Few things can transform your home as quickly and robustly as a fresh coat of paint. Rather you’re going with a new look or simply touching up worn paint, an important matter requires your attention. While paint fumes are not as unpleasantly strong as they once were, the smell can linger if you don’t take action. How do you get rid of paint smell? Are Paint Fumes Toxic? In large quantities, paint fumes are toxic. As soon as you open a can of paint, the smell hits your nose. This smell comes from VOCs, or volatile organic compounds. The smell is particularly problematic with an indoor paint pr ..read more

Kids love making slime almost as much as they love playing with it. Only three ingredients are in a slime recipe, which means creating blobs of slime is an easy project. However, once the blob is created, kids run their hands through the goo to feel the sensation across their fingertips and stretch it as far as it can go. Often, however, slime lands on clothing. While it is seemingly impossible to remove slime in the washing machine, there are some effective ways to get slime out of your clothes. What Is in Slime? The basic slime recipe includes a bottle of kids’ school glue as well as Borax ..read more

Stainless steel is an excellent heat conductor, so stainless steel pans are often preferred for cooking. While the cookware is durable and versatile, it is difficult to keep clean. The heat often discolors stainless steel. In addition, because the metal is such a good heat conductor, burnt-on food and food residue are problematic. When you know how to clean stainless steel pans the right way, you can optimize your pan’s cooking performance and longevity. What Is the Best Way to Clean a Stainless Steel Pan? Before you start cleaning a stainless steel pan, read the manufacturer’s care instructi ..read more

Chlorine bleach is a common household cleaning product, offering both whitening and disinfectant properties. It is often used to clean tile, sinks, toilets, counters and other surfaces. Chlorine bleach also is used to brighten whites and fight stains in the laundry. However, this is a harsh chemical that has negative effects on health and the environment, and it should be used with great care. While you might assume that oxygen bleach is comparable to chlorine bleach in all ways, it actually is a natural alternative that is gentler and safer to use in your home. What is Oxygen Bleach? Oxygen ..read more

Many people who take advantage of house cleaning services are unsure of the tipping etiquette. While you don’t want to insult your dedicated house cleaners if a tip is expected, you also don’t want to reward poor workmanship. House cleaners do not expect customers to tip them, but they do appreciate it. Just as other professional service providers receive tips for their efforts, many people reward their house cleaners in the same way. With a deeper look at why people tip house cleaners and how much they tip, you can feel more confident about how you show appreciation and reward great service ..read more

While your washing machine is tasked with cleaning your laundry, this important appliance is prone to developing bacterial and mold growth as well as emitting foul odors. Soap scum as well as residue from clothing fibers and fabric softener can also build up and require attention. In addition, if your home has hard water, mineral deposits are problematic. Periodically cleaning your washing machine is essential for getting cleaner clothes and preventing growths and odors in your laundry. How Often to Clean a Washing Machine Your washing machine requires regular cleaning with your other weekly ..read more

A musty smell makes your home environment unpleasant and can drive houseguests away. More than that, though, it can signify problems that require your immediate attention. Identifying the cause of home’s musty smell is an important first step, but you also need to know how to get rid of the musty smell in your house. What Causes a Musty Odor in a House? Generally, a musty smell stems from mold or mildew growth somewhere in the home. This may be in the bathroom, a stack of ignored dirty laundry, water leaks, AC system issues and even spills and stains that weren’t cleaned properly. Even when y ..read more

Memory foam mattresses are recognized for their exceptional combination of comfort and support, making them a preferred option for many people. Like other types of mattresses, though, memory foam mattresses are subject to damage from spills and stains. They can collect dust mites, dead skin cells, sweat and other undesirable elements. When you know how to clean a memory foam mattress, you can get the most life out of your bed. What’s a Memory Foam Mattress? The material used in a memory foam mattress was originally created by NASA to protect astronauts from impacts. While it is now a popular ..read more

The soap that leaves us clean and fresh unfortunately leaves behind a residue, which is known as soap scum. When this film dries on various surfaces, it gets hard and becomes difficult to clean. In fact, with some store-bought cleaning products, you could scrub furiously and barely make a dent in the soap scum. While some cleaning methods are ineffective, there are proven cleaning options for eradicating soap scum and creating the pristine surfaces that you need to see. What Is Soap Scum? In many homes, grease-based soaps are used for bathing. The fatty oils in these soaps interact with the m ..read more

Getting to the toilet when you’re about to be sick is always the goal, but things don’t always work out as intended. With pets, kids and others in the home as well, you may have to deal with vomit a time or two. Because of how dense and fibrous carpet is, the material can cling to the mess. In some cases, the vomit even penetrates through the carpet to padding. The last thing you want is for your home to smell like vomit or to have large stains on the carpet. What can you do to clean vomit out of the carpet? Why Properly Cleaning Vomit from Carpet is Important Vomit is an easily recognizable ..read more