Home & Garden Blog » Cleaning

Hangover Remedies For After New Years Clean Up

brock — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 16:00:38 +0000

It’s New Year’s Day, and you wake up on the floor of your home or apartment with jackhammers in your head and a stomach sour enough to curdle milk. Congratulations, your hard night of New Year’s Eve partying has left you with one doozy of a hangover.

You try to stand as the room gently spins around you. As the furniture flies by, you notice pizza on the floor, a mystery stain on the carpet and too many empty bottles to count. As you sit in a chair relishing the world as it stops turning, you remember that your parents are visiting in 10 hours and you have to clean. What you need is some tried and true hangover remedies to at least make you functional.

Water Water Water

There is nothing as important as hydrating your body. The headache and most of your problems are caused by severe dehydration caused by the alcohol. Head to the fridge and start drinking bottles of water…slowly. Don’t think that chugging bottle after bottle is going to make you get better faster, you’ll just end up getting sick. It will take several hours to feel better, but re-hydration works.

Vitamins and Minerals

Odds are, whatever was in your stomach from the night before is floating to the waste treatment plant via the sewers. You’re hungry and your body is starved for minerals. Even if you don’t want to eat anything, try and force some healthy foods down your gullet. Best food to eat: Pickles and canned fish. Yummy!

Avoid Caffeine At All Costs

While it may seem like a great idea to drink an energy drink to get you body moving, that’s the last thing you should do. Caffeine, like alcohol, will dehydrate you and just make the hangover worse. Instead, take a shower switching between warm and cold water to jar your body and get it moving. You have a lot of cleaning to do.

Hair of the Dog That Bit You

The old wives tale goes that if you want to alleviate the symptoms of a hangover, then drink more. While it may sound counter intuitive, it’s actually true…temporarily. Your body starts processing the new alcohol in your system, and your symptoms ease up. Instead of just taking a shot or two, drink a Bloody Mary. The tomato juice at least has some vitamins and minerals. This isn’t much a cure as a band-aid. You’ll feel better for a while, but the alcohol is still in your system.

Once your folks leave, go straight to bed and sleep it off. If you drink plenty of water and get some rest, then it should pass in a day or so.

How-To-Guide: Removing Tough Stains From Your Carpet

brock — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 19:21:21 +0000

It always seems that children or clumsy relatives have an uncanny knack for spilling every type of liquid or sauce on your carpet. It doesn’t matter if you serve everything in a spill proof cup, because somehow they will figure out how to get it on the floor.

The good news is there are ways to get these stains out of the carpet using common household materials, but the key is you have to do it quick.

Stains In General

As soon as the spill happens, grab some water and a wash cloth. Pour the water on the stain and dab it with the cloth, trying to get as much out of the carpet as possible. The one thing you NEVER want to do is rub the stained area with a washcloth. All it will do is dig the stain in deeper and possibly stain the actual carpet padding.

Red Wine

This is a common party foul. A clumsy person spills red wine on your white carpet. You knew this would happen, but couldn’t bring yourself to just pour a concrete floor. Believe it or not, but the ideal way to remove red wine is with …white wine. When the red wine spills, grab the bottle of white wine and pour it on top until the stain disappears. Dab it with a cloth and let it air dry. The stain should be gone, but I would not let your carpet drive home. It’s had way too much to drink.

Water Soluble Stains

Stains like jelly, poo, washable ink, etc. are common stains when you have children. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches tend to be launched from the hands of little ones. Children are so excited about writing and drawing that your entire house is their canvas. Simply mix a little detergent with hot water and the stains should disappear. Make sure the detergent does not contain bleach or else it could end up taking the color out of your carpet.

Commercial Cleaning Solutions

There are many types of commercial cleaning solutions on the market for removing stains, many of them use the same household ingredients as homemade stain removers. A little ammonia in water, baking soda and hydrogen peroxide and good old fashioned soap and water will take care of most stains as good, or better, than the commercial cleaners. One thing you should always do before using any type of cleaner for the first time is to use it on a inconspicuous part of the carpet. This will ensure it doesn’t have any negative effects, such as weakening or changing the color.

Carpet Cleaning: Tips to Minimize Stain Appearances Quickly

brock — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 18:36:28 +0000

Occasionally, I like to go house-hunting to see what’s out there, and if that “perfect” house is available. It’s interesting to see the various layouts and designs, but the other day I saw something that was quite shocking.

When you own carpeting, it’s understood that at some point in time there is going to be food or drink spilled on it. This is especially true if you have kids. We stock up on carpet spray and rent the Rug Doctor every few months to keep it nice and clean because of this.

The house I looked at last week had a large living room with white carpet, and smack dab in the middle was a dark stain the size of a basketball. A closer inspection found about four similar stains. I understand that there are some stains that just can’t be taken out. No amount of carpet cleaning will remove it completely, but you can definitely tone it down, especially if you get to it soon enough.

It was obvious that the only thing these people did was try and cover up a few of the stains with furniture. This is an acceptable method of concealment, but only if you cover all of the stains. At least two were right out in the middle of the living room looking at me.

You can spend hours or days turning a room into a design masterpiece, but a stain on the carpet will be the immediate focal point. Your walls could be covered in 14 carat gold fixtures and the only thing people will get from your décor is the giant stain on the floor.

The least that needs to be done is have some type of area rug placed over it. It’s quick and dirty, but it’s better than having a 10-month-old coffee stain turning your room into a disaster. When a stain happens, grab a pre-treatment spray and apply it so you can get as much out as possible.

Grab some cleaner and a rag to dab at the stain, but don’t rub it because you’ll just dig the stain into the carpet. The final touch is the carpet cleaner. I have made many stains in my carpet, and you can hardly see any of them because of quick action.

Smells Be Gone: Garbage Disposal Cleaning

brock — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 16:21:42 +0000

So, you head over to the sink to get rid of some of this evening’s dinner remnants and are suddenly hit with an odor of decay so putrid you run away screaming in terror.

Garbage disposals are meant to be self-cleaning but, occasionally, items that aren’t supposed to go in there – admit it, you put in a few chicken bones – and other items get stuck on the side and create an odor that can stink up the entire house.

The best thing you can do is clean out the disposal but – remember – safety is always the key factor. No one wants to admit they lost a finger (or two) cleaning out the garbage disposal.

Step 1: Remove Large Debris

First and foremost, turn the power off to the disposal by turning off the fuse, not the switch. You want to make sure that there is no way for the disposal to turn on while your fingers are in it. Next, pull out any large debris that may have found its way into the disposal and throw it in the garbage. It would be preferable to use a tool such as a small grabber or even a pair of pliers, just to be on the safe side. You should avoid sticking your hands and fingers into the disposal as much as possible.

Discard the garbage immediately after you are done.

Step 2: Clean the Grinders

The grinders and blades can easily accumulate food and other debris that can’t be removed by hand, so you will need to use the ice method for this. Grab some ice cubes, mix them with rock salt and throw them down the disposal (turned on) with the water running. The combination of salt, water and ice will knock off most of the debris on the blades.

Step 3: Clear the Drain

The drain may have some food debris in it as well, so the best way to clear it is with simple hot water. Plug the drain and let about four inches of hot water accumulate before removing the drain and letting it get pulled down with the garbage disposal on. This gets everything down the drain and adds a little more cleaning to the blades.

Step 4: Fresh Scent

The disposal is now clean and most of the odor should be gone, but why not leave the scene with a fresh citrus smell. Peel some oranges and lemons and throw the peels down the disposal. The acid in the peels helps to neutralize the odor and makes the disposal smell nice.

It’s generally a good idea to clean your garbage disposal about once a month. It doesn’t take very long and it can save you some hassles down the road. You should definitely clean it before any vacations or trips where you will be gone for more than a few days. That fried chicken may have tasted good on June 14, but it won’t smell so good after a week of sitting in the disposal.

Image Source: flickr.com/photos/cwinters/2794936916

Is It Time to Clean the Carpet?

brock — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 18:04:37 +0000

If there is one aspect of home maintenance that is commonly overlooked, and sometimes forgotten on purpose, it’s cleaning the carpets. For many, it is a chore they dread, but for me, it’s a Zen experience that I actually look forward to.

Your carpets get vacuumed regularly, but there is still dirt and grime that gets stamped into it that a vacuum cannot get out. This is especially true at main thoroughfares such as the front door area and dining room where people are constantly going in and out.

When should you clean your carpets? I clean mine at least once a month, but I have three children and two dogs that love to track everything in that they can. It really depends on how traveled your house is and the conditions that the rugs are exposed to. A single person or a couple with no children in an upstairs apartment may not have many problems.

A family of five in a single-family home in the wet and snowy wilderness of the Midwest may be better off just buying their own carpet cleaner. After a few weeks of mud and dirt, your carpets can look dingy. During the summer, when there isn’t much water to worry about, you may not have to clean the carpets at all.

Once you decide to clean your carpet, the next decision is whether to buy a carpet cleaner or rent one. If you only clean it a few times a year, then just rent the carpet cleaner. A Rug Doctor or other brand tends to be more powerful and hold more water than the standard commercial ones sold in stores. If you clean the carpet once a month or more, then just buy the carpet cleaner and save yourself the time and effort of renting and lugging it to and from the store.

The actual act of carpet cleaning is simple. The machine shoots out a blast of hot soapy water into the floor and a vacuum sucks it back up again along with the dirt. The one thing you need to be careful of is that these types of cleaners will leave the carpet wet when finished, so place a fan in the room to help dry. Mold can develop overtime if the carpet doesn’t dry fast enough.

When finished, the carpet looks fantastic and is about three shades brighter than it was before.

Season’s Cleanings: 4 Tips to Spruce Up Your Space

emelie — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 23:14:27 +0000

Springtime is always good for new beginnings and reinventing yourself. But most of all, it’s great for revamping your home. With so many wonderful colors and decorating themes to choose from, it’s a wonder how any of us chooses! With a few quick and creative tips from us, you’ll be well on your way to becoming the new queen of spring.

Add some color! An easy way to spruce up a room — particularly a hallway or child’s room — is with a bright ceiling. Paint your ceiling something bold, like red or yellow, but leave the walls white. The heavy hue will add warmth for the winter season and a glow for the spring, when the sunlight will reflect the color on the walls to create a natural pastel effect.
Short on cleaning time? Stick to the walls and floors. OK, so you may not have the time to label every shelf or box in your closets, but sometimes it’s the little things that do the most. By cleaning walls and floors, you make a room instantly more vibrant, and the cleanliness makes the room appear larger. For walls, stick to a simple soap and water solution. For tile or vinyl floors, try adding vinegar to water for some extra shine.
Salvage life. Use those old things you were going to toss for an impromptu flower pot! Rather than trashing that old metal lunchbox or oil can, reuse it for a homey addition to your patio or window garden. Simply cut four small drain holes in the bottom of the container. Then place your favorite potted plants into the box or can. Add some fertilized soil for consistency, and voilà! You have a rustic and natural addition to your spring collection.
Make things fresh and easy. You don’t have to scrub or spray for an added hint of spring vitality in the air. Instead, use some of those extra dryer sheets! Place one fabric softener sheet in each of your stinky shoes and leave overnight for an on-the-spot odor-reducer. Or you can replace that icky old potpourri with a couple sheets of your favorite dryer scent. It’s an instant fresh with no hassle.

Don’t stress about spring cleaning this year. Instead, take out all the guesswork. With these clever tips and a touch of your own personality, your home will be a vibrant, lively version of itself this season, and you’ll be well on your way to a new you, too!

Dealing With Cabin Fever: Scratching the Fix-It Itch

brock — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 17:47:49 +0000

The one thing about a blizzard that really annoys me isn’t the 20 inches of snow that fell and that I had to shovel out, or even the worry about the electricity going off. Rather, it’s the idea of being stuck at home for days at a time.

Many people, especially those in rural areas, are still surrounded by a 15-mile field of impenetrable snow that will take a few days of plowing to get through. When you mix that with the hours of children’s programming that you’ll be forced to watch since the kids are home from school, the result is a wicked case of cabin fever.

Suddenly, the walls are closing in on you, and you need something to do to pass the time away. Your mind immediately fixates on what you can do around the house. There are plenty of projects around the house, but you have no way of getting to the hardware store for the proper tools and accessories. It’s frustrating.

So what do you do? You may not be able to paint the living room or tile the bathroom, but there are plenty of things to do if you just look hard enough:

1. House work: What?! Mr. Fix-it doing housework? Preposterous. It’s time to get off your high horse and help get the house in ship shape again. Two to three days without leaving means that laundry and dishes will pile up, and your significant other will appreciate the help. If you organize the kids’ toy room or scrub down that bathroom sink, then you will be surprised at how fast time flies when you’re having… fun. OK, so it’s not really fun, but it will pass the time.

2. Little repairs: Is there some molding in the kitchen that’s a little loose? Is the door to the basement squeaky when opened? There are tons of little repairs that can be done around the house that don’t require special tools or accessories to complete. A can of WD-40 and a hammer can fix a multitude of little problems that have been on your mind for months. Now, you finally have the time to get it done.

3. Helping out neighbors: Odds are that you are not the only one stranded, and if you have any nearby neighbors, then you can brave the weather to see if they’re OK and if they need anything. You may have stocked up for the blizzard, but your neighbors may need food or water. Their pipes could have frozen or busted. Their furnace could have broke down. Make sure to be safe, and don’t try walking through 15 inches of snow to check on your neighbor a mile away unless you have a snowmobile or other conveyance.

There are plenty of things to do when stuck in the house during a natural disaster. The good news is that after a day or two, things should be back to normal.

Pure Essentials: The Importance of Clean Air in Your Home

brock — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 17:27:12 +0000

It’s easy to take for granted the air that you breathe in every day. Breathing is an automatic function, and unless the air is stinky or fragrant, people generally assume everything is OK.

It’s not until allergies start springing up or, in some worst cases, cancer and other life threatening illnesses caused by polluted air in your home that you sit up and take notice. The most common causes of bad air are dust and mold, but there are ways for you to make your air as clean as possible, for you and your family’s health.

1. Replace your filters. Many people don’t realize that their heating system has removable filters that must be replaced regularly. Even for people who do know there are filters, it’s easy to forget to change them, even though it should be done every three months or so. The filters don’t cost much money, and they filter out particulates in the air when your heating unit sucks in the air from the home to heat it up. Over time, the filter can become overwhelmed with dust, blocking the air from getting to the furnace. Also, the may degrade over time or be affected by moisture, causing more particulates to enter the air.

2. Use air purifiers. Just like purifiers for your faucet that keep your drinking water safe, there are also air purifiers to keep the air clean. These systems tend to be a bit expensive, but the filtering system is much better than the one on your furnace. These machines suck in the air from the home, and depending on the type of machine, filter out dust, mold and any other bad nasty things that might be floating around. These usually only take care of one or two rooms in the house, so the most common places to put them are area where people are for long periods of time such as the living room and bedrooms.

3. Get plants. Mother Nature has given us the best pollution control there is: plants. A few plants in every room will take in air and create wonderful oxygen in return. You want to have at least two plants in every room in order to make a difference. Plants are not only perfect purifiers, but they can also be an attractive part of your décor. ThisOldHouse.com has a great article on the various types of plants for purification.

Clean air is an important part of living in your home, since you are going to be spending a lot of time in it. You want it to be not only safe to live in, but also safe to breath in.

Cleanup Tips for the Home: A Holiday Aftermath

brock — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 17:38:03 +0000

Believe it or not, the months of shopping, anxiety and expectation have culminated in a few hours of frantic unwrapping, and now the only present is the bottle of red wine you and your spouse or significant other plan on drinking tonight.

With the holiday festivities at an end, it’s time to think about putting all those decorations away that you so painstakingly put out in November. The Christmas tree, the outside lights and, God help you, inflatable Christmas decorations. Here are a few tips and tricks that I have learned over the years to help make the post-holidays a little easier.

1. You can procrastinate or take your time. Just because it’s Dec. 26 does not mean everything has to come down. I have known people who are so adamant about it that they have the whole family take down decorations after opening presents. While the holiday is over, you can keep the decorations up until after New Year’s. If you really like the tree, then don’t worry about taking it down. Just redecorate it for Valentine’s Day, Easter, etc. throughout the year.

2. Roll up the lights neatly. When I first started this whole Christmas decorating thing, I was buying new outdoor lights every year. Why? I didn’t want to deal with untangling the lights. Try to roll the lights around something like a piece of plastic, so they are straight and won’t become tangled. It’s easy to forget about this when you see the hundreds if not thousands of lights you need to bring down. I have been swayed by the chore many times and created giant balls of lights that no one could untangle.

3. Deal with the real tree carefully. By now, that heavenly pine tree you picked out from a field of hundreds has become a spiny, needle-dropping conifer of death. You can’t touch it without being pricked, and every slight movement drops a new legion of needles on the floor. My best tip is to wear thick gloves to protect from the needles. Grab a large blanket or bed sheet and use it to carry out the tree. The sheet will catch most of the falling needles and make it easier to carry. If you are lucky, then your vacuum cleaner will be able to pick up the needles. If not, then wear good shoes and get ready for the long, tedious job of picking them up by hand. Just so you know, you will find pine needles for months (perhaps years) to come.

Christmas only comes once a year. Thank goodness. You know have about 10 months of normalcy before the insanity comes around again.

Image Source: flickr.com/photos/sethw/2094710078

Plumbing Help: Cleaning Up a Wet and Stinky Basement

brock — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 17:00:37 +0000

There are few things more disgusting than trying to clean up sewage in your basement. Once the yucky poo water has been transferred out of the basement, the cleanup has only just begun.

The sewage comes up from the drain and spreads outward, and anything in its path gets covered in… stuff. Cardboard boxes are ruined, as well as whatever is inside of them. If you used the basement to store any paper products as books, then they are pretty much ruined, regardless of whether or not they actually came in contact with the water.

If the moisture didn’t destroy them, then the smell will likely permeate into the pages, and your books will forever smell of poo water. You can hire professionals to take care of the mess, but that will cost you a boatload of money. If you are going to take care of it yourself, then you are going to need a boatload of garbage bags, rubber gloves, bleach and, depending on your city, garbage stickers for all the extra bags you will put out on the corner.

With the drain clear, the sewage will head back into the sewer, and everything will seep into the drain after a day or two, and then the basement will dry out quickly. You may need to wait a day or so before you can really begin the cleanup. You don’t want to be ankle deep in sewage when you are trying to clean everything up.

When the basement is mostly dry, take the rubber gloves and the garbage bags down and bag up everything that isn’t salvageable. You are going to want to get that to the curb as fast as possible and out of your house. Just be careful that the animals might try and get into it, so try to coordinate everything pretty close to your garbage day.

Once the garbage is up, take about a 30-percent-bleach and 70-percent-water solution and spray the entire basement with it. This will kill the germs and prevent mold growth, but make sure there is plenty of ventilation. When you are done, grab a hose and wash the bleach water and any residue back down into the drain. The water will dry quickly, and your basement will be as good as new.

I would suggest keeping the storage to a minimum, since the backup could happen again. The last thing you want to do is go through all of that again.

Image Source: flickr.com/photos/massdep/4563410292