carlos laguna

Most of us are concerned about the effect we are having on the environment these days and we are always on the lookout for ways in which we can reduce our carbon footprint.  There are a number of ways that we can save energy and one of these ways is by investing in more energy efficient washing machines.  The amount that could be saved in one year if households all over the UK were using energy efficient washing machines is a staggering £11 million.  So it really does make sense to switch because it will help to save money and will ensure that you are doing your bit for the environment.

There are a number of standards that must be met by washing machines if they are to be given the top energy rating.  The washing machines are tested based on the efficiency of the spin, washer performance and how energy efficient they are overall.  Washing machines with the top rating are usually indicated by a AAA or A++ grade.  The following are some of the benefits of having an energy efficient washing machine: 

As previously mentioned, you can make quite a bit of savings on your energy bills every year by making the switch to an energy efficient washing machine.  These machines do not use as much power or water and they are made to draw less power when on standby.Energy efficient washing machines are much better for the environment because they are using less water and less power so if you are energy conscious, you should definitely consider switching.There are other ways that you can ensure you are saving money on your energy bills with your washing machine such as:

Making sure that you do not allow your washing machine to stay in standby mode.  Switching off your machine when it has finished its cycle is a great way to save money.Cold water washes will help you to save money because you will not be using power to heat up the water and for clothes that are lightly soiled, this will work just as well as hot water.Make sure that you only put your washing machine on if you have a full load to wash.  You are going to be wasting money and energy by half filling the machine.  Even if your washing machine has a half load setting, it is still more energy efficient to wash full loads.

If you want to save money on your utility bills every year and also help the planet then an energy efficient washing machine is well worth buying.

Liam and Abbey are a typical working-class couple who've been renting a flat in London's Clapham district since they were married eight years ago. They wanted to purchase their own home before starting a family, so they put all the extra money away until they were ready to buy. Finally, they settled on a new place in Beckenham and made it their own.

The couple got the house for a modest price, indeed. But there was a catch: it needed work. It was a rental property previous to Liam and Abbie buying it, and the tenants had not treated the place all that well. Thankfully, most of the work was inexpensive and cosmetic. But the floors were in such bad shape they needed to be replaced throughout the house.

Liam and Abbey preferred natural woods and stones, but they knew they couldn't afford it. A contractor who had helped them with some of their projects recommended Amtico flooring. He told them that Amtico had been around since the 1960s, making vinyl floor products simulated to look like real wood and stone. Of course, the wary home owners were suspicious.

They'd seen simulated vinyl products before, and they all looked simply hideous. Instead, they priced out the cheapest wood and tile they could find, preparing to settle for whatever they could afford. It wasn't until a friend of Abbie's brought up Amtico again that the pair gave it any real thought.

With a trusted recommendation, Liam and Abbey headed out to a local Amtico dealer to see what they could find. They didn't have high expectations mind you, but when they got their first look at the showroom floor they were amazed. They assumed they were standing on real hardwood...but they weren't.

The salesman came out to greet them, familiar with the scepticism he would face, and warmly explained to them the Amtico product line. He told them of the special patented process the company uses to simulate wood and stone. He dropped Bob Vila's name and showed a video of the installation process. He even told them how Amtico could make custom flooring from any design Liam and Abbie gave them.

They settled on some patterns that day then smiled from ear to ear as the installers left a few weeks later. Liam and Abbie couldn't wait to have their first dinner party; especially to have both sets of parents over. And they agreed between themselves not to say anything about the floors unless they were explicitly questioned.

That dinner party was over six months ago. To this day, Liam, Abbie, and the installers are the only ones who know the floors are vinyl. And the young couple still has money left over to put into the nursery.

Wicker furniture looks great but it can start to look a bit ragged over the years; especially if it hasn’t been maintained very well. If you have just noticed that your wicker items are no longer looking their best you might want to restore them to their former glory. Here are a few tips to help you do just that; hopefully by the time you have finished your wicker furniture will look as good as new – or almost anyway.

• The first thing you need to do is remove all the cushions so that you can see what you are doing. If you have a wicker table with a glass component you will want to carefully remove it and store it somewhere safe – you will also want to give this a good clean later on.

• Get out your vacuum cleaner and use this to get as much of the dirt out from beneath the creases as possible. Don’t rush this job or you won’t get good results. You may want to use something thin to help loosen some of this dirt; just be careful that you don’t damage the furniture in the process.

• Once you are sure that you have removed as much dirt as you can using the vacuum you will then want to give it a good clean with soap and water. It is important that you don’t drench the furniture too much as it will soak into places that you can’t get to leaving a soapy residue. After you have given the wicker furniture a good clean you will then need to go over it with a damp cloth to remove all the soap. Some people recommend that you use bleach instead of soap; if you choose this method just make sure that you remove the bleach so that it can’t damage the furniture and don’t use more than a capful.

• If you want to get rid of the dull look of the furniture you might want to give the surface a quick rub down with a very light type of sandpaper.

• After you are satisfied that the furniture is as clean as you can get it you can then focus your attention on the cushions and the glass that you stored away.

Cleaning your wicker furniture like this every so often should ensure that it looks good for years to come. You should also do all you can to protect the furniture in the meantime; especially if it is garden furniture. Wicker outdoor furniture should have covers and preferably you should store these items away during the winter. If you do all this you will have furniture that you can be proud of.  

I recently was asked how to remove a wax blemish from a Corona dining table. The table's owner, seeing that I was puzzled by the question, explained to me that he had attempted to re-finish the piece but apparently missed a small patch of wax during the stripping process. As a result, that small area turned into a black splotch when he put the first coat of stain on. I gave him the following advice, which you may find helpful for any type of discolouration of your dining table.

First, understand that blemishes underneath the finish of any piece of wood furniture cannot be treated apart from the rest of the piece without resulting in a noticeably different look. With the table in question, if the owner missed a small patch of wax during the stripping process, then he also missed the finish underneath. That's why it turned black.

We can't simply deal with the black splotch alone, because a uniform look requires a uniform finish across the entire piece. Therefore, even though it's a pain, getting rid of that blemish properly required the item be completely stripped down.

This table was a Corona piece, so it took some extra care. Corona furniture is made from Mexican White Pine, which is terribly hard to finish evenly. The wood is so porous, it absorbs stain very rapidly. Any sanding between stain coats affects the porosity and adds to the difficulty. Woods like cherry and oak tend to be more forgiving.

To treat a piece of blemished Corona furniture, you must first use a chemical stripper to remove the current finish. You need to get all the way down to the bare wood, so if the finish is especially stubborn, steel wool or a rigid brush may be necessary to get the job done. Just be sure to follow the instructions on the container and avoid digging into the wood.

Once the piece is completely bare you may sand it down, but do it ever so gently. Sanding too hard will create areas that will not absorb the new wood stain as easily as others, causing an uneven finish. Also be sure to clean the wood thoroughly with a damp rag to remove any residual dust.

After the furniture is clean and dry do a visual inspection to make sure you haven't missed anything. Then follow the same procedure you would for any other piece of Corona furniture.

Apply your first coat of stain, buff it with a clean cloth, lightly sand, and repeat until you reach the desired result. Be extra careful when sanding between coats. Finally, give the stain the proper amount of time to dry before applying polyurethane or another sealer.