To many people, it's important to have a lush and green lawn.  Often times it's an unspoken competition within neighborhoods to see who has the best lawn this season. You can do some simple things that will give you a better looking lawn and improve the look of your home.  Obviously, the importance of water is prominent in this race for the best lawn, and there is one secret known to only the most veteran of home owners, and landscapers, and that is the appropriate time to water your lawn.  Choosing the right time to water your lawn will help you cultivate a greener lawn, while reducing water wasted in the process.

First, let's talk about why most people have it wrong.  Many people will water their lawn whenever they feel like it.  "Whenever they feel like it" is usually the middle of the day.  They will either set up a sprinkler, or enjoy the sunny afternoon outside while hosing the lawn down themselves.  The problem with this timing is that the sun is highest in the sky during this time, and the temperatures are also at their highest.  This means that much of the water you're spraying on your lawn during these times is lost due to evaporation well before it has a chance to be absorbed by the soil.

photo credit: unicellular

As important as water is to your lawn, you should also keep in mind the importance of water conservation.  Watering your lawn during the afternoon is not only a poor time to water your lawn because it's not getting the water it needs, but it's also very wasteful.  In addition to the specific time you water your lawn, you should also be aware of how much water you're using.  Oftentimes you'll see water running down the sidewalk, and off into the gutters from a lawn that is being over water, or from a poorly placed sprinkler that is spraying half of its water on the driveway, instead of the lawn.  This does not good for your lawn, and is terrible for the planet, and our water supply.

So, the best time to water your lawn isn't the middle of the day.  It's actually early morning or mid evening, long before the sun has come up, or after it's gone down.  This reduces the amount of water lost to evaporation, and let's the water actually penetrate the soil where your grass's roots can make use of it.  In addition, your lawn really only needs a few minutes of watering each day.  A small, but steady supply of water is much better for your lawn than a once-a-week flooding.  This daily watering schedule will not only make your grass greener, but does a small part in reducing waste water, and helping people and the planet.

Mold and mildew growth can cause serious health problems, which is why it’s very important for home owners to know how to dehumidify a room.


Thankfully, the process is very easy. You just need a dehumidifier to keep the moisture levels down, and a hygrometer to keep track of the room’s humidity. Rooms in your home which are prone to dampness or even flooding need to be dehumidified on a regular basis to protect the health of your family and yourself. Below is a step by step guide on how to dehumidify a room which will help you when you want to know how to kill mold.

First, you will have to close all opening of the room which may let the humidity outside to seep in. Check for leaks in the piping and remove all stagnant water especially if the room you’re dehumidifying is the basement. For flooding problems in the basement (if your property was built below the water table), you should install a sump pump right away. Drainage tiles also help remove unnecessary moisture which may trigger mold and mildew growth.

Once the space is free from moisture, make your measurements. It is very important for you to choose the right kind of dehumidifier for the area of the room you’re planning to dehumidify. Otherwise, the unit won’t be as efficient as it should be. The capacity of the dehumidifier should be indicated in the box. Generally, though, a room that’s 400 sq. ft. should have a dehumidifier that’s at least 20 to 30 pt. A 1,300 sq. ft. room would require a more expensive but stronger 65 pt. unit.

The dehumidifier should be placed in the middle of the room for it to cover the space efficiently. The unit should be kept running all year long to make sure that the humidity of the room is stabilized. If the unit doesn’t have a hygrometer attached to it, you should buy one to keep track of the room’s humidity. The humidity of the room should be kept under 50% to prevent mold and mildew growth.


Here is a video explaining some of the options you have if humidity is a problem for you. If you are trying to deal with more than one room being overly humid, you may want to consider a whole house option.

I came across the following information and thought that it might help someone out in a pinch.  I can't say for sure that it works, but it might be worth a shot as a way to deal with a tough situation in a hurry before stains start setting up permanent residence.


Many of the posts we do for you on the Carpet Cleaning Machines Tutorial have to do with the kinds of carpet cleaning equipment you can use to clean up messes in your home.

Here's a story about carpet cleaning machines that has a lot to do with carpet cleaning...but the only machine involved is a can of foam.  Greg came home after working a long day at work.  His boxer met him at the door.  What also met him was stench that immediately turned his stomach.  Looking past the dog, he saw a disaster in the making.  A light beige carpet covered with evidence that his dog had been getting sick all day.

Without any carpet cleaning equipment nearby, Greg made a quick decision.  Quickly he cleaned up the amount of the material he could with gloves, and then got really creative.  Grabbing a can of Gillette Foamy shaving cream, Greg immediately sprayed it on the stains.  Apparently there were several areas of staining all over the beige carpet.

A can of shaving cream is probably not a standard part of any carpet cleaning machine, but in this case the effort worked.  After leaving the foam sit for 15 minutes, Greg then dampened a towel with hot water.  Taking the towel to the spots, he then rubbed the areas of the carpet where his dog had gotten sick.  BAM!  Everything that was left came out quickly.

Its a pretty simple chemical response to the carpet damage.  The foam caused oxidation of the stain which allowed it to be loosened and then removed with the hot water.  While Greg saw nothing left behind in the disaster, I'd recommend he do spot cleaning using a quality carpet cleaning machine and hot water extraction to clean the carpet more deeply.  Chances are good the staining material didn't get deeply into the carpet.

It would be a good idea to keep a can of plain white unscented shaving cream in the house, whether you have a dog or not.  Its a carpet cleaning machine, without the machine.

Here is a helpful video offering a few more tips for cleaning carpets without a machine.