If you have concerns about the chemicals you are using in your home to clean with you can try out a couple of make it yourself recipes for all-purpose cleaners, floor cleaners, furniture polish, carpet spot removers, rust and mold removers. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has published a guide to make some of those recipes http://www.pca.state.mn.us/publications/w-hhw1-09.pdf
You can print off this article and cut it inhalf to share with a friend. Happy cleaning naturally done!
Lets face it we pour everything down the kitchen sink and after a while it starts to smell pretty foul. You can disinfect your sink pipe and drain by mixing a gallon of hot water with a cup of chlorine bleach and pouring the solution down the drain. If your sink is made from delicate material such as natural stone you’ll want to carefully pour it down the drain so it does not come into contact with the sink. You can also keep a sink smelling clean just by pouring several buckets of boiling water down the sink each week. After you use boiling water to cook food such as pasta or making tea, pour the boiling water down the drain and it will kill germs and flush them away.
If you did not clean your paint brush properly the last time you used latex paint it may still have paint in it and it will be stiff. To fix a stiff paint brush pour vinegar into a glass container and put it into the microwave until it is hot but not boiling. Pour the vinegar into your cleaning bucket and throughly soak just the bristles for about an hour. Wash the paint brush throughly with soap and water and your brush should be in much better shape.
Cleaning walls of spots and dirt the day before you start painting is a smart idea. When you spot clean a wall it is best to let it dry for one day before you paint. For a guide on cleaning dirty walls visit http://www.resourcefulremodeler.com/how-to-clean-dirty-walls.html
Then when painting an entire room you’ll want to take logical steps. First remove all the furniture or pile it into the center of the room and protect it with a plastic tarp or sheet. Second you’ll want to use blue painters masking tape to protect any trim from spatters or stray brush strokes. Next you’ll want to protect the floor by taping down a tarp, sheet of plastic or trash bags taped together.
Start painting the ceiling first, then paint the trim, windows and doors, then the walls. Make sure you let the paint dry in between each step so you don’t mess up the work you just did. Check the cure time on the can of paint to allow plenty of time for the paint to dry before removing painters tape and starting the next step.
Choosing the proper type of sandpaper is very important when finishing a home remodeling project. Sandpaper is measured by grit from 24 up to 1000. The grit number refers to how many grains are found per inch of paper. Each piece of sandpaper is stamped with a number on the back for easy identification. The higher the grit number the smoother the sandpaper. You’ll want to start sanding with a lower number to remove larger pieces of unwanted material and then gradually reduce to higer numbered smoother grades to produce a smooth sanded finish. Sandpaper packages are available in sets which include various grit sizes in course, medium, fine and extra fine grits.
If you are considering a energy saving project without going through the blower door test you can perform a free DIY air leak test to help you determine where the biggest leaks in your home are coming from.
Close all your doors and windows, the turn on all the exhaust fans (furnace, bathroom, kitchen, etc.). Hold a candle or incense stick near different areas in your home where hidden drafts may occur. Before you start make sure that the flame or the tip of the incense does not get near curtains or furnishings.
You’ll want to check around doors, window frames and near electrical outlets. By using this inexpensive method of testing for air infiltration you can start with the project that will have the most impact.
Starting in April 2010 contractors and remodelers are required to test paint for lead on any projects that they will be working on that are older than 1978 when lead paint was banned. Your contractor or remodeler will need to be licensed by the EPA. The EPA is scrambling to get applications processed and approved so delays of up to 90 days are not uncommon. If you have a project scheduled with a home remodeler and your project or home has not been updated since 1978 check with your remodeler to see if they have registered with the EPA. The Epa requires contractors to be certified in lead-safe work practices and training providers to be accredited by EPA. If they have not heard about the information you may want to pass this along: The application fee is $300 and the registration is good for 5 years. Contractors and remodelers can apply online www.epa.gov/oppt/lead/pubs/toolkits.htm This website contains tons of information about lead in paint for contractors and home remodelers.