Start with Baking Soda

Depending on the nature of the stain and how long it is set in the wood, the best way to eliminate the stain will vary. A new stain that has just set is often possible to remove with baking soda mixed with a small amount of water to make a paste. Let the paste sit on the new stain for a few minutes and then gently wipe away with a clean cloth. This is the best solution to deal with immediate staining from spills like wine, grape juice or coffee.

Baking soda will not work on set stains that have seeped down into the wood. It is only useful to prevent the stain from setting shortly after spills or messes occur.

Try Vinegar

Vinegar is a type of natural bleaching agent that can help remove stains if it has not set in the wood for long periods of time. In most cases, the best vinegar to clean the stain is white vinegar. Simply wipe up the mess from the floor, spray a mixture of one part vinegar and one part water on the floor and allow it to sit for a short time. Wipe away and watch the wood.

Vinegar is similar to baking soda. It is most effective when used shortly after spills to prevent the stain from setting in the wood and requiring complicated removal methods. Vinegar will not work on stains that have set for a period of time because the stain has moved past the wood sealant.

Sanding

The best way to remove stains from wood floors is through sanding away the stain. Depending on the wood, the size of the stain and how deep the stain has set into the wood, the project might be possible to manage on just the stain or it might require working on the whole floor.

When sanding the floor, start with a heavy grit sandpaper to remove the sealant. Follow up with a medium grit paper to remove any remaining sealant that was not removed by the heavy grit paper. Fine sandpaper is used after the sealant is removed to gently sand away part of the wood.

Staining and Refinishing

The last part of removing the unsightly stain is using a wood stain that matches the rest of the floor when dry and applying it to the spot. After applying two coats of the stain and allowing it to dry, coat a wood sealant over the spot. Sealant usually requires three coats, but directions and suggestions will vary.

Removing stains from wood floors usually requires sanding and refinishing. In some cases, an even look will require refinishing the entire floor.

Paint Scraper and Water

An easy way to remove that old wallpaper is to take a paint scraper and make giant X’s on the paper. When this is done and you see that you have a nice slice going take a bottle of warm water and spray it all over the old wallpaper. You really want to soak it good! Let it sit for a little while. Once you see that the paper is soaked and has absorbed the water you then take the paint scraper and proceed to scrape the old wallpaper off.

Fabric Softener

This is a little known trick that may actually work better than other well-known techniques. Dilute some fabric softener by mixing it with some warm water in a spray bottle – half and half should do fine. Shake up the contents of the bottle and proceed to spray it all over the old wallpaper. The fabric softener acts as a dis-solvent and is usually able to dissolve most of the wallpaper glue that holds the paper up. You may even be able to pull the paper down without a scraper.

Rent a Steamer

You can rent a steamer that will allow you to steam the room where the old wallpaper is located. Steamers are available to rent in several sizes so you should have no trouble finding the size that fits your need. Simply set the steamer up, steam the room for a period of time, then go back and remove the wallpaper. The steam will help loosen the glue up and should allow you to peel away the wallpaper with a little effort.

Elbow Grease

Old-fashioned elbow grease will always do the trick. Though it may take you longer doing it this way, you will have the satisfaction of knowing that you conquered that old wallpaper and you did not need any chemicals or tricks to do it.

Wallpaper removal does not have to be a hard and tedious process. Simply follow these steps and you will be well on your way to creating a new room.

The first thing you need is knowledge about mold. Mold only grows in certain conditions. Just like mushrooms, mold needs to be in a damp, humid area that is of a certain temperature, this temperature is typically between 75 and 95 degrees.

The Temperature and Humidity

As stated, the temperature and humidity levels are important parts of the molds environment, and they’re what helps it to grow effectively. So the first thing an individual trying to rid themselves of mold needs to do is bring circulation to the room that has the mold growing in it. You have three things you can use to help remedy this problem. The first is that you can start circulation by using a fan, the bigger the better. If you don’t have a fan available you can run a humidifier in the room. The humidifier will help lower the humidity level in the room, which will help prevent mold growth. If neither of those two things are options for you, you can use an air conditioner. The air conditioner will help lower the temperature in the room, which like the humidifier will help prevent mold growth.

The Problem

The next step you need to take to remove mold is to find what is causing the mold, most of the times it will be some type of leak, whether it be a pipe leaking, a hole in the wall allowing rainwater to get in, or maybe even a hole in the roof. Once you find the problem, you will need to fix it so that no more moisture can enter the area.

Wash the Wall

After you have hampered the mold growth, and fixed the issue that was causing the moisture for the mold to grow. You thoroughly need to clean the wall, removing every bit of mold on the wall. It’s recommended that you use a strong thistle scrubbing brush and hot sudsy water, either with bleach mixed in or Trisodium phosphate.

Let it Dry

After you have removed all of the mold by thoroughly cleaning the wall. You need to let the wall dry completely. Taking all the precautions you can to not leave any moisture, so that mold can’t grow again.

1. Get an appraisal of the actual car’s value – This can be done on a number of reputable online websites.

2. Decide whether to sell the car or to use it as a trade in.

Get An Appraisal Of The Car’s Value

It’s hugely important to know the value of your vehicle no matter how you choose to get rid of it. The actual value depends on the age and condition of the car. Assuming the car under finance is in resell condition, the value of the vehicle should be adequate to sell it at a good price. Use the cash from the sale to pay off financing or at the time of purchase of a new vehicle as a trade in. One tip to remember is to always know the manufacturer’s price to the dealer of any car. This gives buyers a good indication of costs added to the dealer’s price as well as bargaining advantage. The process of getting rid of a car definitely requires good planning and having accurate information at your fingertips. Therefore, knowing the actual value of the car you financed is a means of negotiating trade-in finance terms to your advantage.

Sell Or Trade In?

Selling your vehicle provides needed cash to pay off the remaining financing. If the value of the car isn’t sufficient for a full pay off, check with the GAP insurance that covers remaining balances after a car has been sold and the final finance payment has been credited to you. GAP insurance is usually part of most financing agreements for auto loans. Check your original finance documents to learn if this was included. When it comes to a trade-in, knowing your car’s value, is a bargaining edge when you purchase another vehicle. Otherwise, the dealer of the newer car may decide for you what the older car’s value may be.

Another option is to lease or rent your vehicle with option to buy. This is the least expedient method of getting rid of your financed car.

The P Trap Problem

Odors coming from sinks and washtubs are usually caused by a P Trap that is emptying or drying out. Take a look under the sink to see that part of the drainpipe that is actually “U” shaped, the way it is positioned, but is referred to as a P Trap. That little piece of pipe is supposed to hold a tiny bit of water after the sink drains to act as a seal against sewer gasses backing up into the room. If it doesn’t have any water in it, the gasses travel up the pipe into the room, and then up your nose where the yuck factor comes in.

Common causes for that little section of pipe to not have water in it are sinks that are not used often so the water in the P Trap evaporates, or plumbing systems that aren’t vented properly. The first is easy to fix by running a bit of water down the sink occasionally to refill the trap with water. That will block any gasses from the sewer from coming up into the sink. The second is a bit more involved, but not that difficult to remedy.

Installing a Vent

If the venting of the plumbing system has never been correct such as can be found in some older homes, draining a sink can create a vacuum effect caused by the water traveling down the drain. Normally a pipe that goes up through the roof will let air in behind the draining water. If that vent pipe is not there, or is clogged, this causes venting problems with the plumbing.

Sometimes sucking sounds can be heard from sinks or toilets when they are drained or flushed. This is a result of the vacuum. The proper way to fix it is to have a plumber fix the main vent pipe or pipes, but a homeowner can rectify the problem at individual sink drains by installing a one-way vent. Check your codes about doing this yourself.

After the P Trap there should be a length of pipe going into the floor or wall. This is where you would install the vent. Just get some plastic fittings including the vent that will allow you to attach it in the section of drain after the P Trap. Usually you will need a T fitting, a small piece of pipe, the vent, and some pipe glue.

Most under-sink drains can be disassembled by hand. Take a picture or draw the drain as it is before the changes. Measure the piece of pipe after the P Trap. Cut out a section the length of the T fitting minus how far the pipe will stick into the T fitting on each end (you need this length to fit pipe into the T fitting for gluing).

Cut a small piece of pipe to fit into the side part of the T fitting. Attach the vent to the end of this piece of pipe. Check to see if everything will fit before gluing. Glue according to the instructions on the adhesive product. Put it all back together hand-tight. Check for leaks with hot water.

Take a picture of your drain to the store where you will be buying the parts. You might be able to get fittings that do not require any gluing. Just use a bit of common sense, stay calm, think it through. It’s just a few pieces you are fitting together like a puzzle, and it is just a sink drain. It’s not like you are doing surgery!

The vent will allow air into the system, but won’t let fluid or gasses back out. Depending on the vent, it may have to be in a vertical position. Just ask the salesperson or read included literature.

Some Drain Odor is Sludge

Some sinks have a thick buildup of bacteria laden sludge that is in the section of the drain before the P Trap. A quick way to manage these odors is to remove the pop-up drain that most sinks have by giving it a slight twist, and pulling up. It should come loose from the rod that holds it in place with a quarter or half turn in one direction. Don’t force it. Pull up on it when it comes loose. Put it back by following these instructions in reverse.

With the pop-up drain out, use some baking soda and an old toothbrush securely taped to a wooden dowel with strong tape such as electrical tape. The dowel and toothbrush should fit in the drain and go down as far as the P Trap.

Scrub the pipe with the baking soda. Rinse with hot water. Repeat until clean enough that sludge and odor are gone. Clean the pop-up drain with the brush and baking soda as well. Reinstall the pop-up drain.

Bacterial colonies growing in the sludge buildup need to be manually removed. Using chemicals such as bleach only get the surface bacteria, but the sludge stays behind to grow new bacterial colonies.

Basement Drains Gone Bad

Many an older home has a basement drain in the middle of the floor that stinks like grandpa after he has eaten a few burritos. If you can’t afford a plumber, try a test plug. Check your codes first, and consider the risk of the drain being plugged. If there is any concern of flooding either from outside the home coming in, or a pipe that may burst, then the owner must decide whether or not to use this inexpensive fix.

A test plug is a rubber stopper with a metal back plate and wing nut assembly. The plug is meant for pressure testing new plumbing systems, but the plug also works very well to temporarily seal a basement drain. The plug can be easily removed by loosening the wing nut. A hacksaw may be needed to shorten the post where the wing nut is so that the drain cover can be replaced.

Buy a test plug of the proper diameter for the drain pipe. Press the plug into the drain. Tightening the wing nut puts pressure on the rubber washer causing it to expand outward. This expansion holds the plug in place preventing sewer gasses from backing up into the basement at this drain. A solution that works like a champ, but is not for every circumstance.

There is a lot the average person can do to rectify drain odor problems without needing to call for expensive plumbing repairs. If you have the means, then let the professionals handle it. If your are on a tighter budget, try some simple solutions such as the ones in this article to get rid of drain odor problems.

Dry Ice Can Be Effective

One of the most popular methods of getting a dent out of a car is by using dry ice. Dry ice can be purchased at most large department stores or an auto service store. The dry ice method is done by attaching the dry ice in the center of the dent. It shouldn’t take more than a minute and the dry ice will begin drawing out the dent. It may take more than one time and if it does, put the dry ice back on for a few seconds more. Note: Always use gloves when using this method. The dry ice should never touch your skin.

Dent Repair Kits

Then, there are dent repair kits. Most of these kits have what you need and come with a suction cup. These repair kits can be found at most large department stores or an auto service store. You will also need a ball-peen hammer and a dolly. The kit will have the necessary instructions and most work well with small dents.

Try a Plunger

Another, much easier way to remove a dent is by using the ordinary but effective, plunger. Place the plunger over the dent and do the same as you would if unclogging a toilet. Press in and pull out several times, until the plunger pulls out the dent. Plungers come in several different sizes, so buy one that closely fits the size of your dent.

Tapping is Sometimes a Big Help

Still another way is by tapping. Items used with this method are: a rubber mallet, an old towel or cloth and a block of wood. First, wrap the towel around the block. This needs to be done in order to prevent scratching. Then, take the block and carefully lay it on the metal – on the opposite side of the panel from the dent – and begin tapping it with the rubber mallet. The block will help to even out and spread the mallet blows. Keep tapping slowly until the dent is out and a balance occurs on the surface. Keep your blows even and given in a slow fashion.

Try a Hair Dryer and an Air Duster

Next, another way to get a dent out of a car is by using a hair dryer and an air duster. First, aim the hot air on the dent so that the surface of the dent becomes warm. Once the dent is hot, take your air duster and spray the surface of the dent, which is now warm. It is the heat that comes from the dryer and the cool, suction of the air from the duster that should help pull out the dent.

If All Else Fails…

If these methods are ineffective, then you will probably need to have an auto body shop remove the dent. They have the tools and know-how to remove stubborn dents. Some dents are so out of shape and large that they need professional care.

Scrap Yards

If you are attempting to get rid of an entire vehicle and not just specific parts which come with the vehicle, you can drop off most vehicles with a vehicle scrap yard and get money paid to you for your contribution. By giving your vehicle to one of these establishments you are giving your vehicle to a company which will take your vehicle and openly let others come in and find still usable parts within the vehicle to fix their own vehicles.
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Metal Scrap Yards

You can donate either an entire vehicle or just parts from within a vehicle to metal scrap yards by removing any non-metal materials before dropping off. Traditionally the company will pay you a flat rate for the type of metal along with the total weight of the metal which you are giving. These metals are then used by the companies to dense down and give to manufacturing companies which can use the metals to create new products.

If The Car Parts Work Sell Them

There are many internet and local sources where you can list your parts, how old they are, and how long they have been used and maybe someone who needs the product or part will contact you and offer a deal to use the part on their own vehicles. This is an easy way to dispose of car parts without having to travel away from your own home. Some sources where you can list used car parts are craigslist, e-bay, and local listings.

Give It Away

If you do not have a local establishment to sell your parts or feel the parts may not work you can always give them away to someone who may be willing to take the parts off of your hands. You can do this by putting the parts in your front door with a cardboard sign stating free across the front this way someone who passes by may stop and pick up the parts relieving you from having to dispose of the parts yourself.

If you live somewhere where you cannot just put the part in your front yard you can always contact friends or family who may be able to use the parts. Also companies such as auto repair shops may be able to give you advise where you can recycle these parts at no cost to you.

Basement & Bathroom Mildew Smells

If you are trying to remove mildew and the smell of mildew in such places as a basement or bathroom the most common and popular way of removing the smell is to take some bleach to the area that contains the smell. You will need to have a spray bottle with a concoction of one half bleach to one half water and then spray the area that you are trying to treat. Once you have sprayed the area allow to sit for a couple of minutes and follow with a bottle of nothing but water. You will then need to have a wash cloth or rag that will not be used afterward for other cleaning solutions to wipe the bleach off the wall with the pure water. Once you have rinsed the wall off with the water and wiped it allow it to sit for a couple of hours with the window’s open and doors to air the area out. This will allow the smell to be brought in of clean fresh air. Once this is done you should clean the area frequently and allow to air out on occasion. This will make the area smell much better.
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Mildew Smell on Clothes

If you have some old clothes that you have had stored for a while you can hang these clothes in the sun for a short time and allow the sun to be soaked into the clothes. You will need to have purchased some laundry detergent that is meant to treat mildew smelling clothes. Once you have placed the products into the washer place the appropriate amount of detergent into the washer and allow the clothes to wash. Do not place the clothes into the dryer. Once you have finished washing allow them to hang dry in the sun again and once they are dry remove and fold and put away or if you want to store them again allow some dryer sheets to be placed with the clothes to absorb the smell of mildew that might arise later on.

Mildew Smell in your Carpets

For the smell of mildew in your carpets you will need to have combined a solution of water and bleach. Use one part bleach to ten parts of water and insert this solution into the reservoir for a carpet cleaner and allow to soak the area that contains the most smell for 15 minutes and then go over and allow the cleaner to be cleaned. The next step is to just allow the area to air dry by opening windows and doors.

Additional Mildew Removal Methods

The last step to remove the mildew smell from a kitchen or bathroom where the drain is the culprit you will want to pour baking soda down the drain and then follow behind with vinegar. The vinegar should once it hits the baking soda start to foam up. Once this has happened allow the solution to sit over night and in the morning rinse the solution with scolding hot water. This should remove the smell and the mildew allowing for a cleaner bathroom or kitchen sink.

As you can see there is a number of ways to get rid of the smell and to get rid of the mildew and if followed these steps can prove to be a promising way to get rid of mildew and smells and can be for next to nothing with most of the ingredients being found in our homes already.

If trying to remove from a sealed wood such as a table or shelf I would suggest using a polish such as Pledge or Endust. All you need do is simply spray the cleaner on the surface or area you want cleaned then wipe with a clean cloth. You can also use a mixture of Murphy’s Oil soap and water. Follow the directions on the bottle for mixture strength, you will need something to mix it in, I prefer a bucket, then just dampen your cloth with the solution and wipe clean.
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If the wood is not sealed you will need to be a little more careful as to the product used but fingerprints are less likely to be an issue with this type of finish. But if they are present try using a warm water and mild detergent, if needed or desired. I would suggest trying an inconspicuous area before using a product that you are uncertain of, as unsealed surfaces may absorb the product and leave a stain.

As for cleaning glass or appliances with a finish other than stainless steal, I know of three methods that are great for getting rid of fingerprints. One is to use a standard window cleaner like Glass plus or any other generic formula. Spray on the area needing cleaned and wipe with a rage, paper towel or you can even use old newspapers for a lint free eco friendly finish. Another option is the use normal rubbing alcohol. Just dampen your rag and simply wipe the area clean of dust, dirt and fingerprints. The third method is for those eco conscience individuals but works well are removing the prints as well as disinfects. In a spray bottle mix one part white vinegar to one part water, spray of the surface and wipe clean, with a, rag, paper towel or newspaper. Because of the acidic nature of alcohol and vinegar there are some surfaces that you may need to avoid using these types of products on, such as some types of stone counter tops.

Please follow manufactures directions for cleaning these types of surfaces to avoid ruining the finish. As for stainless steel surfaces I would suggest using a product specifically for that type of finish to avoid any harm to the finish.

Air Dry Clothes

An electrical build up of charges is what causes static cling. You can combat this build up of charges in a moist environment as static simply can’t survive where it is damp. By air drying your clothes, you completely avoid the build-up of these charges. If you don’t like the idea of waiting so long for your clothes to dry, you can also dry your clothes in the dryer until they are mostly dry and then just remove those articles of clothing that are particularly bothersome. Be sure to hang these damp articles of clothes on a line or out flat to avoid excessive wrinkling.
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Sprays and Sheets

You’re not alone in your dislike of static cling. This is evident by the myriad of products available to you at the grocery store today. There are sheets you can add to your dryer that act as fabric softeners and remove the cling, like Bounce or Snuggle dryer sheets, available in the laundry aisle. There are also sprays you can use directly on the fabric of your clothes like Static Guard.

A quick trick if you put on a piece of clothing that is clinging to you and you have no spray is to rub a dryer sheet directly onto your pants, skirt or dress. Put an extra dryer sheet in your purse in case the static cling attacks while you’re out.

As mentioned previously, static cling can’t survive in a damp environment, so if you have a good mister on a spray bottle then mist away at your clothes to get rid of the cling (assuming your clothes can handle the water).

Home Humidifier

Perhaps a more permanent solution to getting rid of static cling in your wardrobe would be to get a home humidifier. A whole-house humidifier actually connects to the HVAC system of your home allowing the entire house to be humidified. This would prevent the build of charges that cause static cling.

By following the above tips, static cling can be easily prevented and treated. No longer do you have to worry about the embarrassing effects of clingy shirts, slacks or dresses.