The topic of this post is peppermint oil and mice.  That may seem a bit random, but as how to tips go, I think its a pretty good topic.  A while ago, I wrote a post about how to get rid of mice.  Honestly, when it comes to having mice in the house, if I have to deal with it, I want them gone…Immediately, if not sooner.  I tend to go for the approach of getting rid of them for good.  I think some people might have actually been offended by the video in that post if they didn't watch it till the end.  Some people prefer kinder, gentler methods of rodent control, so today I thought I’d consider one of those options.  The thing that actually got me thinking about this was a friend who mentioned that he had heard something about peppermint oil and mice.  He couldn’t remember the whole story, so I started looking around.  I don't think peppermint will help much if you already have a mouse problem, but it could help prevent one.


It turns out that peppermint oil is seen by many as a viable option for repelling mice.  The idea is that mice and other rodents have extremely sensitive sniffers on them.  The ultra intense peppermint scent is supposed to be too much for them to bear.  You put out the peppermint oil and mice do their best to get away from it.  Simple.  The little vermin get one snootful of peppermint oil and they decide to move on to your neighbor’s house, where it smells like old beef and cheese or something similarly attractive to mice.

Peppermint 100% Pure Essential Oil

Peppermint Oil and Mice Procedures

The process for using peppermint oil to repel mice is pretty straightforward.  You have to get yourself some peppermint oil and mice.  You'll have to buy the peppermint oil, but the mice tend to show up on their own.  Everything I have read says that it must be the pure OIL, not peppermint extract.  You simply put some of this on cotton balls and then place the tasty smelling pieces of fluff where you think mice might be entering your home.  This might include any small openings around garage doors or pretty much any space where a mouse’s head could fit since it is pretty much accepted that if a mouse can fit its head someplace, it will be able to squeeze its entire body through without much effort.  If nothing else, this should motivate you to get started on some home improvement projects like sealing cracks around doors.

As a parent, what I like about the idea of using peppermint oil is the fact that it is relatively harmless.  It is non toxic and at worst it is going to make your garage smell nice.  Now this is all well and good, but I believe it is really only useful for keeping mice out.  If you already have the furry little visitors hiding inside your house I would imagine it would be pretty tough to herd them out the front door using smells that offend them.  I’m still a big fan of the more traditional methods of actually getting rid of mice, but assuming our home is mouse free when the weather starts to turn cold, I’ll probably put some minty fresh cotton balls around the garage.

If you are thinking of buying peppermint oil to try this in your own home, be aware that you can end up spending more than you would think if you don’t shop around.  I found some people selling large bottles for around forty bucks.  Really, I can’t imagine you would need nearly that much to start.  I found it on Amazon for under ten dollars.  You can see what is available by clicking HERE.

If you have had success with your own peppermint oil and mice experiment, please leave a comment below and I'll be happy to post it!

Finding Cheap Carpet Cleaning Services

There are a variety of options available when it comes to carpet cleaning services.  At the low end, cost wise, is going off to a local home center or super market and renting do it yourself equipment.

Do it yourself carpet cleaning is surely the number one choice when it comes to cheap carpet cleaning.  However, it seems unlikely that anyone would argue that it produces results that can be compared seriously to shelling out for professional carpet cleaning.

If your carpets are relatively new or otherwise have managed to avoid serious traffic (or pets!) and your goal is merely to freshen them up, do it yourself carpet cleaning may be a good option for you.

Be aware, though, that carpet cleaning is hard work.  In addition to having to move the furniture (you are going to move the furniture, aren't you?!), you'll have to schlep the equipment home and back to the store, set it up, supply it with hot water any number of times, and vigorously work the wand to do the cleaning and dirt extraction.

If you decide to do it yourself, consider whether you are going to have issues with significant staining.  While all carpet stain removers that you can find at the store claim that they'll remove all the stains, the truth is that some stains on some carpet fabrics are beyond their reach.  Think ahead about whether you'll actually be able to remove a particular stain before committing to be responsible for the result.

Commercial carpet cleaning services not only have superior equipment to do the job, but they are knowledgeable about stains- they deal with them day in and day out.  They know what issues particular carpet fabrics present.  Most importantly, they have access to cleaning solutions that the government thinks that the average Joe is too much of a dumbkopf to use safely.  When it comes to serious carpet stain removal, you may want to consider consulting the pros for some carpet cleaning quotes.  You certainly don't want to mess up and accidentally set the stain permanently.

The biggest advantage to using a professional carpet cleaning service is that they have powerful equipment that just can't be matched by the do it yourselfer.  Many commercial carpet cleaners make a very substantial investment in truck or trailer mounted units that supply a constant flow of hot water to where the work is.

In addition, they have incredibly powerful pumps to deliver the cleaning solution and suck it back up.  While all cleaning agents will leave some residue on your carpet, a professional cleaning system will suck far more of it back for disposal than you could hope to with a rental unit.

If your focus is on getting cheap carpet cleaning, you can often hire a professional to do it for less than you might think.  One important clue- don't wait for the approach of the holiday season.  This is their busiest time of year and they'll be working overtime to meet the demand.

The Hoover MaxExtract gets tons of rave reviews. Click the image above to see some of them and to get product details from Amazon.com.

The Short Route to Cheap Carpet Cleaning

An idea that has worked out remarkably well for my family is sharing the cost of a decent carpet cleaner with relatives.  We split the purchase price of a Hoover MaxExtract Dual V Carpet Cleaner and have not had a single regret.  I was the one put in charge of research for the purchase and I read many carpet cleaner reviews.  The MaxExtract looked like one of the top models available without getting into commercial units.  It didn't take long to see that this machine stood out from many of the others with a comparable price.  It had excellent reviews and it looked powerful enough to handle what we would need it to do for us.  My wife and I split the purchase price with my wife's parents and her sister's family.  We all live within fifteen minutes of each other, so it is never really a problem getting the machine when we need it.  It cost us less than $75 for unlimited access to an excellent carpet cleaning machine.  Each of us bought our own cleaning chemicals.  That wasn't really planned, it just worked out that way, but the cost of those was pretty reasonable considering we have been using the machine and still have plenty of cleaner left.

Of course, if you decide to split the cost with family or friends, you're free to get whatever type of machine you like, but with the great performance this machine provides, I don't personally see any reason to pop for something more expensive.  Of course if you want a commercial machine, they are there for you, but I'm happy with this arrangement and I think the Hoover MaxExtract Carpet Cleaner is worthy of recommendation.  We've got two dogs and three kids and it's taking care of our carpeting just fine.  It also does a nice job on cleaning up the sofa in our living room using the hand attachment.  If you want cheap carpet cleaning, it is hard to beat paying what we did and being able to use the machine whenever we want it.  Considering how much even the best carpet cleaning prices were, I think we did very well on the deal.  We've already gotten our money's worth, without a doubt.

If you have an interest in a machine like this, I recommend checking out what is available on Amazon.  When I looked locally, I couldn't find this exact machine and to be honest, the prices I found locally did not really impress me too much.  Here are some images of the machine that you might want to check out.

If you end up getting this machine or some other one, please be sure to come back and leave a comment.  We used to hunt around for cheap carpet cleaning services, but now I'm pretty much sold on this approach.  If you read my post about the Shark Vac Then Steam, or the Troy Bilt Cultivator I bought, you probably already know that I really like helpful gadgets around the house.  Splitting the cost of these things  with close family is something I wish I'd started doing a long time ago!  It's a great way to make cheap carpet cleaning options even cheaper.

My Netgear router and my Barnes and Noble Nook want nothing to do with each other.  I recently went through a bit of a pain in the neck ordeal and I thought I would take a minute to post what I learned.  I received a Barnes and Noble book reader (a Nook first generation) as a present recently.  I was very excited to put it to use and, following the directions that came with it, I sat down in front of my PC ready to download some books to read.

NOTE: Since writing this, I changed to a different brand of router and everything works perfectly with my Nook... go figure! I don't know if Netgear and Nook ever got things straightened out.

This is where I ran into my first problem.  After doing some research and talking to several people on the phone and in person at Barnes and Noble, I learned that there seems to be an issue with Nooks connecting via a Netgear router.  I spent quite a bit of time on the telephone with a nice lady from Barnes &Noble support, but her an advice basically boiled down to I would have to get in touch with Netgear to see if they could do anything on their end.  Whenever I tried to find support for my router, I learned that since it was no longer under warranty, I would have to try to make most of the information available in their forums.  Most of what I found there was simply people complaining about the same problem I was having.  Nobody seemed to have an actual answer about how to connect a Nook with a Netgear router.

I did not really have a problem with not being able to connect via WiFi except for the fact that it seems to be the only way you can register your Nook.  Until you register your Nook, it is basically an expensive paperweight.  I do not live near any Barnes and Noble stores, so making a quick trip to one was not anything I could have done conveniently.  I also was not crazy about doing my initial signup in a public place other than Barnes &Noble.

Today my family and I ventured out to a restaurant that my wife wanted to try for her birthday.  It just so happens that it was a bit of a drive, but it was also located near a Barnes &Noble store.  Realizing that, I took my Nook along with me.  I also made sure that I had signed up for an account at the Barnes and Noble website before we left.  Just as a note, when you do this, you have to give them a credit card number.  I explained my situation to a very nice lady who worked at Barnes and Noble.  She acknowledged that there was a problem with connecting via Netgear routers.  She then walked me through registering my Nook using the free Barnes and Noble WiFi in the store.  It was actually quite simple.  She also took my Nook into a mysterious back room and downloaded the latest Nook software onto it.

I was hoping that when I got home I would be able to connect using my router, but it still did not work.  Undaunted, I still purchased a Nookbook and downloaded it to my computer.  After looking around for a bit on the Internet, I found that you can do this and then, with the Nook connected by a USB cable, drag the book from your computer onto the Nook.  What confused me was that I assumed you would drag it to the folder for eBooks, but what you must do is drag your downloaded book to the My Documents folder on the Nook Drive.  Once you do this, you can find the book on the Nook and start reading.  I also learned today, that this is called side loading.  If you have a WiFi connection that works, you’ll probably never have to worry about this.

Now that I am actually able to see something on my Nook, I do think that it is a nifty little piece of equipment.  I sort of wish that it lit up, but it does not.  You need an external source of light to be able to read what is on the page.  Still, I like it and I’m sure I will give it plenty of use.  I should also note that the model I have is the first addition.  Barnes &Noble has since come out with new and improved models to keep pace with Kindle readers.

I know that this is nothing earth shaking, but I’m hoping that it can save some folks with Netgear routers a bit of wasted time.  There is not much information out there and no one seems to know any answers. Just go to a Barnes and Noble to register, and then side load books you want using a USB cable.  You could also do your registering and book downloading somewhere else with a WiFi connection.  The main point of this post was to let owners of Netgear routers know that they aren’t just imagining their connection difficulties when using a Nook.  Hopefully they will have this resolved in the near future, but for now, it seems to be an issue.

I should also mention that I am otherwise happy with the performance of both my router and the Nook.  They just don’t seem to play well together.

Having said that, start by reading and comprehending the instructions all the way through. Locate and have on hand all the tools listed before starting, and take an inventory of the parts supplied.

Then, check the door for balance. If you raise the door to around chest level and release it, it should stop on its own before falling to the floor. That reflects the tension on the springs. If out of balance, it's time to check with a knowledgeable professional. Check to make sure that the glides move smoothly and uniformly through the rails. Rails that are out of alignment can put undue strain on any opener.

When mounting your garage door opener, be particularly careful to mount it to a structural component that can withstand some force being applied to it. Never consider mounting an opener with expansion type fasteners even of a heavy duty nature. With regard to mounting components, never install the switch or keypad where it can be reached by very young children. You don't want your garage door to become a toy to a toddler.

If your model of garage door opener requires being hard wired into the electrical system and you aren't quite sure of your ability to do this job properly, consult a professional. Also, if you are clueless about matters electrical, you might not want to deal with even the low voltage aspects of the system, such as the connection from the switch to the power unit or the electric eye sensors to be installed to reverse the downward movement of the door if it becomes obstructed at all.

Be sure to test your garage door opener installation thoroughly before going into the house and putting your feet up. Ensure that the door reverses direction if it hits any obstruction on its way down. Ensure that it stops running when the door is fully up or fully down and that the motor doesn't run on.

For the do it yourselfer of at least moderate experience, installing a garage door opener can generate some substantial savings in return for a few hours of work. For those less experienced or competent, the cost of professional garage door opener installation can be a long term bargain in terms of money and regrets.

Inflatable mattresses have one thing in common- they rely on compressed air as a means of support. Beyond that, there are some differences that you will notice as you start looking around for deals on these handy home accessories. There are enough of these mattresses to choose from that picking the right one can be confusing.

For our purposes, we'll be discussing here mattresses that are primarily intended to be for temporary use, or maybe for permanent use in space that's used for sleeping by night but other purposes by day. There are high end permanent mattresses that use air as a component of the support system, but that's another story. If you are curious about what options you have when you decide to start looking for something comfortable to sleep on, be sure to check what other people said about these best reviewed inflatable mattresses

This Intex Queen Airbed has a built in pump!

As I was researching air beds and inflatable mattresses, I was surprised by the sheer number of them. I also found that there were some that clearly stood out from the rest. This was due to their superior comfort as well as their reliability. There is really no sense in buying one of these mattresses if they are not built to handle normal use. In my research on Amazon, I found that by far, one of the most popular and best reviewed inflatable mattresses around today is the Intex Raised Downy Queen Airbed. Queen size is large enough to accommodate the needs of most people, and its ratings as far as comfort and durability were very impressive.

Inflatable mattresses have come a long way since the days when they were first used by Boy Scouts to avoid the lumps and bumps and pokes of the hard ground under their sleeping bags. Many a night has been spent on a Coleman inflatable mattress under the stars!

The inflatable mattress answers a variety of needs, and as time has passed they have evolved. As more and more people discovered their advantages, manufacturers responded by seeking to fill market niche after market niche. Today there is a wide range of inflatable air mattresses from which to choose.

You can find them made from various types of materials that most people refer to generically as plastic, but most often poly-vinyl chloride (PVC), or you can find them made of rubber. You can find them with or without fabric coverings. You can find them in a range of sizes, and even with self inflating mechanisms. You can find them of varying heights, the higher of them intended to simulate the common experience of most people of sleeping raised substantially above floor or ground level. For those who really intend their inflatable mattress use to be a long-term thing, they can even be found with metal frames.

If you need room to move, this QuickBed King is a good choice.

As a practical matter, an important first consideration is the strength of the material used to construct the mattress. If you have a cat who likes to sharpen its claws or 'knead' a resting place with its paws, maybe an inflatable mattress isn't for you. Short of that, however, consider the anticipated uses and users of the product. is it likely to encounter anything more abrasive than the family room carpet? If so, make sure to assess the weight and durability of the mattress at the very outset. Is it likely to be used as a trampoline by the kiddos? On the other hand, if you expect to be lugging yours around, as in camping or back packing, you may be willing to sacrifice some sturdiness in construction for lighter weight. Again, plan ahead!

Consider how much time and effort will have to be spent inflating (or deflating!) the mattress. Related to this, but often unrealized without benefit of experience, is that inflatable mattresses are not all equal in their ability to contain the air put into them. If you buy one that doesn't hold air well, regardless of your intent to blow it up and use it indefinitely, you may find yourself having to re-inflate it more often than you would like.

There are available inflatable mattresses that inflate as you unroll them. If you can do without this relatively expensive luxury, consider whether you'll be willing to spend some minutes giving yourself a workout at bedtime to get your mattress inflated. At the extreme low end, you can actually blow it up like a balloon, but this is not something many modern users want to do. If it suits your overall purposes, however, at least make sure that the inflation valve has a 'one-way' feature that prevents the air you've just blown in to escape while you take your next breath.

Some mattresses come with manual pumps of essentially a billows type principle. They can be operated by hand or foot, but they do require exertion that you may not want to engage in when what you really want is to lay down and rest. Electric pumps are also available, and do a fine job until the power is out. If you go that route, at least make sure you have a back-up system. Battery operated pumps can be excellent for back up or routine use. With the advances in battery technology in recent years, they can be your most reliable option.

Don't forget to consider how long it will take you to deflate your inflatable mattress. Some require that you roll around on it or physically roll it up to force the air out of the deficient exhaust valves. If you intend to do this many times, you'll be glad you looked into the matter.

Inflatable mattresses come in a wide range of sizes, from child sized to king.

This is a smaller, Intex twin model. It also has an a pump built right in!

Be aware, though, that as size increases, there is a tendency for the mattress to 'wallow'. Some are available with internal support pockets or foam designed to minimize this effect. As a general rule, if you're planning to buy a king-sized inflatable mattress for a distinctly low price, don't expect much in the way of support. As with other things, it costs money to add features to a mattress, and that cost is going to find its way to the consumer.

If you intend your inflatable mattress to be used regularly, you may want to consider the advantage of having one that's made so the sleeping surface is raised to or near the level of a regular bed. This might not seem important to a potential purchaser at first, but who isn't familiar with the experience of being unable to fall asleep because a bed feels 'strange'. Sleeping at a height of six inches off the floor isn't the same experience of sleeping up higher for most people. Also, don't forget to consider that the coldest air is always nearest the floor. If you opt to sleep down near the floor, maybe it would be a good idea to budget for an extra blanket or two.

Although inflatable air mattresses are not terribly expensive, it's definitely worth the time and effort consider your wants and needs and to do some research. Don't be shy about asking questions and examining the goods before plunking down your cash.

If you're someone who prefers to go with the crowd, Aerobed is probably the largest selling brand name in the field. However, Intex inflatable mattresses are well-liked by many, and certainly a Coleman inflatable mattress brings to the party a long history of quality products, especially among the outdoors oriented.

Remember, it may not seem worth a lot of thought or investigation to buy a relatively low priced item like an inflatable mattress. Consider, however, how you might feel about the matter as you lay sleepless through a long, long night, or how you will cope with a long, long day of complaints from the in-laws about their long sleepless night before. Do the homework and rest easy!