Home Maintenance Tips

Is your kitchen suffering from a smelly garbage disposal? No problem! Here’s how to cure and prevent it using simple, inexpensive ingredients you have in your kitchen – in 3 easy steps.

1. Get about a dozen ice cubes and a half cup of course, rock, or Kosher salt. Put these in the disposal and turn it on. Let it run for about a minute. Turn on the hot water and let it run for another minute.
2. Next, get a cup of white vinegar and a half cup of baking soda. Pour the baking soda into the garbage disposal and then add the vinegar. Let it fizz for 10 – 15 minutes. Put the sink-stopper in and fill the sink with hot water. Remove the stopper and turn on the disposal while the water drains out to give it a good flush.
3. Make your smelly garbage disposal smell fresh using the peel of your favorite citrus fruit. Peel a lemon, lime, orange or other citrus fruit and grind the peel in your disposal with the water running.

Enjoy!

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Summer weather is ideal for an exterior caulking project. Warm weather gives you an opportunity to replace caulk and have time for it to dry. Caulking helps prevent rain and moisture from seeping in and causing rot. Therefore, caulking is an important project that will help protect your home for the long term. Start by carefully removing all caulk that is cracked, crumbling or pulling away. Once removed, check the areas and make sure they are clean and dry. If you discover areas of damage or rot, it’s time to call a professional. 

Now you are ready to replace it. Different products are designed for different projects. Consequently, you should be sure you select the correct caulking for the job. Also, consider choosing exterior caulking that is made to take paint. Chances are you will want to paint at some point and you will be glad you chose the right product.

Caulking can help prevent water damage to your home, so it’s important to check the condition of your exterior caulk regularly. Want more helpful tips? Click here. Would you like information regarding buying or selling a home? Get in touch – we’re here to help you reach your real estate goals.

It’s perfect weather for pressure washing! While you have your pressure washer out, do your house, driveway, decks, patios and other exterior surfaces. You can do this annually so these surfaces look their best for outdoor fun and entertaining.  However, its something you need to do if you are planning other home improvements and repairs. Make sure you use a low pressure setting so as not to damage wood, siding and mortar.  Consumer reports tips and safety about pressure washing.

If you don’t own a pressure washer, you can rent one at most home improvement stores. However, if you aren’t comfortable handling one, hire a professional. If you are pressure washing your home to have it repainted, make sure the painter you use will pressure wash first. Pressure washing companies are available, along with experienced handyman. Concrete companies may also provide this service if you are updating or replacing concrete. Make sure you get reliable references for anyone you hire to work in and on your home.

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Clean and re-seal your tile grout to keep it looking great and prevent costly leaks and replacement. Read how expert Bob Vila does it by clicking here .

If you have cleaned your grout and are unhappy with the results, it may be time to replace the grout. Other indicators that your grout needs replacing are:

• Cracks in the grout
• Crumbling grout
• Grout pulling away from the tile
• Areas of missing grout
• Tiles coming loose
• Mold and mildew that won’t clean off

If you take care of and clean your tile grout regularly, you should only have to replace it every 12 to 15 years. Failure to care for the grout may lead to the need for replacement every eight to 10 years. If you need to replace your grout, you could consider doing it yourself. There are a number of expert videos on the internet that detail how to remove and replace grout. However, if you aren’t comfortable doing the job properly, you should call an expert.

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Cleaning household faucets and shower heads should be added to your annual cleaning schedule. Keeping these items clean will improve water quality and pressure.

Clean household faucet aerators by removing them and rinsing to remove grime and mineral deposits. Shower heads that don’t come apart can be soaked in place. First, mix a solution of equal parts white vinegar and water and pour it into a plastic bag. Secondly, put the plastic bag around the shower head immersing the holes in the liquid. Finally, secure the bag with a tie and leave it to soak. Once you have cleaned your faucets and shower heads, check all parts for leaks.  Be sure to replace washers, knobs, shower heads and faucets that are leaking.

Water leaks can cause major damage. As a result of annual maintenance, you could avoid costly repairs. You may find after cleaning that your faucets and shower heads leak or are still inefficient. This is typically the case when they are older. Replacing these items is fairly simple and cost effective. You may find that updated shower heads are more efficient at saving water while providing better pressure. Updating faucets can also go a long way to providing an updated appearance to your bathrooms and kitchen.

Looking for more maintenance tips? Click here. Have questions about the current real estate market in your local area? Give us a call, we’re here to answer any real estate questions you might have.