Laundry Care Tips
Aug 7, 2010 Maintenance
There is an enormous range of washing aids these days, but there is no common labelling code to tell you which type you are buying. The best plan is to try several brands until you find the one that suits you. Heavy duty powders are by far the most popular — the soap-based ones are suitable for soft-water regions but in a hard-water area you will require a synthetic detergent. Some contain enzymes — the so-called ‘biological’, ‘low-temperature’ and ‘all-temperature’ washing powders. These powders are especially useful for removing protein stains such as blood and perspiration, but it seems that some people may develop a rash from enzyme-based powders.
Low-foaming products are used in front-loading machines which would not function effectively with lots of suds. The word ‘automatic’ appears on the label — a few are enzyme-free but most are biological. Liquids are available.
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How to Paint Windows
Jul 5, 2010 Home Improvement, Maintenance
The first rule about windows is to paint any openable ones that are accessible to intruders as early as possible in the day so that they are dry and closable at night.
The order of painting casements and sashes should be followed closely. Do use at least two brushes – 25 and 50mm (1 and 2 in) wide – on window frames; you will find you are able to work much more quickly and accurately by matching the narrow and slightly wider brushes to relevant surface widths.
Cutting-in around glass is the slowest part of the job. However, the idea is not to keep the paint off the glass altogether, but to take a margin of the gloss coat about 2mm on to it. By doing so, you will prevent any condensation running down the glass from getting into the framework and causing it to rot.
If you have a steady hand, then you will be able to do this without smudging the glass. If you have an angled brush, it will be even easier. If you can’t keep a steady line, use masking tape or a paint shield. Should you choose tape, remove it before the gloss coat dries. If you leave it too long, as you pull away the tape it might bring some of the paint film with it.
Home Improvement Tips For Increasing Your Home Value
Jun 19, 2010 Maintenance
If you want to increase your home values, the first thing you need to remember is that you must constantly keep up with the maintenance; don’t take things for granted, because the more you postpone maintenance, the more you’ll have to do in the future. The maximum home values can be achieved by constantly maintaining and improving things, as even the smallest changes and improvements matter quite a lot for the overall value of a house.
It is better to change or repair small problems we encounter in time; first of all, because it’s much cheaper. If you avoid taking care of a small problem, saying to yourself that eventually you’ll get to it, the problem becomes bigger and it will cost you considerably more when you do get to it. Secondly, issues we avoid to handle can, in their turn, cause additional problems which could become serious and affect the value of your home. Even the slightest detail needs to be considered thoroughly when it comes to improving home value.
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Home Maintenance – Maids
Jun 19, 2009 Maintenance
Every woman dreams of having a maid – none of us like housework. In today’s fast paced lifestyle, between running the kids to and from sports and other activities, there’s sometimes little time to provide a good healthy meal AND keep the house impeccibly clean.
We’d all love to spend more time on leisure activities than cleaning the oven. Keeping up on your home maintenance to keep things clean and clutter free will not only improve your home, but your health too. Living in a cluttered environment does stress the body and mind – it’s just so easy to let the housework slip when it comes to managing your family.
Hiring a house maid these days doesn’t have to break the budget. Even if you have someone come in and tidy up just once a week – your stress level will go down and you won’t feel so overwhelmed. Most maid services will happily customize their work around your schedule and family needs. Having a merry maids come to the house to do the dusting and home cleaning will free up every woman’s precious time to spend with the family.
Tags: home maintenance, maids
