Housekeeping How-Tos

How To: Wash windows the easy way

Ron Hazelton shows you an easy an effective way to wash windows. In a warm bucket of water you add one tablespoon of dishwashing solution, a scrubber with sleeve is used to apply the solution to the window, and dried with a professional quality squeegee. Each step is shown and explained in full detail to ensure the best possible completed outcome. After watching this video and walking yourself through the steps a few times you can wash a good sized window in about a minute.

How To: Organize your messy closet

A disorganized closet can slow down your mornings. Clean out your dirty storage space with the help of this instructional video. Follow along with such tips as tossing out unused clothing, and establishing a systematic wardrobe catalog.

How To: Get rid of the smell of garlic on your hands

When you are using garlic or cooking with it, getting the smell of garlic off your hands can be really tricky. Washing your hands will not to the job by itself. The next time you are using garlic and want to get rid of that smell, wash your hands thoroughly with both soap and water, and then rub them against the stainless steel faucet because the metal with neutralize the odor from your hands and get rid of the smell.

How To: Tie a slip knot in a plastic grocery bag

Have you ever wondered how to tie a slip knot on your grocery bags? When we go to the grocery store, the clerks always tie the bags in a carrying knot. With this easy to follow video, tying these knots is made easy. Knots always seem perplexing, but now they are easy to do. This is a must watch video for anyone who goes shopping.

How To: Clean your room

Do you win the prize for messiest room in America? That's a difficult contest, but how about messiest room in your house? It’s time to clean your room, so do a good job in the shortest amount of time and get your parents off your back.

How To: Make a homemade fly trap

Do you have a problem with flies and you're not sure how to get rid of them? In this video, learn how to make a homemade fly trap to get rid of those pesky insects with wings! If you have too many flies buzzing around your house, here's a quick way to make an inexpensive fly trap.

How To: Line-dry your clothes

Looking for a way to save on your energy bills at home? How about line drying your clothes? According to the Energy Information Agency, clothes dryers account for 5.8 percent of home electricity usage. Line-dry your washed clothes and linens to keep them from wearing out, and save money on your energy bill at the same time.

How To: Use ThermaPure to get rid of bed bugs

Bed bugs come out and suck your blood in the middle of the night. ThermaPure can get rid of bed bugs in a safe manner. ThermaPure uses probes to heat up the areas of the house such as the bedding, carpets, and wall voids, to a temperature that will kill the bed bugs. The ThermaPure heater is programmable which allows for a precise duration and electrical current needed to rid your house of bed bugs. ThermaPure is a green technology and will not harm you in the process of ridding your home of ...

How To: Protect your luggage from bed bugs

Bed Bug control for luggage is the best way to protect your luggage from infestation. What you will do is, open your luggage and any zippers you may have on your luggage and spray it down the best you can. You will want to spray the seams and any closed area inside and outside you luggage. You should also spray down your handle and wheels (if available). Bed bug control will keep the germs from different hotels or any where you travel, so that it doesn’t follow you back home.

How To: Kill bed bugs with bug hunting dogs & heat

It's looking like heat is the safest and greenest way to deal with a bug problem. The KTLA Morning News (Los Angeles) did a series of segments on this new development with host of the Discovery Channel's Verminators Show, Mike Masterson. ThermaPure is being demonstrated, as are some bed bug sniffing dogs that Masterson's company, Isotech, uses.

How To: Prepare before treating your home for bed bugs

1. Prepare transparent plastic bags and boxes for disposal of paper, equipment, decorations and all the things that are stored on or in your furniture. (They should be transparent to enable you to see which items are in it because you will be living out of these boxes and bags for the next couple of weeks.)

How to Kill bed bugs: Bed bugs in cars

Having a bed bug infection in your car is extremely rare. However, if you suspect bed bugs in your automobile, check all of the cracks and crevices for any bed bug evidence. However, even if you don't find anything that doesn't rule out that they are there. What you can do is take your car to get fumigated. Other than that, the only thing that will absolutely kill the bugs is to let your car get very hot on a sunny, summer day.

How To: Use solar heat to kill bed bugs

Learn to use solar heat to kill bedbugs with this video! 1. Take a dark plastic bag or a vacuum bag. 2. Make sure it is intact. Don't use bags with holes! 3. Place a piece of clothing or bedding in it. Don't over fill the bag! 4. Close the bag. 5. Make sure that it is firmly closed and has no openings. 6. Place the bag on a hot surface under the direct summer sun, preferably on a concrete surface which was already heated by the sun (terrace or a balcony), but you can also put it in a car. 7. ...

How to Kill bed bugs: Bed bugs vs. bat bugs

There are a few differences between bed bugs and bat bugs. The first thing you want to do if you have a infestation is to have the bugs professionally identified because bed bugs and bat bugs look a lot a like. However, there are a few more things that can tell you which type of bug you have. For example, bat bugs like to infest your upper walls, ceiling junctions, and ceilings. Also, these bugs don't bite as much as a bed bug. The treatment for bed and bat bugs can be similar except for one ...

How To: Clean dirty old coins

Meta Cafe offers fast and easy tips on how to clean filthy and old coins. All you need is: baking powder, a small, empty bowl, and a glass of water. Start by putting some baking powder into the small bowl. Next put some of your filthy, old coins into the small bowl, laying them on top of the baking powder. Then layer the remaining baking powder over the coins in the small bowl. Finally, pour the water into the bowl and let it sit for 10-15 minutes. Remove the coins and dry them using a paper ...

How To: Remove ink stains

Ink stains are a very common stain that people get from an accidental pen mark on the clothing or when an ink pen bursts in a pocket or a purse. Start by putting a little cloth in between the ink stain and another part of the clothing. Get some glycerin and dab some of it on the stain using a cotton swab. Gently rub the glycerin on the stain. Rub it around a little bit and then let it set. Next take some gentle laundry detergent and pour a little bit into a bowl with some water in it. Stir th...

How To: Remove microwave odor

Many foods that you cook in the microwave create a very strong odor. That odor can last for a period of several hours or days. To remove the odor take a bowl and wet a paper towel and fold it in half and then in half again and put the towel in the bowl. Put the bowl in the microwave and heat the bowl and paper towel for one minute. Heating it will create steam and the paper towel will absorb the odor.

How To: Hang a picture with no holes

You use a bike rack that extends from floor to ceiling. Pick where you want to put your picture and place the bike rack there. Adjust the bike rack so that it is at the level you want the picture. Then take a clamp light and clamp it to the pole of the bike rack. If the light slips on the pole, you can wrap some duct tape on the pole to create a surface that the light will stay on. Point the light toward where the back of the picture is going to be. If the picture you want to hang does not ha...

How To: Remove rust

Rust can form anywhere and happens on all types of metal objects, no matter how old they are. You can get rust quickly if something metallic gets into contact with water. If some of your beloved tools have gotten rusty, check out this tutorial and learn how to remove some of that dredded reddish layer. This video will show you how to remove the rust naturally, without caustic chemicals and keep your home healthy and earth-friendly while remaining rust-free!

How To: Clean tile grout

Do you have grayed tile grout? Do you spend tons of money on clearners to only leave you displeased? In this video hosted by DIY home guru, Ron Hazleton, learn how to remove discolored, flaky or powdery grout & how to apply new grout and clean the faces of your tiles.

How To: Remove stubborn masking tape

Do you have a piece of stubborn masking tape stuck somewhere and you just can't get it off? Does it stare at you in the face, begging you to have a nervous breakdown? Ron Hazleton is here to save your day. In this video, learn how to remove old unwanted masking or duct tape from walls, wallpapered surfaces, concrete (and more) using a hair dryer to warm & soften te adhesive.

How To: Remove the garlic smell from your hands

Removing the garlic smell from your hands can be a very difficult thing to do. Sometimes you just can't stand the smell. Maybe you have a date and don't want to stink, but just can't get that smell out of your skin. There is a way to neutralize the odor so that you can get on with your life. After you get done cooking with either garlic or onions or any other stinky food, run your hands under some warm water. Then get some coffee grounds and mash them up and get them wet. Once the grounds are...

How To: Deal with cockroaches

These hearty bugs are here simply to elicit screams and revulsion – or so it seems. Apparently they can survive nuclear waste, but that doesn't mean they impossible to get rid of. Deal with them pronto with this video on how to get rid of those pesky bugs.