Without question, the one part of your house that gets beat up every single day is your floor! Shoes, boots, heels, and cleats are just a few of the menaces that torture your flooring. Moving chairs and other furniture also add their fair share of damage. When you consider these factors, combined with damage from moisture getting on the floors from spills, stains, rain, mud, and snow days… eventually you’re going to be faced with replacing your old flooring. But what type of flooring should you put down? As a flooring installer, I have some thoughts about luxury vinyl flooring including — 1) How durable, waterproof, and scratch-proof vinyl tile and vinyl plank flooring is, 2) How to install luxury vinyl as a DIY project, 3) How to clean vinyl plank flooring, and 4) How vinyl tile & plank flooring compare to natural stone and wood flooring.
Kitchen
Here, homeowners are sharing their favorite ways to keep your kitchen clean and organized. From DIY cleaning supplies to the best sponges & scrubbers. Also, DIY repair tips for your dishwasher & other appliances... and the best products for cleaning travertine, marble, stainless steel, granite countertops.
I Fixed Our Dishwasher Water Not Draining! Here’s How I Did It…
Water won’t drain from your dishwasher? There are 2 reasons for this: 1) Food is blocking the drain basket in the dishwasher tub. 2) Food is clogging the drain hose under the sink. See how I fixed my dishwasher myself… and you can too! Here’s how to fix a dishwasher that won’t drain water.
My Old Dishwasher Runs Like New Again… After Cleaning Out All That Black Gunk!
This isn’t the first time I’ve had to clean out all of the black gunk and slimy food debris from the dishwasher basket in the far back. The first time, I was able to fix the dishwasher not draining. THIS time, there was no water backing up… just a bunch of food and grime buildup which was making our dishwasher run poorly. Here’s how to clean a clogged dishwasher and remove the black gunk quickly & easily.
A DIY Universal Knife Block & Kitchen Utensil Holder For Sharp Objects Of All Shapes & Sizes!
To keep sharp objects in the kitchen out of my toddler’s reach, I made a kitchen utensil holder & universal knife block in one – with just a few pieces of wood and some bamboo skewers. This DIY wooden utensil holder is super simple to make, and can be made any size you like!
DIY Spice Drawer Organizer: See How To Make A Spice Drawer Insert For Just $4 Using Paint Stir Sticks!
Have a lot of spices, packets, and jars in your spice cupboard right now? Here are some DIY spice rack ideas to organize your kitchen! See how I used paint stir sticks to make my own spice drawer inserts. Yep, a $4 DIY spice drawer organizer! Then, with the extra space inside my spice cabinet, I was able to better organize the shelves for baking goods and food storage containers.
Eraser Daddy Review: Scrubbing Power Without Scratching (Like Scrub Daddy Sponges) + Soft Wiping Power (Like Magic Erasers)
My husband calls me the sponge expert because I’ve tried practically every sponge under the sun. I definitely have my favorites (Sponge Mommy sponges and Magic Erasers). When the Eraser Daddy sponge hit the market, I couldn’t wait to try it! Here’s my review of this 2-sided sponge — it’s a Scrub Daddy sponge on 1 side and a melamine sponge on the other.
My Review Of 2 Scrub Daddy Sponge Holders: The Official Scrub Daddy Caddy AND The Scrub Daddy Sponge Caddy
Scrub Daddy makes 2 sponge holders that fit their smiley face sponges known as Scrub Daddy and Scrub Mommy. Both the Scrub Daddy Caddy and the Scrub Daddy Sponge Caddy will keep your Scrub Daddies and Mommies out of the way — but still close at hand in the kitchen sink, bathroom sink, and shower. This type of sponge holder also helps the smiley face sponge air-dry faster. I keep one in my shower and one in my kitchen sink.
Scrub Daddy Uses: 50+ Creative Ways To Use A Scrub Daddy Sponge
The Scrub Daddy sponge, a popular kitchen scrubber, gets SOFT in hot water and HARD in cold water. Plus it doesn’t hold onto food & odors. Lots of fun uses here!
Got Window Fogging Issues In Your House? (Me Too) Here’s The Best Window Condensation Fix I’ve Found
Window fogging in our house was driving me crazy – until I found the humidity levels in our home were too high. A dehumidifier and some Damp Rid turned out to be the best window condensation fix!
There’s A New Smiley Face Sponge! 2 Reasons Scrub Mommy Sponges Are Even Better Than Scrub Daddy Sponges
Have you seen the new Scrub Mommy sponges? They’re nice because they’re soft on one side and scrubby like a Scrub Daddy smiley face sponge on the other side
Snap Power Night Light: This Space-Saving LED Night Light Replaces Your Regular Outlet Cover & Leaves Your Outlet Plugs Free For Other Things
Replace regular wall outlet covers with these LED night light outlet covers using just a screwdriver. I did – No more plug-in night lights! 3 things to know…
Cleaning Granite Countertops: How To Keep Your Kitchen & Bathroom Countertops Looking Like New
Here’s everything you need to know about sealing granite countertops, cleaning granite countertops daily, plus tips for preventing staining and etching.
How To Clean A Sponge: 4 Most Effective Ways To Kill Germs & Bacteria On Kitchen Sponges (+ My All-Time Favorite Sponges!)
Want to know how to clean a sponge & remove 99.9% of bacteria? Facts about cleaning sponges in the microwave, dishwasher, with vinegar and with bleach.
How To Clean Travertine Countertops, Floors, Shower Tiles & Backsplashes
In terms of hardness, Travertine is about as hard as Marble, but not as hard as Granite. I’ve learned firsthand that keeping your Travertine surfaces looking their best requires some extra attention when it comes to cleaning… and sealing. These tips will help you keep your Travertine looking great for years.
How To Clean Stainless Steel Appliances And Remove Scratches
Stainless steel requires careful cleaning in order to maintain its luster. Abrasive cleaners or those containing chlorine can cause permanent damage and discoloration to the surface of your stainless steel appliances. Here’s how to clean stainless steel and remove scratches from stainless steel appliances.
DIY Tips For Making Your Own Foaming Soap Refills + Prettier Foam Soap Pump Bottles
I used to spend a fortune on those foaming soap dispensers filled with Dawn dishwashing soap! Not any more. Now I refill those pump bottles with my own homemade foaming soap. Here’s how to make foaming soap. Plus, how to make your foaming soap bottles look much more attractive on your kitchen counter!
The Shelf Life Of Household Products & Cleaning Supplies – See How Long Things Last (Typically)
Earlier, I wrote about the life expectancy of home components — things like appliances, doors, flooring, faucets and fixtures. Now, here’s how long household products last — including cleaners, electronics, furniture, bedding, carpet & rugs.
Best Kitchen Cabinet Organizers
With these kitchen cabinet organizers, you will be able to find exactly what you’re looking for instead of digging around in cabinet for it! These are the best kitchen cabinet organizers, in my dream kitchen.
Stainless Steel Touchless Trash Can With 2 Compartments Makes Recycling Even Easier
We have a stainless steel 13-gallon touchless trash can with motion-sensor that I absolutely love. But I spotted this one the other day, and I think it may be even better… it’s got 2 bins!
How To Clean Marble Countertops & Bathroom Vanities Without Scratching And Dulling
One way that you can quickly damage a cultured marble countertop is by not cleaning it properly.
Here is the proper way to clean a cultured marble countertop.
How To Restore Shine To A Marble Countertop Or Bathroom Vanity That Is Scratched & Dull
If you’ve ever had a marble countertop — either cultured marble or solid marble — then you know how easily they can be damaged. Normal wear and tear alone can leave your countertop or vanity looking less than stellar, mostly due to minor scratches. Here’s how to restore the color and shine to your marble countertop or vanity sink.
Do You Really Need Jet-Dry In The Dishwasher? YES!
I’m not sure why, but for all of my 43 years I have resisted the urge to try Jet-Dry in the dishwasher. I think because I believed it was just a lot of hype, and it seemed wasteful to spend money on something that got your dishes looking ‘extra clean’. (Isn’t ‘clean’ enough?) Well, I’m here to tell you, I tried Jet-Dry for the very first time this week. And now I’m hooked.
How I Organized My Kitchen – Tips & Videos For Organizing The Kitchen Yourself
Here’s how I organized my kitchen from top to bottom – inside and out! I made a plan, created a checklist, put everything in its place, organized the pantry and cabinets, fixed some broken things, and bought some fun kitchen organization tools.
When It Pays To Hire A Professional For Home Repairs & Home Projects And When It’s Better To Do It Yourself
In the end, doing everything yourself will usually cost more — in terms of money, wasted time, and errors due to inexperience. Tackling too many DIY projects will also cost you in terms of the amount of time you could have spent with your family and the time you could have spent taking care of yourself.
4 Quick & Easy Tips For Keeping Your Dishwasher Running Smoothly
Here are some GREAT tips for making your dishwasher work better — overnight! They’re quick and easy too.
