftover that can impact the taste of the beer.  Without any impurities or films affecting the beer it will have:

-Enhanced Aroma and Taste – It only takes a small amount of film to affect the taste of the beer, you will be surprised at the difference a “beer clean” glass will make.

-Thick Creamy foam Head – Foam will cling to the sides of the glass when it is not properly cleaned, reducing the presentation of the beer.

-No Aftertaste or Residue – Those small particles leftover in the glass can leave you tasting more than the beer you poured in.

-Clear Beer with no Gas Bubbles – Lint or dust on the glass will lead to those telltale bubbles going up the side of the glass you often see after pouring a beer.

These bubbles are due to residue that is left over after a typical cleaning process.

 So how do you achieve a beer clean glass?  For individual home use, one method is to use baking soda to wash the glass.  Because baking soda won’t leave a film like regular dishwashing soap, if you scrub out the glass with a toothbrush and baking soda, then leave it upside down to dry out in a dish rack, you will get a glass that can be considered “beer clean”. 

In a commercial setting such as bars, restaurants, or special events, there are Beer Clean products that will achieve that sparkling clean with no residue.

Order Beer Clean before September 30, 2011 to save up to $25 with the user rebate form!

Free Samples Available from CleaningProductsWorld.com while supplies last!Email Molly@cicgo.com for more details.

Television commercials take up as much as eighteen minutes of a one hour program.  Let’s face it – who actually watches only one hour of television? So, instead of sitting on the couch and watching those useless commercials why not do some cleaning and get some exercise? Of course, this works even better if you do it with a couple of kids, or a kid and a spouse. The more, the merrier.

Here’s my commercial break cleaning tips and quick exercise plan (and even a game!):

Here’s the game. You be the parent. Think of short cleaning tasks before the show. These should be routine things the kids can do in the space of a two-minute commercial break. If you need to, write each one on a slip of paper; I just have a clipboard with a list. For each commercial break, choose two family members to race. I leave one child for each break to alert everyone at the end of the break, and to referee who completes the task first. I literally yell, “GO!” and they fly. Next break a different child (I have three, so it works well) gets to stay behind.

While the children race to complete their task, I clean as well. I just personally believe that if parents are seen, they will be heard. Besides, I need the exercise. Often, I dust, with a microfiber cloth. These fantastic cloths pick up large amounts of dust, hair and dirt and make my job much easier. 

I start by attaching the cloth to the end of the broom with a rubber band and going around the edge of the ceiling and down the walls, stopping when the referee calls. I also do pictures, knick knacks and their shelves, coffee tables, the computer, and so forth.

One trick to keeping this going is to focus on one room per program. I find if I send the boys to the bedroom to put away laundry during one break, then send them to the kitchen to take out the trash and feed the dog the next, they see it as a contest and not just having to do housework. Getting chores done is really a side benefit. We have some fun, they get snacks for the program, or computer time, as a prize for “winning” and they’re not camped out on the couch for a whole hour. Or two. Or longer.

Lastly, two of my three are teenagers. When they began to be aware that this was contrived for their own good and maybe not just for the fun of it, they began to balk at the races. I had to take them aside and explain that I understood the tendency to be cynical about it, but that little brother still thought it was fun. This, by the way, was where I made good use of the fact that I participated with the same enthusiasm that I expected from them. We still enjoy the whole process.

Chelsea Myers is a proud mother of three and has been working as a freelance writer for the past 10 years.

Looking to sell a used car or know someone who is?  By following a few simple, inexpensive guidelines, you can maximize the price you get for your car.  For starters, find a good estimate of your car’s worth by going to Kelley Blue Book.  You can enter all of the pertinent information and rather quickly get a rough value for your car.  With this number in mind, by following the tips below you can get as near to this number as possible or perhaps a few dollars more if you can justify your car as being in “excellent” condition.

-Unless you have some type of special deal with a car dealership, selling your car privately will get you a lot more money than doing a trade-in.  By comparing the trade-in or private sale value on Kelley Blue Book, you can see that the trade in value is typically only around sixty percent of the private sale value at most.

-Wax and polish your car, using proper car wash soap.  Don’t use dish soap as it isn’t quite as good at bringing out the original color of the car.  The color of your car will fade over time – to see what the original hue was, the inside of the car door is a great place to look as it doesn’t fade nearly as much as the outside of the car.  This will be what you are aiming for as you wax and polish your car. Don’t forget about using Armor All on the interior surfaces.

-Fix minor dents and body damage if you can do so cheaply, it will be worth the time by being able to get a higher price for you car.  Major work however should be avoided and simply pointed out to the person you are selling to.  If you spend too much getting your car ready for sale you’ll likely end up losing money overall.

-Have paper evidence for work done to your vehicle.  If you have custom work done on your vehicle, the person buying will be more receptive to seeing the paperwork for it than taking your word on it.

-Pay attention to those small details.  The first reaction at the seller seeing your car should be positive.  Make sure the lights are bright, the wheels are shiny, clean the floor mats, vacuum the car, get rid of any smoke smell or other bad odors, and clean all of the glass with a good glass cleaner.

Good luck with selling your used car!  Hopefully following these tips will help you get a few more dollars for your vehicle.