Home Improvement Editorial

People must have been excited out of their minds when an American inventor named James King advanced the task of washing clothes from the washboard to a hand-cranked contraption that resembled a machine in 1851.

By 1880, more than 4,000 washing devices had been patented. There were washing “machine” models that rubbed clothes together, or pummeled them up and down, or stomped on them, or dragged them through the water, or slammed them against the walls of the wooden tubs of the day. All powered by hand except one 12-shirt model that was run by 10 donkeys for a California gold miner who may have introduced the first “laundromat.”

An 1874 washing “machine” by corn planter manufacturer William Blackstone of Bluffton, Indiana had been inspired by his decision to build a birthday gift for his wife. Inside the wooden tub was a flat piece of wood with six wooden pegs, all together looking like a small milking stool. If you cranked a handle you could move a series of gears and the result would be that the clothes were caught on the pegs and swished around in the water.

Mr. Blackstone was also a merchant so be built some more washing “machines” and started selling them for $2.50 each. His company exists to this day.

Pretty soon came the competition, spawning hundreds of washing machine companies spewing out all manner of contraptions and inching up prices to around $10.00 apiece.

In 1861 came the wringer, an exciting new feature that did away with having to work so hard at squeezing the water out of the clothes.

The next big leap came when wooden tubs were replaced by metal tubs in about 1900. After that came washing machines that included drive belts, and this made it possible to add steam or gasoline engines. So now we were on our way from manual to automatic.

The first electric-powered washing machine was invented by Alva J. Fisher and unveiled in 1908 by the Hurley Machine Company of Chicago, Illinois. This launched the new era of electric washing machines. Some 1920s models included coal-fired heating from a fire grate beneath the washing drum. Oh, and any model with an electric motor under the metal tub was pretty sure to get wet and shock the user.

All during this period the great American washing machine companies of today were coming to life. Maytag by F.L. Maytag in 1893. Whirlpool in 1911. Bendix in the mid 1930s.

And in 1937, free at last. Look Ma, no hands. A subsidiary of Bendix Aviation ended the hassles of shoveling coal, messing with gasoline, cranking clothes wringers, being electrically shocked and all the rest, once and for all. They brought us the first automatic washing machine. John W. Chamberlain invented the device that washed, rinsed and extracted water from clothes all by itself. This machine was a sensation, even though the vibration was so extreme that it had to be bolted to the floor.

By 1953, spin-dry washing machines were outselling the wringer models, and the electric automatic washing machine entered the evolutionary path of those evermore convenient bells and whistles that make our lives so much easier today.

Portable air conditioners have become very popular in recent years. Many people use them even if they have a central system because portable A/C can provide excellent cooling for a significantly lower cost. Find out about the pros and cons of a mobile A/C unit and if one could work for you.

A portable air conditioner is a self contained unit, usually about 30 inches tall and about 80 pounds in weight. The best thing is that it doesn’t require any installation: it stands on the floor and you don’t have to fit it in your window or your wall. Most mobile A/C units have little wheels, so you can easily move them around.

Portable A/C pros:

- you can move your portable unit from room to room, so there is no need to buy a window-mounted air conditioner for each room
- you don’t have to block your window or make holes in your wall – a portable air conditioner is ready to use as soon as you unpack it
- using a mobile air conditioner to cool only one room instead of switching on a central system saves you a lot on energy bills

Portable air conditioner cons:

- a portable unit costs slightly more than a window air conditioner with a similar cooling capacity
- comparable to central air conditioning and mini-split systems (where the compressor is outside), portable A/C is loud. If noise is an issue, look at the reviews of several portable units and select the one that makes the least noise.

Is portable A/C effective in cooling large rooms?

That depends on the size of your unit. Small portable units with cooling capacities of about 8000 BTU are perfect for a 300 sq. foot room, while larger 24000 BTU air conditioners can effectively cool a 1000 sq. foot room. So, as you can see, a properly sized mobile air conditioner can do a good job even in a very large room. However, you should know that larger doesn’t necessarily mean better. An air conditioner that is too large will consume more energy and won’t cool your room effectively, because it will stop and start constantly.

Portable air conditioner energy efficiency.

Everybody knows that air conditioners chew a lot of energy, so energy efficiency is a big issue. However, recent developments in technology allow manufacturers to produce very efficient air conditioners. A few years ago an EER (energy efficiency ratio) of 6 or 7 was considered good. Now the standard is 12 or higher.

Modern portable air conditioners are as energy efficient as window or mini split units. To select the most efficient air conditioner, look at its EER – the higher, the better. Also choose a unit with an Energy Star. The Energy Star means that an air conditioner meets energy efficiency guidelines set by the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy.

How affordable is a mobile air conditioner?

You might be surprised to learn that portable A/C is not too expensive. The prices have gone down significantly, in recent years, and now you can buy a good unit from around $300. Of course, air conditioners with a larger cooling capacity cost more, and so do those with higher energy efficiency ratings. However, when it comes to paying more for a more efficient unit, you actually save money because your energy bill will be lower.

To conclude, if you don’t have air conditioning and don’t feel like investing in a central system, a portable air conditioner can be a great alternative. And if you have a central A/C, it’s still a good idea to have a portable unit for cooling just the room you are in, instead of the entire house. It can significantly reduce your bills.

Area rugs help to redecorate and enhance the beauty of a furnished house. The best way suggested by interior designers is to select the rugs as per your choice and then to purchase window treatments and paint matching the color and theme of the area rugs chosen. Area rugs are a cost-effective alternative to the comparatively costlier wall to wall extending carpets. Varieties of area rugs with different qualities are available in different shapes and textures. They are available in various shapes and sizes and it is for you to select the one that is most appropriate for your room.

Whether you are planning to give finishing touches and decorate a new room or arrange for better comforts in a not so new room, the best way is to choose the most appropriate area rugs as these have an impact on the mood and character of a room. Therefore decide on your choice of colors and mood and measure the area of your room to find out the size of the area rug needed. Then considering the cost and the varieties of area rugs available buy the most appropriate one that suits your room.

In fact the suggestion given by interior designers is to start the selection of area rugs with the one best suited for the front door. The very idea is that you will naturally pay more attention as this rug is going to be the first impression to anyone entering your house. This decision will ultimately make it easy for you to select area rugs for other rooms.

Another thing that adds to the beauty of the house is flooring. Generally people prefer hardwood floors as the wood floors are durable and very beautiful. These hardwood floors are a boon to those suffering from allergies as these can be very easily cleaned so that they are free from pollen or other allergy causing substances. The hardwood floors once laid need not be replaced often. It is also very easy to clean hardwood floors. It is enough to wipe the floor with a damp cloth and a household cleaner. Compared to carpets these accumulate lesser dust and are easier to clean.

There are umpteen choices of wood for hardwood floors like cherry, birch, oak, pine etc. Another advantage with hardwood floors is that they are suitable for any type of decoration whether it is traditional or contemporary. Hardwood floors are very beneficial as the flooring is made of natural wood and if proper care is taken they will last for a lifetime.

Nothing keeps a room warm like wood. There are hundreds of colors and styles of wood floors available to suit the needs of buyers. Earlier hardwood floors were not advised in bathrooms and basement areas fearing that the wood might be damaged due to moisture. But now acrylic impregnated woods and wood laminates are available and these are laid to give natural look of wooden floors to bathrooms and kitchens. Sweeping these laminated floors everyday and mopping them with damp cloth occasionally is sufficient to keep these floors clean and neat.

With all of the talk about indoor air quality these days, one thing many people do not think about is having their carpets cleaned on a regular basis. Not only should your carpets be cleaned every six to twelve months, but you should have this service performed by a reputable, IICRC certified professional carpet cleaning company.

The first, and possibly most important reason to have your carpets cleaned regularly, is the health of you and your family. Carpets tend to retain a large amount of particulate matter. This is the unhealthy tiny particles of dust and dirt which float around in the air of all residential dwellings. While it is true that regular vacuuming will help to control this problem, with time the build-up of this “indoor pollution” becomes increasingly more difficult for your vacuum cleaner to remove.

There is also the issue of dust mites. Dust mites are a common problem in most homes, and can be the cause of many allergy problems. As more dust, dirt, dust mites, and debris build up in the carpet fibers, a professional extraction is the only way to remove all of the contaminates which have accumulated over a period of time.

Many people purchase home steam cleaning machines. While these machines are effective for quick removal of spills and spots, they are not effective for whole room (wall to wall) carpet cleaning or removing contaminates. In fact, over time, these machines tend to do much more harm than good to both your carpets, and your indoor air quality.

The proper method of cleaning carpets is never fully explained to the homeowner. The lack of understanding the science of carpet cleaning leads to over wetting, and a build-up of residue on your carpets. The excess water can cause mold and mildew, and the residue tends to re-attract new dirt very quickly.

Because these machines are mass produced to be affordable to the homeowner, they are not capable of extracting all of the water which they release onto your carpets. This is what leads to over wetting, and possible mold and mildew issues.

In order for these manufacturers to make a home steam cleaning machine that works effectively, the end result would be a machine that costs the consumer well over $1,000! They probably would not sell many machines at that price.

In order to keep the end cost reasonable, these machines are essentially vacuum cleaners with liquid jet sprayers attached to them. They are only capable of extracting a small amount of the liquid which they release onto your carpets. This leads to two problems.

First, you are left with large amounts of water soaked into your padding. Second, this excess water takes a large percentage of the dirt and allergens deep down into the carpet with it. Over time your carpets start to become “dulled over” from the dirt build-up. We get many calls from homeowners who have experienced this problem.

Professional extraction equipment is very expensive, and is made to extract dirt and residues from deep within the carpet fibers, all the way to the backing of your carpet. We have had experiences where we literally pull up mud as a result of large amounts of dirt being pushed down through carpet. This is a direct result of repeated cleanings with a home steam machine.

The machines which you rent at your local grocery store are even worse for your carpets, and your health! They are not cleaned or maintained on a regular basis, and typically have more germs in them than a non-flushed toilet! We have found that people usually rent these machines when they want to clean something which they prefer not to clean with equipment that they own. You can use your imagination on that one!

You are also left with the residue problem, because, again, you are not given any instruction on the proper way to clean a carpet. The shampoo must be rinsed from the carpet fibers with a quality “acidic” rinse. Otherwise, you will most likely experience a rapid re-soiling problem from the leftover shampoo residue.

If your carpet is under warranty, your warranty specifically states that you must have your carpets cleaned within a certain time frame, usually 12 to 24 months. This must be done by an IICRC certified company, using the hot water extraction method.

If you are having your carpets cleaned for warranty reasons, make sure that the company you choose is certified by the Institute for Inspection, Cleaning, and Repair Certification (IICRC), and that they use the hot water extraction method. It is important for you to know “do-it-yourself” cleanings, and dry cleaning methods will not uphold your warranty! This could end up being a very costly mistake.
So remember, it is very important to have your carpets cleaned on a regular basis by a professional, certified company that uses the hot water extraction method of cleaning. It is well worth the few extra dollars it will cost, as opposed to doing it yourself. Do not take a chance on voiding your warranty and ruining your carpets.

You need to have deep, hot water extraction with professional equipment, by a certified company. This will greatly reduce the risk of mold, mildew, and rapid re-soiling. This will also keep your warranty in tact, should you ever need to use it!

Thousands of people buy contemporary furniture for the style and convenience. Without a doubt, contemporary style furniture is now unavoidable. Many people even believe that good design can improve people’s quality of life. A few people even regard it a requirement for the home. No matter if a house is classic or modern, contemporary furniture will ensure a more pleasant more welcoming home.
Make sure you don’t make the mistake of buying poor quality contemporary furniture. You deserve to have good and durable pieces that will accompany you for life. When you buy Modern furniture, remember that you’re not just buying a furniture style. Contemporary furniture is the end result of decades of research and development. In contrast to more decorative traditional styles, modern & contemporary furniture is created to be more comfortable, less invasive and more durable.
In cities like New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Miami there are nowadays many contemporary furniture stores offering a wide variety of styles, prices, qualities and materials. There are also a handful of contemporary stores selling online.
When you’re in the market for contemporary furniture, make sure you’re buying the right stuff. Make a careful inspection of each piece, to ensure that there are no defects or damages. Contemporary furniture never goes our of fashion: get contemporary furniture that you expect it to last for the rest of your life.