General upkeep
Dirt acts like sandpaper on a wood finish, so place floor mats by all exterior doors. To prevent dulling or uneven discoloring, shield floors from bright sunlight and periodically reposition area rugs.
Cleaning
Never damp mop unless you have a urethane or acrylic-impregnated seal. If you don’t know your floor’s specific finish, sweep or use a dry dust mop at least once a week, or vacuum with a soft-bristled brush attachment.
Protection
Use fabric-faced glides, felt contacts or non-marking rubber casters on furniture legs. When moving pieces, remember to lift – don’t drag.
(Ladies Home Journal)
SAVE THAT ENERGY
Ways to keep your electricity bill down
There’s not much we can do about the purchased power adjustment (PPA) in our electricity bills, but we can do much to save energy, Meralco’s Dina Lomotan gives us some ideas:
LIGHTS
·Use natural light whenever possible.
·Use compact fluorescent light (CFL) instead of incandescent bulbs. A 16-watt CFL produces the same light as a 60-watt incandescent bulb at a quarter of the energy cost.
·Use low-wattage light bulbs in areas that do not need strong lighting such as hallways, foyers, and doorways. Use lamps that provide direct lighting over desks, beds, and other work areas. This is more economical than having high-wattage lighting illuminating the entire room.
REFRIGERATORS
·Position refrigerators at least four inches away from the wall so you don’t overwork the motor.
·Defrost before frost builds up to one-fourth of an inch. This will keep your refrigerator running efficiently.
·Know that a no-frost refrigerator consumes more electricity than a regular refrigerator.
·Cool food to room temperature before storing it in the refrigerator. Placing warm food in the refrigerator increase the temperature inside.
·Don’t overcrowd your refrigerator. This interferes with air circulation and overworks the compressor.
COOKING
·Prepare all ingredients before cooking so you don’t keep switching your electric stove on and off. Thaw frozen food thoroughly before cooking.
·Use flat-bottomed pots and pans when using an electric stove. Heat transfers faster through them.
IRONING
·Do all your ironing at one time and during the cooler hours of the day. This helps lessen the demand for electricity during peak hours.
·Dampen clothes moderately. Excessively moistened clothes take longer to iron.
WASHING MACHINES
·Wash or dry full loads to maximize the use of your washing machine and clothes dryer.
But don’t overload your dryer.
·Keep the lint filter of the clothes dryer clean. A dirty filter restricts airflow.
·On sunny days, hang clothes to dry outside.
Want to find out more about how you are billed every month? Meralco’s interactive website (www.meralco.com.ph) offers helpful information like energy consumption estimates and cost of electricity per appliance. If you’re a residential customer wanting a free estimate, just go to the “Consumption Estimator” link under “About your Bill.”
(Good Housekeeping Philippines)
