admin, Author at 3 Kids and Us

Removing chewing gum from Upholstery and Carpets. Do’s and Don’ts !

March 29, 2022 by admin

Chewing gum, a tasty square of minty freshness. Also a nightmare if it gets itself entwined in your fabrics or carpet. It can be extremely difficult to remove from all surfaces, even hard surfaces. Don’t worry though we have the solution. Premium Clean can help guide you through the process of removing this sticky mess. Now a few items that you might already have lying around the house can be very useful for removing chewing gum some of the following:

Peanut butter

Wd40

Cubed ice

Olive oil

Eucalyptus oil

Method 1: The most commonly used method is Cubed ice, this method works best on chewing gum that has just been fused with the fabric, not so much if it has been fused deeply into the fabric’s fibbers.

You simply grab 4 or 5 cubes of ice and place them in a zip lock bag or wrap them in some kitchen roll. You need to hold this on the piece of gum until the gum is completely frozen. It is important that it is completely frozen, not just cold. Once completely frozen you can then take a butter knife and start to scrape the gum away from the fabrics fibbers. The chewing gum should start to peel away leaving little to no residue behind. If any large pieces of residue is left repeat the process as many times as required to completely remove all large fragments of the gum.

You may have some light residue left that can then be removed using a soapy cloth. Ensure to rinse the soap away from the area with a clean cloth once finished and allow it to dry naturally.

Method 2: Now unless most families will have a jar of peanut butter in their cupboards, believe it or not peanut butter can be very useful when removing chewing gum from fabrics, the natural oils in the peanut butter help to dissolve chewing gum from all fabrics. We would suggest teaming the ice cube method with this one, it just allows you to remove large pieces with the ice cubes first then focusing on the smaller parts using the peanut butter. However this method can be used on its own also.

To begin, apply a liberal amount of peanut butter to the chewing gum, approximately the same size as the piece of gum. Using your fingers start to rub the peanut butter into the chewing gum. Next use a butter knife or a plastic putty knife to gently begin scraping the gum up and away from the fibbers of the fabric, the natural oils will have loosened the chewing gums grip and it should all lift away with minimal effort. Again if any residue is left repeat the process. Once you’re happy with the removal, apply some soapy water to the area to remove any leftover oils in front of the peanut butter.

Method 3: Not as common as the other two items however many of you may have this item hiding in the shed or garage, Wd40 is another great item to remove chewing gum. Surprisingly i would say that this is the easiest thing to use to remove chewing gum from fabrics and carpets, the Wd40 also usually comes equipped with a handy straw. This allows you to spray it onto the exact area that you need with great accuracy. You can even get the straw under the gum helping to speed up the process. All you need to do is spray the chewing gum with the Wd40 and wait for a few minutes. Once a short time has passed you will be able to use your fingers to pull the chewing gum away from the fibbers. Once you are happy and have removed the chewing gum you can just wipe over the area with a soapy cloth to remove any remaining residue, this will also help keep your fabrics smelling fresh.

Money-Saving Tips for Large Families

March 19, 2022 by admin

Budgeting can be hard when you have a large family to provide for. Studies show that families are reluctant to have more than 2 children, citing finances as the biggest reason.

Here are a few money-saving tips for larger families.

Minimize Vehicles

Although having only one vehicle can sound stressful, or impossible, for parents who have to transport multiple children to events and activities on top of driving themselves to work, the money you would save on insurance, maintenance, and fuel just might be worth it.

Public transportation can save hundreds of dollars annually in comparison to fuel for cars, not to mention the elimination of the possibility of unplanned vehicle maintenance (which always seems to be necessary at the most inconvenient times). Taking public transportation or walking to work if possible can be cheaper than driving, and if you have friends whose children attend the same school or participate in the same activities as yours, arranging to carpool can be much easier than you might think. While having one vehicle might take some getting used to, it can save a ton of money.

Buy in Bulk

Investing in a Costco or Sam’s Club membership and buying groceries or other household items in bulk just might be worth it. Buying bulk amounts of non-perishable food items, beverages, and cleaning supplies or toiletries can save hundreds of dollars per year and will minimize your trips to the grocery store that put you at risk for impulse purchases.

Eat at Home

Preparing meals and eating at home is one of the simplest, yet most effective ways to save money. The average household spends hundreds of dollars each month on fast food and restaurants when the very same meals can be prepared at home for a fraction of the cost. Try meal prep services like Lean Kitchen to help you save time getting meals together, and save dining out for special occasions.

Take Advantage of Second Hand Items

Take second-hand items like clothing and home goods from friends and family who are getting rid of these things. This is easy to do if you have friends with children close to the ages of your own. Thrifting or shopping at second-hand stores is also a good way to find deals on gently used items like clothing and toys. Plus, using second-hand items is good for the environment!

Consult a Financial Advisor

If you find it too difficult to stick to your monthly budget no matter how hard you try, it might be time to enlist the help of a professional. Meet with a financial advisor to create a budget that is realistic for the family and let them determine what is and is not working, and where effective improvements to your ways of budgeting can be made. Sticking to a budget is key to saving money and alleviating financial stress!

Selecting the Best Window Coverings for Your Conservatory

March 6, 2022 by admin

Conservatories can be quite the showpiece of any home. More and more people are turning to their conservatories as an additional room for entertaining guests, studying, or simply a space for relaxing during the evenings. However, unless you have a solid roof fitted, these rooms can become quite hot during the summer months, making it beneficial to find window coverings that serve their purpose of providing shade from the sun, look good and offer additional functionality, such as insulation from wind and soundproofing. Here are some ideas on selecting the best window coverings for your conservatory that will meet all of your needs and look good while doing so.

Vertical Blinds

A conservatory is a space that is meant for enjoying nature and relaxing. The area’s typically large windows allow a lot of natural light but can also create glare, heat a room and cause distracting patterns on walls. Adding vertical blinds can be a great way to solve these problems while adding style and colour.

Roller Blinds

Because of their versatility, roller blinds are some of our most popular conservatory window coverings. As well as being great at blocking light and a certain amount of heat from entering your conservatory, roller blinds can also be quickly drawn back or removed completely if you want more natural light during certain times of the day. It’s also reasonably easy to control ventilation in your conservatory with roller blinds – depending on how many windows you have, simply raise or lower all or individual blinds to regulate airflow.

Venetian Blinds

If you’re thinking of installing Venetian blinds in a conservatory, it may help to know that these window coverings have several advantages. A great deal of natural light will come into your conservatory as a result of fitting Venetian blinds, allowing you and your family members a bright space to relax. However, they are not very good at blocking out heat, which could mean the conservatory is warmer than you would ideally like, in the summer.

Plantation Shutters

These are classic and add a touch of history to any room, but they are likely to be more expensive than other coverings. Plantation shutters come in various styles that give you total freedom over how much light you want to let in or how much privacy you want at your fingertips. Plantation shutters are great for a conservatory if you live somewhere where there’s sunlight most of the day, as they are perfect for cooling a space during hot summer months.

Curtains

While you can undoubtedly bring in fresh air and light with your curtains, they can also block it—which is possibly less than ideal, depending on how much time you spend in your conservatory and how much privacy you desire. Curtains are probably the least efficient choice for a conservatory window covering, but they are also the cheapest option.

No Coverings

The main benefit of not covering the windows is that leaving windows bare helps make your conservatory feel like a more natural home extension. This can add value both psychologically and financially. There’s no need to worry about curtains or blinds getting dirty, meaning you don’t have to deal with cleaning them or replacing them if they break. The downside is you will have no protection from direct sunlight and zero privacy.

3 Ways to Upgrade an Outdated Bathroom

February 28, 2022 by admin

If you are unhappy with the look of your bathroom, the process of beginning renovations can feel overwhelming, especially if you aren’t sure where to begin. An older bathroom is not only susceptible to issues like mold and water damage but is also unlikely to reflect a homeowner’s taste in decor like another room in the house could. Here are 3 things to upgrade in your bathroom to give the space a modernized, luxurious feel.

Bathtub

One of the best ways to unwind after a long day is by taking a relaxing, hot bath. If your bathtub is outdated or a bit unsightly, upgrading it could be worth it if you find yourself looking for a new way to de-stress. Clawfoot tubs are beautiful, and add value to your home (homes with clawfoot tubs are 30% more likely to sell). They are also made from materials that can hold heat, meaning your bath water won’t get cold too quickly and you can make the most of your relaxing bath. If you don’t like the look or feel of clawfoot tubs, another option is a luxury bathtub with jets. These tubs give you a comforting, spa-like experience from the comfort of your own bathroom.

Cabinets

If you find that your bathroom looks outdated or does not match the theme or decor of the rest of your home, changing your bathroom cabinets could be a quick fix. Cabinets and vanities are a major eye-catcher in any bathroom, so they should match the look and feel of the rest of the room. Many companies, such as Capitol Kitchen & Bath, offer complete renovations to cabinets regardless of your style or budget. Consider not only the style and design you’d like your cabinets to have but also the space you’d like them to offer. Changing up your cabinets can help to quickly modernize your bathroom, and could help you to organize or de-clutter your space.

Flooring

Another way to quickly upgrade an outdated bathroom is by replacing the flooring. While many homes have tile, ceramic, or vinyl flooring in their bathrooms, a modern choice that is growing popular is natural stone flooring. This adds an elegant and luxurious touch to any bathroom and can raise the resale value of your home. Wood flooring is also a popular choice in sleek, modernized bathrooms (just make sure it is waterproof). Updating your flooring is one of the fastest and most effective ways to make your bathroom look brand new.

How To Shop for An Oriental Rug

February 11, 2022 by admin

The first step in buying an oriental rug is determining what type of rug you want. Persian rugs and oriental rugs both fall under the category of oriental rugs, but there are quite a few diverse types of oriental rugs out there that vary based on colour, size, and design. To buy an oriental rug that suits your tastes and home decor, you’ll need to identify exactly what you’re looking for so you can find it easier!

Consider your space, style, and budget

The first step in shopping for any style of rug, whether it’s a traditional Persian or a country and western cow print, is considering your space, style, and budget. Do you want something bold? Something neutral? How much can you spend? The last thing you want is to walk into a local store or surf online with no idea what you’re looking for.

A glossary of terms

Knowing how to speak about an oriental area rug starts with acquiring a vocabulary of the relevant terms.

Learning these eight basic terms will give purchases the vocabulary you need to talk about a carpet like a connoisseur.

The loom

Carpet weaving starts with a loom. These can be amazingly simple in construction, as used by the weavers of nomadic tribes. Carpet weavers affix long poles to the floor at a distance apart from the desired length of the finished rug.

The warp

The warp is the yarn strung taut between the two poles of the loom.

The weft

Weavers pass weft threads cross wise through the war threads in an alternating pattern to create the basic under the carpet’s structure.

Selvage

The selvage is a strip on the lower border of the carpet “against which the weft is secured…typically, the selvage will feature decorative motifs.”

The knot

With certain exceptions, oriental carpets are made with only two knots: the Turkish, or symmetrical, knot, and the Persian, or asymmetrical, knot. These knots are generally but not exclusively associated with carpets produced in the regions they are named after.

Pile

Weavers trim the tuft ends of knots to create the oriental carpet’s pile. As rug expert Niels Larson notes, this happens “once the carpet is finished but before it is removed from the loom.”

Abrash

Abrash is many connoisseurs highly prized mottled or striped patches of a single colour for the vitality it brings to normally monotone carpets.”

Kilims

In its most basic form, a hand-woven rug, a kilim is a flat weave carpet consisting of the warp and weft, but without any knots attached. In the words of rug experts, a kilim’s “surface texture becomes increasingly delicate in direct proportion to the number of warp threads and their proximity to one another.

The fringe

When a knotted or pileless carpet is finished, warped strings at either end of the loom are cut, creating a fringe. Depending on the region where it is produced, weavers can incorporate further decorative elements into the fringe, such as knots.

Avoid salespeople who don’t know what they are talking about

Salespeople at rugs stores may not always know what they are talking about. If you go into a store and it seems like salespeople are blowing smoke, feel free to walk out. You don’t need to be talked into a $2,000 rug or pressured into buying something you don’t like. Take your time, do your research well and find what fits you best!