How to properly install a laundry room on the second floor of a home.

Bathrooms are excellent breeding grounds for mold and mildew. The warm, moist environment allows the fungus to grow quickly and attach itself to surfaces such as bathroom grout. Removing mold from grout is not as easy as removing it from a solid surface. Grout has a porous surface that absorbs mold

A solar shower can be an efficient and convenient alternative or addition to a traditional home shower. An outdoor solar shower is useful for rinsing off after swimming or exercising, but it can also be pleasant to shower in an outdoor setting and enjoy the fresh air and light. Many commercial solar

Molds are microscopic organisms, or fungi, that grow on any organic substance containing moisture and oxygen, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Molds are a natural part of the environment--living indoors and outdoors. According to the EPA, molds are typically only a problem when

You love your Pfaltzgraff dishes, but you don't love the stains and fork marks you see on them. You've probably washed the dishes in a variety of different soaps and cleaners, which removed some of the stains and marks, but many remain. Good news: You don't need a special cleaner from Pfaltzgraff to

It is always best to clean up a spill as soon as it happens. Granite tile is porous, and the spill will hide deep within the pores. When cleaning up a spill, be sure to blot, not swipe the spill. Swiping can cause the substance to spread to a wider area. Poultice materials -- such as paper towels an

A dry erase board is a type of board similar to a chalkboard, but is lighter in weight and is commonly made out of melamine, porcelain or enamel steel. Also known as a marker board or whiteboard, these boards have glossy writing surfaces that can be written on with erasable markers. Dry erase boards

Give kitchen cupboard doors a face-lift with a good cleaning. This simple procedure is often over-looked when considering how to make your kitchen look new. Dirt and grease accumulate with daily use which can dull the cabinets. Depending on how long it has been since you cleaned them, this can take

Not only are mosquitoes a nuisance, but also their bite transmits diseases to humans and animals. Although commercial mosquito repellants are readily available, most contain a chemical known as DEET that may have toxic side effects. Instead of relying on chemicals to repel mosquitoes use common hous

Cigarette burns that scorch your countertop can be removed through the use of natural household cleaning products to buff away the mark. The combination of vinegar and baking soda react to lift the mark from the counter and buffing removes the burn without damaging the countertop's surface. Vinegar

A regular part of indoor home maintenance is keeping flooring clean, and it's just as important to keep outdoor flooring free or dirt and debris. Outdoor floors are exposed to the elements, and mold and bacteria can quickly build up in the grouted portion of tile floors that are left unkempt. Fortun

Have you ever looked at a set of curtains and thought something's missing? Many times there's nothing wrong with the curtains, they just need that missing something. A window sash might be just the thing that's needed to make the window and the curtains "pop". If you've already have curtains, you mi

If you smell musty odors emanating from your pillowcases as you lay down to sleep, chances are you won't get the peaceful night's rest you hoped for. Musty smells in fabrics such as pillowcases indicate they may have mildew on them. Perhaps the pillowcases didn't dry completely before you put them a

When standard 12/2 gauge electrical cable is fed through walls, the various wire routes can result in several different cables running together through the same interior wall cavity. Instead of tacking multiple cables to the sides of the wall studs -- where there may be insufficient room to do so --

Stained wood floors are floors that have been treated with a stain used to protect and enhance the look of the wood. The stain makes it easier to maintain and clean the surface of the floors. Most liquids can be removed from a stained floor with just a damp cloth. Spilled gloss paint requires more e

Borax, or sodium borate, is a mineral salt that has a variety of household purposes. The mineral occurs in nature when saline lakes evaporate. The cleansing properties of borax make it a popular choice among those who make their own cleaning products. Borax has been used by people since...

Paint splatters and drips can permanently mar many types of surfaces unless you clean them before they dry. Most of the time, all you need is soapy water to remove wet paint from most any surface. However, once paint dries, things become a bit more complicated. Many times, inexperienced amateurs end

Ice and water shield, known as weathershield and weatherguard, is a membrane installed on top of roof sheeting and underneath shingles. Typically, one strip is installed at the eave edge and in valleys, and the rest of the roof receives tar paper or roofing felt, although low-pitch roofs (less than

Mildew is a popular mold that is found in many bathrooms, primarily under wet conditions. Simple inspections will show you what's causing your mildew to grow in the first place.

Tile floors are a durable, attractive and easy to clean type of flooring. Not only are they multifunctional, but they are nearly limitless in the way they can be arranged. Tiles are used to create many looks and are suited for any room in the house. Sketch out your design ideas on graph paper before