Staining Concrete

Staining Concrete - Green, blue and beautiful!

Concrete floors are hardly a new phenomenon, many of us will have an old lumpy piece of concrete flooring or patio somewhere around the home! One of the most common questions that builders and concrete professionals get asked is "how do I make my concrete ______ look better?"। For some time now builders and designers have been espousing the virtues of decorated or painted concretes. The most recent development, although hardly new, is concrete staining.

What you will want to know however is what are the advantages of staining concrete flooring, compared to the large number of options available to everyone nowadays? Hopefully I can give you some help here!

Why concrete staining?

Many people wonder why you would bother to stain concrete when there are so many other options open to you in terms of flooring. Tiles, wood floor, laminates, or even painting direct on to concrete are other options that maybe cheap, and simple to do. If you ask any professional they will probably give you a single word answer! "Character". Stained concrete has a feel of rich, deep, translucent tones, similar to that find in fine oil painting, this means that the floor looks like it has aged into the site, rather than being a feature due to its newness। The results can mimic metal, marble, stone and wood, and because the effect is dependent on the underlying concrete, no two sites are ever the same.

Concrete is environmentally friendly in comparison to many other forms of flooring। Hardwood obviously has all the issues relating to sustainability, laminate floors are notorious for non-green production processes, carpet production is very environmentally unfriendly, so concrete is a relatively green process.

How is it done?

There are now two ways to stain concrete, one uses a weak acidic solution, and the other uses a pigment based solution. Each type has its advantages and disadvantages. In the first category are chemical stains, these in effect do not have any color of their own, but color the concrete using a chemical reaction। The acid reacts with the lime deposits, and imparts the mineral agents into the concrete. This color is formed as a permanent bond and will not chip or peel away. The best finishes are achieved with acid staining, as the depth of translucency is achieved by the use of multiple layers of color and finishes.

The second category is the water based acrylic pigment solutions. These soak directly into the concrete and leave behind their pigment. These are preferred by many as there is a much wider choice of colors, than can be found in the acid stains. However they do not last as well, and certainly don't produce the same depth of color. The most conventional way to apply a concrete stain is to place multiple thin coats onto the concrete, most professionals would use some form of spraying equipment. Be warned that the effects you achieve will vary with the quality and condition of the concrete. Concrete staining will only work where the stain can penetrate the substrate. An easy test for this is to pour a cupful of water on your slab of concrete and see if it will soak, if the water beads or wont penetrate, then the stain will not take either. If this is the case, then your other option is to apply a cement layer over your slab, this will give you a nice clean surface.

How to grow Bamboo

The art of growing bamboo depends very much on weather climates. If you live a cold climate with freezing temperatures during winter then you may be oput of luck and may need to consider growing bamboo inside.

For warmer climates such as sub tropical and tropical then bamboo can make a wonderful addition to your garden or landscaping। However, you need to decide what type of variety you want; clumping or running bamboo.

Running bamboo could cause issues with your neighbors as it has a penchant for being invasive and unchecked, can run out of control। In this article, we'll provide some handy growing tips for people who want to include a touch of orient within their landscape.

Planting बम्बू

You've bought your bamboo plants and are now ready to plant। Remember, in the right conditions, bamboo can grow very quickly and in some myths, people have actually commented that by watching them closely, you can actually see the growing bamboo sprout before their very eyes. That maybe stretching the imagination a little too far.

1। Digging your hole requires two very important considerations. Firstly, the hole should be at least the depth of the pot the plant is sitting in and secondly, you want to give it plenty of space. A general guide for width is about twice the width of the pot. Some go even a little wider.

2। Once the hole is dugg, add a generous amount of compost mix into the soil. The compost and soil will surround the plant.

3। When the bamboo is positioned in the hole, the clump of soil around the plant when extracted from it's pot should be level with the soil line.

4। Watering is extremely important during the plant's early growth. Be careful not to let the soil around the plant dry out. Some experts consider the first 12-18 months as vital and watering consistently during this period is a prime objective.

5. Fertilizing can be tricky. The plant should receive at least three applications during the first 6-12 months. Presuming you are planting in Spring, fertilize then apply follow up applications in summer and the fall. A nitrogen-based fertilizer is highly desirable when growing bamboo.

Organizing Your Cleaning Supplies

For Those Of You With Small Children

Getting my own cleaning supplies organized became an issue when my daughter was born. Before that time, I organized my cleaning supplies the way many people do. Cleaning supplies for the bathroom under the bathroom sink. Supplies for the kitchen under the kitchen sink. All of that changed when I had a child and suddenly had to get all of those toxic chemicals out of the reach of tiny prying hands that would open anything they could.

After a few different trial and error solutions, I hit on an organization solution that kept the supplies out of reach for my daughter and also made it easier for me to find any cleaning supply I needed.

Keep the cleaning supplies all on one shelf in the pantry (or in a high cupboard in the kitchen) and organize them in plastic buckets. All cleaning supplies for the kitchen go in a bucket marked kitchen. All of the bathroom supplies in one marked bathroom. Supplies needed only for certain things also get their own labeled container. For example, we have some hardwood flooring in our home so the supplies I use to clean and refurbish them get their own bucket.

This has especially been helpful for the bathroom supplies because now all I have to do is grab the bucket full of bathroom supplies and take it from bathroom to bathroom. Before organizing my cleaning supplies this way I would have to try to remember which supplies I needed and then make several trips between bathrooms to get them all moved.

If You Don’t Have Small Children, Try . . .

If you don’t have to worry about little ones getting into your cabinets, keeping cleaning supplies in the room that you use them in is a good way to go. Keep bathroom cleaning supplies in each bathroom. Keep dusting supplies in every room of your home that has woodwork. Keep tile and/or linoleum cleaning supplies in every room that has tile or linoleum floors. If this means that you’ll have to buy way too many cleaning supplies, try organizing your cleaning supplies by keeping a basket or bucket with all of the necessary items on each floor of your home. This at least eliminates the hassle of having to go up and down the stairs when you need something.

Keep Your House Looking Great

There is no doubt that working full time and trying to manage a house is a constant struggle.

Many women feel completely overwhelmed when trying to do both, but there are five simple steps or strategies that working women can use to keep the house clean and still have free time even after a full time job.

These strategies require a bit of thought and planning, but once they are started you will be amazed at how effectively they can work to save you time and stress.

1. Prioritize cleaning or what really needs to stay clean?

There are many different rooms in the house, some which are used multiple times a day and some that may be only used infrequently. It only stands to reason that rooms with more use will require more cleaning, whereas rooms that are used less frequently should require less time. Make a list of the rooms in your house - then rate them as to how much use they get. It is also important to consider rooms that are of particular importance. For example, most women want the bathrooms and kitchen to be clean, but may be more flexible on the family room or the kid's bedrooms. Once you know the top rooms for use, you can move on to next step.

2. Develop and write a cleaning schedule.

From the list of rooms, look at how often you should reasonably have to clean the rooms, and what actually needs to be done. For example, in a high use rooms such as the bathroom, the tub, sink and toilet may need daily cleaning or alternate daily cleaning, but the floor may only need washing once a week. List the room, list the chores, and list the cleaning frequency. Take the time to actually write out the list, without a written blueprint it will be hard to decide what actually needs to be done, plus it will be harder to explain it to others.

3. Delegate.

The cleaning schedule can now be divided among the residents of the house. This may be a new activity for some husbands, partners, kids and roommates, but it is essential. Start by discussing the written cleaning schedule and asking the other members of the house what they would feel comfortable doing. With kids an allowance or payment system often works wonders, but it is important to keep it positive, not negative, you don’t need to have to start nagging family to get them to help if they just have a select few chores.

4. Evaluate.

After the first week take a look at the house and at your written cleaning plan. If there are changes needed make them, but avoid taking on more chores yourself. You need to be realistic in your cleaning expectations and avoid cleaning areas that don’t need to be cleaned while neglecting areas that have lots of use or high visibility. Also remember that you do work full time and people are understanding of a little mess and clutter in busy homes.

5. Stick with the plan.

Avoid deciding to just scrap the plan and clean the whole house one evening after work. Not only does this undermine what you are trying to do, but it also may send a message to your family that you don’t think they can do the job. Remember that rewards and praise for a house that looks great is positive for the whole family, plus it is an event that you can look forward too. Finally there are house cleaning services in most communities that can come in on a weekly basis and give your house that deep cleaning that you really want. Consider one of these services if you simply just don’t have the time or energy to work full time and keep the house, you will be glad that you did!

Practical Toilet Cleaning Tips

This may not be exactly your most favorite house chore but unless you are willing to pay for some professionals to do it for you, you will need to know how to REALLY clean your toilet. Besides, it is considered to be one of the most important parts of your daily house maintenance. During the cleaning process, you have to focus on really dark surfaces, both in the inner and outer parts of the toilet. Emptying the toilet bowl with water first usually works well as this gives you more space and lesser hurdles to work with. This begins by removing the connection between the main pump and the toilet. After which, the toilet bowl must be flushed several times until all reserve water is emptied. Then, you can begin the work. Remove the stains using several cleaning agents such as muriatic acid and specialized toilet cleaning agents, depending on your preference. Treat all surfaces while brushing, wiping or spraying the cleaning agent. Once the entire surface of the toilet is done, you can now start reloading the water reserve. Don't forget to place toilet bowl disinfectant so as to help extend the cleaning process. If you have children in the house, however, and you are very cautious of using toxic substances, you can find great alternatives that work great as well. Here are some of them: To help keep the odors and clogs, it is advisable that you pour one cup of baking powder on your bowl every week. Also, make use of citric acid to remove the stains in the toilet. Orange juice helps a lot as a toilet cleaning agent. Use two teaspoons a day, put these in the toilet swish, and then let it sit for a while. For finale, scrub the toilet vigorously while adding more orange juice powder. Plain cola works well too! Try pouring a bottle of cola on your bowl, let it settle for an hour then flush. You will see how wonderful carbonated beverages work. You can try leaving vitamin C capsules in your bowl too. Since it is an acid-based substances, impurities in the bowl and stains will likely react to it and thus, loosen their hold on the bowl. As you can see, even ordinary things in the house could make good toilet cleaning

Clean Ideas Hit Home

Every now and then a topic I write about in this column hits a nerve with readers. A few months ago, I wrote about my quest for clean dishes. Apparently, I wasn't the only person frustrated with grocery store dishwasher detergents and how awful they made my silverware, glasses, and dishes look, and, in fact, actually damaged them. It's easy to think that this could be a hard water problem common to where I live and write my column. But because Living Space is carried in newspapers in several states, I know this isn't the case.

After writing this column, I received a landslide of letters and emails from readers unlike anything I’ve seen in the two years I’ve been writing the column. Unfortunately, due to an email glitch, some of your emails went unanswered for two months and I apologize to anyone who wrote inquiring about the dishwasher detergent that saved my dishes and cutlery. I finally did get around to answering the accumulation of over 600 emails and provided ordering information for the product. So, you should have had your email or letter answered in the past month.

Your experience counts

This follow up is because I’d like to know if you ordered the Neu dishwasher liquid, and if so, what do you think about it? Please drop me an email or a letter—I promise it won’t take me two months to respond -- and tell me about your experience with this product. Who knows? I might just feature your feedback in an upcoming column. You can go to the Neu products website directly at healthyhomecleaners.com and order it online. If you’d prefer to call their customer service number to order their automatic dishwashing soap via phone, the number is 262-238-5576. Neu automatic dishwashing liquid is the only dishwasher soap I use in my dishwasher and I won’t use anything else. If you order it, please say I referred you.

More recommendations

From time to time I feature products in my columns and when I’ve found a product that I believe gives superior service in helping you keep your living space more, well, livable, I want to tell you about it. These are products that I use in my own home and can recommend without hesitation. Personally, I don’t like wasting money, but more importantly, I don’t like wasting time. I kid my husband that his name, Tim, is an acronym for my “time is money” philosophy and that’s why I married him. As I find more of these products, I will be sure and share them with you. And, I’d like to make a deal with you.

If you purchase any of the products I recommend, be sure to tell me what you think of them. I’d like this column to be a two-way communication as much as possible. This week, I’m traveling to New York city with my son, Steven, in honor of his eighth birthday and then I’m off a week for a family vacation. So, if you send me a note or an email, I promise I’ll get back to you after I return in June. In the meantime, thanks for having me in your home each week and allowing me to share my living space with you. It’s a privilege to share my home with you and I hope you enjoy reading Living Space as much as I enjoy writing it.