Aphids are soft-bodied, pear-shaped pests that eat the sap in leaves and stems, causing the foliage to become dry. As aphids feast on plants, they leave behind a honeydew substance that attracts ants. The honeydew also allows black mold to grow on the plant, which eventually dies. Things You Will Need + Garlic clove Onion Food processor Bowls Cayenne pepper Colander Cheesecloth Spray bottle When you notice aphids on a plant, kill them using a homemade solution instead of purchasing chemical insecticides that can harm the environment.

Dust mites accumulate easily in furniture, burrowing deep into fabric-covered surfaces and multiplying rapidly, until millions take up residence throughout your home. Fortunately, there are ways to kill these persistent pests on furniture and surrounding areas. Things You Will Need + Washer and dryer Dust-proof bed covers Vacuum Vapor steam cleaner (optional) With the proper cleaning and preventative measures, it is possible to stop the mites in their tracks.

Homeowners often choose baseboard heaters because they're efficient, inexpensive and easy to install. However, baseboard units can make furniture placement difficult because they span several-foot sections of wall. Furniture placed in front of the units not only blocks heat; it also creates a fire hazard. Although some furniture can be pulled away from the wall, your bookcase must sit flush against it. Adding legs to the bookcase -- to straddle the heating unit and raise the bookcase above it -- gives you more placement options without affecting the heater's function.

Two types of stair rails commonly adorn a home: wall-mounted stair rails and spindle-mounted or newel post-mounted rails. Metal brackets hold the wall-mounted type to the wall with screw fasteners. Spindle-mounted rails are a little more complicated. The rail itself attaches to the newel posts at each end of the staircase and then a number of upright spindles attach to the underside of the rail along its length. Flat pieces of filler wood lock these spindles into a grooved channel on the rails underside.

Your granite countertop was most likely a beautiful investment in your home and one you intend to maintain as long as possible. While granite is a natural stone--and therefore porous and able to absorb substances that can stain it--sealers help to protect the stone and give you time to wipe up spills. Granites with a great deal of quartz will naturally repel stains like red wine. Not every granite is chemically equal, however, so each type of stone requires sealing and re-sealing differently.

Taper gauges--or taper feeler gauges--work using the same basic principles as a typical feeler gauge: fill the gap between two surfaces using a calibrated measuring instrument to determine the distance between them. While typical feeler gauges consist of several metal blades, each with parallel contact surfaces and carefully calibrated thicknesses, taper gauges have tapered contact planes to help measure the gaps between angled surfaces. The gauges come to a narrow point at the tip of the blade, then expand out like to form a wedge.

Dams are made for a variety of reasons. You may want to utilize a nearby stream to irrigate your property, create a small pool to swim in or just add a little vivacity to a languid stream. Making a dam in a creek can be fun for the whole family. Things You Will Need + Large rocks Small rocks Leaves Branches Building your dam with rocks in a creek is quite simple; however, it is a little harder to make the dam so that it won't crumble in a matter of weeks.

There are two main reasons to build your own waterbed frame. The first would be expense. It may be cheaper just to do it yourself. The second reason is for versatility and custom building. It may be hard to find exactly what you're looking for and need in a waterbed frame. Get the proper measurements so you are sure to purchase the right type of wood at the right thickness and length.

Very small windows often look silly with curtains hung over them, especially if the window is in a door, for instance. However, for privacy and security as much as anything, you will rarely want to leave a window undressed, unless it is very high up in the building. Also, you will want to find a window covering that looks good from both the inside and the outside. There are many window covering options available, in a range of prices.

A torchiere is a floor or table lamps that has the light pointed upwards. The stands are usually made of metal or wood. The shades vary from metals, glasses, stone finishes, metal screens, ceramics and fabrics. In this article, we shall show you how to create a shade for a torch lamp using stainless steel mesh. Using this type of a shade would give the torchiere a more industrial or modern look that would work with a contemporary interior design.