How to Refill a Printer Cartridge

Printer ink cartridges can be extremely expensive, especially if you do a lot of printing. If you want to try your hand at refilling ink cartridges, you’ll be saving yourself a bundle and learning a new skill that can help you out many times down the road.

Buy a Printer Cartridge Refill Kit:

The very first step in refilling an ink cartridge is to buy a refill kit. These kits include a bottle of ink, or bottles if you’re refilling a color cartridge, a syringe, and possibly a drill and calibration tool. Don’t worry; the process is much simpler than it might appear looking at the contents of a kit.

Prep Work:

Remove the cartridge from the printer. In a perfect world, it is not yet completely empty. If it still has just a bit of ink inside, the chamber is less likely to be dried up and it won’t clog.

Fill the syringe with the proper amount of ink. The instructions that come with a refill kit can give you instructions on how much ink to actually pull into the syringe. But as a very general guideline, black ink might be 17 ml and color ink is 8ml. Be sure to check your instructions, however, as you do not want to overfill your cartridge or have to repeat the process sooner than necessary.

Insertion:

Drill a small hole at the top of the cartridge. If your kit does not come with a drill, you can use a push pin or small nail. If you are refilling a color ink cartridge, you must put a hole at the top of each color chamber.

Then, slowly put the needle of the syringe into the chamber and very slowly press the plunger. The ink will fill the chamber slowly, and this is ideal. If you press the plunger too hard, the ink will foam and you’ll create pockets of air. Working slowly also lets you see if you are going to overfill the cartridge.

Clean-up

When the ink has been inserted into the cartridge, you can remove the syringe and start cleaning up. Let the cartridge sit and settle for a few hours while you wash out the syringe and let it dry. Then pack it away until you need it again. Any ink that was left in the syringe can be placed back into the bottle for future use.

Once the cartridge has had a chance to settle, insert it back into the printer. You don’t need to block the small hole you drilled. Insert the ink and let the printer run through calibration and print a few test and alignment pages before printing any of your own documents. Keep running a cleaning cycle if there are gaps in the ink flow.

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How to Tell a Guy You Like Him

Women like to show a guy they care despite the fact that men hear words louder than action. While it can be hard to move away from cooking meals and buying him a new tie to show you care, try to find a way to tell a guy you like him that will actually let him know your feelings in his own language – English.

Say the Words

Saying “I like you” doesn’t have the same power or pressure as the more popular, “I love you.” If you’re not sure it’s love, but you’re pretty sure it’s like, feel free to blurt it out. If you’re too squeamish to say it in the heat of the moment, sneak it in while the two of you are laughing about something else. “Ha, ha – you are so funny! That must be why I like you so much!”

Write the Words

If you find you can’t just say the words, feel free to write them. Bake him a cake the way you secretly want to, but then use a bag of candy or chocolate chips to write it out, “I like you.” Or if that seems to cheesy, write him a little note and slip it in his pocket. Or better yet, text him during the day sometime to keep it light, “You know? I really like you – let’s meet for lunch.” Men like food, and they like to be liked. It’s a win-win all around.

Give the Gift

You’re dying to do it, so go ahead. Show the man you care. But if you’re going to pamper him, do it in a way that the message is clear. Washing his socks is nice, but it doesn’t shout romance. Buy him something totally unexpected such as chocolate dipped peppers or a new plant for his office. Since there couldn’t possibly be any other reason to send a present like that over, your guy should get the message loud and clear.

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How To Clean a Mattress

Let’s be honest. Most people are never going to see your mattress much less a stain that is on your mattress. But, as they say "cleanliness is next to godliness" and it’s been proven by scientists most illnesses start in your bedding.

The purpose of this article is to help you clean your mattress using either commercial products or things you probably have in your kitchen. We will teach you the ins and outs of cleaning stains from urine to mold, smoke odors to kool-aid!

There are a few solutions out there that can be of assistance, and a variety of products that can be used as mattress cleaners that will do the trick. Some highly recommended products include Natures Miracle, Bane-Clene which is great for allergies, and a well recommended mattress cleaner used by the hotel industry called ProKlean, which seems to work very well. If you do not have any of these, we will show you how to use around the house items that will help clean as well.

A good quality upholstery shampoo usually does the job, and you can get them just about anywhere. REMEMBER, the quicker you treat the affected surface, the easier it will be to remove the odor and stain. So, if you happen to have upholstery shampoo in your home, try that first.

I can’t think of anything worse than buying a new pillow top mattress, and then finding out that your dog has just urinated on it! You always have the option to call a professional mattress cleaner, but sometimes the situation can be a little embarrassing, not to mention fairly costly. It’s always better just to do our own dirty work when we can.  The best way to clean your mattress is to keep it clean> by using a mattress protector. A mattress protector is waterproof, dust mite proof and allergen proof and will provide you a healthy, clean sleeping environment. There are varieties of mattress covers that add softness or are waterproof to protect a mattress, but a full mattress cover is waterproof, is free or allergens and protects against dust mites. The mattress cover provides a clean, sleeping environment. A Mattress Firm Sleep Expert can show you the line of mattress protectors that are carried by the store.

How to clean a mattress:

For stains of an unknown nature:

1. Spray a citrus based cleaning product on the soiled area.
2. Let it stand for approximately five minutes to penetrate the stain.
3. Always use an absorbent cloth to blot the stained area.
4. Press down firmly without rubbing for 30 seconds.
5. Repeat this blotting process until the area is dry and odor free.

*As an alternative, you can use a mild dish detergent for spot cleaning. Blot the stain with the detergent and wipe it clean with a damp sponge.

How to clean urine stains and odors

Accidents happen and are sometimes really embarrassing. Urine can saturate absorbent materials such as mattresses well beyond the surface area. If the urine has been deeply absorbed by the mattress, it may take a little more time to clean than usual. Remember, if you do not act quickly, the urine can create ideal conditions for bacteria and mold growth and the related unpleasant odors.

Here are the steps to clean urine and odor from your mattress:

1. First! Blot up as much of the urine as possible with an absorbent cloth.
2. Then spray a product like PAWS – Pet Accident Washup Solution or Bio-OX Citrus Concentrate or any other brand that mentions urine odor removal on its label on the soiled area.
3. Follow up with the blotting and drying techniques indicated above.

Another great stain remover is vinegar.

1. Saturate the stain with vinegar and blot until no more of the urine can be removed.
2. Cover the area with baking soda to neutralize the odor, leaving it on overnight.
3. In the morning, vacuum the powder off.

How to remove Cigarette odor

While smoking in bed is a high risk for starting a fire, many people still like to light one up while getting ready to hit the sack.  Smoke has a great way of working in the fibers and cloth of the mattress, and they can create an unpleasant odor if not treated correctly.

1. Working in sections, use the citrus cleaner technique specified above.
2. Repeat the cleaning and blotting process in each section of the mattress until the whole thing is dry and odor free.

Another great option is Baking Soda!

1. Sprinkle the whole top of the mattress with baking soda.
2. Leave it there overnight to absorb and neutralize the odors.
3. In the morning, vacuum the powder off.

How to remove mold and mildew stains and odors

Mold and mildew can be a difficult stain to clean, especially if they have penetrated deep inside the mattress< .

1. Use the same citrus cleaner techniques indicated above.
2. Since mold and mildew are caused by moisture, it might be beneficial to run a dehumidifier, heater or air conditioner in the room periodically to take the dampness out of the air.

One more way to clean mold and mildew

1. Take the mattress outside on a sunny day.
2. Sweep off all visible mold and mildew.
3. Vacuum the mattress with a heavy duty vacuum cleaner.
4. Allow the sun to shine on the mattress for several hours. This will dry and freshen it.

How to remove Kool-Aid stains from mattresses

We don’t know of a kid that doesn’t love Kool-aid!  To answer all of your inquiries about how to clean Kool-aid, here it is.

1. First off, we need to realize that kook-aid is a liquid, and a mattress will soak up any type of liquids. It is good to note that it is impossible to remove the entire liquid spill from inside the mattress.
2. The dyes in Kool-Aid generally leave a permanent stain, but you can try to remove the surface stain.
3. You must blot up as much of the liquid as possible with an absorbent white cloth. Use the citrus cleaner techniques shown above.

One more method:

1. To remove as much liquid from the mattress as possible, cover it with a thick cloth and weigh the cloth down with a heavy book or brick.
2. After the hour is up, spray the stain with vinegar again and blot it with a clean cloth to lift the color.
3. Repeat the process until the stain is completely removed or no further reductions of stain color occur.

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How to Coil a Garden Hose

/>After washing the car or watering the plants, it is very tempting to just leave the hose laying in the yard where it falls. However, this is unsightly, and can also be a safety hazard to those walking or playing in the yard. Additionally, leaving the hose out in the sun and elements can damage the hose and shorten its life. By taking good care of your hose and coiling it properly, your garden hose will serve you long and well.

Preparing the Hose

Before you coil your hose, make sure it is ready to be coiled. This will expedite the process and save you trouble later. There are only a few simple things to look for. First, you need to make sure the water supply to the hose is turned off. Secondly, look for any kinks or potential knots in the hose. After the hose is straightened out and no water is running through it, you are ready to coil.

Coiling the Hose

You can leave the hose attached to the spigot while coiling or detach it, whichever is most convenient for you. Instead of trying to loop the hose around a crooked arm, which will result in small loops and kinks, make large loops and lay them on top of one another on the ground. Continue this process until your whole hose is coiled neatly on the ground in loops about three feet across. Be sure no kinks form as you coil. If kinks do occur, fix them as soon as you can to prevent further damage to the hose.

Storing the Hose

To store your coiled garden hose, you can simply lay it on the floor of your garage or hang it on a rack. For more convenient storage, garden hose reels come in variety of styles. Some garden hose reels allow you to wind the hose and leave it in a protected cover right by the spigot. Others are mobile, allowing you to move your hose to where you want it. With proper care, your hose will have a long and useful life.

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How to Sew Curtains

Adding curtains to a window can make a room look much homier and can add a personal and colorful touch to a room. By sewing these curtains yourself, you can customize your curtains to be the material you want, the size you need, and the style that best suits you. While this project may at first seem daunting, don’t let the idea of sewing your own curtains intimidate you.

Measure the Window

The first thing to do is to measure the window. Using a tape measure, carefully determine the height and width of the window. The dimensions of your fabric will not match the dimensions of the window. Double the width of the window to determine the needed width of your curtains. Add eight inches to the height of your window, or if you want longer panels, add additional height. Write down these dimensions.

Prepare the Material

Curtains can be made from almost any kind of material. From polyester-blend bed-sheets to organza, find a material in a style and color that matches the home decorations in your room. Wash and dry the material to prevent shrinking later on, and iron the material if needed. Cut the material to the needed dimensions. To make two panel curtains, you will cut two pieces of identically-sized material, each measuring the whole width of the window and the height plus eight inches or more.

Sew the Curtains

After your material is prepared, you can use a sewing machine loaded with thread that matches the color of your material to hem the edges of your curtains. To do this, fold each side and the bottom over one inch, then again one more inch. Pin the folds in place and sew your hem to prevent fraying.

To present a nice edge to your curtains, iron them. Fold the top the same way, but after the second fold, bring the top down three inches and sew a seam right through the middle. Sew another seam one inch from the top to form the rod pocket. Use any extra material to make tie backs to match your curtains. Use the proper hardware to hang your new curtains in your window, and look back on your project with pride!

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How to Organize Your Home

Who doesn’t dream of a home where everything is orderly and neatly in its place? Wouldn’t it be nice if everything had a place to start with? Organizing your home sounds like a lot of work, but with a few tools and a little elbow grease, you can get things together and reduce the amount of clutter that cramps your style.

Give Everything a Place

First, eliminate the piles of things that accumulate on the floors, counters, under beds, and the countless other places in your home. Use storage containers to help you with this daunting task. Plastic bins are sized to fit conveniently under beds, on shelves, and in garages in a variety of shapes and sizes. Find the ones that suit your needs and invest in this huge home helper.

Use decorative baskets to conveniently stash magazines, books, toys, or craft supplies. Even your keys, which you have indubitably spent many mornings searching frantically for, need a home. Key holders are a decoration with a very practical function. Mount one by your door and get in the habit of hanging up your keys on your way in, so you can quickly grab them off the hook on your way out.

A Little at a Time

Instead of letting clutter grow into unmanageable piles, clean up as you go. Try to put things away when you finish using them rather than leaving them out to clean up later. When you are talking on the phone, or commercials come on during your TV shows, use that time to multi-task, and put dishes in the dishwasher or clear off just one section of your kitchen counter, or work your way across the living room. You’ll be surprised what a difference just a little bit of time can make.

Don’t Be a Packrat

It is easy to fall into the habit of saving things “just in case.” Think back to the many pieces of junk you have saved “just in case.” How many times did these things come in handy? Is the space these things take up worth the cost of buying what you need. Take some time to go through closets and drawers to purge out the junk and the trash.

Keep just the things you actually need. Some people find it useful to only keep things that they have used in the past twelve months. While this method may seem extreme to you, it does alleviate a lot of mess to clean out the old useless items that hide behind closed doors. In no time at all, you will have a clean and organized home.

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How to Maximize Space in an Apartment

Apartments are often a bit short on space, especially in critical locations such as kitchens and bathrooms. Maximizing this space can be an exercise in patience or simply a task for someone ready to use their creativity to earn extra space and a bit of extra organization as well.

Maximize Space in an Apartment Closet

Apartment closets are often too small for all of your clothes. If this is the case in your closet, take the clothes that are currently out of season and store them in large storage bags or totes. You may be able to fit the totes on the top shelf of the closet or you can buy specialty totes that slide under the bed. When the seasons change, simply switch out the clothes you are currently storing.

You can also maximize apartment closet space by investing in a closet organization system. Find one that hangs on an existing closet bar so that you can take the system with you when you move on rather than being forced to leave it behind for the new tenants.

Maximize Space in an Apartment Kitchen

Maximize space in your apartment kitchen by eliminating waste such as a junk drawer. The items usually kept in a junk drawer can be organized into other areas by using gadgets such as a battery organizer, desk organizer, and a series of small containers to keep rubber bands, tie-tabs and other small items.

Store large kitchen items on top of the refrigerator or in a hall closet to leave the cabinets free for dishes and glasses. If you buy kitchen items or groceries in bulk, use the space under the table or above a washing machine to keep large boxes out of the way.

Maximize Space in an Apartment Bedroom and Bath

You can save space in an apartment bedroom by using shelves to store items up rather than along walls. You can also buy platforms for your bed to give yourself additional space for storage underneath. If you have a large bed, consider moving your dresser into the closet if it will fit to give yourself extra wall and traffic space in the bedroom.

In an apartment bathroom, maximize cabinet space, buy placing shelves inside the cabinet. You can buy shelves that don’t require installation so you can use them in other apartments down the road. You may also consider a series of stacking baskets for towel storage or a system of shelves or cabinets that can be arranged over the toilet. Again, look for ways to store up the walls rather than across them to maximize the height of the room as the width will be severely limited.

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How to Decorate a Guest Room

Guests should be welcomed into a warm and inviting space, and your decoration in a guest room can help make guests feel welcome or more like an intrusion. When you decorate a guest room, be sure to think of as many small touches as you can to ensure your guests know you are delighted to have them – even if that’s stretching the truth a bit.

Accommodations

When decorating your guest room start first with furniture that is accommodating for your guests. If most of your guests will be young single friends or young couples, a futon and blankets may suffice. But if your elderly grandmother is coming to stay, consider a raised daybed or full sized bed to ensure her comfort (and safety.) Two twin beds are also more accommodating than a full size or queen size bed. A couple can easily stay in a full bed, but two brothers may be more comfortable in separate beds.

Welcoming Décor

The décor in the room should be tasteful and welcoming. You don’t want to overwhelm your guests with bright colors and odd lighting. Stick with the most traditional welcoming accents when you use pineapple décor – the pineapple was a sign of a home friendly to visitors historically, or use something more exotic but try to keep colors and accessories tame.

Thoughtful Touches

Be sure to include as many thoughtful touches as you can. For example, put black out curtains under the drapes in the room to keep it dark should your visitors be battling jet lag or fatigue from a long journey. If you have a coordinating bathroom, leave plenty of towels and washcloths out for guests to use. Also prepare a guest basket of travel sized soaps, shampoos and lotions you can leave in the bathroom cabinet until needed.

Be sure to offer guests a place to put their luggage. Keep an inexpensive luggage rack in the closet or clear a dresser or desk and cover it with a towel so that guests don’t have to dig into their bags on the floor which may be challenging for that elderly granny. Finally, be sure you provide an alarm clock in the room along with a bottle or two of water so that guests don’t have to feel their way around your kitchen or bathroom at night when they are ready for a drink.

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How To Increase Your Home Value

Read a home decorating magazine or watch a cable-TV home improvement show, and you might easily conclude that any upgrade will pay off when you sell. This is simply not so because even in good times, not all projects have widespread appeal. You’ll earn back virtually your entire investment in a kitchen or deck, but less than 75 cents on the dollar if you add a home office or sunroom, according to "Remodeling" magazine’s annual cost vs. value survey.

What’s worse, some renovations can even hurt you in the eyes of home buyers, a costly problem if you hope to sell in a softening market like today’s.

The Swimming Pool:

In some areas, especially hot-weather spots like Arizona and Florida, a pool is a must-have. In the Southwest, adding one boosts your home’s value by 11 percent on average, according to a National Association of Realtors study. But elsewhere it can just as easily turn off buyers, who worry about affording the upkeep and insurance. And if the most likely buyer of your home is a family with small children, think long and hard before installing a pool.

"People with younger children may be leery of houses with pools for safety reasons," says Barry Graziano, a real estate agent with Prudential Rand Realty in White Plains, N. Y. "I’ve had families walk away. A pool can cut down on the number of people who will want to buy your house."

The Addition:

You’ve thought about how that great room and master bedroom wing will let the family spread out. But what you probably haven’t considered is what the space will look like from the outside.

"A badly designed addition can kill your resale value," says Sal Alfano, the editorial director of Remodeling. "People focus on the floor plan and the flow, but not on how it fits into the neighborhood or even the house itself."

Watch out for boxy, poorly detailed additions and be careful of a style that will look dated when you throw your open house. Spotting the trend that’s on its way out is trickier than you think. While it is easy to assume that sleek red European kitchen cabinetry is tomorrow’s harvest gold fridge, other design staples that seem like sure bets can quickly drift into obscurity too.

That’s what Mark Johnson, a Whirlpool design manager, says is happening to stainless-steel appliances. "For a period of time, people aspired to a commercial kitchen" he says. "What I am seeing is more interest in warmer finishes."

You want a design trend with legs. Johnson says custom panels that dress appliances in maple or mahogany finishes are likely to remain popular for several years. Also, think about the materials for hardware like hinges and light fixtures. Polished brass or anything shiny is out. Brushed nickel is a better option. Johnson is betting that oiled-bronze finishes will take off next.

The Jacuzzi:

The elaborate master bath is okay, but the big circular tub with 15 jets that can pulse or massage is risky.

According to Holly Slaughter, brand manager at RealEstate.com, you’re better off with an oversize shower that has a rain showerhead and multiple jets (think of it as a car wash for humans).

Baby boomers have little time to spend hanging out in the bathtub, and parents with small kids prefer a conventional tub. Ultimately, don’t expect a future buyer to pay up for the luxury you considered an essential.

How To Take Care of a Baby

A newborn baby is exciting, but no matter how ready you think you are, new parents often find themselves a bit confused and panicked when that new baby comes home. There are many things involved to effectively take care of a baby, but once you have the basics sorted out, the rest just falls into place. Here is how to care for a newborn baby.

The adage about new babies claims they only do three things – eat, sleep, and poop. Many new parents find this to be startlingly true, at least for the first few weeks. Thus, care for a newborn baby involves taking care of these three activities.

Eat

A newborn baby eats only one of two things, or possibly both. Breast milk is the preferred choice for its many health benefits, but formula is certainly healthy and the natural alternative if breastfeeding does not work out for any reason. A newborn baby starts a feeding every 2-3 hours if breast fed, and every 2-4 hours if formula feeding.

Most experts agree that feeding on demand, or when the baby wants to eat, is the best way to feed a baby for the first 4-12 months of life. So, when your baby begins fussing, crying, or chewing on his hands, offer him the breast or the bottle. A newborn will eat less than 2-3 ounces per feeding, and may take up to forty-five minutes to complete each feeding. Be sure to burp the baby periodically during the feeding to decrease chances of spit up.

Sleep

After your baby eats, he will most likely fall asleep. Lay him on his back in a safe sleeping environment such as a bassinet or crib. Avoid letting him sleep on your bed as the blankets may be too thick and your baby is simply safer inside a crib or bassinet. He can sleep in a playpen, car seat, swing, or bouncer as well for the first few weeks or months if he sleeps better in those positions. Dress him comfortably, and consider swaddling as this makes a newborn more comfortable and promotes longer and better sleep.

Poop

Caring for a newborn involves quite a few diaper changes. You should change his diaper following every feeding. Most newborns make dirty diapers while eating as the feeding stimulates the bowels. Expect your newborn to have a dirty diaper with almost every meal for the first few days, but after the first week or two, dirty diapers will only appear 1-3 times a day.

Wipes are abrasive on the sensitive skin of a newborn, so consider using warm water and a washcloth or simply letting running water clean away the poop. This will help prevent diaper rash, but you should have ointment on hand to help with any that appears.

Love

Most of all, a newborn needs constant love and attention. His needs and comforts now come before your own, but you most likely won’t mind as he will have easily become the center of your world the moment he was born.

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