Blown glass pieces are handcrafted by a skilled glassblower who molds the glass into different shapes, such as bowls. As with other decorative items that are exposed inside your home, blown glass pieces attract dust and dirt. Fingerprints are also transferred onto these pieces when they are handled.

Carbon steel is an iron-based metal used for kitchen and survival knives. This type of steel holds a sharp edge but requires more care than stainless steel metal. Carbon steel has more carbon content, making it harder than stainless steel, but also more prone to oxidation. Folding knives will requir

Washing machines are made to get clothing clean, but in the process, they sometimes get dirty themselves. Musty odors build up in washing machines, especially during hot, humid weather, or when the machine is used infrequently. Mildew, mold, bacteria and detergent or fabric softener residues may cau

When considering your butcher block countertop or table you have to wonder which of your kitchen appliances are safe for use on it. It helps to know what butcher block can put up with, but you also have to know your appliances. Because there are so many different brands and types of slow cookers, it

Laundry Product Reviews: Green Laundry Fabric Softeners

An odor in your refrigerator can be due to rotting food, excess moisture or mold and mildew. If you unplug a refrigerator and don't allow it to properly defrost, it will smell musty after sitting for some time. These foul odors can affect the taste of your food. You can use basic household items to

If you have recently installed a new floor or polished an existing floor, you want to keep this fresh and polished look on display for as long as possible. Using the wrong products and cleaning techniques can eat away at this polished finish, leaving the floor looking dull, aged and in need of anoth

If you have a musty-smelling house or see signs of mold or mildew damage around your home, the air you and your family are breathing might not be safe. Although mold and mildew spores are ever-present in the air, long-term concentrated exposures in the home can sometimes lead to health problems.

Being a dog owner has its fair share of disadvantages, one of which is dog hair. If your dog sheds a lot, you will likely find an abundance of dog hair in your carpet. Even though you may run your vacuum cleaner over the carpet, you will still find dog hair. The best way to remove dog hair from the

It's not that uncommon for mold to develop in basements and behind wood paneling, and the problem stems from excessive moisture that causes mold to grow on the wood paneling. The mold itself is easy enough to clean, but if it's a persistent problem, you need to reconsider your approach. There is a s

Ammonia has long been used as the base ingredient for many commercial cleaning products. Ammonia is relatively cheap and there are very few surfaces that it cannot clean effectively. Ammonia works wonders in just about every room of your home as well as on a variety of items.

Any houseproud person will tell you that cleaning is not enough. A surface needs a good polish to shine and sparkle. The Oxford Dictionary defines polishing as making smooth and shiny by rubbing. How you achieve the desired gloss depends on the material you intend to polish. What works for wood or l

Many people spend a great deal of time tending to their lawns. However, once autumn comes, the last of the leaves are raked up and the final application of fertilizer is put on the lawn most people just put the yard tools in the shed and forget about them. One of the items that is often put away and

Vinegar and water is useful for cleaning laminate or vinyl floors, tile floors and carpets. The ration of water to vinegar will vary depending on the type of floor and is different for stain removal.

Older deadbolts occasionally need replacing when they do not operate fluidly. The thumb latch on the inside of the door should easily turn in either direction to lock the Adams Rite deadbolt or to unlock it. A deadbolt locks by sliding the latch from inside the door into the doorjamb while turning t

Kids color on pretty much anything they can. At some point, you will end up with crayon on just about every imaginable surface. Fortunately removing crayon from concrete is easily done.

Steam vapor cleaners, though they look like small vacuum cleaners, are not to be confused with traditional carpet steam-cleaning machines. Often called dry steam vapor cleaners because the vapor produced is only 6 percent water, the cleaners use heat to dislodge dirt and kill dust mites and bacteri

Getting spot-free window glass is the goal of many homeowners, but traditional cleaners often leave streaks and spots. This is especially true on exterior window glass, which is often not within easy reach. The key to getting spot-free outside windows is to use the proper cleaner, which you can make

Household cleaning and maintenance take up a good deal of time for homeowners. With a full-time job and a busy life, finding ways to maintain the home more efficiently pays off in more leisure time. Window cleaning might be a necessary job but it can be one of the most time-consuming home maintenanc

While certain oils provide the body with necessary nutrients, they do not offer the same benefits to your clothes. Grease spots can make your clothing look dingy and dirty just because of the discoloration they cause. Grease soaks into fabric and can dry on the fibers if you do not deal with it imme