To get rid of hard water entirely. consider installing a water-softening system. These systems typically treat the water with sodium, which trade places with the calcium and magnesium particles in the water. But to properly address all of the minerals in the water--including manganese (brown-black stains) and iron (reddish-brown stains)--your water-softening system has to be customized to fit the water in your area.
what's the state of Your Water?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New England, the southern Atlantic Coast-Gulf Coast region, the Pacific Northwest, and Hawaii generally have the softest water in the United States. Many of the rivers in Tennessee, the pacific Northwest, Alaska, and the Great Lakes region have moderately hard water. Just about every region of the United states has some streams with hard or very hard water. The hardest water in the United States, with more than 1,000 milligrams of minerals per liter,is found in some streams in Texas, New Mexico, Kansas, Arizona, and Southern Calfornia.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hats
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hats aren't just pieces of clothing that happen to sit atop your head.
They're made from a wide variety of materials,
and the methods you use to clean your-T-shirts don't apply.
To keep a fur, felt, velour, or beaver hat clean, regularly brush the dust and dirt from the surface with a nylon or horsehair brush.
It's important for a hat to be dust free because if the hat gets wet, the dust will be harder to eliminate. With fur and felt hats, always brush with the nap (in the direction of the material) and use separate brushes of light and dark hats. You can often refresh a tired felt hat by holding it over steaming water for a second or two and brushing with the nap. To deal with more extensive stains or soiling, take your hat toa professional for cleaning and shaping. It's a job specific to the hat and is based on fabric and soil--variables
only a professional for cleaning and shaping. It's a job specific to the hat and is based on fabric and soil-variables only a professional is equipped to handle. Avoid the temptation to use stain removal products. There's a good chance you'll damage your hat further and create stain rings.
If you spill something on your hat, blot it immediately with a soft, absorbent cloth to prevent it from seeping into the hat. If your hat gets spotted with mud, let it dry first. Then lightly brush it off with a nylon or horsehair brush.
To clean a baseball cap, place it in a plastic cap frame device, such as the Ball Cap Buddy, which will prevent it from losing its shape or shrinking during washing. Then run the whole thing through a regular wash cycle in the washing machine--or even the dish washer. Check the cap for any laundering instructions. (You don't want to wash the cap of its colors will bleed.)
To clean a straw hat, brush it with a brush or dry cloth to remove dust and loose dirt. Past that, these hats are not really cleanable, even by a professional. with time, straw hats naturally turn yellow, and there's nothing you can do about it.
To clean a wool hat, use a sticky fabric roller designed to remove hairs and lint from clothing, or use a whisk broom. Brushes that are firmer are too rough to use on wool hats.
If a hat has faded in spots and you're ready to hang it up for good, here's how to get a little more life out of it.
For a white hat, apply talcum powder using a dry sponge. (A makeup sponge works great.)
For colored hats, grind down a crayon that matches the color, mix with the talcum powder and apply.
expert advice
Take the Inside Out >
If the stain lining of your hat is removable, you can wash it, says George Kapottos, owner of Mike the Hatter in Cleveland, Ohio. Fill a sink with cold water and add a couple of drops of dishwashing liquid. Place the stain lining in the water and rub it with a stiff scrub brush. To rinse, hold it under cold running water. Let it air-dry. If you want to remove wrinkles, expose is to the steam from your steam iron--without actually touching the iron to the lining.
Hearing Aids
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hearing aids open a new world to some people, but they must get daily attention to remain in top working order. Wax and moisture are common causes of hearing aid malfunction--wax on hearing aids that fit inside the ear, and moisture from perspiration on hearing aids worn outside the ear.
To clean an in-the-ear hearing aid, start by washing your hands to avoid contaminating the device. Then, using a brush (either one that your hearing care provider gave you or a clean toothbrush), remove any wax on the exterior of the hearing aid. Do this daily if you get a lot of wax, or every other day if you don't. Another option: Wipe the surface with a dry cotton cloth (an old T-shirt works well) or a cloth lightly dampened with alcohol. If you're using alcohol, wipe only the shell of the unit, not over the microphone or receiver, which can be damaged by moisture.
Cleaning a behind-the-ear hearing aid is a two-part operation. To clean the ear mold that fits inside the car, use water and soap (Ivory, for instance) or a germicidal soap (such as Purell liquid).
Put the soap on a cotton cloth dampened with lukewarm water. Wipe the ear mold clean, giving it a good rub. Rinse with luke-warm water and dry with a towel. To clean the hearing aid itself,
WATCH OUT
what's the state of Your Water?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New England, the southern Atlantic Coast-Gulf Coast region, the Pacific Northwest, and Hawaii generally have the softest water in the United States. Many of the rivers in Tennessee, the pacific Northwest, Alaska, and the Great Lakes region have moderately hard water. Just about every region of the United states has some streams with hard or very hard water. The hardest water in the United States, with more than 1,000 milligrams of minerals per liter,is found in some streams in Texas, New Mexico, Kansas, Arizona, and Southern Calfornia.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hats
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
They're made from a wide variety of materials,
only a professional for cleaning and shaping. It's a job specific to the hat and is based on fabric and soil-variables only a professional is equipped to handle. Avoid the temptation to use stain removal products. There's a good chance you'll damage your hat further and create stain rings.
If you spill something on your hat, blot it immediately with a soft, absorbent cloth to prevent it from seeping into the hat. If your hat gets spotted with mud, let it dry first. Then lightly brush it off with a nylon or horsehair brush.
To clean a baseball cap, place it in a plastic cap frame device, such as the Ball Cap Buddy, which will prevent it from losing its shape or shrinking during washing. Then run the whole thing through a regular wash cycle in the washing machine--or even the dish washer. Check the cap for any laundering instructions. (You don't want to wash the cap of its colors will bleed.)
To clean a straw hat, brush it with a brush or dry cloth to remove dust and loose dirt. Past that, these hats are not really cleanable, even by a professional. with time, straw hats naturally turn yellow, and there's nothing you can do about it.
To clean a wool hat, use a sticky fabric roller designed to remove hairs and lint from clothing, or use a whisk broom. Brushes that are firmer are too rough to use on wool hats.
If a hat has faded in spots and you're ready to hang it up for good, here's how to get a little more life out of it.
For a white hat, apply talcum powder using a dry sponge. (A makeup sponge works great.)
For colored hats, grind down a crayon that matches the color, mix with the talcum powder and apply.
expert advice
Take the Inside Out >
Hearing Aids
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hearing aids open a new world to some people, but they must get daily attention to remain in top working order. Wax and moisture are common causes of hearing aid malfunction--wax on hearing aids that fit inside the ear, and moisture from perspiration on hearing aids worn outside the ear.
To clean an in-the-ear hearing aid, start by washing your hands to avoid contaminating the device. Then, using a brush (either one that your hearing care provider gave you or a clean toothbrush), remove any wax on the exterior of the hearing aid. Do this daily if you get a lot of wax, or every other day if you don't. Another option: Wipe the surface with a dry cotton cloth (an old T-shirt works well) or a cloth lightly dampened with alcohol. If you're using alcohol, wipe only the shell of the unit, not over the microphone or receiver, which can be damaged by moisture.
Cleaning a behind-the-ear hearing aid is a two-part operation. To clean the ear mold that fits inside the car, use water and soap (Ivory, for instance) or a germicidal soap (such as Purell liquid).
Put the soap on a cotton cloth dampened with lukewarm water. Wipe the ear mold clean, giving it a good rub. Rinse with luke-warm water and dry with a towel. To clean the hearing aid itself,
WATCH OUT
- If you wear a behind-the-ear hearing aid, apply hair spray before you put on your hearing aid. The spray could damage the microphone.
- Don't wear your heairng aid when you're working in the yard or garden. Perspiration, hose water, dirt, and grass clippings could damage it.
use just a brush. A toothbrush is fine--if you promise not to use it for anything else.
Every three months, take the hearing aid to your hearing care specialist for a through cleaning. He or she should have the appropriate tools for cleaning more deeply into the interior of your hearing aid.
The special tools and accessories that you use with your hearing aid need cleaning too. In-the-car hearing aids have wax guards, also called wax scepters, that protect the receiver from getting clooged with wax. Clean them with a brush. Behind-the-car hearing aids can be fired with a sleeve jacket that covers the component behind the car and protects it from moisture. Wipe the sleeve clean with a cloth.
Like a computer, a hearing aid has an electronic chip in it. Water is enemy, so watch the amount of liquid you use when cleaning. It's also a good idea to keep your hearing aid in a dry place when you're not using it--for example, in the bedroom while you're taking the shower, instead of in the bathroom.
Every three months, take the hearing aid to your hearing care specialist for a through cleaning. He or she should have the appropriate tools for cleaning more deeply into the interior of your hearing aid.
The special tools and accessories that you use with your hearing aid need cleaning too. In-the-car hearing aids have wax guards, also called wax scepters, that protect the receiver from getting clooged with wax. Clean them with a brush. Behind-the-car hearing aids can be fired with a sleeve jacket that covers the component behind the car and protects it from moisture. Wipe the sleeve clean with a cloth.
Like a computer, a hearing aid has an electronic chip in it. Water is enemy, so watch the amount of liquid you use when cleaning. It's also a good idea to keep your hearing aid in a dry place when you're not using it--for example, in the bedroom while you're taking the shower, instead of in the bathroom.
simple SOLUTIONS
Put It in Dry Dock >
Keep your hearing aid working longer by storing it at night in a moisture-absorbing dry aid kit, also called a dehumidifier kit. You can purchase one from a hearing aid dealer.
To make your own, get a jar that has a good seal and a desiccant bag. Put the bag and your hearing aid in the jar and close it up. A desiccant bag will last for six months. Desiccant bags can be bought wherever you buy hearing aid equipment.
Heat Pumps
Heat Pumps
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The hallmark of a heat pump is its efficiency. Because a heat pump moves heat out of the outside air or the ground rather than converting it from a fuel, it can deliver 1.5 to 3 times more heat energy to a home than the electricity it consumes to operate. That said, your heat pump's performance will deteriorate without regular maintenance and service. The difference between the energy consumption of a well-maintained heat pump and a severely neglected one ranges from 10 to 25 percent, according to the u.s. Department of Energy.
Your heat pump is an investment. you can do some routine maintenance yourself, such as changing the filter and cleaning the outside unit. Other service should be left to the professionals.
The following tips-except for the outside duties--apply to both air-source heat pumps, which draw heat from the ground. The outside unit of a geothermal heat pump is underground and not accessible.
Replace disposable filters once a month during the heating months. Price of filters range from $1 to $50. The higher quality may be worth it if you have allergies or breathing problems.
Electronic filters are cleanable. Follow the manufacturer's instructions. If you don't clean an electronic filter, which charges air particles, you may eventually cause damage to the heat exchanger and filter.
Outdoor coils usually need to be cleaned annually--more often, if there's noticeable dirt on the coils. This chore isn't difficult, but it starts with safety.
The hallmark of a heat pump is its efficiency. Because a heat pump moves heat out of the outside air or the ground rather than converting it from a fuel, it can deliver 1.5 to 3 times more heat energy to a home than the electricity it consumes to operate. That said, your heat pump's performance will deteriorate without regular maintenance and service. The difference between the energy consumption of a well-maintained heat pump and a severely neglected one ranges from 10 to 25 percent, according to the u.s. Department of Energy.
Your heat pump is an investment. you can do some routine maintenance yourself, such as changing the filter and cleaning the outside unit. Other service should be left to the professionals.
The following tips-except for the outside duties--apply to both air-source heat pumps, which draw heat from the ground. The outside unit of a geothermal heat pump is underground and not accessible.
Replace disposable filters once a month during the heating months. Price of filters range from $1 to $50. The higher quality may be worth it if you have allergies or breathing problems.
Electronic filters are cleanable. Follow the manufacturer's instructions. If you don't clean an electronic filter, which charges air particles, you may eventually cause damage to the heat exchanger and filter.
Outdoor coils usually need to be cleaned annually--more often, if there's noticeable dirt on the coils. This chore isn't difficult, but it starts with safety.
- Turn off power the top of the unit. The switch is located in a fuse box next to the unit.
- Remove the top of the unit--you may need another person to help you--being careful not to pull, dislodge, or loosen the wires underneath.
- Now, get out the garden hose. If you need to use soap, a spray camister that attaches to the end of the garden hose (about $5 at any hardware store) will make it easy. Put in 3 or 4 drops of dishwashing detergent, fill the rest of the way with water, and screw the hose onto the canister.
- Spraying from the inside out, spray the three sides of the unit where the coil's fine are and leave the side with the compressor alone. (Don't use tools to try to remove stuck dirt or debris--you could cause a leak.) Then remove the soap holder and rinse until all the soapsuds are gone.
- You can replace the cover immediately, but wait to turn on the power, because, chances, are, there will be a lot of water around, your hands will probably be wet, and you don't want to electrocute yourself.
Have a professional technician service your heat pump every year. A qualified technician can inspect ducts, filters, blower, and the indoor coil for dirt and other obstructions; clean and tighten the electrical connections; check for leaks; check for proper operation; and more.
See also Furnaces
Simple SOLUTIONS
Attack of the Killer Grass >
To keep your heat pump running smoothly, remove plant life and debris from around it. If weeds build up, you can use a weed killer on them, but be careful not to get any of the spray on the coils. Rinse off any chemicals that do get on the unit.
See also Furnaces
Simple SOLUTIONS
Attack of the Killer Grass >
To keep your heat pump running smoothly, remove plant life and debris from around it. If weeds build up, you can use a weed killer on them, but be careful not to get any of the spray on the coils. Rinse off any chemicals that do get on the unit.
No comments:
Post a Comment