Stay Safe When Cleaning Black Mold

Cleaning black mold can be hazardous work. You should think carefully about safety procedures necessary to ensure any health risks are minimized. If the risks are not kept under control then the consequences can be very serious. Most injuries sustained during mold exposure are superficial and short lived but individuals with weak immune systems or who are exposed on numerous occasions or for long periods of time can be at sever risk. In the most serious cases exposure can cause cancer and even lead to death. This toxic mold claims the lives of people every year, people who did not take the necessary measures to protect themselves.

You should seal off any infected area by applying plastic sheets to the doorways. Leave windows open and try to obtain some kind of portable ventilation device to help clear the air of harmful spores. Ensure that anyone in the building that does not need to be inside understands that they must leave while the cleaning is taking place. People who need to remain inside to carry out the cleaning should wear protective clothing that covers the whole body and leaves no skin exposed. Face masks and goggles should also be worn. Clothing should be washed immediately after cleaning black mold and if badly compromised it should be disposed of safely.

Household bleach or detergents are effective liquids for cleaning toxic mold when mixed with water. A spray bottle can be used to spray the solution onto any affected area. You should ensure that the area you are about to clean is moist before it is cleaned. If you try to scrape off mold which has dried out then you will most certainly be releasing large numbers of toxic black mold spores into the air. This is a totally unnecessary risk which can be avoided with the use of water. Be sure to dry any area which has been cleaned and do your best to clear the air by opening windows or using air purifying equipment.

You should be wary of any illness you suffer from after cleaning black mold. Make sure you research mold symptoms that indicate exposure so that you know what action you will need to take. You should contact your GP immediately if you have any reason to believe that you are suffering from black mold exposure. Most health effects are minor but some can be potentially life threatening.

Autor: Ryan M Turner

Ryan writes about black mold safety and topics such as black mold symptoms indicating exposure for Roofing and Building Center

Added: March 8, 2010
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Four Points to Consider When Reorganizing

Of course, the initial phase of any reorganizing process is to wipe the slate as clean as it can be. In regards to a garage, that means that everything should be sorted into separate piles. The broken things obviously need to be put into the trash heap. Some things may be able to be recycled or just given to friend, family or charities. After all of these things are taken care of, it is time to reorganize the entire garage area. Here are some useful points to think about when arranging this large multiple purpose room. However, before starting make sure that you have cleaned out the garage and, if possible, given it a fresh coat of paint.

First of all, you must accept that the main purpose of the garage is to provide a shelter for the family car or cars. This might depend largely on the size of the available room. If the area is very small, hardly accommodating your vehicle, then there is probably no need for further contemplation. However, if you are one of the few fortunate people who have a very large garage, then it is entirely possible that you will want to set aside specifically designated areas for a number of diverse activities. You might choose to store all of the gardening and carpentry equipment there, or create a home office or small gymnasium area, as long as there is still room for the cars.

Secondly, it is always wise to leave some space at the entrance of the garage. It should be around five or six feet in depth; an ideal place for parking the garden tractor or snow blowing equipment. It is imperative that these pieces of equipment be parked so that they can be easily reached whenever they are needed.

Thirdly, installing some hooks onto the walls at different heights will allow you to hang up a lot of things. For example, the bicycles for the entire family would suddenly be off the floor. Garden tools, snow shovels, rakes and many other long handled implements could be within easy reach and still be out of the way. The addition of a few shelving units can be used to store the bulkier and seasonal items; this includes the camping and fishing equipment, holiday decorations and camping supplies. Try to use as much of the vertical space that you can.

Lastly, any remaining space could serve any other function you wish, depending on its size. A drop down table top that is installed on the wall is perfect for allowing the children to do their homework and still be with a parent. It can also serve as a work table for gift wrapping or sorting papers. The best thing about this kind of table is that is can almost disappear entirely when it is no longer needed.

Autor: James Smithers

James is the owner of Flat Fee MLS Listing Worcester, a Flat Fee MLS company that specializes in placing For Sale By Owner (FSBO) properties on the Realtors Multiple Listing Service (MLS) for a low one time flat fee. Please visit Worcester Flat Fee MLS Listing to learn more about their services and the Flat Fee MLS packages they offer.

Added: March 6, 2010
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Organize the Garage For More Reasons Than One

How many of us use our garage for parking our vehicles? When the house was originally built, there was a defined space called a garage. This designated area included a garage door or two that when lifted, exposed a certain amount of open space that was there to accommodate our vehicle as we brought it inside.

For most of us the use of the garage has changed from a space to keep our vehicle, to a space to keep our junk. Anything and everything but our vehicles are kept in the garage. It is important to keep our garage clean and organized so we can use it as a utility shop and a storage area, as well as a place to park our cars.

So let us get to work and clean it up. Is the stuff you have in your garage worth keeping. Take an inventory. Do you really need those empty appliance boxes or is it time to give them a pitch. Maybe you can recycle the cardboard. How about those tools laying around. A stray rake can puncture a tire or who knows what. That shovel over in the corner will not be found the next time you need it, and then what. How many times have you looked for the extension cord and not found it until you looked under the spare tire that had fallen on the top of it.

All these gadgets and goodies laying around need to be picked off the garage floor and put in a proper place. Put up some wood supports along the garage walls add some hooks in these wood supports and begin to hang your garden tools up on the wall. Shovels, rakes, hoes, even extension ladders can be hung up on the side walls. Remember to keep hanging tools away from any outlet box.

For the smaller items like extension cords, oil cans, hedge trimmers, you will need to add a few shelves. These will come in handy. You can identify easily what is on a shelf. Items on the shelves are easy to reach. Remember to put the gadgets you use most readily available.

An organized garage has a much greater use than one that has stuff in it that can never be found. Think of the time you will save when you know where to find a garage tool. Consider the extra use you will have of your garage when things are up off the floor and in places giving you access to this garage area. And think about the difference it will make using your garage as a garage in the winter. There will be no more getting up a half hour earlier to warm up the car and scrap ice off the windshield.

Organize your garage and do it for more reasons than one.

Autor: Ken Geers

Ken Geers the writer can be found at http://www.mymotoringaccessories.com. The online shopping experience for Garage Organizers can be a lot of fun while shopping Vintage Signs to hang in your garage at MyMotoringAccessories.

Added: March 6, 2010
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Easiest Way to Clean a Bathroom

Everybody likes to use a clean and a tidy bathroom. An untidy bathroom puts a bad impression about one's home. Many people face difficulties to clean the bathroom, so in this article I am trying to cover all Bathrooms cleaning tips.

Shelves -

Before we start we must do a little planning for the whole process. Start from shelves and end with the doors and curtain. Shelf is an area where all products like shampoo bottle, shaving set, hair removal, face wash, soaps etc are placed. Each member of the house use different kind of bathroom products according to their age and skin suitability. If you observe carefully then you will find most products are not in use, outdated and not disposed hence blocking space and creating problem for new product. Remove all things and segregate into two parts - 1) Used and 2) Unused. Dump all unused products. Before arranging these things clean all the shelves.

Shower Mats -

As time passes shower mats get scary. Frequent cleaning is needed to prevent mildew on it. Make a solution of kerosene and warm water. Use this solution for cleaning shower mat as well as bath by using a stiff brush. At the same time do not forget to clean shower floor by using any bathroom floor cleaners.

Sink -

Sink cleaning is not a difficult task but usually people skip this because it looks ugly. But a clean sink represent a clean bathroom. Take half bucket of vinegar and with the help of sponge soak surface of sink. Leave it for a minute and then wipe out the sinks with cotton cloth or paper towels. Vinegar is safe to use as it dissolves in water and all kinds of soap.

Bathtub Rings -

Always clean bathtub on regular basis. If you are living in hard water area then use water softener. Always rinse the tub after bathing. Use undiluted ammonia to remove rings. While using undiluted ammonia wear rubber gloves for safety. Use baking soda if you do not want to use undiluted ammonia. You can use Vinegar or Dish washing detergent too.

Shower Doors, Curtains, and Tiles -

Use any glass cleaner to clean the glass on doors. Pour vinegar into track then leave it for minute then rinse it. Soak curtain in salt water solutions to prevent mildew. Washing with hot soapy water and rubbing with lemon juice clean the mildew on curtain. For plastic curtains use laundry pre wash spray. Spray on top and let them come it drip. Leave it for minute and then rinse it. For cleaning shower tiles use tile cleaner.

Mildew -

We always find mildew in corners of tub. To clean mildew, dip cotton ball in bleach and apply on the corners and rinse off after a while.

A spotless bathroom is loved by everyone. With these small methods one can make their bathrooms germ free.

Autor: Grace D Smith

For professional cleaning services in London you must check there old records of cleaning jobs. Never fell prey of marketing ads, always check with cleaners.

Added: March 2, 2010
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

How to Clean Your Fireplace

Fireplace always paint a pleasant picture. But in order to completely enjoy the warm atmosphere fireplaces create, you'll need to clean your fireplace regularly. If the thought of having to clean your fireplace gets you fuming, then don't worry, listed here are a few tips on how to clean your fireplace. It doesn't have to be a long-drawn-out chore, and the end results will be well worth your time, as cleaning not only makes your fireplace look nicer, but it also keeps it safe.

Materials You'll Need

Fireplace tools come equipped with a handy shovel and a broom, which can be used to clean your fireplace. Apart from these fireplace tools, you will need a few other materials to clean your fireplace.

* A heavy duty trash bag or a heavy duty box to easily and properly dispose of ash
* Newspapers and/or a roll of plastic
* Dust mask
* Latex or any heavy duty gloves
* Goggles to protect your eyes
* A heavy duty vacuum cleaner to clean up the residual ash
* A gallon of soapy warm water
* A stiff scrub brush
* A damp cloth

Steps for a Clean Fireplace

Once the fireplace has cooled completely, you are ready to clean your fireplace.

Put on your safety goggles, mask and gloves. First, mask off the area outside the fireplace with the plastic roll or newspaper and tape it securely to the ground. This will catch any flyaway ashes. Once you're done cleaning the fireplace, you can toss the soiled plastic or newspaper. You should also remove any knick knacks or decorative items you may have on your mantle shelf.

Use your shovel and brush from the fire kit to remove any debris and gently dump it in your heavy duty box or bag until your fireplace has been swept clean. Make sure that you dump the ash slowly, as you don't want to end up with a dust cloud and ash coating your interiors. Use the brush or vacuum to clean out the remaining ashes as much as you can.

After you've swept away all the ashes, get ready to clean your fireplace with a damp cloth. Wipe down all of the surfaces starting from the top. Rinse your cloth in the water, and continue wiping down all the surfaces in the fireplace until it's clean.

Autor: Lisa Becker

You're fireplace is now ready to be used again for those cozy fall and winter evenings.
FireplaceMantels123.com has fireplace tools sets that can help you keep your fireplace clean. They are designed for lasting quality and beauty, and are a great addition to any fireplace.

Lisa Becker is an avid home decorator and writes for Fireplace Mantels 123: Shop For Your Perfect Fireplace Mantel and Surround. Her expertise regarding fireplace mantels and surrounds provides insight into the world of interior design and home decorating.

Check out more useful articles at Fireplace Mantel s 123

Added: March 1, 2010
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/