Clean Classics Retro Remedies for a Radiant Home Today’s home makeover marketplace is full of high-tech goods and gadgets designed to keep your spaces clean. However, looking to the distant past reveals plenty of practical (and, in many cases, less expensive) options to bring your pad back to perfection. Here are three vintage cleaning tips that still work well today. Markers are no match for rubbing alcohol. Most parents encourage their children to explore their artistic side. Still, the possibility of your little ones becoming future Picassos can become problematic if they use markers to turn your refrigerator, countertops, walls, or other nonporous surfaces into makeshift art galleries. Instead of shrieking in horror upon discovering their creations, reach for rubbing alcohol and apply it to a cloth. Rubbing the fabric on the scribbles will dissolve the pigments, making it easier to restore your child’s ad-hoc canvas to its original, clean condition. Of course, you may want to snap a few photos of your child’s art before wiping it away and consider purchasing more appropriate things for them to draw on! Mint will suppress summer stink. Although the air tends to cool off this time of year, summer will be here again before we know it. If heat and humidity make your garbage cans stink to high heaven, you can find the answer to
overcoming the odor in your garden. Grow or purchase fresh mint and place a sprig in each can daily. You’ll be amazed by how quickly the stench goes away. Tidy pet hair without time travel. Pets bring joy and companionship to our lives, but their hair can do a real number on our rugs and upholstery. Interestingly, the secret to purging pet hair emerged nearly 80 years ago. In the May 1946 issue of Better Homes & Gardens, a reader recommended rubbing a wet rubber sponge on the affected areas, a process that rolls up the hair into easy-to-remove balls. A writer from the magazine decided to test this method last year and the decades- old directions still did the trick.
MODERN SAFETY FOR MULTIFAMILY LIVING SMARTER SYSTEMS, SAFER COMMUNITIES
When you manage a multifamily property, safety is always a top priority. From fire protection to visitor access, these buildings face unique challenges that are very different from those of other properties.
the same habits or tools. Older residents, or those without smartphones, may struggle if there isn’t a simple way to let guests through the door. And managers need to know that people entering the building are actually there to see residents. That’s where good systems come in. Access control tools like secure entry points, e-keys, or video intercoms provide a safe, consistent way to manage visitors. Video cameras can add another layer of security, and many properties are now looking at systems that work together to cover more ground. Video surveillance and access control can be tied together to provide a clearer picture of who is coming and going and what is happening on-site. Integration like this improves safety and makes it easier for managers to handle multiple needs through one platform. Multifamily housing will only continue to grow in size and complexity, and the systems on these properties need to keep pace. The good news is that technology now makes it possible to simplify what used to be complicated. With the right partner and tools, properties can stay ahead of requirements, protect residents, and reduce risks without adding new headaches.
Over the last decade, the expectations for apartment and condo buildings have only grown, and so have the systems designed to meet them. One of the most important responsibilities for property managers is to inspect and test fire alarm systems each year. Unfortunately, one thing I’ve seen happen too often is a company that rushes through this work, hangs a tag on the panel, and leaves. On the surface, it may look like they met the requirement, but in reality, they may not have tested the system thoroughly. When they cut corners, residents, staff, and owners are left at risk, and the liability can be enormous if something goes wrong. Visitor management is another concern for multifamily properties. A building with younger residents may rely on cellphones and apps to let people in, but tenants don’t all have
2 · American-Alarms.com
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