Winnipeg Realtor and Real Estate Blog

 1.  Unfiltered apple cider vinegar

Remove the cap from the bottle, you can pour out half into a container to save/reuse as you do not need a full bottle for this method! Cover the opening in plastic wrap and secure with a rubber band. Then, poke a hole for the fruit flies to enter (does not have to be a big hole by any means). They can't resist the scent of vinegar, and they won't be able to exit once they're inside.

2. Vinegar and dish soap

If you find your fruit flies are impervious to the plastic wrap, you can try adding three drops of dish soap to a bowl of vinegar, (any size bowl will be just fine) and leave it uncovered. The soap cuts the surface tension of the vinegar so the flies will sink and drown.

3. A paper cone and a piece of fruit

Place a little vinegar and a chunk of very ripe fruit in a jar. Then, roll a piece of paper into a cone and stick it into the jar, placing the narrow opening down. The fruit flies will be drawn in, but won't be able to get out.

4. Red wine

Like vinegar, fruit flies love the smell of wine (kind of like most of us who love the taste of it!). Try leaving out an open bottle with a little liquid — the skinny neck will keep the flies trapped. Or instead of using fruit in the paper cone idea you could also pour a little red wine into the bottom of the jar instead.

5. Milk, sugar and pepper

For this method you will want to make sure everyone in the household knows that this milk isn’t for dipping your cookies in! Follow these steps; Combine a pint of milk, 4 ounces of raw sugar and 2 ounces ground pepper in a saucepan and simmer for 10 minutes. Then, pour into a shallow dish. The flies will be drawn to the mixture and quickly drown.

Now hopefully everyone out there who loves the taste and smells of the seasonal produce can actually enjoy it without having to swat those like bugs away! 

#1.  Use cotton drop cloths rather than plastic, here’s why. The thick canvas stays in place, so you don’t need to tape it, and you can use it to cover any surface. Plastic drop cloths are slippery to walk on or set a ladder on and don’t stay in place. Even worse, paint spills on plastic stay wet, and they can end up on your shoes and get tracked through the house. 

#2. Mix several cans of paint in a large bucket for a consistent color throughout the room. If you have to open a new can in the middle of a wall, the difference may be noticeable. Mixing the paints together eliminates the problem and gives you a more even look.

#3. Always clean the dirty surfaces on the wall first so the paint can form a strong bond. If you paint over dirty, oily surfaces, the paint will easily chip or peel off! Clean areas using a deglosser or heavy-duty cleaner intended for prepaint cleaning.

#4. Paint the trim first, then the ceiling and walls. This is because it’s easier (and faster) to tape off the trim than to tape off the walls, and you definitely wouldn’t want to have to tape them both off!  You want to let the trim dry for at least 24 hours before taping it off to do the walls, this will avoid the tape peeling off the paint from the trim.

#5. ROLL paint along the edges for consistent texture. Corners and areas next to trim that are painted only with a brush have a notice-ably different texture than the surrounding paint. Brush on the paint, then immediately roll it out before the paint dries. This will give it a smoother more matching look with to rest of the walls.

I hope this helps everyone out there who like to “Do it yourself” Happy Painting and remember always be creative! 

 #1. Paint is the classic makeover option. Instead of repainting a whole room, try focusing on one wall in a focal/bright color or paint a contrasting rectangle over a sofa to use as a “gallery” space. You can also paint the insides of bookshelves in an unexpected color or paint your ceiling a lighter version of the wall color. You can also use sponges or stencils to give a plain wall a little bit more of an eye catching look.

#2. You can try something as simple as replacing your bathroom shower curtain and curtain hooks, for an instant fresher look for even the most dingy bathrooms. Try picking a style or color that was completely different from the one you had previously, just to keep you surprised and your guests guessing on what your next look will be!

#3. Here’s a trick made famous by Woody Allen in Annie Hall: Change the lightbulb in your bedroom lamp with a pink one for a rosy, romantic glow. Or you can replace the entire lampshade in any color you desire, which can produce somewhat of the same affect!

#4. Spruce up your entrance by painting your front door a cheerful color. Pair it with a new lighting fixture, a season coordinating wreath, mailbox and house numbers - all available at stores like IKEA, WAL-MART & RONA.

#5. Take a stroll in the park, woods or venture down to the beach and pick up interesting (and free) seasonal accents for your home. A tray filled with pinecones, a tall vase of dried pampas grass stalks, a bowl of colorful pebbles (which you can also paint to match any existing home décor you may have already), beach glass or shells also make eye-catching home decor accessories.

#6. Replace overhead lighting with thrift-store (or box store) chandeliers. (Note: it’s recommended to hire a professional electrician to install them.) A dated-looking chandelier can be painted white. You can also add extra crystal drops, available at lighting stores. This idea may be a little more costly but still less expensive then purchasing brand new.

#7.  Peruse Craigslist, eBay or Kijiji regularly for finds. It’s amazing what shows up at a bargain or even free – but like any good second hand shopper, be sure to check regularly, as good things go fast! One plus of buying second hand is that if you want to change/add/repaint/sand/stain or recover with fabric, you don’t feel as bad to make those changes, then buying something brand new and end up not liking it later on.

#8. A great area rug is another eye catching decorating idea. Carpet stores often have remnants of high-end carpet at rock-bottom prices that make a great area rug. The store may bind the edges for you, or you can do it yourself with carpet binding tape and some tidy hand-sewing.

#9. Purchase an inexpensive but attractive frame, or rescue an old one from an antique store or your parents’ attic. You can paint it a flat white or again any color you want and attach small rings to the upper corners. Place hooks on the wall to correspond and hang. Hang a couple of vintage plates or smaller framed pictures artfully inside, or leave the framed space as-is, for an artful and simple focal point. The great thing about this idea is you can literally hang/attach anything you want to make it your own master piece!

#10. Sometimes it’s the small details that can make all the difference: Beautiful coasters, interesting desk frames, a small but exquisite crystal vase filled with fresh flowers, fake fruit in a wooden bowl on a coffee table or sofa table. Little things that make the room pop!

Let your imagination run wild & enjoy recreating your home with these simple & cost effective ideas!

Do you have smelly kitchen sink odor? If so here are some simple inexpensive steps/tips on how to kick that smell to the curb!

#1. Put a stopper or plug in your sink, turn your tap on and fill with HOT water several inches full. Measure out a teaspoon of dish soap (any brand is fine) pour in. If you have a disposal turn that on and unplug your sink and let water flush through! If you don’t have a disposal use exact same steps but fill sink full of HOT water and use 1 tablespoon full of dish soap.

#2. If you still have that smelly odor coming through you need to make sure that your disposal blades are clean. Try freezing in an ice cube tray lemon peels and water! First throw some kosher salt down your disposal then take a couple of your lemon cubes and run those through. This should do the trick. If you want an even fresher smell you can run some FRESH lemon peels through your disposal as well.

#3. You can also try 1cup baking soda then pour on top 2 cups vinegar. Let stand for a few minutes or you see it start to bubble. Turn on your HOT water let run for about a minute then pour your mixture slowly down your drain. Or you can pour down 1 cup baking soda into your drain let sit for 15 minutes. Then pour 1/2 cup of vinegar down disposal and let sit for another 15 minutes (you can hear it fizz and see it bubble). Once you have waited your 15 minutes after the vinegar step boil a large pot full of water and pour that down! This should keep it nice and smelly free for at least 6 weeks (repeat when necessary).

#4. Still dealing with that terrible smell and all you want is to smell something really great, then why not pour a few drops of your favorite essential oils down the drain? You can dump in about a half-cup of baking soda, then dribble in a few drops of those essential oils (eucalyptus, tea tree, and mint are some suggestions I would try). Let it sit an hour or so, or overnight for best results, then rinse down with boiling hot water.

#5. Like vinegar, lemon juice also creates a bubbling reaction when it comes in contact with baking soda. It's not as economical in this case as vinegar (being without a garbage disposal, you'd have to actually juice a lemon since you can't grind up an already-juiced-and-zested wedge), but it does smell much nicer! The baking soda thing is legit. Whether you use lemon juice (which smells pretty yummy) or vinegar (not nearly as yummy a smell, but just as effective) it’s really up to you! Just add both ingredients and down the hatch it goes! 

Hope these 5 easy tips help you with that smelly sink issue! 

 #1. Cooking! Do you ever start making dinner for your family or friends but then something happens or you get distracted and have to leave it unattended for a minute or even longer? Here try doing this before you have to run; turning the heat off first before leaving, then there is no chance for anything to over boil or catch fire! Or you can try something as simple as setting a timer to remind yourself there is something still on the stove!

#2. Smoking! If you or someone in the household tends to smoke indoors maybe it’s time we take it outside or someone institutes a no smoking in the house policy. There is so much in the household that can catch on fire very quickly for example upholstered furniture or carpeting. It may be cold in the winter months to have to go outside, but this way everyone stays much safer and healthier!

#3. Electrical Cords! Faulty or deteriorating cords are another cause of house fires! They often and easily can become frayed, damaged or cracked! Be sure to check everything on a regular basis and make sure it’s all in good safe working condition! If you notice anything that can become an issue or fire hazard replace it right away! In addition try not to overload your circuits “Rule of thumb, one plug per receptacle”

#4. Heating! When using portable or electric space heaters here are some tips for to ensure you are using them safely! Make sure the heater is far away from any objects such as “drapes, furniture, bedspreads, people and pets” at least 3 feet! If you have a log burning fire place you should get it professionally cleaned out every year to make sure there is nothing inside that can be potentially dangerous or lead to an unexpected fire!

#5. Candles! Who doesn’t love to burn candles? The smell, the light it gives off, the overall warm soothing feeling you get when sitting next to it! Unfortunately it is one of the leading causes of house fires! Solution; consider switching to a battery operated one instead, it may not be as fulfilling but definitely much safer! If you choose to use the traditional fire burning candle then always make sure to extinguish it before leaving the room!

Stay safe out there everyone and try to avoid those fire causing habits! 

#1. Try not to use fabric softener or dryer sheets when cleaning your cloths or cleaning rags! This minimizes its ability to hold or attract dust and absorb liquids!

#2. Instead of using a regular house hold rag to clean/dust with try using a microfiber cloth instead! These types of cloths are made of tiny wedge shaped fibers (100 times smaller than human hair) that grab and hold dirt way stronger, making this a much easier way to clean and reduce dust build up!

#3. If you haven’t done that spring cleaning your always trying to tackle but seem to have quite a dusty living area then there is no better time than to toss/donate dust collecting items that you no longer have use for. Especially in rooms where you spend a lot of time like your living room or bedroom!

#4. Consider changing out your drapes or fabric curtains for something a lot easier to clean and maintain. Such as Wood, Metal or even plastic blinds! These types of blinds don’t trap and hold in that dust like your drapes or curtains do! But if you do want to keep your drapes dust or vacuum your rods or valances first, then clean the fabric length wise with your vacuum brush on lower suction.

#5. Try using air purifiers in your most used rooms! This helps suck up the dust before it settles and keeps your air fresh and clean!

#6. Instead of using cheap furnace/air conditioner filters, choose pleated filters with a high MERV rating (mean efficiency reporting value) instead. Ask your furnace technician for suggestions as well so you don’t go over your furnaces abilities!

#7. If you have an allergy to dust and wake up with a stuff/runny nose, consider encasing your mattress and pillows in a zippered allergen-reducing cover. You can also wash your sheets and blankets in Hot Water twice a year to help get rid of those pesky dust mites!

#8. Which is better a dry mop or damp mop? The answer is a wet mop! Although water can be harmful to some surfaces such a wood, you can switch to a microfiber mop which comes in both dry and damp varieties!

Here are just some simple tips and tools for reducing that annoying amount of dust that just doesn’t ever seem to go away!

Happy Dusting Everyone! 

Have you ever noticed a slight or not so slight odor emanating from your dishwasher?  It can become unpleasant, especially since this is the very machine that is meant to clean your dishes, so why so smelly?  It only makes sense, as the dishwasher does its work to remove leftover food particles from your dishes, that some of that food doesn’t drain properly and can get stuck in nooks and crannies in your machine.  Here are 4 easy tips to keeping your dishwasher free of food odors:

1.  Open up your dishwasher fully, and clean off the bottom edge of the door and the metal lip area that sits below the door. 
2. Clean out your dishwasher filter.  Most dishwashers have a filter at the bottom of the tub – these are in place for preventing large food particles washed off in the cycle from clogging up your drain.  Simply pull out the filter and rinse it off and clean out the trap.
3. Sometimes small food particles can get stuck in the small water ports in the sprayer arm.  Simply grab a toothpick or cotton swab, and dislodge any food stuck in these little ports.
4.  Lastly – after cleaning these three areas, run a dishwasher cleaner through your dishwasher (with no dishes).  You can buy these almost anywhere, we know Cascade and Finish both have a dishwasher cleaner in the dish soap aisle.  You can also use vinegar and baking soda for this step as well (you can find many recipes by just googling it online!)

Having a dirty filter can also hinder the proper cleaning of your dishes, so before calling a repair man if your dishes aren’t getting as clean as they used to be, we recommend trying to clean it first!  Good luck!

Anyone who owns carpet has likely had this issue – you move a piece of furniture and it leaves behind dents where the piece sat.  Or you decide to get rid of an old piece of furniture, only to have it leave its footprints behind for years on end.  Though not the end of the world, they can certainly be unsightly and may even prevent you from moving your furniture at all.  As realtors, we often give staging advice to our clients, where we have used a quick and easy solution to get rid of these furniture footprints!  All you have to do is give the dent a few squirts of water from a water bottle, or moisten the area with a damp cloth.  Then pull out your trusty old hair dryer, and a spoon (really any utensil will work).  Blow dry the footprint and while you are drying the area, rake or rub the dent all over in every direction with the edge of the spoon.  The dent should disappear as the carpet dries.  If it doesn’t completely disappear on the first try, simply wet, and repeat the process.  Voila, no more carpet dents!  You can redecorate your room to your heart’s content!

Do you have an outdoor patio space that you like to spend lots of time relaxing and/or entertaining in?   Well concrete and brick can get dirty too, so we thought we would share an excellent way to clean it up for summer.

Firstly, hose down your patio.  You can use a pressure washer if you have access to one.  Next, grab some dish soap and apply it directly to the wet concrete.  As with dishes, use it sparingly unless you want to be rinsing bubbles from your patio for the next year!  Once you have sparingly put dish soap on the concrete, take a broom (whatever you might use to sweep your patio – can be a normal kitchen broom, or an industrial push broom), and work the soap suds into the concrete.  This would be a great job for the kids to do!  Once you have ‘swept’ the whole patio, simply rinse off the suds with your garden hose or pressure washer.  Dish soap is a good cleaning agent for your patio because it won’t harm your grass or surrounding vegetation.

Now, if some stubborn stains remain, here is a formula that tends to work excellent.  (Please keep in mind, the white vinegar in this formula WILL KILL YOUR GRASS, so it’s best to just spot clean with this formula.  If your patio is nowhere near any vegetation, go ahead and use this formula on your whole patio as vinegar is one of the best cleaners and disinfectants out there!  And not only will it clean your concrete, it will help control your weeds as it kills the vegetation).

Use an empty spray bottle, and fill it with a solution of 50% white vinegar, and 50% water.  Spray it on the more stubborn stains, and let it sit for 10 minutes.  After the 10 minute mark, you may want to put a little bit of elbow grease into it and scrub with a brush.  Then simply rinse it off, and you should be left with a nice, clean, inviting space to spend your summer!

Did you know that dryers can cause fires if they are not properly maintained and cleaned?  Yes, we clean the lint trap on a regular basis – but at least once a year it is recommended that you go beyond the lint trap, and clean out your dryer hose as well to prevent possible fire.  Though you can hire a professional to do this, it is quite easy to do yourself!  There are 3 easy steps.

1.  Clean out your lint trap, but then also clean out the area below the lint trap as best as you can.  If you have a long, thin brush, go ahead and stick that in the space below the vent, and break loose as much as the lint captured down there as you can.  Then simply vacuum up any loose lint you were able to bring to the surface.
2. Next, pull your dryer away from the wall, and disconnect the exhaust duct tube.  They can be connected in different ways, some may need a screwdriver in order to disconnect it.  Then simply slide the tube off of the dryer and the hole in the wall.  Then use your vacuum to vacuum out both ports – the one leading into the dryer and the one in the wall.  You can also use your vacuum to clean the actual tube itself – but if you find this tedious or difficult you can always purchase one from your local hardware store (they are very cheap) and just replace it.  Note – if you have an older style vinyl tube – it is important that you replace it with a foil one as the vinyl ones can be fire hazards.  Also throw your brush attachment onto your vacuum, and just run it over the whole rear of the dryer picking up any lint stored there in any nooks and crannies.  Then simply re-attach the exhaust tube.  Also remember, when you push your dryer back to the wall, be sure you are not crushing the exhaust tube.
3. Thirdly, if it is in your reach, just give the dryer vent on the exterior of your home a quick cleaning.  Make sure there is no debris blocking the vent.

And there you have it!  3 easy steps to ensure your safety and peace of mind.

Do you own a ceiling fan?  While the most common use for a ceiling fan is to cool you down, the air circulation a ceiling fan provides also contributes to the indoor air quality of your home.  With homes coming to be more and more energy efficient through being more air sealed and well insulated, this may reduce ventilation which can make the air in your home stagnant.  Saying this, it is definitely beneficial to use your ceiling fan in the winter as well.  Think it will make you cold?  Think again – by simply switching the direction that the fan blows, you can avoid having cold air blown on you all winter long.  Most all ceiling fans will have the option to change direction, older fans will probably have a switch somewhere hidden on top of the motor, while newer ones are easier to locate.  In the summer, your ceiling fan should be turning counter clockwise.  This will give you the ‘cooling effect’ forcing the air in the room down on you creating that wind chill effect.  In the winter, your ceiling fan should be turning clockwise at a low speed.  This will gently draw the room air up towards the ceiling, and force the warm air down and out towards the walls avoiding blowing right on you and giving you the wind chill effect.  And there you have it – you now know you can keep your air circulating all year long!

Do you have an old wood burning fireplace?  Has it been updated along with the rest of your home?  Many people don’t attempt to update or redecorate their fireplace.  This can then create somewhat of an eyesore when having visitors over, or when wanting to sell your home.  Here are a few ways you can update your fireplace:

1. Paint the old brick.  In this day and age, we no longer have to use guesswork when wanting to paint anything, as there seems to be special paint types for every project you are willing to undertake, and brick paint is no exception.  You can buy paint especially made to paint over bricks, such as Behr Interior/Exterior Masonry , Stucco & Brick Paint, so you will get the best coverage and long lasting results.
2. Add a mantle.  This is a great way to add some character to your fireplace.  The possibilities are endless on whatever look you want to create, from ornate woodworking to sleek stone.  You can add just a shelf, or go with something that surrounds your whole fireplace.  You can buy them premade, or create one yourself!
3. Convert it to a gas or an electric fireplace.  If you are not a fan of your wood burning fireplace, if you find it messy or don’t like the irritants, you do have the option to change it to gas or electric.  Not only is it much cleaner in every sense, but while a wood burning fireplace is mostly for ambience, as most heat it produces exits straight out of the chimney, a gas or electric fireplace will actually heat your home on those cold winter nights.  You can purchase a gas fireplace insert for your wood burning fireplace, or if that is too much you even have the option of purchasing natural gas fireplace logs instead.

Voila – you just changed your dated and/or unused fireplace from an eyesore to a focal point!