Category Archives: XNews

Garden Club Offers Everything For Garden Fans

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There are many gardeners who yearn for the perfect hollyhock, the largest sweet potato or a window box of petunias grown from seed. Some want to build greenhouses in the backyard and others choice to go organic and even make their own compost. Although there are many different types of gardeners there is only one place that offers information on everything that grows under the sun. The National Home Gardening Club garden clubs is a members-only club with exclusive information, magazine articles and community interaction for green thumb enthusiasts.

Find the perfect garden decorating idea for the holidays or enter into a photo contest the site has plenty of options to occupy a gardener during even the longest winter season. Members also post monthly tips which feature great secrets such as the best ways to keep a garden journal tracking produce reports as well as color schemes year after year.

Members can test products, share seed packs and can join the sites book club as well as a getting regular newsletter, recipes and product reviews and access to coupons and other promotional goodies. The Home Gardening Clubs has a product tester to try out all of the new gadgets and then dish out the pros and cons. This ensures that you get the best information from other gardeners how may have similar obstacles. For example, two lifetime members of The National Home Gardening Club gave the “Wet and Forget” brand of moss, mold, mildew and algae cleaner positive reviews. Both assert that the product is easy to use, by simply wetting the mold, mildew or other residue and apply the product and wait for it to dissolve, and one member even says it works on pollen as well.

Unlike many other garden clubs The Home Garden Club also offers information on garden wildlife, water gardens and burning calories in your garden. For example raking leaves for 30 minutes will burn 182 calories in the average 18o pound person. Since winter is a time of bird watching the December edition of the web site has everything to do with featured friends. Read about the common Redpoll with its cheery call and red breast which is the only color against most bleak winter backgrounds or find out how to manage pests by creating a herptile haven.

The National Home Gardening Club is an exclusive website that offers members information on everything from growing perennials to managing weeds and pests. You can find useful tips about how to grow roses, making the best compost and container gardening. The site has many interactive features that allow users to meet other gardening enthusiasts as well as ask questions and get information from other members. Membership dues are $1 per month after a free 30 day trial. Members gain access to restricted parts of the web site as well as receive a monthly copy of Gardening How-To. The magazine features in-depth articles and step-by-step instructions to help you create the garden you have always wanted. Members have access to expert advice and the opportunity to post comments and share tips with fellow garden club members on the web site.

How to Clean Patio Furniture – 3 Quick and Super Simple Ways

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After a whole spring and summer of use your outdoor patio furniture needs to be cleaned to make sure it looks its best. Of course, that is true in the spring too when you are getting ready for the new season’s use.

Either way there are some special ways to clean the different kinds of patio sets. Here are some I’ve found.

Aluminum Furniture:

Aluminum doesn’t rust but it does oxidize. This is the white hazy look you’ve seen on furniture that has been left out.

  • Use mild soap and water.
  • Soak a clean dishrag or shop cloth in the warm soap and water solution
  • Wipe off the furniture using the soapy rag
  • Dry off the patio set with a clean towel
  • After dirt is removed use a metal cleaner/polishing paste

That stuff you probably already know but here is the tip you probably didn’t. Use car wax!

A carnauba based car wax will protect your aluminum patio furniture just as it protects the sheet metal on your car.

It will keep minor scratches and stuff from getting to the metal and it is a heck of a lot easier to re-apply car wax than it is to repaint a table!

Also, don’t use harsh brushes or cleaners. They will scratch your furniture and do more harm than good. Some Cleaners, like window cleaner, have alkaline in them and that can actually cause the oxidation we are trying to remove.

White Resin/Plastic Furniture:

  • Use dishwasher detergent and warm water. Most dishwasher detergents have a small amount of bleach and this is what helps whiten your furniture.
  • After you wipe the solution on your tables and chairs leave it on for 10 or 15 minutes to give the bleach time to work.
  • Using car wax on resin and plastic furniture works well too. This is best used on new furniture but it doesn’t hurt to put it on older stuff after you’ve cleaned it.

If you don’t want to use dishwasher detergent you can have the same effect with using regular bleach, laundry detergent and warm water.

With either of these methods, because you are using bleach, make sure you wear gloves and clean in an open area. Passing out from fumes wouldn’t do your furniture any good!

Unfinished Wood Furniture:

  • Use a combination of ammonia, vinegar and water. Use about a cup of ammonia, a half a cup of vinegar, and a gallon of water to get the correct ratio.
  • Scrub the mixture above into your wood and rinse it off very well.
  • Pat the furniture dry with a towel to remove excess water and chemicals.

The Benefits Of Renovating Your Household With Hardwood Floors

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Hardwood floors is an ideal selection for house renovations. While handy do-it-yourselfers can certainly finish most jobs, professional contractors can also be found. The selection of materials helps to ensure that the aesthetic appearance of any room is accompanied. Some species will continue to work best in rooms that receive an abundance of sunlight and will be renowned for their light golden colors. Other kinds of flooring work best in rooms which include built-in libraries or wood paneling and they have a darker color. Take into account that your flooring choice will impact the look, cost, and durability of your flooring, and several considerations make up a knowledgeable decision.

The Benefits of Oak

Oak is one of the most favored types of hardwood floors, providing homeowners with a range of benefits. Oak may last for years and is fantastic for high-traffic rooms because it’s among the sturdiest of wood types. Oak flooring can withstand claw marks, dropped dishes, and moving furniture. For the sheer array of color selections, oak is also a popular option for hardwood flooring. Some types of oak have a light finish and work great in bedrooms while some have reddish hues and are perfect for an inviting family room or den.

The Stunning Splendor of Maple

Maple offers a quantity of options when lighter-colored hardwood floors is necessary. The finished color of a maple floor is fantastic for rooms which are finished with a light-airy style or rooms that receive abundant sunlight. Maple will come in a number of different lengths, and the grain patterns vary with individual pieces. There are numerous manufacturers to pick from as maple is yet another popular hardwood floors choice, and it is probably the most cost-effective types available on the market. Maple is a hardwood that resembles oak, and it’ll last a long time with minimal care.

Woods that are Exotic

Exotic woods can also be easily obtainable, and some products have earned a good reputation for their deluxe appearance. Also, teak, mahogany, and other types of wood from Asia and South America are becoming ever more popular. These wood species have rich dark colors and are perfect for richly-appointed dens and family rooms. This kind of flooring will work best in a formal area.

Bamboo and also Sustainable Picks

Bamboo, cork, and eucalyptus are fantastic selections for those considering eco-friendly home renovation. Unlike other types of flooring, sustainable flooring is made from plants that regrow quickly. Bamboo as well as other sustainable flooring materials are typically softer along with other wood flooring, which is important to note. To avoid damaging your floors, only install environmentally friendly flooring in rooms with relatively low traffic.

Installing a new hardwood floor is a superb way to raise the appearance of your house. A wide selection of different colors, sizes, styles, and textures influence the option of a particular product. Because it exposes a lot of grain pattern, rustic-styled rooms work great with quarter sawn lumber. Commonly, darker colored hardwood floors can be used in rooms that don’t receive abundant sunlight and rooms that are out of the way. Oak, hickory, cherry, and black walnut are among the darkest hardwood materials and are certain to bring out the colors in a fireplace or wood paneling. Lighter hardwood floors materials are another option, and they work best in areas of the home that are decorated with bright colors and get a great deal of light.

Home Solar Electricity With a Battery Backup System

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Solar energy can be transformed into electricity. This potential is more and more being realized by home owners wanting to decrease carbon emissions and assist a more sustainable environment. Households are installing home solar electricity with battery backup systems to generate home power.

Household solar electricity systems can be designed to include a series of batteries to store electricity as backup. The battery bank stores excess electricity that is used by the household at some later time.

Soar home power systems usually connect into the electricity grid. Grid connection provides the home with additional backup and allows it to sell any excess electricity it generates into the grid.

The energy capacity of a battery is commonly expressed as ampere hours. For example, a single deep cycle battery may be rated at 140 ampere hours. To calculate the amount of electricity can be drawn from this battery when fully charged, it is convenient to convert ampere hours to watt hours. This is achieved by multiplying ampere hours by the voltage required by the appliances. For example, the 140 ampere hour battery will supply 140 x 110 equals 15,400 watt hours.

Photovoltaic systems installed on home rooftops typically have a generating capacity ranging up to 10 kilowatts (KW). For example, a 10 KW system can flow 10,000 watts of power at any one time, enough to illuminate 100 light bulbs each rated 100W.

A home solar electricity with battery backup system normally has four components. To begin, a solar panel system that generates electricity and supplies any excess to the battery bank. Next, the battery bank into which power is stored. Thirdly, an inverter that converts the power stored in the battery bank to 240V 0r 110 V or whatever is required by the household. Last, flip over switch that switches the electricity flow from the household inverter supply to the public grid supply, as required. I have personally managed to build my own home DIY electricity system simply following a DIY guide online.