| How to Deal with Autumn Leaves Posted: 09 Nov 2019 04:00 PM PST In many areas, autumn is the time of year when trees and other vegetation shed leaves. While the leaves will eventually decompose if left on the ground, you may want to speed up the process by breaking them down. Or, you may decide to collect the leaves and either recycle or dispose of them. However you decide to deal with your autumn leaves, you can make fall cleanup easier with a plan! [Edit]Planning Ahead - Add landscaping near deciduous trees. Make beds with plants that like natural mulch near the trees in your yard that shed leaves. When there are leaves on the ground, run them over once with a mower. Then rake them right into the beds.[1]
- For your bed, consider shrubs, garlic, roses, and tender perennials.[2]
- Decide if you need to collect the leaves. Several inches of leaf layer is natural and even an ecosystem. Wildlife like salamanders, turtles, chipmunks, and other species survive on such mini habitats.[3] Leaf litter also provides an overwintering shelter for beneficial insects and earthworms. However, if thick piles of leaves are smothering your lawn, you may want to break them down, if not collect them.[4]
- Consider collecting the leaves if they cover over a third of your yard and you can't see the top of the grass blades.[5]
- You may need to collect the leaves if you have a Home Owners Association that has specific requirements about autumn cleanup.
- If you decide to collect them, don't try to do a whole season of leaf pickup in a single day. Plan leaf cleanup for several days in the autumn season.[6]
- Rake pine needles first. You may want to separate pine shedding from deciduous leaves. Pine needles are acidic, and there are certain plants that like acidic soil – and others that don't. Therefore it's beneficial to separate the pine needles to use as their own separate mulch.[7]
- Rake the needles as soon as you notice them on the ground, since they usually fall before leaves do.
- Pack the pine needles in garbage bags and store them in a dry place. Use them when you need acidic mulch.
- Decide if you want to rake wet or dry leaves. Wet leaves will form a more stable pile, but they are also heavier to rake.[8] Choose dry weather if you want to use a leaf vacuum, as wet leaves can clog the vacuum.[9] Don't rake wet leaves if you have allergies, as mold and mildew in wet leaves can upset your sinuses.
- Pick up sticks. You can choose to do this before or during leaf cleanup. Gather up the sticks in your yard and put them aside in a pile. Consider keeping the brush pile there as a shelter for birds, chipmunks and other wildlife. You can also set sticks aside for use as fire kindling.[10]
- Use a wheelbarrow or yard waste bin if you want to move the stick pile somewhere else in your yard.
[Edit]Collecting the Leaves - Rake the leaves. Raking is ideal for small lawns and gardens.[11] Use quality rakes, preferably with soft grips. Rakes 36" or wider require more force, so choose a rake that is of standard width (24"). You can opt for ergonomic rakes, which have specially curved handles.[12] Don't retrace your steps. Work from one side of the lawn to the other in a zigzag.[13]
- With each line you rake, move the leaves into the area where there are leaves you haven't raked yet. Every time you create a ridge of leaves, push it a few feet into the unraked area. Repeat this until your pile is two feet tall (0.6096 meters) or is getting hard to move.
- You can purchase ergonomic handles separately and attach them to your rakes. Attach handles by screwing them into your rakes. By doing this with two rakes, you can rake leaves with both arms and without bending over.[14]
- Move the leaves with a tarp or bag. Use a sheet, a tarp, or a tablecloth to move large piles of leaves. Put the four corners of the tarp together and move the bundle by dragging it. You can use this method in addition to or instead of using leaf bags.[15]
- Eight feet by eight feet (2.44 meters) is a good-sized tarp for this purpose.
- You can purchase fun, seasonal leaf bags like large bags with jack-o-lantern faces to decorate your yard and move leaves out of the way at the same time!
- Mow your lawn and the leaves. This is a good option for large lawns. Use a grass catcher on the mower to collect the chopped leaves.[16] Raise your mower deck to the second-highest setting before mowing your lawn.[17]
- If the leaves are wet, use the side-discharging mode of your mower for the first pass in order to loosen and lift the leaves. Then switch to either mulching or bagging mode and mow over the leaves again.
- Use a leaf blower and/or vacuum. Consider using a leaf blower, especially if you have a big yard with many trees.[18] Leaf blowing is particularly useful if you have woods up against your property, as you can blow the leaves back onto the forest floor.[19] You can use a vacuum attachment for your leaf blower or use a leaf vacuum by itself. Handheld leaf vacuums are handy for small yards or areas.[20]
- If you're purchasing a leaf blower or vacuum, look for one that has a shredding function. Consider the ratio of reduction; for example, if the product offers a 10:1 reduction ratio, it will convert ten bags of unchopped leaves into one bag.
- Keep in mind that leaf blowers are loud. Also, the most effective ones are gas-powered, which use fossil fuels that contribute to air pollution.[21]
- Hire professionals. If you decide to hire a professional to do your leaf cleanup, you can expect to pay for each job, several times per season.[22] If you don't have the time to do the leaf cleanup, this may be the option for you. Alternatively, you can rent a wheeled leaf blower like the pros use for about $50 a day.[23]
- Most homeowners pay between $174 and $491, but it will depend on the size of your lawn. You can expect to pay anywhere between $75 and $900.[24]
- Try contacting a professional and have your yard measurements ready as well as how many trees are in your yard. Ask if they can give you quote for leaf cleanup.
[Edit]Disposing of Leaves - Mulch them into the lawn. Optionally, you can aerate your lawn first to provide nutrients deeper into the soil.[25] Mulch the leaves into small pieces with your mower, about dime-sized. You may have to mow over them a few times if the leaves are large or the layer is deep.[26] When you cleanup a yard like this, you will leave the small pieces on the lawn to work their way into the soil. Leaf mulch suppresses weeds and fertilizes the ground. Mulched leaves will enrich your soil in the spring.[27]
- You should be able to see about half of the grass through the chopped leaves if you want them to decompose quickly.
- Make mulch for gardens or flower beds. One you have collected the leaves, you can shred them for use in compost or mulch. Put the leaves into a large trash can. Then break them down with a weed whacker.[28] You could use a leaf shredder instead.[29]
- Leaves make great natural mulch. They don't transfer black spores onto houses and buildings the way wood mulch does, which can damage siding and harm plants.[30]
- Compost them. Turn your leaves into "black gold!" Compost is excellent natural fertilizer for your lawn and garden. You may want to break the leaves down into mulch before putting them into the compost pile if you want them to decompose faster. You can use the decomposed leaves to fertilize your garden in the spring.[31]
- You can leave your leaf pile to weather and add it to your compost pile in the springtime.[32]
- Dig them in with a tiller. Shred the leaves first. Then you can till the chopped leaves into the soil with a tiller. This will provide organic matter and nutrients to feed your lawn in the spring.[33]
- Ask your locality. Contact your local township, city or county and ask about an autumn cleanup policy. If they don't have one, find out how to dispose of leaves and other backyard waste. Some county and city officials have specific regulations for you to follow when you cleanup a yard.[34]
- Try asking, "Do you have a community recycling program for autumn leaves? Is there a municipal composting system with curbside pickup?" If there is no municipal program in place for autumn cleanup, ask how to dispose of general yard waste.
- In some towns you simply bag your leaves and put the bags at the curb so a designated party can pick them up on a specific day of the week. Other areas rake leaves into the street gutter and leaf collectors drive down each side of the road to collect them.
- Offer them to a neighbor. Your trees should seem healthy with no known fungal or other diseases. Bag your leaves and offer them to neighbors who may want mulch or compost. This can be especially helpful for neighbors with gardens or flower beds.[35]
- Burn the leaves. You may choose to burn the leaves if you live in an area that permits this. You may need a fire permit to dispose of leaves in this way. Some states and towns require a member of the fire department to be present for the duration of the fire, while others require you to notify the fire department in advance.
- Check with your locality by contacting them or searching their website for keywords like "burning" and "fire."
- Make crafts. You can use fall leaves as fun craft projects. There are various ways you can preserve leaves. You can then use them to make bookmarks, coasters, wall art, candle holders, and many other crafts for kids or adults.[36]
- Choose a calm day to dispose of leaves, so that wind doesn't blow them all over the yard.
- If you have kids in your household, consider enlisting their help with raking…and jumping in the leaf piles!
[Edit]Warnings - If you do not clean up your yard in autumn, you may need to do additional work in the spring.
- If you plan to burn leaves when you cleanup a yard, make sure you have a metal screen and an enclosed bin or other fire safety equipment. Failing to contain the fire may allow burning debris to blow into wooded areas, yards or other flammable places.
- Don't throw your leaves in the trash. They will be buried underground in a landfill where they'll take a long time to decompose and won't do anyone much good.[37]
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| How to Clean a Birkenstock Footbed Posted: 09 Nov 2019 08:00 AM PST Birkenstocks are a trendy yet classic sandal. While they are durable shoes with a strong sole, the footbeds are notorious for their tendency to get dirty and smelly, with well-worn pairs often sporting a grimy imprint of the wearer's sole. It is easy to avoid stains in your Birkenstock footbeds, and there are a number of steps you can take to remove dirt, grime, and smell to get your sandals back in shape. - Combine baking soda and water into a smooth paste. Mixing 2 tablespoons of water with 1 tablespoon of baking soda will create a smooth paste. To remove heavy stains, spread the mixture onto the footbed, then gently scrub it using a soft brush.[1]
- An old toothbrush works great as a soft and gentle alternative to a true suede brush.
- Let the cleaning solution work overnight. For tough, persistent stains, it may be helpful to allow a small amount of the baking soda and water paste to sit in the footbed overnight. When you wake up, rinse the footbed out and wipe it down fully with a soft cloth before allowing it to dry. [2]
- Dry the Birkenstocks in a cool place. It is important to keep them away from direct sunlight at all times, keeping in mind that high heat can cause damage the cork sole, footbed, and straps. Let the shoes dry for 24 hours after cleaning to avoid the possibility of dry rot or cracking.[3]
- Sprinkle baking soda to remove smell. If there is a lingering odor coming from your Birkenstocks, sprinkle a small amount of baking soda on the footbed and allow it to sit for several hours or overnight. [4]
- Finish by wiping excess baking soda away with a soft cloth.
- The absorbent powder draws bad smells out of the sole, as well as any remaining dirt and grime.
[Edit]Using Soap to Clean Small Stains - Combine a mild soap with water. If there are just a handful of small stains on the footbed, they can be removed using the soap and water combination[5]
- A good choice for mild soap would be dish soap, which is gentle enough to be used on food surfaces.
- Brush the footbed gently. Use a soft brush or cloth to remove the stains. Reapply the soap and water anywhere that there are stains and carefully wash them away. If stains remain, they may be too tough for soap.[6]
- Dry the Birkenstocks in a cool place. You will be able to dry them overnight so long as the footbeds do not appear to be soaked. It is important to avoid letting any water remain in the footbed overnight.[7]
- Brush the footbed out regularly. By using a soft brush or a slightly damp cloth to remove debris, you can avoid dirty footbeds. Doing this once every few weeks will keep the footbed from getting grimy sole imprints and scuff marks.[8]
- Dirt and grass are especially likely to stain and discolor the footbed.
- Remove mud promptly. If an unexpected downpour leads to mud in the footbeds, be sure to wipe them down with a dampened cloth before putting them away for the night. Letting them dry overnight is enough for simple cleanings. [9]
- Store the sandals in a cool, dry place. Keeping Birkenstocks out of extreme heat and direct sunlight will not only protect the shoes from falling apart, it will help prevent the growth of bacteria which cause them to smell.[10]
[Edit]References |
| How to Curl Your Hair with a Straightener Posted: 09 Nov 2019 12:00 AM PST Curling hair with a straightener can create full, bouncy curls that won't look like ringlets. It takes a little practice, but once you get the technique down, you will look amazing and practically red-carpet ready. Follow along to learn how to get the beautiful curls you've always wanted – without using a curling iron. [Edit]Prepping Your Hair - Start with clean and dry hair. Make sure to start with completely clean and dry hair. Wet hair won't curl at all and damp hair won't curl as well. Even if you have one of those magical wet-to-dry hair straighteners, it's best if you have dry hair. Dirty hair also won't hold its shape very well, so make sure you've washed it in the past 24 hours.[1]
- If you're blow drying your hair first, use mousse. The extra volume will keep your hair from looking too flat as you curl it.
- Use a thin flat iron. Your straightener should be about 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm) in width from plate to handle and have rounded edges, otherwise it won't form smooth curls. A flat, paddle-style iron also won't do curls. It'll be much harder to hold and wrap if you have this kind of straightener and the hair won't want to stay in the right place.[2]
- Make sure you've got a good quality flat iron. The best work faster, make your hair smoother, and do less damage than poor quality irons. They can have a big impact on things like shine and the consistency of curls.[3]
- Heat the iron up to the minimum temperature you need for your hair. If your hair is fine and thin, stick to the low end of the dial at below 300 degrees. Normal hair can be ironed at 300 to 380. You can turn it up to 350 to 400 if your hair tends to be thick, coarse, or frizzy.[4]
- Apply heat protectant. Applying a heat protectant or a thermal spray creates a protective barrier between the hair and the iron so that the hair doesn't "frizzle" and burn. Spray all over your hair – no need to comb, as it should mist on and dry quickly.[5]
- If you have thick hair, spray it on each section before you tackle it. If you just spray it on the top of all your hair, it won't hit the bottom layers.
- Also be sure to comb out any tangles in your hair before applying heat.
- Part your hair into sections. You'll have better luck curling your hair if you section it instead of trying to attack the whole mess at once.[6] In general, the thicker your hair the more sections you'll need to do. Tie up the hair above your ears and put it in a bun on the top of your head. It needs to be out of the way.
- Start at the bottom of your scalp, close to your ears and neck. Leave down as much hair as you can work with for your first "layer" of curls. A good rule is to work with 1 to 2 inch sections at a time. Pin up the rest.[7]
- Once that layer is done, you'll unclip your hair and let down another layer. Again, clip up what you can't curl right now. Keep curling in layers.
[Edit]Exploring Different Techniques - Alternate flicks and curls. Flicks and curls are simply two slightly different ways to curl your hair with a flat iron. Try both to see what you like.
- Flicks: Start half-way down the length of hair, clamp the iron closed and turn it back on itself in a half turn. You should now have created a U-shape with the hair and the iron. Keeping the iron on that half-turn angle, slowly move it down the hair shaft to the end of the hair. The faster you move the iron, the less pronounced the curl/flick will be. If you like big soft flicks, slow down your iron.[8]
- Curls: Starting fairly close to the scalp (but not close enough to accidentally burn it), clamp the iron closed and turn it back on itself a half turn (the same as with flicks). Run the iron slowly down the hair shaft to the end. Again, the slower you move the iron, the tighter the curl. The faster you move the iron, the gentler the wave.[9]
- Make more pronounced curls by turning the straightener a full turn, instead of a half. With flicks and curls, you just rotated the hair straightener a half turn. If you want more ringlet-y, complete curls, rotate the straightener a full turn, turning the hair over onto itself, sort of creating a loop[10].
- Find out what your hair tends to do between the half and the whole turn. You may find that half is enough, or that a three-quarters turn is more ideal for you. What's more, certain days may be half-turn days, and other days will feel like full-turn days. It's up to you!
- Experiment with turning your straightener under and over. When you rotate your flat iron, whether it's a half-rotation or a full-rotation, you're confronted with a decision to make: to turn under and around or over and around. Neither is incorrect, though the curl will reverse with the change in angle. Which looks best on you?
- Try to be consistent. It's easy to curl one way on one side and then when you switch arms to inadvertently switch directions, too. If you do wind up accidentally doing this, you'll probably be the only one who notices your curls in are different directions.[11]
- On the other hand, alternating directions can also look great. You just have to be sure to use a consistent pattern throughout.
- Try flat waves. Once in a while, it feels high time to bring back 1995. Clamp your flat iron down on your hair and turn it up a half of a turn. Then, clamp it on the next bit of hair and turn it down a half of a turn. This technique will give you flat waves, almost like a finger wave. Repeat this process down the length of your hair.
- For these flat waves, you're clamping down on every bit of your hair. For curling, you simply curl at the top and slowly drag it down – kind of like curling ribbon on a gift or balloon.[12]
[Edit]Curling Your Hair - Add some hairspray. If your hair doesn't curl easily or doesn't hold a curl, put hairspray on sections immediately before you curl them. If you want your curls to hold their shape just how they immediately fall from the straightener, spritz a tiny bit of hairspray on the hair right before you curl it.[13]
- Be sure to use a non-aerosol working spray for this. Aerosols will create a sticky mess.
- Don't use too much hairspray, as well. Then it becomes stiff and crunchy, which is not the look you're aiming for.
- Grab the section of hair you want to curl. How much hair you include in each curl is up to you, but here are a few points to keep in mind:
- Smaller sections make smaller, tighter curls, as well as more of them. If you want a look that's closer to ringlets, keep your sections less than two inches wide.
- Larger sections result in bouncier, looser curls that look a little more natural. Use sections that are wider than two inches for big curls.[14]
- Mix it up. You don't have to stick completely to one size or another. For instance, you could do larger curls close to your face and the top of your head to create lift and volume, and tighter, more delicate curls underneath for support. Try it a few different ways and see what you like best.
- Use one of the above techniques. The above methods share the same basic principles: turn your hair straightener over itself, and lightly and slowly drag it down your hair. Clamp lightly keeping the hair on the straightener plates – not so hard it's difficult to move and not so lightly that the hair escapes.
- The variables you can switch up? Where you start on your hair (towards your scalp or towards the ends), how slowly you move the flat iron, and how much you rotate the flat iron. Experiment with these three variables to find the perfect look for you.
- You don't have to curl all your hair, either. A few strands that are straighter or just wavy can give you a natural, beach-y look.
- Finish up. You can leave your hair as-is when you're finished curling, or you can add an additional touch to wrap up the style you want.
- For looser curls: Gently run your fingers through your hair and tousle it. You'll get a little more volume, and a relaxed, natural look.[15]
- For more hold: Put a light mist of hairspray all over your curls to keep them sleek and tight throughout the day. If you live in a really humid area, consider using an anti-humidity spray as well.
- Don't hold for too long because otherwise your hair may burn and fray.
- Make sure your hair doesn't have knots in it.
- Steam rising from your hair is completely normal; it's just the heat protectant doing its job. However, if you smell burning hair or see singeing, remove the heat immediately and move faster or find a lower heat setting in the future.
- Ceramic straighteners tend to be better for the hair, as metal plates may damage the hair shaft.
- It is very important to use heat protectant when using heat-styling products on your hair. It will help your hair against breakage, fight frizz and keeps your hair healthy.
- If you don't have heat protectant, use coconut oil.
- Make sure your hair is clean. If it is greasy and dirty, the straightener can damage your hair.
- You may need someone to help you to do the hair at the back of your head to prevent you from getting burned.
- Practice your technique. It might not be perfect the first time, but you'll get it right eventually.
- For better results, straighten hair before curling.
- Your hair needs to be straight or wavy to do this. It won't work on curly hair unless it's first dried straight.
- Always use a heat protection spray on hair before curling it with curling irons. straighteners, or drying your hair.
- The tighter you hold the hair in the straighteners the more precise the curl can be.
[Edit]Warnings - Don't keep a flat iron on one section of hair for more than 7 to 10 seconds.
- Never straighten wet hair, unless you have straighteners that are made to do so.
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