HOW TO TAKE CARE OF HARDWOOD FLOORS

Hardwood floors are chosen for homes for their durability, beautiful appearance, and easy clean-up. They will last for many years, without the need for refinishing, with proper care. The Household Genie has some tips on the care and maintenance of your hardwood floors.

Hardwood floors are available in many stains and finishes, as well as different widths. Some people prefer hardwoods to carpeting in their entire home. Others prefer hardwood in the living areas of the home and carpet the stairs and bedrooms. It's all a question of personal preference. But hardwood flooring is becoming increasingly popular in the kitchen, an area that has high traffic, spills from food and/or beverages, and the possibility of utensils (such as knives) falling off the table or kitchen counter top.Yikes! But help is on its way! You can still have the beauty of hardwood in high traffic areas and be able to maintain the same beauty for years. Here are some tips:

1. Wipe up all spills immediately. I know sometimes we don't even realize that something has spilled on the floor until after it's already dried up, but aside from these times get to the spill quickly! And by spills I also mean water droplets, whether from washing dishes or from small pieces of ice falling onto the floor (from refrigerator on-the-door units).

2. Use a dust mop daily, such as a Swiffer, to keep up with the dust and small crumbs.

3. Vacuum regularly,  to prevent ground-in dirt. Do not use a vacuum that you cannot shut off the beater bar. Beater bars are bad for hardwood! If you cannot shut the beater bar off, which would be a switch most likely on the handle that  lets you switch from carpeting to hard floors, then just use the attachments to your vacuum to safely and quickly get the job done. If your vacuum does not have attachments, then just use a soft-bristled broom to sweep up the floor.

4. Use a cleaner about once a week that is safe for your hardwoods. I have Bruce hardwood flooring, and I use their cleaner. It is an awesome product! My hardwoods have a shine on the surface, and this product leaves no residue to dull the shine. It even has a long handled mop included in the kit with a pad on the bottom to quickly go over your floors!

5. Protect your floors from scratches. Dogs and cats can quickly scratch your hardwood, particularly if you  have the higher gloss woods. Soft Paws is a great product that I use with my dog because I noticed the hardwoods were getting scratched from his nails. They fit right over your dog's or cat's nails and last for weeks! You apply them with a glue-type adhesive that is included with the product. And they come in all kinds of colors!!  If your floors do get scratched, you can touch it up with products that can touch up the color; however the scratch will usually still be visible, depending on the lighting and time of day. So the best advice is be  proactive and prevent scratches before they happen!

Hardwood floors are not inexpensive. And refinishing the surface of them is not inexpensive. So taking care of them with these few simple tips can protect your investment and give you years of lasting beauty of your hardwoods.

HOW TO INEXPENSIVELY GET STAINS OUT OF YOUR CARPET

Carpeting for your home is a huge investment. If you chose carpeting over hardwood or other hard floor surfaces you probably chose it for its comfort on your feet, warmth, the luxurious look, its great sound-reducing effects in a room, and many more reasons. It has all these positive qualities, however, stains can be a problem with carpeting. However, help is on its way!

I got this wonderful tip years ago from a professional carpet cleaner that I needed to come to the house to remove a stain. I paid this company to do it and had to wait till they could find a time to come to my house. I was told then that for quick stain removal mix a half and half solution of white distilled vinegar with cold water.

Here is a list of what you will need:

1. White distilled vinegar
2. Cold water
3. Three small white clean wash clothes or towels

Using a small white towel dip a portion of the towel in this half vinegar, half water solution and wring it out. If it's a small stain, I just use a few tablespoons of vinegar with the same amount of water. After wringing out the piece of towel that I dipped into the solution, gently dab it on to the stain. Do not rub or pull your towel onto a non-stained area of the carpet or the stain may spread. Just gently dab, dab, dab, dipping a new section of towel into the solution and wringing it out, until the stain comes out completely. I am saying to wring out the section of towel you are using because you do not want to get the carpet too wet.

After the stain comes out you need to rinse out the vinegar. You rinse the same way only using clear, cold water only. Be sure to remember to wring the water out of this towel as well and make sure again it is a clean white towel, because you do not want any color from the towel transferred onto your carpet. Again, gently dab, dab, dab. Once the vinegar is removed, it is time to remove the excess moisture from the carpet.

And yes! Grab another small clean white towel! Then gently dab your carpet with this dry towel, and be sure not to rub! On the sides of where the stain has been removed, feather the drying out from the edges with the towel, so that a water stain will not appear.After this I roll up a large towel and make a big circle with the towel around where the stain was removed, so that no one will step on this area. Try to keep everyone from walking over this area for 24 hours. And that's it!

This is a simple and inexpensive way that I remove many different types of stains from my carpet. I have successfully removed black tar stains that people carried in on their shoes, food, drinks, dog urine, and even nail polish! Please be sure to test your carpet beforehand in an inconspicuous area, such as behind the sofa, to make sure that the solution of vinegar and water will not stain your type of carpet.

GAME NIGHT WITH THE KIDS!

The Household Genie knows that an important part of taking care of children is to have fun and exciting things to do together with them. Having a “game night” has always been an important part of our household. It gives parents and kids a bonding opportunity that will be remembered for years to come. It doesn't require a lot of money that paying for tickets at the movies or zoo require. It doesn't even require gas money. Game night is an affordable and fun way of spending time with your children. A good night to set up a game night is on Friday or Saturday because the kids can stay up a little later since it is not a school night. Game night can be held with young children, as well as school age children. 

The best way to start game night is eating dinner together. After finishing dinner, as well as cleaning up the kitchen (so you are not thinking about having to do the clean up during game night), it is now time to start the fun!

Put out some healthy snacks, such as veggie sticks or fruit, that are easy to nibble on while playing. Turn off television and radio and be sure the area you are using is well lit. The kitchen table is my favorite place. It is easy and comfortable for everyone to reach the pieces of the game, it usually has a bright light over it, and there is room for drinks and snacks.

Some favorite games for younger children are Chutes and Ladders, Candyland, and even building toys, such as Legos or Tinker Toys. For older children, mystery games seem to be a favorite in our household, such as Clue or an older game called Mystery Mansion. Other favorites are Monopoly, Life, and Dominoes Mexican Train game.

If you start a regular pattern of having game night, the kids will get used to having it and will be asking you for it if you forget to plan it! A lot of times, one game is not enough for game night. Once you start playing and are “in the mode of game playing,” you may be asked by the kids to play the same game again or play a new second game.

Game night’s a great time for the kids to bring up things that happened in school or just talk about things that are happening. Just remember that even though times may be extremely hectic and busy, it is important to keep this game night date with your kids. It is something that all will remember!

A QUICK AND DELICIOUS DESSERT!

If you have been searching for a quick but delicious dessert to make, especially if you have guests coming over with little notice, The Household Genie has a recipe that is quick to whip up and only takes about an hour to chill. It is very easy, and although the preparation is so easy, it’s one dessert that nearly everyone loves and asks me for the recipe. It is a Jell-O brand pudding pie recipe. I make it with the flavors I love.

All you need is a prepared graham cracker crust, or you can make your own if you like, two packages of instant pudding mix, milk and whipped topping. I use Cool Whip.

The choice of the flavor of pudding is yours. My favorite is a mixture of one small packet of chocolate and another of chocolate fudge instant pudding. You can however, make coconut cream, vanilla, or any other flavor that you prefer.

I use the largest prepared graham cracker crust that I can find so that it will accommodate the two small packages of pudding. The crust sometimes says that it gives two extra servings.

I prepare the pudding packages according to the package instructions, using the “pie” instructions, rather than the pudding. I put the milk in the bowl first and then sprinkle in the pudding packets. Using a whisk, stir the pudding for two minutes. Then simply pour the prepared pudding into the graham cracker crust shell. Cover with the hard plastic see-through cover that is given with the crust, and refrigerate for one hour.

Take the pie out of the refrigerator after an hour, or until set, and top with the whipped topping. I usually use one-half to three-quarters of an eight-ounce container of Cool Whip. You can then top it off with chocolate or rainbow sprinkles, or chocolate shavings from your favorite solid chocolate candy bar. Use your imagination! For holidays, I top it off with colors associated with that holiday. Keep the pie refrigerated.

Here is a list of the ingredients:

Basic Chocolate Pudding Pie Recipe 

(Using Jello-O brand pudding and Ready Crust)

1 large prepared graham cracker crust

1 chocolate instant pudding (3.9 oz)

1 chocolate fudge instant pudding (3.9 oz)

2 ¾ cups of milk

Non-dairy whipped topping 

CHECKLIST FOR PACKING FOR A WEEKEND FOR TWO ROAD TRIP

If, on a Thursday or Friday, you feel it would be awesome to get away for the weekend, but you think it will be too hard to get everything together on time for the trip, The Household Genie is here to help! Here is a list of the essentials to pack for a quick trip for two. If you have the money and just want to get away, or if you have children and have a babysitter for the weekend and you have the money and just want to get away, then it’s time to get ready by following this list of what to pack to get you on your way quickly!

1. Cell phone and cell phone chargers. This includes your regular AC charger, as well as the charger that plugs into the car’s USB port or the cigarette lighter.

2.   A GPS device. This can be either a GPS device that plugs into an auxiliary outlet

      of your vehicle, or one that you have programmed into your cell phone.

3. A motor club card, such as AAA (if you are a member). If you’re not a member, it

is easy to become one. Just simply phone your local full service AAA branch.  They can start your membership immediately because they take payments over the phone. I did this because I needed to book a hotel room and desperately wanted the discount that this motor club offers on certain hotels. I forgot that my membership expired, but they quickly set me up with a new membership and then e-mailed my temporary membership card so I could quickly have the number to give to the hotel. Then I printed out the temporary card since I planned on leaving for my trip soon and didn’t have time to wait around for the regular card to come through the mail.

4. Cash and a major credit card. Cash is needed for toll roads. Toll expenses

      can quickly add up on a road trip. To eliminate the need for cash for the tolls, EZ         

Pass is one pass that allows you to pay upfront for tolls. The pass is usable in many states. Be sure to check that the states that you are traveling through are included.

This type of pass for payments of tolls can save you time and money. It eliminates the need to stop and pay at the tollgate. It also gives you discounts on the tolls, some up to 50 percent. You can order one online or buy one while you are traveling on the interstate at a service plaza. You will receive a device to attach to your dash or windshield that allows the tollgate to detect and deduct the toll cost from the amount of money you loaded up on the pass. It may take up to 24 hours to activate the account.

A major credit card is essential to have for booking hotels and also to have for emergencies or when you do not want to pay cash.

5. Pillows. If you like to nap while you are the passenger on your road trip, then

don’t forget to take your favorite one and one for the driver too! When you stay overnight in a different place than home, you both can still have the pillow that you use regularly.

6. Toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash and all essential toiletries such as:

--deodorant

--make-up

--shower gel or bar soap

--hairspray

--razors and razor blades

--curling irons or straighteners

--shampoo and conditioner

7.      Sunglasses to protect your eyes.  Also if you have eyeglasses bring them, as well as an extra pair of contacts, your contact case, and contact solution.

8. Socks and all underwear.

9. Belts

10. Clothes—for day and night..

11. Shoes

12. Jackets

13. Any medication or vitamins that you take.

14.  Current copy of automobile insurance, vehicle registration and license.

Before you start out, make sure your car is in good working condition—brakes, windshield wipers, etc. and make sure all of your fluids are topped off, including windshield wiper fluid. Start out with a full tank of gas, clean windows and clean headlights. Enjoy your adventure!

HOW TO KNOW IF YOU HAVE HARD WATER AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT

The Household Genie is here to help you recognize if you have hard water and what steps are needed to resolve the hard water problem.

People generally live with one of three of the following water systems:  City water, well water from a private well, or community well water.

If you live in or near a well-developed city or town, the city or town chemically treats your water and takes out the heavy metals that can cause your water to become hard.  However, if you live out further than the suburbs, chances are that you may have a well on your property or your town may have a community well.

With city water there is no need to test it for purity or hardness, because the city, town, or municipality does it for you.  But when you live in rural areas or in areas that are just developing but cannot count on a city water system, you may have a well on your lot. If you are in a rural area, but in a developing community, you may not have a well on your property, but the community has a well, where impurities are monitored and removed.

If your house has a well on its property, you are responsible for checking the water periodically for impurities.  However, with both well systems, you may have hard water!

Some signs that your house has hard water are grayish streaks on your glassware and flatware after they are washed in the dishwasher. Also, if water dries on your counter tops after using the faucet and you notice that your granite, marble or other surface has a grayish tinge to it, it may be the result of hard water staining.

A low amount of suds when you use shampoo or wash a load of clothes,  and decreased lather while you use bar soap may also be signs of hard water.

Taking off these stains requires a lot of time, elbow grease, more cleaning products, and even sanding with sandpaper!  Not only does hard water affect the look of your glasses and dishes and spoons, forks and knives, it also affects your appliances! Hard water can decrease the life expectancy of your expensive appliances, such as your washing machine, dishwasher, and even your hot water tank!

When you reach the point of getting tired of all the extra cleaning and looking at your grayish dishes and flatware, and when you know you do not want your appliances to get coated inside with all the residue from hard water, it is time then to get a water softener!

Water softeners can make a smile come back on your face after the struggle with all those hard water problems! The best thing is to get three estimates from local water softening companies. The prices vary depending on how much water you normally use and your lifestyle. For instance, some water softeners do not run at night, so if you have the lifestyle where no one in your family takes a shower after midnight, or no one usually washes a load of clothes late at night, then you are probably fine going with a less expensive model that includes one tank.

If however, your family uses water during the night and takes showers sometimes in the early AM hours, or you may through a load in the washing machine around midnight, then a dual tank system will be better for you. A dual-tank system will handle softening your water 24 hours a day!

My family and I live in a semi-rural area where we have a community well. We had really hard water and went through the “graying” of our items that I described above! Because we did not want to worry about when we use our water, we opted for the dual-tank system. We really enjoy the water softening system because we do not have to think about when we want to take a shower or do laundry. Sometimes I am up late and like to throw a load of laundry in the washer.

Another good thing about softening your water is how it makes your skin feel. You can really tell the difference when you take a shower. The water makes your skin feel really soft. Also, it is very good on the hair, and protects those expensive highlights. So even though you live in a rural area, there is no need to worry about your appliances, your dishes, or even yourself with a good water softening system!

DIRTY KITCHEN SINKS!

The Household Genie is granting you an answer to the dirty stainless steel sink question:  How can I keep my stainless steel sink shining bright?

The kitchen sink is the hub of the household. Everyone who lives in the house is using this place in the kitchen several times a day. From peeling veggies to cleaning out the dog’s bowl, the kitchen sink is a high traffic area! Very quickly debris builds up, not only on the bottom, but also on all the sides of the sink. Then before you know it, hard little specks of dried food and crumbs are on the surface, taking away the shine and luster.

Everyone wants his or her sink to shine and look great, especially when you get an unexpected visitor. Before you realize it, he or she may be at your kitchen sink putting his or her used drinking glass or plate inside.

Although this is a very thoughtful gesture by the guest, you may all at once feel your heart racing and think, “I don’t think I cleaned the sink lately! Oh no, I bet it looks dirty!”  If you experience that same feeling, don’t feel bad. Many have a hard time keeping up with cleaning it because it is used so often!

One trick I have found to keep it looking good is rinsing. Every time the sink is used, with the exception of washing one’s hands, rinse it. Immediate rinsing with very hot water will flush any new particles of food or dirt down the drain before they have a chance of hardening on the surface.

Rinsing with very hot water also softens and loosens any older particles that have hardened on the surface (if you forgot to rinse the time before). Be sure to rinse all the sides of the sink as well as the bottom.

This may seem extremely simple but it helps so much to keep the particles off the surface. It’s a prophylactic way of stopping grime from building up between regular cleanings. 

The next step is to clean with soap once a day. Before going to bed at night I clean the kitchen sink with regular dish washing soap, such as Palmolive. To do this, wet the sink thoroughly, and scatter a few drops of the dish soap on the bottom of the sink. Then dampen some paper towels with water and clean the sink’s bottom, sides, drain covers and the faucet and faucet handles. Rinse thoroughly with hot water. I usually get a few more paper towels and go over the surface with the faucet on as it is rinsing. Dry all surfaces. 

This only takes a few minutes, if even that, but it keeps the sink looking great. Once a week I use a cleanser for a thorough surface cleaning. I like to use Comet—the regular powder version of Comet that has been around for years. I start with rinsing the sink with hot water. Sprinkle Comet over the bottom of the sink, the sides and on the dividing bar, if you have a double sink. 

I love Comet and have been using it for years because it has never scratched my sinks. It also smells very fresh. After the Comet sits for a few minutes, I wet the paper towel thoroughly with warm water and then gently rub the cleanser onto the entire stainless steel sink surface. Then, again with hot water, I rinse the cleanser away, cleaning with a paper towel at the same time. Your sink will be shining bright! After the Comet is rinsed completely away, I dry the sink with paper towels to remove any residue of the cleanser. Then I spray it with Windex window cleaner to make it even shinier!

It seems like you feel just a little happier when your sink is shiny and clean. I know I do. But do remember:  rinse, rinse, rinse!

Welcome everyone to thehouseholdgenie blog!  This is where tips, hints, advice, and tads and tidbits are available for you to magically transform your dwelling place into a well-running, clean, relaxing and fun household! 

From cleaning tips to meal-planning tricks, your wish is my command!  Thank you for visiting the blog that will give you confidence in your ability to tackle the day-to-day things that stumble and create “hiccups” on your journey in creating a smooth-running household.  From pet care to car care, you will find the answers here.  From cleaning up messes to tips on vacationing—the genie is here to assist!

Tads and tidbits of useful information with simple instructions (the way I like information given to me) is the purpose of this blog.  So jump onto the magic carpet of thehouseholdgenie and take a ride to a happy, relaxing and enjoyable household!

Please feel free to e-mail me with questions, comments, or suggestions!