| How to Clean a Seat Belt Posted: 22 Apr 2018 05:00 PM PDT Seat belts are devices integral to the safety of anyone in a car. Yours also collects sweat from your skin, coffee spills, and food stains. Unfortunately, it is easy to forget the seat belt when cleaning the rest of the car, making stains, smells, and even mold growth commonplace. To clean your seat belt, hold the seat belt out at full extension, apply a light coating of cleaner, then allow the belt to air dry. EditDoing General Cleaning - Pull out the seat belt. Gently pull the belt forward until it can go no further. When this happens, the entire belt will be unspooled and much easier to reach.
- Place a clamp near the belt reel. Follow the belt strap upwards and locate the reel. This is where the majority of the belt is stored when not in use. Attach a metal clamp on the belt right next to the reel. The belt will be unable to retract back into the reel.[1]
- Metal clamps can be found at hardware stores.
- Spray the belt with cleaner. An all-purpose cleaner or a fabric cleaner are safe to use on the belt to remove stains. These are purchased from a general store and come in spray bottles. All-purpose cleaners are designed for even delicate fabrics and should not have bleach in them. Spray all along the belt, creating a light, even coating. Don't forget the underside.[2]
- A mixture of equal parts of a gentle, neutral pH detergent such as Dawn dish soap or a baby wash and water can be used as a cleaner instead.[3]
- Vinegar and vinegar-based cleaners are useful for removing smells, but vinegar is an acid and too much of it can damage the belt's integrity over time. Use baby wipes and delicate fabric cleaners instead.
- Scrub the belt. Take a stiff-bristled scrubbing brush. Work from the top end of the belt and move downwards. Don't move the brush in circles or go back up the belt. Move gently to avoid wearing out the belt's threads.[4]
- A second coating of cleaner can be added to deeply stained belts.
- Wipe the belt with a microfiber towel. Surround the belt with the towel and drag the towel downwards along the belt. This removes excess moisture. Only use microfiber towels. These towels are gentlest on the belt's threads.[5]
- Let the belt dry. Leave the belt alone for at least overnight. If it isn't completely dry, leave it for longer. It's important to make sure the belt is dry before you unclamp it and let it retract so that mold doesn't grow on it.
EditTreating Difficult Stains - Mix detergent and water. Fill a small cup of warm water. Add three cups of a gentle dish soap or all-purpose cleaner. Don't use one that has bleach or vinegar, since the acid can damage the belt. Most stains can be handled by detergent or fabric cleaner no matter the origin. You don't have many options for cleaners because they are too harsh for the seat belt.[6]
- Dip a stiff-bristle brush into the mixture. Dip the bristles of the brush into the bowl to pick up some of the cleaner. Minimize the amount of moisture on the brush as much as possible to avoid soaking the seat belt.
- Scrub the stain. Move downwards from the top of the stain. Be careful not to move the brush in a circle or go back up the belt. Scrub the stain gently, adding small amounts of cleaner when necessary to apply a light, even coating.
- Use a steam machine. For truly stubborn stains, you or a professional can use a steam machine or hot water extractor. Once you've added a coating of fabric cleaner or upholstery shampoo, run the machine over the belt on a low moisture setting.[7]
EditRemoving Mold and Odors - Pull out the seat belt. Again, gently tug the belt forward until it is completely unspooled. This will allow you to identify any mold spores and reach the entirety of the belt to remove odors.
- Place a clamp near the belt reel. Find the reel where the belt spools when not in use. Place the metal clamp on the belt next to the reel. The belt will no longer be able to retract.
- Mix cleaner in a bowl. Pour about one tablespoon (15 mL) of a non-bleach dish soap into a cup (240 mL) of warm water. Add two tablespoons (30 mL) of vinegar. Stir the mixture until soapy.[8]
- Scrub the belt. Use a soft-bristled brush to gently work in the cleaner. Dip it in the mixture and move it downwards from the top of the belt. Don't move the brush in circles or go back upwards. Do this to apply a small, even coating that won't wear out the belt's threads.[9]
- Blot the seat belt with a microfiber towel. Use a dry microfiber towel in order to avoid adding moisture that can damage the integrity of the belt's threads. Squeeze the belt between the towel and gently move up and down to remove excess moisture.
- For recurrent mold issues, spray on a mold preventative such as Concrobium Mold Control or Mold Armor while the belt is still damp. Try to choose one that doesn't have bleach in the ingredient list.
- Air dry the belt. Leave the belt overnight or until dry. It must be completely dry before you remove the clamp or else the wet belt will provide ample breeding ground for mold and nasty odors inside the reel.[10]
- Don't use bleach. It will weaken the seat belt. It also doesn't stop removed mold from growing back.
- Common air fresheners won't remove odors deep in the seat belt, but odor eliminators may work without deep cleaning.
- Mold spores can be dangerous. Consider wearing a mask when treating your car for mold.
EditSources and Citations
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| How to Find a Cheap Place to Stay in San Francisco Posted: 22 Apr 2018 09:00 AM PDT San Francisco is the commercial center of Northern California and can be an expensive place to visit. If you want to stay in San Francisco but are on a limited budget, there are ways you can get free or cheap accommodations. There are many websites, like Airbnb and Hostelworld.com, that offer reservations for affordable rooms. If you're really strapped for cash, you can try to stay with a friend, camp out, or use a hospitality exchange like Couchsurfing to stay somewhere for free. EditGetting Discounted Rooms - Compare room rates on a variety of booking sites. Search for hotels or motels on a variety of different booking sites to find the best deal. If you find a room that you want to stay in, look it up on competitor websites and see if you can get a better deal.[1]
- Popular websites to use include Booking.com, Priceline, Hotwire, Orbitz, and Expedia.
- Use discount websites to find deals. Sites like LivingSocial Escapes and Groupon Getaways sometimes have discounts on places to stay in San Francisco. After looking at the traditional accommodation websites, take a look at these discount sites to see if you can find any good deals.[2]
- Read the fine print and take note of additional fees before finalizing your reservation.
- Call the hotel or motel directly instead of booking online. Ask the hotel if they have any deals or promotions on rooms. Most hotel and motel chains will match a price that you found online. If the rooms they offer are more expensive than what you found online, ask them if they will match the price. [3]
- Hotels and motels are most likely to offer deals on non-peak seasons and on weekdays.
- Non-peak seasons are November through April while peak seasons are May through October.
- Purchase someone else's reservation if you don't mind last-minute booking. Sites like Roomer allow people to sell room reservations that they can no longer fulfill. Typically, these cancellations are made due to last minute travel changes. Though you can find high-quality rooms for cheap using this method, you might be cutting it close when you book your room.[4]
- Stay at a hostel instead of a hotel or motel. Hostels are like hotels or motels but are cheaper and have shared living and cooking areas. Popular hostels in San Francisco include HI San Francisco, USA Hostels San Francisco, and Amsterdam Hostel. A night's stay typically ranges from $30 - $100 USD.[5]
- Find hostels in San Francisco on websites like Hostelworld.com and USA Hostels.
- Book your room 2 months in advance to save money. Booking last-minute is more expensive than getting your room in advance. Try to plan out your trip and book your accommodations 2 months in advance to avoid peak booking fees and overpriced rooms.[6]
- Booking further than 2 months in advance won't typically save you more money.
- Consider staying outside of San Francisco to find cheaper accommodations. If you can't find cheap accommodations in San Francisco, consider staying right outside of the city. Use Bay Area Rapid Transit, or BART, to cheaply travel from outside of the city into San Francisco. You can use tools like Google Maps to plot your trip before you leave.[7]
- Affordable towns outside of San Francisco include Oakland and Berkeley.
- Taking the BART from Oakland to San Francisco costs under $3 USD.
- Once in the city, use public transportation like Muni buses or the Metro train to save money.[8]
EditRenting an Apartment - Rent an entire apartment instead of staying at a hotel. People can put their apartments up for temporary rentals on websites like Airbnb, Wimdu, and Roomorama. You can rent their apartments and have access to an entire apartment in San Francisco.[9] Renting an apartment is typically around 1/3 the cost of booking a hotel room.[10]
- As an added bonus, you'll also have contact with a local who can tell you about fun things to do in the area.
- Get a private or shared room instead of an entire apartment. If you want to spend less money, you can rent a private or shared room instead of an entire apartment. Single rooms are typically around 1/2 to 1/3 the cost of renting an entire apartment or house. While it's a smaller space and you won't have access to amenities in the house like the kitchen, it's a good option if you're trying to save money.[11]
- Visit San Francisco during the off-season for cheaper options. Instead of traveling to San Francisco between May and October, try traveling there November through April. The city receives fewer visitors in these months, and therefore will be offering cheaper rooms![12]
- You can typically find rooms for 15%-30% cheaper during the off-season.
- Many Californians take weekend trips to San Francisco. If you can, try planning your trip during the weekdays for cheaper deals.[13]
EditFinding Free Accommodations - Stay with family and friends who live nearby. If you have a friend or family member who lives in or around San Francisco, you can ask if you can stay with them. Ask them well in advance, and try offering to help with chores or errands while you stay. If they say yes and let you stay at their place, make sure to respect their space and their belongings when you stay there.[14]
- You can ask by saying something like, "Hey, I planned on coming to San Francisco from December 11th to the 15th. Do you think I could stay at your place? I'll help with chores while I'm there."
- If you have the money to spare, you should offer to help pay the utility bills for the time that you spent there.
- If your friend or family member says no, accept their decision and find other accommodations.
- Find a free bed on a hospitality exchange website. Hospitality exchanges can connect travelers with San Francisco residents that are willing to let someone stay at their place for free. Websites like Couchsurfing, Global Freeloaders, and Hospitality Club offer listings from places all around the world.[15]
- Before committing to a place, read customer reviews to make sure that the person is a good host.
- The listing that you select should be verified by the website and their profile should be completely filled out.
- Use an online home exchange program if you own a home. Sites like Homestay, Love Home Swap, and Home Exchange, allow you to swap homes with another family for a period of time. Search these sites for listings in San Francisco. Then, contact the homeowner and sort out the details for the exchange.[16]
- Some home exchange programs have a monthly fee associated with the service.
- The monthly fee can range anywhere from $2 USD to $25 USD per month.
- Camp at a free campsite. The Bicentennial Campground is free during certain times of the year. When you camp, you'll have to bring your own tent, sleeping bag, and camping equipment.
- Don't book a place just because it is cheap. Remember to read user reviews and avoid staying in places that have negative reviews regarding safety.
EditSources and Citations
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| How to Pick Freshwater Plants Posted: 22 Apr 2018 01:00 AM PDT Natural aquarium plants are perfect for freshwater tanks, and some people even have plant-only aquariums! Pet stores usually carry quite an impressive array of plants nowadays, making it easier for anyone to make their tank a bit more interesting. Sadly, not every plant works for every situation, and rapidly dying plants are common. As a smart consumer, read up on how to pick the best plant for your tank! EditConsidering Your Current Tank Environment - Scrutinize your tank dimensions. Just like for fish, the shape and size of your tank matters. The most important part to look at is the width, length, and height. If your tank is tall but has a small water surface area, don't put many floating plants. If your tank is wide but shallow, short rooted and floating plants are best. The trick is to accommodate plants that can grow to their full potential; you don't want a foot-tall plant growing in a shallow tank!
- The water capacity is not usually considered for plants, as they do not swim around or create that much waste.
- Make sure your filter can process the amount of water there as well, if your tank is tall, wide or deep.
- Think about co-existing tankmates. Do you have goldfish, plecos, or other creatures that love eating vegetation? Many standard freshwater fish or invertebrates are plant-friendly, but some aren't. Curious fish love pecking plants as well, so try sturdy plants such as:[1]
- Marimo moss balls
- Amazon sword
- Java fern
- Anubias
- Consider your substrate. Many people plant directly onto the substrate, which is usually gravel. Sand is beautiful, but many plants aren't compatible, so it's not always ideal. Generally, try for rooted plants where the majority will be for gravel. If you wish to use pellet fertilizer in the future, gravel is the best. If you have sand or no substrate, floating plants, moss balls, and anchoring plants will work.
- Anchoring plants include mosses and other ground-creepers.
- Most small to medium gravel sizes are compatible. However, large pebble-like gravel can be hard for plants to root in.
- Think about appropriate lighting. Generally 2 to 5 wattage per gallon is good.[2] Standard fluorescent and LED is okay for beginner plants, which don't need much light. Other types of fluorescent bulbs are better. Your lights should come with a label detailing type of bulb and wattage; check this.
- LED lights are sensitive to moisture, so use a glass cover.
- Incandescent bulbs are not recommended because they produce a lot of heat and are not energy-efficient at lighting.
EditTesting Your Tank System - Add a source of ammonia to the unpopulated tank. This is to see how efficient your tank is at processing waste. Putting in a pinch of fish flakes works, but using pure ammonia sold as cleaner is quicker. Calculators are available online to check how much ammonia you should be putting in your tank; 3 ppm of ammonia is the best concentration to aim for.
- Never add much ammonia to a tank that already has animals. Adding ammonia to a tank with animals can poison them, so be careful to only add it if it is needed.
- If your tank has at least 50% of its fish capacity, skip this step. There's a steady source of natural ammonia already!
- Search for "ammonia concentration calculator" for calculating how much ammonia to add.
- If you do use cleaning ammonia, make sure it is pure, isn't scented, colored, and doesn't have any additives besides water.
- Test the water every day for at least a week. In this period of time, don't add any more ammonia. Test for the big three: ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. While test tube-style tests can take a long time, they provide more accurate results than test strips.
- Adding ammonia without testing at this stage might stall your system.
- Some pet stores will test your water as a customer service for free, so ask the employees what tests they offer.
- Evaluate the results. If your ammonia, nitrites, or both are still present after this testing time period, it just means you need to let the system naturally cycle for a bit. If your ammonia and nitrites are 0, and nitrates are present, congratulations! Your tank is cycling well.
- Touch up your system as needed. If your tank isn't up to par, cycle it until ammonia can be quickly neutralized into nitrates. If your tank's ammonia tested fine, you may still need to do a 25% water change to reduce nitrate levels over 20 ppm -- using properly conditioned water.
- Adding invertebrates like shrimp can help with clearing up dead matter, which in turn means less ammonia for you to worry about.
EditPlanning Locations and Plant Types - Mentally divide your tank into four sections. These sections are the foreground, middle, background[3], and the less acknowledged water surface. If you imagine slicing your tank lengthwise into three sections, those are the first three sections mentioned. The foreground is the closest section to a viewer. The background is the section farthest from the viewer. The middle is sandwiched between the two. The surface of the water is included because floating plants are commonly used, and do take up their own space.
- Choose plants based on your desired section for their placement. The background does well with thick, long growth, sort of like a curtain backdrop. The middle is usually reserved for wood and rocks, where a variety of medium sized plants can be anchored. Since the foreground is the closest to the viewer, delicate and small plants are favored here. Any type of floating plant is good for the surface, it's just up to your own preference.
- Foreground plants include:[4]
- Anubias
- Dwarf hairgrass
- Any carpeting plants
- Middle distance plants include:
- Java fern
- Java moss
- Dwarf ferns
- Background plants include:[5]
- Amazon sword
- Water sprite
- Crypts
- Surface plants include:
- Plan how the plants will coexist. If you want competitive, fast-growing floating plants, those can block light to lower plants, such as moss. Bushy, tall plants also block light in their shade. Picking plants that conflict, such as fast growers that have the potential to block out light to overshadowed plants is not a good idea. Each plant also has different light and fertilizer requirements; just make sure every plant and its place in the tank matches each other's needs to prevent such conflicts.
- If you're sure you can keep up, you can just prune or transplant the fast growing plants regularly to ensure enough light reaches all levels of your water.
- Spacing out plants that block out light is another option to control them.
- "Beginner" plants (ferns, moss, swords) usually have the same comfort zone, so consider these if you want multiple plant species co-existing together.
- Accommodate tankmates' needs. Most animals aren't picky, but some love shade or protection. Livebearers, which include guppies and mollies, especially need thick protection for fry to hide among. Egg layers would also benefit from their kind of place to nest. Generally, small animals would benefit from cover and concealment.
- Plants also provide a source of food for some animals.
- Mix floating and bushy plants to provide cover so fry don't stand-out as well-lit "food" in open areas.
EditChoosing Healthy Plants - Ask employees or managers how long the plants have been sitting on shelves in the store. This especially pertains to ones kept in containers, which are the most popular. Oftentimes, plants are shipped and sold in sealed containers. While these containers often contain a watery gel for nutrients, the plant inside can exhaust this over time. If the plant has been in the store for over half a year, skip it.
- If the plants you're interested in are kept in tanks, this freshness step can be skipped.
- Take a look at the environment the plants are being kept in. If it's in a sealed container, check if there is water condensation on the upper part of the container, and see what source of nutrients is available. Such water condensation means the plant is not dehydrated. And, vital nutrients can be in the form of gel or small fertilizer pellets. If the plants are in tanks, check whether there are dead animals or plants inside. Dead organisms indicate a lack of proper, consistent water care, so skip plants from these tanks.
- If you see small stray snails crawling near the plant, this is also not a good sign. Their tiny offspring can transfer from your new plant to your tank.
- Look for plants without unreasonable signs of deterioration. A little is acceptable and normal; a lot is not good. If more than 25% of the plant exhibits these signs, skip buying it. The signs of deterioration include:[6]
- Brown or black coloration of any part
- Slimy film present
- Shredded-looking (note that some plants are naturally like this)
- Holes in the leaves
- Choose snail-free brands. While there are plant-friendly snails sold in pet stores all over, the snails or their eggs hitchhiking in plants are not your friends. They are often small and dark, which makes them difficult to pick them out. When introduced to a nice, warm tank, they can reproduce quickly. Even if you don't see snails themselves on the plants, eggs may be present. If you want to keep your plants intact and hole-free, this step is important, realizing[7]
- Some snails, especially the plant-harming ones, can reproduce by themselves and don't need a mate.
- To make sure your plants are snail-free, soak them for about 2 minutes in a chlorine bath of 1 gallon of water mixed with 1 1/2 cup household bleach. Name brands of bleach are sold at about 5.0% chlorine; so you're diluting that to 1/10 strength, 10% household chlorine bleach and 90% water for 0.5% = 1/2% chlorine. The plants best suited for this treatment are tougher, larger-leaved ones. Smaller plants should be soaked not more than 1 minute.[8]
- Then dip them in a DeChlor solution and rinse them thoroughly with tap water. Repeat rinsing if the plants smell of chlorine. The plants best suited for this treatment are tougher, larger-leaved ones. Smaller plants should be soaked not more than 1 minute.
- You can use assassin snails to get rid of plant eating ones -- Or buy 2 or 3 small puffer loaches and they'll take care of all the snails and their eggs in short order.[9]
- Well balanced water parameters regarding the big three chemicals are near: 0 ppm ammonia, 0 ppm nitrite, and less than 50 ppm nitrates.[10]However, many aquarists believe nitrate levels under 20 ppm are best for ideal conditions.
- Search for pictures of planted tank designs for inspiration. You might not be able to recreate such underwater scenes faithfully, but it can give you some ideas on where to place plants.
- If your tank has been reliably used (with living things) for at least six months, you can usually skip testing your water. Of course, you can do testing just in case.
- If your plants look a bit yellow and your tank is established, just add more light sources. Clip-on lights are available widely online. If your tank is new, test for nitrates. If there's some present, add light. If there's not, add some fertilizer.
- Don't worry too much about water pH. It's likely your water source is not overly acidic or alkaline, and freshwater plants have a high tolerance range. Test your water pH yearly or now if you're unsure of the situation.
- Fertilizers aren't needed normally, which saves time and money. However, since plants feed off of nitrates, new tanks may need a bit of a boost. Only use fertilizers made for aquatic plants and follow the instructions. Adding too much can be detrimental!
- If you're not sure how to keep plants where you want them, many plants can be grown by tying them to wood or other structures. Use fishing line or thin thread.
- Many plants are versatile and can fill in the appropriate sections of the tank conveniently.
- There are some plants sold as "suitable for aquariums", but are really not fully aquatic, so to what extent can each be submerged or floating in your tank. The label should specify if your plant is aquatic or not; ask a store employee as well. Putting non-aquatic plants in water will cause them to die, rot and potentially poison your pets.
- Changing water to get rid of high levels of ammonia and nitrites/nitrates is a temporary fix -- not the solution in the long run. You should change water if you experience a (hopefully rare) spike, but frequent spikes signal a problem in cycling of your system.
- With all chemicals you should wear protective eye wear and gloves. Bleach/chlorine will damage clothing, carpeting, and can irritate/burn skin, etc.
- If you see your plants turning brown or rotting en masse, check the water parameters. High levels of ammonia and nitrites are usually the culprit.
- Never use a LED light unless there is a glass cover or similar protection! Even a bit of water touching the bulb can make it pop, potentially harming your pets.
EditThings You'll Need - Aquarium light source
- Substrate (gravel recommended)
- Tank that is set up
- Plants
- Fertilizer (if using)
- Test tube kit for testing water parameters
- Bleach (if using to get rid of snails)
- Filter
EditRelated wikiHows EditSources and Citations
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