How to Clean Window Drapes

Drapes and window curtains have a habit of getting very dirty and dingy. This is an ordinary and common side effect of hanging from day to day. Fortunately it isn’t too complicated taking a few minutes to clean window drapes. 

It can be a bit of a chore however, if drapes collect too much dust, or stains find their way to your drapes. If this happens you may need to take them down and stick them in the washer and dryer. There are a few other tools that come in handy when cleaning drapes. These include a handheld vacuum, garment steamer and soft brush. 

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Here are some tips for cleaning drapes simply and effectively no matter the problem you plan to approach. 

· For a simple fix, suck dust of your drapes using a handheld vacuum. This is a fast fix for dusty drapes that begin to cause a lot of sneezing. You can hold the fabric tight in one hand and vacuum with the other. You may need a step ladder to make this work if your drapes are hung particularly high. 

· Use your washing machine for fast cleaning. If sheer curtains are made from nylon, cotton or polyester, you can take them down and wash them on a gentle cycle in the washing machine. Let them dry on low for less than 20 minutes and rehang them right away so they stay wrinkle free. 

· Spot clean drapes if you find any stains. You can do this using a damp cloth. Some vinegar or upholstery cleaner will help you remove any stains that you find. Work a sponge into the fabric, allowing it to foam up rather well, and then gently wipe clean with a damp sponge. Allow your drapes to air dry. A steam iron should remove any water stains from your drapes when you are finished. 

How to Clean Window Blinds

Window blinds come wrapped in a tight space. Many common items are available that can help you clean them, including a common duster which often fits nicely into the small space between blinds. But even a duster is sometimes too big to work for the tiny blinds that are now very popular in some homes. 

If you don’t happen to have a duster, you can use common household items to clean between blinds. 

Vinegar and Sock Trick

Perhaps the most common product used to clean blinds is the vinegar and sock trick. All you need for this to work is some common white vinegar, and an old sock or a small household glove. Make sure you have a small or tightly fitted glove as this works best.

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First, place the sock or glove on your hand. Then, all you have to do is dip your fingertips or the sock tip into the container of vinegar. You can also pour a little vinegar into a bowl for sanitary purposes, and dip your fingertips into this. 

You only need a little bit of vinegar. If you get too much on your fingertips, you can squeeze out the excess. Once you have what you need, you can then run your fingertips along the inside and outside slats of your blinds. This helps to easily catch any lose dust that sits along the blinds. 

Stop every couple of blinds o rinse the dust off and add more vinegar to your fingertips. 

Vinegar is an excellent cleaning item, particularly because it is inexpensive, and it helps dissolve acids and grease. If you are working with wood blinds, be sure to avoid putting too much vinegar or any other type of cleaning product on the wood blind, as this can damage the blind and cause warping. The blind should be able to dry in just minutes after cleaning. 

What to Replace to Increase the Chances of a Successful Sale

Many factors improve your odds of a successful home sale. It is important to place your home in a good position in order to help it sell quickly and efficiently. Here are a number of factors that influence home sales. 

· Home staging. In order to sell homes, it is important to stage a home properly. Vacant homes do not sell as quickly as well staged ones. Placing furniture and artwork in a home will help it sell much faster. 

· Removing controversial items. Personal items or religious and political items may reduce a home’s odds of selling quickly. Be sure to remove these before trying to sell a home.

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· Color and accessories. Anything with color will help move a home faster, including art and candles, vases and carpets. 

· Play music. Soft music actually encourages buyers to stick around your home. This can put them in the mood to buy and feel like they are at home.

· Leave snacks or candy. Candy makes people feel good, and enhances people’s feel good endorphins. Chocolate is always a number one choice among buyers and sellers. 

· Keep your home smelling fresh. Nothing puts a buyer off faster than a home that smells old. Incorporate fresh flowers or scents and sprays that offer a natural fragrance. 

· Include before and after photos. If your home has undergone major renovations, include photographs of the work that you have done so the buyer can see the investment you have put into the home, and how much value you have added to the home. This increases the property value not just literally, but in the mind of potential buyers. 

· Keep the home tidy. This seems like common sense, but some people attempt to sell a home that has a lot of clunky furniture or other items in the way of selling a home.

How To Clean The Shower and Tub

Everyone likes to step into a sparkling clean shower and tub. Nothing is worse than stepping into a hot shower to find that the floor is covered in grime. Buildup is bound to occur however, in bathtubs and showers. This is a place that people go to get clean, so naturally grease, dirt, and other substances buildup in this area.

Hard water and other problems can also lead to dirt buildup in the bathtub. Fortunately cleaning the tub and making it sparkling fresh does not have to be a chore. In fact, you can keep your tub and shower looking fresh and clean easily, when you follow the tips outlined below.

• Rinse your shower or tub after each use. This will prevent soap and scum buildup from getting bad. Do this immediately after you use the tub or shower. 
• Make sure you use the shower head to rinse off all surfaces in your shower or tub.
• Keep spray cleaner or soap near your tub, and spray this on every other day. Spray this on, open a window or turn on the fan, and let it sit for 10 minutes.
• Come back and scrub the scum in the tub or shower from the top of the walls of the shower to the bottom. You can use a large scrubbing brush. If you do this regularly, a quick swish is all you will need to remove dirt. 
• Don’t forget to clean around the drain and faucet. 
• Run warm water from the shower head and rinse the tub and walls. If you can’t reach all of the areas that you need to, fill up a large bucket with water and pour the water over the walls throughout the shower. Make sure you rinse all of the cleaner off of the walls to prevent buildup. 

Keeping It Cool Without the Bill

With summer raging in it is important to make sure you can stay cool without running up a huge electricity bill. If you tend to rely on your air conditioning throughout the summer then you might want to reconsider your means of staying cool. There are many simple and inexpensive tips that can turn the hot summer months into a breeze.

            For starters, you might want to consider how well your home is insulated. Homes that lack proper insulation tend to stay too hot for most people to bear without an air conditioner. If you do have the air conditioning running often in your home then you will loose more air than you think due to this problem. The best thing you can do is have your home's insulation inspected each year. This is a fairly inexpensive process and can ensure you won't be throwing money out.

            If you're feeling the heat in your home then try adding tin foil to the windows. This will stop the sun from heating up your home while keeping it a little bit cooler in the home. Unplugging your electronics can also be a major help when you're trying to cool the home down. This will allow you to save on electricity while providing the home with a cooler feel. Electronics pull energy out of the sockets even when they're off, so make sure you stop the pull of energy. With the electronics all the way off you will notice a small drop in the temperature of the room.

            You don't have to go to great lengths to make your home cooler. If you really want to keep your home cooler while saving energy then try these simple tips. It might make your summer a lot better and will encourage you to find new ways to save energy throughout the year. 

Finding the Right Roofing Contractor

            We often take out roof for granted, which is why when something bad happens to an older roof then you know right away that you're going to need some major work. Of course, if you don't already have a roofing contractor then this could be one of the most time consuming parts of your repair. When choosing a contractor you should always be careful.

            Before you call anyone for a roofing quote you should really look online for some reviews. Reviews are one of the best ways to choose a roofing contractor as you will be able to find out the quality of their services before you even play on going into business with them. You should also ask friends, family and neighbors about companies they may have used in the past. Knowing is half the battle so make sure you know about a company before you call them.

            Even if you think you have the prefect contractor you should always check and make sure the company has insurance. If you have a company that is uninsured working on your home then you could be at risk for getting a whole lot of lawsuits coming your way. People that are hurt or injured on your property can end up suing you , even though they should be working with the employer. So, to insure you safety, ask for proof of insurance before you hire a contractor.

            Finally, ask how many people will be working on your home. If you have a company that is going to bring out a lot of people to get the job done then you will need to make sure there is a supervisor. The worst thing about not having a supervisor is you having to pay more money for time employees could be wasting. However, a lot of the time when a large company comes in they will have the job done in no time so you won't have to worry about more problems.

            Finding a great roofing contractor can be a major task, but when you follow these steps you can end up with a great contractor that will have you worrying a lot less. The goal is to get your roof fixed and to avoid further problems, so make sure that your contractor knows what he's doing. 

Restore Old Windows in a Hurry

            If you live in an older home chances are you might have older windows that have a wooden frame. Although these windows look nice and vintage, they can be a bit of a burden to fix if there is a problem with them.  With these small tips you will soon be able to make your home look great without having to install new windows.

            The first and most dangerous step will be removing the glass from the window. In older windows glass is secured in the wood with a putty. There are points every 6 to 8 inches that help keep the window more secure so try to put pressure in this area. It is important to push more on the putty that is attached to the wood opposed to the class because this will help you weaken the putty faster while ensuring that your safe from getting cut.

            After the glass as been removed from the window frame you will need to clear out the rest of the putty from the frame. This should be done with safety in mind because there still could be broken glass or splinters on the frame. Then you add a primer to help secure the wood and keep it looking great for much longer.

            When the primer has dried on the frame it is safe to put the new glass onto the frame.  You will need to add a new layer of putty before you do this though. All you have to do is knead the putty until it takes on the warmth of your hand. Then roll it into strings and push it into the window. Once the putty is place in correctly you can place the glass into the frame securely.

            Your new windows will look amazing and you can brag that you did all of the work on your own. Wooden windows can be a great way to help make your home look vintage and cozy, so make sure to take special care of your windows. 

About the writer : Emon Anam, Founder of the marketing firm “Weftee” is passionate about blogging.Favorite Blog : Blogs Football