Dryer Sheets are a Must Have

Dryer Sheets are a great multi-purpose item. Don't throw them away when you're done with the laundry; I have some great alternative uses! Grimy, soapy shower? Wet a dryer sheet with hot water and clean the shower. All the scum will melt away! It works great on shower doors too! If you've got a stubborn bathtub ring, fill the tub with hot water and drop a couple of sheets in for an hour or so. The soap scum will loosen up so it will wipe away when you drain the tub! Pet hair a problem? Wipe a used dryer sheet over the area and watch the hair cling to the sheet not your clothes and furniture. Run a needle and thread through a dryer sheet before mending a button. It will prevent snags and knotting. Along those same lines, if you stuff a sock with dryer sheets and use it as a pincushion, you'll always have sharp pins and needle at the ready!

Sweep it Up

Sweeping. It's probably not something you look forward to doing, and it usually takes some time because you have to keep going over the same area. Well, there are a few things that you can do to make it much easier. Extend the life of your broom by soaking the bristles before you use it. Just fill your sink with hot salt water. Put the broom in so that all of the bristles are covered and let it soak for ten minutes or so. Then lay it on a towel to dry. Before you start sweeping, spray the bristles of your broom with furniture polish. The polish will attract the dust and dirt. This will make sweeping a cinch because you won't have to keep going over the same area. To keep dust to a minimum, wet three or four tea bags and then rip them open. Sprinkle the damp tea leaves on the floor before you start sweeping, it will make the job a lot easier! An easy way to make sure that dust doesn't stick to your dustpan is to apply some paste wax with a soft cloth. The dirt will slide right off and out of the way!

Caring for China and Crystal

With the pending holidays this week, I thought a little how to on the care of china and crystal might be in order! Extreme temperatures will weaken china and crystal. Don't put china in the microwave or fridge. If you need to store or heat something, transfer it to everyday dishes. As for crystal, never fill with ice and then add water, always pour water and add ice if needed. This will temper the crystal to the temperature change. Never let food sit on china for a long period of time the acid in foods will eat away at the glazing.Even if you think its dishwasher safe, always hand wash your china and crystal. Use warm soapy water in a sink lined with a towel or placemat. For faster drying, and a streak free shine, add a cup of white vinegar to the rinse water. When storing, always place crystal upright sitting on their stems so you don't chip the rims. As for china, put a piece of padding between pieces to prevent scratching. Use a paper towel, a piece of felt or a coffee filter. Don't be tempted to stack your china too high, a good rule of thumb is no more than five plates or two cups high. Stacked higher the weight of the upper pieces will damage those on the bottom. Happy Holidays!

Vinyl Tile Installation

Vinyl tiles are easy to care for, stand up to a lot of wear and are easy to install.
Find the center point in your room. You can use chalk lines to mark where the center intersects. After the chalk lines are down, check them to make sure that they're square.2. Lay your tiles out to map where they're going to be. Make sure that when you reach the wall you have at least half a tile to go around the outside. Then, just pick up the tiles, and you're ready to start. Pick one of the quadrants to start in, peel the backing off the tile and press it firmly into place. You want to start in the center and work your way out, staying on the chalk lines as you go. A quick tip: if you roll over the tiles with a rolling pin, you'll be sure they are even. To cut a tile, mark it with a pencil line, then use a straight edge and a utility knife to score the tile. Then, you can just snap it in two. Make sure your cut faces the outside, so the original edge will fit snugly against the other tile.

Paintbrush Care

You'll end up with a great paint job every time if you take care of your brushes, here are some easy ways to do just that! Wash your brush with warm soapy water before you start a paint job, this will rinse out loose bristles so they don't end up in the paint, then just let it dry. Or, run a comb through the brush. The loose bristles will come out in the teeth! To clean those brushes, remember latex paints will come off in warm soapy water, oil based paints need some turpentine or better yet - hot white vinegar will dissolve it! By the way, if you soak a stiff brush in hot vinegar it will soften it back up! Never rest your brush on it's bristles when cleaning it, that will ruin them. Snip apart a wire coat hanger and thread the brushes through it, place the hanger across the top of the bucket and the brushes will soak clean and last longer. Add some fabric softener to the final rinse and the brush will be nice and soft. Always remember to hang your brushes for storage to keep the bristles safe!

Stinky - Smelly

Stinky sneakers, stale carpets, musty closets, I have some ideas to help with those smelly household odors. When you're steaming vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli the odor sometimes just lingers. Well, eliminate the smell by adding a tablespoon of lemon juice to the water! Ever noticed that plastic containers take on the smell of whatever you store in them. Well, for a lingering onion or garlic odor in your plastic ware, clean and dry it well and then pop it in the freezer overnight. Odors out. This same trick works with stinky sneakers, slip them in a plastic bag and then pop them in the freezer overnight. The cold will kill the bacteria that's causing the stink! If your closets are musty, spritz some cotton balls with your favorite perfume and stash the balls in the corners of your closet, it will keep them smelling great! Musty carpets are often caused by excess moisture. Here's a one two punch for those odors, Sprinkle carpets with some scented baby powder, let it sit for a while and vacuum it up. The powder will absorb some of the moisture and the scent will linger in the air!

House of Antique Hardware

All of the knobs and handles are on at the studio house - can you say incredible! I love them! If you're looking for a really unique look and incredible quality check out www.houseofantiquehardware.com! It's just that simple!