| How to Clean a Front Loading Washing Machine Gasket Posted: 18 Oct 2020 05:00 PM PDT You might love your front-loading washing machine because it uses less energy and water to get your clothes really clean. Unfortunately, front-loading machines are well known for growing mold and mildew on the inner gasket, but you can easily clean these away with a simple bleach or vinegar solution. To locate the gasket, look for a circular rubber ring that sits right in front of the washing machine drum. Since the gasket is constantly exposed to water, it's also important to do regular maintenance and keep it as dry as possible. [Edit]Removing Mold and Mildew - Put on gloves and mix of bleach with of water. Wear gloves when you work with bleach to prevent it from irritating your skin. Take all of the clothes out of the machine and ensure that it's not on. Then, pour of bleach into a bucket and add of warm water.[1]
- Try to deep clean the gasket once a month to prevent mold and mildew from growing.
- Bleach is really effective at removing mildew and mold, but it can irritate your skin and eyes. Open a window or run a fan for ventilation and consider wearing goggles to protect your eyes.
- Dip a cloth in the bleach solution and rub it onto the gasket. Use an old cloth or towel that you don't mind getting bleached. Soak it in the bleach and squeeze most of the moisture out of it. Then, rub it over the surface of the gasket before you pull the gasket away and wipe the crevice.[2]
- Soak the cloth in the bleach solution whenever the rag looks dirty or feels dry.
- Set a timer for 5 minutes so the bleach solution rests on the gasket. This gives the bleach time to kill the bacteria that are making the odor-causing mold and mildew. If the gasket is covered in mold or mildew, let the bleach sit for up to 10 minutes.[3]
- Wipe the gasket with a damp cloth to remove the bleach solution. Take a clean rag and soak it with water. Wring out some of the moisture and wipe the surface and crevice of the gasket to get rid of the bleach. Then, take another clean cloth and wipe the gasket completely dry.[4]
- Leave the door open or ajar so moisture doesn't get trapped near the gasket.
- Rub baking soda and vinegar on the gasket if you don't want to use bleach. For a natural alternative, sprinkle baking soda in the gasket's crevice. Then, fill a spray bottle with white vinegar and spray the surface of the gasket along with the crevice. Scrub the gasket with a scrubbing sponge to get rid of the mold.[5]
- You can wipe the gasket with a clean damp cloth or close the door and run an empty washing cycle to rinse away the baking soda and vinegar. Then, wipe the gasket dry with a clean cloth.
[Edit]Maintaining the Gasket - Check the gasket for things that have gotten trapped and remove them. Take a few minutes every week to look for tiny items that fall out of your clothes and get trapped in the gasket. Gently pull the gasket away and pull out things that are stuck like:[6]
- Bobby pins
- Coins
- Paper clips
- Hair
- Remove wet clothes from the machine as soon as the cycle ends. It's easy to forget when laundry finishes, but set your machine to beep when the load is done. If you leave wet clothes in the machine, they'll begin to smell like mildew, and the trapped moisture encourages bacteria to grow near the gasket.[7]
- If you've left clothes in the machine and they smell like mildew, leave them in the machine and add of vinegar or 1/2 cup (110 g) of baking soda. Then, run the hottest cycle the clothes can handle and immediately transfer the clean clothes to the dryer.
- Wipe the gasket dry with a cloth after every cycle. Once you take a load of clothes out of the washing machine, take a soft, clean cloth and use it to dry the gasket. Carefully pull the gasket back so you can get moisture out of the crevice.[8]
- Use a clean cloth so you don't transfer bacteria or moisture from dirty fabric to the gasket.
- Keep the door open or ajar in between cycles. If you close the door after taking wet clothes out of the machine, you'll trap moisture near the gasket. Leave the machine door completely open to help the gasket dry out. If you can't do this, open it at least a crack so some moisture can evaporate.[9]
- If you have small children at home, don't leave the door open even a crack if the kids can access the machine. For extra-security, keep the door to the laundry room locked so small kids can't get into the machine.
- Deep-clean the machine once a month to prevent bacteria from growing. If your machine has a self-clean feature, run it at least 1 time every month to kill bacteria that's growing in the gasket and drum. If your machine doesn't have a self-cleaning option, select a hot water cycle and run it with just of bleach and no clothes.[10]
- Run a hot-water cycle without any clothes in the machine to rinse it after you use bleach. This prevents lingering bleach from damaging the next load of clothes you wash.
- Check your specific owner's manual for tips about how to prevent mold and mildew in your washing machine gasket.
[Edit]Warnings - Use caution when you handle bleach. Open a window or run a fan for ventilation and don't let it come into contact with your eyes or bare skin. If it does, flush your eyes or skin with cold water.
- Never mix vinegar with bleach because it releases toxic chlorine gas.
[Edit]Things You'll Need - Vinegar
- Baking soda
- Spray bottle
- Scrubbing sponge
- Bucket
- Gloves
- Soft cloths
- Bleach
[Edit]References |
| How to Prevent Lemon Water from Damaging Teeth Posted: 18 Oct 2020 09:00 AM PDT Sipping lemon water throughout the day might seem like a healthy habit, but it can damage your teeth over time. This is because lemon juice is very acidic and it wears down your teeth's enamel covering. To keep your teeth healthy and strong, make a few simple changes to your morning beverage and give your teeth a little time before you brush them. You can still enjoy your lemon water while protecting your teeth. [Edit]Preparing the Water - Use cold or lukewarm water instead of hot water for your lemon drink. Hot or boiling water softens your teeth's enamel more, which means the acid from the lemon juice can cause more damage. To prevent damage, make your lemon water with cold or lukewarm water.[1]
- You can prep a container of lemon water and keep it in the fridge until you're ready to enjoy it.
- Dilute the juice of half a lemon in of water. You don't need to add so much lemon juice that your mouth puckers when you drink the water. Squeeze half of a lemon and pour the juice into a pitcher. Then, pour in of water and stir the beverage.[2]
- Diluted lemon juice doesn't damage your teeth like stronger lemon juice water.
- Avoid adding sugar to lemon water. Remember that you're not making lemonade, so the lemon water shouldn't be sweet. The combination of sugar and acid can damage your teeth and cause cavities.[3]
- The sugar also feeds bacteria in your mouth, which make acid and weaken your teeth even more.
- Switch to other natural flavors to take a break from lemon. Instead of adding acidic citrus to your water every day, try flavoring it with sliced cucumber, a sprig of fresh mint, or fresh rosemary. These are gentler on your teeth and they add bright, herbal flavors to the water.[4]
- You can also add fresh tomatoes and basil for garden-fresh water or add cubes of fresh melon like honeydew or cantaloupe.
[Edit]Protecting Your Teeth - Drink the lemon water through a straw. One of the easiest ways to protect your enamel from damage is to sip the lemon water through a straw instead of drinking it out of a glass. The straw directs the acidic beverage towards the back of your mouth so it doesn't coat your teeth.[5]
- Keep paper or metal straws in your bag if you like to drink your lemon water on the go.
- Snack on calcium-rich foods to neutralize acid in your mouth. Eating foods rich in calcium can restore minerals to your teeth, so eat dairy or foods high in calcium. For example, munch on:[6]
- Cheese
- Yogurt
- Milk
- Broccoli florets
- Rinse your mouth with water immediately after drinking. After you're done with the lemon water, swish plain water in your mouth for about 10 seconds and spit it out. Rinsing out the lemon with plain water helps you salivate. Your saliva has minerals that strengthen and protect your teeth.[7]
- You can also chew sugar-free gum to stimulate saliva production.
- Wait 60 minutes after drinking lemon water to brush your teeth. You might think that you should immediately brush your teeth, but this can damage your teeth even more. The acidic lemon juice softens your enamel so it's more sensitive and prone to damage from scrubbing.[8]
- If you have a hard time remember to brush, set a timer on your phone to remind you.
- Brush your teeth with a soft toothbrush and fluoridated toothpaste. Once you've waited at least 1 hour, squeeze toothpaste on a soft or ultra-soft bristle toothbrush and gently scrub your teeth. Work in a circular motion so you're not being too rough on your teeth's enamel.[9]
- The fluoride in toothpaste repairs your teeth's enamel and protects them from further damage.
- Visit your dentist for an exam and teeth cleaning at least once a year.[10]
[Edit]Things You'll Need - Straw
- Soft bristle toothbrush
- Fluoridated toothpaste
[Edit]References |
| How to Hang Pictures Posted: 18 Oct 2020 01:00 AM PDT Pictures can add a lot of character and personality to your room, and can really tie a living space together. The possibilities for displaying some of your favorite pictures and paintings may seem endless, but there are several ways to make the process a little bit easier. You don't need a lot of home decorating experience to hang up your pictures—all you need are a few measurements and the proper hanging hardware to take your decor to the next level. [Edit]Arranging Your Pictures with Templates - Mark from the floor onto your wall. Grab a metal measuring tape and hold it in place along the baseboards, or where the floor meets the wall. Extend the tape until it reads about , which equals the average person's eye level. Pencil over the wall with this measurement, so you have an idea of where your pictures need to go.[1]
- If your pictures are too high or too low, they may set the room a little off-balance. It'll also be difficult for visitors to view and appreciate the art.
- Organize your pictures by color. Find a common color theme that ties some of your pictures together. Before you start laying out your design, think about which pictures will look best together. Your room will look more seamless if you decorate it with similar, cohesive pictures.[2]
- For instance, you can hang up a group of black-and-white family pictures, or choose several pictures that have a splash of green or yellow.
- You may also want to decorate with groups of similar pictures, like family portraits.
- Consider choosing similar frames, prints, or other mounting choices for your pictures so they all look uniform.
- Locate a wall stud with a stud finder if you're displaying heavy pictures. Hold your stud finder so it's flush against the wall. Turn on the device and move it in a slow, horizontal motion. Wait for the stud finder to blink or beep, which lets you know where the stud is. Mark this spot with a pencil, so you know where a heavy picture should go.[3]
- If you're hanging multiple heavy pictures, double-check that they're all centered over a wall stud.
- A heavy picture is considered or more.[4]
- You can pick up a stud finder online, or at your local hardware or home improvement store.
- Create paper templates to help you lay out your pictures. Place your pictures on a large sheet of newsprint or craft paper. Trace around the perimeter of each picture, then cut out each individual template. Measure and cut out templates for all the pictures you plan on displaying, so you can get an idea of how they'll look grouped together. As you cut out each template, label it so you can remember the picture it corresponds with.[5]
- Try to make these templates as exact as possible so you have a really clear idea of how your actual pictures will look once they're displayed.
- Secure the templates to your wall with painter's tape. Arrange each piece of paper on the wall 1 at a time, so you can get an idea of how the finished display will look. Center the templates on the wall until you're happy with their placement. At this point, you can take 4 pieces of painter's tape and stick them to the corners of each template.[6]
- Depending on how many pictures you're displaying, this process may be a little time consuming.
- Center the group of templates over the previous mark you made. View your templates as parts of a whole instead of individual pictures. Try to center the entire group of templates on top of the eye-level marking you made previously. Take as much time as you need to tweak and adjust each individual template until the templates look centered.[7]
- Your largest template will likely be covering the eye-level marking.
- Experiment by placing your templates in different arrangements. Play around with the templates until you find a grouping that you really like. You may prefer to place your largest template in the center, and display the smaller templates around the outside of the frame. If your pictures are all the same size, you may enjoy hanging your templates in a row or column.[8]
- It may help to organize your templates on your floor before transferring them to the wall. This way, you can get a better idea of how certain pictures look next to one another.
- For instance, if you're working with a smaller section of wall, you can hang the templates in a column.
- If you're arranging pictures above furniture, like a sofa, leave of space between the top of the couch and the bottom of the lowest painting. If you're displaying art over a table, leave of space.[9]
- Space multiple pictures out evenly.[10]
- Measure the top of your templates with a level. Hold a level along the top edge of each template. Double-check that each piece of paper is completely straight. If a template seems off-kilter, remove the tape and lightly adjust the paper until the level gives a completely straight reading.[11]
- This may seem a bit tedious, but helps ensure that your pictures will look even once they're displayed on the wall.
- Mark the top center point of the template along the wall. Stretch a tape measure along the top edge of each paper template. Find the exact center point on this edge, and mark it with a pencil. Repeat this process with all of the templates, then remove them from the wall.[12]
- Most pictures will have measurements that are easy to divide in half, like .
[Edit]Choosing the Proper Hardware - Test your wall with a pin to see if it's drywall or something harder. Find an open area of wall and stick a thumbtack into the surface. If the thumbtack goes in, you can assume that your wall is made with drywall. If the tack won't go in, it's possible (though not certain) that your wall is made with masonry, concrete, or another hard substance.[13]
- You can disregard this if you already know what kind of wall you have.
- Some wall hardware is better-suited to specific wall types. For instance, self-tapping anchors and D-rings work best with drywall.
- For harder surfaces, like brick, you can use brick hangers or brick clips.[14]
- Pick out adhesive hanging strips for a simple option on any wall. Visit your local general or hardware store to find adhesive strips, which you can stick to the back of your pictures. These strips are very easy to use, though they may not be the best option for heavier pieces of art. Before hanging anything up, always double-check the weight specifications on the product label.[15]
- You can find adhesive strips online, or at a variety of different stores.
- Display pictures with a D-ring if you're drilling into a soft surface. Look for D-rings at your local hardware or home improvement store, which make it easy to hang up your pictures. Attach the hardware along the backside of your picture frame with a screw, which will support your picture and make it easy to display on the wall. Screw the D-ring hooks directly into the wall with an electric drill, which will support and hold up the D-rings along the back of the picture.[16]
- As the name suggests, D-rings have a curved hook that helps secure the picture to the wall.
- D-rings work best with a drillable surface, like drywall.[17]
- Opt for self-tapping anchors if you're working with drywall. Insert a Philip's screwdriver along the base of the anchor and screw it into the drywall. Once the anchor is securely embedded in the wall, screw a metal hook into the opening. You can use these anchors, screws and hooks to display pictures that weigh up to .[18]
- You can purchase these anchors online, or at most hardware or home improvement shops.
- Double-check the weight limit listed on the product label before hanging up any pictures.
- Hang up heavier items with toggle bolts. Slide a nut and 1-2 washers onto 1 end of the toggle bolt, then slide the spring-loaded metal wings onto 1 end.[19] Drill a hole into your wall, then press the metal "wings" down along both sides of the bolt. Insert the bolt into the hole—once it's in the wall, the wings will extend, providing more support. Screw a hook or other hanging attachment to the opposite end of the toggle bolt, which will support your picture.[20]
- You can center really heavy pictures over this bolt, which will help keep them steady.[21]
- The "wings" are spring-loaded, which allows them to fold and extend easily.
- You can install toggle bolts in hollow-core concrete, drywall, or plaster.
[Edit]Securing the Pictures in Place - Measure the distance between the hanging hardware and the top of the frame. Look for any hardware attached to the back of your picture, like a D-ring or other type of hook. Place 1 end of your tape measure along this ring or hook, then extend it to the top edge of the picture frame. Commit these measurements to memory, or jot them down on a separate piece of paper so you don't forget them.[22]
- If you're measuring lots of pictures at once, it may help to jot everything down on a sticky note.
- Mark these measurements on the wall. Find the original markings that you made when you were arranging the templates. Align the top of the tape measure with this mark, and mark off the distance between the top of the frame and the hanging hardware. Repeat this process for any other pictures you plan on hanging up so they can look as centered as possible![23]
- Double-check your measurements if you're using 2 pieces of hanging hardware. Stick a long strip of painter's tape along the top edge of a level, so you can record measurements on the tape. Place this level directly beneath any hanging hardware attached to the back of the frame. Mark on the painter's tape where each piece of hanging hardware goes. Then, hold the balanced level along the wall and transfer those pencil marks there, so you know where the hardware needs to go.[24]
- If you're only using 1 piece of hanging hardware with your picture, you can disregard this.
- Drill a pilot hole if the hardware requires it. Note that certain types of hardware, like D-rings and toggle bolts, need to be mounted directly into the wall. If you're working with drywall, place down a strip of painter's tape, then drill into the designated spot.[25]
- Since painter's tape is designed for home improvement projects, it won't damage your walls.[26]
- Stick a folded sticky note on your wall before drilling any pilot holes. This will help catch any dust and leftover residue.[27]
- Install your hanging hardware of choice into the wall. Screw or insert your hardware into the hole so your picture is supported. Repeat this process with however many pictures you plan on hanging up, so all of your decor will be ready to display.[28]
- For instance, if you're using D-rings, you'll need to screw anchors into the wall. These will come packaged with the actual D-rings.[29]
- If you're using adhesive hanging strips, you won't need to install any extra hardware. Regardless, you may want to stick the strips to the wall before hanging up your picture.[30]
- Place felt or rubber bumpers along the back corners of the picture. Arrange adhesive felt or rubber bumpers on the 4 corners along the backside of your art, which will prevent your decor from scratching the wall. At this point, you're ready to display and admire your beautiful pictures![31]
- Hang your pictures using the proper hardware. Line up each picture in front of its respective hardware, whether it's a D-ring, toggle bolt, or self-tapping anchor. Double-check that your picture is lined up with any hardware on the wall before mounting it. Take a step back to make sure your picture is centered. If your picture isn't centered, adjust it as necessary so you can admire your beautiful art![32]
- You can hang up D-rings by lining the rings up with the hooks you installed in the wall.
- Mount your picture on the hook that's threaded to your toggle bolt.
- Place your picture over the hook if you used a self-tapping anchor.[33]
- If you're using adhesive hanging strips, check that your picture is firmly stuck to the wall.[34]
- Screw metal brackets onto the back corners of your pictures to give them extra support.[35]
- For extra security, you can thread a long piece of hanging wire through the D-rings attached to your picture frame. Loop the wire through the rings, then twist it around itself so the wire stays taut. You can now use this wire to display your picture![36]
[Edit]Warnings - Avoid hanging pictures with just 1 nail. In many cases, a single nail won't provide enough support for your picture.[37]
[Edit]Things You'll Need - Craft paper or newspaper
- Painter's tape
- Pencil
- Tape measure
- Level
- Thumbtack
- Stud finder
- Hanging hardware
- Electric drill
- Rubber bumpers
[Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
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