| How to Save Water in the Laundry Room Posted: 24 Jan 2022 12:00 AM PST Many laundry room appliances use a substantial amount of water. Older models of washing machine, for example, can require as many as 50 gallons of water per washing cycle.[1] This can add considerable cost to your water bill, but beyond the expense, in arid climates where water conservation is a concern, saving water in the laundry room might be a necessity. Cut down on water usage by optimizing your clothes washing, then all you need to do is implement some water waste prevention techniques. [Edit]Optimizing Your Clothes Washing - Upgrade your washing machine. When the time comes to replace your washing machine, buy a model with energy and water-saving features. In fact, newer models of washing machines are generally designed to use less water and electricity.[2]
- Some models have special water-saving modes to conserve water.[3]
- Some washer have a cold water mode which uses a new technology to clean well using only cold water.[4]
- Prioritize front-load models when buying a washing machine. Top-load models of washing machine generally use much more water than front-load models. Due to improved design, front-load washing machines can save you a considerable amount of water in the laundry room with every load.[5]
- Pre-treat difficult stains before washing them. Some stains may require special pre-treating techniques, but you can pre-treat most stains by saturating the stain with a stain remover. After that, rub the stain remover into the stain with your finger.
- For especially bad stains, you might need to rub the stain remover gently with a toothbrush. Brushing too hard could cause the color in the fabric to lift.[6]
- Stain remover can be found in the laundry section of most grocery stores, general retailers, and drug stores.
- Pre-treating will ensure your stains come out in the first wash cycle, which will save you from wasting water re-washing clothes.[7]
- Wash full loads of laundry whenever possible. Full loads of laundry maximize the water used in the washing process. By faithfully washing full loads of laundry, you could end up saving as much as 10,534 gallons of water per year.[8]
- Newer models of washing machine may have special settings that allow the amount of water used to be adjusted, allowing you to save water by matching load size with water amount.
- Skip additional rinse cycles. Your washer may have the option for a secondary and unnecessary rinse cycle. In many cases, this is signified by the words "Extra Rinse."[9] Turn off this feature to save your household a load of water with each complete wash cycle.
- The "Extra Rinse" cycle helps to remove detergent more thoroughly from your clothing. However, people with sensitive skin can suffer skin irritation if the Extra Rinse is skipped.
- If you have sensitive skin but still want to save water, consider using gentle, all-natural, chemical free detergents. These are gentler on the skin, and might not cause irritation when skipping the Extra Rinse cycle.[10]
[Edit]Preventing Water Waste - Check for and repair leaks regularly. Over time, the fittings and connectors on your pipes can come loose. Loose plumbing may allow water to drip through, which over time can create quite a bit of waste. If you see any drips or puddles in your laundry room, address them immediately. In many cases, tightening the connections with a wrench may solve your problem, though other leak fixing techniques may be required.
- Leaky plumbing, beyond contributing to water waste, can also cause significant damage to the infrastructure of your home and to your possessions as well.
- Hoses connected to your washing machine can be jostled loose sometimes, especially if you've cleaned recently. Check and re-fasten these on your washer.[11]
- Use basins and buckets when cleaning. When cleaning fruit, food, around the home, cloth items, and so on, you may be tempted do so with a steady stream of water straight from the faucet. While this is often most convenient, it can result in unnecessary waste.
- Add a conservative estimate of the water you need to a basin or bucket. Use this to clean, and, if necessary, add more water to the bucket little by little.[12]
- Direct greywater drainage to plants and trees. The term "greywater" refers to the mostly reusable water that is the byproduct of washing in sinks, tubs, washing machines, and so on. This water should not have come into contact with feces.[13] It can be a useful form of irrigation around your lawn, and can help you cut down on your sprinkler usage.[14]
- You can hire a plumber to redirect your greywater drainage directly to your lawn or garden.
[Edit]References |
| How to Fix a Broken Friendship with Your Crush Posted: 23 Jan 2022 04:00 PM PST It can be really tough if you've got a crush on a friend. Sometimes things get awkward and you might feel like your friendship has gotten off track. But if you really value this relationship, it's worth putting in some work to repair it. The main thing is to be willing to stay open to letting your friendship develop. Keep reading for lots of ways you can start enjoying your friendship again! [Edit]Reach out in a meaningful way. - Don't just send a text that says "hi." If you really want to fix your friendship, make sure to indicate that to your friend. Give them a call to let them know that you've been thinking about them and ask how they are doing. Or you can send a text if that feels right. Just make sure you let them know why you're reaching out.[1]
- You could say, "Hi, how are you? I wondered if you wanted to hang out and talk soon. Is that cool with you?"
- If they aren't ready to work on the friendship yet, give them space. You can reach out again later.
[Edit]Make sure you want to be friends with them. - You need to be willing to accept being just friends in order for it to work. Ask yourself if you are emotionally ready to be friends with someone who doesn't feel the same way about you. Will you be upset if they mention someone new? Will you be tempted to try to flirt with your crush? If so, you might not be ready to jump back into the friendship yet. That's okay! Take time to process your feelings and make sure you're ready.[2]
- Let your friend know that you get where they are coming from. This will let them know that you really do want to repair the friendship.
- You might tell them that you are taking time to process your feelings and figuring out the best way for you to handle your emotions. You can add that you're also trying to better understand their perspective.
[Edit]Discuss what went wrong. - Acknowledging the problem is the best way to start solving it. To truly mend your relationship, be honest about what needs to change. It's best if you can meet face to face for this conversation, so pick a time and a place where you both feel comfortable. Break the ice by telling them that you want to have an open conversation.[3]
- Maybe the friendship went awry because your crush started to spend time with someone they're dating. You could try saying something like, "I feel like we've drifted apart since Sam came into your life. I get that, but I want you to know that I'd really like us to get back to the way we were."
- Or, for example, maybe your friend just stopped hanging out with you and you're not sure why. That can feel hurtful, but maybe they are dealing with something that you don't know about. Try saying, "Hey, you haven't been responding to my texts lately. Is everything okay? Let me know how you're doing."
- Your friend might have a different perspective on the issue, so make sure you're willing to listen to their side, too.
[Edit]Offer a genuine apology. - If you messed up, be the first to say sorry. It can be hard to apologize, especially when there are deep feelings involved. But if you were in the wrong, own it. This will let your friend know that you're really committed to working on your relationship.[4]
- For example, maybe you got upset when your friend started dating someone new. Say something like, "I'm really sorry that I wasn't more supportive of you. I pulled away because I felt awkward. I know that probably hurt, and I'd really like us to work on rebuilding our friendship."
- Only say sorry if you mean it. Don't apologize for something that you didn't do.
[Edit]Be willing to forgive if you're feeling hurt. - Get ready to move on from the past in order to rebuild your relationship. Forgiveness is just as important as apologizing. It can be really tough to get over it if your crush accidentally crushed your feelings. But if this friendship is important to you, you need to be willing to move on. If they offer you an apology, receive it with an open mind.[5]
- This doesn't necessarily mean that you have to forgive right away. Just be open to the possibility of healing. Let your friend know that you're still hurt, but you do want to mend the friendship.
- This doesn't mean that you have to forget what happened. You can be willing to forgive but see a need to set new boundaries going forward.
[Edit]Tell your crush how you feel about your relationship. - Honesty shows that you're serious about fixing the friendship. To move forward, you'll need to communicate openly with your friend.[6] Ask if you can talk to them, and try to have an open, face-to-face conversation. This can be tough, especially if you're still feeling raw. Be patient with yourself, but commit to being honest moving forward. Let your friend know how you feel and what you need from them.[7]
- It's okay to let them know that you have a crush on them (if they didn't already know). Just explain that you are comfortable being just friends.
- If you're upset about something, share that with them. Honesty is an important part of a real friendship.
[Edit]Be willing to listen to their feelings. - Being a good listener shows you're committed to making this work. Friendship is a two-way street, so remember that it's not all about you. Your crush might have some things they want to share with you, so listen to them with an open mind. Let them initiate conversations and take the lead sometimes.[8]
- Make eye contact when they talk and nod your head at times to show that you are really listening. Ask follow-up questions if you're not sure what they mean or if you need them to elaborate.
- You can even say something like, "We haven't hung out much lately. Did I do something to bother you?"
[Edit]Keep your behavior friendly, not flirty. - Treat them like you would treat any other friend. While it might be hard, resist the urge to flirt. That might mean no physical touch, like a hand on their leg or arm when they are talking. Try not to toss your hair, giggle, or go overboard with compliments. Those are traditional signs of flirting, so it's best to avoid them.[9]
- If they are flirting with you, nicely ask them to stop. Say, "If we really want to keep this friendship going, we've got to stop flirting. I hope you understand."
[Edit]Set appropriate boundaries. - Limit the amount of time you spend together to create a little distance. If you are crushing on someone, your instinct might be to try to spend as much time around them as possible. But if you are trying to mend your relationship, it might be a good idea to take a step back. Cut back on the amount of time you used to spend with each other while your relationship heals.[10]
- This might sound hard, but try not to stress. You're not cutting them out of your life, you're just taking a breath.
- If you used to meet up once a week, try scaling back to once every other week.
- Maybe you used to text every single day. Try only hitting them up a couple times a week while you work things out.
[Edit]Try not to get jealous if they date someone else. - Let your friend know that it's okay if they start a new relationship. This might be the toughest part, but it's super important. If you really want to be friends with this person, they need to be able to trust that you won't ditch them if they start dating. You don't have to listen to every detail of their crush, but you should be able to let them know that you're cool with their choice to date.[11]
- You can tell them, "I get that you might start dating someone. I just want to let you know that's not going to impact our friendship."
- If you don't want to hear about their relationship, or you're not ready to be introduced to their new partner, it's totally okay to say that. Those are perfectly fine boundaries to set.
- If this feels too tough to you, you might not be ready to have a real friendship with this person. That is okay! Take some time to focus on yourself.
[Edit]Plan something fun to do together. - Do an activity that you used to enjoy with each other to reconnect. After you've had the necessary tough talks, you deserve to have some fun! Ask your friend if they want to hang out and relax with you. Try doing something that you used to love doing together to remind yourselves how great your friendship really is.[12]
- Maybe you used to love going to movies together. Ask your friend if they're up for a double-feature and offer to buy the popcorn.
- If music was something that you shared, ask them if they want to go check out a live show.
[Edit]Work on your friendship by putting in regular effort. - Put effort into this relationship to help it grow. Friendships take work, just like any other relationship. It might take some time for you two to get back to a great place. That's okay. Be patient and keep trying to connect with your friend.[13]
- Make it a point to check in with your friend and ask them how they are doing. You might want to do this once a week, or maybe even every couple of weeks. Do what feels right for you.
- Set aside time to spend with them on a regular basis. This is a personal decision, but make sure to not let several weeks or even months go by without hanging out. That could create distance, and that probably won't help fix the friendship.
- It's okay if this is an emotional journey for you. Lean on your other friends for support.
- Make sure this is a friendship that you truly want to commit to. If the person doesn't add anything positive to your life (like fun or support), it might be time to let the relationship fade.
[Edit]References |
| How to Make a Vase out of a Plastic Bottle Posted: 23 Jan 2022 08:00 AM PST Decorative vases for your flowers can be expensive and fragile. Fortunately, making your own vases is easy! For one option. all you need are a pair of scissors and an empty plastic bottle. Cut the top off the bottle and make strips around the border. Then fold those strips into a decorative design. For another option, decorate the vase with paint and stickers. This is a great activity for kids. Making a vase out of used plastic bottles is a fun and environmentally-friendly activity that allows you to decorate your home with bouquets of beautiful flowers. [Edit]Folding the Bottle into a Design - Cut the top off any size plastic bottle just below where it curves inward. Most plastic bottles curve inward about a third of the way up, making a triangle for the cap to go on top of. Find where the bottle starts curving and place the tip of a utility knife just below that. Then cut around the bottle in a straight line until you come back to the starting point and the top of the bottle detaches.[1]
- Try to keep the cut as level as possible, but don't worry if you curve a little bit. You can even out the line in the next step.
- If you need a smaller vase, you can also cut the bottle at the lower point.
- Be very careful cutting the bottle. Keep your fingers away from the blade and always cut away from your body.
- Even out the top of the cut with scissors. Make the top of the cut as even as possible. Use scissors and smooth out any uneven spots by snipping them off. Work around the bottle perimeter until the edge is even.[2]
- The edges don't have to be perfectly even. Just avoid any large bulges or curves that are out of line with the rest of the border.
- Cut strips down and apart around the bottle. Take scissors and cut a straight line down from the top of the bottle. Then move the scissors from that line and make an identical cut. Continue working in that same pattern until the whole bottle perimeter is divided into plastic strips.[3]
- Make sure the bottoms of these strips are even with each other, or the folds won't be even later on.
- Fold the strips outward to open the bottle up. Work around the bottle perimeter and fold each strip out. Then turn the bottle upside down and press it down on a table or similar flat surface. Hold it down for a minute so the strips flatten.[4]
- When you're done, the strips should be nearly flat as they extend from the bottle.
- Loop a strip over the strip next to it. Pick any strip around the bottle. Grab it by the tip and fold it to the right, over the strip immediately next to it. Aim to insert the strip into the space on the right side of the adjacent strip.[5]
- You can start going to the left as well, but once you pick a direction you have to stick with it to work around the whole bottle.
- Tuck that strip underneath the next strip. Continue folding the plastic until you reach the strip next to the one you folded it over. Fold it underneath this strip so it rests in place.[6]
- The strip may not stay put immediately. Tuck it in tightly so it stays secure. As you work around the bottle, you'll get used to the correct motion to make the strips stay in place.
- Depending on how far you cut the bottle down, each strip may cover 3 strips instead of 2. This is okay. Tuck the plastic under the third strip as well.
- Work in that same pattern around the whole bottle. Repeat the same motion of folding each strip over the one directly next to it and under the one next to that. Continue until all the strips around the bottle perimeter are folded and tucked.[7]
- Make sure no strips pop out while you're working. Go back and tuck them back in if any come loose.
- Check that the folds are all even with each other. Make sure the folds are all roughly the same length and shape. If any are loose or out of shape, pull them out and tuck them back in so they're consistent with the rest of the folds.
- Fill the bottle with water and flowers. With your vase complete, you can now fill it up. Pour water in about halfway up the bottle. Then insert the flowers and pick a nice, visible location to show off your handiwork.[8]
- If you have a large bouquet, then place a few rocks at the bottom of the bottle so it doesn't tip over.
- If you have many flowers, then continue this project with multiple bottles to create a nice flower display.
[Edit]Decorating the Bottle - Cut the top of the bottle off. Find the spot near the top of the bottle where it starts to curve inward. Take a utility knife and pierce the plastic with the knife tip. Cut around the bottle until the top detaches.[9]
- Be very careful when cutting the bottle. Keep your fingers away from the blade.
- If you don't have a utility knife, you could also use scissors. Press one tip through the plastic. Then snip around the bottle to cut off the top.
- Draw a design along the edge of the bottle with a marker. Pick a pattern that you'd like for the top of your vase. An easy choice is a series of semicircular lines for a rounded top. Take a permanent marker and draw a semicircle that touches the top edge of the bottle, about the size of a quarter. Repeat this shape along the whole edge until you work all the way around.[10]
- You can make other designs too, but be careful about making them complicated. Remember, you still have to cut the design out.
- If you don't want a design along the top of the vase and prefer it to be straight, then skip this step.
- Trim along the line to make the design on the bottle. Take scissors and cut out the shapes. Trim along the lines you drew to cut the design into the top of the bottle.[11]
- Check that the bottle edges are smooth when you're done. Round out any uneven spots with more trimming if you have to.
- Paint the bottle a color of your choosing. The best paints for painting on plastic are acrylic or spray paint. Choose one of these types and pick a color for your vase. If you want, you can also use multiple colors on the vase. Alternatively, leave some sections clear and paint in others for a nice effect. You have lots of options for painting your vase.[12]
- If you spray paint, make sure to do it in an open area and cover anything that could get paint on it.
- The bottle may need 2 coats of paint. Apply the first coat and let it dry. If you can still see the plastic through the paint, then add another coat.
- Place rhinestones or stickers around the bottle for extra decoration. If you want more decoration, these are great options. Apply hot glue to rhinestones and stick them around the bottle. You can also use decorative stickers for a simpler approach.[13]
- This is a great activity for kids. Give them a pack of stickers and let them decorate the vase however they want. Since it's plastic, you don't have to worry about them breaking it.
[Edit]Things You'll Need [Edit]Folding the Bottle into a Design - Plastic bottle
- Scissors
- Utility knife
[Edit]Decorating the Bottle - Plastic bottle
- Scissors
- Utility knife
- Permanent marker
- Acrylic or spray paint
- Hot glue
- Rhinestones
- Stickers
- If you don't care about the design, you could also just cut off the top of the plastic bottle and use it as a vase without cutting it into strips and folding them. This saves most of the work.
- You don't need flowers to make your vase look decorative. Try filling it with colored marbles instead for a different style.
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
Nenhum comentário:
Postar um comentário