July/August 2017
HEALTHY HOME NEWS
www.zerorezsocal.com • (888) 236-8665 • 17815 Sky Park Circle, #A Irvine, CA 92614
Welcome
Customer service seems to be a lost art these days. Most big companies (think United Airlines) have lost their way and often hide behind corporate policies and procedures, complicated phone menus, and impossible to navigate websites as a way of dealing with customer service. We have a different view. We still enjoy the art of providing excellent client services and realize that it’s
critical to the long-term well-being of our business. I’m happy to say that we’re working closely with a select few companies that have that same client-focused mindset. We encourage you to contact them if the need for the service they provide arises.
Michael Fleming
for the Hummingbird A Home
A soft thrum of wings beating to the tune of 50 strokes per second. An imperceptible heartbeat, efficiently turning out 1,260 beats per minute. Hummingbirds are one of the world’s most beautiful creatures, and they can be seen almost anywhere. And while hummingbird feeders are a wonderful mechanism for holding their interest, attracting them in the first place is the primary challenge. If you are a fan of this tiny bird, investing in a hummingbird garden could be your best bet for catching their eye, and the pictures are sure to be fairly dazzling, too. Having the right plants in your garden is the first step to making a wonderful home for a hummingbird. Pretty, purple prairie blazingstar or sunset-colored columbine are sure to bring recognition. Honeysuckle, trumpet creeper, and red buckeye are also lovely examples. If you have a garden of
trees and shrubs, azalea and mimosa will do well, while for vines, morning glory is likely to do the trick. Some perennials that hummingbirds tend to like include foxgloves, lupine, yucca, and coral bells. Desirable annuals include jewelweed, petunias, and fuchsia. Visit your local nursery to find out what grows best in your area. Besides a wide variety of favorite flowers, hummingbird gardens must also provide a healthy, hazard-free environment. Using pesticides around your flowers is a bad idea, as is killing small, typical garden pests. Interestingly, these small insects are necessary for hummingbirds, as they rely on them for protein and do not survive on nectar alone. Convenient perches are another aspect of the perfect hummingbird garden. Hummingbirds only spend 10-15 percent
of their time feeding because of how much energy it takes for them to fly. For the other 75-80 percent, they rest and digest. Good perches include twigs, leaf stems, and clotheslines. If at first you don’t see hummingbirds, be patient. It is widely believed that due to their large appetite (a hummingbird eats half its weight in sugar every day), in a given year, every square meter of the U.S. is explored by at least one hummingbird. Harkening back to “Field of Dreams,” “If you build it, they will come.”
1
Published by The Newsletter Pro . www.TheNewsletterPro.com
www.zerorezsocal.com
When it comes to pest control, it often feels like we at Moxie have seen it all. From ticks and jumping spiders to voles and earwigs, we’re experts at eliminating any pest problem. But we’ll be the first to admit that there are a few pests out there in the world we’re glad don’t live here in Orange County. Take the Japanese giant hornet , for example, a thumb-sized yellow monster with a 2.4-inch wingspan and stinger a fourth of an inch long. One entomologist described the sensation of being stung as feeling “like a hot nail being driven into [his] leg.” Each sting injects a large amount of dangerous venom, which attacks the nervous system of its victims. The poison also contains a pheromone cocktail that sends a signal to hornets within range, calling them to join them in their stinging frenzy. Over 40 people in Japan die each year from these yellow beasts. Decidedly, they’re not to be messed with. On the other hand, there’s the human botfly , native to South America, which might not be a vicious, powerful little bugger, but it has one of the most disturbing reproductive cycles on Earth. The fly will lay its eggs and attach them to a horsefly, mosquito, or tick. When the host lands on human skin, the eggs hatch, and the larvae burrow into the top layer, feeding just below the surface. It then incubates for eight weeks, using the human body as a food source, and then it drops out of the wound to pupate. If that doesn’t make your skin crawl, I’m not sure what will. Then, there’s the innocuous tsetse fly , an insect that inhabits tropical parts of Africa. This fly survives by feeding on the blood of vertebrates. So far, not so bad — that’s like a horsefly, right? — except for the fact that they carry trypanosomes. Trypanosomes are microscopic organisms, that, after being transmitted by the tsetse, causes a deadly disease in humans. Symptoms first seem flu-like, but they can soon lead to a coma. Infected patients often die within months. The disease is a real problem in the region, affecting between 250 and 300 people every year. These bad bugs don’t mean you have to be thankful for your earwig infestation. Give us a call today, and we’ll kick out the freeloaders, giving you the peace of mind to get on with your life — hornet-, botfly-, and tsetse-free. Bad Mother Buggers Be Glad These Pests Don’t Live in Orange County
You may not be ready to hear this, but it’s that time of year again. That’s right — it’s time for spring cleaning! Like so many other yearly rituals, you’re probably going to hear about spring cleaning for the next few months, at least until the season changes. Until then, we have a couple of tips to ease your cleaning burdens — particularly for those things that often get forgotten in the rush. Here’s what you can do to have the freshest … Freshen Up Your Spring Cleaning Two Tips for an Even Cleaner Home … Garbage Disposal . How regularly do you clean your garbage disposal? It tends to be one of those appliances that gets forgotten until that smell starts to invade the kitchen. While you can find specialized cleaning capsules at most home stores, they aren’t something you’d typically keep around. What I bet you do have on hand is citrus: oranges, lemons, and limes. Whenever you peel an orange, juice a lemon, or find yourself with some leftover lime wedges, toss them into the garbage disposal with a few ice cubes. Then turn on the appliance for 20 to 30 seconds. Once the disposal sounds clear, run hot water for another 30 seconds to rinse. Done! Not only will your garbage disposal be nearly as clean as the day it was installed, but your kitchen will smell citrusy-fresh! … Pillows . No, we’re not talking pillow cases. This is a tip for the actual pillow. In the past, you may have washed your bed pillows only to be left dissatisfied with the results — that is, if you’ve ever actually washed your pillows. No matter what you do, they stay lumpy and dingy. They’re just plain gross. Well, no more! Add a little extra cleaning power to your regular laundry detergent: powdered dishwasher detergent, bleach, and borax. As a general rule of thumb, add about one part of each ingredient. Then, run the pillows on a cycle with hot water. To dry, you’ll get the best results from leaving your pillows under the sun for a few hours. However, if you’re crunched for time or the weather isn’t on your side, you can put your pillows (but no more than two at a time) in the dryer. Just be sure to toss in a couple tennis balls to avoid lumps!
2
Published by The Newsletter Pro . www.TheNewsletterPro.com
(888) 236-8665
Living Like the Modern Stone Age Family
Tired of living in the modern home? Want something a little more prehistoric? Don’t worry, it’s not a trick question. There are no caves involved. All the modern conveniences are still at your disposal. Let’s just say the styling is a bit “outdated.” Designed to blend in with the high desert of Southern California, namely in the hills above Malibu, this prehistoric- looking home draws its inspiration from the classic 1960s animated sitcom “The Flintstones.” It was also owned by Dick Clark, who used it for weekend escapes from the busy Hollywood life. One of the home’s defining features, other than looking like a huge slab of sandstone, is its breathtaking views. The structure sits on top of its very own mountain, surrounded by 23 acres of natural SoCal beauty. Gaze out at the Pacific Ocean or take in the nighttime view of Los Angeles. You can even look north toward Simi Valley. There is always something new to see. Despite the perfect views and the Flintstonian architecture, the home sat on the market for over two years. When it was put on
the market in 2012, it was listed at $3,500,000. By December of 2014, the home’s asking price had fallen to $1,777,777 and a buyer snapped it up, ready to relive a piece of television history.
Detoxify Air the Natural Way
spring or whenever it outgrows its current pot.
The snake plant is also known as a vertical-growing houseplant, and it removes formaldehyde from the air. While not a naturally occurring compound, formaldehyde is used in a number of cleaning products, as well as treated paper and fabrics. Care: While they thrive in a sunny window space, snake plants can live in any room. Care is simple: Only water in small quantities every few weeks. There are no other instructions for this hardy little plant. Your family’s health is important, and we all know health starts at home. If you’re looking for a natural way to keep the air in your home clean this winter, your local greenhouse is the best place to start.
Red Dracaena add color with beautiful pink to dark red coloring. They can grow quite large — up to 15 feet in some instances. This plant removes many of the harmful organic compounds in the air before they enter our bodies. Care: Unlike peace lilies, this plant needs a bright environment, just not in direct sunlight. Water your dracaena thoroughly when the soil becomes dry and drain into a tray or tub. If your home air is dry, mist the leaves. A dracaena will grow and should be repotted every
Peace lilies have a lovely white flower and grow well under artificial light. They also absorb common pollutants like formaldehyde, benzene, and trichloroethylene. Care: Use an all-purpose potting soil and keep it moist. Do not overwater your peace lily. You may need to give the plant fresh soil once a year. Shade is the best environment for this plant; if it is not blooming, it could need a darker spot in the home.
3
Published by The Newsletter Pro . www.TheNewsletterPro.com
www.zerorezsocal.com
A Sunny Makeover Tips to Springify Your Yard
Remove rust spots from garden tools, clean and sharpen blades on mowers and trimmers, and tune up your power tools. Brighten Your Beds: During winter, broken branches, leaves, dead plants, animal waste, and litter seem to accumulate in your flower beds. Use a rake and your trusty garden gloves to remove all debris from your beds and berms. Make sure to inspect birdbaths, fountains, and other lawn features for debris, too. Fertilize Your Flowers: Now is the time to add new mulch to your flower and veggie beds and to give your trees and shrubs a boost of fertilizer for spring.
You’ve spring cleaned, de-cluttered, and organized your home top to bottom — now it’s time to relax and smell the roses, right? Wrong. It’s time to take that spring cleaning motivation outside to your yard and garden! Follow these cleanup tips to give your home a refreshing facelift and prepare your flower
beds and lawn for the rest of the year. Who knows? Your yard might even become the envy of the neighborhood. Tune Up Your Tools: If you missed your garage or shed during your indoor spring cleaning, make sure to tackle those now.
Home Is Where the Art Is
How to Create a Gallery Wall
“Collect the things you love, that are authentic to you, and your house becomes a story.”
wildfire, and if you want in on this trend, here are a few tips to follow:
Start with one large piece to anchor the wall, but don’t worry about centering it. Gallery walls are all about asymmetry and balance. Lay everything out on the floor first and play with a few different arrangements. Take pictures of the ones you like best until you land on the perfect setup. When you make your final decision, all you have to do is recreate it on the wall! Just make sure you leave at least 3 inches between pieces. This will prevent the wall from feeling overcrowded. To get the full effect of the gallery wall, try using two or three different colors or styles of frames. You can find inexpensive frames
– Erin Flett
Wall art not only makes your space feel homier, but it helps you feel more at home in your space. And when it comes to hanging wall art, there is no right or wrong way, no stylebook or palette you have to abide by. Simply surround yourself with the things you love and you’ll soon discover that home is where the art is! The advent of the gallery wall means that you now have an easy, inexpensive way to display all those things that matter most to you. Gallery walls are catching on like
4
Published by The Newsletter Pro . www.TheNewsletterPro.com
(888) 236-8665
When Weeds Invade Take Control of Your Garden
Primp Your Perennials: Your perennial trees and shrubs need a haircut, and it is best to do so before new growth appears. Your plants have weathered the winter and will need extra TLC, so be gentle with them and inspect them for damage (don’t forget to fertilize!). Love Your Lawn: Call the professionals to treat for pests and weeds as well as to thatch and aerate your lawn. Aeration will allow more water, air, and nutrients to permeate the soil, giving your lawn a nicer look. Thatching removes the dead stuff and revitalizes your grass after winter. Now is also the time to mow and edge for even more curb appeal!
You plant an amazing garden. You watch it grow and bear the literal fruits and veggies of your labor. But, you also watch the weeds grow, becoming a nuisance that never seems to go away. You may pull the weeds, till, and, in extreme situations, spray, but nothing seems to work. Well, no need to stress! Weeds are always going to invade, but there are two highly effective ways to reduce their numbers and take control of your garden! Mulch Madness Covering surface soil keeps unwanted seeds from taking hold. You can use straw, dry leaves, or dry grass clippings. The added benefit of mulch is it helps to keep the soil from quickly drying out, especially during the hot summer months. However, you’ll want to keep a close eye on soil moisture. If the soil becomes too wet around the base of a plant, the moisture may cause damage (such as mold or rot). If the soil does become too wet, simply remove the mulch and let the
soil dry out for a day or more, as necessary. Then add a fresh layer of mulch. And be sure to spread the mulch over as much of your garden as possible. Wherever there’s bare soil, there are invasive seeds waiting to germinate. Till Timing Save tilling for before planting and again after the growing season ends. When you till, unwanted seeds are mixed in the soil, where they can easily germinate. Every time you disturb the soil, either by pulling weeds, digging, or tilling, seeds always manage to find their way into the soil. This doesn’t mean you should avoid these activities; instead, only do them when it’s necessary.
Fun Word Facts
at the dollar store or thrift shop, or shop for sales at your local craft store.
“Teetertotter” is the longest word that can be made using the letters on only one row of the keyboard.
The same goes for the art held within those frames. Mix photographs, paintings, and drawings for a fluid feel. Add a mirror here and there, a handwritten letter, or a mounted statue. Chances are, you probably have plenty of materials already, but if you’re scrounging for art, try garage sales or thrift stores. After all, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure, and you never know what you might find! The end result will be a beautiful, engaging wall that makes you feel right at home. The best part? Your gallery wall can grow right along with you and your family.
A pangram sentence is one that uses every word of a language. “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog” is an English pangram.
Shakespeare was the first person on record to use the words “assassination” and “bump.”
The name of each continent ends with the same letter it starts with.
The word “lethologica” describes the state of not being able to remember the word you want.
“Dreamt” is the only English word that ends in the letters “mt.”
5
Published by The Newsletter Pro . www.TheNewsletterPro.com
www.zerorezsocal.com
Pesky Pests No More
Perk Up Your Plants
Gardens provide you with your own delicious, home-grown produce that you can pick right off the plant. The only downside to tending a personal garden is the bugs and pests that are likely loving the fruits (and vegetables) of your labor just as much as you are. At Moxie, we don’t spray gardens, but luckily, you can get rid of these little guys with a few simple steps. First, closely examine your plants . Are there little holes in the leaves where critters have been chomping? What do the bite marks look like? Are the leaves droopy? Different pests cause different damage to your plants. Look at the damage carefully to better decide what type of insect you’re dealing with.
You’re worthless without your morning cuppa Joe, but “the best part of wakin’ up” can be a serious perk for your plants as well. Don’t pour your stale coffee down the drain — put it to good use by feeding it to your flowers! Acid-loving plants, like spider plants, roses, and hydrangeas, thrive on all of the nutrients coffee has to offer. Seriously, who knew Folgers was such a good source of potassium for your plants? Coffee is chock-full of flower-friendly nutrients like calcium, nitrogen, phosphorous, and other minerals. But not all plants can digest its acidic quality. Most herbs and indoor plants are perfectly suitable, but do your research before you spray! If your garden happens to host a variety of non-acid-loving fauna, you can still mix coffee grounds with the soil to give them a little extra boost of flower power (so to speak). To make your coffee mixture, simply brew a normal pot of coffee and dilute it with 1½ parts water. For example, if you have 1 cup of coffee left over, mix it with 1½ cups of water. Your plants like their coffee black, so don’t try to feed them any coffee that has been mixed with sugar or cream. Add your coffee/water solution to a spray bottle and spray your plants once a week with the mixture. But beware: Even acid-loving plants can only take so much, so spray sparingly and water as normal throughout the week. When it comes to coffee and your flowers, less is more! Start small and increase the dosage each week, then evaluate how your plants respond. Before long, your plants and flowers will be fuller, stronger, and live longer than ever before! Talk about a perk.
After determining what you’re up against, get the appropriate garden insect traps . You can find a trap for basically any common California garden pest, from aphids to scales. For added defense, dust your plants. No, not with the feather duster. Use dry wheat bran to fight potato beetles, cornmeal for cutworms, and diatomaceous earth for slugs or other moist and soft insects. After each of these steps, if bugs are still eating away at your plants, it may be time bring out the big guns . Find a garden- safe insecticidal spray. Bayer makes a popular application that kills most of the common garden pests in California, as does Target. Check the label to make sure it targets the specific critters you’re looking to eliminate and let it rip (following the instructions carefully, of course).
6
Published by The Newsletter Pro . www.TheNewsletterPro.com
(888) 236-8665
Have A Laugh!
SUGAR SNAP SALAD
Ingredients
• 1½ pounds sugar snap
• 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar • 1 bunch radishes (about 6 ounces), trimmed, thinly sliced • 4 ounces feta, crumbled • Freshly ground black pepper • 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh mint
peas, trimmed, cut in half lengthwise
• Kosher salt • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil • 1 tablespoon (or more) fresh lemon juice
Instructions
1. Fill a large bowl with ice water; set aside. Cook peas in a large pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Drain; transfer to bowl with ice water to cool. Drain peas; transfer to a kitchen towel-lined baking sheet to dry. 2. Whisk oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and vinegar in a small bowl. Toss peas, radishes, and cheese in a large bowl. Can be made one day ahead. Cover dressing and salad separately and chill. 3. Just before serving, add dressing to salad and toss to coat. Season salad with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice, if desired. Garnish with mint.
SPRING DIY Raised Gardens
3. Pour a thin, even layer of gravel on the plot. The gravel will suppress the growth of weeds or grass. Flatten the plot by walking on it to create a level foundation for your garden bed. 4. Build the garden frame. Use a drill and wood screws to connect the wooden boards into a rectangular shape. You will require more or fewer screws depending on how long and wide you decided to make your garden. Place your boards at right angles to each other, and then use the screws to secure the boards in place. 5. Place the wood frame in the garden bed. If your rectangular garden boards are the correct size to fit inside your flattened bed, go ahead and place them. If not, shovel away or replace turf to create a secure, level fit. Also, secure some of the displaced dirt around the outside edge of the frame to help hold it in place.
Raised gardens have become very popular in recent years. The raised bed allows complete control over soil, making it an ideal option for backyard gardeners plagued with poor soil or insufficient drainage. Preparing a raised garden can be quite easy and can often be completed in an afternoon. Here are the simple steps to follow: 1. Designate a location for your garden. An east-facing bed will receive morning sun and afternoon shade, which is best for growing vegetables. For a small family garden, measure a 4-foot-by-6-foot rectangle and mark its perimeter with the chalk line. 2. Dig out the bed. Although the garden will be raised above the lawn, the grass must be removed. Shovel away the turf and first few inches of soil to create a garden plot.
6. Pour the garden soil and/or compost into the frame.
Fill to desired height and begin mapping out where you want each section of plants to go.
7. Transplant vegetable seedlings or sow seeds in your new raised garden. Be sure that the location provides enough space to walk around all sides of the garden. For example, it can be difficult to reach the back portion of a raised bed that is placed against a wall. With a little planning and effort, you will soon be enjoying the fruits (and vegetables) of your labor.
7
Published by The Newsletter Pro . www.TheNewsletterPro.com
www.zerorezsocal.com
17815 SKY PARK CIRCLE, #A IRVINE, CALIFORNIA 92614 (888) 236-8665
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Two Tips for an Even Cleaner Home
Tips to Springify Your Yard
How to Create a Gallery Wall
Take Control of Your Garden
Perk Up Your Plants
Spring DIY Raised Gardens
PLUS MUCH MORE!
See Special Offers Inside!
Zerorez Is Here for You
on other flooring surfaces in your home. Let us remove that grimy detergent and chemical build-up and make your home clean, healthy, and residue-free again. In recognition of the changing trends in flooring, Zerorez announces a simplified pricing structure that gives you a better cleaning value. $60 per cleaned area, no matter what the surface, with a two- area minimum. We hope you enjoy this new and improved issue of our Healthy Home News, and we look forward to keeping all your carpet, rugs, upholstery, tile, grout, stone, and wood in tip-top condition by providing you with a clean, healthy, and residue-free home.
Over the years flooring trends have changed quite dramatically. Twenty years ago carpet was the dominant choice in home flooring, with tile or vinyl in the kitchen and the occasional tiled bathroom thrown in for good measure. Travertine natural stone flooring and distressed hardwood floors pulled ahead in the popularity contest about 10 years ago. These days, it can be all of the above, and more. We’re
seeing ceramic tiles that are made to look like wood or travertine, and upgraded laminate floors that are made to perform for the long-term. The good news for us is that it all still gets soiled and needs cleaning, and there is no better way to clean all these surfaces then with our patented pH-conditioned cleaning water. Get the same powerful, residue- removing cleaning that you know us for
Eric Bollman
8
Published by The Newsletter Pro . www.TheNewsletterPro.com
(888) 236-8665
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker