Tips Guides Resources

You hear a lot of talk about thread counts. Most experts agree that thread counts are a very important factor to consider when buying linens, especially bed sheets. So, exactly what is a “thread count?” The thread count is the measurement of the number of horizontal and vertical woven threads found in a square inch of a fabric. The finer thread counts are in the neighborhood of about 700 threads per square inch while a lower quality fabric would have anywhere from 80 to 200 threads per square inch (psi). Although thread count is definitely a factor to consider when purchasing sheets, it is really just a single factor among several.

When you shop in general department stores, you’ll find sheets that have an average thread count of from about 180 to close to 320. For longevity’s sake, cotton-blend sheets with a thread count of around 200 psi seem to last a respectable amount of time and do provide a reasonable amount of comfort for the average consumer. What is known as a “standard” thread count of regular muslin cotton fabric is about 150. A more refined and better quality sheet would be one with a thread count of about 200 psi. A “percale,” which is a kind of soft, easily washed fabric that wears well and practically never wrinkles, is a thread of higher than 200 psi. A luxury sheet, that is quite expensive, is one whose thread count is 500 psi and up.

The actual “thread count” of a fabric is not simply the amount of threads in one square inch. Since cotton and other linens have become more finespun through newer weaving processes, thread counts alone can be a less accurate measurement of quality. If a fabric has a thread count of 500 or more, there’s a good chance that the yarn in the process has been plied, or twisted, in order to double the yarn. Therefore, if a fabric has 250 yarns, that have been plied, in a square inch, that fabric would actually be rated as a fabric with 1,000 psi thread count. See how it can be deceiving? Still great fabric but not a true 1000 count thread per square inch.

According to The National Textile Association, the standard setter for the industry, it is a common practice for the threads to be counted separately whenever a thread count is read from any fabric. So, you see, the consumer could actually be deceived into believing they’re getting a higher thread count than they are because if the threads are counted in a two or three ply sheet, the actual number of threads psi is exaggerated. This is a stickler.

It is not necessarily more luxurious nor does a fabric become longer wearing simply because several threads have been spun together. The unknowing consumer will almost always note the number of threads in a square inch and make their buying decision based on this number.

High quality cotton threads are the real beginning for luxury level linens. Individual fiber or staples are what fine cotton is dependant on. The longer that the staple is, the higher the quality of the cotton. Staples that are longer are often combed with a finer instrument which allows the cotton fiber to be spun into a much finer thread texture. When this process takes place, the result is a softer and more luxurious fabric.

The longest staple on Earth belongs to Egyptian cotton. Fabric manufactured with Egyptian cotton is known as “world class” fiber and is considered very luxurious. It is also very expensive. A common trick of some manufacturers is to mix Egyptian cotton with cheaper, less quality cotton. A consumer should make sure that the label assures that the fabric claiming to be Egyptian cotton is in fact, 100% Egyptian Cotton.

The finishing process should be an additional factor that the consumer needs to be aware of. Modern technologies, along with the methodology of weaving and dying are the processes that determine the overall appearance and durability of a fabric. The reputation of the manufacturer on the label is very important. If the manufacturer is well-known and of good repute, the fabric is probably what it claims to be; however, if the maker is unknown or has a poor reputation, the consumer should beware the product.

With the Internet so handy and the speed of shopping so rapid, it is not surprising that many consumers are fooled so easily. Remember that the thread count of a fabric is not the only factor that you, the consumer, should consider when looking to make a purchase for any linen products. Stay informed and you will be a better shopper.

Gary Vaughn is has many valuable years of writing experience. Numerous articles include subjects such as health care, designer handbags, diet and nutrition and designer bedding. Bed Sheets Articles

I recently did a kitchen renovation job that we nicknamed the blues. The homeowners had a case of the blues, because their kitchen was stuck in the seventies. Furthermore, their kitchen was literally covered in blue. The tiles were blue, with white accent tiles sporadically placed, the cabinets were blue (yes you read that right) and the refrigerator was blue as well. The stove and dishwasher were white, but you get the idea of how blue things were. We decided a complete redesign would cure all of these blues.

We completely gutted the kitchen. Appliances, the blue kitchen cabinets, two large pantry kitchen cabinets, and we stripped the walls of the ugly tiles. After this was done we realized that one of the walls could be knocked out as well. It would be nice to open this wall, but the homeowners also wanted an option to keep part of that wall closed. This is where we turned to the pantry kitchen cabinets. It you’re not familiar with a pantry–a quick definition is as follows: a pantry kitchen cabinet or a kitchen pantry cabinet is a large closet type cupboard in your kitchen. There are a few different styles of height and width. It is eighty four to ninety six inches tall and about eighteen inches to two feet wide. These are the large cabinets that you see in the corners of kitchens. It is basically a food storage cupboard and the name comes from the old style -large, walk in pantries that were in most eighteenth and nineteenth century house designs.

So now that you are more familiar with a pantry kitchen cabinet, we now can go into how these kitchen cabinets helped turn this room into a feature in the house.

The homeowners were on a budget, so I suggested RTA cabinets. (Ready to assemble cabinets, which are pre-assembled cabinets). These cabinets saved the homeowner $3200 dollars (Three Thousand Two Hundred Dollars) over a quote they received from Lowe’s. The homeowners were actually familiar with the RTA style kitchen cabinets but were unsure if the RTA cabinets carried the pantry kitchen cabinets. After I informed the homeowners that RTA kitchen cabinets, not only make pantry kitchen cabinets, but the RTA cabinets are actually a better quality than retail stores like IKEA, Home Depot or Lowe’s.

So finally we got to the kitchen, installed RTA kitchen cabinets, painted the kitchen a nice white (no blue), added some accent tiles in a nice shade of brown, and then came to the wall that was removed. We added one pantry to this wall and then had an open space that the homeowners wanted to keep open but also have an option to close it off. This is where we decided to use a double pantry that acts like a false wall. When you opened the double pantry doors, it did not open into a cupboard, instead it opened into the other room. It was a great idea and it demonstrates how there are many uses for a pantry kitchen cabinet. So make sure you add a pantry cabinet to your kitchen and start thinking of the many ways it can be used.

Find out where the experts go to get all of their wood kitchen cabinets and accessories. Learn how to save thousand on wood cabinets by buying them where contractors and builders shop.

There are few plants more intriguing and lovely than a tree in bonsai. I received my first bonsai as a gift, knowing a little about how to care for plants, but certainly not an expert in bonsai. I learned how to water a bonsai and all the little tips and tricks you’d need to ensure the bonsai stayed healthy.

Except trimming the bonsai.

A tree in bonsai is a living thing. Like any living thing, it has a cycle of growth. The thing is, the point of bonsai is to ensure that the growth is such that it simulates the appearance of a full-grown tree in miniature.

How do you do this without killing the plant? For a beautiful plant, you want to ensure that you’re keeping your bonsai healthy. Since it is a tree, if you care for it properly, it can live a long time. Ensuring bonsai longevity includes trimming your bonsai properly.

Don’t be afraid to trim your bonsai plant. Many beginners are afraid they will kill their bonsai tree by trimming it. That’s not the problem. To keep a bonsai healthy and beautiful, you must trim the tree. The important first step is to know where and when to trim the bonsai plant. This depends on what sort of bonsai tree you have. A general rule is to make sure you do not trim a bonsai plant when the sap is rising. A bonsai is a tree and sap rises in it just like any other tree in a forest or orchard. So, never trim your bonsai plant in the spring! If your bonsai plant is a deciduous tree (meaning, it loses its leaves in the autumn), late fall is the ideal time to trim your bonsai plant. If you have an evergreen, trim your bonsai plant in late winter.

Before you trim your bonsai tree, look at it carefully. Are there branches that look ill? Are you looking for a specific shape and effect? Bonsai is a combination of art and science. While you want to trim your bonsai for health and longevity, you want it to be beautiful, too! The first branches to choose when you trim your bonsai tree are certainly any sick or dead branches that seem to be threatening the health of the plant. While a certain amount of “driftwood” effect is fine for an esthetic effect, make sure that it is not interfering with the health of the bonsai plant. If you have been observing your bonsai plant carefully, you will have noticed what branches have been producing good leaves or needles, as well as the ones that seem to have been struggling. It is best for the bonsai longevity to trim struggling branches and allow the next season’s sap to rise into the healthy branches for maximum health.

When you have decided what branches to trim, take your sharp shears and cut the branches cleanly. After you have trimmed away everything you want, make sure to seal the cuts on the bonsai plant with a good tree sealant. If you have a deciduous tree, try a tar-based tree paint. If you have an evergreen, it is better to use grafting wax. You can get both items at any good gardening center.

Next fall or winter, make sure to sharpen your cutting shears and get everything ready so that you can trim your bonsai for the ultimate growth and longevity!

Permission to reprint this article was provided by Bonsai For Sale where you can find great bonsai care tips, as well as a variety of bonsai trees and plants for sale.

When it comes to choosing window blinds, Perth (Australia) has many available options. Whether you know exactly what kind of blinds you want, or if you are still undecided, the choice of where to purchase your blinds can be a daunting one. Assessing each of the available options and what they can do for you and your home, is the first step in deciding which option to use when purchasing window blinds. With a little bit of research, you can find the perfect place to purchase your window blinds.

Perth’s Local Retail Stores

Although retail stores may offer lower prices, they really only work for individuals who want to purchase common blind styles and colours. Perth has a variety of retail stores available that offer window blinds for your home. From hardware to bath and bedding stores, some type of window blinds can be located in most retail locations around Perth.

Retail stores tend to only provide one or two styles of blinds such as venetian and vertical, and often their blinds only come in 2-3 various colours. If you are looking for a simple vinyl or metal blind that comes in a neutral colour, then the less expensive blinds found in retail stores may be perfect for you. However if you want a more unique style, material, or colour of window blind, you will need to explore Perth’s other window blind options. Those on a budget would probably be better served at local retail stores, but custom made blinds offer higher quality more durable blinds that can add style to your home.

Online Only Stores

The internet can be accessed from anywhere in the world, including Perth. There are many people who turn to the Internet for their window blind shopping needs. Both cheaper retail and more expensive custom blind companies can be found online, and the choices that can be found can often be astounding.

The drawback to online shopping is that you are not able to see, feel, or experience the type of blinds a company has available. You also lose out on the personal touches that using a local window blinds company can provide. Communication can, on rare occasions get mixed up, and you may end up with window blinds that you do not like or that do not function in a way that is best for you. If you know exactly what you want and can find a great deal, then purchasing your window blinds online could work for you.

Perth’s Local Custom Made Blinds Companies

Local companies who offer custom made blinds are perhaps the most comprehensive option when it comes to purchasing window blinds in Perth. Not only do local custom made blinds companies offer you the convenience of local retail stores, but they also offer you the variety of choices that are available with custom made blinds.

Custom made window blind companies allow you to choose the best blind for your home. Whether you want venetian timber blinds for warmth, a fabric roman blind for sleek sophistication, or a simple metal vertical blind for a large window, you can purchase all these and more in the colour and material of your choice at a local custom made blinds company. If you do not like the blinds you purchased, or if there is a problem, you can easily return blinds that were bought locally in Perth.

With all of the choices that are available for purchasing window blinds in Perth, the decision can often be hard to make. Once you determine what you are looking for in a window blind, the choice becomes easier. For the best in quality, convenience, and choice, a local custom made blinds company is the best, but explore all of your options before deciding which window blinds company would work best for you.

Kevin Knight, an expert in window blinds, is based in Perth, Australia. With over 25 years experience in the blinds industry, Kevin and his team at Custom Blinds can help you choose the right blinds for your new home: roman blinds, venetian blinds, vertical blinds, timber blinds, roller blinds and much more. Find out more at http://www.CustomBlindsWA.com

There was a time when a huge storm came rolling in and tons of stuff got soaking wet. I thought that there wasn’t going to be anything that I could do to fix the problem. Countless books, magazines, articles and important documents were all on the brink of being washed away. At that time, I didn’t know any document drying methods.

I thought long and hard and something finally came to mind. I would just let the papers air dry. There were papers every where in the house and outside too. Drying on a clothesline in the backyard was just one thing to do to save a few of them. This was a very bizarre moment for me, as I never really had to worry about document drying before. And these papers meant a lot to me.

There was of course, only so much room on the clothesline to dry off these documents. Another way had to be thought of, and suddenly I got another idea. This time I would use the actual dryer to do the job. I thought that the lose papers would be just fine if there wasn’t a whole lot of them. But then again, what cycle do you put papers on? There certainly wasn’t any recommendation from the company so I went with a low setting. Just think of fluffy pillows. To make them have a fresh scent, and to prevent static cling, I put in a dryer sheet while drying documents. One batch later and everything was going good. Load it up again and away we go. I had indeed discovered a document drying revolution.

But there still was a problem with drying the books and such. I decided that these would not dry left as is, but neither could these be torn apart. The big books went into the oven on low heat and magazines in the toaster oven. I know now that this might seem strange to do at first, but it can be done. Just remember to rotate every 10 minutes so that the edges don’t get brown. After doing this for a little while, I decided that there should be a book for document drying for this. Maybe I should be the one to make that happen.

Even after a day of document drying using various methods of heat, there was still more to be done. The one appliance that I had not thought to use yet was the microwave. Of course, what other appliance cooks food faster than the trusty microwave. Thirty seconds each on high heat should do just the trick. Yes, I was doing some serious document drying at lightning speed. Nothing could stop me now. Or maybe nothing but the power that went out because many appliances were being used all at once.

Looking back at the situation, there really wasn’t anything that could have been done to prevent the damage done to all those papers. It was now just a matter of how I was going to be able to make the documents dry without damaging them. I can’t imagine how I must have looked like to someone else. There were papers out on the clothesline, in the oven, microwave, dryer and any other place that was able to get the water out. Clearly, I had made document drying into an Olympic sport and I was to hold the gold in all divisions. You haven’t lived until you’ve had the pleasure of a birth certificate smelling like mountain spring fresh.

Isolde Werry is a homeowner advocate on water damage for wet document salvage and salvage wet documents

There are a number of different types of fire extinguisher. CO2 extinguishers are among the most common. You’ll be able to identify them by their red casing, with a black band indicating that the contents are carbon dioxide. Contents of a fire extinguisher are also written on the extinguisher, usually in white letters. It’s a good idea to make sure you know whether your extinguisher is a CO2 model, or some other type. That way, you’ll know how to use it properly.

The first thing to do when you see a fire, before you even grab the carbon dioxide fire extinguisher, is to let others know there’s a problem. If there’s an alarm, use that to alert the other people in the building. If no alarm is available, tell someone and have him or her spread the word. Call the fire department before you attempt to put out a fire, and don’t try to deal with one unless you know what to do.

Then, be sure that the CO2 fire extinguisher is really the right tool for the job. It works on most fires, including flammable liquids, gases, and electrical fires. However, the pressure at which the extinguisher operates can damage items, and small pieces of ice may fly out of it. CO2 fire extinguishers are not commonly used around computers because of the possibility of damage. Instead, another type of “clean” fire extinguisher may be used. For most applications where a grease or electrical fire is a danger, however, carbon dioxide fire extinguishers are a good choice, because they leave behind no powdery or harmful residues. Some dry chemical extinguishers contain dangerous chemicals, and all of them leave behind a mess to clean up.

Carbon dioxide fire extinguishers are also not ideal for some paper, cardboard, or plastic fires, since they can’t displace enough oxygen to make sure that the fire is out. Because these extinguishers don’t always cool the fire enough, there may be enough heat to cause a problem. When the carbon dioxide dissipates, and the oxygen returns, the fire may re-ignite. For oil fires and electrical fires, however, they are quite effective. Never use a carbon dioxide fire extinguisher on a fire containing flammable metals - it can actually increase the chemical reaction!

Once you’re certain that what you need is a CO2 fire extinguisher, release its trigger mechanism by pulling out the plastic tag. Move the discharge horn up to a right angle with your body, and use your body to support it. Never hold this discharge horn with your hand while using it. Metal discharge horns will become so cold on a CO2 fire extinguisher that your hand could freeze to them. You should only deal with a fire when it’s in the very earliest stages. Never try to put out a fire that’s gotten established in a building, or try to deal with a fire if you’re not sure what you’re doing. Remember - you’re not obligated to try to put a fire out. Call the fire department as soon as possible if you’re not confident you can deal with the fire.

Carbon dioxide fire extinguishers make a lot of noise when used, so don’t be surprised. Aim at the base of the flame, whether the burning material is located, not at the tips. If you have any worries about whether you’re doing things right, or you empty the extinguisher without putting out the fire, leave the area immediately. It’s better to be safe than sorry. Your fire extinguisher isn’t the only thing that’s useful in an emergency, either. A fire blanket is an excellent solution for any fire that’s smaller than the blanket. Always be sure to hold the blanket in such a way that it protects your hands, and leave it on the fire for at least thirty minutes.

Never walk on an area where a fire has been, even if you’ve used an extinguisher on it. It may reignite, or you could find that your extinguisher’s CO2 supplies are exhausted unexpectedly. Recharge all extinguishers as soon as possible after you use them, to make sure they’re ready for the next possible accident. Not having a working fire extinguisher on hand could be a big problem. Remember to inspect your CO2 fire extinguisher monthly to be certain it’s ready for use.

Fire Safety Equipment based in the UK. We stock all types of Co2 fire extinguishers fire blankets, smoke alarms and other safety products to protect you and your family in the event of a fire.