1. Wicker

Fence materials vary, and most wicker fences like this one are constructed of bent willow. Although such profusion would be out of place with simplistic modern homes, it pairs well with more traditional styles.

2. Metal

Reminiscent of Mediterranean balconies or of the wrought-iron fences once used to secure the perimeter of estates, elegant decorative metal fencing goes especially well with stucco houses of Moorish or Spanish design.

3. Wood Edging

Half-log edging gives off a country vibe reminiscent of rail fences and corrals. If you like the idea of wood, you also can use money-saving old pallets to construct garden beds and barriers.

4. White Vinyl

If you subscribe to the American dream of a white picket fence, but don’t like the work involved with maintaining a wooden one, you might want to opt for a vinyl garden fence instead.

5. Climbing Plants

Although the design and composition of this fence is hard to make out behind its veil of roses, it illustrates an excellent garden fence idea—horizontal bars that act as a kind of “laid-on-its-side” trellis. On it, you can train climbing or vining plants such as roses, clematis, honeysuckle, and others to grow laterally rather than upward, perhaps almost concealing the original fence but making a living one of their own.

6. Rustic Rope

With a look somewhat similar to that of the cable type of guardrails, this fence’s style depends quite a bit on the type of materials from which it is constructed. Weathered wood and rope, for example, could suit it to casual rural settings while metal stakes accompanied by cables probably would make it more appropriate for a modern industrial type of architecture. In the latter case, mass plantings of the same shrub or flower would fit the simplistic style better than many different varieties.

7. Living

Neatly sheared living fences, such as the boxwood hedges shown here, are highly popular in the formal gardens associated with mansions or British manors. In formal gardens, simplicity is key, and masses of the same type of plant rather than a mix of many can give a simple but formal feel. Since tall hedges tend to hide all but the stateliest flowers that stand behind them, you may want to make yours short or keep your beds in front of rather than behind those hedges. Or use this hedge as a living fence to separate a front yard or border the sidewalk or driveway.

8. Chew-Proof

Some garden fences offer more function than aesthetics. Netting is strictly utilitarian and designed to keep wild animals—especially deer—out of your vegetable garden. Keep in mind that, to be successful, that netting will need to stand at least 6 feet tall for deer and probably won’t be strong enough to keep rabbits and groundhogs from chewing through it. Although desperate gardeners sometimes use it for flower beds, it isn’t especially pretty, but doesn’t mar the landscape as much as chicken wire can.

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Knowing how to play with trending colors can be difficult if you don’t have enough wall space or even too much. While you don’t want to repaint your home every time a new color is trending, there are many areas where you can play with color, helping you to use a greater variety of shades in your home.

When you love the latest paint colors but you’re unsure how they’ll look in your home, test them out in some creative places before overhauling an entire room.

1. Petite wood furniture

While we aren’t saying to rush off and paint over your prized mahogany credenza, if you have some second-hand furniture or spot a wooden nightstand or chair that’s worse for wear at the thrift store, know that you can breathe new life into it with a fresh coat of paint.

Some pieces that will work well for this are nightstands, accent tables, outdoor furniture, wooden chairs, or vintage crates.

2. A Hidden Accent Wall

Painting one wall in a room is not a groundbreaking style choice. Consider moving the accent wall somewhere unexpected, such as the back wall of a pantry. This oft-neglected area of the home could use a makeover, and how great would it look having a bold color, like a brilliant aqua, in an otherwise muted space?

3. Inside your kitchen drawers

Painting the interior of your kitchen drawers is a genius way to add color to your kitchen and a whimsical surprise whenever you reach for your go-to spatula.

4. Knock, Knock

Whether you want to offer more curbside appeal or warm up a room, painting your front door a vibrant color sure makes a statement. There’s an added benefit beyond style with a bold color choice. A signature color makes it easy for you to give directions to visitors; just tell them you live at the house with the orange door—it stands out much more than plain address numbers.

5. Bookshelves

Books are like works of art themselves, so choose a paint color that helps to showcase them. You can even paint the backing in contrasting colors, allowing you to play with even more trendy colors.

6. Another Take on an Accent Wall

If you’re stuck between keeping your familiar color scheme but want an accent wall, it can be hard to reconcile the two looks. For indecisive folks, we have a way to test out an accent wall or geometric paint pattern temporarily. Pick a small wall in your home and instead of painting the wall directly, add removable wallpaper and paint over that instead.

7. Bathroom cabinets

While you may immediately reach for a neutral like black, grey, or brown, consider choosing a poppy color like teal, tangerine, or peach. If you have a fun shower curtain with a design you love, choose one of the accent colors from it to create a cohesive bathroom.

8. Step by Step

There are plenty of unexpected places to experiment with color in a home. One area to consider is the front of the stairs—providing you have flat, non-carpeted stairs that you don’t mind transforming. If you select a color that blends elegantly with the rest of the room, this can look sensational. The right color choice is key, so it may be worth painting some squares of canvas to get an idea of how it will look before painting the stairs directly.

9. Fireplaces

Have a fireplace that doesn’t hold all the old-world charm you want it to? Give it a beautiful upgrade with your favorite trending paint color. Mantels are a fantastic display opportunity and a place to gather around, so you want to give them a little love. Whether it’s covered in brick, out-of-date stone, regular plaster, or drywall, you can paint it. Just be sure to ask the paint consultant at your local hardware store for the appropriate primer, preparation materials, paint type, and tools.

10. Areas of Natural Light

There are no hard-and-fast rules when it comes to painting around your home. If you have a window box or ledge that’s visually lacking, pick a paint color that will really pop since these small areas don’t usually get enough attention. For a dramatic change, opt for a deep gray or black darker. If that’s too much change for you, keeping it light and airy with a softer color is a classic choice that’s always in style.

11. It’s Worth Framing

Over the years you may have amassed a collection of framed photos. Some frames age poorly, but rather than replacing them, turn it into a small crafting project. Paint all your outdated frames the same color, or use two or three colors and create a photo wall in your home. This looks amazing for a wall going up the stairs or stand-alone frames on a side table.

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Cleaning your bathroom is unlikely to be a chore you relish. After all, who’s ever claimed to love scrubbing toilets or tackling mildew stains? However, that doesn’t mean it needs to be a completely thankless task or a particularly time-consuming one. Check out these 14 bathroom cleaning hacks with less effort.

1. Clean Your Shower With Vinegar

The key to sparkling shower tiles is already in your pantry: white vinegar.

“Heat the vinegar in the microwave and spray it on while it’s hot,” suggests Brad Roberson, president of Glass Doctor, a Neighborly Company. Roberson suggests adding a tablespoon of dish soap to the mixture if the smell bothers you, noting that this can also help cut through tough grime.

2. Scrub Mildew With A Dish Brush

If you’ve got mildew or surface mold in your bathroom, a clean dish brush is a tool you need to combat it. Roberson suggests combining six cups of warm water and a quarter cup of bleach to create a mold-busting cleaner.

3. Get Rid Of Mold Stains With Baking Soda

For those stubborn mold and mildew stains that your dish brush and bleach solution won’t touch, try applying a paste of baking soda and water. “Cover the stain with the paste and allow it to stay on the stain for three to four hours,” following up with a thorough rinse, suggests Roberson.

4. Use Baking Soda And Vinegar To Deodorize A Drain

If your drain is emitting some unpleasant odors, a simple mixture of baking soda and vinegar can fix that in no time.

“The combination of vinegar and baking soda begins to fizz and can help break up any congealed grease in your drain,” explains Joshua Miller, VP of Technical Training at Rainbow International Restoration. Miller recommends pouring one cup of baking soda and two cups of white vinegar down the drain, then flush it with hot water after half an hour.

5. Use Dental Floss To Clean The Small Parts Of Your Sink

Some parts of your sink are simply too small for the average cleaning tool to reach.

Luckily, there’s a solution right inside your medicine cabinet: “Dental floss is a great way to remove buildup in the nooks and crannies of the faucet and handles,” says Kim Burckhardt, owner of Office Pride Commercial Cleaning Services of Westminster-Eldersburg.

6. Use Dryer Sheets To Nix Soap Scum

Can’t seem to get rid of that soap scum on your shower or tub? Instead of a sponge, reach for a dryer sheet.
“Add a few drops of water to a dryer sheet and gently rub the area. Rinse the residue off and the majority of the scum should be gone,” suggests James Conner, VP of operations at Molly Maid.

7. Use A Denture Tablet To Clean Your Toilet

Not in the mood to scrub your toilet? Then let a denture tablet do the hard work for you. “Drop one in, let it do its job, and then flush to get rid of toilet bowl stains and rust,” suggests Conner.

8. Squeegee Your Bathroom Window

Finding that your usual glass cleaner isn’t cutting it when it comes to getting your bathroom window clean? Using a squeegee instead can help keep those panes clear and free of water spots.

9. Rub The Lemon Over Chrome To Wipe Off Water Spots

Though water sports are unavoidable in places where water is constantly running (like the shower and the sink), it’s surprisingly simple and cheap to get rid of them. All you have to do is rub lemon over your stained chrome fixtures and the pesky spots should disappear instantly. Plus, using this citrus-as-cleanser will mask any unpleasant smells.

10. Restore Your Mirror’s Shine With Black Tea

Young happy black man cleaning the bathroom mirror. You want your bathroom mirror to be spotless so that you know what you actually look like before leaving the house—but all too often, it’s fogged up with water stains, dust, and other debris.

The solution? Black tea! All you have to do is combine a cup of boiling water with a few bags of black tea, let it cool, and use the resulting solution to clean your cloudy mirror. The tannic acid in the tea will dissolve any dirt, leaving you with a spotless surface that tells no lies.

11. Put Your Toothbrush Holder In The Dishwasher

It’s easy to let your toothbrush holders become disgustingly dirty. But washing the accessory is barely a chore: all you have to do is throw it in the dishwasher. Really, that’s it!

12. Sweep Your Bathtub Clean

There’s no need to waste time scrubbing your entire bathtub with a sponge. Instead, cover it in soap, then sweep and scrub with a clean broom and rinse until all of the suds are gone. The broom will clean as effectively as a sponge would, but using the large long-handled brush will require half as much effort.

13. Use Cotton Balls To Clean Pesky Bathtub Corners

The corners of the tub are always the hardest to clean. Luckily, there’s a simple solution for this, and it’s probably already sitting in your medicine cabinet. Just soak some cotton balls in the tub cleaner of your choice and let them sit on the edges of your tub overnight. By morning, those tub edges will be clean as a whistle!

14. Combine Baking Soda And Bleach To Clean The Grout

Grout – the stuff used to fill the gaps between tiles-looks good when it’s clean, but dirt easily sneaks into those small crevices, making the walls look dirty in an otherwise spotless bathroom. To restore your tiles (and the spaces between them) to their original color, apply a paste made out of 3/4 cup baking soda and 1/4 cup bleach to the grout, let it sit for 30 minutes, and remove with a scrub brush or cloth to reveal sparkling clean walls. This is an awesome bathroom cleaning tip.

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While there are multiple universal life hacks, These twelve apply to everyone in us. Try these twelve hacks to make your life easier!

1. The lemon trick.

Put a lemon wedge in the water while boiling eggs. The shells will just about fall off when they’re done.

2. Renew bunch of old crusty paint brushes

Have a bunch of old crusty paint brushes? Toss them in a bowl of vinegar for 30 minutes, they will be good as new.

3. Got fruit flies?

To get rid of this problem fast, pour one-fourth cup of apple cider vinegar into a small, wide-mouth container. Add a couple drops of dishwashing liquid to capture the flies and ensure they can’t find their way out.

Place close to the infestation. They will be gone within a day or two.

4. Make any cake mix taste like it was from a bakery

Make any cake mix taste like it was from a bakery

• 1. Follow directions on the package.
• 2. Add 1 more egg (or 2 for an even richer taste).
• 3. Replace oil with melted butter and double the amount.
• 4. Replace the water with an equal amount of milk.
• 5. Mix and bake according to the package.

5. Winter problems

Mix 3 parts vinegar and 1 part water in a spray bottle and spray windshield & windows the night before the freeze comes in

So don’t be the one scraping the ice off your windshield (and late to work). Follow this life hack to prevent ice before it happens.

6. Wondering what to do with your bacon grease?

Bacon grease can have a wide-variety of uses. For keeping it stored, keep it in a mason jar.

You can:

• Roast vegetables. Instead of drizzling your vegetables with olive oil before roasting, plop some bacon grease in the pan. …
• Fry Burgers. …
• Pop popcorn. …
• Fry grilled cheese. …
• Biscuits. …
• Fry hash browns. …
• Spread on pizza crust. …
• Use as a gravy base.

7. Freeze Fresh Herbs In Olive Oil

Quickly throw in all your flavors without spending countless time chopping etc. Preparing ahead cuts down time on the actual cooking days.

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8 Alternative DIY Christmas Tree Ideas

1.

Use Green Garlands to create a Christmas tree on the wall.

2.

Just using string lights can easily create a beautiful Christmas tree. You can add Christmas balls, snowflakes and stars like a traditional Christmas tree.

3.

Create your own alternative tree using artificial pine branches needles tied together.

4.

This Christmas ball arrangement also makes a beautiful one worth trying.

5.

Use existing tree branches, you will be surprised with the results!

6.

Use this arrangement of string lights and a bright Christmas tree will appear.

7.

8.

The best DIY Christmas tree ideas work indoors or out, on a tabletop, or in a child’s bedroom. Because some of them double as holiday crafts, they can also be a great way to get the whole family involved in a seasonal quality-time activity.

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Whether it’s a broken radiator or a rusted-out drain outflow, a burst pipe can cause a lot of trouble in a short period of time. If water is gushing, close the valve closest to the link first, then shut off the main water valve into the house. Once you’ve turned off the main water supply, reopen the smaller valve and slowly drain any remaining water into buckets.

Black Out

During a power outage, the safest course is to disconnect all appliances and electronics. That way, you’ll avoid damage from power surges when the juice returns to your home. Take great care using candles for illumination, exercising proper fire safety, and be sure to stock up on batteries and flashlights.

Gas Leak

If your carbon monoxide detector sounds or you simply detect a gas odor, evacuate the house immediately. Once you’ve relocated to a safe location, call the gas company’s 24-hour helpline and ask them to send a technician to check your home for leaks.

Basement Flood

Before you charge into a flooded basement to rescue your belongings, be safe. Turn off the circuit breaker to the house (or, if you can’t reach the circuit box, call your utility and ask them to do it for you). Wear thick waterproof boots and gloves to protect against toxic elements in the floodwater.

Roof Damage

For patching a roof battered by storm damage, tarps nailed down with wood strips are the quickest and easiest fix. Just be sure to let any weather pass and take all precautions before climbing up—or even better, call a professional to do it for you, then arrange for more permanent patch-ups to happen as quickly as possible.

Furnace Malfunction

Somehow, the furnace always seems to give out on the first frigid evening of the year—and Murphy’s law states it will happen on a Saturday night when the repairman charges double his usual rate.

Locked Out

Getting locked out of the house is a little embarrassing, and, if you have to call a locksmith, can be mightily expensive, too. Keeping a hidden key poses security risks. So remove your extra key from inside the hide-a-key garden stone or from under the back porch doormat, and consider leaving it with a trusted friend or neighbor instead.

Kitchen Fire

First, don’t panic. Keep a box of baking soda in a handy spot for dousing flare-ups in a toaster or stovetop pan. Avoid tossing water on the blaze, and don’t try to smother the flames with a dishtowel or anything that could catch fire. The better course of action is to use a pot lid to extinguish the flames. If it’s an oven fire, don’t open the door—close the oven and the fire should extinguish itself. Although some fire extinguishers are rated to extinguish grease fires, those handheld firefighters can spread flames rather than extinguish them when used improperly. Educate yourself on the types of extinguishers and how to use them so you’re always ready in case of a disaster.

Flush Fail

Obviously, a plunger is your first line of defense for a clogged commode. If you’ve cleared the clog but flushing troubles persist, open the tank and investigate. The handle may have gotten disconnected, or part of the flush mechanism may need to be replaced.

Animal Invasion

When backyard wildlife finds their way indoors, they can wreak havoc in a home. If a wild animal gets into your house, keep it contained in one area. Open a window, close all the doors, and it should find its way out. If it doesn’t, call animal control.

1.Leaves a mess for days (or months)

Your daily kitchen cleaning might focus on the dishes rather than on the oven itself, but a few tweaks will go a long way. Not only does it make months of buildup harder to clean up, but it can also lead to smoke. Failure to clean up spills after each use of the oven can quickly build up and may smoke during preheating the next time. “If you use a drip tray, don’t forget to remove it and remove grease and drips after each use.”

2. Leave messy food on the oven floor

To make those everyday spills easier to clean up, it’s a good idea to catch crumbs and splatters before they reach the bottom of your oven. An empty drip tray or cookie sheet should be placed on the bottom for easier cleaning, or just add a disposable oven liner.

3. Put in frozen food that needs to be defrosted

You might think it would save time to let frozen chicken breasts warm up in the oven before they’re completely defrosted, but unless you adjust the cooking time, you could be putting your family at risk of food poisoning. food poisoning. “If you put frozen or partially frozen food in the oven, the time will be turned off because it will need to be defrosted before cooking.” Ensure safety by letting food defrost completely before cooking.

4. Assuming the temperature is correct

Your oven measures the temperature at one point – where it’s intentionally off-limits, where your food will never fly away. Because your oven is hotter in some spots than it is in others, your food may not be cooking to the temperature you think it is. “An oven thermometer will help you make sure your oven is properly preheated and cook your food at the temperature you need it to. “It’s the best kitchen investment you’ll ever make.” This is why most recipes call for you to bake at 350°F.

5.Using the convection setting on the wrong foods

In addition to the standard grill setting, which heats the oven from one point, some models have a convection setting that uses a fan to distribute heat evenly. It doesn’t sound like much of a difference, but that circulating air makes food cook much faster, so your dish could be overcooked if you’re following a recipe. Unless a certain recipe says otherwise, stick with the grill setting. “If you’re making a single layer of cake and baking multiple layers at once, direct air circulation and heat removal is needed, so you want to choose convection baking,” she says. “This will help achieve even doneness and baking on all your layers.”

6. Leave the shelves in while self-cleaning

If the insanely high heat can remove grease and grime from your oven, leaving the racks in the self-cleaning treatment seems to make sense. But unless the manufacturer specifies that they’re designed for this feature, you’ll want to take them out. Most holders will discolor during the self-cleaning feature, and the coating that makes them easy to slide out can also be damaged. Sorry, but you’ll have to scrub them by hand instead.

7. Skip cleaning the nooks and crannies

You don’t even want to think about what’s hiding in the space between your oven and your cabinets. To help keep debris and spillage from attracting pests, wrap the butter knife with a damp towel, then rub it against the wall inside the crack. Hold the knife at an angle to prevent debris from falling to the floor, and shake debris in the sink or trash can out after each pass. When it looks clean, replace the cloth with a cloth moistened with vinegar and wipe the walls again.

8. Leave the buttons dirty

When you touch the oven knobs after handling food, you can bet you’ve left some germs behind. To make sure you’re touching every corner of the knobs, pop them off the stove before scrubbing. Cohen suggests soaking them in a bucket of warm water mixed with 1/4 cup of all-purpose cleaner to disinfect.

9. Cooking with wax paper

Wax paper and parchment may look almost the same, but that waxy substance makes a huge difference. While wax helps remove moisture, it’s not too hard on heat. Put it in a hot oven and it will melt—or worse, the paper could catch on fire.

10. Place items straight on the heating element

Your oven is hot, but not as hot as the heating element itself. While it’s rare that anything in your oven catches on fire, keeping those high-heat parts well ventilated can prevent any accidents.

Your carpet will naturally collect dirt and dander over time, so you need to vacuum it often. Depending on how heavily it’s used, vacuuming once or twice a month will likely be enough for maintenance. Choose a vacuum with a suction attachment, which will clean your carpets better than a standard rotary vacuum.

Do deep cleanings every few months to go beyond the scope of a quick vacuum job and get your carpets good as new.

One big caveat: Wall-to-wall carpeting and area rugs aren’t the same things, so don’t assume you can use the same cleaning methods. Make sure your rug can handle a deep cleaning before you begin. If you have a vintage rug or one made of delicate materials, you’ll want to take it to get hand-washed with a pH-balanced shampoo every three to five years.

In addition to deep cleaning, you’ll also want to rotate your rugs. “It helps to rotate your rug once a year to ensure even wear over time” . “And use a rug pad, which will prolong its life. If it’s a wool rug, let it sunbathe once a year.” Sun helps sanitize wool, but be careful of color fading. And whatever you do, avoid steam cleaning because it will damage the carpet.

Before you begin

When creating a game plan for how to clean your carpet, carefully read the labels on all products you plan to use. Typically, the label will let you know if (and how) you should test on a small, inconspicuous area to ensure you don’t accidentally harm your whole carpet.

Once you’ve treated a small section of your carpet, wait a few hours to make sure there’s no adverse reaction such as a change in the color or texture of the fibers—before you proceed to clean the rest of your carpet.

How to do a routine cleaning

People with allergies and asthma understand the importance of regular carpet cleanings, but even if your immune system doesn’t alert you when your carpet is filthy, you’ll want to do routine cleanings. Plus, if you spill something on your carpet, you’re going to need to treat the stain immediately.

Vacuum your carpet

Start by vacuuming your carpets and rugs a couple of times a month to remove dust and dander. And if you’re getting ready to deep clean or spot clean your carpets, you’ll want to vacuum first every time. Debris stuck in the fibers can block your ability to get through to those stains.

Hyman also suggests shaking out your rugs a couple times a month. Every few months, flip your rug over and vacuum the back. “This will get the grit out of the foundation of the rug,” he says.

Spot clean your carpet

It’s important to know how to clean a carpet by hand. You’ll thank her for the tips the next time you need to remove gum or chocolate stains from a carpet.

Get pet hair out of a carpet

Pet hair can be a nightmare to remove, but there’s a trick that will save you tons of time: Sprinkle the area with baking soda; then vacuum it up. The baking soda will lift the pet hair from the carpet.

Get pet stains out of a carpet

They look bad and smell worse, but stains from your pet’s accidents are pretty easy to remove. Here’s how to clean dog pee from carpet: Use a paper towel to blot up as much of the urine as you can. Then mix equal parts white vinegar and warm water in a spray bottle. Spritz the area to get rid of the odor. Blot this mixture with a paper towel once again.

If that doesn’t do the trick, try one of these products specially formulated for getting pet urine out of carpets.

Get blood out of a carpet

Nosebleeds, household injuries… We get it. Bloodstains are tough to avoid and even harder to get out of carpets. Thankfully, you have options.

Maker uses a mixture of two parts hydrogen peroxide and one part dish soap. Wet a cloth with the mixture; then blot the stain with it. You can also try removing bloodstains by mixing cold water and white vinegar, then soaking the stain for a few minutes before using a paper towel or microfiber cloth to blot it.

Get wine out of a carpet

This stain in particular often triggers panic, but if you’ve spilled red wine, there’s hope for your carpet yet.

To clean up a red wine stain, blot up as much as you can. Then sprinkle salt or baking powder (generously) on the stain, giving it a few minutes to settle before you vacuum it up.
Get paint out of a carpet
Craft project gone awry? It may look bleak, but paint is actually easier to remove than it sounds. This is how you get paint out of carpet: First, identify the paint. Is it oil-based or water-based? Water-based paints will be much easier to clean up since many are water-soluble.

How to deep clean your carpet

Regularly running the vacuum over your carpets is great, but that’s not going to give your carpets a just-like-new look. That’s why you need to deep clean them a few times a year.

Deep clean by hand

Using a carpet-cleaning machine is your best bet for a thorough clean. If you don’t own one and don’t want to rent one, there’s a DIY solution.

Sprinkle baking soda over the surface of your carpet.
Mix carpet shampoo (that you’ve color tested) with warm water; then add the mixture to a spray bottle.
Spray the cleaning liquid over the carpet.
Brush with a carpet brush.
Blot the area.
Spray again with warm water only.
Blot the carpet again.
Yes, it’s time-consuming, but it’s more cost effective than buying or renting a carpet-cleaning machine.

Use a carpet-cleaning machine

Carpet-cleaning machines get a bad rap for being big and bulky, but these days, there are smaller machines that can really simplify carpet cleaning. If you don’t see yourself using a carpet-cleaning machine that often (or if you don’t have the room to store it), you can rent one from your local home improvement store.
Remove furniture and anything else on the carpet.
Vacuum the area to pick up loose dirt.
Pretreat stains that will need extra attention (and remember to do a color test before using a new cleaning solution).
Choose the formula to add to your cleaning machine (Pro Max Clean and Protect will do the trick).
Start your engines! Begin in the farthest corner of the room (so you don’t get trapped mid-room surrounded by wet carpet). Pushing your cleaning attachment forward and backward with the spray button pushed down. Follow that with the same movement without the spray button pressed. Do this throughout the space until you’ve cleaned the entire carpet.
Rinse. You don’t have to, but it’s a good idea to refill your machine with warm water and repeat the process.
Let it dry. Wait four to six hours before putting your furniture back or walking on the carpet.
Hire a pro
If you’re not up for renting or buying a machine, and if a stain is really stuck on or your carpet looks like it’s on its last legs, the answer to how to clean a carpet may be to hire a pro. Professionals use detergents and steam to really get in there, and commercial machines are beasts when it comes to getting bacteria and dirt out of any pile of rug. If your home has wall-to-wall carpeting, you might want to do this once a year.

No matter how neglected or greasy you think your range might be, there’s hope. With a small investment in time and a little bit of persistence, you can get your stove back in peak condition and looking as good as new.

Step 1: Before You Start, Make It Safe

The first thing you should always do before cleaning a gas appliance is to make sure that the surfaces are completely cool and the control knobs are switched to the off position. If your model is equipped with a control lock, you should definitely take advantage of it before you start cleaning. You’re going to be removing the burner guards and scrubbing your stovetop pretty vigorously, and it’s essential that the gas doesn’t come on while you’re working.

If you have an older style range with removable knobs, just make sure everything is switched to the off position and remove the knobs so you don’t accidentally bump them while you clean.

Step 2: Let the Disassembly Begin!

Your gas stove has a few basic parts that pop right off for easy cleaning: the stove grates on top, the burner caps and the burners themselves. Start by removing the stove grates, and then take a moment to wipe up any loose food particles that are hanging around. Next, pull off all of the small caps that are protecting your burners, followed by each of the burners themselves. Set all of those items to the side on a couple of dish towels close to your sink; we’re going to deal with those later on.

Step 3: Degrease the Stove Grates

Place your stove grates in the sink and give everything a thorough soaking with a non-toxic degreaser. You can also use a concentrated dish detergent if you prefer; you might just have to scrub a little more. Leave everything to soak in the degreaser for about 15-20 minutes while you turn your attention to the stove surface.

Step 4: Degrease the Stovetop

Give your stovetop a heavy spritzing of the same degreaser or liquid soap concentration and give it a few minutes to really penetrate the greasy buildup. Use your soft scouring pad to break up any bits that are burned or stuck to the surface. As you work, take a clean paper towel and routinely wipe down the stovetop and lift out all of the grease and grime. Depending on your stove’s level of buildup, you may have to repeat the process of applying degreaser and scrubbing until your paper towels start coming up clean and free of any oil or grit.

Step 5: Combat the Baked-On Stuff

You’re likely to encounter a few places where the food is cooked on to the point where a sponge just won’t cut it. Or, you might find that there are a few little gummed up corners that are difficult to reach with your hands. For the hard-to-reach stuff, try a medium-stiff nylon scrub brush or an old toothbrush. Before you really start scrubbing away, it’s a good idea to test your brush in a discreet spot on the stove to make sure it’s not going to scratch the surface. Work your brush along with some degreaser into all of the corners and around the igniters to loosen any grime.

For areas that seem like they’ve permanently bonded themselves to the surface forever, you can try using a fresh razor blade to peel up the grime. Be extremely careful if you go this route and make sure you don’t scrape the paint. You just want to break up the surface of the burned bits so the degreaser can penetrate and loosen them up. Take your time and work gently. You might not get it 100 percent perfect, so don’t fixate on the one burned spot that won’t come off; sometimes in life it’s just good to let the little things go. Besides, we’ve got a trick further down that might help you cover up some of those blemishes.

Step 6: Give Everything a Final Polish

Once you’ve degreased and scrubbed everything, you’ll want to use some fresh paper towels and wipe off any excess degreaser. Wipe everything down until it’s dry, then using some glass cleaner and a Magic Eraser, give everything a final wipe down. The Magic Eraser will lift off any small residual bits of grease and pick up any of the degreaser residue so it won’t leave a cloudy film on your stovetop. Once your Magic Eraser comes up clean, you’re ready to move on to the next step.

Step 7: Now, About Those Parts You Removed

Now that your stove grates have had some time to marinate in the degreaser, you’ll want to give them a quick rinse with hot water to wash away the majority of the grease. After that, give the grates and your burner caps a good scrubbing with your nylon brush, and use a little soap or degreaser if you need to combat any difficult spots.

When it comes to the burners themselves, we recommend washing those in hot water while giving them a gentle scrubbing with your nylon brush. Don’t put any aggressive cleaners or solvents on your burners since they come in contact with your stove’s gas outlets. You don’t want any clogs or residual buildup that could cause ignition problems.

Once everything is clean, place your stove parts on a towel and let everything dry completely before you reassemble your stovetop.

Step 8: Reassemble and Add a Layer of Protection

Now that you’ve invested so much time getting your gas stove back into peak condition, it’s a good idea to consider adding a guard around the burners. When you’ve finished a marathon cooking session, it’ll be easier to wipe the guard down or simply replace it when the time comes. Additionally, if your stovetop is scorched beyond rescue, this is a great way to hide the unsightly surfaces.

Stove Guard Stovetop Protector

Make sure to put your stove guard in place (and remove any stickers) before you put your burners on . Then, reassemble your stove in the opposite order of disassembly. Start with replacing the burners. Don’t worry if you’ve forgotten where they go; each one is unique to its particular location and will only fit its designated spot. Top your burners off with their caps and give every burner a quick test light. Once you’re satisfied that everything is in working order, put the stove grates back on , and you’re ready to cook!

How to Interpret the Cleaning Codes

Don’t ignore the owner’s manual! Always look for information about your upholstered items. This information may be in a care pamphlet delivered with the product, or a tag is sewn into a seam, and it should tell you what it’s made out of, and how to safely clean the material. Here are some common codes found on labels:

WS: Use a mild detergent with a steam vacuum or a dry-cleaning detergent

S: Use a dry cleaner detergent only.

X: Use a vacuum only. No water.

W: You can use water to clean it.

Don’t Scrub – Start by Blotting Liquid Spills

Use an absorbent cloth to first blot at spills and moisture to quickly absorb them. This will help reduce the chance that the stain will get “rubbed in,” and it’ll help to collect the liquid that’s soaking into foam layers beneath the upholstery. The more liquid you can absorb by blotting, the less internal damage that happens to your furnishings.

Try to Steam Clean Tough Stains

You might expect that you’ll just have to live with the dirty armrests or dried spills for the duration of a seat’s existence, but steam cleaning is relatively effective at lifting embedded dirt from the fabric. You’ll probably find that your steam mop for the floors is an acceptable tool for this task – especially if it comes with a detailed cleaning attachment. Always use a low-heat setting, and test in an inconspicuous spot to make sure that the fabric doesn’t have an unexpectedly negative reaction to the heat. Do not use steam heat on the upholstery that is made of – or contains – silk.

Don’t Use Plain Water to Clean Microfiber Surfaces

Water can lead to dried watermarks and spots on microfiber upholstery. Rubbing alcohol is better for cleaning microfiber. Apply it with a spray bottle, and use a dry, clean cloth to lift the stain as it loosens.

Choose the Right Vacuum Attachment

There’s the actual rationale for using all the different vacuum attachments that came with your high-end product.

Cleaning pet fur in the home with a vacuum

The airflow attachment, for example, is the one that looks like a smaller version of your vacuum and creates airflow during use that operates the spinning brushes. It’s more gentle than the actual vacuum, smaller, which makes it easier to get into small crevices, and it does a great job at getting pet fur off upholstery because it brushes the surface while extracting the dust and debris.

The more formal upholstery brush attachment is the one that looks more like a lint brush, with softer bristles that lift dust and help to reduce pilling.

Use Caution When Applying Fabric Protectors

UV- and stain-repellent sprays can help keep upholstery looking its best and make messes easier to clean, but over-penetration of the sprays can have an adverse effect, too. Too much chemical saturation can cause stains and excessive scrubbing wear and tears on the materials. It can also cause irritation on sensitive skin or to pets who nap and play on the upholstered surface.

Avoid Fabric Softeners

Don’t confuse “softeners” with leather conditioners – you should totally be conditioning your leather upholstery. What we’re saying here is that for any washable upholstery, avoid using fabric softeners. Use “free-and-clear” detergents that don’t contain scents or dyes, and opt to line dry or dry flat, rather than putting upholstery through the dryer.

Remember to Rotate the Cushions

Avoid the dreaded butt dent and added wear to the fabric on the most sat-upon surfaces by rotating the cushions.

How to Clean Upholstery

If your upholstery can be cleaned with a water-based cleanser, you can do this with a few simple ingredients. A spray-on stain remover can be used for any tough spots, just like in washing laundry. Spray your stain remover and wait for about five minutes. While you wait, mix four parts of warm water with one part of laundry detergent. Use a rough sponge or a soft bristle brush to apply the cleaning mixture to your upholstery. Scrub along the grain of the fabric until you have lifted the dirt and stains. Use a damp, clean cloth to wipe away any remaining suds or dirt. You can leave your upholstery to dry or use a wet/dry vacuum to remove the remaining moisture.