Sprinklers:
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Your lawn sprinklers system will let you know when it needs cleaning by spraying in an oddball pattern---or not at all--when it gets jammed by sediment or mineral deposits. Clean it once at
the beginning of the watering season and once at the end, and you can reduce the misfiring.
Remove sprinkler spray heads (if possible) and rinse i a bucket of water. Look for any sediment that may be clogging the nozzles. Scrub lightly with a toothbrush. Use your hose to force high-pressured water back through the holes. Since most sprinklers these days are made of plastic parts, don't use soaps, oils, or solvents, which can create a buildup or degrade the plastic. If all else fails, try to loosen the sediment by gently pushing a wire into the nozzle as water flows out. If you have a mineral buildup, wipe with or soak in a solution of 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water.
Take valves apart and clean them the same way you would the spray heads, first using water and a toothbrush and then, if that doesn't work, vinegar and water. Rinse any clogged screens in clean water.
Simple SOLUTIONS
Clogged Sprinkler? >
If you are drawing the water for watering your lawn from a well or pond, it's more likely to contain sprinkler-clogging sediment than water from a municipal system. To reduce the sediment, install an inline filter, which you can buy at hardware stores and home improvement stores.
Stainless Steel
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Yes, it's stainless, but that doesn't mean you don't have to clean and care for stainless steel. It will dull overtime and pick up oily fingerprints as well as mineral spots from hard water. The big issue with stainless steel is scratching. Scratch it and you remove the hard, thin oxide coating that makes it stainless. Then it will rust like any old steel.
Wash stainless steel flatware and pots in hot, soapy water or in your dishwasher. Scrub off stubborn food with a cloth, sponge, or nylon-bristled brush, but avoid abrasives. If you're washing it in the dish washer, be careful not to spill powdered dishwasher detergent on stainless steel--the strong powder will cause dark spots. To remove baked-on food, scrub with a paste of baking soda and water.
Polish stainless steel with a clean, dry cloth to remove hard-water spots. For stubborn spots, wipe with a cloth soaked in straight vinegar. Or use a stainless steel polishing product, such as Stainless Steel Magic, Revere Copper and Stainless Steel Cleaner, or Wenol All-Purpose Metal polish. Follow the label directions.
WATCH OUT
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Your lawn sprinklers system will let you know when it needs cleaning by spraying in an oddball pattern---or not at all--when it gets jammed by sediment or mineral deposits. Clean it once at
the beginning of the watering season and once at the end, and you can reduce the misfiring.
Remove sprinkler spray heads (if possible) and rinse i a bucket of water. Look for any sediment that may be clogging the nozzles. Scrub lightly with a toothbrush. Use your hose to force high-pressured water back through the holes. Since most sprinklers these days are made of plastic parts, don't use soaps, oils, or solvents, which can create a buildup or degrade the plastic. If all else fails, try to loosen the sediment by gently pushing a wire into the nozzle as water flows out. If you have a mineral buildup, wipe with or soak in a solution of 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water.
Take valves apart and clean them the same way you would the spray heads, first using water and a toothbrush and then, if that doesn't work, vinegar and water. Rinse any clogged screens in clean water.
Simple SOLUTIONS
Clogged Sprinkler? >
If you are drawing the water for watering your lawn from a well or pond, it's more likely to contain sprinkler-clogging sediment than water from a municipal system. To reduce the sediment, install an inline filter, which you can buy at hardware stores and home improvement stores.
Stainless Steel
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yes, it's stainless, but that doesn't mean you don't have to clean and care for stainless steel. It will dull overtime and pick up oily fingerprints as well as mineral spots from hard water. The big issue with stainless steel is scratching. Scratch it and you remove the hard, thin oxide coating that makes it stainless. Then it will rust like any old steel.
Wash stainless steel flatware and pots in hot, soapy water or in your dishwasher. Scrub off stubborn food with a cloth, sponge, or nylon-bristled brush, but avoid abrasives. If you're washing it in the dish washer, be careful not to spill powdered dishwasher detergent on stainless steel--the strong powder will cause dark spots. To remove baked-on food, scrub with a paste of baking soda and water.
Polish stainless steel with a clean, dry cloth to remove hard-water spots. For stubborn spots, wipe with a cloth soaked in straight vinegar. Or use a stainless steel polishing product, such as Stainless Steel Magic, Revere Copper and Stainless Steel Cleaner, or Wenol All-Purpose Metal polish. Follow the label directions.
WATCH OUT
- To avoid corroding stainless steel, rinse acidic, salty, or milk based foods off stainless steel utensils that won't be washed right way.
- Never use abrasive scrubbers, such as steel wool, on stainless steel. They will dull the finish and may even cause it to rust.
Clean stainless steel sinks and appliances with a solution of warm water and a squirt of dish-washing liquid, using a soft cloth or sponge. Always scrub in the direction of the stainless steel grain. Rinse with a cloth or sponge and clear water. Polish dry to avoid spotting, using paper towels or a cloth. For more cleaning powder, use a solution of 1 cup white vinegar and 3 cups water, or scrub
with a paste made of baking soda and hot water.
Stains
with a paste made of baking soda and hot water.
Stains
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Stains happen. It's a fact of life. It might be a grass stain on your son's pants, red wine on the wall-to-wall, or hot coffee on a clean shirt. (Talk about a morning eye-opener!) But stains don't have to be permanent, which means you don't have to toss out that shirt or live with that splotchy red carpet.
You see, stains aren't as mysterious as some people think. Most stains fall into one of four main stain categories: Protein, oil-based, tannin, and dye. The rest are usually some combination of those stain categories. By understanding what is in a stain, textile scientists can determine what will remove it. Armed with this stain-removal know-how, you too can beat most stains before they beat you-with a few exception, of course.
Before moving on to stain-removal specifics, be sure to read the general guidelines in the box opposite. Also be sure to use the appropriate technique for the material that is stained.
There are three main categories of textiles that can be stained: Washable fabrics (clothing, linens, towels), carpets, and upholstered furniture. Below are the general steps to follow when attempting to remove stains from these three textile categories.
With Washable fabrics, one of the advantages you have (apart from the fact that you can machine-wash it) is that you have access to both sides of the stain. Pre-treatment often consists of pushing the stain out from the back side of the fabric.
Stains happen. It's a fact of life. It might be a grass stain on your son's pants, red wine on the wall-to-wall, or hot coffee on a clean shirt. (Talk about a morning eye-opener!) But stains don't have to be permanent, which means you don't have to toss out that shirt or live with that splotchy red carpet.
You see, stains aren't as mysterious as some people think. Most stains fall into one of four main stain categories: Protein, oil-based, tannin, and dye. The rest are usually some combination of those stain categories. By understanding what is in a stain, textile scientists can determine what will remove it. Armed with this stain-removal know-how, you too can beat most stains before they beat you-with a few exception, of course.
Before moving on to stain-removal specifics, be sure to read the general guidelines in the box opposite. Also be sure to use the appropriate technique for the material that is stained.
There are three main categories of textiles that can be stained: Washable fabrics (clothing, linens, towels), carpets, and upholstered furniture. Below are the general steps to follow when attempting to remove stains from these three textile categories.
With Washable fabrics, one of the advantages you have (apart from the fact that you can machine-wash it) is that you have access to both sides of the stain. Pre-treatment often consists of pushing the stain out from the back side of the fabric.
- Remove as much of the stain-causing material as possible by blotting with paper towels or scrapping with a dull knife.
- Pretreat the stain by soaking or applying a cleaning solution. It helps to lightly agitate the fabric being soaked or to gently rub together the stained fabric with your hands.
- Launder in your washing machine according to the instructions on the fabric's care label.
- If necessary, repeat the preceding steps, possibly using a stronger cleaning solution.
With carpeting, you typically have access to the top side only for stain removal. But you should never soak carpet stains, because most carpets and rugs have pads can actually attract dirt and lead to other problems, such as mildew and glue deterioration. Try these methods instead:
Remove as much of the stain-causing material as you can by blotting with paper towels or scrapping with a dull knife. When blotting up a large stain, always blot from the edge of the stain to the center to contain it.
Avoid rubbing or pushing the stain deeper into the pile. Avoid using a circular motion, which can destroy a carpet's texture.
Because you should never soak a carpet, spray bottles are good for applying a light amount of water-based cleaning solution and rinse water.
To dry patches of carpet that have been rinsed with water, lay a pad of paper towels on the spot and place a weight , such as a brick, on the pad. To prevent transferring color from the brick to the carpet, put the brick in a plastic bag or wrap it in foil. When the carpet is dry, remove the paper towels. Brush the carpet pile to restore a consistent texture.
Some General Guidelines for Removing Stain
Remove as much of the stain-causing material as you can by blotting with paper towels or scrapping with a dull knife. When blotting up a large stain, always blot from the edge of the stain to the center to contain it.
Avoid rubbing or pushing the stain deeper into the pile. Avoid using a circular motion, which can destroy a carpet's texture.
Because you should never soak a carpet, spray bottles are good for applying a light amount of water-based cleaning solution and rinse water.
To dry patches of carpet that have been rinsed with water, lay a pad of paper towels on the spot and place a weight , such as a brick, on the pad. To prevent transferring color from the brick to the carpet, put the brick in a plastic bag or wrap it in foil. When the carpet is dry, remove the paper towels. Brush the carpet pile to restore a consistent texture.
Some General Guidelines for Removing Stain
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- Follow the instructions on care labels. These days, most fabric items, including clothes, rugs, linens, and upholstery, have care labels. Because fabrics differ in so many ways--type of material, type of weave, color, style--use those instructions as your baseline.
- Remove spills before they become stains. Blot up spilled liquids, scrape away solids, and begin your step-by-step stain removal as soon as possible. Factors such as heat and evaporation make stains that are older than about 24 hours much harder to remove.
- To remove stains from dry clean-only fabrics, first remove as much of the stain residue as possible and then have the item dry-cleaned as soon as you can (within a day or two).
- Be patien. As effective as stain-removal know-how can be, it is often a multistep approach, from mildest to harshest treatment. Try one tactic, and if that doesn't work, move on to a stronger cleaning solution. If you lose patience and try to jump ahead, you may make things worse.
- Test cleaning solutions on an inconspicuous part of an item, such as an inside seam or hidden corner. That way, if the fabric colors react poorly to the cleaning solution, you haven't ruined the whole thing. To test a chlorine bleach solution, mix 1 tablespoon of bleach with 1/4 cup of water. Use an eyedropper or cotton swab to apply a drop of the solution to the fabric. Let the garment stand for two minutes and then blot dry with a clean cloth.
- If a stain persists, don't put it in the dryer, because its heat could set the stain permanently. Because your first approach may not remove the stain, always check for persistent stains on items after they've gone through the wash. If your washer cycle didn't remove a stain, pull that item and let it air-dry. Likewise, don't iron or press something if a stain is still in it.
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