Liquid bluing is a colloidal suspension of a very fine blue iron powder and water. Other ingredients include a pH balancer and a biocide to prevent the buildup of algae and bacteria. You can also purchase bluing powder. Mrs. Stewart’s Liquid Bluing is a leading brand in the United States; other brands include Bluette and Reckitt’s Crown Blue. Learn how bluing works, how to use it in different types of washers, be able to darken up those jeans you want to a darker blue and see how you can remove bluing stains from your clothing....

Consumers are more environmentally-conscious than ever before, and with the rising demand for chemical- and pesticide-free foods, home goods have begun to follow suit. While many people prefer to buy organic food, is there really a benefit to buying organic sheets, too? As it turns out, cotton, like other conventional crops, is sprayed with pesticides. Further, dyes and treated sheets—like those that are “wrinkle-resistant”—contain added chemicals, some which won’t wash out in the laundry....

The Geology of Marble Marble is a very popular natural stone that is quarried and cut into slabs and tiles for a variety of residential and commercial building applications, including countertops, floors, and wall tiles. It is a metamorphic rock that forms when a sedimentary stone, such as limestone, is transformed under heat and pressure into a harder stone with beautiful color and veined patterns. Marble is sometimes confused with granite, however, granite is an igneous rock derived from volcanic magma, not layered sedimentary rock....

The Mexican petunia (Ruellia brittoniana) is a fast grower, quickly spreading through self-seeding and rhizomes. Because of their fast growth, these plants are considered invasive. Light Mexican petunias love sunshine and will thrive in full sun. They also grow quite well in partially shaded areas, but shade reduces flower production. Plants grown in full sun will have purple stems while those grown in the shade will have green stems. Soil These hardy plants can be grown in almost any soil type but do the best in well-draining, rich soil....

House Style Can Influence Cabinet Style When you are considering your purchase of new kitchen cabinets, it’s best to start at the highest level and work down to the details. The highest level, in this case, would be the general kitchen or even house style. Details would mean door style, finishes, wood, and treatments. It’s easy to get off-track when it comes time to remodel the kitchen. Modern, contemporary kitchen styles might get shoehorned into cottage-style houses....

Each year Pinterest digs into what its users are pinning and predicts what trends will pop in the coming year. According to the latest data, 2018 will be filled with bold decor moves. From the looks making a big comeback (we’re looking at you, terrazzo) to daring new ideas for that fifth wall in your home (hint: if you don’t know what we mean, look up), here we round up our favorites from the Pinterest 100....

There are over ten species that all have their origins in semi-desert landscapes, many from the Americas. If you’re looking for a tree that will grow in dry, hot, and infertile environments, has interesting bark color, and produces bright flowers, then one of the palo verde species could be a good fit. They’re regarded as some of the most drought-tolerant trees around and are perfect for xeriscape landscaping. When they receive enough water, palo verde, tend to have a thin, upright form with feather-like, pinnate foliage and thorny branches....

All of these free day planners vary in the fields that they have and how much space they have to get your thoughts down. Take a look at each before deciding which one is a good fit for you. Free Daily Planning Page from Day Designer Daily Layout Planner Page from Passion Planner Unicorn Day Planner from Design Dazzle Daily Planner Templates from Canva Customizable Daily Planner from Andrea Dekker Daily Planner Printables from Scattered Squirrel Free Printable Half-Size Daily Planner from Meaningful Homeschooling Printable Daily Planner Templates from Template Lab The Any....

Not exactly. Experts say they are actually closely related and more alike than different. We talked to two bedding experts about the materials to find out everything you need to know—from choosing the right fabric to shopping for bedding. Here’s what they had to say: Polyester Is the Most Common Material When it comes to go-to fabrics, polyester is definitely the most common and has been widely used for many years....

In recent years, PVC (polyvinyl chloride) plastic has become more prevalent in the landscaping industry. PVC is a petroleum-based product that has a variety of uses in the building trades, and one of its recent adaptations is for landscape-fencing materials. Unlike wood fencing, PVC fencing doesn’t rot, doesn’t warp, and never needs painting. But it does have a few downsides, too: difficult to repair, prominently shows dirt and grime, and limited design choices....

It isn’t just business acumen that makes a company grow even in tough times. The product has to deliver value, and my own experience with it turned out to be very positive. Apparently, the company has never once received a negative customer review. There are three things that you should know about Simplicity Sofas: All the furniture is made in the USA at the company’s North Carolina plantThe RTA or Ready To Assemble upholstered furniture can be easily assembled in less than fifteen minutesSimplicity Sofas only sells directly to consumers and not through dealers...

‘Ruby Slippers’ is a cultivated variety of the oakleaf hydrangea, which is native to southeastern North America and as such attracts pollinators. The variety is a hybrid between the oakleaf hydrangea ‘Snow Queen’ and ‘Pee Wee’. It was introduced in 2010 by the U.S. National Arboretum as a small, compact, mounding shrub that is especially suited for residential settings with limited space. If you have a small yard or patio and want a striking hydrangea that also has native heredity, ‘Ruby Slippers’ fits that bill....

If you have a large room and love the feeling of air blowing on you, then a fan like the Seville Classics UltraSlimline 40” Oscillating Tower Fan should be high on your list. The UltraSlimline measures 40 inches tall and oscillates to deliver a blast of air across the entire width of a room. It ships with a remote and a plethora of settings that give you total control over the cooling experience....

Artificial plants are a great addition when styling your home. While we would all prefer to have a live lemon tree growing in our living rooms, the logistics of keeping a plant alive indoors doesn’t always match up with reality. Fake plants are the next best thing to bring greenery into a dreary space. The Silk Tree Warehouse Artificial Silk Boston Fern is a fine wild accent that brings a sense of the outdoors into your home or space....

Now, there is an even more recent innovation—products that eliminate even the backer board by using ceramic/porcelain tiles with built-in “trays” of backing material. These ceramic tile products are “floating” floors that are not glued to the subfloor. SnapStone Porcelain Tile Flooring The SnapStone Floating Porcelain Tile System is one such product. The system uses real porcelain tiles that are permanently adhered to a proprietary “tray” layer that has click-together tabs along the edges....

Softscape Defined Softscape comprises the animate (living) horticultural elements of landscape design. More simply put, it refers to the plants. Softscape elements are complemented by hardscape elements, such as wooden pergolas, stone walls, tile patios, and brick walkways. Why is it incorrect to say that softscape simply means all the elements in one’s landscaping that are soft? A tree is considered part of the softscape, but if you are playing catch with the kids in the yard and accidentally run full-steam into a tree’s trunk, will it feel soft to you?...