Hot Home & Garden How-Tos

How To: Sprout a home terrarium

You can use either an open or a closed container for your terrarium. Because there is no drainage hole in the container it's really important to have a false drainage system. So you can add river gravel or rocks to the bottom of the terrarium as a drainage level. Put about one inch of rocks in the bottom of the terrarium. Add a layer of charcoal on top of the rocks and it will help to keep the whole terrarium fresh. The charcoal will help keep mold and bacteria from growing in the terrarium. ...

How To: Create a birch holiday wreath with terrain

This video will show you how to make a birch holiday wreath step by step. The best part is that there are two options for this project. One for inside and another for outside. The projects focus on using items that you can find your backyard making finding supplies easy and accessible. By following these easy and simple tips you can create a wonderful wreath display for your home during the holidays. All these tips are shown by Terrain staff.

How To: Make a light switch plate out of an old CD

In this video you will be shown an interesting method of recycling old CDs. The creator suggests using old CDs to make wall mountings for circular dimmer switches. He starts be using his router to create a circular indent in a piece of redwood this if for the CD. He then cuts out this circle shape and places the CD in the middle. Attaching the light switch is slightly more complicated than the previous stages and for accurate details please see the video.

How To: Hang drywall

This video shows the viewer how to hang dry wall easily and efficiently. In the video the creator uses a utility knife to score the sheets he will be using to construct the wall. He then snaps the sheets and finishes the cut with his utility knife. He uses a dry wall lift to hold the sheet in place before he screws it to the wooden frame. He specifically fastens the screws working across the sheet - not fastening the corners first. This stops the sheet from buckling due to errors and allows i...

How To: Set-up a home office with an extra room

Starting to work at home? With more and more people trying to make a solid living at home, it's important to know the best way to set up a home office – even if you don't have a spare room. Learn how to set-up a solid work environment with tips from this video on how to create the perfect home office.

How To: Clean your room

Do you win the prize for messiest room in America? That's a difficult contest, but how about messiest room in your house? It’s time to clean your room, so do a good job in the shortest amount of time and get your parents off your back.

How To: Make a homemade fly trap

Do you have a problem with flies and you're not sure how to get rid of them? In this video, learn how to make a homemade fly trap to get rid of those pesky insects with wings! If you have too many flies buzzing around your house, here's a quick way to make an inexpensive fly trap.

How To: Line-dry your clothes

Looking for a way to save on your energy bills at home? How about line drying your clothes? According to the Energy Information Agency, clothes dryers account for 5.8 percent of home electricity usage. Line-dry your washed clothes and linens to keep them from wearing out, and save money on your energy bill at the same time.

How To: Install a new garbage disposal

Sick of paying people to do things you could do yourself if you knew how? In this five-part video tutorial hosted by the Handyman Teacher learn how to install a brand new garage disposal in your home with the help of your own two hands. Don't waste your money on hiring a professional, learn how to do it yourself!

How To: Use ThermaPure to get rid of bed bugs

Bed bugs come out and suck your blood in the middle of the night. ThermaPure can get rid of bed bugs in a safe manner. ThermaPure uses probes to heat up the areas of the house such as the bedding, carpets, and wall voids, to a temperature that will kill the bed bugs. The ThermaPure heater is programmable which allows for a precise duration and electrical current needed to rid your house of bed bugs. ThermaPure is a green technology and will not harm you in the process of ridding your home of ...

How To: Water Evergreens in the fall

First of all, he explains that evergreens will have problems if you don't water them late enough into the season. He introduces Ken Mayer who compares two types of evergreens. He shows a tree which has lost its coloration and explains that that tree lost water over the winter. Its roots have been frozen and if the roots are frozen the water cannot circulate where it is needed. When the spring comes, the plant will need water and it will not be able to be supplied with it. It then gives tips o...

How To: Protect your luggage from bed bugs

Bed Bug control for luggage is the best way to protect your luggage from infestation. What you will do is, open your luggage and any zippers you may have on your luggage and spray it down the best you can. You will want to spray the seams and any closed area inside and outside you luggage. You should also spray down your handle and wheels (if available). Bed bug control will keep the germs from different hotels or any where you travel, so that it doesn’t follow you back home.

How To: Kill bed bugs with bug hunting dogs & heat

It's looking like heat is the safest and greenest way to deal with a bug problem. The KTLA Morning News (Los Angeles) did a series of segments on this new development with host of the Discovery Channel's Verminators Show, Mike Masterson. ThermaPure is being demonstrated, as are some bed bug sniffing dogs that Masterson's company, Isotech, uses.

How To: Prepare before treating your home for bed bugs

1. Prepare transparent plastic bags and boxes for disposal of paper, equipment, decorations and all the things that are stored on or in your furniture. (They should be transparent to enable you to see which items are in it because you will be living out of these boxes and bags for the next couple of weeks.)

How to Kill bed bugs: Bed bugs in cars

Having a bed bug infection in your car is extremely rare. However, if you suspect bed bugs in your automobile, check all of the cracks and crevices for any bed bug evidence. However, even if you don't find anything that doesn't rule out that they are there. What you can do is take your car to get fumigated. Other than that, the only thing that will absolutely kill the bugs is to let your car get very hot on a sunny, summer day.

How To: Grow Brussels sprouts

If you plant brussels sprouts you have to be prepared to wait a long time before the plant produces anything for you. It takes roughly five months for the plant to produce brussels sprouts. The brussels sprouts grow at the intersection where the the leaf meets the main stem of the plant. When the brussels sprouts are near the end of the growth cycle you can break the tops of the plants off to help force nutrients down into the plant.

How To: Lay pavement

Team Member Trevor at Bunnings.com shows the average Joe how to render an effective paving job. On this particular day, Trevor guides viewers through simple instructions for laying a nice brick walk. He recommends starting with a foundation of coarse-grade sand, as the coarser grades pack better.

How to Kill bed bugs: Bed bugs vs. bat bugs

There are a few differences between bed bugs and bat bugs. The first thing you want to do if you have a infestation is to have the bugs professionally identified because bed bugs and bat bugs look a lot a like. However, there are a few more things that can tell you which type of bug you have. For example, bat bugs like to infest your upper walls, ceiling junctions, and ceilings. Also, these bugs don't bite as much as a bed bug. The treatment for bed and bat bugs can be similar except for one ...

How To: Solder and prep copper pipes

To solder copper pipes, start by using a sharp blade and scrape the end of the pipe you are going to solder. This will get all the burrs off of the pipe. Next, take some steel wool and clean the pipe so that it is nice and clean and shiny. The next step is to apply some flux. Use a rag to apply the flux to the end of the pipe. You want to make sure that the flux goes all the way around the pipe. After putting flux on the two pieces of pipe, put them together using the fitting. Take the blowto...

How To: Clean dirty old coins

Meta Cafe offers fast and easy tips on how to clean filthy and old coins. All you need is: baking powder, a small, empty bowl, and a glass of water. Start by putting some baking powder into the small bowl. Next put some of your filthy, old coins into the small bowl, laying them on top of the baking powder. Then layer the remaining baking powder over the coins in the small bowl. Finally, pour the water into the bowl and let it sit for 10-15 minutes. Remove the coins and dry them using a paper ...

How To: Choose a pavement right for your purpose

The experts at Bunning's have come up with a few tips for the consumer to consider when they are next in the market for paving equipment. Find out if the job needs a solid block paver or a thinner grade paver. Preserving the tools once they leave the store is in your hands. Last, but not least, watch the weight!