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Ants

Ants are territorial. Let little brown native ants live outside somewhere in the yard. In the future, if fire ants come to your area, they will be deterred from setting up homes on your property.

Big black carpenter ants are destructive to properties and decks. They are attracted by damp, rotting wood. In and around the house, on verandas and decks, remove and replace rotted wood. Treat unfinished wood ends with preservative so they don't rot.

If ants are getting inside, check: caulking, door threshold strips, foundation, windows for cracks. Replace worn vinyl weatherproofing strips or caulk.

Interlocking driveways can attract ants because the spaces between pavers are filled with sand, a construction material ants particularly like.

Cornmeal kills ants when ingested. Small piles of cornmeal left on an ant path can help decrease an ant population without risking harm to children or pets; however, cornmeal can attract rodents. Borax added to sugar water on cotton balls, or mixed in peanut butter in a small sealed tin with holes on the sides will attract ants, but you have to let the ants take the poisoned food back to the ant colony for the borax to kill them all.

Paprika sprinkled near doorways deters ants, but don't use it if you have pets that could get it on their paws.

Scent floor washing water with peppermint oil. Ants don't like the scent. Peppermint is a good herb to plant in pots near doorways.

Art

Generally, when choosing art for a furnished space, no single piece of art should be wider than the piece of furniture below. Hang art you want to look at.

Bathmats

An extra-thick, 100% cotton bathmat is heavy and difficult to wash in a machine.
The washing machine may clunk and stall if the bathmat absorbs too much water and becomes too heavy. Wash by hand in a laundry tub or with a hose outdoors. Soap, rinse then squeeze as much water out of it as you can with your hands, or suck it up with a Shop Vac.
Indoors, try placing it between thick towels in your bathtub and press with your feet to stamp out remaining moisture. At this point you may be able to take remaining water out in spin cycle of washer.
If it's still too wet for your dryer, hang to drip dry.

It's easier to buy a bathmat that is thin and easily washable.

Break-ins

Our cousins live in a well-populated city subdivision. Neighbors know them. While they were away, their house was invaded, robbed and trashed. The neighbours saw activity but assumed the family's teenagers were having visitors.

Police suggested the culprits knew about the family's plans because of the kids' social networking. Share details about trips after you get back; don't post travel updates while you're away.

1. Tell only a trusted person that your home will be vacant and get them to collect mail, flyers, packages daily.
2. Ask a neighbor to park in your driveway and put garbage cans out as usual.
5. Use timers for lights, TV and radio.
6. Install blinds or window-coverings.
7. Test and set your alarm and video monitoring system.
8. Set phone volume to low and/or voice mail to turn on after a few rings.
9. Check that all windows and doors are securely shut/locked.
10. Lock backyard gates.
11. Repair or replace door and window hardware if necessary.
12. Replace burnt-out exterior light bulbs and non-functioning solar lights.
13. Install motion sensor lights.
14. Make entrances visible. Trim shrubs.
15. Put automatic garage doors on "locked" or "secure" setting.
16. Ask a trusted neighbour to watch for suspicious vehicles parked in your drive or near your house.

17. Check that no taps are left dripping and no sinks are left plugged in case you develop a drip. Our dentist's rec room was flooded and her kitchen ruined by a dripping kitchen faucet and a closed drain.
17. Leave a key with a trusted person and have them check your house daily for signs of intrusion, water leaks etc.
18. Get a live-in house-sitter if possible.
19. Make care plans for pets, plants, snow clearing and lawn/garden maintenance.
20. Vary your daily routine, even when you're not away.
21. Leave your dog's tie-out stake visible or make it look like you have a big dog: a tie-out stake with a chain, fix a Beware of Dog sign on the gate, keep large a dog toy on the floor by the front door.

22. Leave a few large pairs of men's shoes or boots by the door.

23. I once heard an interview with an ex-burglar who said he'd avoid homes with yellow-spotted lawns as he didn't like to encounter dogs. Don't discourage dogs from using your yard.

Broken Glass or China, Flooring Choices

A dish or glass dropped on a stone floor (slate, granite, marble) shatters into a million pieces and scatters widely across the floor. Think about this when choosing flooring for a family-friendly kitchen.

Clean up breaks safely by sweeping or vacuuming with a shop vac, then wipe the entire area with a damp paper towel. In very small areas like corners, use a wet cotton ball or q-tip. Dispose of broken pieces and paper towelling in the trash in a clearly-marked, taped cardboard box, not a plastic bag.

Remove broken glass, porcelain and small pieces of bone from the dishwasher by wiping the inside of the machine with paper towelling, then cleaning the filter. Do this before running the machine again. This will keep broken pieces from accumulating in the pump and cause the dishwasher to break down.

Carpenter Bees

Originally written in 2008....

When we moved into this house, Norm was most interested in creating a backyard oasis from the city. A friend on his hockey team had a landscaping company and drew up a great-looking plan for a cedar shed, deck, a pergola like the one Norm had always admired at a golf course, and a stone patio a step down from the deck.

The cost of materials was a big consideration and I was happy to settle for pressure-treated wood. That's what our greying fence was made of, and it looked fine. But cedar, we were told, was a more upscale, natural material that would add value to our property. The landscaper would apply a latex stain to make the deck look nice with the fence. Cedar was a more eco-friendly construction material because it was untreated with chemicals.

So we agreed to use pressure treated wood for the base of the deck, cedar planks for the surface, cedar for the roof of the pergola, and cedar for the shed.

No sooner had the carpenters left the backyard when extremely large, slow-moving bees zeroed in on our lovely new construction. They bored holes into the ceiling planks of the pergola and the beams supporting the roof of the shed.

I had never noticed bees quite like them before. I called the landscaper. He said he was mystified. I did an internet search and realized we had built a home for carpenter bees. These bees love fragrant-smelling wood like cedar. Almost impossible to get rid of, people have tried deterring them by filling their holes with a variety of materials but the bees manage to chew through everything.

I tried Silly Putty. The bees seemed reluctant to chew through this material, particularly Gold Glitter Silly Putty. So they drilled new holes. I filled these with something new at the Dollar Store, Fart Putty, that makes objectionable noises when you squish it. It was more difficult to squish into the bee holes. The bees were undeterred.

After making a hole, the bees bore horizontal tunnels through the wood, which eventually weaken the wooden structure. New bees that hatch inside the tunnels bore another hole to exit at the opposite end. They will return to their "home" to have their own families, so you might be feuding with these insects for generations.

People who've been through a battle with the bees say you can try painting all the cedar wood to try to disguise it, but the only way to permanently get rid of the problem is to replace the cedar wood with pressure-treated wood.

Norm did what he could to keep the bees away, by smacking at these huge cedar-chewers with a fly swatter. Later he found a shovel worked better. He has also been able to smack down a few with the pool net. The carpenter bees do not seem inclined to sting, but will they one day turn and bore a hole in Norm?

Mother Nature sent an ally to fight on our side of the Carpenter Bee War, a woodpecker. Being only a fifteen minute drive from the center of Canada's largest city, we've never before seen a woodpecker in our backyard. I was fascinated when this small bird flew right over my head as I sat on the deck having my morning coffee. It zeroed in on the cedar shed. I watched him madly peck at the bee-infested beam. Then he seemed to choke, and flew away with a yellow hunk of something in its beak.

It didn't look like fart putty. Was it a big glob of baby bee? I inspected the new hole the woodpecker had ripped in the cedar beam. It wasn't as round as a bee hole, but it was longer and wider, a little more messy. But if the woodpecker could rid us of future generations of carpenter bees, I was not going to stop him, even if all this drilling and ripping might one day Or topple the shed and pergola to the ground.

The moral of this story is, if you are thinking of building with cedar, BEEware.

Sixteen Years Later....

Norm smacked down sixteen carpenter bees this summer of '24. We do our best to have a pollinator-friendly backyard and plant many flowers in pots to help other types of bees, but we still worry that the carpenter bee holes in our pergola will someday bring the whole thing down upon our heads. A new generation of woodpeckers visit.

Our son Dave and his wife bought a house half an hour away across the city, with a detached garage in the backyard. A carpenter hired to do repairs had to replace much of the wood near the garage roof, as it had been damaged by carpenter bees and was infested with larvae.

We had to replace all the cedar decking with pressure treated wood because the cedar planks had rotted, but admittedly we hadn't done a lot of maintenance and re-staining over the years and carpenter ants had started chewing on the moist wood.

We haven't yet replaced any of the wood affected by carpenter bees.

Cleaning Solutions

Blood: Pour hydrogen peroxide on a blood stain before it dries, then rinse with water.

Clothing Stains: I no longer buy stain removers like Spray 'n Wash. The best laundry stain remover I've found is Pink Solution concentrated laundry detergent. Use this directly on the spot on your clothing, scrub gently with an old toothbrush, then wash.

White canvas sneakers: Combine 1 Tbsp baking soda + 1/2 Tbsp hydrogen peroxide and add enough water to form a thin paste. Use an old toothbrush to gently scrub shoes with this paste, then wipe with a clean wet cloth.

Dog Pee: Wipe off then clean area with equal parts white vinegar and water. For carpets, clean with dish detergent, then with a mixture of 1 part vinegar to 2 parts water, then sprinkle with baking soda and later vacuum up the baking soda.

Drain Odours: Pour baking soda then white vinegar then water down the drain.

Red Wine: Sprinkle salt on a red wine stain to absorb the liquid then wash quickly.

Grease: Wipe or scrub with a strong detergent like Dawn. Blot and rinse.

Walls: Mix 2/3 cup water, 1/3 cup rubbing alcohol and 2/3 cup white vinegar. Soak some old rags in this mixture and roll them up, squeeze out excess, use to clean spots off walls or wherever you would use a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser.

Toilet Bowls: Toilet bowl cleaner is poisonous and acidic enough to etch marble tiles if spilled (which happened in our bathroom.) Clean a toilet bowl by pouring 2 cups of white vinegar into the bowl, then 1 cup of baking soda, watch it fizz, then scrub. Whenever you have an empty refill bottle of hand soap or dish detergent, fill it with water, then use it to clean the toilet (uses up the remaining soap.) For stubborn stuck-on poop, try spraying the inside of the toilet or under the rim with a concentrated detergent like Dawn Platinum Powerwash, the same foam cleanser you'd use on frying pans.

Colour Associations

Red: charisma, courage, energy, enthusiasm, lust, magic, passion, power, strength, service, strong emotion, vibrancy, vitality, wisdom, and the angel Uriel.

Orange: ambition, business, celebration, comfort in the home, energy, endurance, happiness, justice, opportunity, perseverance, strength, success.

Yellow: cheer, comfort, joy, hope, focus, happiness, intelligence, learning, memory, reason, the sun, thoughts, wisdom and the angel Josephiel.

Green: abundance, envy, fertility, growth, life, money, nature, physical healing, wealth and the angel Raphael.

Turquoise: heightens intuition, inspiration, empathy, peacefulness, psychic ability, calm, clear thoughts, concentration.

Blue: calm, communication, creativity, forgiveness, healing, heaven, inspiration, knowledge, melancholy, peace, protection, the sky, travelling, water, trust and the protective Archangel Michael.

Purple: forgiveness, mercy, royalty, transformation, the Angel Zadkiel.

Indigo: awareness, intuition, hidden knowledge, inward thinking, mystery, psychic ability, spiritual attainment, wisdom.

Violet: creativity, creativity, empathy, individuality, imagination, kindness, mystery, selflessness, shyness, spring.

Pink: affection, caring, cheer, compassion, friendship, emotional healing, romance, self-love, playfulness, relationships, the Angel Chamuel.

White: clarity, cleanliness, cold, spirituality, peace, virginity, purity of intention, new beginnings., purity, the Angel Gabriel.

Brown: animals, earth, dependability, family, grounding, home protection, material goods, simplicity, stability. Promotes a cozy atmosphere.

Black: authority, banishing, binding, darkness, dominance, intimidation, invisibility, mystery, protection, strength.

Gray: compromise, comfort, control, indecision, neutrality, reliability, sadness, stability, lack of emotion.

Silver: dreams, femininity, intuition, moon & stars, protection, psychism.

De-Cluttering

To have a tidier house, have less stuff. Donate what isn't useful and make the process easier by asking yourself these questions.

Would you buy this for yourself now?
Has it been used in the past year? Could someone else get more use out of this?
Is it beautiful?
Does it make you feel good?
Are you keeping it because it belonged to someone you cared for? Is there another way you could remember them?
If you had to pay to store it, would you keep it?
If you were moving, would you pack it and take it with you?
Is it your duty/burden/pleasure to maintain a storage facility for kids who have left home, for items passed on by relatives, for gifts you have never used?
Is it your responsibility to maintain a library of useful knowledge/great literature/recorded music for future generations after the internet is destroyed by aliens?
Is it broken, stained, or unattractive?
Is there evidence of mould or decay on papers and books?
Could you donate valuable old maps, books and papers to someone who knows how to restore, preserve and has space to display them?
If you no longer need or want it right now, can you be grateful that you had it to use before and can pass it along to someone who can use it right now?

Declogging

If something is stuck in the central vac system or rolls far under the fridge, try to suck it out using the long flexible hose attached to a Shop Vac. The hose detaches at the ends, so if anything gets stuck in the Shop Vac hose, detach the hose from the motor unit and try using a broom handle to dislodge it.

You can make the vacuum hose even longer by taping a long cardboard roll (like the kind you get inside Christmas gift wrap) to the end of the hose. Hockey shin pad tape is good to use because it's flexible and is moisture and cold-resistant, duct tape works too.

You can buy flexible plastic shop vac attachments for cleaning small spaces like keyboards, corners, inside dryer vents.

Disinfecting

Check the bleach container for instructions specific to that strength of bleach. The amounts below are general instructions for regular household bleach given by Ontario public health online.

Clean the surface first, then disinfect with a bleach and water solution, which ideally is made the day you use it.

To clean washrooms or baby change tables use 20 mL (4 tsp) household bleach to 1000 ml (4 cups0 water or 100 mL bleach to 5000 mL water for a larger amount. Wipe or spray the solution and leave it for a minute.

Clean then disinfect toys, dishes, utensils, food contact surfaces with 1 ml (1/4 tsp) household bleach mixed in 500 ml (2 cups) water, leave for a minute.

To clean blood or body fluid that requires high-level disinfection contact Public Health for information or, clean, then use 1/4 cup household bleach in 562 (2-1/4 cups water) to disinfect and leave on 10 minutes. There is a chlorine dilution calculator at www.publichealthontario.ca

Dishwashers

Measure your space before your buy a new dishwasher. The old one might not be the same size as new models.

A new dishwasher should come with new hoses. If it doesn't, get new hoses instead of using old ones.

Never load your dishwasher and leave it running when you go out or go to bed for the night. A dishwasher leak can cause major water damage to your kitchen and whatever's below the floor. Only operate a dishwasher when you will be in the room or nearby and check on it while it's running.

Wipe out the interior regularly especially around the filter.

Remove any sediment or debris like bits of bone.

Dishwasher detergent commercials might say otherwise but your dishwasher will work better and stay cleaner if you scrape debris from dishes and rinse off hard stuck-on bits in the sink before loading.

Fill the dishwasher detergent container with vinegar and run the dishwasher empty to clean it, about once a month, or use commercial dishwasher cleaner.

If you notice a crack or chip in a glass or dish, check for broken glass in the filter screen. Sharp debris that gets through the screen could clog the pump and disable your machine.

If it leaks from the door, clean the rubber seals and re-tuck them. Don't overload or jam in large items not intended to be washed in a dishwasher, especially against the door and seals.

Certain plastics soften under high heat and leave residue on the working parts. Only wash plastics labelled dishwasher-safe. If not sure, hand wash.

Amy read that the plastic that encases "pods" of dishwasher and laundry detergent can also shorten the working life of dishwasher and washing machine parts, and that it might be better to use liquid or powdered detergents that you have to measure yourself. Another concern is microplastics getting into the water supply from the dissolving plastic pods. If you like pods but want to avoid the plastic, you can add some water to dishwasher powder and dry them in small ice cube trays to make your own. There are recipes for homemade dishwasher powder using citric acid, baking soda and a tiny bit of dish detergent but I haven't tried them.

Cooking Utensils

If you don't cook much you just need the basics, a plate, bowl and cup for each person, eating utensils, a pot, a pan, cooking spatulas and spoons, serving utensils and bowls. But if you are are a cook and baker....

Blender and/or immersion blender and/or food processor
Can opener
Coffee mug(s) and coffee/tea making supplies
Cutting board
Pyrex (glass) measuring cups: 1 cup, 2 cup, 8-cup.
Stainless steel dry measuring cups and spoons.
Sharp knives (steak knives, bread knife, meat-cutting knife)
Scissors: kitchen utility and poultry shears
Paper: wax, parchment, butcher paper optional.
Flour sifter
Pastry blender
Pastry rolling pin (marble recommended)
Pastry/cake server utensil
Pots: small, medium and large, with lids.
Large iron fry pan with removable silicone handle.
Non-stick crepe pan
Non-stick omelet pan
Non-stick sauce pot (also for cooked frostings, candy)
Pizza stone
Wooden pizza peel
Swivel potato peeler
Two of each: 8" and 9" round and square cake pans, non-stick
9" round springform baking pan
2 non-stick loaf pans for baking bread
9x13 pan or pyrex dish
Muffin pan
Tart pan
Pie plate
8 and 9" square pans
Wooden spoon
One-piece rubber/silicone mixing/folding spatula
Fry pan spatulas (1 metal end, 1 plastic)
Stand Mixer or hand mixer
Mixing Bowls
Salad Bowl & Server
Salad spinner
Dinnerware: microwavable and with shallow soup/pasta bowls that fit easily in dishwasher
Melamine dinnerware for pool/patio/kids
Cutlery set, extra small spoons.
Whisk, metal (1 very small and 1 medium-size)
Whisk, silicone (for sauces and candy in non-stick pot)
Whisk, Dutch (for artisinal bread)

Dryer Maintenance

Clean dryer lint screen after each load.
Check the outside vent regularly and to see if it's clear, remove any built-up lint.
Don't load your dryer and go to bed. If there's a malfunction and the dryer does not turn off, excessive heat could cause a fire.
Every 6 months, remove lint screen and see dryer manual for further cleaning instructions.
Especially if you use dryer sheets, wash the filter with hot soapy water and a soft old toothbrush. Rinse and let dry before replacing. Washing the screen removes sediment left on the filter screen from dryer sheets. Buildup of softener sediment or lint on the lint screen can potentially cause the heating unit to burn out (a fire hazard.)
Use wool dryer balls instead of fabric softener sheets.
If you need to move the dryer, make sure dryer venting is attached properly and you haven't caused any bends or kinks in venting.
If dryer isn't drying properly, check for blockages in the vent.
Make sure the dryer duct opening outside is screened to keep small animals from crawling into the dryer duct.
Re-caulk if caulking around the dryer duct opening outside is cracked or missing. Check every spring and fall as caulk doesn't apply well in winter temperatures (check manufacturer instructions)

Drywall Repairs

Turn off the furnace before doing any extensive sanding in the house so that drywall dust doesn't get in the furnace and ducts.

Duct Cleaning

Remove the forced air vent covers and put the long, flexible hose attached to your Shop Vac down the duct to suck out dust. (Also useful for cleaning behind the stove and fridge.) To extend the hose buy an extension kit or use duct tape to tape a wrapping paper roll to the end of the hose pipe.
Professional duct cleaning might be necessary, especially after renovating and drywall repairs.

Garden Path

Make a gravel path:

Using garden hoses, outline where you want the path to be, with a hose on each side.
Measure an even width all along the route, marking with sticks and string.
Cut out the sod and remove.
Along the edge, dig a trench with a spade for edging stones.
Place the edging stones.
Use a heavy roller to pack down the dirt on the path.
Lay landscape cloth all along the path and secure with garden staples.
Pour stone dust all over the cloth, rake evenly.
Sprinkle water all over the stone dust with a hose.
Rake gravel on the path.

To make a stone tile path in grass, place the tile on the grass, cut around it with a sharp knife, remove the tile, use a shovel to remove the cut grass by the roots, smooth the dirt, replace the stone tile. Place another stone tile where you'd like your next step to be.

Emergency Prep

Make a home emergency exit plan and a plan of where to meet.
Have a secret family word so relatives will know it's really you when you contact them.
Know how to use the satellite function on your cellphone.
Make sure every adult in the house knows how to shut off the water and the gas outside at the meter.
If you have a spare suitcase or backpack keep one packed with a few essential pieces of clothing, face masks, flash light, first aid kit, water bottle, toiletries and copies of documents/prescriptions in case you have to leave quickly.
If told to pack and evacuate, grab clothes from your laundry basket, don't waste time scrounging through the closet, these will likely be what fits and is comfortable/useful.
Never let your car sit uncharged or with less than 1/4 tank of gas, and my dad always said in an emergency, having a bicycle could be best.

Faucets--Outdoor

Turn off the shut-off valve to outdoor faucets in the fall before temperatures drop to freezing. Open the outside tap to let water drain, then shut off for the winter.
When opening the shut-off valve, open all the way then shut off a quarter-turn. A plumber told me this helps extend the life of the valve and helps keep a circular valve from seizing.
Make sure any water around the house will drain away from the house by fixing any grading problems (ground should slope away from the house).

Silver Polishing

Bring to a boil in a large pot:

1 litre water
1 Tbsp baking soda
1 piece of aluminum foil

Drop your silverware in the pot for 10 seconds (longer if it's extra tarnished), then fish it out with tongs. Tarnish supposedly wipes right off. I haven't polished silver in awhile so I haven't tried this method yet.

Painting

Gather supplies: painter's tape, drop cloths to protect furniture (plastic) and floors (cloth drop cloths as plastic can be slippery), paint roller, paintbrushes (angled and straight), paint tray, stir stick, extension pole, paint-can opener, pour spout, paint, rags (moisten) to wipe up fresh splatters, a plastic spatula or old credit card to scrape off dried drips.
Move furniture away from walls, cover with plastic to protect from splatters and spills. Cover floors with cloth drop cloths.
Clean surfaces: working from the ceiling down, dust the walls. Scrub away grime with a wet sponge or cloth. Let dry fully.
Plan to paint the ceiling first, then the walls, then the trim.
Remove light fixture covers in the ceiling, wall outlet and light switch plates.
Apply painter's tape around areas you don't want painted (moldings, baseboards, window frames). Try using plastic cling wrap to protect doorknobs.
Buy primer. To cover a dark colour with a light one, use one coat of primer and two coats of paint with at least 6 hours of drying time between coats. Paint will take longer to dry in humid conditions. Primer isn't always necessary if switching from one light colour to another (use 2 coats of high-quality paint or self-priming paint.)
Mix the primer/paint. Get the paint shaken at the paint store. Also stir it before you start especially if the can has been set aside for awhile to make sure it's still properly mixed. If paint is old it probably should be strained to get rid of any impurities.
Use a hammer and nail to carefully put a little hole or two in the inner can rim so any pooling paint will drip back into the can after pouring.
Use an angled brush or sponge tool to paint a two-inch swath around the edges of woodwork and the ceiling, then...
Use the right roller to cover larger swaths: 1/4 inch nap for smooth surfaces, 3/8 inch nap for semi-smooth ones, 5/8 inch nap for rough ones. Using the wrong roller will apply too much paint or too little. For latex paint, start with a slightly damp roller (wet it and wring out most of the water.)
Fill the paint tray about a quarter of the way and roll the roller in the paint until evenly covered, using the upper portion of the trap to remove any excess.
Roll the wall in a W pattern to avoid paint lines or streaks. So for every section you paint, start from the top and make 3 downward strokes that form a W.
Clean brushes and rollers thoroughly and let dry before putting away.
Excess paint on the tray can be poured into the can, then the tray cleaned to re-use.

Pool Cleaning

Empty the skimmer once a day and use a net on a long stick to catch debris when it falls into the pool (at least once a day if your pool is surrounded by trees or a garden.)
Cover the skimmer with a pool critter skimmer lid (has a little ramp inside so chipmunks and mice that fall in the pool can escape after being sucked into the skimmer)
Consult a pool pro at a supply store for chemical cleaning information and the right tools to use to clean a specific type of pool.

Pool Toys: Inflating and Deflating

Colorful, big-eyed pool toys help keep waterfowl from landing in your pool. Mother Duck didn't return to nest near our pool again after we floated some giant-eyed swans.
For any large item that takes a long time to blow up, attach the hose to a Shop Vac so that it blows out instead of sucks in air. Attach an air pump adapter that fits your pool toy to the end of the hose. The shop vac will blow up the pool toy quickly. At the end of the summer, attach the hose to suck in air and deflate the toy for storage.
Clean the toys while still inflated with soap, water and a soft brush, rinse with the hose, and allow them to dry outside before deflating and storing inside for the winter.

Safety

Keep a fireproof fire blanket or a fire extinguisher rated ABC in an accessible spot on each floor of your home. A is best for wood, paper, textiles. B puts out flammable liquids. C is for electrical fires. At least have one in the kitchen. Check the unit's pressure gauge monthly. If you don't know how to use a fire extinguisher, get the fibreglass fire extinguishing blanket.
Keep baking soda near the stove to quickly extinguish a small flame.
Install combination carbon monoxide/smoke alarms on each floor. Interconnected alarms are best (when one sounds, they all sound.) Change batteries as recommended. Test once a month and replace every 10 years (internal sensors get less sensitive over time.) If you don't know how old something plastic is, if the plastic is yellowed, it likely needs replacing.
Have furnaces and fireplaces inspected and cleaned as per their maintenance schedule or once a year. Wood-burning fireplace chimneys should be cleaned once a year. If you own a water heater, see the maintenance manual for draining/cleaning instructions.
Hire someone or get attachments for your shop vac and clean your dryer vents at least once a year.
Clean lint filters every time you use the dryer and check outside lint vent monthly.
Clean bathroom fan vents with the vacuum monthly and remove the grill to clean inside every 6 months. Don't run the fan longer than 30 minutes, leaving them on indefinitely can burn out the motor and potentially cause an attic fire. Have an electrician put that switch on a timer.
Make and practice an emergency escape plan from your home, including who will get small children, elderly family members and pets. Plan where you will meet outside.
Older house inspection: Are the electrical outlets in bathrooms in kitchens GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) outlets? Have electrical wiring and breaker systems been inspected?
Don't keep rechargeable batteries (including those for power tools) near the furnace or a hot water heater.
Never park an rechargeable electric bike in your bedroom or near an exit door in case the battery explodes and causes a fire. These fires are among the most devastating and difficult to extinguish.

Sinks

Never start filling a sink or running water and turn away to do something else.
Water is destructive in a house. Always wipe up a spill right away and keep counter-tops dry. Inspect and replace caulking around sinks, taps, tubs.
Put boot trays, shallow pans or custom rubber mats under the plumbing in the sink cabinet to catch any leaks and so you will notice any dripping water before it seeps down to through the floor and ceiling below.
Turn shut-off valves every once in a while so they keep turning, but ever force them.

Static

Pack a fabric softener sheet with polyester travel clothes in luggage to reduce static cling. Use scented softener sheets or include a cloth scented with essential oils if packing for a long trip.
Use wool dryer balls instead of fabric softener sheets in the dryer to reduce static cling and soften clothes without using the chemicals in fabric softeners.
If a skirt clings to your slip, fasten a small safety pin to the slip hem, but avoid using safety pins to fasten clothes if you'll be going through metal detectors.
Placing a safety pin in the seam of pants helps keep pants from clinging when wearing pantyhose underneath.

Tablecloth Sizes

Round: a table that seats 4-6 people requires a 150 cm round or 59" tablecloth.

For a rectangular table:

137 x 183 cm (54 x 72") size for 4- 6 chairs, 2 on each side, 1 at each end

150 x 229 cm (59 x 90") size for 6-8 chairs, 3 on each side, 1 at each end

150 x 264 cm (59 x 104") size for 8-10 chairs, 4 on each side, 1 at each end

Toilets

Chemical drop-ins that sit in the tank can corrode and shorten the life of plastic or rubber parts in the tank as well as float ball chains.
Every once in awhile, check to see that the toilet water shut-off valve functions and can be easily turned on and off. If they are stiff, wrap with a paper towel or rag soaked with vinegar or WD-40 or penetrating oil and let sit overnight. If you have a toilet emergency (like a tank that won't stop filling or a toilet that won't stop flushing) or a fill valve that's spraying water up and out of the tank lid, you'll want to be able to turn off the water.
If you have a toilet, you should also have a toilet plunger and a pail in case of flushing problems.
Before you start plunging, question your children, if they have been in the bathroom alone. My toddler once flushed a pair of socks she didn't like down the toilet. Things like this have to be removed with a toilet snake, not pushed further down with a plunger.
Never stick a straightened metal clothes hanger in the toilet to dislodge a clog as it can scratch the porcelain finish on the bowl. Better to call a plumber or go buy a toilet snake than have to replace the toilet.

Towels

Big, thick towels take up more linen cupboard space, and over time cost you more to wash and dry in a machine. Thinner cotton towels dry you more efficiently than plush, high-pile towels. A towel or facecloth with a slightly rougher texture is also exfoliating.
White towels and sheets can be bleached, which is a consideration if you have people in your house who like to fall into bed without taking off their makeup, or who use your best new towels to remove their mascara or body bronzer, or who grab your nice towel to wipe the floor, clean their boots or dry a dog's muddy paws.

Window Washing

To wash windows indoors, use equal parts white vinegar and warm water and a paper towel or a lint-free rag.
Supervise window cleaners. I called a professional window cleaning service to clean my windows indoors. They sent someone with a pail of cleaning solution and a squeegee. He washed all the windows with the same pail of water. After, I had to wash the walls and floors around all the windows because dirty water dripped from the squeegee everywhere. That was the last time I hired a "professional" for this job.
Outdoors, if your window caulking is in good condition, you can spray windows with water using the garden hose and a gentle setting on the spray nozzle. Windex makes a spray-on exterior window solution. Avoid using a hard spray on window caulk and wash windows outdoors with a squeegee if possible to protect window caulking.
Spraying windows is best done on a warm day as you are bound to get wet.
Wipe away streaks outdoors using a long-handled squeegee dipped in a pail of vinegar and water solution.
If windows seem greasy from pollution, add a little grease-fighting dishwashing detergent like Dawn to the vinegar and water mix.
For very dirty windows that require a stronger cleaning solution, try the recipe below. Since it contains alcohol and ammonia, wear rubber gloves, eye protection and a face mask. Keep children and pets away when mixing and using these ingredients. After scrubbing windows with a squeegee dipped in the cleaning solution, spray with clean water to rinse, wipe away excess. This solution is said to dry to an even shine with no wiping.

Exterior Window Washing Solution

Mix in a large bucket:

1/2 bottle Jet Dry Rinse Agent
4 Tbsp Isopropyl Alcohol
1/4 cup Ammonia
1 handful powdered dishwasher detergent
2 gallons hot water