Practical best practices at home seem pretty straightforward: Lock your doors at night, keep your rooms clean, and save on utilities where you can. But did you know there are likely things you assume about your home that aren’t true at all? Here are three common household myths debunked. DO YOU REALLY KNOW YOUR HOME? 3 Common Household Myths Debunked Myth No. 1: Rinsing your dishes before running the dishwasher makes them cleaner. Many people habitually rinse each dish before placing it in the dishwasher to create cleaner dishes, but doing so rarely leads to that result. In fact, rinsing may do more harm to your dishes than good. Prerinsing not only wastes more than 6,000 gallons of water each year, but it can also damage your dishes. Without sufficient grime to clean, the high levels of alkaline in dishwasher detergents have more aggressive contact directly on your dishes, leading to cloudiness or scratches. Myth No. 2: Using space heaters instead of central heat saves money. Many homeowners assume the cost of using central heat to warm up an entire house on chilly nights is much higher than simply using a few space heaters in different rooms, but that’s not the case. Space heaters generally cost more in initial purchase and use more energy to provide the exact same amount of heat as a gas furnace. They can also be dangerous if used incorrectly. Raising the temperature on the thermostat, even for just a short period of time, can be much more efficient.
Discover Your Green Thumb HOW TO BUILD YOUR FIRST BACKYARD GARDEN
S pring has sprung and summer is on its way, which means now is the perfect time to exercise your green thumb! Gardening is a wonderfully engaging and relaxing activity, but if you’ve never gardened before, then it can be nerve- wracking. Just follow these simple steps for starting your very first backyard garden.
Plan Ahead
If you want to create a successful garden, then it pays to be prepared. First, decide what kind of garden you want. Will you grow flowers or food? Study the differences in maintenance for both and understand how they grow. Second, pick the spot for your garden carefully. Observe your yard for several days to determine where the sun falls and for how long. Check for windbreaks that will protect your plants. Finally, pick a relatively flat spot where you’ll enjoy your garden and be visually reminded to take care of it.
Start With Soil
Myth No. 3: Smoke alarms will sound before a fire starts. Most people assume that smoke alarms have the capability to alert residents of a fire before it actually starts, but the truth is that most detectors aren’t sensitive enough to emit a warning sound that soon. Some models can identify a fire in its early smoldering phase, but most will not start to sound
The next step is getting the soil ready for plants. Clear the ground of any old or unwanted plants, weeds, and sod. Next, improve your soil so that it becomes more fertile and pliable. If it’s too wet, poor, infertile, or acidic, then give it the boost it needs by adding a layer of organic matter like compost, decayed leaves, or dry grass clippings. Working the soil is the next step, and it is key because it allows the roots of your plants to move through the soil and access water and nutrients. Dig and till your soil only when it’s moist.
Plant Your Garden
Now your soil is ready for plants! Some great options for beginners are marigolds, sunflowers, daylilies, pansies, cucumbers, lettuce, peppers, and tomatoes. Read individual seed packets for information on proper planting depth and spacing. If you buy young plants that are already growing, then you can transplant them into your garden. Carefully remove them from their container, and if the roots have balled up, use your finger to gently untangle some of the outer roots before placing them into your soil. Pat the soil firmly around the roots, then soak with water.
the alarm until a fire is already blazing. That’s why it’s so important to have smoke detectors on every floor of your home and to change their batteries every six months. These debunked household myths are just a few of many, so take the time to get to know your home and potentially save money and energy. Always follow manufacturer recommendations for products you use in order to keep you and your family safe.
It’s that easy! You’re officially on your way to creating a beautiful garden and a lifelong hobby.
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