4 TV room hygiene and care tips

03 Oct 2013

Thursday nights is TV time for some people and it’s really the only time they walk away from the PC and take a break. This made me think about how much we spend in front of the TV, especially when it’s a sports weekend or soapie time.

As the seasons change, so does the angle of light entering the room. Daytime viewing can be a mission if the sun is shining on the TV or reflecting through a window. Stop the glare by fitting shades or blinds that can be opened/closed or angled to deflect natural light entering the room and spoiling your viewing time.

Here are few tips to make your viewing better and more enjoyable…
1. Don't let greasy fingerprints spoil your view
Switch off the TV before you do any cleaning. Use a lint free or microfibre cloth to clean your TV screen and avoid anything that might scratch the glass, such as paper towels. You don't need to apply cleaners to the screen, just use the cloth and wipe the screen from left to right, starting at the top and working your way down in a single wipe. This will clean up any greasy marks and remove dust.
2. Dust up the speakers
Most people would simply wipe with a damp cloth or furniture polish but this pushes the dust inside the grilles - rather use a soft makeup brush to lightly brush over speaker grilles to remove dust and then wipe with a lint-free or microfibre cloth.
And don't forget to clean circulation grilles and vents at the back or side of the TV. These vents help to keep the inner workings of your TV cool, so prevent dust from blocking them up.
3. Detox the remote
Baby wipes are ideal for cleaning a TV remote and for wiping off last night's TV dinner. Plus, a regular cleaning with baby wipes will keep your TV remote germ-free. Switch off the TV before you clean or you will be surfing through channels and changing your settings before you know it.
If you have a PVR you will know how handy the rewind/fast forward/pause button is and how you can easily get into a panic when it gets stuck. Chances are the button is all gunked up and you can easily open up the remote to clean out any gunge. Do take care when opening and make sure you put everything back properly.
4. Take the glare out of TV
As the seasons change, so does the angle of light entering the room. Daytime viewing can be a mission if the sun is shining on the TV or reflecting through a window.
Stop the glare by fitting shades or blinds that can be opened/closed or angled to deflect natural light entering the room and spoiling your viewing time.
If you're not prepared to fork out for window treatments, try angling the TV or moving it to a new spot. - Janice Anderssen
Article courtesy of www.homedzine.co.za

Dressing table with silver leaf finish

When you discover a secondhand find that is still is good condition, you can do almost anything with it. You can restore it, paint it, or you can add silver leaf and transform a plain dressing table into a gorgeous piece of modern furniture.

That's just what Virginia did at livelovediy - and it turned out awesome.

Here's how the table looks after being covered with silver leaf and with the addition of a glass top... absolutely stunning.

All you need for this project is some silver leaf, size (glue), a foam sponge pad and a paintbrush.

You will find silver leaf at craft and hobby stores, or get in touch with Brasch to find your nearest supplier.

GOOD TO KNOW

Put down a dropcloth or newspaper before you start - gilding can be messy!

To cover furniture in any kind of leaf you first need to apply size (glue) over the surface.

Work in sections and apply size to the surface and allow to dry until clear, or for approximately 20 to 30 minutes.

Gently lift a sheet of silver leaf and place over the size.

Brush with a soft paintbrush.

To cut down on the amount of silver leaf used for this project, Virginia spray the legs with Rust-Oleum metallic finish.

You can use Rust-Oleum Universal - titanium silver to achieve a similar effect.

To finish off the table and for added protection, a glass top is added to the dressing table.

You can have 5mm glass cut to size at your local Builders Warehouse.

- See more at: http://www.home-dzine.co.za/bedroom/bedroom-silver-leaf-dresser.htm#sthash.h68EDCaP.dpuf