Cleaning a window unit's filter regularly during the cooling season is just as important as it is for a
central system. A window unit usually has a plastic filter that slides out of the front of the nit at the
top, side, or bottom.One some models, you have to open the front panel to lift out the filter. To clean the filter, hold it under running water in the sink or spray it with the garden hose. Make sure it's absolutely dry before you replace it.
Cleaning a small window air conditioner should be done once a year at the end of the season. Turn off your unit, unplug it, and remove it from the window. Take it outside and use a screwdriver to take the cover off the unit to clean the interior coils. Inside you'll find two coils, the evaporator coil(positioned inside the house, near the controls) and the condenser coil. Your vacuum cleaner can take care of light dirt and dust. Your garden hose will take care of heavier dirt, but this can be a little tricky, because you don't want to get the inner electrical parts wet. Place a wood block or brick under the unit to elevate the side with electrical components so the water will drip away from the
electrical housing. Then hose the coils down gently. Make sure all parts are dry before you put the air conditioner's cover back on. Clean the plastic and metal exterior of your unit with a damp cleaning cloth. As with a central air unit, don't use cleaning chemicals, brushes, or a power hose on your room unit. After cleaning, store the unit of the winter or reinstall it, putting a plastic cover over the exterior.
Cleaning a large window unit--which has an interior chassis that slides into a securely mounted cabinet--can usually be done without completely removing the chassis from the cabinet. First, unplug the unit and remove the front panel. Then pull the chassis forward out of the cabinet and place a solid support, like an old table or a sawhorse, under the front edge. You should be able to reach most of the interior parts with the chassis only partly outside the cabinet. Use a vacuum with a crevice attachment to clean the coils.
Alabaster
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As early as the 5th century B.C., thin slices of translucent alabaster were used a as windowpanes in the Middle East. But today, you're more likely to find this delicate, porous stone used for vases, urns, bowls, and figurines. Translucent varieties are used to diffuse light in light fixtures.
The safest way to clean alabaster is just to wipe the object clean with a dry, pure cotton cloth, because the stone is easy to damage. Don't soak an alabaster object in water, don't use any other cleaning chemicals, and don't use any abrasive materials.
If a piece needs more cleaning, squirt some mild dishwashing liquid into water, dip a sponge into the soapy water, and squeeze (you don't want the sponge dripping.) Sponge the water on and
rub gently. Rinse the sponge with fresh water and gently with the object again. Dry with a cotton cloth. If the alabaster is from a light fixture, let it dry at room temperature for two hours before returning it to duty. Otherwise, the heat could cause the damp alabaster to expand and crack.
expert advice
Ah, That's the Rub >
After Bob Eaton finishes cleaning an alabaster light fixture, he adds a touch that gives it a soft glow,
removes surface scratches, and provides a
protective coating. The secret is petroleum jelly. Eaton, of
Metropolitan Lighting Co. in New York City, puts a soft cloth or chamois
over his figures, dips into the petroleum jelly, and gently rubs it
into the alabaster with circular motions.
Aluminum
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Much of the aluminum that enters your life these days is extremely easy to care for.
Cleaning aluminum window and door frames is not a real problem. They are sold with a tough coating--white, primarily but sometimes bronze or brown. An all-purpose cleaner, such as Formula 409, will spiff them up nicely. But why not take care of two cleaning chores at once? Clean your windows with Winder or another glass cleaner, then wipe down the aluminum with the same stuff.
Clean aluminum siding once a year. Left to its own devices, your home's aluminum siding will degrade over time, developing a chalky feel on the surface and eventually breaking out in tiny dark
spots that can't be removed. To prevent this, clean the siding with trisodium phosphate (also called TSP), available in hardware stores, or with an item you're more likely to already have in stock--an
ordinary laundry detergent, such as Tide. Mix the trisodium phosphate with warm water, following the package directions. Be sure to wear rubber gloves and protective goggles. If you're using laundry detergent mix 1/4 cup of bleach-free powdered laundry detergent in a bucket with 2 gallons of warm water. Rub the cleaning solution on with a sponge and rinse it off with a garden hose.
Pollution-Stained Siding
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If your aluminum siding has dark streaks, they were probably caused by pollution,and there's a good chance that the steaks may not respond to TSP or laundry detergent. In that case, you can return somevigor to that tired-looking aluminum with a liquid abrasive, such as Vim Liquid Abrasive Cream. But use it very carefully, because it's an abrasive, even though a mild one. Dampen a cleaning cloth with a little water, dab on the some of the cream, and rub it into the cloth. Then rub the cloth just on the streaks, very lightly. Rinse immediately with a garden hose.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cleaning older bare aluminum, the kind sold with a mill finish, presents more of a challenge. It may have started out shiny, but it tends to oxidize from years of exposure to the air, turning it a darker gray and giving it a rough feel. To clean this old-time aluminum, apply some WD-40. (Spray it on or apply it with a cleaning rag.) Then go over the aluminum with fine steel wool (00). Move the steel wool back and forth (not in circles), and don't rub so hard that it scratches. When you're finished, wipe the oil off with a clean rag. Test this method on an inconspicuous area first. This technique will make your aluminum lighter and brighter, but the effects of oxidation can't be totally erased. If you're still not happy with the appearance of your aluminum. Consider giving it new life with a coating of latex paint. (Oil based paint won't stand up to the expansion and contraction that aluminum goes through outdoors.)
Antique Clothing
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cleaning antique clothing is an exercise in avoiding modern conveniences, which are generally too harsh for fragile fabrics. This is easy-does-it handwork.
The safest way to clean fragile garments is to give them a sponge bath. But before you start, fix any tears in the fabric--otherwise the stress of cleaning will make matters worse. Then mix a squirt
of mild detergent (such as Ivory dishwashing liquid) in 1 gallon of water and dab the solution on gently with a sponge. Rinse by sponging on clean water. Try not to get the garment sopping wet.
To remove browning or stubborn stains that don't respond to a sponge bath, treat them to a long soak. Pick up a container of a gentle sodium perborate-based whitener--Nancy's Vintage Soak
WATCH OUT
Don't take antique clothing to a regular dry cleaner. The chemicals dry cleaners use are too harsh, and their pressing techniques stress the fabric too much. If you really need professional help, find a dry cleaner that specializes in old fabrics.
is the most common brand--at a linen shop, an antique store, or on the Internet (at www.vintagesoak.com) Mix 2 or 3 tablespoons of whitener in 1 gallon of warm water. Place the
garment and the solution in a plastic tub and let it sit--don't agitate--for one to three days. Then rinse with fresh water until the rinse water comes clean. If your tap water is hard, use distilled water for rinsing instead so that minerals won't discolor the fabric.
Drying an antique garment is a delicate operation. Never wring antique fabric. Lay it flat to dry if at all possible. Be careful when moving a wet garment, especially lace or other fragile fabrics. Just the weight of the water can tear the fibers. To move the garment, lay it on a bed sheet and carry the sheet.
Storing a fragile garment also requires special care. Don't starch an antique garment before storing it. Starch attracts insects and stresses the fabric along folds. If possible, store the garment spread
out flat. If space doesn't permit flat storage, roll it up. Rolling the garment around an object isn't necessary, but if you use wood or a cardboard tube, beware--they could brown the fabric. Protect the cloth from any such material (wood drawers and cardboard boxes, for example) with sheets of acid-free tissue (available at quilt shops). Don't store your garment in a plastic bag--it needs to breathe.
RULES OF THE GAME
when cleaning antique clothing >
Antique Furniture
Appliances
central system. A window unit usually has a plastic filter that slides out of the front of the nit at the
top, side, or bottom.One some models, you have to open the front panel to lift out the filter. To clean the filter, hold it under running water in the sink or spray it with the garden hose. Make sure it's absolutely dry before you replace it.
Cleaning a small window air conditioner should be done once a year at the end of the season. Turn off your unit, unplug it, and remove it from the window. Take it outside and use a screwdriver to take the cover off the unit to clean the interior coils. Inside you'll find two coils, the evaporator coil(positioned inside the house, near the controls) and the condenser coil. Your vacuum cleaner can take care of light dirt and dust. Your garden hose will take care of heavier dirt, but this can be a little tricky, because you don't want to get the inner electrical parts wet. Place a wood block or brick under the unit to elevate the side with electrical components so the water will drip away from the
electrical housing. Then hose the coils down gently. Make sure all parts are dry before you put the air conditioner's cover back on. Clean the plastic and metal exterior of your unit with a damp cleaning cloth. As with a central air unit, don't use cleaning chemicals, brushes, or a power hose on your room unit. After cleaning, store the unit of the winter or reinstall it, putting a plastic cover over the exterior.
Cleaning a large window unit--which has an interior chassis that slides into a securely mounted cabinet--can usually be done without completely removing the chassis from the cabinet. First, unplug the unit and remove the front panel. Then pull the chassis forward out of the cabinet and place a solid support, like an old table or a sawhorse, under the front edge. You should be able to reach most of the interior parts with the chassis only partly outside the cabinet. Use a vacuum with a crevice attachment to clean the coils.
Alabaster
As early as the 5th century B.C., thin slices of translucent alabaster were used a as windowpanes in the Middle East. But today, you're more likely to find this delicate, porous stone used for vases, urns, bowls, and figurines. Translucent varieties are used to diffuse light in light fixtures.
The safest way to clean alabaster is just to wipe the object clean with a dry, pure cotton cloth, because the stone is easy to damage. Don't soak an alabaster object in water, don't use any other cleaning chemicals, and don't use any abrasive materials.
If a piece needs more cleaning, squirt some mild dishwashing liquid into water, dip a sponge into the soapy water, and squeeze (you don't want the sponge dripping.) Sponge the water on and
rub gently. Rinse the sponge with fresh water and gently with the object again. Dry with a cotton cloth. If the alabaster is from a light fixture, let it dry at room temperature for two hours before returning it to duty. Otherwise, the heat could cause the damp alabaster to expand and crack.
expert advice
Ah, That's the Rub >
After Bob Eaton finishes cleaning an alabaster light fixture, he adds a touch that gives it a soft glow,
Aluminum
Much of the aluminum that enters your life these days is extremely easy to care for.
Cleaning aluminum window and door frames is not a real problem. They are sold with a tough coating--white, primarily but sometimes bronze or brown. An all-purpose cleaner, such as Formula 409, will spiff them up nicely. But why not take care of two cleaning chores at once? Clean your windows with Winder or another glass cleaner, then wipe down the aluminum with the same stuff.
Clean aluminum siding once a year. Left to its own devices, your home's aluminum siding will degrade over time, developing a chalky feel on the surface and eventually breaking out in tiny dark
spots that can't be removed. To prevent this, clean the siding with trisodium phosphate (also called TSP), available in hardware stores, or with an item you're more likely to already have in stock--an
ordinary laundry detergent, such as Tide. Mix the trisodium phosphate with warm water, following the package directions. Be sure to wear rubber gloves and protective goggles. If you're using laundry detergent mix 1/4 cup of bleach-free powdered laundry detergent in a bucket with 2 gallons of warm water. Rub the cleaning solution on with a sponge and rinse it off with a garden hose.
Pollution-Stained Siding
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If your aluminum siding has dark streaks, they were probably caused by pollution,and there's a good chance that the steaks may not respond to TSP or laundry detergent. In that case, you can return somevigor to that tired-looking aluminum with a liquid abrasive, such as Vim Liquid Abrasive Cream. But use it very carefully, because it's an abrasive, even though a mild one. Dampen a cleaning cloth with a little water, dab on the some of the cream, and rub it into the cloth. Then rub the cloth just on the streaks, very lightly. Rinse immediately with a garden hose.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cleaning older bare aluminum, the kind sold with a mill finish, presents more of a challenge. It may have started out shiny, but it tends to oxidize from years of exposure to the air, turning it a darker gray and giving it a rough feel. To clean this old-time aluminum, apply some WD-40. (Spray it on or apply it with a cleaning rag.) Then go over the aluminum with fine steel wool (00). Move the steel wool back and forth (not in circles), and don't rub so hard that it scratches. When you're finished, wipe the oil off with a clean rag. Test this method on an inconspicuous area first. This technique will make your aluminum lighter and brighter, but the effects of oxidation can't be totally erased. If you're still not happy with the appearance of your aluminum. Consider giving it new life with a coating of latex paint. (Oil based paint won't stand up to the expansion and contraction that aluminum goes through outdoors.)
Antique Clothing
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cleaning antique clothing is an exercise in avoiding modern conveniences, which are generally too harsh for fragile fabrics. This is easy-does-it handwork.
The safest way to clean fragile garments is to give them a sponge bath. But before you start, fix any tears in the fabric--otherwise the stress of cleaning will make matters worse. Then mix a squirt
of mild detergent (such as Ivory dishwashing liquid) in 1 gallon of water and dab the solution on gently with a sponge. Rinse by sponging on clean water. Try not to get the garment sopping wet.
To remove browning or stubborn stains that don't respond to a sponge bath, treat them to a long soak. Pick up a container of a gentle sodium perborate-based whitener--Nancy's Vintage Soak
WATCH OUT
Don't take antique clothing to a regular dry cleaner. The chemicals dry cleaners use are too harsh, and their pressing techniques stress the fabric too much. If you really need professional help, find a dry cleaner that specializes in old fabrics.
is the most common brand--at a linen shop, an antique store, or on the Internet (at www.vintagesoak.com) Mix 2 or 3 tablespoons of whitener in 1 gallon of warm water. Place the
garment and the solution in a plastic tub and let it sit--don't agitate--for one to three days. Then rinse with fresh water until the rinse water comes clean. If your tap water is hard, use distilled water for rinsing instead so that minerals won't discolor the fabric.
Drying an antique garment is a delicate operation. Never wring antique fabric. Lay it flat to dry if at all possible. Be careful when moving a wet garment, especially lace or other fragile fabrics. Just the weight of the water can tear the fibers. To move the garment, lay it on a bed sheet and carry the sheet.
Storing a fragile garment also requires special care. Don't starch an antique garment before storing it. Starch attracts insects and stresses the fabric along folds. If possible, store the garment spread
out flat. If space doesn't permit flat storage, roll it up. Rolling the garment around an object isn't necessary, but if you use wood or a cardboard tube, beware--they could brown the fabric. Protect the cloth from any such material (wood drawers and cardboard boxes, for example) with sheets of acid-free tissue (available at quilt shops). Don't store your garment in a plastic bag--it needs to breathe.
RULES OF THE GAME
when cleaning antique clothing >
- Avoid regular dry cleaners.
- Mend any rips before you clean.
- Don't use your washer and dryer.
- Sponge clean.
- Never wring dry. Dry flat-not lung.
- Don't store ignored or starched.
Antique Furniture
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When cleaning antiques, less is better. Some of the cleaning methods you'd readily use on everyday furniture can ruin the look and reduce the value of an antique.
The safest approach to cleaning antiques is to limit it to simple dusting once every week or two. Wipe your antiques down with a soft, dry, nonabrasive cloth or chamois. Avoid furniture polishes--they will just leave a film that will attract more dirt, and polishing can damage the finish.
A more aggressive cleaning method might be considered if you're willing to risk it. But first make sure that the finish isn't too fragile (breaking down, separating, or in the case of veneer, lifting). If the finish is in good health, wipe it down with a slightly damp cloth and follow up immediately with a dry cloth. (Never saturate an antique with water--that would ruin even a stable finish.) If you need stronger cleaning power, mix 1 tablespoon of mild dishwashing detergent in 1 gallon of water. Dip your cloth in the solution, wring it out, and wipe the furniture down quickly. Follow up right way with a dry cloth. (Test this method first on an inconspicuous spot to make sure the finish holds up Ok.)
Waxing antique furniture is something you should do no more often than every three years--and, again, only if the finish is stable. A dark paste wax (available at hardware stores) is a good idea,
because it won't leave a whitish residue in crevices, which lighter waxes tend to do. Apply a thin coating of the paste wax with a soft cloth. Follow up right away with a clean cloth, rubbing the wax off until it's dry. (Normally, you would let the wax dry before buffing, but this technique allows you to apply a thinner coat and is friendlier to the finish, because it does not require rubbing as hard.)
If an antique has a water stain--and the item is not very valuable--you can try waxing the mark. Start by using a soft cloth to apply a paste furniture wax to the stain itself to see how much the surface darkens. Work your way outward from the stain, attempting to create a match with the surrounding surface. If your antique is valuable, however, don't attempt to fix the stain yourself. Get help from a professional restorer.
Simple Solutions
Protect Your Antiques >
When cleaning antiques, less is better. Some of the cleaning methods you'd readily use on everyday furniture can ruin the look and reduce the value of an antique.
The safest approach to cleaning antiques is to limit it to simple dusting once every week or two. Wipe your antiques down with a soft, dry, nonabrasive cloth or chamois. Avoid furniture polishes--they will just leave a film that will attract more dirt, and polishing can damage the finish.
A more aggressive cleaning method might be considered if you're willing to risk it. But first make sure that the finish isn't too fragile (breaking down, separating, or in the case of veneer, lifting). If the finish is in good health, wipe it down with a slightly damp cloth and follow up immediately with a dry cloth. (Never saturate an antique with water--that would ruin even a stable finish.) If you need stronger cleaning power, mix 1 tablespoon of mild dishwashing detergent in 1 gallon of water. Dip your cloth in the solution, wring it out, and wipe the furniture down quickly. Follow up right way with a dry cloth. (Test this method first on an inconspicuous spot to make sure the finish holds up Ok.)
Waxing antique furniture is something you should do no more often than every three years--and, again, only if the finish is stable. A dark paste wax (available at hardware stores) is a good idea,
because it won't leave a whitish residue in crevices, which lighter waxes tend to do. Apply a thin coating of the paste wax with a soft cloth. Follow up right away with a clean cloth, rubbing the wax off until it's dry. (Normally, you would let the wax dry before buffing, but this technique allows you to apply a thinner coat and is friendlier to the finish, because it does not require rubbing as hard.)
If an antique has a water stain--and the item is not very valuable--you can try waxing the mark. Start by using a soft cloth to apply a paste furniture wax to the stain itself to see how much the surface darkens. Work your way outward from the stain, attempting to create a match with the surrounding surface. If your antique is valuable, however, don't attempt to fix the stain yourself. Get help from a professional restorer.
Simple Solutions
Protect Your Antiques >
- Don't store them in a dry room. A humidity level that's comfortable for your skin will be fine for furniture as well.
- Don't store them in a room with fluctuating humidity or temperatures. Both can cause cracking.
- Keep them out of direct sunlight.
- Don't place drinks on antique furniture. Wipe up any water immediately with a dry coth.
- If a piece has gilding (gold leaf) anywhere, be extremely careful. A damp cleaning rag can wipe water-based gilding right off. Use a dry rag and a delicate touch to clean gliding.
Appliances
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To find out how to clean most appliances, look under the name of the appliances itself. Here we offer some general instructions on keeping those endlessly multiplying small appliances spick-and-span.
To clean a small electrical appliance, first unplug it--and let it cool if it's been in use recently. Most small appliances can just be wiped down with a damp cloth. If it has food splatters on the outside, mix a solution of warm water and dishwashing liquid to dip your cleaning cloth in. Keep the water and suds away from the electronics of the appliance. Never put an appliance in water unless its instructions say it's OK to clean it that way. Some appliances have washable parts that should be removed from the electronic base to make cleaning easier and safer (can openers and slow cookers, for example).
See also Coffee Grinders, Coffee Makers, Electric Grills, Food Processors Irons, Microwave Ovens, Ovens, Range Hoods, Refrigerators and Freezers, Stoves, Toaster Ovens, Toasters, Trash Compactors, Waffle Irons, and Washers and Dryers.
To find out how to clean most appliances, look under the name of the appliances itself. Here we offer some general instructions on keeping those endlessly multiplying small appliances spick-and-span.
To clean a small electrical appliance, first unplug it--and let it cool if it's been in use recently. Most small appliances can just be wiped down with a damp cloth. If it has food splatters on the outside, mix a solution of warm water and dishwashing liquid to dip your cleaning cloth in. Keep the water and suds away from the electronics of the appliance. Never put an appliance in water unless its instructions say it's OK to clean it that way. Some appliances have washable parts that should be removed from the electronic base to make cleaning easier and safer (can openers and slow cookers, for example).
See also Coffee Grinders, Coffee Makers, Electric Grills, Food Processors Irons, Microwave Ovens, Ovens, Range Hoods, Refrigerators and Freezers, Stoves, Toaster Ovens, Toasters, Trash Compactors, Waffle Irons, and Washers and Dryers.
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