Carolina Arey is the editor of SeekingHow. She researches, writes and updates the site's step-by-step guides on cleaning, home improvement, DIY, repairs, cooking and everyday questions, following manufacturer instructions, official guidance and the SeekingHow Editorial Policy.
To clean a Shark vacuum filter, remove the foam and felt pre-motor filters under the dust cup, tap off dust, rinse them with cool water only and air-dry them for at least 24 hours. Do this monthly, and clean the post-motor HEPA filter about once a year.
To clean a Swiffer WetJet pad to reuse it, shake off debris, hand-wash it gently in warm water with a drop of dish soap, press out the water and air-dry it flat. Expect one or two extra uses at most; washable microfiber pads are the better long-term option.
To get pine sap off your hands, rub cooking oil, butter or coconut oil into the sap for 1 to 2 minutes, wipe it away with a paper towel, then wash with dish soap and warm water. Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer for leftovers. Never use gasoline, turpentine or paint thinner on skin.
To get candle wax out of a fleece blanket, freeze the wax, crack and brush off the chunks, then melt the leftover film into plain paper towels with an iron on its lowest synthetic setting. Treat dye with rubbing alcohol and wash warm. Never use high heat on polyester fleece.
To get spray foam off clothes, act before the foam cures: scrape off the excess with a plastic knife, then blot the remaining film with acetone or an acetone-based foam cleaner until it lifts, and wash. Cured foam does not dissolve, so it must be trimmed and scraped away. Test acetone first on synthetics.
To get wood stain out of clothes, first check the can. For water-based stain, flush from the back with cold water and scrub in dish soap. For oil-based or gel stain, blot, dab mineral spirits from the back, then work in dish soap and detergent. Wash warm and air-dry.
To get bike grease out of jeans, scrape off excess grease, then work liquid dish soap into both sides of the stain and let it sit 15 minutes. For black chain grease, loosen it first with a few drops of mineral oil or a prewash stain remover. Wash warm and air-dry.
To stop water coming in under a garage door, replace a worn bottom seal, then add a rubber threshold seal glued to the floor so the door closes against a raised barrier. Check that the door closes fully and that downspouts and the driveway do not send water toward the opening.
To level a house on piers yourself, map the low spots, then raise each low beam slowly with a rated bottle jack on solid cribbing and add steel or treated hardwood shims between pier and beam. Lift in small increments over days or weeks, and call an engineer if piers are sinking.
To tell if a sump pump check valve is bad, watch the pit right after the pump shuts off. If water rushes back down the discharge pipe and the pit level jumps several inches, the valve is not sealing. Rapid cycling, or no discharge while the motor runs, are other signs.