How to Reduce Indoor Allergy and Asthma Triggers

There are many sources of indoor allergens known to us: pillows, mattresses, upholstered furniture, and carpets can get infested with dust mites. There are also other items and rooms in the house that can trigger allergies and asthma. Jeffrey C. May, a certified indoor air professional and author of books on indoor air quality suggests that it is very helpful to know even the unrecognized sources to be able reduce these indoor allergy and asthma triggers.

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How to Groom Your Cat

Just like humans, cats do not want to be dirty. Cats have their own ways of grooming themselves but as a pet owner, you still have to ensure that your cat stays clean at all times. Good cat grooming helps cats stay healthy, too.

Help the cat groom regularly brushing its fur. It will remove the cat’s loose hair and lessens the risk of hairballs.

Many cats have difficulty dislodging the hairballs. If the cat fails to cough out the hairballs, it may cause blockage of the intestines. Serious cases of blockages can be life threatening for a cat.

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Redefining Your Basement Purpose

Flickr image by Haydnseek

The basement has many similar attractions as the garage; regardless of how specific your intentions were for its use, these are soon overpowered by step-and-toss habits. The huge open areas of the basement attract castoffs of various shapes and sizes. It is generally accessible with its stairs, which eventually becomes a depository of items easily hidden in the shadowy corners of the basement.

Although some basements function as laundry rooms or home offices, they still turn into receptacles of unneeded or rarely used items.  Thus it becomes a dumping space.

The chief factor that determines your decision for basement remodeling is utter necessity: If you are in need of space to hold small group activities or simply for storage, consider the basement as a potential real estate. You might need a small business office and could not take it have it anywhere else.  Many homes today require a home office.  We all need a place to manage household finances, arrange family schedules, and keep our records.

If you have an unused basement, but have no place for a home office, game room, or hobby studio, check if the basement can meet that function.  Of course, you might have to clean and renovate your basement to accommodate its new role. Although this would eat up a large chunk of your time and would probably call for a removal of some (or a lot) of excess stuff, turning your basement into something more functional would be a lot better than moving or reconstructing.

One other factor to take note of as you assess the potential of your basement is its condition. When your basement flooring has dirt or rough concrete floor and rough walls, you will not want to assign a playroom there! If it contains the cesspool pump in that must run nonstop to keep the water level in check, the basement can't be used as a feasible home office space. Check for leaks and mildew problems.  If this is the case postpone your basement conversion task until you have fixed these issues.  You may need to avail basement waterproofing services.  These are among the basic considerations on planning or redefining your basement use.

© Athena Goodlight

Tips on Organizing Your Basement

Fabric Protectors and Maintenance of Fabric Upholstery

Professional carpet and upholstery cleaners may raise the subject of chemical fabric protectors. There is of course, an extra charge for such treatment, and therefore there are extra profits for the seller. If a protector was applied at the mill where the fabric is made, the fabric shouldn’t need to be retreated until it has been cleaned two or three times.

Once furniture is too soiled for vacuuming, your best bet is to hire a professional. Choose one who will evaluate the furniture and spot-test the fabric before cleaning. Make sure the company indicates, in writing, any problems anticipated during the cleaning, and apply the cleaning product in a well-lighted area so you can see how the job is going.


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Reasons To Opt For Professional Cleaning Of Upholstery

Regular vacuuming is bout the best way to keep upholstery looking fresh. But you may not be motivated to vacuum upholstered furniture often enough; dust isn’t as obvious on an armchair as it is on a tabletop. Unless upholstered furniture is vacuumed regularly, the material can become so dirty that drastic measures may become necessary.

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Easy Ways to Clean and Care for Glassware and Crystal Ware

Care for and clean your glassware and crystals easily with these tips:

Washing with care
Make crystals shine
Cleaning crystals with etchings
Cleaning bottles with small openings
Removing adhesives
Antique glass
Removing stains and scratches
Hard water stains
Glass cookware
Sparkly display

Full Article: Easy Ways to Clean and Care for Glassware and Crystal Ware

Facts About Window Cleaning Solutions

Normally, plain water can clean lightly soiled windows; but if you put off washing your windows until they’re really dirty, you’ll need something more potent. The best glass cleaner is one that works fast and removes grime with a minimum of help from you.

Are newspapers good for cleaning windows?
Over the years, there have been many opinions about which window wipers work best.

Full Article: Facts About Window Cleaning Solutions

How to Care for Silverware

If you happen to receive or inherit silverware gifts, or you just bought a set of silverware, here are some tips and reminders.

When you give your silver regular care, you minimize accumulation of tarnish so that you don't need to polish often.

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How to Remove Floor Stains

Following are other tips on removing certain stains from floors:

Full Article: How to Remove Floor Stains

Preparation Guide For Home Painting Projects

Before you brush, roll, or spray a drop of paint, there are a few other preparations that are necessary to ensure a good job with minimal effort, errors, and spattering. The precautions may seem obvious, but they are often overlooked.

Full Article: Preparation Guide For Home Painting Projects