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Posts Tagged ‘Steam’

With the current popularity of laminate flooring it is no wonder that so many cleaning products are being introduced specifically to clean them. Not all of these products are actually what they claim. Be very careful when choosing a cleanser for your laminate flooring. To choose a safe laminate floor cleaner there are some things you must know. First and foremost never use any type of cleaner that works by excessive amounts of liquid or uses steam.

Liquids and steam will damage your flooring beyond repair. At first your floors will look beautiful. The shine created by these products will amaze you, but what is underneath is terrifying. When you use these kinds of cleaners they soak through your flooring. Because laminate flooring does not breathe like real wood the liquid stays inside the floor. This eats your flooring from the inside out, slowly rotting the inside of the floor. Eventually the flooring will not only become weak and damaged but it will also be a breeding ground for mold and bacteria. For this reason never apply cleaner directly to your floor, always use a mop that is barely damp, and avoid close or prolonged contact with liquid and steam.

Another type of cleaners to avoid is any that claim to leave a protective coating on your floor. This includes, but is not limited to, wax. Laminate flooring is not wood. You do not need to polish a laminate floor because it has its own shine. These cleaners and waxes will look nice for few uses but after 2 or 3 months they begin to change to a gray or yellow color. This forms a film that makes your floors look dirty and dull. The film caused by these cleansers can be difficult to remove and ruin your investment. If this type of build p occurs on your laminate flooring find a cleanser that will strip the layer off. Do not try to refinish your laminate floor. You will not be pleased with the results that sanding will bring.

The best way to choose a laminate floor cleaner is to look for a product that when applied by a damp, but not wet, mop will lift dirt with out actually polishing the floor. By following these simple rules you will preserve your flooring for years to come. Protecting your investment will give you peace of mind and allow you to enjoy your floors more freely. They really are the easiest type of flooring to care for know that you know the proper treatment they require.

New technologies are certainly taken in stride these days, in fact they are expected, and who better knows how to make them work than our kids, so it is easy to unwittingly put them in harm’s way by allowing them to use appliances that they can operate, but may not fully understand.

As parents, we probably have gotten a call at work from one of our kids when they got home from school asking us what they can eat.

A ductless range hood is an effective means to reduce and filter the odors in your kitchen from cooking. However, there are some differences in this style of hood system for your kitchen and others that you can find. So, what are the pros and cons of ductless range hoods for your home?

Most homes that are of “standard” construction methods, unless specified in local building codes, generally have a ductless range hood installed over the stove in the kitchen. Why? Well, because it is a cheaper option for the builder to install and easier to maintain. The hood installs easily with a few screws and a simple electric supply.

Many hoods will come with vent fans that include a standard filter and a light of some type. While you can easily upgrade both of these options, most people don’t including the builder. The basic filter that comes with an installation is washable, however a better option is to replace the standard filter with a carbon filter that will help eliminate odors more completely. You can also upgrade the lighting in these hoods that will provide better lighting and more energy efficiency.

The major difference in a ductless hood system over other systems is that there is no duct work involved. The air that is drawn up into the hood over the stove is passed through the filter and then pushed back out the top of the hood. Depending upon what you cook, usually the odors are filtered through the standard filter enough to reduce any unpleasant smells.

The hood systems usually do a better job with reducing vapors such as steam from your cooking. This can really help in the winter time with excess humidity from cooking in the kitchen.

Ductless range hoods are also easy to replace. Being the lowest cost option, you can find numerous other styles and colors to choose from. Being easy to install with a few screws and simple electric connections, a do it yourselfer can replace an older and worn out hood system in a day.

Ventless range hoods do not have vents but they remove the steam as well as the kitchen impurities which are made as a product of cooking. It works with the help of different types of filters; mostly electrostatic filters are being used to collect the particles. Charcoal filters are also used to reduce cooking odors.

The vent less range hoods have grease filters and in addition to this they are also usually provided by charcoal filters and sometimes they are even fitted with glass fiber filters. Both these filters are inexpensive and can be changed after a certain time. But the overall performance of a vent less hood is poor compared to a duct hood. It is but a cheaper chimney and also an easier one of assemble.

The charcoal filters which are used in vent less range hoods, are very difficult to maintain and until needs regular replacement because, unless and until you have a good filter it is going to throw out grease and oil all around the kitchen without recycling it. Although it is supposed to move the smoke and odor but compared to the ducted hood, a vent less one does not necessarily remove the heated air as well as the steam from the food or the kitchen and so the cooling effect which it is supposed to give out isn’t really there.

Moreover maintenance is a huge problem because you have to replace the carbon filters every three to four months. Since there is no outside vent all of the air is again released back into the kitchen. Moreover when you are using the carbon or the charcoal filters the range hood will emit quite a lot of noise.

If you do not replace the filter ultimately, the grease and the odor will go back inside your home and you will not be able to protect your home from all of the impure air. But the venting range hoods are a lot more effective when it comes to removing grease and cooking fumes from your kitchen.

The only thing that the vent less range hood is going to do is to keep the smoke away from your face while you cook. Since the steam is circulated back inside the house you have to keep a window open so that these fumes can leave the house and to keep the kitchen clean.