| How to Care for Clip in Hair Extensions Posted: 06 Jul 2020 05:00 PM PDT Like your regular hair, your clip in hair extensions need some TLC to stay in great condition. It only takes a few minutes to clean both synthetic and real extensions, and it takes even less time to tend to your wefts, or individual sections of hair, on a daily or regular basis. With a regular maintenance plan in place, your extensions can look even more sleek and beautiful when you choose to wear them.
[Edit]Washing your Extensions - Brush out any tangles from your hair extensions. Take a wide-tooth comb or soft bristled brush and work your way through your extension. Start brushing about from the bottom of the extension to get the obvious tangles out, then work your way up. Continue brushing through your hair extension until there are no more tangles.[1]
- You may run into some difficulties if you try washing a tangled extension.
- Pour lukewarm water into a clean sink or basin. Turn on your tap and check to make sure it isn't too hot or cold. Fill your sink or basin about halfway, or full enough so you can soak your entire extension.[2]
- Synthetic hair extensions tend to be heat sensitive, so it's best to use cold water for them.[3]
- Stir a pea-sized amount of shampoo into the sink. Grab a shampoo that doesn't have a lot of additives in it, like sulfates or alcohol. Squeeze a small amount into your sink or basin, then stir until you create suds.[4]
- If you're washing a synthetic hair extension, use shampoo designed specifically for synthetic hair. You can find this online.[5]
- Massage the extensions in sudsy water. Hold the base of the extension right below the wig clips, then submerge the rest of the extension into the soapy water. Work the suds into the extension with your fingers to get rid of any dirt or build-up that's collected in the hair.[6]
- Rinse out the extensions with lukewarm water. Drape your washed extensions on a clean towel. Once you've set aside your wefts, drain out the soapy water and refill your sink or basin with clean, lukewarm water. Dip your soapy hair extensions into the clean water and hold them beneath a stream of clean tap water until there are no more suds in the weft.[7]
- You may not be able to wash all of the suds out at once. Just continue rinsing until the water dripping off your wefts is clear.
- Massage a pea-sized amount of conditioner into each extension and let it sit. Rub the conditioner through all of the extension, then let it soak in for at least 1 hour. If you want to go the extra mile, treat your extensions with an overnight conditioner instead.[8]
- When conditioning a weft overnight, tie the base with a hair tie, then twist the extension and secure it in a shower cap.
- Conditioner helps ensure that your hair is really silky and soft.
- Rinse out any leftover conditioner with lukewarm water. Turn your tap onto a lukewarm setting, then place your conditioned wefts beneath the tap. Rub away any remaining product with your fingers.[9]
- Drench the extensions with cold water to seal in the effects of the conditioner. Switch your tap to a really cold setting and continue to rinse your wefts. Rinse off all of the hair that you've just conditioned, which will help the conditioner soak into your hair.[10]
- If you're working with synthetic wefts, you don't have to worry about this step.
- Let your extensions air-dry on a clean towel. Place a clean towel on a sturdy surface, then spread out your wefts overtop. Check that your wefts are as flat as possible, and that none are stacking on top of one another. Lightly comb through the extensions with your fingers to get rid of any leftover tangles.[11]
- Check on your wefts periodically to see if they're dry to the touch. You'll probably need to let them dry overnight, or even longer.
[Edit]Practicing Hygienic Habits - Establish a regular cleaning schedule for your wefts. Choose a time during the week or month to give your clip in extensions a little extra TLC, especially if you wear them often. Try to wash your synthetic extensions around once a week, if possible.[12] If you use real hair extensions, take time to wash them every 6-8 wears.[13]
- There isn't a hard and fast cleaning schedule that applies to everyone. If you don't wear your extensions that often, you don't need to clean them as frequently.
- Tie your extensions and store them in the box they came in. Take a regular hair tie and twist it around the base of the hair extension, about from the weft and clip. Carefully slide your extensions into the box they came in so they don't get frizzy and tangled.[14]
- If you don't have the original box on hand, use a sturdy bag or other container to store your extensions.
- Brush your extensions on a regular basis. Use a wide-tooth comb, soft bristle brush, or wire brush to gently work away any tangles or snares in the hair. Start brushing along the bottom of the extension, then slowly work your way up. Always brush in a downwards direction so your hair looks really smooth and silky.[15]
- Comb your clip-in extensions in the same way you'd care for your real hair. If you wouldn't yank a brush through your own hair, you shouldn't do it to your extensions, either.
- Spray your natural hair wefts with heat-protectant spray before styling. Spritz the product all over the surface of the weft, or at least the areas you plan on curling or straightening. This spray can help make your extensions last longer, especially if you wear them a lot.[16]
- Invest in wig-specific brushes, combs, and shampoos. Check online or visit your local beauty supply shop for specialty combs and shampoos for your extensions. Try to stock up on wig-specific products, especially if you wear extensions fairly often. [17]
- If you aren't sure which products to use, ask a stylist or beauty store associate for their recommendations.
[Edit]Expert Advice Use these tips to take care of your hair extensions: - Apply moisturizing conditioner from the mid-shaft to the ends, not the roots.
- Put your hair into a ponytail when you workout or sleep.
- Take a shower before you go swimming so that your extensions absorb clean water first.
- Gently brush your hair daily and try not to rip the extensions.
[Edit]Warnings - Never wash synthetic hair extensions with hot water, or use any heat tools to style them. This can melt or really damage the fibers.[18]
- Don't use your regular shampoo to wash your extensions, as it usually has a lot of added chemicals. Instead, use a special wig shampoo or another product that doesn't have a lot of harsh chemicals.[19]
- Don't try to rub your extensions to dry them off. This will just cause a lot of fizziness.[20]
[Edit]Things You'll Need [Edit]Washing Your Extensions - Wig brush
- Lukewarm or cold water
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Towel
- Wide-tooth comb
[Edit]Practicing Hygienic Habits - Hair tie
- Storage box
- Heat protectant spray
- Wig brush
[Edit]Related wikiHows
[Edit]References |
| How to Cover Pocket Holes Posted: 06 Jul 2020 09:00 AM PDT Pocket holes are a nice way to join pieces of wood with hidden screws that are sunken into the wood, rather than exposed on the surface. After you drill your pocket holes and insert your screws, you'll probably want to fill in the pocket holes to hide them. This will give your woodworking project a finished, professional look. Covering up your pocket holes is fairly straightforward—you can actually buy special plugs made just for the job! You can also try using different fillers as an alternative. Either way, you'll be able to hide those pocket holes in no time. [Edit]Using Pocket Hole Plugs - Purchase a pack of wooden pocket hole plugs. Pocket hole plugs are basically pre-cut wooden dowels with 1 flat end and 1 angle-cut end. They will fit into your pocket holes straight out of the pack. Order pocket hole plugs online or purchase them at a home improvement center or hardware store.[1] wooden dowel. Just cut a piece of dowel into plugs that are slightly longer than the depth of your pocket holes. It's not necessary to cut an angle at 1 end of the plugs, since you will be cutting them flush at the end anyways.}}
- You can find pocket hole plugs in different common types of woods, such as pine and oak.
- Pocket hole plugs typically come in packs of 50-100 that cost around $10 USD.
- Squeeze a dab of wood glue into each pocket hole. Insert the nozzle of a bottle of wood glue into 1 of the pocket holes and give the bottle a light squeeze until a dab of glue about the size of a pea enters the hole. Repeat this for each pocket hole.[2]
- The wood glue will ensure a tight fit and keep the plugs securely in the holes.
- Insert a pocket hole plug, flat end first, into each pocket hole. Take a pocket hole plug out of the pack and push the flat-cut end of the plug into a pocket hole as far as it will go. Repeat this for each pocket hole.[3]
- If you have a pocket hole jig, some jigs have a part that helps you push the plugs into the holes.
- You can wipe away any glue that oozes out from the cracks between the plugs and the holes with a damp rag or you can wait until the end and sand the dried glue off, since you'll be sanding everything smooth anyways.
- Let the glue dry for 30 minutes. Leave the plugs alone for the next 30 minutes or so, so the wood glue sets. The plugs will be securely in place after this.[4]
- Wood glue cures fully in about 24 hours. However, it will be dry enough to proceed with the final steps after 30 minutes.
- Cut the plugs down to the surface of the wood using a flush cut saw. Hold the saw so the blade is flat against the flat surface of the wood. Place the teeth against a protruding pocket hole plug and saw off the protruding part, so the plug is flush with the wood surface. Repeat this for every plug.[5]
- A flush cut saw is a double-edged saw that is made for cutting wooden dowels and other wood protrusions flush with a flat wood surface.
- Be careful whenever you're using a saw. Keep your fingers, hands, and other body parts away from the saw blade.
- Sand the plugs and the surrounding wood surface until they're smooth. Manually sand the plugs and the wood surface or use an electric sander for faster results. Rub the sandpaper back and forth over the plugs and the surrounding wood until they feel like one uniformly smooth surface. Wipe the saw dust away with a rag when you're done.[6]
- If you already sanded your woodworking project, use the same grit of sandpaper that you last used for sanding on the plugs and the surrounding surface, so everything blends in. If you haven't sanded everything yet, you can use something like a 120- or 180-grit sandpaper.
[Edit]Filling Holes with Putties - Make a wood glue and sawdust paste to fill the holes for a natural wood look. Mix together wood glue and sawdust on a scrap piece of wood until it forms a paste. Use your fingers, a putty knife, or a scrap piece of wood to press the homemade wood filler into your pocket holes and let it dry for 30 minutes or so. Sand the filled holes flush with the surrounding surface.[7]
- You can play with the ratio of sawdust to wood glue to find the right consistency. You'll probably find that using slightly more sawdust than glue results in the best filler.
- Use saw dust from the same type of wood as your woodworking project for the closest color match.
- Fill holes with wood putty for a close-matching, no-mix filler. Put wood putty on the edge of a putty knife and press it into the pocket holes.Scrape the edge of the putty knife over the filled holes to remove excess putty. Let the putty dry for 8 hours or longer, then sand it down to smooth it out and blend it into the surrounding wood surface.[8]
- You can get different colors of wood putty, so choose a color that closely matches the color of the wood you are filling.
- If you plan to stain the wood, choose a color of wood putty that is darker than the wood and more closely matches the shade of the stain you plan to use. You could also get a light-colored stainable wood filler that will absorb the color of whatever stain you use better than regular wood putty.
- Choose Bondo putty for a quicker-drying, smoother filler than wood putty. Mix the 2 parts of the Bondo together on a scrap piece of wood according to the manufacturer's instructions. Use a putty knife to press the Bondo into the pocket holes, overfilling them slightly so you can sand the Bondo down. Wait at least 30 minutes for the Bondo to dry, then sand it down until it is smooth and flush with the surrounding wood.[9]
- Bondo is a type of auto body filler and all-purpose putty. You can purchase a can of Bondo online, at a home improvement center, or at an auto supply shop for about $15 USD.
- Using Bondo will result in an ultra-smooth finish. However, it will not absorb wood stain. You can, however, paint over Bondo putty.
- The best way to fill pocket holes is with pocket hole plugs or wood dowels. This will result in a natural wood plug that looks and feels very similar to the surrounding wood surface and will accept whatever stain or finishing coat you want to use on your woodworking project.
- Using some kind of glue- or putty-based filler is an easy alternative to using wooden plugs that requires slightly less work, but it will not match the surrounding wood surface as closely and may not accept all stains and finishes.
- You can cut your own pocket hole plugs out of wooden dowel. You don't have to make an angled cut at one end like the store-bought plugs have. Doing so will just create more work for you and won't affect how you plug the holes.
[Edit]Warnings - Be careful when using a flush cut saw. Keep your fingers, hands, and other body parts out of the way of the saw blade at all times.
- The angle-cut ends of store-bought pocket hole plugs are pointy, so be careful not to poke your fingers when you push the plugs into the pocket holes. You can always wear work gloves to protect your fingertips or use a pocket hole jig to push them in.
[Edit]Things You'll Need [Edit]Plugging Holes with Pocket Hole Plugs - Pocket hole plugs
- Wood glue
- Flush cut saw
- Sandpaper
[Edit]Using Different Fillers - Wood glue (optional)
- Sawdust (optional)
- Scrap piece of wood (optional)
- Putty knife (optional)
- Wood putty (optional)
- Bondo putty (optional)
[Edit]References |
| How to Protect Yourself from Air Pollution Posted: 06 Jul 2020 01:00 AM PDT The World Health Organization has named air pollution as the world's largest environmental health risk.[1] The first step in reducing its effects on your body is to educate yourself about the risks of air pollution in your area. Then, you can change your activities to reduce the effect of pollution on your body. Once you have made these adjustments, you can start changing your diet to ensure your body repairs itself and prevents free-radical damage from air pollution. [Edit]Taking Proper Precautions - Read the daily forecast to see what air pollution forecasts look like. Check online to see what the air quality levels are, which indicate if air pollution is good or bad. Depending on the result, you can plan your schedule ahead of time by spending more time indoors.[2] Note that air quality is measured by Air Quality Index (AQI), which tells you how many polluted air particles there are in the air around you.[3]
- For reference, 0 to 50 AQI is considered good quality, while 51 to 150 means that people with breathing problems, like asthma, may have a tougher time. Any air with an AQI over 151 is unhealthy and shouldn't be breathed in, if possible.
- You can check your area's air quality here: https://www.airnow.gov.
- Close your doors and windows when the AQI is over 151. Check around your home and make sure your home is sealed off. Turn on fans or use an air conditioner to stay cool instead of breathing in fresh air.[4]
- Try to get in the habit of checking your air quality levels before opening any doors or windows.
- Recirculate the air in your car while you drive. Look on your control panel for the recirculate button, which prevents outside air from cycling through your vehicle. Use this button on days where the air quality is bad, or if you're stuck behind a vehicle with bad emissions.[5]
- Double-check your car's user manual if you aren't sure where to find the recirculation button.
- Wear a mask that filters out most bad air particles. Shop online for masks with an N95 or FFP3 rating, which will protect you from breathing in polluted air. Put on 1 of these masks if you're traveling in a busy area with bad air quality, or if your hometown has worse air quality than normal.[6]
- You need to wear special masks to really reap the benefits. Regular face masks won't block out as much polluted air.
- Take a shower after spending a lot of time outside. Remove your dirty clothes after you've spent some time outside, then pop into the shower to clean off any particulates that might be stuck to your skin. Once you're clean, change into a fresh set of clothes. Try to get in the habit of showering whenever you spend a lot of time in low quality air, especially if you're traveling.[7]
- If you don't want to take a shower, at least wash your face after coming inside.[8]
- Travel to work a bit earlier so you aren't exposed to as much exhaust. Set your alarm 30-60 minutes earlier so you can hit the road before rush hour. This is a good option if you work near a city, or if you live in an area with consistently high AQI.[9]
- Your adjusted routine will depend on the length of your commute overall.
- Switch to a healthy diet so you aren't as vulnerable. Add lots of fresh fruits and vegetables to your diet, along with whole grains and lean meats. Keep yourself healthy so you won't be as likely to be negatively affected by air pollution. Talk to your doctor if you're worried that you may be at a higher risk of developing a disease due to air pollution.[10]
- People who are at-risk for heart disease may be more vulnerable to the negative effects of air pollution.
[Edit]Making Household Adjustments - Replace your air conditioner filters regularly so your air stays clean and fresh. Check your filters on a monthly or bi-monthly basis to see if they need to be cleaned or replaced. Note that your filter may be in your basement, ceiling, or furnace, depending on what kind of air conditioner that you have. If your home is dusty or you have a lot of pets around, you may need to replace or clean your filters more frequently.[11]
- When your air conditioner is dusty, it won't work as well.
- Clean off any mold and mildew in your home. Look around damp areas of your home, like the bathroom or kitchen, for mold. Stir a spoonful of cleaning detergent into a bucket of warm water and scrub away any visible mildew or mold.[12] Always wear rubber gloves and a respirator when cleaning mold so you don't breathe it in by accident.[13]
- If you're working with harsher chemicals, use gloves made with nitrile, polyurethane, or PVC instead.
- If you think your air conditioning system is filled with mold, contact a professional to clean it out.[14]
- Open your windows when air quality is good. Check your area's AQI to see if the air around your home is clean or dirty. If the air outside is clean, go through your home and open up several windows so you have fresh air flowing in.[15]
- Letting clean air into your home is a great way to boost the air quality overall.
- Place an air purifier in your home. Shop online or in a home improvement store for an air purifier that meets the needs of your home. These are especially useful if you live in a busy area with consistently high air pollution, like a city.[16]
- Air purifiers are plug-in devices that help filter pollen and other bad particles out of the air.
- Vacuum your home weekly to prevent the spread of pollutants. Get in the habit of vacuuming on a regular basis, especially in the rooms and areas where you spend a lot of time. Set a time once a week to vacuum your home so dust and dirt doesn't build up over time.[17]
- Opt for electric lawn equipment instead of gas-powered items. Look at your lawnmower and consider if it's time for an upgrade. Visit your local hardware or home improvement store to find electric lawnmowers. You may want to switch to a handheld appliance if your lawn isn't very demanding or difficult to take care of.[18]
- Gas-powered lawnmowers pollute the air, which is especially bad if you're mowing the lawn yourself.
[Edit]Getting Exercise Safely - Exercise indoors if the air in your area has bad air quality. Look at the local AQI report and see if it's safe to exercise inside, or if you'd be better off working out indoors. Protect yourself from bad air quality by basing yourself in a place with no fresh air, like an air-conditioned living room or gym.[19]
- Look for local gym memberships in your area! These can help you limit your exposure to polluted air.
- Workout in outdoor places without a lot of commercial traffic. Search your local area for backroads and other less-traveled streets. Go for a bike ride or jog on a street without as many cars passing by, so you aren't as likely to breathe in polluted air.[20]
- If you're an avid biker or runner, try redirecting your route through local neighborhoods. These will be less polluted than a highway or other busy road.
- Opt for a less intense form of exercise. Settle for a power walk, slow bike ride, or other form of exercise that doesn't get your blood pumping to the max during your outdoor exercise. You may also want to break your exercise into smaller chunks so you aren't breathing in as much polluted air at one time.[21]
- For instance, you can go for a 20-minute power walk outside and then exercise for 10 minutes indoors.
- If your workout is less intense, you won't be as out of breath or breathing as much polluted air.
- Petition your local schools to ban school bus idling.[22]
- Keep your inhaler with you constantly if you have one.[23]
- Join public campaigns to prevent air pollution.[24]
- Only visit stores and restaurants that are listed as tobacco-free.[25]
- Shut off your lights and appliances when you're not using them. Get in the habit of switching off the lights and unplugging your appliances whenever you aren't using them. Keep in mind that electricity contributes to air pollution—by lowering your electricity usage, you're actually lowering the amount of air pollution.[26]
[Edit]Warnings - Refrain from burning any trash and firewood, as this can contribute to air pollution.[27]
[Edit]References |
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