You'll hear a lot of conflicting ideas about how to clean your garbage disposal. Whole limes, cut lemons, salt, ice...it all begins to sound like a Margarita recipe! But according to plumbing and installation experts, the best way to clean your garbage disposal to avoid drain blockage and ensure a clean, fresh-smelling drain, is as follows:

          Without any water running, empty a tray of ice cubes into the garbage disposal.
          Sprinkle about one-quarter cup of baking soda on top of the ice.
          Without turning on the water, run the disposal until the ice is gone or for at least
          30 seconds, whichever is longer.

That's it. Clean, fresh and no danger of drain blockage! And you can keep the limes on hand for Friday night!

They always say don't judge a book by it's cover and unfortunately we always do. And people judge your home by the outside too. That's why it is essential that every homeowner keeps a nice landscape. Outdoor lighting is a increasingly popular trend. Great lightening can give the appearance of more space and it can increase your home's security. If you use solar lighting you can also cut down on your home's electricity bill. Landscape floodlights can brighten up your walkway and even shed light on your beautiful garden or flower beds.

One of the many ways you can improve your kitchen is to replace the hardware on your cabinets and drawers. This is a very simple change, but it can make a dramatic difference. There are thousands of different types of hardware to choose from, and you can take your remodeling projects any way you want. If you're looking for a bit more of a change, consider painting or re-staining the cabinets to create a fresh new look. You can have cabinets re-faced as well, and while this might be a little more expensive, it is still within the budget-friendly realm of improvements.