Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts from July, 2022

How to Grow Ivy from Cuttings

Ivy is a prolific and lush plant that can add a lot of green to your landscape or your home. Whether you want ivy for your yard or for inside your home, growing ivy from cuttings is an easy process that will save you the cost of buying new plants. Start by gathering your cuttings, then root them in soil or water. Keep them in a warm area that gets indirect light and repot them the following spring. With just a little bit of effort and some time, you will have an abundance of new ivy plants that you didn’t have to purchase. [ Edit ] Steps [ Edit ] Gathering Your Cuttings Take cuttings from ivy in the late summer or early fall. This is the time of year when there will be fresh growth on the plant, which is especially good for cuttings. Also, the weather will be ideal in the fall to get the cuttings started. Aim to take cuttings before cold weather sets in. [1] Taking cuttings at this time of year will also make the timing right for planting your new plants in the spring if they a

How to Wash Your Car Using Less Water

While washing your car at home will save you money from having to go to a professional car wash, it can also be incredibly inefficient on water. The average car wash at home uses an astounding 40 to 140 gallons of water for a single vehicle. In places where there's a drought or an effort to conserve water, keeping a clean car can become problematic. Luckily, there are various methods that you can use to reduce your water usage, such as using a nozzle on your garden hose or washing your car in a shaded area. In addition to these water saving methods, using a waterless cleaning solution can reduce your water usage to a single cup per car. [1] [ Edit ] Steps [ Edit ] Using One Cup of Water Purchase a waterless car cleaner. There are various waterless car cleaners on the market. Take a look at critical and user reviews for different brands. Relate customer experiences and choose the brand that you trust the most. Waterless car cleaners can be purchased at some department stores, m

How to Clean Grout with Vinegar

If the grout between your tiles has turned from white to brown, it's ready to be cleaned. Fortunately, there are several homemade grout-cleaning solutions you can make with vinegar. Most of them involve baking soda, a compound which – when mixed with vinegar – creates a bubbly, fizzing reaction that's perfect for cleaning grout. After applying your vinegar solution, use a scouring pad, a toothbrush, or some other cleaning implement to scrub your grout. [ Edit ] Steps [ Edit ] Using Vinegar Alone Apply vinegar to the grout. Use a vinegar-soaked cloth or a spray bottle filled with vinegar to coat the grout you wish to get clean. If you are trying to clean grout on a vertical surface, a spray bottle is probably your best bet. [1] After applying the vinegar, wait ten minutes before moving on to the next step. Always use distilled white vinegar or specialized cleaning vinegar to clean grout. Scrub the grout. Ten minutes after applying the grout, use a toothbrush to scrub

How to Crochet the Moss Stitch

The moss stitch, also known as the granite stitch, is a simple crochet stitch that produces textured crochet pieces. You can use it to make just about anything and it is a beginner-friendly stitch. Learn this simple stitch and make your next scarf, blanket, hat, or washcloth in the moss stitch! [ Edit ] Steps [ Edit ] Working the Foundation Row Choose your yarn. You will need at least one ball of yarn to work the moss stitch. You can choose any yarn texture or color. You can work the moss stitch in a single color or you can alternate colors as you start new rows to create a colorful pattern. Consider your desired results for your project to determine if you want to use one yarn color or multiple colors. For example, you could work a project using only red yarn, or you could alternate red, yellow, and blue yarns for a colorful result. Select a crochet hook that is appropriate for your yarn type. You may use any type or size of yarn to work the moss stitch, but you will need to

How to Crush Garlic

There's nothing like the deep, pungent smell of a garlic-rich sauce or stew simmering on the stove. Crushing fresh garlic cloves makes them easier to peel, and as a bonus it actually maximizes garlic's many health benefits. Read on to learn how to crush garlic using a knife, a press, or a stone. [ Edit ] Steps [ Edit ] Using a Knife Remove the root. Place the garlic clove on a cutting board and use a knife to trim off the tip of the root. Do not cut away too much, or else you will lose good, usable garlic. Only remove the tip. Removing the root end will make it easier to remove the skin later on. Place the garlic clove on a cutting board. Make sure that it is near the edge of the board, on the side that is nearest to you. Place the flat side of a broad knife over the garlic clove. Make sure the blade is facing away from your hand. Use your hand to press the flat side of the knife against the clove. The clove will easily crush under your weight. Use a rocking mot