Finish the Honey-Do List

Give her the gift she REALLY wants… Finishing the “Honey-Do” List. Dry Clean Carpets, Remove Crayon from Walls, Replace Floor Registers… OH MY! Don’t Fret, all the information you need to successfully conquer that list in a timely manner is provided below…

1) Re-Caulk Tub

Removing old mildew infested caulking and replacing with bright new caulking is as easy as 1, 2, 3…..

1) Remove Old Caulk
Place 3M Caulk Softener on existing tub caulk and let stand for 2 hours. This wonder bottle can cover 24 linear feet at an 1/8″ bead, so one bottle should do the trick for your tub surround. Once the caulk softener has been sitting for at least 2 hours, remove old caulk with a putty knife or the caulk removal tool that came in the Caulk Refinishing Kit (shown below). After removing the existing caulking, make sure to clean the area with rubbing alcohol and NOT water, to ensure that you’ve removed all traces of mildew. Let the area dry. Next, fill the bathtub with water before applying new caulk to ensure the strongest seal around the tub. Optional (and recommended): use Seal Rite Tape to keep application straight and neat.

3M Caulk Softener – Easily remove existing caulking.	Caulk Refinishing Kit Remove, Finish and MORE!
Caulk straight lines with Seal Rite Masking System!

2) Apply New Caulk
First, make sure the area is completely dry to achieve better seal. It is best to apply caulking in temperatures above 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Load caulk tube into a caulk gun and cut tip to 45-degree angle or use the Caulk Tip Set that can be purchased separately:  Start first on one of the shorter walls (usually the sides of the tub). When squeezing the trigger, keep moving and always pull the gun in opposite way the gun is pointing (see photo below). Keep constant pressure on trigger and don’t lift gun until you reach the corner.

Photo courtesy of Popular Mechanics Online

Clean tip of caulking tube with paper towel between walls. Ease up on the trigger as you reach the end point (corner). When you are finished with all sides, run the caulk finisher (included in the Caulk Refinishing Kit to smooth down and remove any access caulk. **Make sure to smooth down caulking and clean up any excess caulking within 20 min of applying**

3) Let it Dry
Let caulk to dry/set according to the label of whatever caulking you are using, or if you are using the Colorfast Brand Caulking from our site, let stand for 24-48 hours before using the tub/shower. Remove Seal Rite Tape (if applicable).

Need to find a colored caulk that matches your grout or bathroom decor? Check out Continue reading →

Clean House – Keeping your New Year’s Resolution

New Year brings new hope, motivation and an overwhelming feeling of needing to get organized, and where to start. Here at Installerstore, we understand your feelings, and are here to help you complete your New Year’s Resolution to keep your home clean and organized. In this blog we will share our easy-to-use cleaning products and tools, and even tips on weekly house cleaning schedules (for all households). I have used ideas and cleaning template found on a blog article “Weekly House Cleaning Schedule” found HERE.

Keeping up with The Cleaning – “1 Room a Day”

For those of us who were not blessed with the neat gene, keeping up with cleaning can sometimes become an overwhelming to-do list or constantly playing cleaning catch-up. If readers take anything away from this blog, it should be this…. “1 Room a Day.” Even if you don’t implement the templates or weekly schedules suggested, if you concentrate on 1 room a day, you’ll considerable cut down the stress that comes along with frantic cleaning before guests arrive. I’ve found that concentrating on just room each day or every other day, it not only eliminates my stress but also helps fight my (and my husbands) procrastination.

First and foremost, determine how long you want your schedule to be: weekly, monthly, etc. Next you’ll want to make a long list of everything that you think needs cleaning. You may find it easier to make a list for each room, it is less overwhelming that grouping the house as a whole. Along with the cleaning activities for each room, you can have a complete cleaning of certain rooms weekly/monthly. You can call the less frequent cleaning activities “Deep Cleaning.” For example, you’ll clean the toilet once a week, but the bathroom will get a deep cleaning once every month. The time line for basic cleaning activities (like cleaning the toilet) will vary from household to household.  Feel free to  determine the frequency of tasks to whatever is reasonable to you.

If you have multiple people in your home, such as a college house or if you have children, you can delegate people to tasks. If you are feeling even more compulsive, you can assign specific tasks to specific days. If your son Timmy has sport practices Mon, Tue and Wed, assign his cleaning chores to later in the week. The most important part, is to put it in writing. People (yourself included) won’t remember exact tasks, or if a deep clean has been done this month unless it is documented. Get a household calendar or weekly planner, or better yet use the great excel document that I had found on the Weekly House Cleaning blog entry (there is link to download the excel file under the “How to Use My House Cleaning Schedule Template” section).

Example of a House Cleaning Schedule
(image owned by blog Weekly House Cleaning Schedule)

And lastly, the most important step is to stick to it. And another thing, don’t be too hard on yourself or others if you get behind on your cleaning schedule. You can always squeeze in an extra toilet scrub or scrub twice as hard on the next cycle. There are products and cleaning tools out there that can help eliminate time and energy. These include Continue reading →

Old Man Winter To Visit Wisconsin!

We are expecting our first blizzard Thursday. Customers please make sure to check your tracking numbers, because weather may delay the delivery of your package. We may have limited staff tomorrow due to road conditions, so if you get our voicemail during business hours, please leave a message and a sales staff member will get back to you that day or Friday. Everyone in the storms path, please be safe!

Installerstore – Free Lint Free Cloth with Qualifying Purchase!

Free Kalle green cleaning cloth with every qualifying cleaner or floor care product purchase!

No coupon code needed! Sample automatically added to cart for FREE. Limit 1 Kalle Cloth lint free wipe per order. While supplies last.

Not sure which cleaners/floor care products qualify? Visit this link to view a full list , or look for the “Special Offer” orange badge on the photo of the product.
With your order, you’ll receive the Kalle green cleaning cloth and a special discount you can use on your next order of Kalle Cloths!

We are having a bit of website/server issues this morning. If you have been trying to place an order, please call our toll free number 866-258-1554 and we will gladly take your order by phone. We apologize for any inconvenience!

To encourage our employees to get out and vote Tuesday November 6, Installerstore will be letting the staff leave throughout the day for a paid hour to vote. If you call throughout the day and get our voice-mail, please leave a message and someone will get back to you by the end of the day.  Normal office hours are Monday-Friday 8:00am -5:00pm CST.

Presidential Election Tuesday November 6

You’ve all had your practice voting during our Halloween Costume Contest, now comes the real deal! Don’t forget to Vote November 6 2012!

Katie the Washing Machine!

Thanks to all that voted (and saved)! Make sure to check back next Halloween for Installerstore‘s 3rd Annual Halloween Costume Contest and Sale!

Just Added! 3 Inch Slipstick Bed Risers available at Installerstore.com!

Need extra storage space in your Dorm? Have a bed with castor wheels that just won’t stay put? Slipstick Bed Risers can solve these issues, and more! These 3 inch bed risers holds up to 2,000 pounds or 500 pounds each riser. The foam insert molds can mold to all types of furniture legs, including rollers! The non-slip rubberized base keeps beds in place on all types of flooring, while adding height and valuable storage space to your bed. These heavy-duty Slipstick Bed Risers come in packs of 4, meaning you only need 1 pack for your 4 post bed!

Click the photo below to go directly to the product page, or visit this link: www.installerstore.com/slipstick-3-inch-bed-riser.html

View Installerstore’s full line of Slipstick brand quality furniture feet and floor protector products to protect your flooring investment!

WoolClean Spot Remover Products Featured in Nov Issue Real Simple

Wools of New Zealand brand WoolClean Spot Removal products were featured in the November issue of Real Simple Magazine. The article, “Oops, I did it again. Don’t let holiday spills mess with your spirit. Here are solutions (and soaps and sprays) for every seasonal stain” recommends using the WoolClean Spot Remover Kits on wool rugs with stains from greasy gravy to tree sap. The 3 products mentioned in the article, Wool Clean Spot Remover 1, Dry Spot Remover 2 and Absorb-It Powder are available in an all encompassed kit.

This stain buster is made specifically to clean wool rugs and carpets, but is safe for all carpet fibers.  The 3 Step cleaning process can tackle any spot and spill on your carpet.

Wool Clean Spot Remover 1 removes non-greasy water-based spots and stains	Dry Spot Remover removes greasy, oil-based spots	Use WoolClean Absorb It  to absorb spills initially or as a final step to absorb as carpet dries. Also can be purchased separately from kit.
**Use On: Pumpkin Pie, Red or White Wine, Coffee/Tea and Cranberry Sauce stains.	**Use On: Gravy, Butter or Salad Dressing, Candle Wax, Coffee/Tea, Candle Ash/Fireplace Soot and Tree Sap stains.	**Use On: Red or White Wine and Pet Accidents.
**Holiday Spill solutions recommended in Real Simple magazine. Some spills require the use of multiple kit items. Please see included step-by-step instructions before cleaning up spills.

Check out the November issue of Real Simple on stands now for a full list of Holiday Spill cleaning tips.

For our full line of carpet cleaners, browse this link: http://www.installerstore.com/Carpet-Cleaner.html.

****UPDATE 2013: If you missed the November 2012 issue and want to read the excellent stain removal recommendations, click the photo below or visit this link to read the article in its entirety: http://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/cleaning/stain-removal/stain-removal-00100000089255/index.html.