How to Keep Your Home Free of Rodents Posted: 04 Jun 2021 05:00 PM PDT At best, rodents are unwanted guests; at worst, they can introduce unwanted diseases and illnesses, and even cause damage to your home. Not to worry—with a little persistence, patience, and the right strategies, you can get back to enjoying a clean, peaceful, and rodent-free home. We've put together some expert-verified tips and tricks to help you get started. [Edit]Close any entry points. - Rodents are crafty, and can squeeze through very small openings. In fact, mice can wiggle through a blueberry-sized hole, and rats can fit through a cherry-sized opening. Scour both the inside and outside of your home, looking for any gaps and holes a rodent could possibly fit through. Stuff any small gaps or holes with steel wool and caulk. Then, cover up any larger holes and openings with metal sheeting, cement or lath screen.[1]
- Inside, rodents tend to sneak in near cabinets, appliances, closets, fireplaces, doors, pipes, vents, basements, attics, crawl spaces, and drains.
- Outside, these crafty critters can enter through windows, doors, foundation gaps, the roof, attic vents, crawl space vents, and holes for utility services, like plumbing, cable, gas, or electricity.
[Edit]Seal away any dry food. - Store your food in thick, sturdy containers. Experts suggest transferring your food to thick, plastic or metal bins with secure lids. If you live on a farm or with pets, move any pet food or animal feed to sturdy, secure containers.[2]
- Always pour old pet or animal food back into the original container; this way, rodents won't get a free snack.
[Edit]Secure any outdoor food sources. - Trash cans, grills, and compost piles can attract rodents. Switch to trash cans made with thick plastic or metal and place a secure lid on top, so rodents can't get in. Then, move any compost bins at least away from your home, so rodents aren't as tempted to sneak in. If you grill outside pretty frequently, clean up any food scraps or crumbs once you're done cooking.[3]
- If you feed your pets outside, bring the food and water dishes inside for the night. Pour out any leftover water, and transfer the leftover food into the original food bag.
[Edit]Trim any foundation plants and other hiding spots. - Vines and branches can offer easy access to your home. Cut back any vines, branches, and other growths that are especially close to your home.[4] While you're at it, clear away any mounds of junk or trash around your home, and move any firewood stacks at least off the ground. Then, trim any bushes, shrubs, or tall grasses near your home, as rodents may hang out there.[5]
- If you're getting rid of any old furniture or appliances, place them far away from your home. Rodents may build a nest in these items.
[Edit]Clean your counters and floors regularly. - Crumbs and spills can attract rodents. If you've just prepared food or spilled a drink on the floor, wipe it up as soon as possible. This way, the critters won't be as tempted to sneak into your home again.[6]
[Edit]Arrange bait and traps. - Snap traps are a quick, efficient way to kill rodents. Arrange the trap along the wall, so the spring and metal form a T-shape. Rodents like to stay near the walls, and are more likely to stumble into a trap this way. Follow the directions provided with your snap trap and add a bait that will tempt the rodents to come over.[7]
- Peanut butter, bacon, apple, sausage, nuts, fish, and pumpkin seeds are all great bait options.[8]
- Stay away from glue traps, if possible. These traps are very inhumane and traumatizing for the rodents, and may cause them to urinate and poop. Rodent feces and urine can carry diseases, so this definitely isn't ideal.
[Edit]Employ natural repellents. - Rodents really hate the smell of peppermint, spearmint, and eucalyptus. Soak some cotton balls with one of these essential oils, and place them near an entry point. After a few weeks, place new, re-soaked cotton balls along the same spots.[9]
[Edit]Plug in an ultrasonic device. - Rodents hate ultrasonic sounds. When set up, these devices give off an unpleasant ultrasonic sound that may deter rodents. These devices work great to keep mice out of your home, but they don't work for a very long distance. Your pets can also hear these devices, so they might not be the best option if you have some other furry friends at home.[10]
- You can purchase these online, or at your local home improvement or hardware store.
[Edit]Get a cat. - Cats are a tried and true way to keep mice away. A feline friend is great at tracking and getting rid of rodents. Plus, you'll have another friend around your home to keep you company![11]
- Believe it or not, used cat litter can also deter rodents.[12]
[Edit]Call an exterminator. - Exterminators are a sure-fire way to keep your home safe, clean, and rodent-free. If it's within your budget, ask an exterminator to come by and inspect your home. Pick an experienced professional with good credentials and work history. Before the exterminator starts treating your room, move any pets and children to a safe place where they won't be exposed to any chemicals.[13]
[Edit]Clean and disinfect any rodent hangouts. - Clean up the rodent waste first, and then disinfect the space. While wearing protective gloves, experts suggest cleaning up rodent droppings and urine with a diluted bleach mixture. Then, mop the floors with a bleach solution and wipe down your counters with disinfectant wipes. If needed, steam clean any soiled carpets or furniture, and wash any contaminated bedding in a hot water cycle.[14]
- To make a diluted bleach mixture, combine 1 part bleach with 10 parts water.
[Edit]References |
How to Save an Overwatered Plant Posted: 04 Jun 2021 09:00 AM PDT When you're trying to take good care of your plants, it's easy to overwater them. This typically happens to potted plants because the water can't drain away from the roots. Unfortunately, overwatering can drown your plants and kill them. Luckily, you may be able to save your overwatered plants before it's too late by drying out the roots. [Edit]Drying out the Roots - Stop watering the plant while it dries out. If you think your plant is overwatered, take a break from watering it. Otherwise, the problem will continue to get worse. Don't add more water to the pot until you're sure the roots and soil are dry.[1]
- This can take several days, so don't worry if there's a big gap between waterings.
- Bring the plant into the shade to protect the upper leaves. When a plant is overwatered, it has trouble transporting water to its upper extremities. This means that the top of the plant is vulnerable to drying out if it's left in the sun. To help preserve the plant, bring it into the shade if it's not already shaded.[2]
- You can put the plant back in the sun once it's stabilized.
- Tap the sides of the pot gently to loosen the plant and soil. Use your hand or a small shovel to gently tap the sides of the pot. Do this several times on different sides to loosen the soil and roots. This can create air pockets that will help your roots dry.[3]
- Additionally, tapping the sides of the pot will make it easier to remove your plant from the pot.
- Slide your plant out of the pot to check the roots and speed up drying. While you don't have to remove your plant from the pot, it's best to go ahead and do it. This helps your plant dry out faster and allows you to re-plant it in a pot that has better drainage. To remove it easily, use 1 hand to hold the base of the plant just above the soil. Then, slowly turn the plant over and shake the pot with your other hand until the root ball slides out.[4]
- You should be holding the plant upside down in your hand.
- Use your fingers to remove the old soil so you can see the roots. Gently break up the soil so that it will fall away from the roots. Lightly brush it away with your fingers so that the roots don't get damaged.[5]
- If the soil looks moldy or green from algae, discard it because it will contaminate your plant if you re-use it. Similarly, throw it out if it smells like decay because it likely contains root rot.
- If the soil looks fresh and clean, you may be able to re-use it. However, it's best to use fresh potting soil just to be safe.
- Prune away brown, stinky roots with pruning shears or scissors. Healthy roots are white and firm, while rotting roots will be soft and look brown or black. Use pruning shears or scissors to trim as much of the rotting roots away as possible, saving the healthy roots.[6]
- If most or all of the roots look rotten, you might not be able to save the plant. However, you can try trimming it down to the base of the roots and then replanting it.
- Trim away dead leaves and stems using pruning shears or scissors. Cut off brown and dry leaves and stems first. If you trimmed off a lot of the root system, you'll also need to prune away some of the healthy part of the plant. Begin trimming at the top and remove enough leaves and stems so that the plant is no more than twice the size of its root system.[7]
- If you're not sure how much to cut off of the plant, prune away about the same amount from the plant as your did from the roots.
[Edit]Re-Potting the Plant - Transfer your plant to a pot that has drainage holes and a tray. Look for a pot that has tiny holes on the bottom so that excess water can drain away from the plant. This prevents the water from settling around the root ball and rotting it. Get a tray to put under your pot if it doesn't come with one. The tray will catch the excess water so it doesn't stain the surface below your pot.[8]
- Some pots have a tray attached to them. If this is the case for your pot, check the inside of the pot for drainage holes, as you won't be able to remove the tray.
- Add of mulch at the bottom of the pot for drainage. While this is optional, it will help you prevent overwatering in the future. Simply layer the mulch at the bottom of the pot, estimating about a layer. Leave the mulch loose instead of packing it down.[9]
- The mulch will help the water drain out of the pot faster so it doesn't drown your roots.
- Add new potting soil around the plant if necessary. If you removed moldy or algae-covered soil or your new pot is bigger, you'll need to add fresh potting soil. Pour the new soil around the roots of your plant. Then, fill up the rest of the pot until you reach the base of the plant. Lightly pat the top of the soil to make sure the plant will stay in place.[10]
- If necessary, add a little more potting soil after you pat down around the plant. You don't want to see any exposed roots.
- Water your plant only when the top layer of soil feels dry. When you first re-pot the plant, pour water over the soil to moisten it. Then, check the soil before you water the plant again to make sure the soil feels dry, which means the plant needs water. When you water the plant, pour the water directly over the soil so that it goes to the roots.[11]
- It's best to water your plant in the morning so that the light from the sun will help dry it faster.
[Edit]Recognizing an Overwatered Plant - Check if the leaves are light green or yellow. When a plant is overwatered, the color of the leaves starts to change. Look to see if the green is leaving the leaves, turning them pale green or yellow. You may also notice splotches of yellow on the leaves.[12]
- Notice if the plant isn't growing or has brown spots. When the roots are drowning in water, they can't supply water to the upper parts of the plant. Additionally, the plant can't get nutrients from the soil. That means it will start to wilt and die. Check to see if your plant is struggling to produce new leaves or stems or has foliage that is dying.[13]
- Since your plant can also die from not being watered enough, you might feel unsure about whether or not it's under or overwatered. If you know you've been watering the plant but it's still dying, overwatering is likely the culprit.
- Look for mold or algae at the base of the stem or the top of the soil. When there's too much water in the pot, you may see green algae or fuzzy black or white mold starting to grow on the surface of the soil or on the base of the stem. This is a sign that the plant is being overwatered.[14]
- You may see tiny spots of mold or algae, or it could be widespread. Any mold or algae is cause for concern.
- Sniff the plant to see if there's a foul, musty odor. If water sits on the roots for too long, it will start to rot them. When this happens, the roots will give off an odor of decay. Place your nose close to the top layer of the soil and sniff it to see if you detect an odor.[15]
- It's possible that you won't be able to smell root rot if it's just started or if your soil is very deep.
- Check for drainage holes at the bottom of the pot. If your pot doesn't have holes at the bottom to allow for drainage, it's likely that your plant is getting overwatered. That's because water gets trapped at the bottom of the pot. It's best to remove the plant from the pot to check it for root rot. Then, create holes in your pot or transfer the plant to a pot that has holes.[16]
- You can create holes in a plastic pot using a knife or screw driver. Use the knife or screwdriver to carefully puncture the bottom of the pot.
- If your pot is ceramic or clay, it's best not to try to make holes. You'll likely end up breaking or damaging the pot.
- Read the care instructions for your plant to make sure you're providing it with the proper amount of water. Some plants don't require as much water, so it's easy to overwater them.
[Edit]Things You'll Need - Shady area
- Pot with drainage holes
- Tray for under pot
- New potting soil
- Mesh baking rack
- Spray bottle
- Small pruning shears or scissors
- Small shovel or trowel (optional)
- Mulch (optional)
- Water
[Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
How to Do Fractions Posted: 04 Jun 2021 01:00 AM PDT Fractions represent how many parts of a whole you have, which makes them useful for taking measurements or calculating precise values. Fractions can be a difficult concept to learn since they have special terms and rules for using them in equations. Once you understand the parts of a fraction, practice doing addition and subtraction problems with them. When you know how to add and subtract fractions, you can move on to trying multiplication and division with fractions. [Edit]Understanding Fractions - Identify the numerator and denominator. The top number of a fraction is known as the numerator and represents how many parts of the whole you have. The bottom number of the fraction is the denominator, which is the number of parts that would equal the whole. If the numerator is smaller than the denominator, then it is a proper fraction. If the numerator was greater than the denominator, then the fraction is improper.[1]
- For example, in the fraction ½, the 1 is the numerator and 2 is the denominator.
- You can also write fractions on a single line, like 4/5. The number on the left is always the numerator and the number on the right is the denominator.
- Know fractions are equal if you multiply the numerator and denominator by the same number. Equivalent fractions are the same amount but written with different numerators and denominators. If you want to make a fraction that's equivalent to the one you have, multiply the numerator and denominator by the same number and write the result as your new fraction.[2]
- For example, if you want to make an equivalent fraction to 3/5, you can multiply both numbers by 2 to make the fraction 6/10.
- In a real-world example, if you have 2 equal slices of pizza and you cut one of them in half, the two halves are still the same amount as the other full slice.
- Simplify fractions by dividing the numerator and denominator by a common multiple. Many times, you'll be asked to write a fraction in its simplest terms. If you have larger numbers in the numerator and denominator, look for a common factor that each number shares. Divide the numerator and denominator separately by the factor you found to reduce the fraction to an easier number to read.[3]
- For example, if you have the fraction 2/8, both the numerator and denominator are divisible by 2. Divide each number by 2 to get 2/8 = 1/4.
- Convert improper fractions to mixed numbers if the numerator is greater than the denominator. Improper fractions are when the numerator is larger than the denominator. To simplify an improper fraction, divide the numerator by the denominator to find a whole number and a remainder. Write the whole number first, and then make a new fraction where the numerator is the remainder you found and the denominator is the same.[4]
- For example, if you want to simplify 7/3, divide 7 by 3 to get the answer 2 with a remainder of 1. Your new mixed number will look like 2 ⅓.
- Change mixed numbers into fractions when you need to use them in equations. When you want to use a mixed number in an equation, it's easiest to change it back to an improper fraction so you can easily do the math. To convert the mixed number back to a fraction, multiply the whole number by the denominator. Add the result to the numerator to finish your equation.[5]
- For example, if you want to convert 5 ¾ to an improper fraction, multiply 5 x 4 = 20. Add 20 to the numerator to get the fraction 23/4.
[Edit]Adding and Subtracting Fractions - Add or subtract just the numerators if the denominators are the same. If the values for all the denominators in the equation are the same, only add or subtract the numerators. Rewrite the equation so the numerators are added or subtracted in parentheses over the denominator. Solve for the numerator and simplify the fraction if you're able to.[6]
- For example, if you wanted to solve 3/5 + 1/5, rewrite the equation as (3+1)/5 = 4/5.
- If you want to solve 5/6 - 2/6, write it as (5-2)/6 = 3/6. Both the numerator and denominator are divisible by 3, so you can simplify the fraction to 1/2.
- If you have mixed numbers, remember to change them to improper fractions first. For example, if you want to solve 2 ⅓ + 1 ⅓, change the mixed numbers so the problem reads 7/3 + 4/3. Rewrite the equation like (7 + 4)/3 = 11/3. Then convert it back to a mixed number, which would be 3 ⅔.
- Find a common multiple for the denominators if they're different. Many times, you'll encounter problems where the denominators are different. In order to solve the problem, the denominators need to be the same or else you'll do your math incorrectly. List the multiples of each denominator until you find one that the numbers have in common. If you still can't find a common multiple, then multiply the denominators together to find a common multiple.[7]
- For example, if you want to solve 1/6 + 2/4, list the multiples of 6 and 4.
- Multiples of 6: 0, 6, 12, 18…
- Multiples of 4: 0, 4, 8, 12, 16…
- The least common multiple of 6 and 4 is 12.
- Make equivalent fractions so the denominators are the same. Multiply the numerator and denominator of the first fraction in the equation by the multiple needed so the denominator equals the common multiple. Then do the same for the second fraction in the equation with the factor that makes its denominator is the common multiple.[8]
- In the example 1/6 + 2/4, multiply the numerator and denominator of 1/6 by 2 to get 2/12. Then multiply both numbers of 2/4 by 3 to equal 6/12.
- Rewrite the equation as 2/12 + 6/12.
- Solve the equation as you normally would. Once you have the denominators at the same value, add the numerators together as you normally would to get your result. If you can simplify the fraction, then reduce it to its lowest terms.[9]
- For example, rewrite 2/12 +6/12 as (2+6)/12 = 8/12.
- Simplify your answer by dividing the numerator and denominator by 4 to get a final answer of ⅔.
[Edit]Multiplying and Dividing Fractions - Multiply the numerators and denominators separately to find the product. When you want to multiply fractions, multiply the 2 numerators together first and write it on top. Then multiply the denominators together and write it on the bottom of the fraction. Simplify your answer if you can so it is in the lowest terms.[10]
- For example, if you want to solve 4/5 x 1/2, multiply the numerators for 4 x 1 = 4.
- Then multiply the denominators for 5 x 2 = 10.
- Write the new fraction 4/10 and simplify it by dividing the numerator and denominator by 2 to get the final answer of 2/5.
- As another example, the problem 2 ½ x 3 ½ = 5/2 x 7/2 = (5 x 7)/(2 x 2) = 35/4 = 8 ¾.
- Flip the numerator and denominator for the second fraction in a division problem. When you divide by a fraction, you actually use the inverse of the second number, which is also known as the reciprocal. To find the reciprocal of a fraction, simply flip the numerator and denominator to switch the numbers.[11]
- For example, the reciprocal of 3/8 is 8/3.
- Convert a mixed number into an improper fraction before taking the reciprocal. For example, 2 ⅓ converts to 7/3 and the reciprocal is 3/7.
- Multiply the first fraction by the second fraction's reciprocal to find the quotient. Set up your original problem as a multiplication problem, but change the second fraction to its reciprocal. Multiply the numerators together and then multiply the denominators together to find the answer to the problem. Reduce your fraction to the simplest terms if you're able to.[12]
- For example, if your original problem was 3/8 ÷ 4/5, first find the reciprocal of 4/5, which is 5/4.
- Rewrite your problem as multiplication with the reciprocal for 3/8 x 5/4.
- Multiply the numerators for 3 x 5 = 15.
- Multiply the denominators for 8 x 4 = 32.
- Write the new fraction 15/32.
- Always simplify your answers to the lowest terms so they're easy to read.
- Many calculators allow you to do fraction functions on them if you have trouble doing them on paper.
- Remember to never add or subtract denominators.
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