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Archive through December 26, 2004

The TVClubHouse: General Discussions ARCHIVES: 2005 Mar. ~ 2005 May: Home and Garden (ARCHIVES): Tips Around The Home...: Archive through December 26, 2004 users admin

Author Message
Juju2bigdog
Member

10-27-2000

Monday, November 01, 2004 - 10:46 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Wardog, hold off on the vinegar and baking soda. Or put some in a dish beforehand so you can see what the chemical reaction is going to be, if you don't already know about this combo. It can be dangerous.

I'd say go to Walmart based on Froggiegirl endorsement.

Wargod
Moderator

07-16-2001

Tuesday, November 02, 2004 - 12:41 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Thanks guys! I poured baking soda down it earlier. Waited then ran hot water down the drain, then ground up some more lemon peels this evening. Also took a toothbrush I keep for cleaning and attacked the rubber flap things, and under them, with lemon juice. It smelled much better than it had, though still not sure the smell is entirely gone.

I'll check for the cleaner next time I'm at Walmart.

Julieboo
Member

02-05-2002

Tuesday, November 02, 2004 - 6:43 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Juju, how is baking soda and vinegar dangerous? I know it foams up, but is it really dangerous? I would like to know cuz it is in one of ds's favorite easy experiment books and we do it all the time. (He totally gets off on it!) We'll stop if it is dangerous...

Skootz
Member

07-23-2003

Tuesday, November 02, 2004 - 9:49 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I never have considered vinegar and soda dangerous. I use it all the time to help unclog the kitchen sink and the baking soda is used for cleaning.

Juju2bigdog
Member

10-27-2000

Tuesday, November 02, 2004 - 1:17 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Julieboo and Skootz, well, maybe I made that up. I just Googled danger vinegar baking soda, and came up with not much. I thought I remembered reading about using that combo for clogs in enclosed places because of the explosive reaction it can create.

Sorry.

Julieboo
Member

02-05-2002

Tuesday, November 02, 2004 - 3:02 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Hey, were you thinking about bleach and ammonia? Now that supposedly is dangerous...

Melfie1222
Member

07-29-2002

Wednesday, November 03, 2004 - 11:50 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I am pretty sure we used vinegar and baking soda (supervised of course) in my 4th grade science class to re-create the idea of Mount St. Helens 1980, we lived just a few hours away from there, and this was not too long after. We poured the ingredients into little clay fake mountains, and I think it did some small-scale explosive sort of stuff.

Jmm
Member

08-16-2002

Thursday, November 04, 2004 - 5:32 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Uses for vinegar and baking soda mixture.
Frugal Living

Katoncoast
Member

07-31-2004

Monday, December 06, 2004 - 10:18 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
ok how do you get candle wax out of carpet?

Lucy
Member

10-08-2002

Monday, December 06, 2004 - 10:31 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Katon, I found this info for you...

"Well, if you've got a candle wax stain on your carpet, all you need is an iron and a couple sheets of old newspaper. Is that all? It may seem a little old fashioned and even a little strange, but this actually does work. Just give it a try before demising the idea. I had doubts the first time I tried this, but I was amazed by how fast and affective it was. I was playing around with a candle in one of my friend's room, when I accidentally dropped the candle. Wax went everywhere, and I was left to clean up the mess, so I can say that I've experienced this solution myself.


The first thing you'll want to do is heat your iron up, just as if you were going to iron a regular shirt. Now remember that the iron will be hot, so you should always be careful when using one. Once it's warmed up, you should find a few sheets of old newspaper and place them on the spot with the stain. Place a few sheets around the stain too which will prevent you from burning other materials around you. Now this may seem simple, but all you have to do is iron the sheets of paper. This method of cleaning can sound strange, but as you do this you will start to notice that the stain will be disappearing.


As you iron the sheets of newspaper, you should start to notice that the wax is absorbing into the sheets of paper which is a good sign. This will look like little spots of water or grease. Once you've seen these little spots of grease, you know the wax is coming out of your carpet.


Afterwards, don't forget to turn the iron off because you don't want to burn down the house. And be careful when you're doing this to your carpet, because accidents are known to happen. Never try to use a lighter or any other flammable item to take the stain out either: you'll just end up burning your carpet instead of cleaning it."



Lucy
Member

10-08-2002

Monday, December 06, 2004 - 10:35 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Katon...

Q. I have brand new wall to wall carpeting and a candle melted and put a large pool of wax into my carpeting could you please tell me what I can do to remove the wax from my carpeting without damaging my carpeting?

For the candle wax on the carpet you need to put down paper towels over the wax, and run your iron over that. i.e., melt the wax and blot it up with paper towels. Remember to change the paper towels as the wax is absorbed. This information came from a carpet cleaner.



Katoncoast
Member

07-31-2004

Tuesday, December 07, 2004 - 8:26 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Thanks for the answers. I appreciate the help.

Katoncoast
Member

07-31-2004

Thursday, December 09, 2004 - 8:12 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
ok good thing the wax was close to the color of the carpet because theres a slight discoloration but i tried the newspaper one (above)...it works better than the paper towels.could not get it all due to some got under the carpet.but i dont have a blob of wax on the carpet anymore

Vee
Member

02-23-2004

Sunday, December 12, 2004 - 11:31 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Glad that that suggestion worked pretty well for you, Kat. I would further suggest that you snip off the tips of the affected fibers if the discoloration doesn't go all the way to the base. I cut out a singed mark on my beige carpet and I can't even tell where it was anymore.

I have a tip that some of you may already know about, but since I didn't, until recently, I'm sharing.

When putting a pillowcase on a pillow, take hold of the case in the center of the bottom seam and roll the pillow case back over your arm. (It will be inside out over your arm.) Then take hold of center end of the pillow with the same hand. Just pull the case down over the pillow still gripping the end at the center until the pillow case is neatly on. This eliminates all the tugging, pushing, pulling that I used to do for years. Now why didn't I think of that?!

Reader234
Member

08-13-2000

Thursday, December 23, 2004 - 7:33 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Cleaning help requested!! Anybody ever seen Haley's Hints on PBS? He made something to clean a rug, it was miraculous!! He used a foam pump container! and said to make sure only use the foam... but what is the formula?

Skootz
Member

07-23-2003

Friday, December 24, 2004 - 6:41 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Hi Reader, I have the books from Haley's hints, but he had different solutions for different stains.

The foam he was taking about is shaving cream - us use it on ketchup, chocolate, tea, coffee, wine and blood.

If the stain is anything other than the above, let me know and I will post the info. from the book


Reader234
Member

08-13-2000

Friday, December 24, 2004 - 8:28 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Thanks Skootz! I watched him make a solution and put it in a container that made the foam (I've bought hand soap for DD that you pump it and it comes out foam)

I'm thinking it had water, dish soap, and maybe vinegar? He then scrubbed it in a nice throw rug, and it cleaned it!!

I wanted to steam clean my couch and carpet, but I couldnt find a machine nearby, so I thought I could try and clean it without a steamer! Dumb I know, but I still may get the hand scrub brush and a bowl of water and some Oxyclean and work it.

Thanks Skootz!

Karuuna
Member

08-31-2000

Sunday, December 26, 2004 - 12:34 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Help? I have a question and didn't want to start a new thread. My gas meter is making a chirping noise, and I'm wondering if that's something I should be worried about. Anyone have any ideas? Should I call the energy company?

Skootz
Member

07-23-2003

Sunday, December 26, 2004 - 1:26 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Hi Reader: From "Haleys Hints"

Homemade Carpet Shampoo. Use 1/2 cup powdered detergent, 1 tsp ammonia and a quart of warm water. mix in a bowl, stirring constantly to work up a layer of froth. Using froth only, rub lightly with a sponge or cloth over the entire carpet. When necessary, continue stirring solution to get additional froth. Allow carpet to dry. Vacuum entire area

Skootz
Member

07-23-2003

Sunday, December 26, 2004 - 1:28 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Kar...I would call the energy company..you never know. I don't have any experience with having a gas meter..but better to be safe then sorry. I would check out if your company has a website and a FAQ section.

Karuuna
Member

08-31-2000

Sunday, December 26, 2004 - 1:51 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Skootz, per your suggestion, I tried searching Xcel's website but couldn't find anything about a chirping meter. I can't smell any gas, so still don't quite know what to think. It only does it when the gas meter is running, ie, when the furnace comes on, and gas is being drawm through the system.

Jmm
Member

08-16-2002

Sunday, December 26, 2004 - 1:52 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Kar, I've not had much luck in researching this, but I did read that bearings going out in a meter can cause a noise. I'm with Skootz, call them just to be on the safe side. They should have an on-call tech who can call you back and advise you.

Karuuna
Member

08-31-2000

Sunday, December 26, 2004 - 1:57 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Jackie, that's encouraging. I did try to reseach it too, and couldn't find anything at all.

Karuuna
Member

08-31-2000

Sunday, December 26, 2004 - 2:06 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Okay, jsut to be on the safe side, I called. They said they would send someone out to check itout, but they didn't seem to have any clue either!

Reader234
Member

08-13-2000

Sunday, December 26, 2004 - 2:15 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
THAT's It Skootz!! Haha, amonia, vinegar - I was close!! I do so love those natural cleaners, they seem to work so much better, I always clean my stove with baking soda and vinegar, he used something on the removable stainless stove thingys that just amazed me - we dont have that kind of stove, but I was just having so much fun watching him clean things!! LOL - I did see the book at Barnes and Noble, so I'll probably get it!!

oh, and I did spot clean with the Oxyclean, I couldnt believe how good a job it did on dd special playdough/silly putty - bright pink, dried on! ugg!