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Sometimes you just NEED to call in a professional!

That's just what we did when we needed all the tile cleaned at my house. The tile has been down eight years and the thing I like about it is also what makes it so difficult to clean. This tile, which I would NEVER, EVER recommend has a lot of texture and that texture traps a lot of dirt that only comes clean with a lot of tedious cleaning. I don't know if you've notice, but I'm at an age where getting down on the floor to clean is just not going to happen!

About six months ago someone I follow on Facebook recommended his brother-in-law's new carpet/tile cleaning business. I tucked that information away and when we needed to find a cleaner for carpets at my son's house, I called Silver Lining Carpet Care and Restoration, which was the recommendation.

Robert Johnson, the owner, did such a great job on the carpets, that I scheduled an appointment to clean the floors at my house. 

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This project was born out of frustration! While putting away my Christmas crate display, I realized some of the fiberfil "snow" I used had stuck to the top. It was time to do something!

I purchased this cabinet and the matching dining room table and chairs from Craigslist. I didn't really want this piece but the seller offered it to me for an additional $100, which is a steal for a vintage mid-century modern piece, so I bought it. I don't regret buying it as I do like it, but the table top finish has always been sticky. 

I've actually tried all kinds of methods to clean it--mineral spirts, soap and water, Krud Kutter, Restor-A-Finish, etc. Nothing worked! So, I searched the internet for a solution. I found this article which inspired me to try using acetone. When I did the test to check what kind of finish was on the top, I realized the acetone worked to clean it and didn't seem to damage the wood. That's why I decided to try using acetone on the entire top.

Just a word of caution. Acetone will take the finish off your furniture. Anyone who has spilled fingernail polish remover can attest to that fact.

Back when Steph was in elementary school, she did just that when a tiny bit of remover spilled on our dining room table. The remover left a quarter size spot where it ate clear through the poly finish on the table! There is no way to fix that other than to completely refinish the table which we never did. If your furniture has a poly finish on it, this is probably not the repair for you.

I don't know for sure, but I think this acetone method worked was because there was no finish other than perhaps some kind of oil on the wood. I just want you to be careful because you can damage the finish on your piece with this method.

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This post is sponsored by The Home Depot.

It's finally cooling off here in Florida making it less miserable to work outside. My patio is long overdue for cleaning and for a little makeover.

Just keeping it real--that IS the actual condition of my back patio--it's not a place anyone would want to spend time. But, fall means we can actually sit outside, so let the cleaning begin!

Steph's backyard is basically nothing but pea gravel and pavers, with absolutely no grass. It was this way when she moved in. Because it is so shady back there, grass is really not an option. What does grow back there are weeds and lots of them!

It's been a particularly healthy growing season for weeds this summer. It would be impossible to pull all of them so we started to look for a chemical way to kill them.

We wanted to steer clear of treatments such as Round-Up, due to the potential danger to Mac, Steph's dog, should she eat one of the poisoned weeds. We investigated natural methods and came across a method using vinegar. 

Caution: To be clear, we do not know if this method is safe for animals. We do know from research that using the vinegar and salt formula will leave the dirt on which it is used sterile. That is, nothing is going to grow there in the future. So, for example, you wouldn't use it to clear out weeds in a garden and then go back and plant vegetables and expect them to grow. 

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This post is sponsored by The Home Depot.

If you want to make a big impact in the look of your shower or bathtub, refreshing the caulk is the project for you! Caulk is the white stuff, or at least it starts out white, that is put between surfaces to keep out water. You'll most likely find it wherever two different materials touch each other like the tub and the tile. 

This caulk is very susceptible to mold and mildew, and eventually discolors to the point where it can no longer be cleaned and does degrade over time. If you experience any of these issues, it's time to re-caulk!

The caulk in Steph's shower is probably 25 years old--it was time for a refresh! Take a look at how we tackled this DIY friendly project.