How to Remove Wallpaper with Fabric Softener and Water

Removing wallpaper with fabric softener and water can be effective way because it takes only little work so you can redesign the room easily by changing wallpaper and put it new one for new look particularly in decorating a long living room. The combination of softener and enough water in bottle spray works significantly better that using scented softener or other products. Yes, it has excellent capability to loosen the adhesive.

Here are steps by steps to help to do this DIY project

Preparation

Beside of preparing for water, spray bottle and fabric softener (1/3 liquid cup), there are some items you needs. They are bucket, sponge or all-purpose cleaner, putty and utility knife. The first step to do is to mix perfectly softener (1/3 cup) and water (2/3 cup) for at least 15 minutes

Removing old paper

The better way to remove is by creating small holes or grasping on corner of wallpaper and peeling it until it remains paper backing. Keep in your mind if you find the wallpaper is not strippable, you should use knife to make cuts on top layer.

Before spraying, you should clean out the wall by wiping down a sponge with hot water so the adhesive will be softened and easy loosened. Repeat it several times until some parts of wallpaper peels away from wall. Sit down for 15 minutes to let the hot water is absorbed. Now you can remove wallpaper as much paper you can by using putty knife

Spraying wallpaper

Spray the remaining wallpaper and distribute the solution evenly on wall by using sponge or paint roller. It is advised to do it multiple times if you find stubborn-adhesive wallpaper. Let the solution works for about 20 minutes. Then you can use again putty knife to remove remaining wallpaper. You should clean the wall by using water to neutralize it before putting up the new wallpaper.

Here are some photos of designs on new wallpapers that you can put beneath the wall of your room.

See photo gallery

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How to Paint Laminate Kitchen Countertops to Look like Granite

Do you know how to paint laminate kitchen countertops to look like granite? If you need an update of luxurious look on your countertops, make it granite look can save your money instead of buying new ones. Yes, granite is known as natural stone with durable and awesome beauty. You need to apply artistic paint on your laminate. It does not depend on the style of shade as long as you get the consistent pattern.

You should study and choose the real granite paint with awesome color you like. You can purchase it on market by choosing acrylic paints with metallic shade, for instance. Here are steps by steps that can make your have granite countertop look like.

Making Preparation

The first time to do is to make sure you have clean surface of laminate countertop by removing all greases and dirt. The damage with holes and cracks can be fixed by filling them with sand and wood filler. Working on surface can be done by using sandpaper and damp rag before applying painting through black or white colors. It is meant to remove shines adhere the laminate.

Painting

You can use tape and newspaper to cover the area of surface that you do not want to paint by placing them beneath so the paint won’t drip onto floor. Now it is time to paint by pouring the base color into overall surface and edges on countertops and then you must use large paintbrush to reach all areas. Let the paint dry for 6-8 hours.

To get random pattern and blended paint effect, you can use sea sponge with mineral color and construction paper. But I prefer doing second coat to get shade between lightest and darkest surface to get excellent flair.

Finishing

For finishing, you can apply light sanding and topcoat to get durability and seamless surface. Of course, it takes several hours to dry completely. Good luck.

Picture of before and after painting

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How to Clean Stainless Steel Appliances Naturally

Do you know how to clean stainless steel appliances without streaks naturally? In fact, these appliances such as refrigerators are known to have sleek appearance, clean surface, corrosion and rust resistance although every brand has its own level and grade on its material.

Refrigerator can be source of full grief, spots, streaks and fingerprints because of daily uses in kitchen. Sometime, it can be easy to clean it out particularly if you do it naturally. But for some cases, if there are stubborn strains from grime and foods on appliances, the cleaning process can be tricky and consistent daily maintenance must be done. Just follow steps by steps below to get best result.

Using non-abrasive materials as cleaning cloth

It is avoid using abrasive materials those may cause scratches on appliance. Microfiber cloth is recommended to apply before it is dry. Extra rubbing is needed whenever you find stubborn fingerprints and spots. You should clean the stainless steel toward following the grain, not against grains or applying it in circular motion.

Cleaning with vegetable oil

The vegetables oils can be olive and baby oil. The main advantage is that you do not use extra drying to get very glossy shine on your appliances. Do not use chlorine bleach because it can ruin the surface finish.

It is advised to clean as soon as possible whenever you find residue or dirt on stainless steel. For perfect result to get rid of greasy fingerprints, you can use dry microfiber or paper towels and white vinegar or commercial spray product. Spray it on entire surface of appliance and wipe it down based on grain direction.

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Kitchen Color Schemes with White Cabinets

Choosing kitchen color schemes with white cabinets can be challenged for homeowners because there are various colors and variation, match to your personality and emotion. You must combine it perfectly with backsplash and floors. In fact, the color schemes play important role for providing value, style and beauty as well as excellent atmosphere.

If you are in tasking for remodeling your kitchen, it is not difficult as your imagination because white is considered as versatile character. Keep in your mind that there are no bad colors but there are bad combinations of colors. For your information, the color cabinet will take more than half of your budget, about 60%. The rest will be the space.

Here are some issues to take into consideration

Color of appliance

Be careful while choosing the color of sink and appliance because it can be focal point to add value of kitchen.

Countertop colors

It is important to choose because countertop color can be categorized as eye level for providing virtual level.

Flooring colors

It must be coordinated with countertop and appliance. I prefer choosing white floor to give clear characteristic.

Backsplash color

There are wide range choices in market with various styles. For me, deep and strength colors can be your perfect choice particularly if it is combined with ethnic and natural style.

Wall colors

This plays important role to give character and emotion in your kitchen. The wall colors must balance overall concepts including cabinets, countertop, backsplash and floors.

Some Choices for Kitchen Color Schemes

Yellow scheme

For white cabinets, yellow provides vibrant looks so it enables lift up your mood and gives new inspiration everyday if it is combined with soft color of backsplash and ceiling. It is called as “Fresh-Squeezed Lemonade.”

Cool blue scheme

The blue color with deep dark style gives sophisticated feel. This color is known as representation of truth and trust with luxury appearance.

See other scheme choices

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Pros and Cons of Butcher Block Countertops

What are butcher block countertops pros and cons? In fact, they are assembled wood countertops so they could be relatively durable and very sanitary including budget choice to remodel your kitchen (maple woods). People were used it to process meat and plants but nowadays, butcher block are popular choice for homeowners particularly in Europe. It is known as cheaper materials for countertops, compared to granite (stone) and laminated ones. There are many manufacturers to produce.

Before deciding choosing butcher block countertops for kitchen, you need to read the discussion below discussing pros and cons.

The pros or advantages

Price

As assembled woods, butcher block comes with wide choices in market with different style. They are less expensive than granite, quartz or stainless steels (depending on where you live). Maple wood is even at half price compared to stone.

Maintenance

For homeowners who want less maintenance for countertops, butcher block can be great choice. It is easy to clean the surface from dents and burned marks by using plain sanding. It is really good for environment.

Beautiful Style

The wood provides natural looks with warm and renewable character. Some people call it as symbol of aesthetic manner. It is also antibacterial so it is perfect as free standing kitchen islands. It is also easy to make the cut and chop this material so you get what you want for the style.

The cons or disadvantage

Costly Repair

Of course, this material requires less maintenance but the repair can cost you too much. It is advised to use sandpaper and oil to get smooth surface for every week. Do not use harsh bleaches and detergents. Do not place hot item directly to countertop, using trivets underneath is recommended.

Odor

For some people, the odor of wood can be allergic. You can use lemon oil to remove the smell. After each use, you should wipe it with non abrasive cloth.

Here are some choices of butcher block countertops with elegant and nice styles

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Pros and Cons of Wood Kitchen Countertops

Do not install your wood countertops, until you read this article discussing pros and cons. Wood can be popular choice for kitchen remodeling as recommended replacing materials such as granite and quartz because it can enhance the look of your kitchen by adding natural aspects.

Here are some issues that you can consider while choosing wood for the material of countertop.

The pros of woods

Wide range of variety and appearance

Woods are approachable. They come with various types, colors and looks with modern, old and ethnic style. The options in nature can be maple, teak, cherry, oaks and so on. You also can combine them to get awesome customized appearance for your kitchen. Of course, different woods need different treatments.

In fact, the presence of woods makes it easy to work with all design style because woods offer uniform color and grains. To use it as food preparation surface and prevent water damage, you can finish and seal them with Tung oil.

The characteristics

Woods are known as warmer materials rather than other materials such as granite. So it is perfect choice to use in winter season. They are also recyclable and has great work surface. It is easy to work on them. You can even use knife to cut it off or get renewable surface. Wood are also known to have the most effective antibacterial surface.

Maintenance Issues

The maintaining depends on the choose finishing types. For instance, wood with mineral oil finish requires monthly maintenance. If you want to permanent finish with waterproof and scratching protection, there are many available paints on the market that can be applied on your wood countertop.

The cons of woods

Woods must be sealed

To protect them well against water dame as well as make them less maintenance, woods must be sealed correctly because they have porous surface

Refinishing Issues

Of course, woods can wear and tear although it can take 10-20 years. Therefore, refinishing should be applied to entire surface.

Woods are soft materials

Because of its soft characteristic, wood can have scratch and dent problems. The solution can be blemish them to save the countertop surface and give unique character to your countertops.

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Free Standing Kitchen Islands With Seating

Having free standing kitchen islands with seating on your home may be inspired way to improve the style and look of the kitchen particularly if you use little creative embellishing directly to the floor and considering some layouts. Of course, this way offers instant storage, food preparation area, breakfast bars, space for your kitchen needs, stools and casual dining.

I love to add the free standing kitchen islands because I and my spouse can make my kitchen as homework station with kids. The main reason why I like this idea is to make more space in my small kitchen area with L-shape without spending too much money. We can get exciting informal conversation while drinking coffee and taking meal together. It is more like addition of breakfast bar which is mounted to wall to save more space. With little work, your kitchen can be situated like bar.

The free standing kitchen islands with seating come with various sizes and colors including with Kashmir white granite countertops. Before choosing the suitable one to your kitchen style, it is recommended determine how many seats that you need and the height of bar so all members of family have arms rest.

Here are some pictures that can inspire you to have nice combination to look of your kitchen. The pictures are I get by searching and doing research online (Click to enlarge).

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How to Get Rid of Fruit Flies in Your Kitchen

Are there effective ways to get rid of fruit flies in the kitchen? Sometime this problem can drive you crazy and thinking to call professional for solid help. Fruit flies love to lay on bananas, tomatoes and most fruits from garden, market and store. They also can breed in recycle bin, sink and drain.

Do not allow fruit flies beat you. Here are some easy tips that can be effective ways to get rid of by using environmental ways.

Clean the food source

For whoever gets constant problems of fruit flies, it is recommended to clean fruit and vegetables outside home or kitchen. It is effective way to make sure attracted source on food to flies is removed. Change the bags of fruits with clean one (it is recommended to use brown bag) before putting the vegetables on your home. Clean again in kitchen sink before placing them to refrigerator by covering them with unattractive covers.

For food garbage particularly meat scraps, do not toss them into wastepaper basket in your home. You should put them away from your home. It is recommended to seal the garbage with leaves or frozen seals. Do not reuse the plastic liner bags.

Cleaning the areas

Fruit flies love to lay on meals, meat scraps, dripped juices and fermented products. Make sure to wash all dishes after use and clean the sinks in the kitchen by pouring household bleach so they won’t be breed there. Maintaining and cleaning countertops, refrigerator, dishrag, cabinet, counter and floor regularly are a must to prevent the possibility of making attractant for fruit flies, including under and above cabinets, stove and dish washer.

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Are Kashmir White Granite Countertops Stain Resistant?

Are Kashmir white granite countertops stain resistant? How much are their costs? Is it easy to maintain this material? Yes there are questions in my mind when I think about Kashmir granite. I really love the look of this material. While I did research online to see the pictures, I found many people recommended it because of its style, pattern and one of best countertops in market although it is more susceptible to stain. Is it really true?

Of course, there are pros and costs about this issue. The main advantage is on its style and it comes with wide range of patterns. You can combine the white on with dark kitchen cabinet. It is really good combination to make rich pairing in order to get beautiful and modern style of your kitchen with ethnic addition. The cons are its durability, taking more caring or maintenance and the price factor. Look the picture below this article how beautiful the combination of this material and kitchen cabinets.

In fact, to get pairing with your white cabinet on your kitchen, you can darken the Kashmir white granite by running a cotton cloth and nylon brush it continue on the entire area of granite. For caring of Kashmir white granite countertops, it is recommended to wipe up and seal it with stone solution regularly in order to prevent stains permeate. It is advised to avoid putting hot objects directly. You can use trivets.

See Pictures of Kashmir White Granite Countertops

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How Much do Granite Countertops Cost in 2013?

Knowing granite countertops cost in 2013 is important so you can determine the overall cost of your renovation of kitchen and bathroom if you decide to choose this material for the countertops, particularly for DIY projects. Of course the prices can vary based on patters, sizes and areas.

In common area in USA, the price may ruin for about $1500 per granite slab or about $100-225 per square foot. It is slightly cheaper the marble countertops, that will be range of $125=$250 per square foot. But it is more expensive than engineered quartz price (about $100-$185). In fact the cheapest materials for countertops in market are laminate and tile counter; $20-$50 and $20-$75 respectively.

Keep in your mind, the range of granite price is competing. It is based on “the type or pattern”, thickness, edge profile, sink of placement and hidden cost of granites. In market, there is classification on level, 1 to 5. Level one is cheapest because the granites are available in huge amounts and easy to mine. The hidden costs are delivery and template charges. The price also depends on demand on colored slab.

It is time to do research online and visiting nearly home depot in order to know the exact price on your area. Overall, granite tile is less expensive than modular and slab granite.

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How to Install a Granite Countertop in Kitchen

If you need to know on how to install granite countertops as your Do It Yourself project, you should read this article. In fact, it is not hard to do it in order to make additional style to cabinet on your kitchen or bathroom. You can use other pieces to make simulations of granite slabs. But if this project has complex features and it takes more than one corner, hiring professional will be good choice.

Here are steps by steps to how to install granite countertops on your kitchen cabinets.

Making accurate measurement of countertops

It is important issue to make the countertops will be securely attached to wall and cabinets with good angle and allowances. It is recommended to use paper as solid material as template for countertop. It allows you easily to make precise marks, cuts or sink hole on the location of countertops and make the types of edge, you want on the granite countertops.

After making measurement, it will be easy to choose the types or pattern of granite material based on your needs and financial ability. You can suit to match the backsplash of your kitchen. Contact supplier to ask the price and installation advice. Doing double-check for the template with accurate way

Cabinet preparation

It is advised to install plywood on the tops and fronts of your kitchen cabinets with height of ¾ inch and enough allowance and secure level by using screw driver. It is important to increase the strength of cabinets to support the weight of granite countertops and prevent splitting.

Granite slab preparation

Move the granite to top of cabinet carefully. You can ask someone to help you so granite will not be break and it fits properly. If you want to make hole for the sink of granite countertops and cabinet, it is advised to use pencil to mark. Then, remove the granite temporary on safe locations so you can cut out the hole in the plywood by using jigsaw as much as 1/8 inch or enough space to install the sink.

Granite leveling

It is time to move the granite countertops back on the plywood on cabinets. Do it tightly and carefully to make sure the level of granite is correct. Granite countertops need to be sealed to protect them from debris or spoil water. You can use silicone sealer on the edges on areas of cabinet. On the sink, you can do caulking on cabinet and granite sides.

Seams Filling

You can use painter tape on all side of sink with combination polyester resin with the same colors. Remove it when the seam dries.

Source: wikihow.com

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Granite vs Quartz Countertops: Which One is Better?

Many homeowners took in consideration by comparing quartz versus granite countertops while remodeling or renovation on kitchen and bathroom. This article will evaluates the pros and cons between these two materials by highlighting the perspectives from sides of strengths and weakness so you will be not confusing or get dilemma to choose the better one.

Which one is more natural?

In fact, there is not apparent for difference between quartz versus granite material, but granite is known to have 100% natural stones (quartz, feldspar, and mica). The slab of this material is formed from large block in various colors and shapes. Meanwhile quartz is made from 93% natural quarts. The 7% material comes from other polymer resins and pigment in order to make it non porous.

What are pros and cons of the materials?

Quartz

Quartz is known as non porous material. Therefore many homeowners prefer choosing it because of its characteristics, scratch and heat resistant. Yes, people love to choose quartz for kitchen countertops because it requires less maintenance or continued sealing and it will not be damaged from any debris and split liquid and the patterns are admired. It also has consistent form with different choices of colors and shapes. Many manufacturers offer it as lifetime warranty product. It is understood because quartz is less prone to get staining.

The cons are on its seams because of its dimensions in manufacturing process for using higher slabs. Of course the seams can disturb the overall appearance of your countertops. It is also not easy to repair the quartz countertops although it has heat resistant. Sometimes, if you are not careful, high heat appliance such as hot pans can cause damage on countertop.

Granite

This material offers unique appearance, heat and scratch resistance. The bad sides are that it contains very little amount radon in its engineering process. Radon is known as radioactive gas that can cause lung cancer. For the maintenance, granite needs to be sealed regularly (one sealing for one year). Yes, it is known as porous material so the regular maintenance is a must to prevent bacteria, virus or fluid are trapped in the porous of this material.

Conclusion

For homeowners who need easy maintenance countertops, quartz material is recommended to choose. The colors are also available for huge amounts of choices with characteristics on symmetry or consistency. So you can choose it based on your style to match it to the appearance of your kitchen including backsplash and cabinets. But for whoever loves combination of love and hate style, granite will be your primary choice because of its unique style.

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How to Clean Granite Countertops in Your Kitchen

Is there an easier way to clean granite countertops? So how can we do to do it naturally particularly in kitchen? Of course, granite can be recommended option for homeowners because it is so easy to clean and maintain it while this material is relatively durable and can improve the look of kitchen if it has beautiful and stylish design.

The first thing to do is to know the type of countertop that you have because each one has different characteristic. Here are some recommended steps on how to clean granite countertops.

Do regular maintenance

It is advised to clean as you cook by removing debris and all appliances so you can do proper cleaning for all areas by wiping up any spills and all residues such as liquids and sauces. For complete cleaning, it is advised to wash using warm water so crumbs and debris are completely removed.

Using good cleaning formula and white cloth

For better result, it is advised to use homemade cleaning formula with balanced or neutral pH (no acid or acidic chemical type). So lemon, ammonia or vinegar cleaner is not recommended due to its acidic characteristic so the surface will be taken away. Alcohol is also useful because it can be antiseptic to provide best cleaning if mixed with soap with right balance.

For white cloth, diaper and microfiber cloth is best choice for cleaning and wiping in the solution. This cloth can allow cleaning fluid to permeate and remove excess fluid by running hand over the counter.

Finding the type of stain and using baking soda

There are wide ranges of stain types. So it can be cleaned by using different ways. For tougher stains with bad odors, it is easily to clean out by using baking soda. The granite cleaning formula is also recommended if you wait for 10-15 minutes so sealant can penetrate all surface areas on countertop. But remember to wipe it using white cloth or paper tower for maximum result.

There are many tips and guides online those may be useful including for home decoration. You can do it by doing research online. Here is some video that I get from Youtube that can be your suggestion to clean granite countertops.

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