Kitchen Category
Keeping a kitchen clean and nice-smelling does not only entail “cleaning as you go” as chefs tell their protégés, although that certainly helps; instead, other possible sources of bacteria or foul odors should be considered, and the garbage disposal is one of the culprits for these. In addition to cleaning up your kitchen daily and cleaning out the fridge regularly, the garbage disposal also needs its share of being cleaned and freshened up. Essentially, the garbage disposal pulverizes and removes kitchen waste from food products, but the truth is food particles still tend to get trapped inside it and the kitchen drainpipe. This makes for a great environment for bacteria and mold to breed, resulting in many ugly odors and an unhealthy environment overall. The following cleaning agents and suggested ways should give you a better grasp of how to clean out your garbage disposal and get rid of these unwanted bacteria breeding grounds:
- Baking soda and vinegar – These kitchen staples have always been hailed for its cleaning properties, and for garbage disposals, it is no different. First, pour a half cup of baking soda into the kitchen drain. Right after that, pour in a cup of white vinegar into the drain, too. Close the drain off by putting the drain stopper into the sink; for double sinks, do this for both. The baking soda and vinegar mixture will make fizzing sounds. While this happens, boil water in a full teakettle or a medium-sized pot. Then, pour the boiling water down the drain.
- Chlorine bleach – This is another common cleaning agent used for kitchens and bathrooms. For your garbage disposal, mix one tablespoon of liquid chlorine bleach into a clean container with one gallon of water. Then, slowly and carefully pour this solution down the drain, leaving it to settle for a few minutes. After a few minutes, flush the drain out by running the tap for a few minutes.
- Ice cubes – You can clean the cutting blades of your garbage disposal by making it grind ice cubes. You can do this by placing a few ice cubes into the drain and grinding them.
- Citrus fruits – The rind from citrus fruits are an excellent choice for adding a bit of nice scent to any area. You can do this by adding rinds to the drain, whether those of oranges, limes, lemons, or grapefruits.
- Dishwashing detergent – You can use this for daily cleaning to keep your garbage disposal in excellent shape. Pour a bit of dishwashing detergent into the sink and run some tap water in order to form suds. Turn the garburator on and let the soapy water flush through the unit. This helps clear most of the stuck-up debris from the unit. Continue running cold water for about one minute after the food has been cleared by the disposal unit. This is effective at pushing the food waste down as far into the drain as possible. After the water has flowed through, stop the unit, take out the screen and clean it by scrubbing with an old toothbrush.
If you want your kitchen to have a different look, perhaps you can consider replacing your kitchen cabinets or installing new ones where there weren’t any in the first place. This is a practical do-it-yourself project that can save you a fortune instead of having your kitchen renovated, and with the availability of affordable cabinets that you can assemble yourself, the possibilities may very well be endless.
Step 1. Find a partner to work with you. While it is possible to install kitchen cabinets yourself, it is easier to work with a partner, because cabinets tend to be heavy. Also, arrange the materials you will be working with such that you can install upper cabinets before the lower ones, as this will give you plenty of legroom to work in.
Step 2. Remove all the doors and drawers in the cabinets to make them easier and lighter to install, being careful to find as well as mark all the studs. Make measurements from the ceiling, making a line on the level where you will be placing the cabinets.
Step 3. Use a level to ensure that the line you are marking it exactly 180 degrees. Screw a ledger board on the line; this will help you keep the upper cabinets straight. Have your partner hold the cabinet steady against the line. Insert two screws into the top and bottom stud on the back of the cabinet to ensure that the cabinet is held securely. If the cabinet falls only across one stud, install a toggle bolt to work as a supplemental fastener.
Step 4. After that, work on the sink cabinet. This is undoubtedly the most difficult cabinet to install. Start off by measuring the plumbing area and marking where the holes must be cut. Make cuts along these marks, and put the cabinet into place. Use a level to make sure the cabinet meets flush with the other cabinets. Clamp them into place.
Step 5. After you set the sink cabinet, you can work on the remaining cabinets. First, make pre-drilled holes along the place where the cabinets will be held together. Insert screws into these holes. Put shims along the stud lines in the spaces between the sink and wall cabinet. Insert drywall screws through the shims along the wall to secure the cabinet to the wall. If there are gaps where the cabinet and the wall meet, just let these be, as these come about from uneven walls. Understand that the gaps work in keeping the front of the cabinets flush with one another, and the countertop will cover these gaps anyway.
Step 6. Once the bottom cabinets are in place and flush, you can proceed with installing the countertops, and your new kitchen is ready for use!
Overtime, kitchen cabinet veneers can get worn out. But instead of buying new cabinets to replace the old ones, you can simply perform resurfacing jobs to save on cost. Laminating kitchen cabinets is relatively easy, especially since there are many modern refacing kits available today that can help you get the job done with less difficulty. Below are the steps you will need if you wish to laminate your kitchen cabinets.
Step 1. Before working on the cabinets, you will need to prepare tools and equipments such as a hammer, a screwdriver, sandpaper, wood glue, nails, end panels, self-adhesive laminate, and laminate veneer.
Step 2. Remove cabinet doors, moldings, and other hardware. Using your screwdriver, remove the hinges to the door first. Once you have removed all the doors, take off the molding using a hammer fork. Make sure to work gently to avoid breaking the cabinets. If you plan to reuse hardware such as screws and hinges, see to it that you keep them together by placing them in a container. Sand any surface that have been peeled off or are loose to clean it. If there are any large scratches, fill them in using some putty.
Step 3. Using sandpaper, work over the surface of the cabinet that you wish to laminate. After that, get rid of dirt and debris by wiping them off with a damp cloth. If possible, soak the cloth first in water mixed with dishwashing soap, but make sure to wring it properly before wiping it on the wooden surface.
Step 4. Attach end panels to cover existing end panels of your kitchen cabinet. There are end panels sold in the market today that can be cut to fit any cabinet. Measure the size you need and cut them. Next, attach the pieces firmly to the cabinet using wood glue and some nails. Sand the edges using 150 grit sandpaper.
Step 5. Cut the laminate to strips using a sharp knife or scissors. When cutting, make sure to leave a half an inch allowance on each side. It’s better to have an excess on the edges than to come up short. Attach the lamination to the cabinet by peeling off a small part of the back paper. Press on veneer gently by firmly and make sure that it is properly aligned all throughout. Maintain an even overlap so as not to ruing the appearance of the cabinet. Make sure not to commit any mistakes while installing the veneer because once it has been attached, it is very difficult to remove without damaging the surface.
Step 6. When you’re done attaching the lamination, go over the edges and check for any excess that needs to be trimmed. Use a sharp knife when trimming excesses, and make sure you cut perfectly. Any mistake you commit can cause you to work on the area all over again so be careful. Once you’re done removing all the excess, you can consider your work complete.
The refrigerator is one of the most important appliances inside the home, and is also one of the most intimidating to repair when damaged or broken. Most people assume that when their refrigerator leaks, it is beyond their ability to repair and would immediately call in for a professional to fix the problem. What they do not realize is that most refrigerator leak problems can easily be fixed when diagnosed properly and immediately.
Step 1. The first step in repairing a leaking refrigerator is to look for the source of the leakage. This way, you will easily identify the area where the problem lies and begin to work from there. Some of the most common reasons for leaks in fridges are a faulty door, a worn out gasket, the ice maker, and the draining pan. Check these areas first every time you find your refrigerator leaking.
Step 2. If the leak is coming from the door of the fridge, inspect the door gasket and see whether it needs some fixing. It’s easy to clean the gasket if the problem is accumulated dirt, but if the gasket is worn out or has some tear, the best thing to do is to replace it. There are universal gaskets that can fit any type of refrigerator, but you would want to get one that’s specially designed for your refrigerator model to ensure quality and ease of installation.
Step 3. Besides a damaged gasket, your problem may also spring up from a broken fridge door. You need to tighten the bolts and screws of the fridge door if this is the case. If the door of your refrigerator is designed to close with the help of gravity, you might want to tilt the fridge at an angle so that the door will close fully. Usually, this is done either by placing a wooden shim underneath the front legs of the fridge or by adjusting the height if it comes with such feature.
Step 4. A leak may also be a result of a damaged water tube that comes with an ice maker in case your refrigerator has one. If the problem is indeed with the tube, you will have to replace it immediately with a new one. Loose fittings can also result to leaks. In this case, tighten the malfunctioned fittings that connect the ice maker and the water tube.
Step 5. Finally, check the drain pan and see whether it’s the one causing the leak. The drain pan is located at the bottom part of the fridge, usually at the back part. It is used to collect water condensation from the refrigerator and can sometimes overflow and cause water to pool on the floor. If this is the problem, then there’s nothing you should worry about. Simply remove the drain pan and pour the water content. You might also want to check if the drain has some holes that might be causing the leak. If there is none, put it back in place.
A small dining wooden table is perfect for small families. The only problem is that it won’t be able to accommodate more people in case friends or relatives come to visit. To avoid embarrassment, it would be a good idea to extend your wooden table. The good thing about wooden tables is that they are easy to customize especially the ones that follow a farm table design. Perhaps the best solution is to buy a larger table, but if you are on a tight budget, you might as well just modify your current table by adding a leaf.
Step 1. Prepare the materials you’re going to need for the project: A chalk, sawhorses, tape measure, circular saw, drill, wooden pegs, wood, sandpaper, hammer, and protective coat.
Step 2. Draw a line to mark the center of your wooden table using a piece of chalk. Next, place two sawhorses underneath the table to serve as support. Using your circular saw, cut the table in half down the line you have just marked and lay them side by side on the sawhorses.
Step 3. Now that you have opened the table, take the measurements of the width and length of the tabletop. This is crucial to make your additional leaf fit seamlessly with your table.
Step 4. After getting the measurements of the tabletop, mark spots on each of the half with a chalk and drill ¼ inch holes into them. These holes are where you are going to insert the wooden pegs that will hold your additional table leaf. Make the holes deep enough to accommodate ½ of the length of the wooden pegs.
Step 5. Take the wooden pegs and coat them with wood glue. Next, insert them into the holes located on the side of each of the table halves. Make sure the pegs are properly secured. If not, you will have to drill the holes a little deeper.
Step 6. By now you should have already chosen wood that’s the same exact type your current table is made of. If that would be impossible, at least select a type of wood with a very similar pattern and color. Drill holes on each side of the new table leaf in a way that would match those of the two table halves. Once your additional leaf is ready, align one of the sides with the wooden pegs in one of the table halves and carefully insert it. Do this with the other side as well, making sure the pegs are properly inserted into the holes of the new table leaf.
Step 7. You might need to attach a steel or wooden brace underneath the table to support the new leaf and to prevent the table from swiveling. If you believe your table is already sturdy without braces, then you can skip this step.
Step 8. Finish the table so that the new leaf matches with the rest of the table. You will need to strip the old table of its old coat and use sand the surface to make it smooth. Next, stain the table and cover it with protective coat. Once the coat has completely dried, you can start using your newly customized wooden dining table.
One of the easiest and most effective ways of adding beauty to your kitchen is by tiling the backsplash. A backsplash is often ignored by most homeowners thinking that its only purpose is to serve as a protection against splash and splatter from water or cooking oil and that it’s supposed to look dirty all the time. However, if you want to add value to one of the most important areas of your home, which is the kitchen, it would make sense to add attractive tile pieces to your backsplash. Tiles are a common material used for backsplashes simply because they are nice-looking and are easy to clean. Here are the steps to installing eye-catching tiles to a backsplash:
Step 1. Check the surface of the wall where you wish to install the backsplash. Using a level, see to it that the surface is level, both vertically and horizontally. If there are any low areas, fill them with drywall or any surfacing compound and allow to dry before proceeding.
Step 2. Draw your guidelines on the surface using a pencil. Find the center of the area where you are going to work first and plot the pattern for the tiles. As much as possible, adjust the spaces so that there will be very little or no wasted tiles at all.
Step 3. Using a mastic trowel, apply mastic on the surface of the wall. See to it that the adhesive is evenly distributed before you set in the tiles. If the mastic is too thick or too thin, it might affect the strength of the bond, so make sure you apply just the right amount. To find out if you’ve applied just the right amount, press one tile into the wall with mastic. The mastic is just the right amount if it spreads evenly on the surface. If the mastic is too thick, remove the excess.
Step 4. Begin setting the tiles in place one by one. Make sure that you do not push the tiles into the mastic too hard or the adhesive would spill out from the edges. Sine there’s a tendency for the tiles to move while the adhesive has not dried yet, place some spacers between tiles to hold them in place. When you’re done laying all the tiles, leave them overnight to allow the mastic to dry completely.
Step 5. You can mix the grout and apply it to the backsplash after 24 hours when the adhesive has completely dried. Remove the spacers and apply grout into the tiles and the joints. Leave for 15 minutes to dry.
Step 6. The grout should be completely dry after 15 minutes, so by this time, you can remove the excess grout using a damp sponge. See to it that you rinse the sponge with water from time to time. When all the excess grout has been removed, apply sealer and fill the joints with caulk. Leave the sealer to dry and after that, your job is done.
Leaky faucets do not just waste your water but also wash your money down the drain. If you can fix it yourself, there’s no need to spend on money in hiring a professional. The first thing you need to understand about faucets is that there are many different types sold in the market, each having some parts that are unique to its model. The most common causes of leaks are old or broken o-rings or gaskets, and worn out valve seats. Damaged washers are also top reasons for faucets to leak. However, no matter what type of faucet you have, it works and can be repaired according to a basic principle. Here are the steps in fixing your faucet so that it stops dripping:
Step 1. Turn off the main water supply and take the faucet apart and remove the stem by unscrewing the handle. Some of the screws may be hidden under a disc or a cap that needs to be snapped in order for you to get to the screw. Use oil if you find it difficult to loosen and remove the handle screw.
Step 2. Once you have removed the handle, remove the packing nut next using a large pair of pliers or wrench. Evaluate the stem and the screws and see whether they need replacement or not. If they are damaged, then you would have to replace them immediately.
Step 3. You may have to replace the washers if they are already old or worn out. When replacing washers, see to it that you replace not just the damaged washer but all the rest of the washers you find inside. This will ensure you that all your washers are brand new and are all in perfect condition. Also make sure that you get the exact replacements for the washers. Most people make the mistake of not taking the damaged parts to the shop when buying replacement parts, making the job a lot more difficult for them. Some washers may work for any type of faucet but only temporarily, so make sure you buy the exact replacement all the time.
Step 4. Install the new washer to the faucet stem and reassemble the whole faucet. More often than not, a brand new washer would automatically stop the leak. Turn the stem clockwise to put it back in place.
Step 5. Attach the faucet handle in place as well as the button or the disc that covers the screw. At this time, you can turn the water supply on again and observe whether the faucet is still leaking or not. It would take a while to find out so keep on observing your faucet each time you turn it on. If you have used the faucet for only a short period of time after the repair and it leaks again, you would have to disassemble it again and check what might have gone wrong and if there’s one important step you might have missed.
Due to heavy use, it’s common for kitchen cabinetry to get worn out and to stop functioning properly. In many cases, you can update your old kitchen cabinets and make them good as new without having to completely replace them. Although the process may be relatively time consuming, you can do it yourself, and you can actually end up with cabinets that are better than the originals. Here are three things that you might want to do to fix up your broken kitchen cabinets.
Cabinet refacing
If you like the current cabinet setup you have and don’t want to put your kitchen out of commission for weeks on end, cabinet refacing is a quicker and cheaper alternative to installing a whole new set of cabinets. All you need to do is measure all the elements of your cabinets and drawers and go to your local hardware store. Most hardware stores career pre-made do-it-yourself veneers that can be ironed on. Choose a design that suits your tastes.
Once you have your veneers, you’ll have to remove your cabinets and drawers to make your work easier and to give you access to the backing elements of the cabinets. All you’ll do is iron on the veneers and give the surface a layer of varnish. All of this can be done in a single weekend.
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For anyone who enjoys cooking and spends a lot of time in the kitchen, space is something that we can never get enough of. Even when you have a full set of top-and-bottom cabinetry, those shelves fill up fast and it’s easy to be left with items that you don’t have any more room for. But if you want to simplify your kitchen routine and make your life a little more easy, consider these tips for organizing your kitchen space.
1. Get rid of what you don’t use: Most of us have at least a few items in our kitchen that we keep around even though we don’t use them. We may think that we’re going to have a use for them someday, so we just can’t bring ourselves to throw them out or give them away. But now is the time to be honest with yourself: If you have something that you’re probably not going to use, stop denying it. Also, get rid of any redundant items.
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When a gas stove stops working properly, it usually has to do with the pilot light or one of the lines to or from it. These problems tend to arise when dirt or debris builds up due to lack of cleaning over a long period of time, and they’re usually easy to fix. However, when it comes to gas stoves, safety should always come first. If you smell gas or aren’t sure how a gas stove works, don’t try to repair it yourself. Instead, call the gas company and have someone who knows what they are doing come out to help you.
Here are fixes for some of the most common gas stove problems.
Pilot light out: Most modern gas stoves have a safety button that allows you to turn off the gas flow. If not, locate the valve for the gas and shut it off. After doing so, open a window in the room and allow the area to ventilate. Never light a match when you can smell gas. Once you’ve given any gas plenty of time to clear out, turn the gas back on and quickly hold a match to the light.
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