Tag Archives: stain

How to Get Your Sink Really Shiny!

Is there anything worse than a stainless steel sink that is starting to turn rusty and grey? How do you get it back to its original gleaming state?  Don’t think you have to go out and spend a bunch of money on a stain removing cleaner and polisher.  All you really need is a few common household-cleaning items.

 

One of the most effective cleaners is pure Baking Soda. Arm & Hammer is the perfect brand to do.  Simply make a paste of baking soda water and sprinkle it over the steel.  Then give the sink a gentle once over with a very fine steel wool and it will get rid of any hairline scratches.  Then all you need to do is rinse the residue away.

 

If your sink has water spots then dip your sponge in white vinegar and rub them right off. If rust is the problem then try soaking a sponge in rubbing alcohol and that should take care of any crusted rust spots or stains.

 

If the rust or stubborn stains are particularly hard to remove then try using a mixture of three parts cream of tarter to one part hydrogen peroxide and rub the stain with a cloth. Let the mixture sit and allow it to dry before wiping it away with a sponge or wet cloth.

 

Another inexpensive cleanser is all-purpose floor. Simply sprinkle it in the sink and buff the steel. The small grains in the flour act as a steel polishing.

 

Yet another secret to getting a super-shiny sink is to put the plug in the drain and add a bottle of club soda. With paper towels spread the club soda all over the sink and rub until the sink gleams.

 

Another tip is to use Murphy’s oil soap. Murphy’s oil is typically used to clean wood floors but it can make metal look really shiny. That is because it does have a bit of oil in it and oil not only tempers the surface of the steel it is also naturally shiny.

 

Finally one of the biggest secrets is to apply a few drops of baby oil to a paper towel and rub the sink everywhere.  After you have scratched off the stains this trick helps to smooth out the steel surface so it is more reflective of light.

 

For an overall rehab of your sink try an overall buff with stain removal and then apply Murphy’s oil or baby oil and people with think you had everything replaced.

Tips for Protecting Your Hardwood Floor

If you want to preserve the beauty of your hardwood floor so that they gleam for many years then there are several simple things that you can do.  The reason you want to protect your floors as well as you can is because you want to avoid refinishing them. Every time you refinish a floor the wood is ground down a little more which can cause it to degrade more and more.

 

Here are some suggestions for protecting your hardwood floors.

 

  1. Protect those floors with throw rugs or hall rugs. Areas of high traffic get worn down first so it is essential that you cover them so this part of your hardwood flooring does not age before the flooring in the rest of the house. It does not take long for a high traffic area of the home to look quite beat up.

 

  1. Water stains the floor so be sure to place carpets or rubber mats around bathroom or sing areas so that water can’t warp or stain the floor.

 

  1. If you live in a humid climate or a basement with wood floors be sure to have a dehumidifier in action all of the time. This sucks the moisture out of the air so that there is less of a tendency for the floors to become too warped. Close the bathroom door when you have a steamy shower so the water can’t escape.

 

  1. Make sure there are rubber mats at all entrances and exists so that dirt and small pebbles cannot be tracked into the home and scratch the surface of the floor.  Make sure there is a rubber mat near any kitty litter as litter can also be tracked across the home and scratch the floors.

 

  1. Be careful wearing high heels or golf shoes around the house as this can also scratch the floor.

 

  1. Trim the nails of your cat or dog to prevent them from scratching the floor. If you can hear the nails clicking it meanest hey are too long.

 

  1. Always use soft floor protectors under your furniture legs. If you have to move furniture lift it instead of dragging it across the floor, which of course, scratches the hardwood.

 

 

Always remember that your hardwood floor is a precious investment that needs to be cared for if it is to be valuable for years to come.