2014 spring home and garden by Joe Awad

2 • REGISTER PUBLICATIONS • SPRING HOME AND GARDEN 2014

Projects perfect for spring The rejuvenating spirit of spring makes this beloved season an ideal time for homeowners to take stock of their homes and properties and address any issues that arose during the winter. While some homes make it through winter unscathed, the harsh weather of the year’s coldest season can add several tasks to homeowners’ springtime to-do lists. While some projects are best left to the professionals, others can be tackled even by those homeowners with little or no DIY experience. The following are a handful of projects tailor-made for spring. Inspect the gutters Gutters tend to bear the brunt of harsh winter weather, and come spring gutters are in need of inspection if not repair. Winter winds, snow and heavy rainfall can compromise the effectiveness of gutters, which can easily accumulate debris and detach from homes during winter storms. In addition, gutters sometimes develop leaks over the winter months. As a result, homeowners should conduct a careful inspection of their gutters come the spring, being sure to look for leaks while clearing the gutters

of debris and reattaching gutters that might have become detached from the home on windy winter days and nights. When reattaching loose gutters, make sure the downspouts are draining away from the foundation, as gutters that are not draining properly can cause damage to that foundation and possibly lead to flooding. Take stock of roof shingles Much like its gutters and downspouts, a home’s roof can suffer significant damage over the course of a typical winter. Shingles may be lost to harsh winter winds and storms, so homeowners should examine the roof to determine if any shingles were lost (lost shingles might even be lying around the property) or suffered damage that’s considerable enough to require replacement. Summer can be especially brutal on shingles, especially those that suffered significant damage during the winter. If left unchecked or unaddressed, problems with damaged shingles can quickly escalate into larger issues when spring rains and summer sun inevitably arrive, so homeowners should prioritize fixing or replacing damaged shingles as quickly as possible. Check for freeze damage Frozen temperatures can be hard on humans and homes alike, but

See SPRING on page 3

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continued from page 2 unlike humans who can stay inside when temperatures dip below freezing, homes are forced to withstand the elements throughout the winter. External hose faucets are often susceptible to freeze damage. To inspect such faucets, turn the water on and then place a thumb or finger over the opening of the faucet. If your thumb or finger can completely stop the flow of water, the pipe where the water is coming from is likely damaged and will need to be replaced. Examine the lawn for low spots Once a lawn has thawed out, homeowners can patrol their properties looking for low spots in the yard or even low spots within spitting distance of the home’s foundation. Such spots increase the likelihood of flooding. Flooding near a home’s foundation increases the risk of potentially costly damage, while low spots on the lawn that go ignored can make great breeding grounds for insects, including mosquitoes, when the weather warms up. When low spots are detected, fill them in with compacted soil. Compacted soil can prevent spring rains from flooding a yard or damaging a home’s foundation. Assessing potential property damage is a rite of passage for homeowners in the spring. Though some damage is significant, oftentimes even novice DIYers can work their homes and properties back into shape in time to enjoy spring and summer.

Home Improvement Glossary Understanding the terminology used in the home improvement and construction industries can help homeowners be better informed and involved in projects around their homes. The following are some common industry terms. Aggregate: Crushed rock used in many asphalt applications. Ampacity: The amount of current a wire can safely carry. Asbestos: A fibrous material that was once used widely in building materials but is linked to cancers of the lung and lung cavity. Backfill: Soil or gravel used to fill in against a foundation. Beam: Horizontal framing member designed to carry a load from joists or a roof. Butt joint: Lumber pieces joined at the ends. Casement window: A window with hinges on one of the vertical sides making it swing open like a door. Caulking: Flexible material used to seal a gap between two surfaces. Code: Rules set forth by a government institution to determine fair and safe trade practices. Curing: A process that brings paint or masonry materials to their final, durable form. Drywall: A wall finish made from gypsum plaster encased in a thin cardboard.

Estimate: The anticipated cost of materials and labor for a project. Fixed price contract: A contract with a set price for the work. Flashing: Sheet metal or roll roofing pieces fit to the joint of any roof intersection or projection. Footing: Widened ground base of a foundation to support foundations or piers. Framing: The structural wooden elements of most homes. GFI: A ground fault current interrupter, which is an electrical device used to prevent injury from contact with electrical appliances. Jamb: The exposed upright part on each side of a window frame or door frame. Level: A tool to check for level or plumb surfaces. Permit: A legal authorization to begin a work project. Pitch: The slope of incline on a roof. Rebar: Steel rods that are imbedded in concrete for stability. Shim: A tapered piece of wood used to level and secure a structure. Stud: Vertical parts of framing placed 16 or 24 inches apart. Watt: A measure of the electrical requirement of an appliance.

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4 • REGISTER PUBLICATIONS • SPRING HOME AND GARDEN 2014

Is there a right way to plant flowers? Planting flowers is as simple as digging a hole, positioning the plant, and filling the hole with soil, right? Unfortunately it’s not that simple, at least not if you want your flowers to thrive. Here are a few tips for successful planting. The right time to plant depends on the type of flowers chosen. Spring-flowering perennials (perennials are plants which live several years and flower on a regular basis) should be planted at the end of the summer. Summerflowering plants should be planted in the spring. Annuals, which are flowers that only live for one summer, should be planted as soon as all risk of frost is over. It is preferable to plant at the end of the afternoon or on

Hostas

Hostas are vigorous plants which, once planted, can live for thirty years or more. Contrary to other perennials, which are usually appreciated for the beauty of their flowers, hostas are noted for the richness of their foliage. Their distinctive leaves are green, variegated, golden, or they might even have a touch of blue, bringing vividness and texture

a cloudy day so that your plants are exposed to as little heat as possible. If you cannot put them in the ground on the same day as you purchase them, they should be stored in a shady area, sheltered from the wind. Should freshly planted flowers be watered with a fertilizer so they will grow more quickly? Definitely not! New plants must be allowed to start a root system before they are fertilized. They have to be able to find their first nutritional elements in the soil in order to develop properly. Once that has happened, apply a liquid fertilizer, such as 15-30-15, once every 15 days. Never apply fertilizer to dry soil. Take the time to water it beforehand so that the fertilizer doesn’t burn your plants.

to flower beds and borders. Hostas are perfect plants for the inexperienced gardener. They are easy to grow and thrive equally well in shade or sun. They are best suited to soils rich in compost, so no other fertilizer is necessary. That is a great advantage, especially for new gardeners! Another undeniable advantage: because of their profuse, tightly packed foliage, hostas will never be invaded by weeds, saving hours of backbreaking work. Even though hostas are drought tolerant, it

is preferable to spread mulch around them. This conserves the moist coolness of the soil, which these oriental plants love so much. The main enemy of hostas are slugs, who also love cool, moist places. Even though garden centers do stock effective slug bait, some hosta varieties are more resistant to slugs than others, including “invincible” and “Bressingham blue”. Garden center specialists will be able to advise you about the other available varieties.

Growing Herbs Just about everyone would agree that herbs give pleasure to the taste buds, the nose, and even the eyes. I f you’re thinking about starting an herb garden, don’t make the mistake of growing lots of different varieties. In the beginning, choose just a few herbs that you like and will use. Interesting choices include the classics: parsley, basil, thyme, chives, sage, tarragon, and rosemary. When buying your herbs, be sure to gently rub their leaves together in order to smell their fragrance. This is the best way to decide if you like their scent. Once you’ve mastered growing these simpler varieties, you can add a few more exotic herbs that can be used for specific recipes. Luckily, herbs do not require a lot of care. Planting them in a sunny spot and not overwatering them is usually enough

to get healthy plants. Because herbs usually have very distinct fragrances, they are rarely attacked by insects. They’re even used in vegetable plots to repel harmful parasites! Herbs are also great for growing in containers on a deck. The end result will be as good as if they’d been grown directly in the ground. Don’t be afraid to pinch back new shoots in order to encourage growth and density of leaves. In most cases this also keeps the plant from flowering and going to seed, which will make it taste bitter. When the time comes to harvest your crop, don’t mix different herbs in the same basket or else their distinctive fragrances will meld. Try to harvest herbs on a dry day, because wet or moist herbs are inclined to rot or take longer to dry and conserve.

Did you know?

Watering a lawn can do more harm than good if the lawn is not watered correctly. Excessive watering is a waste of water and can cost homeowners money while harming the environment at the same time. Water that is not absorbed by the lawn can result in runoff, which causes nitrogen in the grass, any fertilizer that was applied and chemicals in the water itself to run into gutters and eventually pollute streams, rivers and oceans. In addition, grass needs oxygen in the soil to grow properly. But when a lawn is overwatered, the oxygen between the soil particles is pushed out, depriving roots of the oxygen they need to grow in strong. This leads to shallow root systems, which make a lawn more susceptible to stress, disease and insect infestation. But overwatering can also be unsightly, as lawns that are overwatered tend to have more weeds, robbing even the greenest of lawns of its aesthetic appeal.

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6 • REGISTER PUBLICATIONS • SPRING HOME AND GARDEN 2014

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Don’t throw it.. grow it! Composting is an eco-friendly activity within everyone’s reach, whether you live in a downtown apartment, a pretty country house, or even if you own a business. All you have to do is to adapt it to your lifestyle. Composting consists of recuperating organic waste, which eventually turns into a dark brown soil matter that enriches gardens. Best of all, it reduces pollution and the amount of garbage going to waste management sites. The composting process takes between three months and three years, depending on the chosen method. An American household can reduce its yearly garbage production by up to 40 percent simply by composting. All it takes is a small investment for the purchase of a do-

mestic composter as well as a container for kitchen waste. After that, all you need is your kitchen waste and lawn cuttings! One of the most persistent myths about c o m p o s t i n g is that it smells bad. True enough, mixing kitchen waste, leaves, and maybe even a few worms in the same container doesn’t seem very appealing. However, it is really just a matter of chemistry. Compost will not smell if the different elements of a good composting recipe are respected. If you’d like to start composting, your first step should be to learn all about the procedures to follow. And even though this natural fertilizer can be made throughout the year, don’t forget that spring is the best time to start.

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Did you know? Many homeowners prefer the look and durability of real hardwood flooring. It can be exciting to install new flooring, and you may be anxious to start transforming a room. But before diving right in, it’s necessary to acclimate wood flooring to a home. Otherwise, you may end up with buckled wood or other problems. Hardwood flooring needs to sit in the room where it will be installed for anywhere between five and 10 days or in adherence to the manufacturer recommendations. This gives the new flooring time to adjust to the humidity level and temperature of the home. Natural wood shrinks and expands due to temperature fluctuations, which is why it is essential to match the conditions in the home before working with the flooring. The boards can be acclimated in the boxes (with the ends opened) or outside of the boxes.

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8 • REGISTER PUBLICATIONS • SPRING HOME AND GARDEN 2014

Green is the color for Trinity Dry Cleaners By Chandra L. Mattingly • Staff Reporter Spring cleaning? Consider going green in tune with spring for your dry-cleaning needs. Trinity Dry Cleaners, 1011 W. Eads Parkway, Lawrenceburg, offers dry cleaning that’s environmentally friendly, said Linda Mitchell, president. Instead of the harsh chemicals – mostly perchloroethylene (Perc) – used by traditional dry cleaners, Trinity is affiliated with GreenEarth Cleaning. The cleaning process is silicone – think sand – based. “Most dry cleaners use perchloroethylene. … It’s a very harsh chemical,” said Mitchell, 48, Bright. “It will tear down the fibers in your clothing more quickly” and is toxic to humans and the environment, she said. The GreenEarth method, however, is gentle and leaves fabric soft to the touch. “If you do have a Perc spill, it will eat straight through the concrete and once it gets into the water table, it’s almost impossible to stop it,” she said. As a result, California has outlawed the petroleum-based chemical for existing dry

cleaners as of 2023, with any new dry cleaners prohibited from its use from day one. Linda and her husband Barry Mitchell, 49, settled on the GreenEarth method after he learned about it at a drycleaning trade show, she said. They’d been customers of Carousel Cleaners for years and knew the business, the only dry cleaner in town, was closing. In fact, at the owner’s request, they hired his employee Mark Cone, experienced in pressing clothes as well as running a dry cleaning machine. Trinity’s main machine, however, is the first of its kind in the United States, made to coordinate with the GreenEarth method rather than being converted from a Perc machine. The Mitchells, chose the clover emblem and Trinity name because Barry Mitchell is from Ireland, where the couple met. But that was only after they decided on dry cleaning. “It was really kind of a process of eliminating what we

See TRINITY on page 9

TRINITY

continued from page 8

from recycled materials and will break down in a landfill, she said. As for the delivery and pickup routes, those change an individual’s two trips to the dry cleaners, for drop off and pickup, to a single vehicle’s trips to multiple residences, said Mitchell. Trinity plans to begin the routes in the next four to six weeks, free to customers. “We plan to go as far as it will take us,” she said, listing Batesville, Ohio and Northern Kentucky as potential routes. Trinity offers shoe and leather repair as another pickup and delivery option.

didn’t want to do,” said Linda Mitchell. She explained both left the “corporate life” after the Cincinnati company where they worked was sold in 2012. Knowing the sale was coming, they’d discussed what they wanted to do, as they wanted to be free for the activities in which Pillow work their sons, 8 and 12, participated. Folks doing spring cleaning may Once the couple decided on have draperies, rugs and garments GreenEarth, they began looking cleaned, but also can have pillows for other ways to be environmen“restored” for $12 to $14. The protally friendly, from packaging cess involves dumping the filling into materials to delivery routes, said a special machine that sorts away Linda Mitchell. the dust and sanitizes the remainThey’re willing to recycle, but ing feathers, said Mitchell. The pillike most folks, only if it’s easy low ticking, which is what absorbs and inexpensive, she said. grease and other stains, is “We certainly didn’t go into discarded, and the cleansed this because we are tree huggers, stuffing put into new tickPHOTOS BY LYDIA MORATH by any means,” she said. The ing. Additional feathers are Mitchells only started recycling Trinity will be using “Green Garment” gar- added as needed. at home three or four years ago ment bags when they start their delivery “In some instances you after their son came home from routes, which are re-usable and more envi- can get a pound of dust out,” a program at school and encour- ronmentally friendly than the usual poly she said. aged them to do so. That got bags. Folks interested in Trinity’s easier about a year ago when Rumpke started offering recy- dry cleaning methods or other services may contact cling pickup for a reasonable fee, she added. the Mitchells at 1-800-537-0107 or go to the website Trinity packaging materials, such as poly bags, are made www.trinitydrycleaners.com.

Top: Trinity Dry Cleaners’ main machine is the first of its kind in the United States. Left: Do your pillows need a pick-me-up? Trinity can give your pillows a spring cleaning.

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10 • REGISTER PUBLICATIONS • SPRING HOME AND GARDEN 2014

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Tis the season for making changes in and around the home. The arrival of warmer weather renews homeowners’ vigor for various home improvement projects, and many have grand plans for interior and exterior renovations as they prep their living spaces for comfort, beauty and entertaining opportunities. While there are many worthy projects to pursue, adding outdoor lighting to a home can help increase its value and make the home safer and more attractive in the evening hours. With a few updates to outside lighting, families can make even better use of their homes at night. Adding outdoor lighting is easier and less expensive than many homeowners may know, allowing them to transform an existing patio, deck or pool area into an enjoyable nighttime retreat. Pool parties, dinners on the patio or barbecues with neighbors become even more memorable when outdoor lighting is added or improved. But homeowners who want to install or upgrade their outdoor lighting should consider the following tips. • Improve navigation. Lighting is typically layered into a room or outdoor space in three ways: overhead, task and ambient. Even outdoors, where there are no typical boundaries and borders, those three layers are necessary. Outdoor overhead lighting should improve visibility on steps, paths and walking surfaces, especially where there’s

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LIGHTING continued from page 10

a bend or an intersection. Task lighting can be used around cooking or gardening areas. Ambient light will cast a comforting glow around any outdoor space. • Enhance security. To improve visibility and security, combine a motion detector with a sconce to illuminate dark corners or entryways. Be sure to aim lights away from the door to improve visibility. Lanterns on either side of the door can give a home a warm, welcoming appearance and improve the safety of entryways. • Create outdoor rooms. Outdoor lighting at the borders of a space is a great way to create barriers, both vertically and horizontally. Lights in a tree create something akin to a chandelier hung in the middle of the sky, and even accent lights in the general area of the edge of a patio, deck or porch will shine across the space and provide enough of a comfort level for people to understand where things are. • Reduce glare. Outdoor lighting that casts a glare can be blinding, as can light that’s too bright. Lighting along paths should be cast downward, with fixtures

that are hooded. A variety of lighting options will create layers, allowing you to add or subtract as necessary. Exterior-safe dimmers also can provide flexible control over the level of light, as can movable fixtures added to a patio or porch. • Add decorative elements. Just as arbors, pergolas, patios and other outdoor elements help to enhance the style of an outdoor space, so, too, can lighting contribute to a well-designed landscape. Lighting should play up decorative features of a yard and add the ambience that homeowners desire. Step lights make passage safe while also highlighting molding or trim details. An outdoor chandelier can make for a wonderful accent during dinnertime on the deck or under a pergola. Patio lights provide atmosphere as well as illumination for cooking outside. • Enhance views from inside. Outdoor lighting can make the view from inside pleasant and enjoyable. Use a variety of lights, including spotlights on trees, lights dotted along pathways and accent lights on unique landscape features, to create an idyllic landscape visible from inside the home. Outdoor lighting enhances functionality of yards and landscapes while making such areas safer for homeowners and their guests once the sun has gone down.

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12 • REGISTER PUBLICATIONS • SPRING HOME AND GARDEN 2014

Rid your lawn of pests Spring is the season when lawn and garden equipment is dusted off, windows are washed and homes are aired out. Spring also is a great time to get started on lawn and garden projects. Early spring might not be warm enough to start planting, but it is a great time to inspect a yard for any property damage or problems, including pests. Small animals like groundhogs can compromise lawn and garden projects. For example, vegetable gardens are prime targets for such pests, while trees and shrubbery offer cozy abodes and camouflage from other predators. Homeowners can grow frustrated by the damage such critters can do to their properties. But identifying the offenders early on can minimize that damage. Groundhogs Groundhogs are one of 14 species of marmots and are the largest members of the squirrel family. They frequent the areas where woodlands meet open spaces, like streams, roads or fields. Groundhogs feed on grass, plants, fruit

and tree bark. They also will feast on home gardens during the summer and fall seasons. Groundhogs are most active during the warm months, when they forage and feast to build up large reserves for winter hibernation. Humane methods of keeping groundhogs at bay include making the area inhospitable. Groundhogs can climb trees and fencing, but they’re less likely to get into plants if there is a fence around them. Dogs can be preventive as well, as some dogs will chase groundhogs off of the property. The scent of urine can also scare groundhogs off. Using traps to capture and then relocate groundhogs is another option. Moles Moles are cylindrical mammals that are most comfortable living a subterranean lifestyle. The fur of moles feels similar to velvet, and they have small ears and eyes. Moles also have strong forelimbs with forepaws that have an extra thumb and multiple joints. These help them to burrow underground effectively and hol-

low out subterranean chambers. The diet of moles is primarily earthworms and small invertebrates found in the soil. The runs they create beneath the surface of the soil are used to trap prey and store it in “larders” for later. Moles are not harmful to lawns and gardens, but they can compromise the aesthetic appeal of lawns and gardens. That is why homeowners often want to prevent moles from making homes on their property. While there are traps and poisons available, one of the easiest ways to prevent mole infestation is to remove their sources of food. Homeowners also can cut back on watering property and get rid of grubs and other insects. Also, consider installing a mole barrier of aluminum sheeting or hardware cloth by burying these materials between two and three feet deep along the perimeter of a lawn or garden. Cats are natural enemies of moles, so sprinkling cat litter around mole runs may dissuade moles from visiting the

area. Voles Often mistaken for mice, voles are small rodents with shorter, hairier tails and more stout bodies than mice. Voles are commonly referred to as meadow or field mice, and they feed on small plants and will eat nuts, fruits and even dead animals. Voles will frequently eat succulent root systems and burrow under lawns and gardens. The runways of voles will be shallow, so they aren’t prevalent in frequently cultivated soils. They are also less likely to burrow beneath frequently mowed lawns. Voles do not like open areas. Remove protection like weeds, tall grass, dense vegetation, and heavy mulch to make a yard a less popular habitat. Keep grass adjacent to flower beds or gardens mowed short. If groundhogs, moles and voles become particularly troublesome or infest a yard in great numbers, an exterminator may be needed.

Groundhogs feed on plants, frustrating homeowners who want to keep the critters off of their properties.

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Painting Safely Few people might think of potential safety hazards when planning to paint the interiors of their homes. Though every home improvement project can lead to injury if safety measures are not taken seriously, painting is widely considered a project where do-it-yourselfers are at minimal risk of injury. But in addition to the injury risks associated with climbing up and down ladders to paint ceilings or out-of-reach corners, there are some health and safety concerns that painters must consider before beginning their projects. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the majority of paints contain chemicals that evaporate in the air, and these chemicals can adversely affect human health. Problems associated with chemicals found in some paints include eye and throat or lung irritation, headaches, dizziness, and vision trouble. Professional painters exposed to paint vapors over long periods of time can develop problems with their nervous systems, liver and kidneys, and some chemicals found in paint have been linked to elevated cancer risk. Though painting is often an enjoyable home improvement project, painters still must take the following precautions to ensure their safety when painting the interior of their homes. • Read product labels carefully. Paints vary considerably with regard to how hazardous they can potentially be, so it’s best to read paint can labels thoroughly regardless of how experienced you are at painting. Labels provide safety instructions specific to that particular paint, including suggestions to reduce hazards and advice on what to do should users develop any adverse health effects. It also helps to reread labels once the painting project has been completed. Labels often include instructions on how to clean or discard products and tools after use, as well as suggestions on where to store paints or other products used during the project that may be flammable. • Paint during the right time of year. Exposure to chemicals found in paint can be reduced considerably if you paint during the right time of year. Spring and fall make ideal seasons to paint, as the weather outside during these seasons is typically pleasant, allowing painters to open all of the windows without making conditions inside the home unfavorable. • Open all of the windows and doors. While it’s especially important to open all of the windows and the door in the room where you will be painting, it’s even better to open as many windows and doors throughout the home, making sure to push curtains and blinds back to let the fresh air pour in. Keeping all windows and doors (use screen doors if you are worried about animals or insects entering the home) open promotes ventilation throughout the home, allowing for constant airflow that will usher any potentially harmful chemicals out of your home. If necessary, place a box fan within a window frame to promote cross-ventilation. Never turn on the air conditioner as a substitute for fans and open windows, as that will not be pushing any air out of the home. • Seal paint cans tightly once the project has been completed. At the end of the project, you may or may not have leftover paint. If you have a small amount of paint leftover that you do not intend to keep, contact your local government to determine the best way to dispose of the paint. You also can do this if you have empty paint cans but are uncertain if they can be discarded with normal household trash and recycling. If you have a substantial amount of paint left, be sure the lid is closed as tightly as possible, as vapors can leak through poorly sealed containers, putting the health of residents at risk. Once again, read the label to determine the best place to store leftover paint. Painting is widely considered a fun home improvement project. But if certain safety measures are not taken when painting the interior of a home, these projects can put the health of residents at risk.

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14 • REGISTER PUBLICATIONS • SPRING HOME AND GARDEN 2014

Words to the wastewise

Think Green When You Spring Clean! by Barbara Ault

Spring cleaning was an annual ritual at our house growing up in the 60s. I can still recall the fresh smell of a just cleaned room. I can feel the warm breeze coming through the open windows and see the sun glistening off the newly scrubbed glass pieces. I also remember the dreaded closet cleaning in the days prior to mother’s spring cleaning. Even then we practiced reuse whenever we could. Outgrown clothing and toys were passed down to younger siblings or extended family. The boys’ play clothes were often so worn that they were not fit to pass along. Those t-shirts became my mother’s scrub rags. Jeans were cut into smaller pieces for my dad to use in his garage. If there was no one to make good use of outgrown clothes, they were loaded into the car for a trip to Goodwill.

My dad was a fixer-upper. His workbench was always lined with broken toys or electronic items. He loved to repair things; seldom was something considered useless and trashed. We made do, he repaired it or it was repurposed. Unrepairable items were oftentimes kept for parts, just in case. Many of mother’s cleaning products would now be considered eco-friendly, though at that time, it was simply a matter of being frugal. Simple staples like vinegar and baking soda were frequently used during her spring cleaning madness. Windows, mirrors and the glass in picture frames were left streak-free, when cleaned with a warm water and vinegar solution. We used a white T-shirt from the rag bag to clean glass; the thought was that white shirts left behind less lint than colored ones. Baking soda was used with a damp rag to the scuff marks left on our painted walls or the kitchen linoleum.

Then it was considered frugal to use simple items found in the home. Today there are many harsh cleaners on the market, touted for their ability to clean better or faster, with little regard to the cost to the consumer or the environment. Consider the cleaners you use in your home or garage. How safe are they? Is there a safer alternative that will do the same job? Many books have been written about using either of the aforementioned items or a number of other common items as eco-friendly cleaners. Check online for a wide selection of homemade recipes for cleaning the home, garage, or automobile. The District has a booklet, “Cleaning with Care,“ with a few of our favorites recipes. Call or email to request your copy. What if your cleaning supply closet has harsh chemical cleaners lurking about? The best scenario would be to use up what you have already purchased but do so according to the manufacturer’s directions. Do not overuse a product to get rid of it and never pour it down the drain or on the ground. If you no longer need a previously purchased product for its intended use, see if someone you know can use it. Maybe you have leftover fertilizer or weed killer in your garage, yet no longer plant a garden. Find someone who is willing to properly use it in their garden.

Be cautious when storing or transporting these or other types of household chemicals. Make sure the original packaging is intact. If not, place the entire package as is inside of another secure container. Never mix or allow products to mix. This is important when using these types of products and even more so when storing or transporting. Leaking containers could allow non-compatible materials to react. The result could be an explosion, fire, caustic liquid or toxic vapor. The District offers household hazardous waste (HHW) collection for those products that are no longer usable or desirable. HHW can be brought to the Recycling Center between noon-6pm on May 28, July 30, and September 24. Can’t make these dates? Then call the office to make an appointment. Appointments are necessary, as only staff with OSHA HAZWOPER certification can accept HHW and only after donning the appropriate proper protective equipment. Anything electrical or battery-operated can be brought to the Center for recycling (A small fee may apply for certain items. Check our website). These items are accepted any Friday noon-6 pm or Saturday 9-1. They can also be brought during HHW collection events. Cleaning up the yard? The District also accepts scrap metal, tires (5 passenger tires

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WORDS Recyclable materials

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free, with a small fee for all others), motor oil, and any type of batteries whenever the drive-thru is open. These nuisance wastes are also accepted during the HHW collection events. Old cans of paint hiding in your garage? Oil-based paint and paint products are considered HHW and must be brought to the Recycling Center during special HHW collection events. Latex paint is NOT hazardous and can be set out for your trash hauler when solidified. Liquids are NOT acceptable. Latex paint can be air-dried; larger amounts can be dried using kitty litter or a hardening agent. When latex paint is dry, leave the lid off the container and set out for regular trash pick-up. For more information about these or other services the District offers, check out our website or call the office. Happy Cleaning! Don’t forget to think green when you spring clean. You will be glad you did and so will the environment.

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16 • REGISTER PUBLICATIONS • SPRING HOME AND GARDEN 2014

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