Tag Archives: DIY

Tree Planting Tips For Ohio Homeowners

Posted on by

rita111

Wanting to amp up your landscaping? Planting trees in your yard will yield a multitude of benefits, including shading your house, decreasing energy costs, curb appeal, improvement of the quality of air you breathe, and more! The best part is, trees are low-maintenance once planted and can help improve your home’s property value. Check out the tree planting tips below help you get started.    

 

Where to Plant Trees: Where you plant trees on your property can affect a variety of things. Houselogic.com suggests the following tips to guide you.  

  • Plant deciduous trees on the west side of your house for shade in the summer and to let the heat in the winter. Deciduous trees are trees that shed their broad leaves seasonally, such as the fall months.

  • Use evergreen trees on the north side of your home. These thick-branched trees keep their needles all year long, blocking icy winds from the north in the winter.

  • If you are planting trees decoratively, make sure to avoid planting below power lines. As trees grow taller, branches can become entangled in the lines. Furthermore, broken branches can fall into the lines causing power outages and potentially harmful electrical conditions.

  • Plant trees a safe distance away from your home’s foundation. When trees mature, roots can grow into the foundation, causing expensive and unsafe problems.

 

What to Plant: Better Home and Gardens recommends the variety of trees below to suit your tree-planting needs.

  • Decorative Trees- If it’s beauty you are looking for, the following trees may be idea for your landscape and curb appeal: Japanese Maple, Crabapple, Redbud, or Weeping Cheery

  • Shade Trees- Seeking trees to nap under or shade your home? Check these options out: Honey Locust, Willow Oak, Northern Red Oak, Freeman Maple, or Slippery Elm

  • Conifers- Love conifers? Want to block those cold winds? The following options might work for you: Arborvitae, Pine, or Spruce

 

How to Plant: Depending on the tree you purchase, the ways in which you need to plant your tree will vary. The Arbor Day Foundation provides specific instructions for the following types of trees.

  • Bare Root trees come as they sound- with their bare roots exposed and ready for the ground. These trees dig into the ground quicker once planted effectively.

  • Containerized trees are small trees that are rooted into a container. Planters loosen the dirt from the container and plant the soil and tree directly into the ground.

  • Balled and Burlaped trees are trees with roots wrapped in wire and burlap. Once in the ground, the burlap is cute loose for roots to freely breathe and plant.

 

Planting the right trees for your home is worth the while. Visit your local nursery today and begin soaking up the benefits of beautiful trees as soon as you can.

DIY: Homemade Cleaning Products

Posted on by

rita1

DIY: Homemade Cleaning Products – Have you ever ran out of cleaning products in the middle of cleaning your home and don’t have time to run out to the store to get more? Or do you just want to be more conscious of the chemicals you’re using to clean your home? Lucky for you, there are a number of cleaning products that you can make right in the comfort of your own home. Not only will you be able to control the portions of your cleaning products, but you will also have visibility into exactly what you’re using. Here are five homemade cleaning products you can make and use today.

 

All-Purpose Cleaner

An all purpose cleaner is a must-have to take care of the messes around your home. To make, combine 3 drops liquid castile soap, ¼ cup washing soda, 1 cup white vinegar, ¼ cup vodka, 4 drops tea tree oil, and 8 drops essential oil for scent (optional).Heat the vinegar in a microwave until boiling; add the washing soda and stir until totally dissolved. Lastly, add castile soap, tea tree oil, vodka and essential oil, and shake until combined. Keep it in a spray bottle and shake it before you use it every time.

 

Glass and Mirror Cleaner

No Windex? No problem. Create an easy glass cleaner with 1 teaspoon of dish soap, ½ cup of white vinegar and 3 cups of distilled water. Combine in a spray bottle and use on the mirrors and windows around your home.

 

Heavy-Duty Scrub

Every cleaning closet needs a heavy-duty scrub for things like rust stains, sinks and tubs. To make and use, dip half of a lemon into half a cup of borax and scrub directly onto any surface.

 

Oven Cleaner

Everyone needs a good oven cleaner, but a lot of the products on the market are crawling with unnecessary chemicals. For an at-home option, combine ½ cup of baking soda and a few tablespoons of water. Spread the mixture all over the oven and allow it to sit overnight. In the morning, wipe away the mixture. Add white vinegar to a spray bottle and spray over any remaining baking soda residue. Wipe it down with a dampened cloth until interior is shiny.

 

Furniture Polish

Keep your furniture looking fresh and clean with a combination of ¼ cup of white vinegar (you can also use ½ cup lemon juice) and ¾ cup of olive oil. Spray the mixture onto any surface and wipe with a clean rag.

 

Do Organic Home Remedies Really Work?

Posted on by

rita111

Do Organic Home Remedies Really Work? –   There is a home remedy for everything to help keep your home free of harmful chemicals, while still getting the job done. Organic home remedies can be of use indoors, or outdoors, it all depends on what you’re trying to accomplish. Here are five home remedies that really work.

 

Baking Soda

Baking soda mixed with a small amount of water can act as a great oven cleaner without all of the harsh chemicals that come along with store-bought oven cleaner. Just make a paste, put it in your oven for a few hours, then wipe down and voila – you have a chemical-free, clean oven to work with.

 

Lemons

This is quite possibly one of the most commonly known organic home remedy. Lemons are extremely acidic, and will remove dirt and rust. It can clean an array of objects including your cutting board, dishes, faucets, grout and more. Pro tip: it’s most effective when mixed with salt.

 

Citrus Infused Vinegar

Fill up a jar with citrus peels and vinegar and leave for a few days, after that drain out the vinegar and put it into a spray bottle. You can use this mixture as a window cleaner (better if you dilute with water), for mopping floors, or for disinfecting surfaces.

 

Olive Oil

Olive oil doesn’t need to be restricted to the kitchen, it also has a number of uses when it comes to chemical-free cleaning. Use it to clean cast-iron pans, to remove scratches on leather, to shine stainless steel and to polish wood furniture.

 

Vinegar

Vinegar can be used as a weed killer in your yard or garden. You’ll need a commercial solution that’s 20% acetic acid. Be careful when spraying it on your weeds, as it has the potential to dry out your other plants around it.

 

Most home remedies do work, but you need to do your research and make sure you’re being safe throughout the process. To learn more about home remedies that really work, visit here.

 

5 Ways to Spruce up Your Home For Fall

Posted on by

9.24_Banner

5 Ways to Spruce up Your Home For Fall– Why not try some Fall cleaning this year? Don’t save it all for the Spring! Take advantage of the last bit of warm weather and spruce up your home as you prepare for winter.

  1. Autumn Accents– Don’t have the time or budget to commit to permanent home changes this Autumn? No problem! Update and spruce up your home with some seasonal accents. Fall colors like deep red, burnt orange and mustard yellow will bring your home to life. Add some new hand towels in the kitchen or some new, seasonal pillows for the living room.
  2. Bring the Outdoors Indoors– Are you sad to see the beautiful summer flowers go? Fear not, there are many beautiful Autumn flowers that can be cultivated outdoors and indoors. Spruce up your living space with some indoor plants. Don’t let the colder weather discourage your green thumb!
  3. Clean Your Outdoor Living Space– There is nothing worse than letting your outdoor furniture sit all year to have it be ruined the next budding Spring. Make sure to clean up your outdoor living space and to put away any unused outdoor furniture for the winter. Cold temperatures and harsh conditions can deteriorate your furniture, making it unusable for the next warm season. Hose down porches, rake leaves, and start fresh for the next season!
  4. Check Your Windows– During the summer and early Fall months, it is easy for creaky windows to go unnoticed. Before the cold weather rolls through, be sure to double check that all of your windows and doors are sealed and working correctly. This will help you with future costs and trouble.
  5. Unclutter Your Home- During the cold months, you and your family will be spending a lot more time indoors. Don’t overlook clutter and live in disarray! Clean up the odds and ends and prepare for a new season. Try donating any items you don’t want or need. Give your home a fresh feel and contribute to your community.

Make the transition into the colder months less stressful this year. Be proactive and spruce up your home this Fall. Have any other cleaning or improvement tips? Let us know in the comments below.