The calendar has turned to November; the month during which we transition from fall into winter. With less sunlight, colder temperatures, and shorter days ahead for Phoenix , it's an opportune time to cross those last-minute maintenance items off your homeowner to-do list. Practicing preventive care -- both inside and outside your home -- can save thousands of dollars in repairs come later this winter. What follows is a brief checklist to get you started. For outside the home : Inspect exterior lights and outlets. Be sure that none of the outlets are cracked or broken, or have exposed wires. … [Read more...]
How To Beat The Bacteria In Your Kitchen
Within Phoenix homes, the kitchen is often the most "used" room in the house. It's a meeting place for meals, for conversation, and for family. Unfortunately, that makes it a meeting place for bacteria, as well. Along with bathrooms, kitchens are the most bacteria-heavy rooms in a home. Kitchens require a good, daily cleaning. This 4-minute interview on NBC's The Today Show shows you how to do it. Using ordinary household cleansers and some elbow grease, you'll learn : Why sponges should be out of your kitchen and why loofahs should be in How to catch and trap fruit flies that spread germs … [Read more...]
How To Clean A Water Aerator
Typically found at the tip of indoor water faucets, water aerators split a single water stream into droplets, slowing the overall water flow and reducing the degree of "splashing". Homes in Chicago with aerated faucets use up to 50% less water than homes without. However, aerated faucets can lose their effectiveness over time if they're not cleaned at least periodically. This is because aerators can collect and trap particles including minerals deposits and grit, depending on the make-up of your home's water supply. The good news is that cleaning your faucet aerator is a do-it-yourself job … [Read more...]
How to Make Your House Look Clean When Last Minute Visitors Drop By
The phone rings. It’s your relatives. They are in the area and they thought they would drop by to say hello. Is it OK if they come to visit in about 15 minutes? You say that is fine and hang up the phone, and then look around in horror at the state of your house. How will you ever make it presentable for guests at such short notice? While you might keep your house generally clean, there are always times when it is a bit cluttered or grimy. If you have last minute guests on their way and you need to make your house look tidy even when it is not, here are some quick-clean tips: Clean the … [Read more...]
How to Make Cleaning the House More Fun
The dust bunnies in the corners are starting to stare back at you, and you need to take a running jump onto your bed to make it over the mountain of dirty clothes. You forget what color the floor in the kitchen was originally under all of the dirt, and you have gotten into the habit of eating dinner straight out of the pan because all of the plates have caked on grime. You know that you need to clean the house, but you never get to the task because cleaning is so boring! Cleaning the house is certainly not as exciting as horseback riding down the beach, skydiving, or going to a music festival, … [Read more...]
