Dust Mites, Not To Be Ignored

Believe it or not, dust mites are everywhere. We hear about them, get disgusted by them, and swear they have not made a home in ours. The question is, have they? So, what are these nasty crawlers?  They are microscopic, eight-legged, non-parasitic insect/creatures. Are you ready to get grossed out? Dust mites feed on human skin, bacteria, animal dander, pollen, fungi, to name a few. They thrive in high humidity (70 % and over). Have a tremendously dusty section in the house? Like under the sofa or bed? Have pets? They live mostly on dead human and pet skin. Beware…. 

The growing concern about dust mites is the allergic reaction many have to them, and do not even know it. General symptoms people on average have are allergies, not limited to respiratory issues (asthma), sneezing, itchy eyes, and eczema all associated with dust mites. Are you ready to get grossed out, again? The allergen associated with dust mites are their feces and surrounding body, which make up dust among other things, and because they are microscopic they become airborne almost immediately after the dust has been moved around during activities, like cleaning.

We shed about 1/5 ounce of dead skin each week. Did you know that?  An average man or woman sheds about 600,000 particles of skin per hour, which is approximately 1.5 pounds (680 grams) per year. Using this figure, by the age of 70, a person will have lost 105 pounds (47.6 kilograms) of skin which is equivalent to two-thirds of their entire body weight, and because we spend one-third of our lives sleeping, dust mites are found on bedding and your mattress. Grossed out even more?

Things to do about it:

• Vacuum, vacuum, vacuum your carpets, even hardwood floors to get rid of dust mites. Consider vacuums with HEPA filters, they remove 99% of particles in the air.

• Have a cluttered house? An over cluttered space will increase in the collection of dust, which increase your chances with dust mites. Do the one year test. Have not used it, looked at it, toss.

• Use a wet microfiber cloth when cleaning surfaces. Microfiber cloths rule in dust pick up, and when wet prevent circulation when dust is disrupted.

• Wash your bedding on the regular. Remember we shed dead skin while we sleep. These crawlers find solace on pillowcases, bed sheets, blankets, and your favorite down comforters. The rule, wash in hot water and dry it the same. High intensity heat if done weekly will remove dust mites.

• Steam clean your mattress as often as possible. Dust mites do not stand a chance in surviving.

• Lower the humidity to 50. Studies have shown that air-conditioned homes have 10 times fewer dust mites.

•  Looking for a new living room set? You may want to reconsider overstuffed furniture. Sure, they are undoubtedly stunning and comfortable. Give it a few weeks in the house or apartment and do the old fashion slam with the hand on one of the cushions. Need I say more?

Before and After....You Decide

As contractors, we really take pride in what we do. You walk into a house and you see the endless possibilities and nothing speaks louder than before and after. It comes down to pride and trust. Pride in the craft that the contractor is expected to deliver and trust from the customer in believing it can be done.

Taking this bathroom above as an example. The homeowner wasn't sure what to expect, even after showing the various tiles, fixtures and drawings. It is hard to get a visual, because we get so use to our own space. Needless to say she was very pleased with the result.

Before

After (work in progress)....but you see the after is coming along.

Bathroom Makeovers Can Be For Anyone

Hate your bathroom tub and surrounding tiles? How often do you dream of having the look and feel of a fully renovated bathroom? You are not alone. Bathrooms fall second on the wish list after kitchens in any home improvement project and if you have a 2nd bathroom it falls even lower on the list. With the uncertainty of the current economy, any remodeling is a luxury for many folks. Renovations in any capacity can be costly and you have to be financially prepared to take on the project.

According to National Kitchen and Bathroom Association the national average is $16,000.00 for a standard mid-size bathroom renovation. If you just laughed out loud, you have options. You do not have to invest a fortune. There are ways to minimize and cut costs in bathroom remodeling project by gathering estimates from various remodeling companies. The normal is at least 3, but you can add to that number for good measure. If you are a DIY kind of person, there are installations, such as plumbing fixtures and toilets that can skim a few hundred off the total cost.

The Consumers Report breaks down the following in the allocation of cost by percentages in remodeling a bathroom (see where you can save):

Labor: 20 percent
Cabinetry and hardware: 16 percent
Fixtures: 15 percent
Faucets and plumbing: 14 percent
Countertop: 7 percent
Floor: 9 percent
Doors and windows: 4 percent
Walls and ceiling: 5 percent
Lighting and ventilation: 5 percent
Design fees: 4 percent
Other: 1 percent

You can also slice the cost in half by reglazing your bathroom tub and tiles. Reglazing is not for everyone, but if money “is an object” you can have the same effect for a lot less. So why would you consider this route? Well for starters:

1. Bathtub, tiles, surrounding walls do not have to be removed.
2. Your flooring and plumbing are not impacted.
3. Reglazing can be an alternative to bathtub replacement. Reglazing is done on the spot, saving you time and mess.
4. The transformation is immediate; converting a dated bathtub to newly finished one that is easy to clean.
5. Immediate use typically after 24 hours.
6. Cost is 75% less.

There are many ways to spruce on a dime. We can all have the same result by taking a different approach. Less can be best too.

The Mamas Expo Cleans House

So, the alarm clock rings for the 3rd time and your husband is still in bed sleeping or at least pretending to be. It is 5:30 in the morning and you are wishing it was Saturday. Unfortunately, it is not. The dog is by your side waiting patiently for you to get up, and out of bed because he knows mommy is the only one that will let him out. You by-pass the bathroom mirror without looking at it knowing quite well the face you have on.
With one eye open, you stare down at your sink, and wonder for a second were the ring around the basin came from.

As you make your way down the hallway, you are stepping over crumbs on the rug, moving clothes and toys to the side while taking slow sleepy steps down the stairs. The banister is sticky from God only knows what, but it does not matter. It does not matter because you know what you are about to walk into. You turn on the kitchen light, only wishing to turn it off because it looks like a diner after a stampede of teens on spring break (yours). The sink is piled again, and there are left over snacks on the counter, stool, and kitchen table. There is spilled orange juice in the fridge and floor (now you know where the stickiness on the banister came from).

As you sit quietly; trying desperately to have a moment with your coffee, you hear the kids waking up and moving upstairs. It is only Tuesday. So when this mother received an email to test our cleaning service, there was no thinking about it.

Though this story is not exactly one of Leni Calas's, Founder of The Mamas Expo. It is a story of many mothers that make it happen daily. They carry the world on their shoulders and somehow make it work, make it look easy, even when it is not. Leni is the creator of Queens Mamas, which is a website that brings local brands and families together, as well as posting news and local events for her readers. The site is a terrific resource for parents wanting to also connect with other parents. This effort spun off a demand for the same in Brooklyn, Long Island and she is gaining momentum, moving full speed ahead. On May 5th Leni Calas will be presenting her fourth expo at New York Hall of Science bringing brands and families together in person.

We have been fortunate to have participated in them, and we have to say they have been a blast. To see the work that is managed daily on a website come to life for one day is an incredible experience. We were grateful that The Mamas Expo granted us an opportunity to participate almost 2 years ago. Leni Calas knows all to well what it takes to for start-up companies to gain footing and with her team embraced Click and Improve. At the time, it was our first expo, and we did not know what to expect. To be side by side with brand names in an open forum was inconceivable for us being a start-up company, a true newbie. The team at The Mamas Expo made it look easy. They sat, coached, read us the rules and sent us on our way. What a reflection in great parenting, even for companies. This event is indicative of a positive movement, backed by empowered mothers with a strong voice and purpose. There is no question who Mama is!

When: Sunday May 5^th 2013 from 10 am – 5 pm

Where: New York Hall of Science -  47-01 111th Street Queens, NY 11368

Ticket Price: To Save on Tickets - Purchase your tickets in advance before May 4, 20123 online at www.themamasexpo.com to save a minimum of 15% off the Mamas Expo Access Ticket. Ticket includes all-day admission to New York Hall of Science, access to the Mama’s Expo and events, access to New York’s largest Science Playground, plus one round of Rocket Park Mini Golf.

Mama’s Expo Advance Access Ticket:

$17 Adult (18+)

$13 Child (2-17), Student (w/ID), Senior (62+)/ Under 2 Free

(15% off Adult regular price / 19% off Child Regular Price)

Tickets will be available for purchase at the door for full price.

Includes General Admission for one, Access to the Mama’s Expo, 1 ticket to Science Playground and 1 any-time voucher for Mini-Golf (valid for 1 round of Rocket Park Mini-Golf. Expires June 5, 2013)

A limited number of Mama’s Expo VIP Tickets are available for online advance purchase only. VIP tickets are $30 per person* and include all components of the Advance Access Ticket PLUS an exclusive Gift Bag including sample products and savings. To purchase VIP tickets, please visit www.themamasexpo.com

*Pay one price for adults, children, students, seniors.

Mama’s Expo VIP Ticket, $40. Includes all Advance Access Ticket components PLUS exclusive Gift Bag. Must be purchased in advance to guarantee your gift bag.

Slow Drain....Plumber Maybe or Not

Do you have a slow drain issue in your bathroom or kitchen sink? Even after using the handy plunger? If you are like most, we hope that time will remedy the problem and miraculously drain away. Unfortunately, this problem left unattended can create a bigger issue over time and become an expensive job to repair. Before you reach the phone to call the super, plumber, take a run to the local store for Drano or some other toxic substance; try an environmentally friendly route first. You may already have what you need in your cabinet to combat this small problem. All you need is washcloth/rag, water, vinegar and baking soda. Are you ready for battle? You just might win this one if you caught the slow drain issue on time. So this is what you need to do:

STEP 1.Take a box of baking soda and pour ½ of it down the drain. Make sure not to combine this with any other chemical. You also want to do this dry. Do not water down the sink. Apply it as is down the drain in its powder form.

STEP 2. Next you want to take a ½ cup of vinegar and pour right after the baking soda. Be sure to have the washcloth or rag immediately ready to plug the hole in the sink. This needs to be done because the combination of the 2 substances will immediately cause an over flow of fizz, a chemical reaction similar to the eruption of a can of soda being opened after shaking it. You want the fizz to remain in the drain, not out.

STEP 3.Wait 30 minutes and boil some water, at least a ½ gallon.

STEP 4.Unplug the hole and slowly pour the boiling water down the drain. This method has been proven to be effective in pushing everything through the plumbing system. Letting the mixture sit longer will not remedy the problem any better. Vinegar is an ethanoic acid, and the baking soda acts as a base (sodium bicarbonate). When these two are combined, they will cause a fizzing reaction while forming carbon dioxide and a solution of the salt, sodium acetate.

Sometimes doing this experiment twice can be just as effective for good measure, but if it does not work and you still encounter a slow drain, make that call. Unless you are a true DIY kind of person, some repairs should be left to the experts. Be mindful of your limitations. Not doing it right the first time can be another expense you do not want to incur.

Half Bathroom? No Problem....

Still have that 2nd half bathroom that you use everyday and hate because it looks like a prop from the set of The Brady Bunch? We have them, we have seen them. Most people do not know what to do with them partly due to size. Like everything else in life, if you want to be inspired, you need a vision and small half bathrooms do not give much to wonder about. Most half bathrooms you will find are the size of a small coat closet. We treat them like one. 

The basic anatomy of a small half bathroom: toilet, small sink, vanity mirror/medicine cabinet and lighting. It is basic, cut and dry. So why do we have a hard time working with this? Well, it is not about the room itself, but about the actual fixtures themselves and how you pair them all together. When working with a small bathroom, size does matter. Believe it or not, you have room to play within a small room, and the trick is to go small. Using the above illustration as an example we can go step by step.

• Sink - replace the dated vanity and sink combo with a crisp and clean white pedestal sink. For starters, it takes up less room, and it immediately gives the illusion of open space. The average cost is higher in comparison to traditional sinks. Elegance has a price. A vanity tends to eat space and always becomes a hidden storage unit. Want the proof? Open yours and take an inventory of everything in there. Then ask yourself....When was the last time you used half of what you stored? 

• Faucet - go small, there are many styles to choose from. 

• Walls - small bathroom walls should not have a busy print or even stripes. If you are looking for a cleaner open look, choose light, paint colors. Not sure on color? Go to any top brand paint site like Benjamin Moore and check out their color chart. Darker colors make rooms smaller. If you want large in a small space...go light and bright. The color white works miracles. 

• Toilet - consider replacing your old toilet with a compact elongated model. These toilets are not only space savers, but newer models are fabricated to save water. 

• Vanity mirror/medicine cabinet - bulky medicine cabinets devour space on your walls. If you truly can do without, a wall to wall mirror can immediately give an illusion of a larger space. 

• Lighting - wall sconces, like the one in this illustration come in many styles. Consider a clear glass enclosure rather a frosted one and be mindful of the hardware. Brushed nickel looks stunning, be concise with the theme and keep all the same. A copper or bronze wall sconce will clash with a brushed nickel faucet. Also consider a dimmer so that you can regulate the amount of light in a natural light challenged room. 

• Over the Toilet Cabinet/Storage - if you can part with this, just remove it for starters and see the immediate space you will have before doing anything in your bathroom. You can get the same results with decorative shelving. Rule of thumb, corner shelves take less room when you have limited wall space. Less is best on walls. If you can store your personals elsewhere, consider it.

With little time and patience, you too can have this: