How to caulk.

Anyone can do a professional caulk job with a few simple tips. Using a caulk with silicone added will give a long lasting finish. Caulk will stick to more surfaces than pure silicone and is much easier to apply for most homeowners. Don't be timid, get your fingers in it and you will be comfortable in no time.

Spring Fertilizer and Crabgrass Preventer

At the hardware store, we get ask what fertilizer should be the first of the season.

For the Chicago area, a fertilizer with a crabgrass control should be the first thing you put down.

Crabgrass is a stubborn rooting grass that spreads out in thick mats that chokes out regular grass. It also releases a toxin that kills surrounding grass. What is amazing is that one crabgrass plant allowed to grow to maturity can produce 150,000 seeds. Each seed can grow a new plant and take over a lawn if left untreated. Crabgrass is also much harder to kill when mature.

Because you can’t control your neighbors, bird droppings or the wind, a crabgrass control in you first feeding of the year is a simple yearly preventative.

Make sure to rake up all leaves, branches and debris before you put down a crabgrass control. The product needs to be evenly distributed on the lawn and come in contact with the entire lawn. The chemical will stop the crabgrass seeds from germinating.

If you are using a product like Scotts Step One, you can’t seed your lawn with regular grass seed for 4 months. The chemical will prevent the grass seed from germinating.

If you plan on adding grass seed to your lawn, you need to purchase Scotts Step One For Seeding. This product is a little more expensive, but it will stop crabgrass without affecting regular grass.  

Get your crabgrass control down in early spring to prevent crabgrass. Use a crabgrass control with a fertilizer and you will have the start to the greenest grass on your block.

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How To Unclog A Bath Drain Without Chemicals

One question we get a lot at the hardware store is, "what is the best drain opener for bathtubs?"  We carry a wide variety of chemical openers, but one of the easiest and safest tools for a slow bath drain is The Drain Claw.

This is a little tool that is worked around the opening of the bathtub drain to pull out the buildup of hair and debris. This flexible tool has over 100 interlocking hooks to grab hair.

Hair is the main problem for clogs in bath drains. The average person loses about 100 hairs a day, and most while taking a bath or shower. The hair wraps around the crossbars at the opening of the drain or around the bracket that holds the stopper. This hair can build up till it slows or clogs a bath drain.

Not only does hair build up, but soap, conditioners and bath products collect on the hair to form a sticky blockage that can have you standing in dirty bath water.

Even if you use drain chemicals, they usually pass by the hair at the opening of the drain and sink to the lowest point, because they are designed to be heavier than water and not float on the surface. So you end up pouring dollars down the drain without results.

For our customers, we suggest the first step to unclog a bath drain is a tool like The Drain Claw before you resort to chemicals.

So if you have slow drains because of hair, you can check out The Drain Claw at www.thedrainclaw.com. You will be able to keep your bath drains open without having to use dangerous chemical.

You can also use it in your bathroom sink drain.

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Waterproof Polyurethane Glue

Polyurethane glue is an all purpose glue that can be used indoors and outdoors. It is waterproof and bonds a wide variety of materials.

You can bond porous and nonporous materials like wood, stone, ceramic, foam, glass and metal.

Polyurethane glue needs a small amount of moisture to cure. So if you are bonding items like glass or metal, wipe one of the surfaces with a damp cloth. Only a small amount of moisture is needed. On items like wood and other porous materials, it is recommended to wipe both sides with a damp cloth.

Polyurethane glue can be sanded, stained and painted after curing. The surfaces achieve the best bond when clamped. Polyurethane glues expand while curing, so only a small amount is needed.

At our hardware stores we carry Titebond and Elmer’s Glue All for our polyurethane glue. Elmer’s Glue has been making glue in the USA since 1942 and is the leader in glue technology.

You can cleanup wet polyurethane with mineral spirits.

Stain Remover

We get ask about stain removers a lot at the hardware store. One of the best, from feedback by our customers, is Tech.

Tech stain remover is a water based all purpose stain remover.

Tech contains no harsh chemicals, fumes, enzymes or bleaching agents that can harm fabrics. It is safe to use around kids and pets.

Tech works on all water washable fabrics, including: carpet, clothing, upholstery, and vinyl.  It is also one of the few stain removers that is approved by the Carpet and Rug Institute as safe for carpets.

Tech stain remover works on asphalt, ink, blood, coffee, cola, cosmetics, grass, hair oil, ketchup, liquor, milk, perspiration, pet stains, shoe polish, urine, vomit and wine.

To use Tech, just spray on the stain and then using a damp white rag, blot up the stain till removed.

Tech is made in the USA.

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Clean your carpet for clean air

Can using a carpet cleaner a few times a year make your home healthier?

The fact is, carpets act like a giant air cleaning filter. Your carpet is on duty all day grabbing dust, dirt, bacteria, pollen, dust mites, smoke and other allergenic substances from the air. On hard surface flooring like wood or tile, these particles are constantly being stirred back into the air.

Government studies have shown that people get sick up to 4 times more often when carpeting is removed from homes or work places. The problem is that like any filter; carpets get saturated with this dirt and become ineffective at keeping the air clean. As a carpet gets dirtier, the dust mite population increases. Research has shown that most people have an allergy to dust mites.

So the key to a healthy home is keeping your carpets clean. Vacuuming is an important maintenance routine, but if you are not using fine particle bags or filters, you are putting the smallest particles back into the air.

The EPA stated that using a professional hot water carpet cleaner will get a carpet 1,500 percent cleaner than vacuuming. Using a carpet cleaner traps dirt, dust, bacteria and dust mites into the hot soapy water to be sucked up by the vacuum action of a carpet cleaner. The result is much cleaner carpets and much cleaner air quality.

Put yourself on a schedule to keep your carpets cleaned a few times a year and improve the quality of the air in your home. You can rent a carpet cleaner at most hardware stores.

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All Natural Organic Pesticide

At our hardware store we suggest diatomaceous earth for an all natural, safe pesticide.

Diatomaceous earth is the fossilized remains of a hard shelled algae-like plant. The brand that we carry is from the company Safer. They only use diatomaceous earth from fresh water sources. The Safer diatomaceous earth is approved by the USDA National Organic Program as compliant for organic gardening and certified organic.

Diatomaceous earth comes out of the container like a fine powder and feels a lot like talcum powder. For insects though, it has microscopic edges that act like razor blades. When insects crawl through the powder, it is drawn into their joints and cuts through their exoskeleton causing them to dehydrate and die. Safer adds a powerful bait formula to their diatomaceous earth that when ingested will also kill them from the inside.

Not only are chemical insecticides dangerous to use around the home and office, over time some insects develop a resistance to them. Because diatomaceous earth works by cutting through the insect’s exoskeleton and digestive system, they can’t build immunity.

Diatomaceous earth is applied by spreading the powder in cracks, baseboard, under cabinets and appliances. The power is safe for humans and pets. The company does suggest wearing a dust mask during application. As long as the product stays dry, it is working. There is no expiration.

Diatomaceous earth is effective on bed bugs, ants, earwigs, cockroaches, silverfish, crickets, fleas, millipedes, centipedes and most crawling insects.

If you want a safe, effective, long lasting insect killer, pick up diatomaceous earth.

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STA-BIL fuel stabilizer

Sta-bil is designed to keep fuel fresh in engines that are stored for seasonal use. Most fuels start to oxidize after 30 to 90 days. Oxygen reacts with gas to create gummy residues and varnish-like films that can clog fuel lines, carburetors and injectors.

Sta-bil prevents corrosion, cleans carburetors, fuel injectors and protects against rust.

Sta-bil is recommended by name by over 70 engine and equipment manufacturers for 2 and 4 cycle engines.

Some people recommend draining all the fuel and running an engine dry for storage, but this has problems. You can never get out all the fuel, so the remaining fuel will vanish and become gummy. The exposed metal in the tank and system will be exposed to air and rust. Gaskets that are left to the air can dry out and crack.

For storage Sta-bil recommends filling the gas tank 95% full and adding a fuel stabilizer to protect the fuel for 12 to 15 months.

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