Following directly on from my previous article looking into the cleanliness of laminate flooring, this article is intended to give you quick tips on how to clean your own laminated floors.

Follow the steps below to clean your floors effortlessly and effectively:

1. Start by sweeping the floor with a soft-haired brush to remove any debris and loose filth.
2. Either mix some floor cleaner or make your own by adding about 200-300ml of vinegar to 4-5 litres of water. Avoid floor gloss solutions as these can damage the surface and make the floor too slippery.
3. Try to use a microfibre mop for this step as they tend to offer better absorption. Make sure to mop along the length of the laminate sections, usually this is in the same direction as the pattern.
4. You can leave the floor to dry on its own. You can speed this process up by airing the room: open windows and doors if possible.

Once you have completed the above steps, you should be left with a clean and sparkling laminate floor.

Emulsion paining can be a tiresome job, especially when you have to do more than a couple of coats to get an even coverage. So image your fury when you have to start the job from scratch and apply further coats because of a problem with the paint.

Although it was more common a few years ago, many people still suffer from wall odour phenomenom. This is when for some unexplicable reason the wall starts to smell after it’s been painted. And we don’t mean a a faint paint smell, we mean a putrid smell that resembles cat pi**. Paint manufacturer’s are stepping back from the problem and saying an unfortunate reaction with a mould on the wall is the cause.

We are not amused.

You can’t even stop the smell by applying another coat, the only way to stop it is by first applying a coat of plaster sealer on the paint then painting the walls again. This stops the smell coming through. And can mean around three additional coats of paint and one very annoyed customer and one very annoyed painter.

Has anyone else experienced this? We’d like to hear your thoughts.

One of the easiest ways to spruce up a room is to give it a lick of paint. Painting a room doesn’t take a lot of time, just a little effort and a little dedication. If you plan well ahead you can give the room a new lease of life in just a day.

1. In the few days prior to decorating start to remove ornaments from the room and give it a good clean.
2. If the wood work (skirtings/windows don’t need painting just give them a wipe over
3. Emulsion paint can be applied using brushes or a roller if you want a speedy job
4. Cover all the things that can’t be removed from the room such as carpets and sofas before you begin
5. Paint all the tricky bits first and then fill in the gaps
6. If you have to paint over the walls again to get even coverage

We don’t normally advocate the use of one-coat paints, but if you want a job done quickly, these are the best type to go for.

If you are about to start decorating one of the rooms in your home, it may be worthwhile taking a step back to work out your plan of attack.

Preparation is the key

Before you open any of the cans of paint you have purchased from your DIY store you should look at a few things:

• Are your electrical sockets in the right places?
• Do you need to strip any wallpaper from the walls?
• Make sure all surfaces that are to be painted are sanded so that they provide a key for the new paint to attach to.
• Take out all items from the room that can be easily removed
• Cover the floor with suitable dust sheets

If you dive headlong into the painting you won’t get the best results from your DIY project.

With Halloween coming up fast the kids are getting ready to make their Jack o’ Lanterns which is a nice fun thing to get all the kids to do. So what you will need to make one is a pumpkin some news papers, a pen, a sharp knife, a spoon and a tea light. Start by covering your work surface with news paper because it will get messing which is part of the fun then using a pen draw on the pumpkin your scary face. now this is a bit of a adult to do using the knife cut the top off the pumpkin. now the kids can remover all of the seeds using a spoon (you can save the insides to make a pumpkin pie yummy) now you have removed all of the filling you can start cutting out the spooky face again a job for an adult once all of the face has been cut out you can put the tea light inside it but always remember to pop the lid back on the pumpkin and never leave a candle burning on its own

I was looking at my car earlier today and noticed it needed cleaning. I love it when my car shines bright as the summer sun beams off the paintwork. It got me to thinking… what is the best way to save money and make your car look brand new again?
Now I’ve been getting my car cleaned for years at my local petrol station as they do a great job and the garage is literally round the corner from my home so I feel safe to leave it with them whilst I go back home, put my feet up and relax. 20 minutes later I tootle on down to my road to collect my car and as soon as I see it I think “wow, great job, but I could of done that in that time and saved a few pounds too (£10 to be precise).
So that is what I will do from now on, wait until the sun is shining, get a scruffy pair of jeans on, buy a few bits and bobs from Halfords and do it myself following these simple tips.
I learnt a few simple tips on how to save money when cleaning your car;
1) Do it yourself
2) Keep costs low when buying products (look for offers, B.O.G.O.F etc)
3) Check the weather, don’t clean your car if rain is forecast in the next day or two
4) If you need help at anytime, do not be afraid to ask
5) Make sure you do a good job – satisfaction is the name of the game

My grandpa was brilliant at fixing things using the simplest tools and common household things lying around the house. I learnt so much from seeing how his little “inventions” would solve any little problems. Now stores all over the UK sell products that he designed.
For instance, I had a problem with the plug in my bathroom last week as the chain for the plug broke. Now I made the fatal mistake of just putting the metal plug in the bath, running the water and having a nice hot bath after a hard day at work. The problems began when I tried to get the plug out!!
As the water had put pressure on top of the plug it was nigh on impossible to get the plug out, so after some deliberation I decided to get some wire from my potting shed and thread it through the hole at the top of the plug (this was not as easy as it sounds, due the fact I couldn’t see under the water).
After eventually doing this, I managed to get a tight grip on the wire and pull the plug free to much relief. Never wanting to make the same mistake I simply got some pliers and bent the hole at the top of plug and connected the chain, and simply bent the hole back round. Have not had a problem since.

When considering redecorating your house, you think of the massive task ahead, the time it will take, the expense of doing it and the inconvenience of being stuck in a messy house on your own working! Why not get together with a few friends who are thinking of doing a project themselves and all agree to help each other out? It is definitely an idea that should make the disruption in each house less and should ensure you all have fun while doing each other’s houses up. Obviously you will want to pick people who you can work with. If you’re like Monica from Friends you’ll probably not want a Phoebe being wishy washy about the task in hand however as long as you all agree on tasks you should be fine!

I have some tips for you on making your make-up easier to do. I am very blonde (yes, in behaviour and in looks) and my brows and lashes are very pale. Seriously, without make-up I have no definition on my face and look like i’m about 10 years old. Instead of spending loads on fancy mascaras and eyebrow pencils, why not have your eyelashes and eyebrows dyed? This is what I do and it saves time and effort when getting ready and also means that if I don’t wear any make-up, I still have defined features. Some people have eyeliner, brows and lip liner tattooed on which I think is a bit severe but for about eight quid from Boots you can get a DIY eyelash and eyebrow kit. Just paint it on, leave it for 10 minutes and you have glossy dark lashes. Just don’t dye your brows black if your hair is not black!

So i’m on a health kick at the moment and currently in the mission of trying to get fit for my next holiday! Be advised that it is not sensible to try and do the advanced session on a workout DVD when you’ve not exercised for about three years. My muscles are completely aching and I am now very aware that you should definitely do the warm up and the warm down that is advised! The DVD was Mel B’s Totally Fit and I swear the woman is a machine! The day that I can do that many sit ups and then go straight into a lunge for three minutes will be the day I am proud of my abs. I have never been made cry by a Spice Girl before, but on Saturday I was laying on the floor in agony after trying to keep up with Mel B. Think I may get Geri Yoga next!