Make your own concrete cleaner from water, dish soap, borax and washing soda. These ingredients team up to remove grease, grime and dirt. Instead of using harsh chemical cleaners to wash up a concrete floor, patio or driveway, make your own safer version from borax, dish soap, washing soda and water. This homemade formula is powerful enough to scrub away basic dirt and grime, as well as lift greasy stains from the concrete.

While you may be dismayed after discovering your deodorant has stained your polyester shirt, don't panic. It doesn't mean your favorite garment is no longer wearable. With the help of one or more common household products, you can likely eliminate the stains. Things You Will Need + Pre-wash spot and stain remover Soft cloth White vinegar Small container Tip Pour white vinegar in a clean spray bottle and spray the underarm areas of the garment instead of applying with a cloth.

GE dehumidifiers are useful for removing moisture from the air in a room. As with most electric devices, GE dehumidifiers may not always work as intended. While major problems will require repair by a qualified service technician, minor issues, such as the machine not running or not removing enough moisture from the air, can be fixed without the aid of a service technician. When these problems arise with your dehumidifier, troubleshoot the machine and attempt to fix it yourself.

Basement walls and floors have special problems when it comes to insulation, according to the Minnesota Department of Commerce Energy Information Center, because they’re prone to flows of moisture coming from both the inside and the outside of the building. This moisture makes them more susceptible to mold problems, especially if they’re not insulated properly. New Homes Seal around electrical outlets to prevent moist air from leaking in. New homes in Minnesota are required to have foundation wall insulation installed, although homeowners who are finishing off an existing basement aren’t required to add insulation.

There are two main types of well pumps used in home water wells. Each operates quite differently and the pump depth for each system reflects this. Determining the proper depth setting for a submersible well pump is one parameter that is used to determine the correct pump size. Submersible Pumps Pump depth is one factor that will determine correct pump size. The American Ground Water Trust asserts that about of 60 percent of home wells in the U.

PVC (polyvinyl chloride) is a very popular type of plastic that is used for many piping systems. PVC pipe became widely accepted because of its low cost, durability, weather resistant properties, lightweight features and flexibility in terms of part sizes and connections. PVC water pipes are made out of plastic molds. However, the compounds used to make PVC are hazardous to the environment and can cause problems over time, and environmentally conscious homeowners may prefer alternatives when building plumbing, sprinkler or drainage systems.

Table of Contents Sheet Wood Plastic Panels Wood Planks Pegboard Veneer Plaster Prior to World War II, builders crafted walls by laboriously coating thousands of wooden laths with layers of plaster. After the war, the widespread use of drywall allowed contractors to build walls much more quickly, though the process -- installing, taping, mudding and sanding -- was still far from easy.

Chlorine works better as a sanitizer when the pool pH is low, but acidic water creates a number of other problems. Chlorine sanitizes well in acidic water, but the water itself is corrosive. Chlorine levels and pH level are the two most important chemical balances to maintain in a swimming pool, and pH affects chlorine levels, especially when it's too high. When the pH level is too low, chlorine actually sanitizes more efficiently, but the pool water becomes corrosive.

Having a hot bath at the end of a long day or counting on your washing machine’s hot water cycle to do battle with your dirtiest clothes, are two of the most common reasons to have hot water readily available. It’s easy to take hot water for granted -- until you don’t have it. Adjust the water heater's temperature dial. If you find that the water coming out of your faucets is not hot enough, increase the temperature by adjusting your hot water heater’s settings.

Magnetite, a common oxide mineral, is also an important ore of iron found in sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic rocks. Easy to identify, magnetite is an opaque, black metallic to sub-metallic mineral with the most magnetic properties of all natural metals. Magnetite is sometimes auto-magnetized and attracts metal objects. Uses and Interests Most importantly magnetite is mined as an ore of iron, according to The Mineral and Gemstone Kingdom. The iron is then used to make steel; this is the ore's main use.