There are a variety of shades of wood stain and two basic types that are commonly used: solvent and oil based. For restaining to darker colours It doesn’t matter which one you choose. Solvent-based dries faster, but oil-base seems deeper. It is possible to get great results with either product if your presanding is done correctly.

Laquer

You don’t need to remove each of the old blot to employ darker blot. But you do need to remove all of the lacquer, varnish or anything that will prevent fresh stain from absorbing into the timber. It’s easy to find the shiny edges of old lacquer, or the scratched surface of old lacquer. Your sanding block will creep over the aged lacquer before it begins to cut into it and remove it. The stain color will not change until the lacquer is still gone. When the stain begins to lighten along with your sanding is producing stain-colored dust, then you’ve made it to the surface of this blot. Change your sandpaper often when eliminating old lacquer. Use an oscillating tool with a hook and loop pad attachment and sandpaper as an alternative to some sanding block to remove the lacquer.

Roughing It

Once you’ve removed the lacquer, you want to sand into the stain. The thing is to rough up the surface of the wood evenly so that it absorbs stain evenly. Sand parallel with the grain pattern just. The stain will vanish from some areas faster than many others creating a blotchy impact; that’s okay, it will not appear like that when you apply stain if the new blot is darker compared to the original.

Polishing

1 thing to avoid is polishing. Wood absorbs stain through pores. When the pores are closed, the stain will not penetrate. Don’t use sandpaper finer than 100-grit. One hundred twenty five or above will polish the timber, closing the pores. Worn out or filthy sandpaper will even polish and close pores. Always keep fresh sandpaper on your hand cube or oscillating tool. Work with consistency to acquire the surface trimmed as evenly as you can. Don’t worry about removing the stain completely, it will not matter whether the new blot is darker.

Sanding

It’s okay to use an orbital sander initially to remove obsolete lacquer or rough up the formerly stained surface. But it’s vital that you follow up with hand sanding anytime you utilize this type of sander. Orbital sanders leave behind small swirls that will appear the second you apply fresh blot to them. Always follow behind these types of power sander by simply stroking the timber parallel with the grain. Lean down and allow light reflect off the surface of the wood. If there are really no swirls, cross grain scratches or stains of leftover lacquer, keep sanding by hand before applying darker blot. Using an oscillating tool doesn’t produce swirls because the power tool uses a side-to-side action.

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Mothballs protect upholstered furniture against harm from pesky, fiber-loving moths, but they also usually leave behind a strong chemical odor. This disagreeable odor has a tendency to linger long after the mothballs are gone. Additionally, it may permeate an whole room if even one piece of furniture has been saved with mothballs.

Air It Out

Provide lots of ventilation and airflow to safely and naturally eliminate odors. If at all possible, place small pieces of furniture outside throughout the daytime for up to two weeks to allow the fumes dissipate. The sunlight will also speed the process. For large pieces of furniture, or when it’s not possible to place furniture outside, open a window and then run a fan to move the air. If the furniture has several pieces, like a dresser with a couch with cushions, then separate them so the air can flow around every part.

Heat It Up

Apply a little bit of heat. Until the mothball odor disappears, use a hair dryer on the piece of furniture once a day. This is used in conjunction with the process, and you should do it at a well-ventilated location. Be careful not to overheat delicate fabrics or harm the finish on woodwork by letting the hot atmosphere stay on one spot for a long time.

Absorb It

Baking soda, activated charcoal, coffee grounds and white vinegar absorb odors. Put a shallow bowlor several bowls, of any of these materials on and around the furniture. This method is especially effective for pieces of furniture which have little enclosed interior spaces, like the interiors of a dresser or desk. You might also stuff small spaces with crumpled-up paper to help absorb the odor.

Other Approaches

Use commercial products designed to remove strong odors which do not include added scents. You might also lightly sand wood surfaces which are not observable, like the interior of a cupboard with doors to eliminate the odor from the surface. Refinishing wood places by stripping the existing end and applying a new one can also remove the odor. Spray furniture which won’t be damaged by moisture, like patio furniture, using a mixture of 60 percent denatured alcohol and 40 percent water.

What Not to Do

Do not use water, detergent or other liquid cleaners on wood furniture. It makes the odor harder to remove and might harm the wood. Avoid using thermal fog or ozone generator remedies, as well as any products which use a fragrance to cover up odors. Additionally, avoid enzyme-based deodorizers.

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Though it’s possible to pick a high-gloss vinyl floor covering, with time, the floor loses its moist appearance. Or, possibly the vinyl flooring in your home came with a matte or low-gloss finish you wish to punch up. Some vinyl floor manufacturers recommend particular products to clean and keep your floor’s end, but product labels can tell you if a specific solution works for your type of floor covering. With only a little bit of time and work, it is possible to restore a plastic floor’s end to make it seem new again and shield it from harm.

Product Choices

Before applying any item to your vinyl floor, verify it can be used on vinyl. To create a high-gloss sheen, then pick an acrylic product that contains polyurethane or the kind of industrial product that’s used in hospitals, stores or office buildings. Commercial products provide greater protection and last more compared to a great deal of retail products, but most of them cost more and arrive in larger containers compared to retail products.

Clean Up It

With thoroughly cleansing the floor, the first step to obtaining that high-gloss sheen begins. The floor requires a comprehensive cleaning before applying the high-gloss coat; otherwise, debris and dirt can embed in the end. A dust mop, broom and dust pan or a vacuum cleaner removes the debris and dust. Run a light wet mop over the outside to eliminate stains and clogs; for ground-in dirt, then use a soft-bristle brush. Abrasives or products that can scrape the vinyl’s surface.

Eliminate Old Finish

After cleaning the ground, remove the old finish, using a stripping product designed especially for your floor. Check the flooring manufacturer strippers. A silk mop is the easiest way to use the stripper throughout the vinyl floor in an even, but thin coat. Let the stripper sit. For tough finishes, wash the floor with a rotary scrubber fitted with wiping pads. Eliminate the sludge material that results in the emulsification, then rinse with water. Allow the floor to dry.

Apply New Finish

When the old end is gone, use the new end working with a sponge mop. Work from 1 side of this room to another, applying it in light, but strokes. Keep the room at 65 degrees Fahrenheit for at least 48 hours to guarantee the item dries and cures. Apply another coat, if desired, following the floor is dry to your touch, after about one hour. Following coats take as much as 2 hours or longer. Do not wash the ground for as much as five days to permit the end product to bond and cure.

Special Considerations

Some vinyl manufacturers advise you not to use mop-and-shine products, since they may leave a filmy residue on the surface of the ground. Avoid abrasives or products that can scratch the surface of the vinyl. A woven carpet with no dyes or a vinyl-backed rug strategically placed near the entrance to the room can help keep dirt from getting tracked onto your chosen vinyl floor.

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Mice are smart creatures that multiply rapidly, making them hard to get rid of when they invade your property and breed. After trapping or using rodenticides to take care of an infestation of these pests, there are signs you can search for to determine whether they living in your house.

A Mouse in the House?

Use your senses to determine whether mice are currently living in your property. You’ll probably hear any remaining mice scurrying and squeaking inside the walls of your home or within your ceiling, especially during the night. Look for gnaw marks or fresh mouse droppings across the bottom of your walls. Check your attic, basement, garage or closets for mouse nests made of paper, cloth or other soft substances. Use an ultraviolet light the mice remain in your property, if the urine is pungent and damp.

Final Notice Before Eviction

Pour talcum powder or flour across the base of your walls. Leave the powder for a few days and should you find any mouse tracks, you will know the little pests are still in your house. Assess your house during the night and day to find out whether you place any mice. Place traps around your house to catch any mice that are remaining. Speak to a professional exterminator, if you find any mice in your house. When there are no more signs of mice, use a solution of one part bleach to eight parts water to sanitize your property.

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Natural stone tiles make an attractive and durable finish material for flooring and walls. After laying the stone tile, you need to grout the joints to keep water and dirt out and to enhance the attractiveness of your new tiled surface. Grouting can be cluttered, but appropriate preparation of the tile are able to keep mess to a minimum.

Seal Before Grouting

Seal your raw stone shingles before grouting. If you do not apply sealer first, grout will adhere tenaciously to the tile surface, and it will be extremely difficult to get off. Grout can also discolor the unsealed tile. Clean any mortar or debris away from the tile surface. Spread the stone sealer evenly across the whole surface of the stone tile using a clean, soft rag or wax. Apply only as much sealer as the stone may absorb. Allow the sealer to dry, which typically takes about one hour. Some porous stone types may need two or three sealing coats before grouting.

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Stripping old paint off lap board siding takes substantial effort. But it’s an unavoidable evil if the paint is peeling or splitting, and you want new paint to stick. You can strip siding with grinders and scrapers, or you could use chemicals to dissolve the paint, but the quickest and simplest way to remove the paint would be to work with an infrared heat paint stripper. This tool heats up the paint quickly to loosen its bonding to the wood and doesn’t provide enough heat to present a fire risk. It is the safest way to get rid of lead-based paint.

Establish scaffolding at least 12 inches away from the side of the house you’re stripping. You need that much clearance to hold the infrared paint stripper against the wood.

Protect the siding from end with a tarpaulin. Wind dissipates heat from the infrared stripper and lengthens the time you need to keep it in position before scraping.

Spray a light mist of water to the siding prior to using an infrared paint stripper. This will break the bond between the paint and the wood, and even though the risk of overheating the wood is minimum, it produces operation of this stripper safer.

Grasp the heat removal tool by the handle and carry it with its heat coils flush against the siding and the handle parallel to the management of the wood. Hold it against the siding for 20 to 30 seconds, until the paint begin to bubble and soften.

Remove the instrument and scrape off the paint with a pull scraper. Avoid touching the paint together with your hands — it’s hot enough to burn your fingers. If you can not easily scrape all the paint, then do not over-scrape, or you might damage the wood. You may use the tool, but it will work better if you take care of the wood first.

Mix a solution of 80 percent boiled linseed oil and 20 percent mineral spirits, and paint it to the siding with a paintbrush. Allow it to sit overnight, then heat the wood with the infrared removal tool and then scrape. Rub off whatever paint stays with moderate steel wool.

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Lucky bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana) are offered as hearty, low-maintenance plants. Unfortunately, low-maintenance frequently gets confused with no-maintenance. Since most fortunate bamboo plants grow in water, the moist conditions can lend themselves fast to mold and mildew. Without proper care, this mold and mildew may take on your own lucky bamboo and even maybe kill it. A few quick fixes and a few changes to how you look after the plant will remove your mold and prevent more mold from regrowing in the future.

Eliminate your lucky bamboo plant in its container. Run the origins and the moldy areas of the stem under cool water.

Analyze the origins for any mushy spots. Cut away mushy root bits with sharp scissors. Double check to make sure no mushy origins remain, even in the event that you have to trim away a sizable part of the origins. Set the plant to a paper towel and set aside.

Pour the water from this lucky bamboo container and rub on the rocks or mud at the bottom thoroughly. Drain from the rinse water and rub again until there is no trace of mold or slime.

Pinch away any moldy leaves on your own lucky bamboo plant and then toss them away.

Put the lucky bamboo plant in the container, and add the substrate material and clean, filtered water.

Apply a fungicide which includes triadimefon or propiconizole, as stated by the American Bamboo Society. Follow the package instructions for when and how much to use.

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Paving stones include a distinctive and elegant appearance to the hardscape areas of the landscape. It’s disappointing when you look out at your lovely patterned pavers and see moss covering the stones. Moss can also be a hazard, because it turns a walkway to a slippery mess when the moss is moist. In case your pavers are in a moist, shady place, moss growth is unavoidable. Eliminate the moss and slow its recurrence.

Shed some light on the area. Moss will not grow in sunny places, so trimming overhanging tree or tree limbs that shade the pavers are going to keep the moss away.

Pressure wash the stones. Use the pressure washer at a low angle to blast the moss away. Examine the spray in a small spot at first to make sure it will not damage the pavers. Don’t linger in one spot; spray the moss-covered place quickly and proceed.

Scrub the moss away with a scrub brush. The moss should scrub off with water in case you do not want to work with a pressure washer. Wash the area with a hose or a bucket of water to clean the loosened moss in the stones.

Spray the pavers with a solution of equal parts water and chlorine bleach annually to help stop the moss from returning immediately. Examine the solution in a small area first to make sure it doesn’t discolor the rocks. Wet the stones for 30 seconds. Wash the bleach solution in the stones with clean water.

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Body impressions and indentations are not always a sign of inferior quality. Even the very expensive pillow-top mattress will develop indents; the pillow top is primarily backed by the foam just below it rather than by the a box spring. If you are fortunate enough to have a new two-sided mattress, then just flip it and call it a day. For single-sided pillow tops, rotate the bed and use your vacuum to attempt to pull the stuffing back into place.

When You Can’t Flip, Rotate

Old and specialty mattresses may have two sides: Coils at the center surrounded by foam filling plush pillow tops sandwiching everything in between. If you have an old mattress, then your best option is to replace it; no amount of fluffing will eliminate indentations, that are most likely sagging. If you have a brand new bunk bed with a pillow top on both sides, remove body impressions by flipping the mattress over. For the much more common single-sided bed, rotate it head to foot and then manually fluff the pillow top to eliminate body impressions.

Prepping the Mattress

Strip off all the bedding — this really is a good time to wash the sheets while you work. Keep allergens and dust from flying about as you fluff the bed by initial vacuuming it using a clean upholstery attachment. Wipe down the attachment before you begin, preferably with an antibacterial wipe, to prevent moving scents to your bed. Vacuum the mattress thoroughly, including around the perimeter and in which the pillow top connects to the foam base.

Redistribute the Pillow-Top Filling

With your vacuum attachment at hand, use the machine’s suction to pull the pillow top’s filling back into place. Starting around the outside of the belief, hold the attachment in 1 spot just long enough the cloth sucks upward; pull it up a little with your hand and release. Repeat this step, working your way across the belief and gradually in toward the center. If needed, use your fingers to even out the filling even more. Consider it as working the bumps out of a comforter that got mangled in the drier: Break up clumpy filling together with the tips of your fingers, massaging the pillow top and gradually pushing it into place with the palms of your hands.

Preventing Body Impressions

Rotating your bed every two months or flipping it twice a year will assist in preventing indentations in the bed. For a two-sided mattresd, rotate the bed head to foot each time you flip it. If you share the bed with a mate, try swapping sides every couple of months to even out the wear; even if you are both comparable sizes, everyone sleeps at a different place. Whenever you have the bed all to yourself, then have a similar approach, switching your favored sleeping side — if possible — on event. Outfitting your bed using a cushioned mattress cover also reduces the appearance of body impressionsnonetheless, this increases the thickness of your already-hefty mattress and may make getting your fitted sheet on the bed a job.

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Funky, less-than-fresh odors emanating from the shoe rack can make you need to avoid the area at all costs. Instead of pretending the problem doesn’t exist, either zap that Zone of Mysterious Smells back to non-existence using natural deodorizers such as white vinegar.

Go Straight to the Source

If the shoe rack itself smells, some of the shoes or boots stored on or in it probably also have odor issues. Remove each item from the shoe rack and spritz the whole rack with equal parts water and white vinegar, wiping off the liquid after a moment or two using a soft fabric. Inspect the shoes and boots to determine which pair cause the unpleasant odor in the shoe rack. Sprinkle baking soda inside the offending shoes or boots; if the odor is extreme, place a wad of newspaper in the shoes following the baking soda; then get rid of the paper the following day. Keep the whole shoe-rack place — along with the shoes stored there — dry, because moisture and humid conditions donate to the odor. If one particular pair of sneakers smells on a regular basis, sprinkle the inside with baking soda after wearing them, or even fill a pair of old socks using baking soda or coffee beans, then stitching them shut, for a slide-in, reusable deodorizer.

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