Many people use vacuum cleaners but still can’t figure out how to use the appliance properly. If you don’t use a vacuum cleaner the right way, you’ll never get the desired results, plus you’ll end up damaging the machine. Regardless of the type of vacuum cleaner you own, there are certain mistakes you must avoid while using it to improve its efficiency and longevity. Read on to know what these mistakes are. Emptying the dust bag only when overfilled Although inconvenient, it’s necessary to empty the dust bag well before it’s full or after each use. If you operate a vacuum cleaner while its dust bag or container is full, performance drops drastically. It doesn’t pick up dust and dirt as effectively as it can. Moreover, a full dust bag can restrict airflow within the appliance, increasing the risk of overheating and damage. Don’t want to empty the dust bag frequently? Consider buying a vacuum cleaner with a bigger dust bag. Assuming it’s broken If your vacuum cleaner stops working suddenly, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s broken. Vacuum cleaners often lose suction when the dust bag is full, or the hose is clogged. Also, many models today come with a feature that makes the appliance shut off automatically when the motor becomes too hot.

Grilling is one the best ways to prepare delicious food while cooking outdoors. But there are many aspects that influence outdoor cooking. Get them wrong, and you could have friends and family leaving with a not so pleasant experience. After all, no one loves an excessively burnt piece of chicken. So whether you enjoy cooking outdoors, or are trying it out for the first time, here are four cooking mistakes to avoid. Not accommodating for the weather If you live in a colder location, you won’t be able to use the griller all year long. Not planning for the rains and snow can set you back on a day when you decide to cook outdoors. Take appropriate measures in the cooking space, such as installing a roof to protect the griller from water. Not preheating the griller Failing to preheat the grill before placing the meat is another common mistake most people make. Preheat the grill for at least 20 minutes before starting to cook. By preheating the appliance, the meat develops a deep smoky, delicious flavor. Poor cleaning A lot can go wrong if you cook food without cleaning the outdoor appliance. The burnt residue may fuse with the food and make it unhealthy to eat.

Home cleaning may seem like a straightforward task. It is a routine chore that can be done daily. However, even when done everyday, we might make some mistakes while cleaning our home. This can cause bacteria to grow, and your home may remain unhygienic. Even the most basic of cleaning tasks may become damaging if left unchecked. Listed below are some common home cleaning mistakes to avoid next time. Using the same cloth for every surface Cleaning 101: Never use a single piece of cloth for wiping both the furniture and appliances. Washcloths and wipes are safe to use for your furniture. It is better to consider microfiber and lint free cloths for cleaning TV screens and other appliances. This is applicable for disposable wipes and cleaning accessories used for other surfaces as well. Mixing cloths only increases the risk of damage and allows bacteria to spread. Not cleaning the tools Using a vacuum cleaner is ineffective if the dust bag is not emptied and cleaned regularly. Additionally, not wringing out and sanitizing a mop after each use can be harmful. Cleaning the equipment and using fresh supplies each time will only improve efficiency and lower the risk of spreading infection.

While everybody loves the idea of a sparkling clean house, hardly anybody enjoys the process of cleaning. After all, it’s exhausting and demands a lot of time and effort. Nevertheless, cleaning your home regularly is necessary. A great way to make it a quick and convenient process is to avoid some common cleaning mistakes. These mistakes may not only waste your time but also make a home dirty and unhygienic. Starting with the floor Where do you begin when cleaning your entire home? If your answer is the floor, you probably need to rethink your cleaning strategy. This is one of the most common cleaning mistakes to avoid. That’s because when you clean other areas and objects, such as ceilings, walls, photo frames, tables, and lights, dust and other debris can drop to the floor, requiring you to vacuum or mop the floor two times, otherwise, you may end up with a not-so-clean home even after doing all the hard work. So, always begin from the top of the room and work your way down, cleaning the floor in the end. Using dirty cleaning supplies Before you begin, the first thing you must do is check whether your cleaning tools are clean.

Your garden is the entryway to your home. Not only can they give you fresh fruits, flowers, and vegetables for your home, but they also beautify the space. A clutter-free, colorful garden can help relieve stress and become a quiet place for reflection. No matter the size of the yard, it’s only natural to want to beautify the space and get the most out of it. Here are 5 tips to decorate your garden: Add flowering plants Flowering plants can add a lot of color to your garden. They break up the green patches and give the garden focal points. They also attract pollinators like butterflies and bees to naturally pollinate your yard. Consider planting flowering plants in your garden and assorting them by color to give your yard a well-organized look. Add yellows and oranges with plants like orange marigolds, yellow capsicums, calendula, cosmos, and nasturtiums, purple with beetroot, lavender, violet, purple basil, rainbow chard, and petunia, and blue, white, and gray with sage, alyssum, cabbages, cauliflowers, leeks, and other plants. Make your yard look larger To make a small yard appear bigger, use horizontal layers of different heights to add the illusion of depth. For example, planting low shrubs before a slightly higher fence and taller shrubs near the house can add dimension to your garden and make it look much bigger.

Renovations are an essential part of maintaining your home. You may want to revamp your home to get a new look, or maybe you want to repair broken flooring or bad plumbing. In either case, undertaking a renovation is a challenging task. It involves tons of planning, budgeting, and even investing a significant amount of time. If you plan to redo your home, here are some common home renovation mistakes that are best avoided. Opting for cheap materials When building or renovating your home, you want to ensure you buy the best materials. It can be tempting to save cash and cut corners when purchasing materials. But cheap materials are not necessarily durable. This means you could end up spending more on redoing something a few years later. Instead, it is best to opt for sturdy, high-quality materials that add elegance to your home and last long. Trying to DIY everything Renovating a home is an expensive affair, which is why it may be tempting to pick up the tools and go to work yourself. But this is a common home renovation mistake that you must avoid. While DIY projects are great in some cases, like painting your walls or moving your furniture, when it comes to things like plumbing, electrical works, and even roofing, you may must opt for the services of a professional.

Usually, bamboo is not the first word that comes to mind when one thinks of clothing and bedding materials. However, bamboo can be used to create incredibly soft and resilient fabric. As it continues to feature more and more in people’s daily lives (in the form of bamboo furniture, food, fuel, and other applications), bamboo clothing is also progressively finding new buyers today. Here are the top 10 benefits of bamboo clothing and bedding: Hypoallergenic Bamboo garments, bed sheets, and other clothing or bedding products do not trigger allergic reactions in individuals. This quality makes such products ideal for people with sensitive skin, allergies, and asthma. The bamboo fabric also repels dust mites that cause runny noses, sneezing, and nasal congestion. Ultra-soft The bamboo-derived viscose is an incredibly soft clothing material that can be compared to luxurious materials such as silk and Egyptian cotton. At the same time, viscose sheets and clothes are much cheaper than silk or rayon ones. This aspect ranks pretty high among the top 10 benefits of bamboo clothing and bedding. High durability Bamboo bed sheets are far more long-lasting than traditional bed sheets. This durability and reliability comes from the fact that, unlike cotton, bamboo bed sheets are made from long fibers that cover the length of the fabric.

When you remain indoors for longer, you tend to notice a few odors around the house. At first, these smells may not seem so overwhelming. But leaving this problem unchecked can have foul repercussions. Also, why breathe in unhealthy air when you can explore simple DIY hacks and odor-blocking ideas readily available for use? Here are the top 15 things to do at home to ensure the air around the house stays pure and fresh. Baking soda to the rescue Odors are generally emitted from damp, dirty, and dingy corners of the home or the kitchen when preparing food. Baking soda does a wonderful job of absorbing odors. It is cheap, can be bought in bulk, and all you need to do is sprinkle some around the house in hidden corners. Repeat this exercise every week to maximize its potency. Make some natural air fresheners You can use plenty of simple everyday-use ingredients from the pantry to make a DIY natural air freshener. Vinegar, lemon water, baking soda, coffee grounds, and even vanilla extracts are potent solutions for odor repellents and can be placed in bowls around the house. Use potpourri One of the most commonly used ingredients for this job is potpourri.