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To avoid costly errors and unsafe situations, there are several gutter-cleaning mistakes homeowners should take care to avoid. By following a few safety precautions and sticking to a regular cleaning schedule, keeping your gutters clean and free of debris is simple. Familiarize yourself with these common gutter-cleaning mistakes to ensure this maintenance task goes smoothly season after season. 1. You don’t clean your gutters often enough. One of the most common gutter maintenance mistakes homeowners make is simply not cleaning them as frequently as they should, according to Chris Counahan, president of LeafFilter Gutter Protection....

First, it’s good to know which sort of bug you’re up against. There are a few different types of roaches that like to invade our homes. They include German cockroaches, which get about half an inch long and are a brown color with two darker stripes behind the head. Another common one is the American cockroach, which gets up to 2 inches long and has a reddish-brown color with a yellow patch behind the head....

Repaint living room walls, roll out a colorful area rug, or change throw-pillow covers to refresh your space without having to change up the furniture. Gray works well with a wide variety of colors, ranging from soft pastels to deep jewel tones, so the upholstery will adapt well to other changes around the room. You can consider your gray sofa a solid investment piece that will remain complementary even as your tastes and decorating style change....

1. S’more Cake If you think a semi-homemade dessert can’t get much easier, think again. This boxed chocolate cake recipe “bakes” in your slow cooker. Top the ultra-simple cake with marshmallow crème, milk chocolate, and graham cracker pieces to bring your favorite summer sweet indoors. Better yet, there’s a surprise ingredient that makes it so easy to prepare: chocolate cake mix with sour cream. 2. Creme de Menthe Cake Using boxed chocolate cake mix as a shortcut doesn’t get any better than this treat that’s a flavor doppelgänger for mint chocolate-chip ice cream....

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1 cup whipping cream 2 tablespoon sugar ½ teaspoon vanilla Strawberry Lemon-Poppy Seed Shortcake: Prepare Strawberry Shortcake as directed, except stir 1 tablespoon poppy seeds and 1 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel into flour mixture after cutting in butter.Per serving: 510 calories, 7 g protein, 55 g carbohydrate, 30 g total fat (18 g sat. fat), 122 mg cholesterol, 4 g fiber, 26 g total sugar, 22% Vitamin A, 119% Vitamin C, 367 mg sodium, 15% calcium, 13% iron...

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A butterfly bush in landscape design fits this description, which is why it’s become such a popular choice for gardens across the country. But it has a significant drawback: It reseeds like crazy. In fact, it has been declared “noxious” by both Washington and Oregon, where it’s no longer sold because it spreads so aggressively. Fortunately, you’ve got a few options for growing this plant responsibly. Butterfly bush, a native of China, seemingly has it all....

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How to Clean a Microfiber Couch What You Need Vacuum with upholstery attachmentStiff fabric brush (optional)Microfiber clothBaby wipes (optional) Step 1: Vacuum or Brush the Couch Take care of your microfiber couch as you do your carpet; a good rule to follow is to vacuum the couch every time you vacuum the floor. If possible, try to enlist a “no pets on the couch” rule to help control pet hair....

A Halloween tree is exactly what you’d expect: A faux Christmas tree decorated in festive Halloween shades like orange and black rather than the traditional Christmas red and green. Instead of beads and ornaments, these trees are decorated with all kinds of ghosts, goblins, and ghouls. More than 54,000 posts on Instagram are tagged under #halloweentree, and the images are incredible. We’ve rounded up our favorite Halloween trees to inspire you with ideas for how to decorate a Halloween tree, whether with skeletons, jack-o-lanterns, or witches....

How to Deep Clean Your House As you go through each room in your home, begin with these deep cleaning tips to streamline the process. 1. Declutter Before Deep Cleaning Find a new place for (or better yet, get rid of) any visible clutter that does not belong in the room. Save the stuff behind closed doors for another day to help simplify your deep cleaning checklist. Clearing clutter makes deep cleaning easier and seeing those tidy surfaces can help boost your motivation to keep going....

A good rhizome will be about as thick as your thumb, have healthy roots, and have one or two leaf fans. Large, old rhizomes that have no leaf fans can be tossed out. Related Video

Your Best Veggie Tray Ever When was the last time you went to a party where a veggie tray wasn’t served? Possibly … never? Indeed, a veggie tray is pretty much a must-have on the party buffet. Yet just because it’s the inevitable appetizer doesn’t mean it has to be boring. Check out these party veggie tray ideas for party-perfect results. Try new veggies: Head to a farmers market or natural food grocers for less-expected in-season options, such as young carrots, summer squash, radishes, mini bell peppers, sugar snap peas, and cauliflower—varieties tinged with green or purple will especially turn heads....

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How to Winterize Roses The winter prep you’ll need to do depends on the coldest temperatures you get in your region and which kind of roses you have in your garden. But all varieties will handle the cold weather better if you water them well in the fall, before the ground freezes. Preparing Roses for Winter in Cold Climates In areas where winter is mild, but the ground still freezes (usually Hardiness Zones 6 and above), follow these steps to give your roses a little extra protection....

How to Turn Off an Individual Fuse At your fuse box, partially shut off power by unscrewing and removing a fuse. Test the device to make sure the power is off before doing any work. If a fuse has blown, replace it with a new one. How to Turn Off Power to the Whole House To turn off power to the entire house, pull out the main fuse block, which looks like a rectangular block with a handle....

Before you begin, make any needed repairs to the window and its frame. Once complete, the first step to weather-seal windows is to caulk, especially on the exterior. Also, check that the glazing putty on the outside is free of gaps and seals tightly against the window. Where glazing is failing, scrape it out and apply new glazing. On the inside, see that the joint between the glass and the sash is sealed with paint....