Waukesha County Home

(StatePoint) — It's the time of year to roll up your sleeves and do some spring clean- ing. Experts point out that it's helpful to streamline the tools you use to do the job and the tasks you seek to accomplish. "An all-purpose cleaner and a tough degreasing agent can be used in so many areas of the home," said Jeff Devlin, a licensed contractor who's appeared on sev- eral home improvement television shows. Devlin's first tip: Look to reduce the num- ber of products in your cleaning arsenal. "Along with high-quality sprays and cloths, I use one all-purpose cleaner that also con- tains degreasing ingredients." Devlin, along with Mean Green and its line of heavy-duty, all-purpose cleaners offer these different strategies for critical areas of your home: ■ Stove and range hoods: While you should be cleaning these areas regularly after food preparation, take this opportuni- ty to conduct a more thorough cleaning. Spray cleaner directly on the mess for up to two minutes. Wipe clean with a sponge or cloth. Then rinse thoroughly with clean water. ■ Sinks and countertops: Sinks and countertops can be a trap for food, grease, grime and soap scum. Generously spray non-porous surfaces with your cleaner then rinse with clean water. ■ Stove exhaust filter: The grease buildup that collects on the stove's exhaust filter can be a tough nut to crack. In a sink basin, mix 8 ounces of a concentrated mul- tisurface cleaner and 1 gallon of hot water and submerge the filter. Place the filter in a sink or dishpan and pour in concentrated cleaner to cover. Allow the filter to soak for 30 minutes. Drain the dishpan and rinse thoroughly with hot water. ■ Floors: Give your floors a mopping. Mix 4 ounces of cleaning solution with 1 gallon of warm water. Apply with mop or sponge. ■ Garbage cans and diaper pails: Bags often leak nastiness into the bottom of the garbage can, which can easily be missed when quickly replacing the bag. Turn your cleanser's nozzle to spray and generously cover the can. Wipe or brush any areas that have any residue. Rinse thoroughly with clean water. ■ Showers, tubs and tile: Use your cleaning agent at full strength and gener- ously spray surfaces directly. Allow it to penetrate the soap scum for up to two min- utes. Do not allow to dry. Wipe away with a coarse sponge or cloth. Rinse thoroughly with clean water. ■ Toilets: Let's face it. This isn't any- one's favorite job but it has to be done. Turn that nozzle to spray and generously spray the outside of the toilet. Wipe clean with a paper towel, then give a quick rinse. ■ Patio: For patios, outdoor furniture, concrete, vinyl fences and siding, use the same cleaner outdoors: simply spray, then wipe clean with a cloth or sponge and rinse surfaces with clean water. While you're at it, consider removing grease and grime from tools, engine parts, tires, sports gear and lawn equipment. More tips for getting your spring to-dos completed can be found at meangreende- greaser.com. "Make spring cleaning simple and effec- tive by using smart strategies on every sur- face of your home," Devlin said. 18 Full-size Doors On Display, Our Installers Are Licensed & Bonded 16'x7', 25 Gauge...Non Insulated Steel $ 745 Lifetime Door Co. TRUCKLOAD SALE on Garage Doors & Door Openers Installed Tax Included $ 945 • Other Sizes Available • 2000 Garage Doors in Stock Special! - Take down and haul away old door for FREE! 16x7 SAVE $ 240 NOW Model 8365 ORDER A LIFTMASTER 1/2 HP GARAGE DOOR OPENER & GET 2 REMOTES & KEYPAD. $ 345 Installed Tax Included • Two-Sided Pre-Finished Galvanized Steel • R-10 Insulated • 5 colors to choose from 12645 W. Townsend (2 blocks N. of Burleigh, enter off 124th St. only) Free Estimate 262-783-4004 Monday - Friday 7am-5pm www.lifetimedoor.net 2 5 3 5 2 7 0 0 7 Full Year Warranty, parts and service on installed operators. FREE Internet Gateway with order HOMES PLUS MARCH 2017 6 A simple spring cleaning checklist Fotolia.com The stove should draw a little added attention during spring cleaning. MUSKEGO — According to Consumer Reports, the top home improvement trends for 2017 focus on quality over quantity. In other words, low maintenance meets high design. "There is more and more demand for pur- chasing products that will help your home look and function better without all the fuss," said Doreen Schofield, designer with Callen Construction in Muskego. The primary focus of the continuing trend is the process of updating appliances. Now, many home remodelers will focus on a sin- gle room at a time to update, rather than try- ing to tackle the whole house in one fell swoop. This method can also help keep budg- eting on track. Regardless of whether the improvements are throughout the home or in a single room, upgrading appliances is likely on the to-do list. "Black stainless steel finishes are becoming popular, because unlike tradition- al stainless steel, it resists oily fingerprints, while looking just as professional," Schofield said. Water conservation is another component of this trend. "As environmentalism and thinking green continue to be fashionable mindsets and drought conditions still plague much of the country, innovations are mani- festing in impactful ways to save precious water throughout the home," Schofield said. For instance, the Trutankless TR Series smart water heaters offer hot water on demand, they do not store hot water and they are Wi-Fi connected for convenience. Although these popular trends tend to have a higher cost, it is possible to incorpo- rate these attributes while keeping budget in mind. "By researching options that follow the essence of the newest trends, you can find different models and brands that offer simi- lar benefits, " Schofield said. Where low maintenance intersects with high design

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