Hardwood floors are often found in older homes, when floors were built from brush box, blackbutt, bluegum, Baltic pine, cypress pine, and other woods. Wood floors sometimes are hidden by carpet, so discovering hardwood can be a pleasant surprise. Carpets absorb dust, pollens, and mites, while hardwo

The presence of urine stains and odor cause frequent complaints by pet owners, and many products are marketed for their removal. Some products sold to remove pet stain odors are offered at high cost to the consumer; however, many pet owners have discovered that home remedies exist to remove problem

Many people like cooking, but the resultant mess is not always easy to clean. With the advent of scores of cleaning products on the market, we forget how to use simple tips and tricks to get stains, scorch marks and burned food off pots and pans. Pans made from different materials have different tip

If your little artist decided to decorate his toys to make them prettier, you find yourself with the dilemma of cleaning them up or having ink spread all over everything else. Removing ink from plastic toys is a simple chore with more than one way to approach the problem. The hardest part of this wh

The Bissell QuickSteamer carpet cleaner has six rows of brushes to clean dirt that is embedded in carpet and rugs. It is a light-weight machine that weighs 12 pounds and has a self-storing cord. Here's how to use your Bissell QuickSteamer.

Spills and accidents happen in every home. You drop a drink on the couch while watching TV or your child spills milk -- it happens to everyone. Waterproofing vinyl upholstery fixes these issues. When you waterproof vinyl upholstery, you can simply wipe spilled liquid off the furniture. This lead

People use water in their homes and yards daily for a variety of uses. When a problem develops with the water, such as low water pressure, the homeowner often needs to troubleshoot the source of the problem in order to possibly remedy it. While some causes of low water pressure are easily fixed by t

Fleas can infest concrete as easily as they infest our pets.concrete image by grafiker from Fotolia.comFleas are just a fact of life for many pet owners, infesting our pets, our homes, our bodies and our yards. Fleas hide in fur, hair, clothing, carpet and can even set up residence in...

When you find the right coffee pot for your taste, little can compare to that first cup of coffee in the morning. Over time, coffee residues and deposits from the water build up in the brewing components of the pot and alter the flavor of the coffee, sometimes making it bitter. Keep your coffee tast

A bench can blend in with its environment or show off some big personality with the right paint job.red bench at brick wall image by Inger Anne Hulb?|kdal from Fotolia.comMuch more than a simple seat, a bench can serve as a canvas to reflect local pride, add flowers to a garden or enliven...

When cleaning your home, you want to keep in mind the children who live there. Many cleaning products bring in harmful chemicals and vapors, as the items use toxic cleaning elements that do clean, but open the risk of ingestion of the cleaner or harmful vapors. Instead, use cleaning...

Read your owners manual before attempting to remove your vehicles gearbox.Power image by Andrew Breeden from Fotolia.comA gearbox is also referred to as a manual transmission and is known for being extremely durable. A gearbox main use is to generate power to the drive axle from the...

While many people consider oranges to be a juicy and refreshing fruit full of vitamin C, the common fruit has other uses besides consumption. The dehydration process of an orange causes it to become brittle but still maintain its nutritional value. Dried oranges can be used for spices and flavoring

Graders are used to create flat surfaces. Often, they are used in the beginning of a construction project to level the ground before building, to create or maintain roads or to remove snow. Because of their singular use per project, graders have a lot of down time. Graders can develop a significant

Creosote, a mixture of wood chips, ash and chemicals released when wood burns, builds up over time on the walls of your fireplace. This can be dangerous if left untreated. Although you can hire a professional chimney sweep to clean it out, doing so requires you to set aside a day or more, plus you i

The word potash comes from the Old Dutch word potaschen, meaning "pot ash." The term refers to a number of potassium compounds and potassium-heavy materials. Manufactured from a number of different sources, potash is most commonly used as a fertilizer or soap ingredient. You can easily make a small

Mosaic tile can be cleaned with soap and water.shell mosaic image by Chris Bibbo from Fotolia.comMosaic tiles add a special touch to an otherwise ordinary floor or wall. That being said, they also add an extra bit of work for the person charged with cleaning them. Dirt and grime can get...

Removing paint from interior concrete walls or floors requires the use of a paint stripper. Paint strippers contain toxic fumes. When working inside, you need ways of ventilating the room, and you need to use a respirator. An absorbent, such as kitty litter, will pull the paint from the porous surfa

Often used in cabins and other rustic structures, knotty pine can add a contrast to your home as well, with its dark knots embedded in the pale-colored pine wood. Since pine is a soft wood, be careful with what you use to clean your knotty pine walls. Using harsh or heavy cleaners can cause permanen

Rust is a form of corrosion. Cooking grills typically have a coating that will prevent rusting, but once that coating has been scraped off, the grill can rust. Grills that have been exposed to the elements or washed without thorough drying are more prone to rust. The right tools allow a home cook to