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The Infamous Mystery Means
Dear Mary: My husband has two jobs — he is an artist and a salesman. He earns commissions from both jobs, so we never know what our income will be. I work part-time and am paid hourly. How do we go about setting up a budget? — Carol, …Read more.
Handy Tools Ease the Pain
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Let the Decluttering Begin
I know it's time. It's been time for at least five years, possibly longer. I need to clean my kitchen. Now, before you send the Health Department to my address, let me explain. What I mean by "clean" is that I need to clean out and …Read more.
A Glimmer of Hope to Cling To
Think back to a low point in your life. Don't struggle with this, just try to recall when you were going through a difficult season and life seemed bleak. Now recall that first glimmer of hope you clung to as you could see that things were beginning …Read more.
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The 411 on Cleaning Wood FloorsIf there's one thing I've learned in searching for the answer to the simple question, "How should I clean my wood floors?" this is it: There is no simple answer. Naively, I assumed that wood in its simplest form has been standing out in the rain since the beginning of time without the slightest hint of water damage. Surely a regular scrub with a bucket of hot soapy water would be fine. Boy, was I wrong! Laminate wood. Laminates like Pergo and Wilsonart are dense fiberboard on the inside, covered with a paper pattern layer sealed under high pressure with a plastic-like substance. Damp mop for routine maintenance, but do not use soaps or detergents on laminates because they may dull the floor. For heavy cleaning, use a mixture of household vinegar and water (1 cup vinegar to 1 gallon warm water) or household ammonia and water (1/2 cup ammonia to 1 gallon warm water). Difficult spots like nail polish, markers, tar and cigarette burns can be removed with acetone or nail polish remover. Laminate floors must never be waxed, polished, sanded or refinished. Engineered wood. Plywood with a thin veneer of finished solid wood on top, engineered wood flooring has superior strength to wood planks and is the most popular type of wood floor these days. There are mainly three types of finishes for wood floors: varnish/shellac, penetrating seal (wax) or a surface finish (urethane). You should never use vinyl or tile floor cleaners on wood. Also you should avoid using a wet mop on wood floors. Unless your floors are quite old, a shellac finish is unlikely.
Surface finished wood. Finished with Polyurethane, Swedish finish or some kind of water-based urethane, surface-finished wood has a very hard water-resistant finish. Use a slightly damp mop that is wrung out well. Never use vinegar or ammonia, as either will irreversibly dull the finish. For heavy cleaning, use a cleaning product made specifically for surface-finished wood floors. Never apply wax to a surface-finished floor. Penetrating seals. Floors finished with a penetrating seal typically have a wax coating. If your floor has a wax finish, do not clean it with a water-based cleaning liquid. You need to use a solvent-based wax product designed for use on sealed wood floors. Preventive maintenance. The cheapest way to care for wood floors is to make sure dirt never gets embedded in the first place. Vacuum and dust mop at least weekly, and keep sand, grit and dirt out. When spills occur, clean them up immediately using a towel dipped in warm water and wrung out well. Follow immediately with a dry towel to dry and buff the area. Mary Hunt is the founder of www.DebtProofLiving.com, a personal finance member website. You can email her at mary@everydaycheapskate.com, or write to Everyday Cheapskate, P.O. Box 2135, Paramount, CA 90723. To find out more about Mary Hunt and read her past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com. COPYRIGHT 2012 CREATORS.COM
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