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.
Pets
Oh, how we love our pets! But sometimes a dog or cat can wreak havoc on your home. Here, you'll find clever ways to handle challenging pet issues -- like pet hair everywhere, nose prints on windows, and paw prints on your floors. Homeowners with pets are sharing their favorite pet-friendly furniture, the best cleaning products for pet messes, steam cleaners and vacuum cleaners that work best on pet fur and pet messes -- even helpful moving tips for pet owners.
The Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide For Homebodies: 30 Items They Probably Won’t Buy For Themselves And You’ll Definitely Want To Keep For Yourself!
As someone who works from home and spends a lot of time in my house — I LOVE receiving clever (and useful) home gifts. If you know someone who recently moved into a new house or someone who appreciates owning one-of-a-kind items… then you’ve come to the right place to find something special for them this year! I own most of these items myself and I know that your friends and family members are going to enjoy them too!
Plastic Ultrasonic Diffuser vs. Glass Nebulizing Diffuser For Aromatherapy: I’ve Used Both And Prefer A Nebulizing Diffuser For My Essential Oils. Here’s Why…
I’ve used essential oil diffusers for years. I used to use the plastic kind (aka ultrasonic diffusers), but I’ve learned that a nebulizing diffuser is SO much better – because the scent fills the room quickly, you get the benefits of aromatherapy right away, and it looks beautiful! Here’s a point-by-point comparison, and my experience using glass nebulizing diffusers vs. plastic ultrasonic diffusers.
Melamine Foam Sponge Facts: Is Melamine Toxic? What Is Melamine Sponge Made Of? How Does A Melamine Sponge Work?
Of all the different sponges I’ve used, the melamine foam sponge is the one I use most often in our house with 3 dogs. But I still get questions from curious readers about the safety of melamine foam — on skin, with kids, around pets, etc. Here’s what you need to know about melamine sponges and how they work.
How To Clean Windows Without Streaks: My Foolproof Method & DIY Window Cleaner
Want the easiest way to get sparkling, streak free windows? I’m constantly removing dog nose prints, cat paw prints, and my son’s hand prints from our glass sliding doors using this method. It’s the fastest way I can clean the windows without streaks or chemicals!
How To Roll Plastic Bags Into Small, Self-Dispensing Bundles + Clever Uses For Plastic Shopping Bags
I like to keep my plastic shopping bags rolled together, organized in self-dispensing bundles. It’s really easy to do. You just have to fold them together in a certain way. I’m going to show you how to roll plastic bags so you can easily pull out one bag at a time. Plus, fun ways to save time & money with your reusable shopping bags!
DIY Porch Makeover: See How I Turned Our Small Front Porch Into A Cozy Outdoor Living Space With Breezy Porch Curtains!
We have a small front porch, but it gets a good breeze and provides a nice place for the baby and dogs to play outside. Outdoor living spaces are important to me — so our front porch is the first place I decided to tackle with a makeover! See how I transformed our small boring porch into a cabana-like space — complete with porch curtains, a walk-through baby gate, wireless speaker, area rug, and much more.
My Review Of The Sumo Bean Bag Chair: See Why I Love This Oversized Bean Bag Chair …And My Dog Does Too!
Honestly, I wasn’t sure this Sumo bean bag chair would meet my needs as well as it has — but I’ve fallen in love with it! Here’s everything you need to know about this oversized bean bag chair before you buy one for yourself or as a gift. See the pros & cons and who I think will enjoy it the most.
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.
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!
Do Cheap Melamine Sponges Work As Well As Mr. Clean Magic Erasers? (Hint: YES!)
I’ve always wondered if no-name melamine cleaning blocks are as good as Magic Erasers. So I tested them side by side. A cheap melamine sponge works great!
What You Need To Know About Steam Cleaning Hardwood Floors + A Review Of Monster Steam Mop vs Bona Spray Mop
Few, if any, flooring experts recommend steam cleaning hardwood floors. So I haven’t – til now. My experience using the Monster steam mop vs Bona spray mop.
Looking For A Handheld Vacuum? (Me Too) I Found These To Be The Best Hand Vacs For Pet Hair, Hardwood Floors & Stairs
For the past 12 years, I’ve been using an Oreck Compact Canister Handheld Vacuum. It’s kinda clunky, slightly noisy, and has bags that need to be changed all the time. So I set out to find a better hand vac. Here are the best hand vacs I found for vacuuming hardwood floors – especially pet hair and stairs.
DIY Home Security Tips – Simple Ways To Burglar-Proof Your House
There’s a home burglary every 15 seconds. 60% of burglaries take place while the home is occupied. Here are the best DIY home security things you can do yourself to stay safe.
Bona Spray Mop vs Shark Steam Mop – Which Is Best For Hardwood Floors?
Want to keep your hardwood floors looking clean and brand new for years?!… Here are the tips I received from a hardwood floor expert, along with the hardwood floor mop I ultimately decided on… and why.
9 Moving Tips For Those Who Have Pets
Got a dog or a cat and a move in your future? Here are some tips for helping pets transition through a move. With a little preparation ahead of time, your pet can be comfortable for your upcoming move.
Magic Erasers Continue To Amaze Me – Even MORE Unique Uses That I’ve Tried!
Want to see some more examples regarding the ‘magic’ of Mr. Clean Magic Erasers?… Here are a few more ways that I’ve used Magic Erasers in our home and how I continue to be amazed by these low-tech gadgets.
Bissell Carpet Cleaners Are The Best… Especially The Bissell Proheat Steam Cleaner!
With two dogs in the house, we NEED a powerful carpet cleaner! I can’t tell you just how many times I’ve used our Bissell Pro Heat steam cleaner to clean up even the toughest of pet stains. If you’re wondering how it works, and whether or not it’s worth the money, consider this…
Nothing Cleans A House Better Than These Heavy-Duty Cleaning Products
All about my favorite house cleaning products: the Bissell Pro-heat steam cleaner, the Oreck vacuum cleaner, Tech stain remover, and Air Delights air deoderizers.
