Winter Safety

Jack Frost is Not Your Friend…

Unless You Know How to Keep
Ice Off Your Walkways

You are in for the adventure of a lifetime, one that may send you to the hospital. You are ready to tempt fate and walk across that tricky patch of ice by the front door. As you shuffle along, hoping that your health insurance covers long-term disability, you realize that it’s time to figure out the trick behind ice removal. Let’s explore the advantages and disadvantages of several ice-removal methods.

Salt of the Earth - Inexpensive

The most commonly-known method of melting ice is to use rock salt, also known as sodium chloride. Salt can do a great job as long as the temperature is not too cold (more about temperature in a moment) and it is fairly pet-friendly. Toss that inexpensive rock salt on your ice patch and watch as it magically creates little holes in the sparkling surface of your dangerous ice buildup. These holes help you break up the ice.

The salt-on-ice magic happens because salt lowers the freezing point of water from 32° F,

to as low as -5° F, depending on the concentration of the salt-to-water mixture (try dumping a whole bag of salt in one small area, and check it out). Salt allows the frozen water to become liquid again, especially where the sun is helping to warm the ice at the same time. However, during outdoor temperatures below 15° F, the melted water will quickly run off into the shade, and turn back into ice again.

Although using rock salt on ice is helpful with temperatures above 15° F, the resulting salt water is a corrosive liquid, and it can create holes (or pitting) in your sidewalk. Additionally, using a lot of this caustic mixture can give you a whole new problem in the spring – your lawn will hate that you have watered it all winter with salt water. You should also be cautious that your animals don’t consume a lot of this sodium chloride water, because it can cause health problems. So, what can you use instead of rock salt? Keep reading to give yourself a few other ideas.

Magnesium Chloride – Environmentally Friendly

Magnesium chloride can melt ice in temperatures down to -15° F. Fabulous, right? Unfortunately, it may cost you three times as rock salt. One benefit of magnesium chloride is it can be good for your lawn in small doses. But, it can be damaging in large doses. Additionally, large quantities can cause some damage to your concrete. It can also be dangerous if consumed by your pets.

Calcium Chloride – Pet Friendly

Calcium chloride can melt ice in temperatures as low as -25° F, and it is fast-acting. However, like many other ice melters, in large amounts it can also erode your concrete and mortar. If you decide to use calcium chloride or rock salt, it is best to clean off the area after they have done their job to avoid sidewalk damage. Fortunately, calcium chloride is purported to be more pet-friendly than rock salt or magnesium chloride.

Sand – Pet Friendly & Environmentally Friendly

Sand is the most basic and one of the most “green” products to use on a slippery ice patch.  So, why don’t most people use sand? Because, it doesn’t melt the ice, it just helps your shoes have more traction on the ice. So, the more foot traffic you have, the more grinding down of the ice you will have, and this may work well enough if your ice patch is thin. But, don’t expect to see the same results as rock salt in both good and bad ways; sand is not bad for the lawn and concrete, but not good at melting ice.

Other De-Icers

Large hardware stores carry a variety of de-icers. Some of these ice-melting products use ingredients that won’t erode your pavement, and/or are more environmentally friendly.  However, as expected, the more “friendly” they are to pavement, pets, and lawns, the more they will cost.

What to Choose

In conclusion, you have many ways to keep ice buildup under control. To decide, use your favorite search engine to browse for the best product to meet your needs, whether your needs are to have something pet-friendly, lawn-friendly, or wallet-friendly. Or, browse through the brains of your favorite local know-it-all to see what is useful in your area’s weather conditions.

Aladdin’s Quandary: How Do I Clean My Flying Carpet?

The holidays are over and spring cleanup is just beginning. Now that it is a new year, you are ready to re-arrange the furniture to give your living room a new look. After moving the couch, you realize that your mother-in-law and her favorite dog have left you a reminder of their three-week stay.

There are many choices in home flooring, but nothing is cozier than a thick carpet on your floors. Unfortunately, carpet (including flying, and non-airborne area rugs) are high-maintenance. With this in mind, you may find yourself asking: “How do I get stains out of my carpet, and how often do I need to do a deep cleaning?”

Daily Cleaning

Deep cleaning your carpet is important, but there are simple steps that to keep your carpet looking its best between the times you do a deep cleaning. No, you don’t have to go purchase a copy of Carpet Cleaning Tips for Dummies (trust me, that really is the name of a book). Some of the best methods for keeping your carpet looking cleaner, longer, are listed below. First, the disclaimer: When using any method to clean your carpet, be sure to test any cleaner on a hidden spot of your carpet to be certain that the carpet is color-fast enough to tolerate the treatment.

1.       This sucks! 

Vacuum the high-traffic areas frequently – daily, if possible. I know that seems like a lot of work, but if you add a few Zumba dance steps to your vacuuming routine, you will be able to check “exercise daily” off your to-do list. Vacuuming daily will keep the dirt from making its way down into the carpet fibers. Bits of dirt can not only make your carpet look grimy, they damage the fibers due to friction. This damage will make your carpet look “flattened” at a faster rate.

2.       These boots are made for walking.

Ok, there aren’t many of us who remember Nancy Sinatra’s original song (and if you do, I’ll bet her song will be stuck in your head for the rest of the day). If you have just come home from the movie theater, the bottoms of your boots have collected sticky soda residue, crushed Nerds, and… wait… I hope that is just a Raisinet! So, the best option is to remove your boots when you come into the house…unless you have horrible foot odor. Then, just place a rough-surface mat outside of your door, and a floor mat inside your door, and be sure to rub your boots vigorously on both.

3.       You lie like a rug!

Okay, I don’t know you well enough to say that, but to keep high-traffic areas clean, an attractive (but inexpensive) hall rug can make a big difference. This is especially true when morning rush hour comes, and the kids are jumping out of the shower, walking with their wet feet down the hall, and Fido runs after them, cleaning the Raisinets off his paws with the help of the wet carpet. It’s cheaper and easier to clean a hall rug, than a permanently-fixed carpet. 

4.       Who dunnit?

When you see a new stain or dirty area on the carpet, try to get the guilty party to clean it up as soon as possible. Yes, I’m kidding. No-One did it, and he’s not about to volunteer. So, it’s left up to you.  Try to have a carpet spot cleaner always ready to use, and apply it as soon as you can, following the directions. NOTE: If the “spot” contains large particles, use a dull knife, a pancake turner, or something similar to scrape up as much of the crunchy mess as possible. Depending on the origin of the “crunchy,” you can use the vacuum to pick up the particles that you have scraped off the carpet. Then, use the spot cleaner. Cleaning up any carpet mess as soon as possible will help prevent permanent stains.

5.       Are you kidding me? You missed the bucket!

If the new stain is wet and gooey, and food poisoning is the instigator of the mess, you probably won’t ask the victim to scrape up the disaster. But, if you equip yourself with a clothespin for your nose, a strong constitution, paper towels, a pair of gloves, a spray bottle of soapy water, a plastic trash sack, and a thin-edged plastic cup (one that you never want to use again), you will find that cleaning up gooey, wet, and/or disgusting messes is not as hard as you think.

For large piles of “yucky,” apply your clothespin to your nose (as needed), apply your gloves, and grab several sheets of paper towels. Place the towels on top, and use your hands like a set of salad forks, and scoop under the pile, while capturing the lump with the paper towel. Place the treasure into the plastic bag, and repeat, until the majority of the chunks are gone. If you need to, bring out your pancake turner to scrape up as many of the leftover chunks as possible. Now, use the thin-edged cup and scrape down deep into the carpet, scooping up the liquid leftovers, and pour them into the trash bag. Once you have removed as much of the liquid as possible, spray the area with the soap and water mixture, and remove the soapy water using the same trick with the plastic cup. Dig down deep into the carpet to remove as much of the smelly mess as possible. Then, either break out the carpet stain remover, or if needed, get out your do-it-yourself mechanical carpet cleaner.

When you are done, use a rag to blot the area to dry it out. If the carpet is not a sensitive, temperamental thing, you might even be able to get away with some vigorous rag rubbing to speed the drying process.

Deep Cleaning

Deep cleaning your carpet the right way is important, but there is much debate regarding the “who” and the “how.” Most homes that have real people living in them will need the carpets cleaned approximately every 12 months. If you live in a zoo (my good friend has 14 kids, a ferret, a dog, and a few snakes), you might need to clean your carpet more often, especially in the high-traffic areas. So, how do you accomplish this task? Most carpet manufacturers have recommended methods listed on their web sites, and some even go so far as to tell you what vacuum to buy.  Some will also recommend a particular do-it-yourself (DIY) carpet cleaner. So, which way should you go?

1.       I can do anything better than you!

If you do decide to invest in a do-it-yourself cleaner, ask Mr. Google to show you some sites that have reviews on cleaners. (Sidenote: You can also find a reference to the song that makes up the title for this section – you’ll thank me for it, because this song is more fun than These Boots Are Made For Walking). However, when doing your research, you may find that Amazon.com has a lot of DIY carpet cleaners. (Relax, Ebay addicts, I am not promoting any business.) The important part about Amazon is they have customer reviews by the boatload. Many of us think we are brilliant enough to give other people advice (while some of us KNOW we are), and these reviews can be really helpful.

When you search for “carpet cleaners” on Amazon, you can organize your search by the cleaners with the greatest number of positive reviews. Be sure to read a few of the “I like it” reviews and some of the “I didn’t like it” reviews. You may find that the person who didn’t like a particular carpet cleaner has a good point in discussing an issue that means a lot to you (for instance, if you object to cleaners that don’t have enough suction to dry the carpets, you will probably hear about it in the complaint section). Remember, just because you did your research on Amazon, it doesn’t mean you have to purchase your cleaner from Amazon…I promise, they won’t track you down and throw eggs at your house if you shamelessly “use” them in this way.

2.       I’ll be back!

If you are the type of person who realizes that you don’t have the time, energy, or desire to spend a day cleaning your own carpets, hire someone else to do it, and go sit on a deck chair until the fun is over. Most carpet cleaning companies will clean all your carpets within a two-hour time frame, and frankly, most of them have equipment that can suck more of the cleaning fluid out of your carpet, leaving your carpets dryer, faster. Unfortunately, the cost will be close to the cost of purchasing your own DIY machine. However, you might decide to have someone clean all the carpets, and still invest in a DIY machine. It is a good idea to have a DIY machine for those times when the stain has to come out NOW.

The type of cleaning fluid used by commercial companies vary, and it is best to follow your carpet manufacturer’s recommendation. Otherwise…use Google to decide what is most important to you… cost, the time it takes to get an appointment, how “green” a commercial company’s product is to the environment, and so forth. Or, be resourceful, and ask your neighbors. They will likely have strong opinions, and with enough recommendations, you will likely find a good company.

The Final Word – Finally!

When it is time to clean those expensive Aladdin rugs (a.k.a. area rugs), it is best to use a professional cleaner. The fabric, durability of the weave, and the color-fastness of the dye can cause you a world of heartache if you try to do it yourself, and fail. Besides, you paid the price for the rug… treat it right.

So, you now have a “whole new world” of choices when cleaning your carpets. Choose well, do your research, and happy flying!

Kitchen Cleanup - Super Bowl Aftermath

The big game has come and gone, and you have survived hosting the family Super Bowl fiesta. Buffalo wing sauce is splattered all over the inside of the oven, and home-made tortilla chips have spread a tacky residue of oil within a three-foot radius of the tortilla frying pan. Let’s not forget that during the pre-game show, Uncle Emmet cried out “Great Scott!” as he tossed a football to little Marty, followed by a fumble, and a flag on the play as the hot pan of nacho cheese was dumped all over the front burner, creating a blackened crust around burner grate on your gas stove.

Your team may have won, but you know that you are the big looser as you survey the disaster you call your kitchen. Even your little toaster oven, used to heat up the frozen meatballs, has you thinking that you long-awaited kitchen remodel might be worth the cost, so you can avoid the disaster cleanup. However, if you would rather save your money, and go on that luxury cruise, you are in luck! There are a few simple and very effective ways to handle this kitchen crisis.

Oven and/or Toaster Oven

First of all… is your oven self-cleaning? If so, that is one nasty job that can be taken care of with the turn of a dial, about 4 hours of waiting, and 1.21 gigawatts of power. However, if you don’t have a self-cleaning oven (many apartments don’t) and/or you have a dirty little toaster oven, you must face this potentially unpleasant task.

Commercial Products:

Fortunately, cleaning experts like those as Johnson & Johnson have created a cold-oven spray foam that will break up the baked-on residue of the inside of your oven in about 30 minutes. CAUTION: Please read ALL of the instructions carefully, and recognize that if you have respiratory problems, you are better off using the Make-It-Yourself method in this article.

To use a cold-oven cleaner, you need to wear plastic gloves, cover your arms, and avoid the fumes, when you are applying the foam, and when you are removing the foaming cleaning bubbles. Additionally, on electric ovens (including toaster ovens), the instruction tell you to avoid getting the foam on the heating element.

Make-It-Yourself Products:

A good alternate method to the foam cleaners has been discovered by brave explorers who value their epidermis (skin) and respiratory system (lungs). The following items are needed for your Do-It-Yourself (DIY) oven-cleaning paste for the regular oven, or the toaster oven, which works wonderfully, and smells great at the same time. You will need:

1.       Baking soda (10 tablespoons)

2.       Vinegar (4 tablespoons)

3.       A squirt of quality dishwashing soap (not dishwasher soap, please)

4.       One lemon

5.       A sponge with one abrasive side

6.       A pair of gloves (wet baking soda can dry out your skin)

7.       Paper towels

8.       Your favorite all-purpose cleaner

Remove your oven racks (of course, your oven should be cold). Mix the first three items together in a bowl (you should have a runny paste). Put on your gloves, and use the soft-side of the sponge to spread the paste all around the inside of the oven, including the door. If the paste is too runny, add more baking soda, as needed (but don't go overboard). Allow the paste to sit in the oven overnight. 

The next day, cut the lemon in half, and use the lemon to scrub the inside surface of the oven, which will moisten the baking soda, and help the cleaning effect as well. Moisten the sponge, and scrub the inside of the oven with the abrasive side (assuming your oven manufacturer allows cleaning with an abrasive pad). Rinse off the sponge periodically. The blackened food will come off quite easily. Moisten some paper towels, wipe off the remaining baking soda residue. If needed, use your favorite all-purpose cleaner to shine up the inside of the oven, or use a clean sponge with straight vinegar. HINT: After doing all this cleanup (if you have an electric oven), you can place a couple of strips of aluminum foil UNDERNEATH the bottom heating element. This will catch future spills, and reduce the number of times you have to clean your oven.

Burner Grates

The part of the stovetop that covers a gas burner is called the burner grate. When these get covered in cooked-on food, they can be difficult to clean. You can put them in your dishwasher, but all you will find at the end of the washer cycle is dishwasher-sanitized baked-on food. However, there is an amazingly easy way to clean these grates. This is what you will need:

1.       Four 1-gallon, freezer, Ziplock bags (or some other brand of zipper-type baggie)

2.       About one cup of ammonia (Caution: If you have respiratory problems, and if short exposure to ammonia will cause you health problems, please do not used this cleaning method. You may just have to live with dirty grates, or bribe someone else to use this cleaning method).

3.       One sponge, with one abrasive side

Put each burner grate into its own zipper bag. Hold your breath (safely) and pour about ¼ cup of stinky ammonia into a bag, and quickly zip it closed, securely. Repeat for the other three burner grates. Let the grates sit in their ammonia spa overnight. The next day, quickly open a baggie, and pour the ammonia down the drain. Rinse the baggie and zip it close to reduce the odor. Use the abrasive side of the sponge to scrub off the grate, and “Hallelujah!” The baked on gunk has succumbed to the overnight ammonia spa treatment, and the grate will clean easily.

A Sticky Situation Handled Nicely

Now, for the tacky oil residue that has covered the surface of your range top, the burner dials, the range hood, and anything else that is within the reach of hot, splattering grease. If you are like most people, the grease cleanup has waited a little too long, and now the grease has turned into something that resembles clear tar. Even if you are an amazing person (or a little OCD) and clean up as soon as you are done cooking, you will likely find some spots later where the oil has collected, which resists most cleaning solutions. Here is your miracle cure: Mineral oil. Yep. You know, the stuff you rubbed on your baby to keep the baby’s skin soft? That’s the stuff. Interestingly enough, if you rub mineral oil on the stuck-tight oil on your stove, it seems to re-hydrate the old oil splatter, and you can gently rub the area to clean up the old splatters. Then, use your favorite all-purpose cleaner to remove the slippery oil from the surface of your range, and you are done.  It’s that easy.

So, whether your team won or lost at the Super Bowl, you can have an award-winning experience cleaning up.