Thanksgiving is a time not only to reflect on all that is good but ALSO to tackle cleaning chores requiring extra consideration–say “leaf stains” on the concrete patio for instance.
Prior to our final fall clean-up, wet leaves had stood long enough on our concrete-clad patio to produce a series of leaf imprints. Clean+istry believes that [...]
By patching cracks in sidewalks and driveways BEFORE they grow, let this be our first fall maintenance tip in preparation for winter.
Jay Romano, writing for The New York Times, in The Fix, gives advice for concrete walks and asphalt. May we suggest also examining stone terraces and the cement filling (or grout) between rocks [...]
Hmmm, it’s Thursday, so here’s an idea…let’s blog The New York Times Home & Garden. We’ve trolled today’s paper and found a couple of maintenance-related items of interest.
First off is a conversation with contractor Stephen Fanuka (Shopping for Renovation Materials With Stephen Fanuka) about materials used in high-end Manhattan jobs. He makes an excellent point [...]
For more on the radon and granite countertop controversy, read Consumer Reports’ blog posting.
CR is mostly skeptical regarding the issue’s scale, which might result in a massive run on CeasarStone (CeasarStone Blizzard pictured). Their review of the research uncovers a tangled array of special interests behind the research.
Still, testing is the ultimate step for [...]
It’s time for [best of] clean+istry: july ‘08. Links to our favorite posts of the month.
Know the life expectancy of home appliances with a new report by the National association of homebuilders. Would you be shocked to learn that cleaning and maintenance is the headline?
Will we ever bore of reading/writing/learning of new ways to clean grout? [...]
The New York Times greeted us this morning with ominous warnings about potentially elevated levels of radon lurking within our granite countertops. Great.
Depending on which expert you choose to believe, the risk has either “always been there and it’s no big deal” OR preparing your morning coffee poses identical hazards to a half-pack-a-day cigarette [...]
Clean+istry is not immune to the whims of nature and this season has confronted an onslaught of Common Grackles using its pool as a roadside latrine. Although Clean+istry grew up swimming in a rusty tank originally designed to hold water for livestock (another story for another time) and could easily paddle past occasional poop, we [...]
B_E_E_ (stands for Beauty Engineered for Ever) is a New Zealand based company committed to developing cleaning products that not only clean well, but excel “environmentally, ethically, and sensually.” Who could argue with that?
We like the packaging. Correction: we LOVE the packaging. For some time, Clean+istry has labeled all of our [...]
The National Association of Homebuilders, along with the Bank of America Home Equity, has issued a timely report summarizing the life expectancy of home appliances and materials. The report (“Life Expectancy of Home Components”), is based on a 2006 survey of manufacturers, trade associations and researchers.
Clean+istry is a firm believer in knowing what you’re [...]
What a coincidence, it turns out that clean materials for kitchen and bath renovations are the best for re-sale too. This, according to this weekend’s NYT’s real estate section (Renovation Tips).
SMART MATERIALS mentioned for countertops include: nonporous granite, quartzite, basalt, schist, and engineered stones such Silestone (Clean+istry’s favorite).
AVOID soapstone, concrete, and Carrera marble [...]