Grout is a fantastic mortar used for tiling. The downside? It can be frustrating to remove! Are you remodeling your shower? Maybe you’re merely replacing stained grout. Either way, one thing is for sure: You’re met with the task of pulling up hardened grout. How do you soften it to make things easier?

Doing any type of home improvement project is going to be a pricey matter, and if you have to hire a contractor, then things get even pricier. Of course, hiring any contractor comes with a risk. What if work is bad? Or worse, what if they don’t do the work? One of the most common issues people have is dealing with a contractor that charges far higher than what their initial estimate shows. So, what can you do?

The dishwasher is one of the most helpful household appliances. Instead of devoting significant chunks of your day to cleaning, the aforementioned appliance frees you up to focus on other matters. Also, not having to scrub the dishes yourself is a big plus.

If there’s one thing that has always stood out to me, it’s the popularity of sheepskin rugs. They’re rustic, retro, and oh, so soft! I have a sheepskin rug, but I’ve never really used it for much. Why? Because for the longest time, I had no idea how to clean it. Thankfully, I found out how fairly recently…

Natural remedies have become popular in the last decade, and with good reason! They cut down on the damage to the environment, and they help with our overall wellness. When it comes to laundry, dryer sheets are wasteful and can be irritating to our skin. So, naturally, people shift towards using essential oils instead. However, the question is, can you use essential oils in the dryer?

Having a wavy roof may sound like fun but it really isn’t. In fact, it can be a sign of something majorly wrong up there. Wavy roofs are not normal, and they do not happen on their own naturally. So, what are some of the reasons your roof can look wavy.

Getting locked out of your home is an unpleasant experience and although locksmiths do a great job, their services can be both costly and time-consuming. If you’re searching for an alternative solution, you may be able to gain access using bobby pins.

With newer models of washing machines, it can become frustrating running into an error code. Many modern-day washing machines are programmed to display two or three-digit error codes in the case of any issues. These are designed to make identifying the problem easier, but sometimes they can be a double-edged sword.

America’s top-selling cookware brand, Copper Chef is known for their Cerami-Tech nonstick coating that makes sautéing and pan-frying fast and simple. Believe it or not, nothing will stick to the surface of a Copper Chef pan, which eliminates the need for cooking with added fats and oils. Since nothing sticks, Copper Chef pans are incredibly easy to clean. Oftentimes, all you’ll need is one pass with a soapy sponge and cleanup is done in a matter of minutes.

A well-functioning toilet flapper is necessary to the function of any toilet. There are only three main toilet flapper types available: tank ball, seat disk (or disc) and rubber.

No matter where you live, your house needs to have solid insulation in order to keep you (and your family) comfortable. A lack of insulation will make cold intolerable, increase your air conditioning bills, and even cause humidity to potentially harm your furniture and items.

Owning a Honda self-propelled lawnmower makes it easy to cut your grass quickly. However, over time, your mower will need routine maintenance and care. One of the most crucial elements to pay attention to is the drive belt. In some cases, this belt can come loose, which means that you’ll have to adjust the tension by tightening it.

Your water heater is an essential part of your home. It is responsible for heating all your water, from sinks to showers to the washing machine. 

It’s not uncommon to have water damage on your drywall, whether it be ceiling or walls, especially if you live in an area that experiences heavy rainfall. If you have water damage on your ceiling, you have probably wondered if painting over the problem area is a practical solution. After all, simply applying a couple of coats of paint is far easier than replacing ceiling material.

There are tons of uses for 55-gallon barrels, but what’s even better than purchasing one is getting one for free. But is it possible to get such an item without having to pay for it? Read on–we’ll tell you exactly how to do so.

Whether you just purchased a new car, moved to a new state, or got a fun new vanity plate you want to show off, you need some screws for a new license plate. Unfortunately, the screws on license plates are not a simple singular size across the board. In fact, most brands tend to use different screw types and sizes.

We’ve all been there at least once before – where you need to remove a screw but you lack the necessary tools. Although using a screwdriver will always be the safest, easiest, and most efficient way to remove a screw, there are other methods that can be attempted. Such methods are especially useful in a pinch when you can’t find a screwdriver, or don’t have the right type or size screwdriver on hand.

While it may not initially seem like there is much of a difference between stationary and handheld showerheads, it can actually feel like the difference between night and day. Stationary showerheads limit where the water can flow; hand-held showerheads allow you to take the water wherever you want. Plus, you can even find handheld showerheads that attach to a tub faucet.

For many years, the tankless water heater has been a popular alternative to conventional tank water heaters in Europe and throughout the world. However, North American consumers have only just recently discovered the benefits involved with tankless water heaters.

You might love Fido, but there’s something Fido loves more than you. Fido loves pooping all over your yard, and sometimes, he’s so active in that department that you just can’t pick up all the poop in your yard. It’s a nightmare, but there might be a shortcut when it comes to getting rid of dog poop in your yard. You might be able to dissolve it.

Dealing with a broken window can be very frustrating. It can ruin your ability to control your home’s temperature and ruin your sense of security.

If you are on the hunt for a new TV, you have probably noticed prices can change pretty significantly in the course of a month or two. Television prices seem to be in a constant state of flux. As you embark on your search, you will likely want to get the highest quality TV within your budget at the deepest discount available. But when it comes to getting the lowest price on a TV, what is the best month to buy?

Duct tape may arguably be the most versatile tool around. There’s a good chance that you will find it in most homes and toolboxes across the world because of said versatility and affordability. Moreover, duct tape can stick in a similar fashion to glue for quality adhesion.

Window mounted refrigerated air conditioning units are popular when a bit of extra cooling power is needed. Window mounted air conditioners are easy to install and economical. But, what if there is no window in the space you want to cool?  Can you install a window air conditioner unit through a wall sleeve?

Although easy to forget, window air conditioners do need to be cleaned. Notably, window AC units become less efficient as they get dirty. In fact, they may even contain mold.

Finding a new air conditioning system can be a difficult choice and a major financial investment. It’s important to choose one that has high efficiency as this will end up saving you energy and money in the long run. Many homeowners find themselves asking the question: “How much more efficient is a 16 SEER vs. a 14 SEER?”

Concrete is considered to be one of the most affordable flooring options, also requiring very little maintenance. If you ever accidentally drip paint onto your concrete floor, it can be a time-consuming endeavor to remove. However, with the proper tools, knowledge, and patience, you’ll have that undesirable paint spill cleaned up in no time.

Propane makes for an effective way to heat your home and is often times found in service areas that are out of reach of traditional natural gas companies. There are issues that can arise with a propane tank, though, and you should be aware of their causes and fixes.

Even the most professionally painted rooms in the home will need a touch-up eventually. This is especially true for high-traffic areas such as bathrooms, hallways, and living rooms. The spots on walls that are around light switches are also subject to heavy wear, necessitating a refresh once in a while. Additionally, if areas have become damaged or were missed during the initial paint job, a touch-up is absolutely necessary.

Congratulations!  You remembered that it is time to replace those ten-year-old smoke detectors in your home. Brand new smoke detectors now protect you and your family.  The question is now how to dispose of the old smoke detectors?

The HVAC unit is responsible for your home’s cooling and heating as the weather changes. However, many factors influence the system’s efficiency, including duct sizing. Using ducts that are too large or too small can render your HVAC system pretty useless, so it’s important to know duct sizing rules of thumb.

There’s nothing quite as good as a home-cooked meal. They can bring you comfort, be used in celebration, or just fill your tastebuds with joy. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to tell you that preparing meals can take quite a bit of work.

Ants are not a big deal when you see them outside but having them crawling around in your house is not so great. Nobody wants to open up a box of cereal and see ants in their breakfast. And if you have fire ants, their bite is painful, so you want to get rid of them fast.

Locks serve one specific purpose: to keep people out. We have locks on many of the important things in our lives like our home, cars, and bedroom doors. But from time to time, those locks can become damaged and ineffective.

Sausage makes for a delicious treat any time, day or night. Have some sausage links or patties with breakfast or a big fat brat with dinner. There really is no time of day or year where a sausage doesn’t work perfectly.

One of life’s simple pleasures is a delicious bowl of ice cream after a satisfying meal. That ice cream should be easy to scoop and have a nice, creamy consistency. However, if your freezer doesn’t keep ice cream frozen, then your frozen treat becomes a goopy mess.

Ferrets are cute little animals, but they produce a musky odor that some people find unpleasant. If you keep a ferret in your house as a pet, the entire space could have a strong odor, especially if you fail to keep its cage clean. Failure to wash the animal and its litter box and bedding could also contribute to the musky smell in your house.

Dryer vents are notoriously hard to clean. All that grit and dust just seems to pile up, no matter what you do. There’s no end in sight, is there? For the longest time, it sure seemed that way. However, a recent lifehack started to appear on the internet claiming that you can clean your dryer vents with a leafblower. But, is this really true?

A ceiling fan can make for a great way to keep a room cool, particularly in the hot summer months. Moreover, it can also help to keep energy costs lower as it is cheaper to run a ceiling fan than it is an HVAC system. But sometimes you might hear the ceiling fan making a grinding noise.

Recently, I was watching Fuller House and marveled at how many Tanner-Fuller family members fit into what appeared to be a three-bedroom home in San Francisco. It got me thinking. I’ve heard of dozens of my friends living together in communes or as roommates, but I was not entirely sure how legal some of those living arrangements are. I mean, how many people can normally live in a place before it’s too much?

In many homes, the sink is the heart of the kitchen. It’s where people gather while cooking, washing the dishes, and washing their hands. It’s why many feel that the better their sinks look, the better their kitchens look.

Whenever you move into a new place, one of the first things you should do is buy new locks. While it’s initially a safety tool, it also allows you to customize your home a little more by choosing any doorknob you want. One of the most commonly picked styles are handles with twist locks. 

Not too long ago, I had a friend who’s reckless cooking habits ended up making a huge dent in their kitchen. More specifically, a pot that was tossed on a glass stovetop ended up causing the glass to break.

We rely on them every day, and many of us return to these magic dispensers of one cup of java goodness many times a day. These are our beloved Keurig coffee machines, a staple of our  kitchen decor, but what happens when they stop working, malfunction, or simply stop feeding us that dark liquid gold? We freak out! No, (okay, maybe for a brief moment of panic) we calmly assess the situation and take action.

Not too long ago, I had a bed bug infestation in my home. It was devastating, especially since I’m severely allergic to their bites. The first thing I had to do was find a way to kill them after they nested in my clothing and sheets. I knew some clothes wouldn’t hold up to a wash, so I was lost. Like many people in my situation, I wanted to know if a dryer could kill bed bugs as well as a hot wash.

A Jacuzzi is a great way to add a sense of calm and luxury to your home. However, there is nothing luxurious about getting into a Jacuzzi full of chunks of black flakes. So, what is the black stuff coming out of my Jacuzzi jets?

We have all experienced it at least once.  You are enjoying a nice warm shower, and, without warning, the shower turns icy cold.   It is an unpleasant experience, at best.  Why does the shower go cold when someone turns on another tap in the house?

If you’re going camping, you probably have a lot of equipment that you need to stock up on. One of the more important ones is butane. Butane is one of the most common cooking fuels used in camping, as well as a good fuel for specialty lighters. The hard part, of course, is finding a place that sells butane. Where do you even get this stuff?

Be it gas or electric; the oven is every kitchen’s mainstay appliance. Whether making London Broil, cooking a casserole, or simply baking bread, our ovens provide the foundations upon which we prepare our family’s food. Gas ovens are still considered superior, but every now and then you might smell an unnerving odor and wonder why your oven smells like gas.

The appliances in our home make life easier. Even if you don’t use them on a daily basis, things like the washer and dryer can keep life from getting hectic. So, when the dryer will no longer do its job by heating up, it can leave us with a major problem.

Cleats are used to play a variety of sports. When these are brand new, they’re pretty nice to look at and they even smell good too. But cleats don’t stay in good condition forever, as soon after they’re out of the box they’re hitting the mud or dirt and absorbing all the sweat from your feet.

The skill of opening one of those old school classroom locks is lost after you leave school. Unless you happen to have a job where they use this kind of locker, it is only natural to wonder how to open a safe with a 3 number combination.

Anyone who’s lived in a house with kids know that strange kinds of breaks can occur. One of the rarer types of kid-related damage that can occur happens when you hear a loud bang, followed by crackling of glass coming from your kitchen. I’m talking, of course, about having an oven door that’s been broken or cracked. Obviously, you can’t keep cooking with an oven that has cracked glass. So, how much do you have to pay to get it replaced?

Plumbing venting is extremely important as it removes sewage from your home. The sewer gases are directed out of the house by plumbing vents which improves the air quality inside. However, many builder-owners and homeowners wonder if plumbing vents absolutely need to go through the roof.

Interestingly, the first ceiling fans were made from palm leaves hung on the ceiling. Electric ceiling fans have been around since 1882. Philip Diehl used a sewing machine motor to power a fan he attached to the ceiling.

Buying appliances is expensive When it comes to large appliances like refrigerators and stoves, you are typically going to be spending more than a thousand dollars. So, you want to make sure you are getting your money’s worth when you do have to get something like that.

You know the holidays are fast approaching when you start seeing ham displayed in more stores. If you have the time, preparing homemade ham is well worth the effort. Ham is a terrific holiday treat, especially since any leftovers still remain tasty days later.

We need vacuums to keep our homes free of the dust and debris they naturally collect over time. It’s why so many of us invest in high-quality vacuums that make maintaining our homes easier. Shark is one of these brands.

Few foods offer as much comfort and flavor as a baked ham. It’s a delicious treat for the whole family and can be used in a wide variety of ways. Of course, there are always going to be leftovers because a single ham is downright massive. But, how long can that delicious pig part last in a fridge before it goes bad?

Dishwashers can be the ultimate helper in the kitchen. It doesn’t matter if it is a small cleanup effort or picking up after a large family gathering; a dishwasher can make everything that much easier. Even better, they make keeping glasses, silverware, and plates look sparkling clean again.