Home Help: Spring cleaning safety tips

Tip of the week 

Cleaning: Remember safety when spring cleaning

According to the American Cleaning Institute, 77 percent of households plunge into spring cleaning every year. One thing to remember when undertaking this task is safety especially when using chemicals to clean. Here are some simple precautions from ACI, to help prevent accidents from occurring:

First, read and follow label directions on household cleaners for proper use, storage and disposal. Store cleaning products in an area away from food and inaccessible to young children or pets. Don't mix cleaning products. Products which are safe when used alone can sometimes cause dangerous fumes if mixed with other products.

Also don't reuse an empty cleaning product's container, partially because use and storage, disposal instructions, precautions and first aid instructions vary according to a product's ingredients. It can be dangerous to use a product incorrectly or to follow the wrong emergency procedures.

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Indoor gardening

Wax plant easy to care for 

Hoya, also called wax plant, is a succulent plant with shiny or fuzzy leaves and it's making a comeback according to Better Homes & Gardens. The wax plant was popular in the 70s and can now be found at many gardening centers. It's easy to care for as the slow growing succulent grows well in low to bright light. And while traditionally grown in hanging basket, it does well in traditional containers as well.

Storm safety

How to create, outfit an indoor tornado-safe room

Knowing what to do when you see a tornado, or hear a tornado warning, can help protect you and your family, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While most people choose basements, If your home doesn't have a basement, pick a windowless interior room on the lowest floor (ex: center hallway, bathroom, or closet) in which to meet.

In this shelter, keep an emergency kit stocked with nonperishable food, bottled water, necessary medications, and a battery powered weather radio. Monthly, check the supplies in this area for expired medication and to make sure the batteries in the radio still work.

Home maintenance

Conserve water, save a septic system 

Did you know, efficient water use improves a septic system's operation and reduces its risk of failure? All of the water a household sends down its pipes winds up in its septic system, therefore the more water a household conserves, the less water that enters the septic system, says the Environmental Protection Agency.

Ways to conserve water include installing high-efficiency toilets, Faucet aerators and high-efficiency showerheads and using energy star rated washing machines. Still, the EPA recommends the average household septic system be inspected at least every three years by a professional and be pumped every three to five years.

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