What is the Best Way to Clean Laminate Flooring?

Introduction

Laminate floors provide many benefits over conventional floor types. They are simple to install and maintain, which makes them a preferred choice for most homeowners. Cleaning laminate floors is a simple procedure especially when you are well equipped with the appropriate resources. One might ask, what is the best way to clean laminate flooring? While there is no specific method to clean these floor types, there are some unique factors that you need to consider.

Cleaning Steps

1. Get a Microfiber Mop
   The first important step is to make sure you have the appropriate mop to complete the job. One of the best methods for cleaning laminate floors is by using a special mop. These mops glide effortlessly over the floor while providing optimal dust and stain removal benefits. Also, most of these come with special swivel heads, which make them perfect for covering large areas and for cleaning deeper sections of your floor.

2. Cleaning Solution or Detergent
   There are various types of floor cleaning solutions. You may opt for the scented or unscented detergents. Whichever suits your needs. Furthermore, a good recommendation is that you should choose a cleaning solution that is safe for children and pets. Also, think about going for practicality and choose one that comes with a spray bottle so that you can apply the solution with ease.

3. Buff the Floor to Shine it
   If you want to improve the appeal of your floor especially after the cleaning procedures, you might have to take time to buff it dry. Consider using absorbent cleaning clothes or a clean mop head to achieve this. Additionally, you can also use microfiber cleaning cloths to polish the floor gently.

What Should you Avoid?

It’s important to note that laminate floors tend to be more delicate than conventional floors. Cleaning them is a much more delicate procedure since conventional mops such as sponge mops might require more time and effort. More so, using ineffective mops might leave marks on the floor since they use a lot of water and make it easier for moisture to sink in through the cracks and laminate is very susceptible to moisture.

How to Start Cleaning the Floor?

• There is no specific approach or method for cleaning laminate flooring. Therefore, you may have to customize your personal cleaning regime to whatever suits you. The following are some general tips that you should consider:
• Run a vacuum cleaner over the floor first. Ensure that you adjust the settings to `wood floors` or perhaps any gentle cleaning setting that is appropriate for cleaning laminate floors.
• You can also opt to use a microfiber mop which will remove any type of dirt from the floor with exceptional results. In fact, the microfiber mop is a must-have for anyone who wants to take good care of their laminate flooring.
• It is important to ensure that your laminate floor is clean at all times, since dust, sand, and dirt may compromise the quality of the surface, especially if you experience high levels of traffic in your home. More so, it’s important to ensure that these floors are dry, since allowing the laminate floor to be exposed to moisture and water may compromise its structure. In addition, water spills won’t be a problem if they can be wiped before they penetrate into the deep section of the laminate flooring.

Cleaning Steps

• Prepare your cleaning solution and mix it with some water.
• Vacuum the floor to remove dirt, dust, and debris that might compromise the wet cleaning
• Dampen the microfiber pad using some water from the tap and add some cleaning solution
• Mop the floor using a microfiber mop that cuts through dirt without needing any scrubbing or pushing down. This will help improve the cleanliness of your floor without compromising its longevity.
• When your dirty water starts to compromise the cleaning capabilities of the microfiber pad, be sure to rinse the pad and reattach it before continuing with the cleaning procedure. The added benefit to using a pad is that you don’t need to move the bucket of water around with you when using the pad – just rinse the pad in the sink and continue with your work.

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What is Cold Pressed vs Expeller Pressed Oil?

Introduction

Oil is a vital cooking ingredient that is used in nearly all food preparation. Many people prefer to use cooking oil as opposed to cooking fat because cooking oil is considered a better option in terms of its health benefits. Many of you use oil in your day to day food preparation needs, but, have you ever wondered where the oil comes from? Let’s look a little further into the oil extraction process.

Oil Extraction

Oil extraction is a term that refers to the process of separating the oil from its host. Oils are normally contained in plants known as leguminous plants. Therefore, the process of getting the oil from the plant and separating it so that it can be processed is unique to each plant. Oil extraction can be divided into two types: chemical extraction and mechanical extraction methods. Chemical oil extraction entails mixing the source plant with chemicals that separate the plant tissue from the oil. On the other hand, mechanical oil extraction refers to extracting the oil through mechanical processes that do not use chemical solutions. Additionally, there are two types of mechanical oil extraction: expeller-pressed oils and cold-pressed oils.

Expeller-Pressed Oils

Expeller pressing is a mechanical oil extraction technique that involves pressing the seeds, nuts or other material that contains the oil, with a heavy object. It is regarded as a crucial mechanical process that uses sheer force to squeeze the oil out of its host plant material. An important, positive aspect concerning expeller-pressed oil is that this form of extraction does not require any chemicals be used in the process.

In most cases, expeller pressed oils are made with minimal alteration of the plant tissue. There is zero temperature control during this process and the only heat produced is a by-product of the intense pressing. For instance, pressing hard nuts to extract oil is an intensive mechanical process that will result in the production of some heat.

Expeller oil extraction from its very definition is therefore used to extract oil from a non-sensitive source. Plants that do not react with heat are chosen so that any heat produced during the oil extraction process will have minimal effect on the overall quality of the oil produced.

Cold Pressed Oils

In addition to the expeller pressed oils, another type of oil extraction is cold pressing. Cold pressing is used to extract oil from plant sources that are extremely heat sensitive and should not be subjected to heat that exceeds a certain threshold. Such exposure will damage the natural composition of the plant, thereby undermining the quality of oil produced.

Cold Pressed oils are produced in a similar fashion as expeller pressed oils. The plant that contributes the oil is pressed through mechanical means to extract the oil. Be that as it may, cold pressed oils are quite different from expeller pressed since it involves a substantial amount of temperature control. High temperatures can damage the plant tissue and can interfere with the overall quality of the oil produced.

In most cold pressing processes, the temperatures are usually kept below 120 degrees Fahrenheit. This is considered the threshold temperature for extracting oil from heat-sensitive plants. Exceeding this temperature might undermine the flavor, aroma and other similar important qualities of the oil.

Conclusion

No matter what extraction method you choose, it is best to be informed of the characteristics of the plant you choose to extract from. Use expeller-pressing to extract oil from plants that are not heat-sensitive, and use cold pressing to extract oil from heat-sensitive plants.

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How to Cook the Perfect Steak in a Cast Iron Skillet

Introduction

You may think that you need to eat out at a fancy steakhouse to enjoy a perfect steak.  However, this is a common misconception. Of course, restaurant chefs know all the tricks and tips that lead to a perfect steak, and we look forward to sharing those with you here.  It is time to start channeling your inner chef and get cooking.

Gather Your Materials

Every good chef knows that the first step in creating a meal is to have all equipment and ingredients within reach. The culinary term for this is mise en place. To create a perfect steak, you will need the following:

• A high-quality cut of steak
• A cast iron skillet
• Butter
• Salt
• Pepper
• Tongs
• A heavy-duty cooking mitt
• An instant-read thermometer (optional, but highly recommended)

Choosing Your Steak

For a truly indulgent experience, skip the grocery store and go straight to the butcher counter. Boneless rib eye is an ideal choice, as bone-in could hinder the caramelization process. Both “choice,” and “prime,” grade steaks are great choices, though prime will be quite a bit more expensive.

Preparing Your Steak

Seasoning is essential to cooking the perfect steak, but you do not want to go overboard. The goal of seasoning is to bring out the natural flavor of the steak; you are not trying to change the flavor of the steak. For this reason, you should season the meat very simply with only salt and pepper. Allow the steak to sit, seasoned, at room temperature, for at least 15 minutes to let the salt do its job.

Getting Started

You are going to use both your stove top and your oven for this cooking process. The stove top is where you will begin the process then you will finish it in the oven. To this end, start by preheating your oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Next, take your cast iron skillet and put it on the stove top. Turn the burner on high. Before anything touches the skillet, it needs to be smoking hot. This may sound obvious, but it must be said that smoking hot means that the pan should literally be smoking. You may want to open your windows.

Get Cooking

Once the skillet is smoking hot, it is time to start the cooking process. Make sure that your steak is no bigger than your skillet; full surface contact is crucial. Place the steak in the skillet, and it will begin to make sizzling noises.  You will also notice a significant amount of smoke. This is a good sign. Do not touch the steak until it has been on the pan for two minutes. Once two minutes has elapsed, use your tongs to flip the steak to the other side. Allow it to cook on that side for another two minutes. While waiting for those two minutes to pass, get your oven mitt on and prepare for the next step.

Finishing Touches

Now that the steak was cooked at a high temperature for two minutes per side take a big slab of butter and put it on the steak. If you like your steak very rare, you are ready to eat it at this point. Most people, however, prefer rare or medium rare. If you are one of these people, carefully take your skillet with the steak and place it in your preheated oven. It won’t need to be in the oven for very long, so don’t wander off.

The Perfect Temperature

For a medium rare steak, the ideal finished temperature is 130 degrees Fahrenheit. Instead of taking it off the heat at this temperature, you want to remove it at 125 degrees. The steak continues to cook after being removed from the heat, so always remove it when it is five degrees below your ideal temperature.

Take Time to Rest

Before serving (or eating) the steak, it is important to let it rest for five minutes. This is an important step when cooking nearly any meat. Cover it with a piece of foil and get any side dishes ready. In five minutes, all of the juices will have soaked entirely through the meat, and the steak will be as tender as possible.

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How to Convert a 4-Prong Dryer Cord to a 3-Prong Outlet

Introduction

A large number of older houses have 3-prong outlet sockets. However, most, if not all, new dryers are designed with a 4-prong cord which makes it difficult to plug your new dryer into an older socket and use it. This problem originated back in 1999 when it was passed as a safety law that new dryers need to have 4-prong cords.

Wouldn’t it be convenient if there was an adapter plug that could easily solve this issue?  Unfortunately, none currently exists. So, how do you fix this incompatibility problem? Actually, there are two simple ways to go about it; either by converting your 3-prong socket outlets to 4-prong outlets or by converting your 4-prong dryer cord to a 3-prong dryer cord. In the following guide, we will look in-depth at the second method which is converting a 4-prong dryer cord into a 3-prong cord.

Converting Your Dryer Cord to 3-Prong

Converting your dryer cord is one of the easiest ways to fix the problem, and you can do it yourself. By converting the cord, it will enable your dryer to fit into your existing socket easily. One reason it is considered a simple solution is that there is no electrical wiring needed.

Materials

A manual screwdriver

A 10/3 dryer cord

Procedure

1. Switch off your main electric panel to ensure there is no power in the dryer outlet. Though this may seem a bit extreme, it is advisable since you never know what might happen with electricity. In short, we are just being careful and preventive in this step.

2. Use a manual screwdriver to remove the dryer’s safety plate. This won’t consume a lot of time as the drier normally comes with one or two screws.

3. You now need to remove the dryer cord and its restraints. This is an easy task to do and can be done using bare hands since they are normally loose and very short. The collar that holds the cord tightly to the dryer is called the ‘restraint.’

4. Having done the above, you should now be able to see a silver terminal. Connect it to the center wire of your new cord. When connecting, remember to screw it firmly in place, but do not tighten it too much as you may end up striping the cord.

5. At this point, you should notice that you have two wires that are not attached to anything. If this is the case, then you are on the right track. You will notice that there are two terminals right next to the silver one which you just connected to the center cord. Attach the two wires to either of the terminals

6. By now, you are more than a halfway done. However, this step is considered by many people to be complicated. It involves reattaching the restraint collar. What to do here is slide the collar halves from the tab end, starting from outside the dryer, with the first half going through the dryer cord hole where the normal wires fit.

7. Do the same for the other half, but start from the other side. This allows the screws to pull the two halves easily, and tighten them well. It will take you quite some time to get it right because the two halves are barely parallel which makes it a little bit hard for the screws to hold on tightly. You do not need to make it perfect, if you just catch the tip, it will be good enough to screw tightly.

8. Remember that you took off the safety plate, and now it is time to put it back into place. This is a very easy step, and you only need to hold it to the dryer and screw it in using the screwdriver. Mop up the area and you’re ready to go.

9. With the above steps completed, you are now ready to use your dryer. Plug it back into the socket and use it anytime you wish. Just remember to switch the electricity back on, since you switched it off earlier.

Note

The 4-prong cord has a ground with a dedicated terminal, so in order to avoid shock, you should seriously consider grounding your (newly modified) 3-cord dryer. Do this by attaching the ground strap frame to a neutral terminal post.

Conclusion

This is clearly a simple procedure you can do without any help, and you won’t need to hire an electrician. However, if you want to avoid any of the hassles, you may opt for an electrician if you feel it’s in your budget.

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How to Build a Stone Retaining Wall

Introduction

A stone retaining wall is an important structure that you can choose to build in the landscape of your home. Especially if you need to shore up an area. The main function of a stone retaining wall is to hold back the earth, and at the same time, it can serve to improve the overall appearance of your home significantly. The wall can, therefore, be considered an important landscaping element in addition to being a functional structure.

What You Will Need

Before embarking on the task of building a stone retaining wall, it is important to ensure that you have in place everything you are going to need to construct the wall. Some of the tools or equipment that you might need include:

• Rake
• Level
• Tamper
• Shovel
• Tape measure

In addition to your tools, you will also have to take into consideration the materials that you will need. The materials refer to those components that will make up the stone retaining wall. Some of the key materials that you might require are:

• Stone
• Gravel
• Fieldstone
• Cement

Planing the Wall

Making a plan is the first, vital step in building a wall because your plan is what will guide you through the overall implementation of building your wall. When it comes to land preparation, you should first and foremost, create a cross-section drawing of the wall. The cross-section drawing should include both the width of the base and the intended height of the wall.

Preparing Your Base

The first task you will need to undertake is preparing the base of the wall. A stone retaining wall requires a proper base which will ensure that it is anchored in place properly. Mark out the lines that will act as an outline and this is the area where your wall will be built.

During the base preparation process, it is equally important to pick the proper product that will constitute the underlying material that supports the wall. There are several types of materials that you can choose from, and it is up to you to select the material that best suits your needs. Some of the materials include gravel, clay, and regular soil. Each of these materials has different attributes that affect its suitability.

Stone Placement

Placement of the stones must be done with the utmost diligence. It is important to remember to place the bigger stones at the base of the wall and decrease the stone sizes as you go up. This is because the base is responsible for holding the entire structure and the base stones should be big and strong enough to support the weight of the wall. At this point, you will also need to use your level. You can either use a normal level or a string level. The main objective of the level is to ensure that the wall is flat and level in order for it to be stable.

Many of you might not know this, but the main reason why retaining walls collapse is due to an accumulation of water. Water can easily accumulate at the base, and behind your wall, making it unstable and eventually, this will result in the wall collapsing. It is therefore very important to ensure that you protect your wall from collapsing by building it in such as way that it does not trap water on the sides of the wall. Furthermore, water also carries sediment and more often than not, sediment will build up on the sides of your wall. Due to this fact, it is important that you do not leave hollow points on the sides of the wall that will promote sediment buildup. Use the proper materials which will not undermine the overall integrity of your wall.

Aesthetic Appeal of Your Wall

A stone retaining wall is indeed a beautiful feature as well as a functional piece of your landscape.  There are several ways that you can enhance the general aesthetic appeal of your wall.  One of the most popular ways is to build it out of natural stones. Natural stones are visually appealing, and they will help to improve the image of your wall significantly.  They are also a wonderful, sturdy material that will help your wall to last a lifetime.

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Grits vs Polenta – The Complete Guide

Introduction

Depending on your culture, or what part of the world you grew up in, a meal or side dish consisting of cooked, ground-up corn will either be called grits or polenta. When quickly compared, these two popular dishes seem to be exactly the same. Truthfully, they are nearly the same. However, there are a few key differences in their preparation that clearly distinguishes one from the other.

Geography

One big difference between grits and polenta is where you find them. In the American south, a dish consisting of ground corn is known as grits, and it is often served with savory foods. Grits are known by people who live in other parts of the country as a Southern breakfast food, but they can also be served alongside dinner, such as with shrimp. Seventy-five percent of grits sold in the United States are sold in southern states. The area between Texas and Virginia is actually known as the “grits belt.”

Polenta, on the other hand, is more closely associated with Northern and Central Italy. A century ago, eating polenta was associated with financially stricken families as it was the food of choice for lower class families. Today, in Northern Italy, it is served with a wide variety of dishes, such as sausage, cooked plums, or cuttlefish with tomato broth. It can be made to include rapini, mushrooms, and many other vegetables or meats. Polenta is traditionally stirred with a large walnut spoon. The polenta is said to be finished cooking when it can hold the spoon upright on its own.

In the very northern part of Italy is a region known as Lombardy. Polenta in Lombardy is frequently made with buckwheat flour in addition to corn. It is frequently cooked with butter and assorted cheeses. One exception is missultin e polenta which is prepared with fish.

Composition

Corn is corn, right? Wrong. Polenta and grits are made from two very different types of corn. In the American south, grits are made from dent corn. This corn has a high level of starch. It is so named as a result of an indentation present on the top of each kernel. Italian polenta is typically made from a type of corn called flint corn. This variety of corn is recognized by most Americans as Indian corn. It has a hard outer layer on each kernel. This leads to a textural difference between grits and polenta. Grits are often soft and mushy, while polenta has a thicker, heartier feel.

To get a true feel for the difference between these two similar dishes, it is best to try making both.

Making Traditional Grits

For a classic bowl of Southern-style grits, you need only six ingredients, most of which you likely already have:

• 2 cups of water
• 2  cups of milk
• 1 cup of grits
• Kosher salt, to taste
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• 2 tbsp. Butter

Preparing this dish is easier than it might seem. Combine the water and milk in a saucepan and bring it to a light simmer. Once it is simmering, add the grits. Stir and simmer for around twenty minutes. Make sure to stir more frequently as the mixture begins to thicken. Next, add the salt, cream, and butter and stir thoroughly. Take the grits off the stove and let them rest before serving. These go great with a breakfast plate, or with a shrimp dish.

Making Basic Polenta

Polenta is also easy to make, and the ingredients are fairly basic.

• 5 cups of water
• 1 cup of polenta style ground corn
• Butter
• Parmesan (to taste)
• Salt
• Pepper

Begin by bringing your water to a boil in a medium-sized saucepan. Add salt, to taste. Once boiling, pour the ground corn slowly into the center of the water while stirring with a wooden spoon (made from walnut, for true authenticity.) Keep stirring for 2 to 3 minutes, to allow the polenta to thicken. Turn the heat down to low. Allow the polenta to continue cooking for 45 minutes, and make sure to stir the mixture every 10 minutes. If you think the polenta is becoming too thick, add water as needed. Once thickened, it is time for a taste test. Season as desired.

Now that the polenta is ready, you can remove it from the heat and pour it into a lightly buttered baking sheet. Level the mixture out with a spatula, and allow it to cool a bit before serving. You can cover this and refrigerate it for up to three days.

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Five Great Substitutions for Buttermilk

Introduction

Buttermilk is a by-product of making butter, and it is a slightly sour liquid. The most common use for buttermilk is in baking. However, it can also be used to soak grains, drink, make salad dressing, as a beauty product, and it can be given to animals as a probiotic. Unfortunately, you may find that you are missing buttermilk when you find a recipe you want to prepare. This should not cause panic, as there are buttermilk substitutes that can work equally well. Here are 5 great substitutes for buttermilk:

1. Milk and Lemon Juice

This is one of the easiest ways to make a buttermilk substitute. The lemon adds a tangy flavor to the buttermilk.

Ingredients

• 1 cup of 2% or heavy cream milk
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Equipment

• Measuring spoon
• Measuring cup
• Stirring spoon

Instructions

• Mix the milk and lemon juice – Measure 1 cup of milk and add stir in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.
• Let the mixture stand 5-10 minutes at room temperature. When it is ready, you will see small-curdled bits and the milk is slightly thick.
• Use the buttermilk substitute- Use this substitute as buttermilk as you would buttermilk in the recipe.

2. Milk and White Vinegar

Vinegar is a great chemical to use when making buttermilk because it adds acidity without making great changes in the buttermilk taste. It is also readily available.

Ingredients

• 1 cup of milk
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar

Equipment

• Stirring spoon
• Measuring cup
• Measuring spoon

Instructions

•  Mix the milk and vinegar and stir
•  Let the mixture stand 5-10 minutes at room temperature and when it is ready and curdled, stir it again
•  Use the substitute as buttermilk in the recipe

3. Cream of Tartar

Ingredients

• 1 ¾ tablespoons of cream of tartar
• 1 cup of milk

Equipment

• Measuring cup
• Measuring spoon
• Whisking spoon

Instructions

•  Whisk the mixture to combine the milk with the cream of tartar. To avoid the mixture getting lumpy, first mix the cream of tartar with only 2 teaspoons of the milk. Once that is mixed well, add the rest of the milk and mix.
•  Leave the mixture to stand at room temperature for 5-10 minutes until it is curdled, then stir it again.
•  You can now use the mixture as buttermilk as your recipe dictates. 

4. Yogurt and Milk

Ingredients

• ¾ cup of plain yogurt
• ¼ cup of milk

Equipment

• Measuring cup
• Stirring spoon

Instructions

•  Mix the yogurt and milk together and stir the mixture well

Use it as a buttermilk substitute according to your recipe requirement. 

 5. Sour Milk

Ingredients

• ¾ cup of sour milk
• ¼ cup of milk

Equipment

• Measuring cup
• Stirring spoon

Instructions

•  Mix the sour milk with the regular milk
•  Use the mixture as a buttermilk substitute as with the recipe requirements 

Additional Buttermilk Substitutes

1.  Kefir – make sure the Kefir is unflavored and unsweetened
2.  Canned coconut milk

2 Reasons Why Buttermilk Substitutes Work

1.  The substitutes add more flavor as compared to the buttermilk
2.  The substitutes act as an acid in the recipe. When the acid reacts with the baking soda, it leavens the dough. This allows the dough to rise without any yeast which makes the baked products light and fluffy. 

4 Culinary Applications of Buttermilk

1.  To make moist cornbread
2.  To tenderize meat
3.  To add flavor to poultry and some types of seafood
4.  To make light, succulent biscuits, waffles, and pancakes

Health Benefits of Buttermilk

Buttermilk substitutes are great, but you cannot ignore the health benefits associated with buttermilk. They include:

• Weightloss – Buttermilk contains enzymes and nutrients needed by the body without adding the fat and calories found in other dairy products such as milk. Drinking it ensures your body remains hydrated which satisfies hunger and helps in weight loss.
• Probiotics – Probiotics help the gastrointestinal tract. Probiotic bacteria help in the breakdown of food for easy absorption of nutrients.
• Strengthening – Buttermilk is a rich source of calcium, helping in the building of strong bones and skeletal systems. It makes the teeth strong.
• Cholesterol – Helps in lowering cholesterol-Buttermilk contents offer a natural remedy to lower and control cholesterol.
• Constipation – Buttermilk comforts the stomach ballooning, preventing constipation and other stomach disorders.
• Detoxification – Buttermilk contains riboflavin that aids liver function assisting in the detoxification of the body. Riboflavin has anti-oxidation properties and helps in the conversion of food to energy.
• Vitamins – Buttermilk is rich in vitamins B and D. It helps the body fight anaemia and body weaknesses caused by insufficient vitamins. Vitamin D helps the body boost its immunity.

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