Baking soda is something that most of us have in our homes. We use it for cooking, but have you ever thought that you can use it for cleaning as well? Baking soda is actually a fantastic thing to clean with. It deodorizes and is non-toxic, so it’s safe for kids, pregnant women, and pets. Below, you’ll find some of the household chores that you can complete using baking soda.

Scrub Down The oven

Since ovens can become really dirty, really fast, you need something that can take on the grease. Baking soda is great for this purpose. Make a paste using baking soda and water or vinegar. Let the paste sit in the oven for up to 24 hours. Then wipe the mixture down with a sponge or cloth. You can heat the oven after you do this initial cleaning to help you loosen any additional grease, grime, or food particles. Let the oven cool and wipe it down again. 

Keep Drains Clear

If you notice that your drains are a bit slow, you may want to avoid harsh chemicals and start with the baking soda right in your kitchen. Pour some baking soda into your drain. Then, run some warmed vinegar down the drain immediately afterwards. After you let that mixture go to work for about 10 minutes, you should flush the drain with boiling water. This won’t work on already clogged drains, but it’s great for maintenance on your drains that may be a bit slow. 

Keep Your Fridge Fresh

Your fridge can become a breeding ground for germs, crumbs, and spills. All you need to clean the  refrigerator up is a simple solution made up of baking soda and dish soap. The soap will help to cut any grease that has built up in the appliance, and the baking soda acts as an abrasive to get the gunk up. Just create a paste and apply it in the refrigerator. Then wipe down the shelves with warm water and a sponge. You can even disinfect your sponge in the microwave after you do this. Just place the sponge in the microwave for 2 minutes and you have a sponge that’s like new! 

Freshen Your Washing Machine

Baking soda helps to deodorize things. To deodorize your washer, just pour half a cup of baking soda into the detergent dispenser of the washing machine. Run a cycle through with hot water. Your clothes will be cleaner than they have been in months! Make sure you do this to your washer about once per month to keep it smelling fresh and deter those funky odors from building up in your laundry room. The only thing that should be smelling funky in there are dirty socks!

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You know that you want to sell your house. However, you're still unsure about how to determine a "fair" price for your residence.

Ultimately, setting a fair price for your home may be easier than you think – here are three tips to help you establish the best price for your house.

1. Study the Housing Market

The housing market constantly changes. Therefore, a buyer's market today may transform into a seller's market tomorrow.

As a home seller, it is essential to analyze housing market data. That way, you can identify real estate market patterns and trends and plan your home selling journey accordingly.

Check out the prices of recently sold houses in your city or town. With this housing market data in hand, you may be better equipped than ever before to differentiate between a buyer's market and a seller's market.

Also, don't forget to assess the prices of available residences that are similar to your own. This housing market data will help you see how your residence stacks up against the competition. It may provide you with the ability to narrow the price range for your home too.

2. Conduct a Home Appraisal

A home appraisal offers a valuable learning opportunity, particularly for a home seller who is uncertain about his or her house's strengths and weaknesses.

Typically, a home appraisal provides a home seller with plenty of actionable insights about the condition of his or her property. The appraisal often helps a home seller prioritize home improvements as well.

During a home appraisal, a property inspector will analyze a house over the course of several hours. After an inspector's evaluation is complete, he or she will provide a home seller with a report that offers comprehensive insights about a home's condition.

A home appraisal can provide a home seller with a better idea about how to price his or her house in its current condition. Then, a home seller can complete assorted home improvements that may help him or her boost a residence's value.

3. Collaborate with a Real Estate Agent

It never hurts to get expert support as you try to determine the best price for your house. Thus, collaborating with a real estate agent can make a world of difference for a home seller in any housing market, at any time.

A real estate agent can provide guidance as a home seller preps his or her residence for the housing market. This professional can respond to a home seller's price concerns and questions and help a home seller determine what constitutes a fair price based on the current housing market's conditions.

Perhaps best of all, a real estate agent will help you promote your residence to the right groups of homebuyers consistently. As a result, he or she can help you stir up plenty of interest in your home – something that may lead to multiple offers.

Ready to list your residence? Use these home selling tips, and you can determine the best price for your house.

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You think a lot about ways to keep your family and property safe, but there are so many little things that need to be secured. If your home has sliding glass doors, you may not know how to secure them properly. Read on for steps on how to get your sliding glass doors completely secure.

Know The Risks

While sliding glass doors and windows provide your home with a lot of light, without the right coverage, thieves can see right into your home and view all of your belongings. Visibility is one of the most apparent security risks with sliding glass doors. 

The other fundamental risk is that these doors can slide off the track. If you’re unaware of it, it can be an easy way for criminals to get right into your home. Keep in mind that the locks on your sliding glass door may not be as secure as a traditional deadbolt lock that you have on your door.  

The Fix

A dowel rod is one of the easiest ways to secure your sliding glass door. This rod fits in the track of the sliding door to prevent the door from sliding at all. To make this fix efficient, you’ll need to measure the track and get a dowel that’s the perfect size to fit in the track. You also should ensure that the rod is thick enough.

Sensor alarms also exist that help you to identify when the door is open. An alar like this deters thieves and even alerts you as to when the door is being opened. This feature can be helpful if you have young children as well. 

Another security option for your sliding glass door is to install more heavy duty locks. Typical locks on sliding glass doors have latches that are shaped like a hook connecting to the door frame. These latches can be easily forced open. There are double bolted locks that allow for a more secure door. These locks can be a great addition to security along with the dowel rod since the locks are harder to break.

Check Your Door

Although it sounds painfully obvious, checking that your sliding glass door is locked every night before you head to bed will be an extra layer of security for your home. Make sure that the dowel rod is in place and any alarms that you have are set. Diligence is one of the best forms of security that you can have. It’s also vital that your door is functioning properly. Any problems that exist with the door should be addressed promptly.       

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