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Candle Wax In The Carpet
With a spatula, try to remove as much as possible. Remember those paper grocery sacks? Cut one to lay
flat over the wax. Using a warm iron, work it back and forth on the paper, being careful not to let the wax
wick onto your iron. If you don’t own an iron, try a hair dryer. The wax should adhere to your paper sack.
Just lift the sack up. Some have told me a white cloth has worked in place of the paper sack. Be prepared
for a colored candle to stain your carpet, so be sure your iron is only on a warm setting.
disclaimer: try all remedies in an inconspicuous spot. None of this is guaranteed, but worth a try if the carpet
will be ruined anyway.
Red Stain In The Carpet
Use a thin white tea towel (remember those?). Wet towel and wring out. Place over the stain and using a
warm iron, steam the stain into the towel. As the towel turns red, move it around. When the towel is full of“red” rinse it out and continue. Sometimes you will have to let the carpet dry from the steam and try again. If
this still doesn’t work, then spot removers for red stains (which are still used with the above directions) will be
necessary.
disclaimer: try all remedies in an inconspicuous spot. None of this is guaranteed, but worth a try if the carpet
will be ruined anyway.
Cleaning Your Vent Hood
Most of the filters are washable. Soaking in a soapy solution never worked for me. I pop mine into the
dishwasher. It comes out looking like new! (and forces me to keep cleaning until the entire appliance is
shiny)
Watch What You Throw Into the Landfill
Mom was right. Wash out your rags and reuse them. It saves money, landfill area, and is green!
- Disposable pads on the bottom of your mop just add to the landfill. A good micro fiber mop such as Leifheit
brand can be used with or without chemicals. The mop head can be reused up to 300 times before it needs to
be replaced with a new head.
- Instead of using throwaway towels to clean your home, try micro fiber again. Not all micro fibers are equal.
Some are for dusting, some are for mirrors and glass, and some are for furniture. To prevent crosscontamination,
cleaning cloths should be changed for each chore, and for each room.
- Buy a decent vacuum – one that can be serviced. Buy break and throw into the landfill is even worse than #1
and #2 above.
Now, wasn’t that easy? And just think of all the room you just saved in the landfill!
- That new television screen, and those new glass-topped tables? They should never be vacuumed. Evan a
natural hair dust brush could scratch, and then it’s ruined. I went to the expert, David Bond at Bond’s
Television and Electronics, and he explained a few things to me. Most televisions now have LCD screens or
similar, and anything with ammonia will cause grief. He agrees they should never be vacuumed. A good LCD
screen cleaning kit is the best, but if you don’t have one then a fine micro fiber cloth only could be used. Of
course, if you are still not sure what to do, just contact him at www.bondstv.com.
- Our best trick – Use a vacuum with a bag installed. It’s cleaner, healthier, has a longer life span, holds more
dirt, and easy. After all, you line your kitchen trash can to keep the germs and mess away, and that’s not as
nasty as what’s coming off your floors!
Today, Americans are concerned, more than ever, with air quality, allergens and green
living. A healthy home is more than just a clean home. We offer the following tips in the
hope that one or two will make your home a little healthier for your family.
- Keep the broom outdoors, where it belongs. The dust is stirred into your breath zone
and can take up to 45 minutes to settle back to the ground. If you are cleaning a
non-carpeted floor (tile, wood, concrete), a canister vacuum is a much cleaner option. There are only a few uprights suitable for this kind of surface. Try before you buy is the easiest way to determine what is best for you.
- We suggest you never loan out your vacuum. Lung damaging particles, as well as
viruses can be picked up from one home and spread to another through the exhaust
of the vacuum. If you must loan your vacuum, be sure to replace all bags and filters
when it is returned.
- The bagless vacuum seems like a good idea. They don’t require bags, but they do
require filters – lots of them. Some are washable. If the filter has done it’s job this
time, it only stands to reason it will choke off and “spit” the next use, as the air
cannot move fast enough through the unit. To maintain a bagless, the dust
compartment must be emptied and cleaned every time it is used, as well as washing
all the “washable” filters. Any washed component of a vacuum should be air-dried
at least 24 hours before reassembling. Every three months, the filters should be
replaced from top to bottom. It won’t take long to see you are spending more on
filters than the vacuum cost to begin with! Wouldn’t it be easier, less expensive
and more sanitary to have a disposable bag in the vacuum?
- Our most common question: “How often should I vacuum, and when should I
change the bag?” According to the experts, you should vacuum one day per week for every human and animal that lives in the home. We realize that number can
easily be higher than seven. Realistically, we suggest no less than once a week, but
even better would be one day for each human in the home. As for changing the bag,
it depends upon the type of bag you choose for your vacuum. A low quality bag in a
low quality machine could mean every time. A high quality bag in a high quality
machine lets you fill the bag to the top. A spun fiber bag by the original equipment
manufacturer is always the best.
When you vacuum your home, you are vacuuming not only for the cleanliness of the floors,
but for the health of your family. Many of us don’t like the chore, but it is one of the most
important you perform on a regular basis. Don’t take chances with a lung-damaging
machine. The buy-break-throw-away concept is only clogging up the landfills, not
cleaning your home. Take the time needed when shopping for your next vacuum and make
it a purchase with a ten-year plan!
Here’s to a long life, high performance and easy to use vacuum for a cleaner, healthier
home.
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