Preparing your carpet for holiday guests
If you are expecting guests for the holidays, then you should be preparing your home. A lot of people take this time to replace worn or stained carpet. But if you are on a budget, try some or all of these tips and tricks for getting out the spots and making your carpets look presentable again.
Ÿ As with so many projects, start by making a list noting all of the spots and issues that you need to deal with. Then you can find a solution for each type and treat similar stains all at once.
Ÿ If the stain still is wet, dab it up with clean paper towels. Never rub a stain, just blot it.
Ÿ Before ever using any cleaner, test your carpet to make sure you won’t also remove the color. You can do this behind the couch or in a closet. Most carpets won’t fade, but you never know, so test it first.
Ÿ A mild cleaner that can be used for lots of common spills is one-quarter cup of mild liquid detergent and 1 gallon of warm water. Another mild cleaner that works on many stains is plain old club soda. You also can use a half-and-half mixture of white vinegar and water as an alternative. For mold or mildew, try lemon juice with a little salt. You’ll be surprised at what these very simple and inexpensive cleaners can do. Try them first.
Ÿ If you need to resort to stronger cleaners, don’t forget to test them in an out-of-the-way place first, and just follow the package directions.
Ÿ Carpet cleaners are another option and may be a good choice for you if you have larger areas to clean. A steam cleaner will work better and use fewer chemicals than one without steam. A home version might not work as well as the rental units but, if you clean often, it might be more practical for you.
Ÿ Don’t forget the value of throw rugs, runners or area rugs to protect high-traffic areas, and use door mats to cut down on stuff tracked in from outdoors.
Ÿ Practice before the guests arrive, because you’ll probably have more clean up to do after they leave!
Keep it in placePlastic grocery bags from the store are handy, but they sure do pile up. It#146;s best if you can find some good uses for them. We use them to line wastebaskets, but if the bag is too large, it slips down into the can every time you throw something into it. One way to prevent this is to cut a couple of slits into the side of the can, one on either side, in a spot where you can stick the handles of the bag into each slit to hold it in place. It#146;s a simple thing you can do and it works great. It will hold the bag until you are ready to remove it on trash day.Velcro helps with doorsHalloween was last month, so if your doors are closing on their own, it#146;s not a ghost or a goblin. It#146;s probably just a nuisance. One super easy way to put an end to this problem is to use Velcro. Put one piece of the magic material on the doorstop and the matching piece on the back of the door, where it will grab the piece on the doorstop. It will keep the door open when you want it open, but just a slight tug will release it so you can close the door. As an added bonus, you get that great, ripping noise that Velcro makes!Super hintsŸ You can add a convenient electrical outlet to any lamp in just a second. Just remove the existing bulb and install a screw-in socket that has an outlet on it into the bulb base. Then, just replace the bulb and you#146;ll have a new outlet right there on your bedside table or end table.Ÿ I#146;ve owned several different types of gloves through the years. One of my favorites has a clip on the side. It#146;s there to hold a knife or flashlight for diving. I have added a similar ring to my favorite work gloves. I can use this ring to clip onto the other gloves and then to my tool belt, where I need to keep them handy when I#146;m working.Ÿ Want a free energy audit? Check with your power-supply company to see if it does this. A lot do. You might be surprised what you could learn about ways to save money on your energy bills and stay comfy all year long.Q. My kitchen table is made of plastic laminate. I would like to cover it with wood veneer. Can I do it?A. It would be best to glue the wood to a wood base. As an alternative, you could install a frac14;-inch plywood sheet over the laminate and then install the veneer. If you want to try the veneer right over the laminate, just make sure to sand the gloss off the surface really well. Then, use a contact adhesive made for the veneer and apply pressure from the veneer roller to ensure a good finish to the table. It#146;s worth a shot!Q. We just put up new drapes. They have a liner, so they are heavier, and I am starting to see the rod holders coming loose. What can I do to secure them again?A. Molly bolts probably are your best bet. You can install them into the current holes as long as they are not too large. These special bolts are designed to spread out against the back side of the wall to really hold on better, and should be able to take the extra weight.Q. Our house backs up to a busy street that seems to become busier by the day. Can you suggest some ways to cut down on some of the noise without having to move?A. Upgrading windows can make a big difference, but it can be costly. You might try installing less-expensive storm windows. Even heavy drapes could help some. Add shrubs and/or a fence to block some of the sound. Make sure all wall switches and electrical outlets on outside walls are insulated. Check dampers for vents to make sure they are closing when not in use.Reader tipsŸ I have never had a real chalk line, but I made one when I needed one. I just got a piece of string and rubbed it with some chalk, and then used it to snap a chalk line for a project I was working on. It actually worked quite well. I#146;ve done it twice and, maybe one of these days, I#146;ll get a real chalk line.Ÿ My new hobby room used to be my son#146;s bedroom. He#146;s off on his own now and we converted his room (before he can move back!). I noticed a few small holes that I wanted to fill before moving in my desk. I had some more paint, so I mixed up some of it with a small amount of joint compound to patch up these small nail holes. The stuff dried, even with the paint in it, in just about 30 minutes, and you can#146;t see it at all. Now the desk is in, and I#146;m really enjoying having a home office.Ÿ We bought a plumber#146;s snake when we had a clog in our bathroom. It worked well to help us clear the clog, and I stuffed it in the garage to use later. #147;Later#148; happened last weekend when the gutters on the front of the house overflowed because of a clog. I grabbed the plumber#146;s snake and sent it up through the downspout from the ground. It pushed the clog out the top and it started flowing again. It was the first time I didn#146;t have to climb up on the roof to fix it. I#146;m glad I had it on hand.Ÿ We#146;ve always saved real wine corks. In fact, we created a backsplash for our wet bar out of the rubber corks we had amassed. We found a great use for the old, real corks. We glued them to a thin cutting board and built a frame around them with leftover wooden wall trim and filled it with clear plastic resin to create a really neat cutting board for our bar. I still have more corks, so I#146;m looking for more ideas if you have any.Ÿ I like my old canister vac, but it doesn#146;t have a light like my upright does. I added a small, magnetic flashlight to the bottom of the metal hose so I can just flip it on and see when I#146;m vacuuming in the closet or under the bed. It works great and stays on most of the time. If your hoses are plastic, I would suggest taping it in place, as it will hold better.ShoptalkŸ Minwax probably is the most highly regarded manufacturer of wood stains and finishes around, and now it has come out with something that we think is a game-changer. Minwax Wood Finishing Cloths are pre-moistened with a water-based wood stain and protective clear finish, and are available in a variety of colors. No brushes are required! They are so easy to use, and the results are amazing. The stain dries in just one hour, and cleanup is super fast with just soap and water. You get eight cloths in each package, which is enough to do about 50 square feet. Look for them at your hardware store or home center now. To find out more, you can go to their website at www.minwax.com.Ÿ Bosch has a winner in its GLM 100 C Laser Measure. The digital measuring device can be pointed at a wall to measure distance. It also calculates area and volume, and #151; if that#146;s not enough #151; it will transfer this information directly to your smartphone via Bluetooth into the Bosch Mobile App, so you can take this info with you to the home center (or workshop) along with your shopping list. Check it out at www.boschtools.com. What a super idea!Ÿ Write to Al and Kelly Carrell in care of the Daily Herald, P.O. Box 280, Arlington Heights, IL 60006 or visit the Carrells#146; website at thesuperhandyman.com.© 2013, Cowles Syndicate Inc.