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Making Sure Your Garden Is Safe This Summer

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To most people the Garden is a safe place both for themselves their pets and their children, but this may not always be the case so we have put together some information to help make sure your garden is safe over the summer months.

Pets

While each pet can have a different reaction to certain plants we have researched and compiled a list below of some of the plants and trees which are potential poisonous or may give your cat, dog or other animal an upset stomach.

  • Aloe
  • Apple
  • Apricot
  • Avocado
  • BlackJack Pine
  • Butercup
  • Chamomile
  • Cherry
  • Daffodil

You can find out full indepth detail and more information about which plants you should avoid by going to the following website http://www.aspca.org/Pet-care/poison-control/Plants

Garden Flooring (Childrens Play Mats)

When it comes to children in the garden it is often the case that home owners look for some form of safety flooring or play mats to help young ones stay safe. This is especially used when it come play areas such as swings, climbing frames or other equipment.

From my own personal experience or the research I have carried out I would strongly recommend one of the following surfaces:

  • Soft sponge tar
  • Sponge Play Mats
  • Bark or soft wood chippings
  • Recycled Rubber

BBQ’s and Fire Safety:

When it comes to cooking or heating in the garden you need to make sure that you cover a few bases. Firstly makes sure you think about wind direction, not just for the smoke but if it’s a very windy day then make sure you are cooking away from everyone and that your equipment can not be blown over.

If you are using a gas bbq or heater then once its been used disconect the gas supply and make sure the gas bottle is stored away from any further heat.

Keep children far away from the cooking and make sure the fire is never left unattended and before you even start the fire make sure that your BBQ is stable. A lot of accidents happen simply because the barbeque falls over, so above all make sure it cannot fall or be knocked down.

Water

You may not be able to afford a swimming pool (If you can then have a read of this article about pool safety http://www.homeandgardendiva.com/home-and-family/keeping-your-pool-area-safe-comfortable-and-fun-for-all-the-family/) but water in the garden can come in a number of forms whether it’s a fountain a pond, water founatin or similar.

If you have a pond then i would advise to think about using a Pond Guard or Safety grid cover, this will prevent any small children from falling in and also protects fish from any predators (mainly cats).

Our Final Tips

The final tips are about tools; make sure that you keep your spades, forks or sheers in a safe place, they can be an accident haven whether they are sharpe or blunt. So making sure they are locked away in a shed or garage will ensure you garden is safe for you, your pets and your children.

Attached Images:
  •  License: MBG Stock Image by Smart Photo Stock
  •  License: MBG Stock Image credit Cheap photos
  •  License: MBG Stock Photo provided by: Guest blogging community

Andrew Taylor is an avid garden enthusiast who works for Alfresia Cushions for garden furniture. He writes for a number of blogs and other gardening publications.

3 Natural Remedies For Getting Rid Of Ticks That Plague Dogs And Cats

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Your loyal canine companion or your fuzzy tabby can all be targeted by ticks. Ticks are arachnids that suck the blood of animals and sometimes people. The problem here is that these creatures aren’t just bloodsuckers. When they bite, they can also transmit dangerous viruses and parasites to your pet. So, at the first indication of a tick infestation, you should deal with the problem right away to keep it from worsening. Consider asking your vet about what treatments are available or you can also opt for natural remedies, which will be discussed further below.

Choosing Natural

Why should you decide on natural treatments for ticks? First of all, natural options are more Earth-friendly, and so these are less toxic to the environment. Plus, natural remedies are safer for your wellbeing and the health of your pet as such methods reduce exposure to stronger and more harmful chemicals.

pet

So, what are some natural remedies for ticks that are plaguing your house pets? Here are some examples.

1. Essential Oils

Essential oils are aromatic substances derived from the flower, bark, stem or leaves of plants or trees. There are several kinds of oils that you can use to repel ticks. Citrus scents, including lemon, orange or lemongrass, as well as tea tree, juniper, oregano, thyme, and rosewood oils are a few examples. You can find different recipes online. Some oils, such as rose geranium oil, can be directly applied on collars. You only need a few drops. Others have to be diluted in carrier oils, like olive oil and sunflower oil, or alcohols, such as vodka. However, ask your vet first before using any type of essential oil on cats since felines are very sensitive to such, especially citrusy oils.

2. Diatomaceous Earth

Diatomaceous earth, which is also called diatomite, is a powdery substance that is often used as filtering material. This can help kill insects with exoskeletons, which are the hard outer structures of certain creatures, such as ants, lice, ticks and fleas. DE sticks onto the outer layer of insects and then slowly scrapes these away. Once the exoskeleton is damaged, the insect becomes dehydrated or injured, and it will eventually die. For tick and flea control, food-grade DE can be dusted onto your pet’s coat. It is alright for animals to ingest DE as this is non-toxic and it can even help get rid of worms in an animal’s GI tract. To prevent further infestation, apply DE onto your pet’s bedding too.

3. Citrus Fruits

Just cut an orange or lemon in half and then rub this onto your pet’s fur. Orange peels are also popular options. The citrusy odor repels both ticks and fleas. Rubbing fresh fruit on your cat is fine, but since felines generally dislike citrus scents, you’ll be making it very unhappy. Also, remember that essential oils and fruit juices are very dissimilar. So, don’t rub orange oil on your pet’s fur, especially if you have a cat, because, as mentioned earlier, felines are very sensitive to strong oils.

Citations:
  • Mr. T in DC. “Havre de Grace Dog Greeting”. April 3, 2010. Online image. Flickr. July 2, 2013.
Attached Images:

Claire Brent is a freelancer who likes to blog about pests and how these affect households. If you are interested to learn more about pest control, she suggests that you visit http://www.preventivepestcontrol.com/locations/new-mexico/rio-rancho/ for more details.





Thrifty Ways To Make A Better First Impression For Your Home

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Whether you are looking to sell your house or you simply want to give your guests a good welcome, it is important that your home’s exterior look amazing. After all, this is the first feature that buyers and visitors will see when they drop by your house.

However, making your home’s exterior memorable and inviting does not mean you need to purchase new plants or add expensive hardscapes to your space. With a little creativity and a little investment of time, money and effort, here are some frugal ways to improve the view of your house from the street.

Clear out the clutter

An unkempt yard or porch is always an eyesore and it can be a turn-off for potential homebuyers. So to ensure this does not get in the way of a possible sale, start clearing up the clutter on your yard and around your home’s exterior. Take away hoses, kids toys, garden tools and mismatched ornaments and transfer them into your shed or garage. Also, refrain from making your yard or porch as a catchall for unwanted stuff.

Clean up the area

 

Nothing is more disappointing for a homebuyer and visitor than a house that is both dirty and in disrepair. To avoid giving a bad first impression, fix flaws on your home’s exterior such as sagging gutters, fading paint, cracked windows, missing roof shingles and damaged siding. After you have done all the necessary repairs, take out the hose or rent a power washer and make your driveway, paved paths, windows, and siding spic and span. Just be sure that the surfaces you plan to wash can withstand the pressure coming from the hose or power wash to avoid damaging them.

Upgrade exterior hardware

Your exterior hardware should be stylish, distinct and consistent to the architectural style of your house. So if the existing numbers, mailbox, door knocker and handle, and porch lights of your house are starting to show signs of their age, it is about time you upgrade them. You will find a number of styles and options available in the market and most of them are competitively priced and easy to install. A new set of hardware will freshen up the exterior of your home and will make a subtle yet solid first impression to guests when you invite them to come inside.

Pay attention to your landscape

 

If the exterior of your house is well maintained yet you still feel that it does not make a good visual impact, try looking at your landscape. Maybe the bushes and shrubs look too busy and you have too many flowers within a space. Or, perhaps there are worn spots on your yard that’s making it look unsightly.

In such case, your best bet is to prune overgrown greens and ensure your yard is mowed regularly. It is also a good idea to trim out dormant ornamental grasses and improve the look of your flower beds. Likewise, repair the worn spots on your yard by applying a roll of sod which you can purchase from your local garden centre.  If you have too much plants on the yard, consider transferring some of them into containers and organize them on your porch or front entry stairs.

Make your front door and windows wow

 

Your front door and windows are among the focal points of your house’s exterior. So never leave them looking drab. An investment in a can of paint or stain can do wonders to restore the beauty or improve the appearance of your front door. For your windows, on the other hand, you may choose to add decorative moulding or trim to frame them and give them a new look.

Carrie Abraham is a seasoned writer and home improvement warrior. She combines these two passions by providing insightful posts and advice on home repair, maintenance, and décor. She also contributes content for Skip Hire in Stirling expert, Lothian Skip Hire.

Top Tips On How To Create A Stylish Outdoor Living Area For The Long Summer Evenings

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Top tips on how to create a stylish outdoor living area for the long summer evenings

It seems like every time little bit of sunshine graces us with its presence, everyone goes crazy getting ready for summer! We love preparing ourselves, and our home, for the sunny days and long summer evenings – sunbathing in the early morning, late cocktail evenings with our friends and the unforgettable BBQ parties. When inviting our friends over, admit it, we are all secretly seeking admiring comments on our good-looking exterior design.

You don’t need a great, big swimming pool or a garden twice the size of your living room to enjoy the warm evenings. Whether it is a roof terrace, a deck or a conservatory, make sure you’re ready for this exciting time of the year (and for the chilly evenings, too!)

Options are endless, but these tips will hopefully spark some ideas for you to create whatever design fits your style.

The location of its foundation

If your house didn’t come with a terrace, you might want to build a patio yourself. Bearing in mind that sunbathing takes less surface space than inviting the whole family over, you’ll first need to decide on the patio size. Then it only takes a handful of materials and patience.

Are you lucky enough to have a beautiful, big tree in your backyard? You might want to try constructing a patio next to its trunk so you can enjoy the shade while drinking a cocktail. If there’s nothing to hide behind, and your translucent skin – white from our long winter – is getting scorched by the sun, why not cover the patio or sitting area with a gazebo?

Once you have decided on the concept, it’s time to see it to fruition. To make sure you are well prepared and don’t miss out on anything important, why not do a quick Google search on ‘Build Own Patio’? With millions of results and easy step-by-step videos you’ll guarantee your patio will last for longer than just the summer of 2013!

Keeping warm on chilly evenings

We all know how summer evenings can last till late, and at some point, you loose track of time. But temperatures will drop. A fire place on the deck definitely stimulate the summer-feel and will keep you warm for sure.

If your deck doesn’t allow for a fire place, why not design a conservatory or garden room? With large windows and the doors open, it will feel like you’re sitting outside while giving you the comfort of an indoor room. Accessorise with a wooden radiator, keeping the ‘outdoor oasis’ look consistent and ensuring you stay warm even on chilly evenings and rainy days.

The tables and chairs

Once the summer-sitting-area is agreed upon and built, the fun part begins: choosing the furniture and designing the layout.

Continuing the BBQ excitement – a large dining table accompanied by stylish chairs is what you need. Plus, if you want to enjoy the sunshine while reading your favourite novel, I highly recommend comfortable loungers and a small coffee (or wine!) table in the middle.

As it is for seasonal use only, completely new outdoor furniture sets might be a bit beyond your budget, and deciding to take out the standard plastic chairs from the garage and covering the dirty table with a flowered cloth can be a little less than inspiring. So why not have a look around in second-hand shops? These often have great vintage-look to offer – saving on your budget while hitting a 2013 design trend at the same time.

A Finishing Touch

Having decided on the outdoor area – or inside, garden room alternative – and its accompanying furniture, it’s time to accessorise and colour up! If there isn’t much greenery around, use big plants to accessorise. Fitting them into tiled pots with vivd colours will give your sitting area a bit more personality.

If you opt for multiple colours of flowers and pots, additional colours and patterns can become quite overwhelming. Try to keep your furniture cushions and covers single or neutral coloured, instead of using extra dots and stripes! The result will be an effective contrast between your patterned garden design and a calm patio to relax on after a long day of work.

Add some outdoor lighting as a finishing touch and enjoy evening meals out there too.

The great outdoors

Designing an outdoor space is similar to how we decorate our interior – we build and design according to our preferences and style. Utilise whatever space you have and really make it your own ‘great outdoors’ escape.

Now, time to organise your first outdoor party of the year!

Laura writes for Jaga decorative radiators. When not blogging, she can often be found trying to find time to enjoy her outdoor living space.

Spring Cleaning Tips- How To Get It Done In An Easier Way

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If you would like to clean out your house in the spring, but do not know how to begin, there are some useful tips that can help you. Clearing out the clutter and getting g rid of dust and debris will make your home a more enjoyable place to be.

Break Down the Jobs

When thinking about cleaning an entire house, you can get discouraged by all the different tasks you need to perform. The best strategy for spring cleaning is to break down the chores into several small jobs. It is best to plan ahead for the more difficult areas to tackle, such as the garage and basement. These places can be cleaned out on a weekend.

Focus Your Energy

When preparing to clean your home, you will find it easier to focus your energy on on specific task or one specific room. The best way to begin spring cleaning is to go through all of the closets, cabinets and cupboards to discard items that are broken or no longer used. You can also create boxes of items you can donate to area thrift stores or sell at a rummage sale

Prepare for Cleaning with the Right Supplies

You can also make your tasks easier if you create a list of the supplies you need to clean the different areas inside your home. Carpeted areas could be vacuumed or steam cleaned depending on how dirty they appear. Counters, mirrors and glass will require cleaners designed to cut through the grease and grime that builds up on their surfaces. You also want to make sure you have enough sponges, dry cloths and buckets. When choosing products to clean your home with you also have the option of choosing green products designed to be safe for the environment.

Utilize Fresh Air and Sunshine

One of the best ways to get the musty smell out of fabrics is to place them outdoors. You can freshen up your bed linens, area rugs and clothing by placing them outside in the fresh air. This is also a good way to dry items that have been laundered. You can even place the cushions from your arm chairs and sofas outside to freshen them up. Opening up the windows in your home will also allow the fresh air to circulate throughout the rooms.

Tackling the Bathroom

 

The main bathroom is usually the most difficult room to clean because you have to do a lot of scrubbing to remove soap scum. If the surround has tile on it you can use an all purpose cleaner and a toothbrush to get into the small crevices where dirt often accumulates. The sink in your bathroom should be cleaned using an appropriate cleanser designed for the material it is made of. You can also find products that will safely bleach out any stains on porcelain sinks or toilet bowls.

Mold can be a common problem in bathrooms where moisture is present. If you see dark spots along the ceiling or walls in your bathroom, they probably indicate the formation of mold. This mold can be removed by pouring full strength bleach onto a sponge and wiping the area. Be sure to protect your hands by wearing rubber gloves. To prevent mold from forming in the future you can give your bathroom a fresh look using mold resistant paint.

Attached Images:

Robert lives in New york with his wife and three kids. Hre is an avid blogger and marketing consulatant. Here he wrote very useful tips based on his own experience by spring cleaning together with his wife.

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