* General Cleaning

To clean the inside of a microwave that has not seen a recent food explosion is quick and easy. Most units have removable glass turntables. Remove the turntable, wash in warm soapy water, rinse and dry thoroughly. Handle the turntable carefully as they can become slippery when wet.

Before returning the turntable, using a wet dishcloth or sponge, wipe down the entire inside of the microwave including the ceiling. If a few food particles are stuck on, rub free with a plastic scrubbing pad or even your fingernail. Don’t forget to wipe down the inside of the microwave door. Dry with a clean cotton towel or paper towel and replace the turntable. Wipe down the front of the microwave and the keypad too.

* Serious Cleaning

Foods explode in the microwave. Some of the most spectacular explosions come from hot dogs, sauces or soups, and let’s not forget the two sticks of butter you were melting for the corn-on-the-cob. In our haste to get our meals to the table, we often put off cleaning our microwave messes. It’s very easy to leave the mess or just half-heartedly dab at it. Often we were not the creator of the mess and before we know it, the microwave looks and smells like something out of science project gone wrong. When your microwave is in this state, serious cleaning is needed.

There are several tried and true techniques to loosen grease, grime, and grunge from the inside of your microwave while removing foul and burnt odors.

Tip 1: Fill a bowl with four cups of water and microwave it on high for 5 minutes. Let the water stand for five more minutes and then remove from the microwave. The steam from the boiled water will loosen baked on particles allowing them to be wiped away with a soapy, wet sponge. Rinse entire microwave with wet cloth after last particle in removed.

Tip 2: Fill a spray bottle with two tablespoons of baking soda and then fill with water. Spray the inside of your microwave with the baking soda and water solution. Let sit for a couple of minutes and spray again. Wipe away the wet grime and dry thoroughly with a towel.

Tip 3: Fill a bowl with two tablespoons of baking soda and three cups of water. Place a sponge or rag in the bowl and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Let stand in the microwave for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the sponge or rag and use to wipe down the insides of microwave.

To combat lingering foul or burnt odors from foods like popcorn or bacon try:

Tip 4: Fill a bowl with 2 cups white vinegar and microwave to its boiling point, about 4 to 5 minutes. Let stand for about 15 minutes. The moisture from the vinegar will even seep into the unit’s fan system and eliminate any stinky odors. Vanilla extract can also replace the vinegar and will not have as strong of an odor. Use about a 1/4 cup of vanilla extract and only heat for 60 seconds. To remove all odors, keep the microwave door closed overnight.

Tip 5: Slice a lemon into wedges and float in a bowl of water and microwave on high for 4 to 5 minutes. Let the moisture and citrus stand for 2 to 3 hours.

Tip 6: Simply put two tablespoons of fresh coffee crystals into a bowl and shut the microwave door. Keep the door closed over night and by morning, the odors will have vanished.

Of course, an ounce of prevention is worth your time when it comes to keeping your microwave free of grease, grime, and odors. Make it a habit to wipe down the inside of your microwave each time your wipe your countertops, wash dishes, or sweep the floor. If you wipe it down regularly, the grime will not build up and odors will not have the opportunity to linger.

Better yet, when that bowl of chili you forgot to cover explodes like a scene from Pompeii, remove the bowl and immediately wipe out all the bean and meat chunks. Then thoroughly wash down the microwave insides with a damp cloth. Avoid messes completely by covering foods that are prone to explosions and splatters with a paper plate, paper towel or even one of those microwave splatter shields that are available at discount stores and retailers.

Remember; never try to take apart your microwave oven to clean it as it can give you a serious electrical shock even when unplugged.

Keeping the inside of your microwave clean will not only help keep the unit working at peak efficiency but will keep your reheated and “nuked” foods from tasting funky and strange.

Learn more about this author, Barb Hopkins.

How could this have been prevented? There’s a rather simple solution to be positive that will not occur again. You need a Fabric And Paint Chip Notebook.

A Fabric And Paint Chip Notebook is easy and fairly quick to make, then keep updated. It holds samples of the colors throughout your home, such as walls and ceilings, curtains and drapes, linens, etc.

There’s more than one way to make one of these, and it doesn’t have to be in a notebook. You can change it to fit your particular likes and needs.

What To Do

First, you will need a small purse or pocket size spiral notebook, small blank 3 x 5 index cards cut in half or heavier stock paper, cut in small squares, a small paint brush, and something such as newspaper to paint on.

When you paint a room, before beginning the room, take a half of the 3 x 5 index card or square of stock paper, and paint one side of it with the paint you are about to use for the room. Make sure your surface is covered with the newspaper to prevent an accident. Allow this to dry. The reason I like to paint the sample first is that if I wait until after painting the room, I might run out of paint, or forget to make the sample.

Do this for each room or part of a room that you paint, each time, unless it is the exact same color. Once the sample is dry, tape or glue it into the notebook, and on the same page, write the paint color name, type of paint, such as latex or oil based, and the room or room area it was used on.

Fabrics can be done in the same manner. When you buy new drapes, for example, it is often hard to match colors. It doesn’t have to be difficult. Curtains and drapes usually have huge hems. You can carefully use sharp scissors, turn the curtain over to expose the hem area, and cut a small spot to place in your notebook. It is important not to cut through, of course. This also works well for some bed linens, but not always. If there is not enough of a hem to take a sample without it being obvious, I opt for no sample rather than ruining the piece.

While this might bother some, cutting a small area of their drapes and linens, it’s a nice idea when it comes to shopping for those matching colors, plus it saves many repeated and unnecessary trips back to the store for returns.

Wall paper samples are the easiest and most convenient to place in the notebook. Simply cut a small sample of the wall paper, place it in the notebook, and make a note of the name of it, perhaps even the place of purchase, and the room or room areas it’s located in.

Perhaps you’d like to buy color coordinated items to match wall decor. Some items, such as a painting, cannot have a sample taken from it to place in your Fabric And Paint Chip Notebook. One idea is to take a photo of the object with a digital camera, in good lighting, so that the finished photo’s colors match that of the actual object. You might print this off on good photo paper and add to your notebook, or keep with it.

Decorating the home can cause frustration to take the place of what should be a fun and exciting time. Don’t let mismatched colors bring you to the point of gloom and despair. Try making your own Fabric and Paint Chip Notebook.

Learn more about this author, BlondieWrites.

The first step in building a pond is choosing an ideal location. Avoid excessively shady areas or areas under trees. Your pond will need sun in order for successful plant growth to occur. Excessive amounts of leaves will result in too much bacteria and will be deadly to fish. Obviously, your location should provide a good view of the pond and maybe a place to sit nearby and watch it. Be sure to check with your utility companies to insure you won’t hit an electric, gas, or water line when you start digging.

Next, using some string, mark off the shape and size of your pond. Be imaginative! You don’t want a plain, old square or rectangle, but you also don’t want too many twists and turns! As you dig, be sure to create an area that is at least 3 feet deep for your fish to hibernate in during the winter months. Another section that is about 2 feet to 2 1/2 feet deep should also be included. I recommend digging “shelves” into the sides of your pond at varying levels to put plants on. Be sure to pile a little extra dirt around the edges of your pond so that water won’t just run over the edges when you fill it up!

If you want to have a waterfall in your pond, you should save some of your dirt to build it up with. Place it in a heap mixed with just a bit of powder concrete mix where you want your waterfall to be placed. Be sure to leave a channel down the middle of the mound for the water to flow through and heaps on the sides so the water doesn’t flow out of the channel. Play around with shaping it the way you want it before sprinkling water on it to help set the concrete. Also, place plenty dirt on the hill of your water fall to plant vegetation if you don’t want it to be completely covered in rock. (At this point, you will want to run the tubing to the top of your waterfall and cover it with a little dirt to hide it.)

The best way to line your pond is to buy pond liner at a home improvement store such as Lowe’s or Home Depot. Pond liner is made to resist tearing and sun damage, so it definitely pays to purchase the real thing instead of just plain black plastic. You don’t want to have to replace it after the first couple of years because it wasn’t designed for that purpose. Lay your liner into the hole and allow it to drape at least a foot over the sides. You will need to cut another portion of liner to place in your water fall. Be sure it laps over the built up sides of your channel and lays over the edge into the pond.

Your pond has to have areas to grow beneficial bacteria to maintain a good balance between your plant and animal life, so it is best to place some small rocks or river rocks (not tiny gravel) in the bottom of your pond. One layer is plenty! Put some rock in the channel of your waterfall also. Then, slowly begin filling your pond with a hose. Watch carefully to see if you need to build any areas with dirt to prevent overflow.

Once your pond is filled with water, you will need to place good sized river rocks or flagstone (or a combination of the two) around the edges of the pond and waterfall to cover the edges of the liner and hold it down. This will take some time because you want to toy with it until it looks natural. I made layers in my waterfall using small pieces of flagstone, too.

Measure off your pond length and width and find an online calculator to determine the approximate number of gallons that it holds. (There are tons of these calculators available on the internet.) You need to choose a pump that will recirculate your water at least once per hour. So, if you have a 500 gallon pond, you need at least a 500 gph (gallons per hour) pump. I recommend a larger pump than necessary to prevent algae growth and provide extra oxygen if you plan to have fish in your pond. There are various types of filtration available. In my opinion, the most effective way to filter is to purchase a filter box to place your pump inside of. This provides biological and mechanical filtration. It will grow beneficial bacteria in the sponges in your filter box which will help control algae growth in your pond. In addition, the sponges will remove large debris from the water. (You will have to clean your filter at least once per week.)
You will also need a fountain head of some sort to provide a way to oxygenate the water as well as to be pretty! You can purchase various kits with pumps, fountains, and filters or purchase them all seperately. Adaptors are available to put inline with them that will run your waterfall off the same pump.

The best thing to do is allow your pond to set for a week so that the chlorine can evaporate from the water (unless you use well water or rain water to fill it) before adding living things. If you just can’t wait to add fish and plants, there is a treatment that can be purchased that will neutralize the chlorine and chloramines in about 30 minutes. Also available at the home improvement store (or online) is healthy bacteria in powdered form. This helps to eat the fish waste and plant waste that will accumulate in the bottom of your pond. I would not try to add it until your fish and plants have been present for at least one week. It has to have something to eat in order to survive!

Fish should be added a few at a time. If you want pretty plants, shebunkins and goldfish are your best bet. If you want to show off your fish, koi are a good choice. Koi are much higher maintenance and much more expensive, though! They also love to munch on your plants! If you feed your fish at the same time each day and in the same area of the pond, they will soon start coming up and begging for food! Remember, fewer fish are better because they will reproduce at least once each spring! Too many will cause an oxygen shortage and they will die.

As for plants, a pond needs several varieties in order to help eliminate the fish waste and provide the proper balance. First of all, every pond needs at least one water lily to provide shade for the fishies! They are available in all colors and leaf types. Hardy lilies can stay in the pond over the winter. Tropical lilies have to be removed and provided with special care during the winter months and tend to cost more!

Marginal plants like cattails, fountain grass, iris, canna lilies, and umbrella palms provide interest around the edges of the pond and attract dragon flies and other pretty insects to your pond. They also provide another way to remove excess gases and fertilizer from the water and prevent algae growth.

Finally, underwater plants shade the water and provide extra oxygen for your fish. There are tons of varieties of these available depending on the state in which you live. Some of these are not sold in some states because they are taking over lakes, so they are outlawed.

Do not be discouraged if you lose a few fish or have algae blooms when getting your pond started. These are both normal occurances. You will probably have algae blooms the first 2 years you pond is establishing until all the bacteria are balanced.

Some algae control tips:
Remove excess algae by hand.
Feed your fish less when algae is blooming (or not at all). They will eat the algae and decaying food feeds the algae.
Sprinkle cornmeal on top of the algae. As it decays, it eats the nutrients that the algae needs. The fish can eat the cornmeal without being harmed, too!
Purchase barley straw and drop it into the pond. This inhibits algae growth.
Purchase powdered bacteria and treat the pond as instructed.
Clean excess sludge out of the bottom of the pond with a pond vaccuum. (use what you remove from the pond to fertilize your grass or flower beds-they love it!)

Lastly, you might want to consider adding landscape lighting around your pond. Spotlights aimed at the fountain and waterfall make great accents. Underwater colored lights are cool also because they allow you to see your fish at night!

Although they require a good deal of work at first, ponds are tons of fun and very rewarding. Each year, they require a little less work!

Learn more about this author, aggieteacher.

There are seven principles of Xeriscaping, which if followed will benefit the local community,(by reducing the funding needed in water recycling, processing, and delivery), the home owner, (Xeriscaping can potentially add retail value to a home, the yard is lower maintenance), and the environment.

Principle One: Hydrozoning
Hydrozoning refers to proper planning and design regarding grouping plants. The groupings can be separated into low water use, (little to no watering), moderate, (requires some watering), and high water use, (plants are given as much as they need). Areas that require high water use tend to be the smallest and are generally in high visibility areas.

Principle Two: Soil Analysis
A proper soil analysis will help to ensure that plants are chosen that will suit the soil. It will test for nutrient content and the ability to retain water. If necessary, additives can be used to increase the soil’s water retention capacity. The key here is to help plants root deeply. ( A deeply rooted plant will require less water.)

Principle Three: Plant Selection
Plants need to be chosen for their adaptability and suitability to the site. Plants should also be chosen to suit the water zone area. It should also be noted that smaller plants with wider spacing, (at installation time), will require less water. Do not forget to use plants that are native to your area.

Principle Four: Turf
One of the greatest consumers of water in a landscape is the turf, or grass. In Xeriscaping, turf should only be used when an alternative is inappropriate.

Principle Five: Irrigation
It is essential to have appropriate irrigation where it is needed. The irrigation system needs to match the site. Sprinkler systems are generally high water consumers, while drip systems are lower water consumers. It is also important to water early in the morning. Less water is likely to evaporate during this time of day. (Watering in the evening can lower your plant’s defenses to molds and fungus.) Don’t forget about rain barrels!

Principle Six: Mulch
Mulch is a key part of Xeriscaping. It aids in moisture retention and helps keep weeds down. When weeds are few, there is less competition for water and nutrients. This leads to healthier plants. The best mulch to use is an organic one with a finer texture. Solid mulches, like crushed gravel, are not a good idea. They will heat up and will only aid in moisture loss.

Principle Seven: Maintenance
It is essential that once the landscape has been created that it is maintained. This can include removing weeds and keeping turf grass mowed.

Xeriscaping is easy to do once you understand what it is. As I said before, Xeriscaping needs to have more attention drawn to it. Emphasis on water conservation has become incredibly important. With Xeriscaping you can still create and maintain a beautiful landscape.

Learn more about this author, Kamille Pierog.

Very briefly if you come in contact with poison ivy wash your hands as soon as possible. Use soapy water and get between the fingers and under the nails. Repeat the process several times, and use isopropyl alcohol or a like solvent like witch hazel to help separate the oil from your skin. This part applies in every case- remove all your clothing and wash it separately from all other clothes. Washing it twice isn’t always necessary but it certainly doesn’t hurt. The last thing you want is the oil finding it’s way back onto your body after you have just gotten rid of the rash. Second, anything you may have been using which came in contact with poison ivy should be scrubbed down to help prevent re-contamination.

Now assuming you have a rash there is no magic bullet to just get rid of it over night. The only thing you can really do is treat it to speed the healing and ease the pain. A common way to soothe the rashed area is to use an ice pack to help quell the area and ease the bubbling effect it creates. Something that works really well is soaking the area in whole milk, the fat is important here, because that eases the itching and burning sensation and that is exactly what you want as scratching only spreads the problem. Burrows Solution is an antibacterial solution that can lessen the burning sensation as well. The key to these steps are that they constrict blood vessels in the area which is what relieves the itchy feeling. Remember when you itch you just add time to the life of the rash.

After using an ice pack, cool compress, or whatever method you choose for this purpose, and give the are a soak in milk, or saltwater which helps clear the infection, be sure to apply something to help keep the itching at bay and dry the blisters. Calamine lotion is a time tested and true agent that does the job extremely well. Other excellent products are Aveeno Anti-Itch Cream with oatmeal, Band-Aid Anti Itch gel, or Aloe Vera. It is important to pair one of these or a similar agent to truly knock out the rash as soon as possible.

To further reduce the time and pain a poison ivy rash inflicts on the body, oral antihistamines can work wonders. Be sure you are able to use them and have no adverse physical reactions or allergies before using one. Benadryl is the most common solution here as it reduces the swelling, itching and burning the rash carries. If you have any doubts or aren’t sure about dosage ask a pharmacist or better yet your doctor before using an antihistamine.

Finally it sounds basic but is extremely difficult to carry through on, just don’t scratch! Scratching is poison ivy’s friend. It excites the area opening up blood vessels with causes more of the urge to itch and it spreads the infection. Don’t pop blisters, again your are just spreading the infection. keep your rashes exposed to open air as much as possible so your skin can dry out more quickly.

If a rash persists or it is just too painful to deal with please see your doctor. They can provide prescription strength treatments to ease a particularly pesky infection. They can also drain blistered areas in a safe sterile manner to ease your pain further. If you have trouble breathing, more than 1/4 of your body covered in a rash, rashes on the genital region, an odor, colored pus, or rashes/blisters around the nasal openings or eyes see a doctor at once. Poison ivy doesn’t prove lethal often but in some rare cases it is just that. Be safe and see a doctor is any of the above fit the nature of outbreak you are dealing with.

Learn more about this author, Amanda Fox.