Happy Holidays…I hope
Yes, it is that time. Gifts are bought and wrapped. Guests are coming any day now. The house looks great, downright dandy and the tree is decorated with peppermint candy. This day that you have been dreaming about for months is finally here. But wait! Something foul and sinister is lurking and waiting to ruin your perfect quintessential Hallmark Christmas day.
Just as the family gathers around the table to carve that beautiful bird, your Uncle Buck saunters down the hall from the powder room and calls out, “Hey sis, you got a plunger nearby ‘ cause, um, I think I had a few too many pieces of fruit cake, if you know what I mean”. Silence…
Nothing spoils a holiday festivities faster than plumbing problems… Stopped up potties, jammed garbage disposers, slow moving drains. These are just some gross realities of having extra guests in the house. It’s time to be prepared for whatever Holiday Havoc comes your way. A day with less stress and mess is a gift you give yourself and here’s how.
- Buy a good plunger- not the stiff ones from the $1 store. Get one with the extra flange on the bottom to get deep into the toilet drain. When done using it, rinse with disinfectant and store it in a loosely gathered plastic bag in a closet. Don’t leave it out for all to see. It isn’t art folks!
[fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”] - Grab a Zip It stick to clear hair and gunk from your drains so guests aren’t waiting a month of Sundays for water to drain. Not to mention the nasty ring around the tub and sink that it leaves behind. Zip It is a girl’s best friend, only $3 at Home Depot. Check the plunger aisle.
- WINE -1-1 What’s your emergency? – Sometimes that old cork screw can leave you thirsty and parched. If your cork breaks off in the bottle neck, grab a power drill with a medium bit. Slowly insert the bit into the cork and back it out! Works like a charm. You may find a few flecks of cork in your wine but just scoop them out. Think of it like the worm in the tequila! Salute.
- Spilled wine, splattered cranberry sauce and greasy gravy drips can ruin great table linens. Get yourself an arsenal of Carbona cleaning products. These powerful stain fighters are formulated for specific compounds to get out whatever spilled. Remember to blot, blot, blot!
- Garbage Disposer Public Enemy #1 – Potato peels. Be careful when peeling all those potatoes to be mashed, roasted and twice baked. Plumbers charge holiday overtime rates. Make sure you have a hex wrench or disposer wrench to manually rotate blades from under the motor. Hit the reset button to fire up the motor if it doesn’t kick right on.
I hope these little tips help make your holidays calm and relaxing, as they should be. Sorry my DIY tips can’t help you manage Uncle Buck! And I know we all have one of those guys in the family. Happy Holidays to all!
