How Often Should You Dry Clean Your Drapes?

Experts say that if you care for your drapes properly, you may never have to dry clean them. The degree and frequency of care depends on environmental pollutants (from open windows, traffic exhaust, smoke, etc.). Regular maintenance is more important and cost effective than dry cleaning. You want to prevent dust build-up on the front and back of draperies. Dust on the backside will attract the sun's destructive rays like a magnet. This speeds up deterioration of the lining and drapery fabric.

Shake the drapes while hanging to knock off dust or vacuum with an upholstery brush. Don't use the same upholstery brush you use on furniture as it may have broken bristles that will damage the drapery fabric. Use a new one. The industry says drapes should last 7 years, but with regular care, your drapes could well last 10 to 15 years!

Give Your Dead Car Battery a Decent Burial

Is a dead car battery cluttering up and rusting in your garage or carport? Old batteries contain more than 20 pounds of lead and a gallon of sulfuric acid. They are too toxic to throw into the regular garbage, but what is the safest way to dispose of them? According to the American Automobile Association's Vice President of Automotive Services David Whitgob, more than 200,000 dead batteries in California are just waiting for a decent burial. That's why the AAA is launching the annual "Great Battery Roundup" this week, in honor of Earth Day.

Mr. Whitgob recommends using caution when handling the old batteries. Wear gloves and safety glasses and don't expose them to any open flames, and that includes cigarettes. Use a leak-proof box when transporting the battery, in case it is cracked and leaking acid. You can find a recycling location near you by going to aaa.com or BatteryRoundup.com.

Before You Buy: A Savvy Way to Check Out a Used Car

People often make mistakes when they buy used cars because they don't do their homework. One owner of a Diamond Certified Auto Dealership, encourages customers to take their time and not to get emotionally involved with a particular vehicle. He also suggests getting deep background on a used car through a service called CarFax (carfax.com).

This company has a database of roughly 2 billion vehicle history records from 800 sources. You type in a vehicle ID number, and within a matter of minutes, you get the lowdown on a car's odometer history, ownership, registration status, and accident record. You can also use the website to find out if the car is legally considered a lemon or if it has been recalled. A single report is $14.99 and it could save you aggravation.

Don't Mix Cruise Control with Rain or Ice

Never use the cruise control on your car in bad weather. That advice is coming from Augie Barone, Service Writer for a Diamond Certified company. What can happen is that traction control systems will not work in some vehicles when the cruise control is on. If you have to make a sudden stop, you might panic and slam on the brakes, which is the wrong thing to do. When you're dealing with wet or icy pavement, it's better to ease up on the accelerator and back off the throttle gradually.

That isn't an option if the cruise control is on because you have to touch the brake pedal to disengage cruise control. It's best to use the cruising feature in good weather when you're traveling at high speed for long distances.

No More Whining Over the Wine Tab

If you're paying the tab for any upcoming parties, one thing to keep an eye on is the wine and how it's served. Co-owners of a Diamond Certified company, tell clients to buy their wine from places that will let you return unopened bottles. They recommend asking the caterer or restaurant staff to save all the bottles, corks and empties too. You get an accurate count that way.

Have the servers pour about 1/2 glass for starters, so guests can fully enjoy the flavor and bouquet. On average, you can count on getting 4 to 5 glasses per bottle. Finally, unfinished bottles are yours to take home. Just make sure you transport them in your trunk to be on the safe side.

Storage: High & Dry!

When you packed up those cardboard boxes to store in the basement or garage last year, it may have been a warm sunny day. Now that it's raining, you may want to do an inspection to make sure everything is staying dry. Deborah Patterson-Garvin, owner of Aloha Moving & Storage, Inc., a Diamond Certified company, warns that any wet and dark area can produce mildew and mold. Boxes stored directly on concrete floors can absorb moisture. Not only do the boxes deteriorate, but moisture can get inside where it can damage papers, documents, books, and whatever else is stored.

A good solution is to lay down some wood 2 X 4s, one foot apart and place the boxes on top. This keeps your items away from damp concrete and allows for airflow. At a professional storage facility, nothing is stored directly upon concrete. Everything is on pallets, shelves or racks.

Hot Tips on Buying Firewood

If you've ever ordered a cord of firewood, you know it's a lot of wood. But you also know it's hard to tell whether you've gotten your money's worth. According to Amy Sinclair, Public Relations Officer for San Francisco's Department of Consumer Assurance (also known as the Department of Weights and Measures in some counties), the measurements of a cord should be roughly 4 feet high by four feet wide, by 8 feet long. The seller should provide a written receipt listing contact information and the type of firewood and amount ordered.

With enough notice, a county inspector will even come out to your home to take measurements when the wood is delivered to make sure you're not cheated. These inspectors are also responsible for making sure all gas pumps, electronic scanners and parking meters are accurate.

Avoid Surprises — Get a Pre-Sale Home Inspection

Getting your home inspected before you put it up for sale makes a lot of sense. Too many people make the mistake of assuming their house is in excellent condition just because they've lived in it for a long time. The knowledge you gain from a pre-sale inspection can virtually eliminate all the hassles a buyer's home inspection causes. If you know what the defects are early on, you decide which ones you will fix.

You can take your time comparing repair estimates. Knowing the defects also helps you substantiate your asking price. You are less likely to have a deal that falls through because a home inspector finds a problem. In the end, a complete and formal disclosure report minimizes renegotiations between the buyer and the seller.

Detecting and Plugging Hidden Leaks

Anytime you get an extraordinarily high water bill, it's time to investigate for hidden leaks. Your toilet is one possible culprit, according to Albert Nahman, owner of Albert Nahman Plumbing, a Diamond Certified company. To see if it's leaking, put a drop or two of food coloring into the tank. Wait a few minutes. If the color shows up in the toilet bowl, you've got a leak. Usually the flapper needs to be replaced. Underground leaks can also run up your bill. To detect those, Mr. Nahman says turn off the valve and make sure no live water is coming out of the faucets. Then go to your meter box. If the red indicator is spinning, you have a leak somewhere in the delivery pipe to your house. Underground leaks may cause wet spots in your yard, but sometimes there's no visible clue.

How to Care for and Feed Your Garbage Disposer

Every time a plumber comes out to unclog my kitchen sink, he tells me about one more thing I should not put down my garbage disposer. So the question I posed to Diamond Certified plumbers is what can I use this appliance for? They say it’s best to stick with little things, like coffee grounds, apple cores and lemon peels. You should run the water into the disposer for 1-2 minutes after the food is gone! Ice cubes are good for disposals because they cut grease and sharpen the blades. Do not use your sink’s disposer for anything that creates starches (potato peels and rice), fibrous fruits and vegetables (celery, banana peels and artichoke leaves) and don’t dump things like big dishes of leftovers into the appliance. Remember that your disposer is not a garbage can. 

How to Give Your Doctor a Check-Up

Have you ever checked out your doctor's credentials? Sometimes those framed diplomas and plaques on office walls don't tell you everything you need to know. The Medical Board of California has a website featuring a service called Doc Finder. Spokeswoman Candace Cohen says once you type in the physician's name, you will see where he or she graduated from medical school, whether the license is up-to-date and if a doctor has been formally accused of wrongdoing by California's Medical Board. The Board discloses all reported cases of discipline by a hospital or another state's board, and felony convictions.

Malpractice judgments and arbitration awards since 1993 are also part of a physician's profile. This year the state will start reporting on doctors who have 3 malpractice settlements exceeding $30,000 within a 10-year period for low-risk specialties and 4 or more for high-risk specialties. The website is www.medbd.ca.gov or call 916-263-2382.

The 411 on Directory Assistance

The cost of calling directory assistance is skyrocketing as some phone companies dig deeper into your pockets, according to Linda Sherry, spokesperson for the non-profit group Consumer Action. In the latest survey, Ms. Sherry found that dialing the area code plus 555-1212 now costs $2.49 for MCI and Sprint customers. While AT&T and Verizon have not increased rates, the charges are high, $1.99 and $1.25 respectively.

It is almost always cheaper to get local and national directory assistance by dialing 411, and Sherry says don't pay the extra fee to have them connect you. Residential customers get 3 local numbers free each billing period. After that, you pay 46 cents per call and are allowed 3 listings per call. National directory assistance (any listing outside your service area) is $1.25 per listing and you never get any freebies. You're charged even if the number is not found or unlisted.

Lazy About Checking Your Oil? You Have Company.

About two-thirds of the people who come in for service at Pennzoil 10 Minute Oil Change are at least one quart or more low on motor oil, according to Darrin Schlafer, Operations Manager for this Diamond Certified company. He says you can't depend on the dashboard oil light to warn you that you're running low.

In most cars, by the time the light goes on, your engine is starved for oil. Without enough oil, the system doesn't cool and lubricate properly and the oil breaks down faster. A warning light means you should stop and check the oil level immediately. To avoid engine damage, you must not drive your car if the oil level is low. To play it safe, Mr.Schlafer recommends eyeing the dipstick every time you fill up. Even every other time would be doing your engine a favor.

A Simple Solution for Your Ant Problem

Spraying the base boards and outside perimeter of your house with pesticide is usually not enough to take care of your ant problem because you're not addressing the source of the infestation. Argentine ants are common in this area, and you have to search out their colonies to get lasting results.

You will find them proliferating in shallow soil, underneath flat-sided stones, and underneath bark and trees that attract aphids and other insects. To destroy the colony, pour a mixture of hot water with isopropyl alcohol and dish detergent over the affected areas. Get your neighbors to do the same thing. Only a joint effort will effectively eliminate the ants.

STOP THIEF!
Be Careful What You Discard

I will be the first to admit that I have never thought twice about throwing any and all pre-approved credit card solicitations into the trash. David Rhoads, Vice President of SureShred, a Diamond Certified company, warns against being so careless. He says that identity thieves can easily take these offers from the garbage, change the return address, sign it and get a credit card in your name.

This can be just the beginning of your troubles. Once you put something in the trash, it is considered public property and anyone can sift through it. Besides pre-approved credit card ads, you should also destroy credit card and bank statements, driver's license renewal forms, hospital bills, old tax returns, and anything that has your social security number on it.

A "Key" Strategy That Will Literally Open Doors

It happens all the time, according to locksmith John Anderson, a partner at Mainline Security, a Diamond Certified company. People try to open their front door and the key gets stuck. Kicking the door is not the best solution, although you may feel like it.

Mr. Anderson says what you can do instead is turn the key to its usual removal position. Place a finger alongside the key and push in on the lock face before slowly withdrawing the key. This will prevent the key from breaking off in the lock. Spraying the lock with a quality lubricant may help, but avoid using graphite. You may still need to call a service technician later to tighten up the fasteners in the back of the lock cylinder, but the recommended strategy will get you inside and out of a jam.

Are You Wasting Money on Premium Gasoline?

Many people do not believe Atle Erlingsson, spokesman for the California State Automobile Association, when he tells them that they don't need to buy premium gasoline for their cars. More than 90% of cars run perfectly fine on regular. It is purely a myth that premium gas is cleaner, improves mileage and overall is better for your car. One case where you may need a higher-octane fuel is if you hear a knocking sound after filling up.

But Mr. Erlingsson says let your mechanic or auto manufacturer tell you whether you need to buy premium, not an oil company. By switching to a lower-priced fuel, the average driver will save about $200 a year. Some of that savings can be put toward oil changes every 3,000 miles. That will make a bigger difference in your car's performance than premium gas will.

All That Glitters Is Definitely Not Gold

Why would a gold necklace a friend purchased overseas at a well-established store turn green when she got home? A goldsmith, diamond setter and co-owner of a Diamond Certified Jewelry company, says something can look like gold but only be gold-plated or filled. The necklace was probably made of brass and coated with a thin layer of gold that's worn off. The markings for gold-plated jewelry are 14k h.g.e. and gold-filled jewelry should be marked 1/20 12K k.g.f. Both types should cost a lot less than gold that's gold to the core.

It's not wise to buy expensive jewelry when you're out of town on a holiday unless you know what you're doing. If you want a souvenir from another country, Mr. Jordan suggests you stick with the souvenirs!