Search Results for: blog removing candle wax from carpet

Dealing with Holiday Messes: Candle Wax

Nothing ushers in the holiday season quite like scented candles. With a young child around the house, I’m not a huge fan of candles, but during the holidays I have been known to light gingerbread, evergreen, and spiced cranberry-scented candles to enhance our family celebrations. The downside to having your house smell like a Christmas tree farm is dealing with unexpected wax stains. Fortunately, cleaning candle wax is not a huge undertaking, provided you follow these tips: FABRIC Removing candle wax from cotton is fairly simple. While you should consult the care label before laundering, in most cases you can … Continue reading →

Dealing with Carpet Dents

You move a table or floor lamp and are left with circular dents in the carpet that seem to exist for days if not permanently. Carpet dents can ruin the look and feel of your carpet and can force you into a permanent furniture arrangement when you can’t get them out. Here are some ways of dealing with carpet dents. We are enjoying our first experience with a nice carpet after replacing the awful vinyl flooring in our family room. The one thing I didn’t even think about when we were planning our purchase was carpet dents. Fortunately, we are … Continue reading →

Extending the Life of Your Carpet

If you want to get the most out of your carpet purchase, you need to take good care of it. Cheaper carpets can be expected to last three to five years, while more expensive carpets can last ten or even twenty years! You can extend the life of your carpet in the following ways. Vacuum the carpet regularly. When we had out new family room carpet installed, I asked the installers about the best way to take care of it. This was their number one piece of advice. In fact, they said that regular vacuuming is the absolute best way … Continue reading →

Removing Decals

Do you have some decals that you need to remove from your household surfaces? Try this trick that works well and doesn’t damage most surfaces. Most households have at least one run in with decals. Whether they are tub decals that you have inherited (or placed yourself) or stickers that kids have stuck to the furniture, decals can be difficult to deal with. And those tub decals can be especially tough to remove. The standard way that I used to remove decals is by peeling off as much of the decal as possible and then applying nail polish remover to … Continue reading →

Removing Candle Wax from Carpet

It is inevitable, especially during the holiday season. Those pretty scented candles that make everything seem so cozy and festive can leave their mark. All it takes is someone enthusiastically blowing out a candle, and you wind up with wax on your carpets. Your first instinct might be to wipe at the stain, but that is not the best response. wiping the wax can smear it and send it further into the fibers of your carpet. Your second instinct, if you ignored the first, would be to let the wax harden into a lump or lumps and then pick at … Continue reading →

Removing Carpet Stains

When the inevitable happens and something spills onto your carpet, don’t panic. Help is on the way, but you do have to act quickly. In dealing with stains, he who hesitates is lost and you should also look before you leap. If this still isn’t clear, read on. Stain Removers Believe it or not, foamy shaving cream is one of the best homemade carpet stain removals you can use. Apply a blob to the stained area and rub in well with a sponge. Rinse with clean water, let dry overnight and then vacuum. When dealing with Turkish, Oriental and Persian … Continue reading →

Home Week in Review: November 5 – 11

There are many different “rituals” families engage in throughout different seasons and occasions. For some of us, that first gust of chill wind in the fall brings on the nesting instinct. Mary Ann shared this with us in her Baking Day and Reaching Out to Nature articles. Don’t forget to check out the Home Blog archives for past autumn articles as well to see how other writers feed the need to nest. Or, check out past tips for preparing for the holidays and colder weather. I had to share my favorite ways to welcome cool weather too, and I’d like … Continue reading →

Your Cleaning ABCs (DEF&G to Come)

Cleaning alphabetically works the same way as doing anything else in that manner; namely, it puts things in order. If your xylophone is dirty, it will have to wait its turn, but those items closer to the front of the alphabet will soon get a dusting, whether they want to or not. Read on, no matter how you may feel about order and letters or vice versa. Bedding A sure fire way to kill those dust mites that live rent-free within the folds of your bedding is to place the item in a garbage bag and leave it in the … Continue reading →

Cleaning Wallpaper

Wallpaper, just like everything else that lives in our homes, requires care and attention to keep it looking good. Even those hard to reach spots don’t like to be ignored and here are some tips on how to keep your wallpaper happy and clean. Fabric Wall Cleaner As a general rule, walls covered with fabric like velvet, burlap, cloth etc should be vacuumed only. Wallpaper Cleaner Today, many types of wallpaper are washable. Be careful not to get the paper too wet as you clean with a little dish soap mixed into a pail of warm water. As an alternative, … Continue reading →

Holiday Headaches—Dealing With Stains

We will NOT be hosting Christmas at our house this year. Which means I will not have to spend the week prior to Christmas cleaning, cooking and coordinating events in preparation for the onslaught of parents, siblings, their spouses and their children. WHEW! (My mom drew the short straw this year.) The holiday season is considered the “most wonderful time of the year.” And when you are spending it with your favorite family members and friends… and foods it certainly can make for an enjoyable time. However, toss in your favorite linens and your favorite holiday outfit with a feast … Continue reading →