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Some of our living spaces at Taluswood Apartments feature beautiful fireplaces. After a long and cold day, it may be perfectly fitting to relax in front of the fireplace. We hope our residents will enjoy spending time like this. But, some don’t do so because they worry about keeping it clean. It doesn’t have to be challenging to do, though.
It’s Easy to Keep it Clean
A wood-burning fireplace can be a bit overwhelming if you are unsure how to keep it clean and organized. With a few tips, though, you will love the way they look even when not in use.
Minimizing Ash and Smoke
Choosing dry wood helps to minimize the amount of smoke and ash in the fireplace. You will want to ensure you choose smaller pieces that are properly sized. Seasoned wood is best, as freshly cut wood creates a significant amount of smoke.
Keep the Doors Closed
One of the hardest parts of managing a fireplace is the ash and soot that gets outside of the fireplace. The best way to minimize this is to keep the doors closed. This will eliminate the risk that the fireplace materials will get outside of it. Additionally, you will want to keep the flue open when the fireplace is on.
Removing the Ash
You can remove the ash from the fireplace as soon as it is cool. Do not remove it when it is hot, as this can create burns. You will want to be careful to sweep up any debris present outside of the fireplace. Go slow to minimize ash getting into the air.
When it comes to keeping the surface clean, simply use a wet cloth with mild soap to wipe down the surface. You can also use a paper towel to dry the surface to a shine. It does not take much to keep the exterior clean when you make sure the inside is cleaned. Be sure to ask about any type of maintenance necessary.
Are You Ready to Find a Home You’ll Love?
At Taluswood Apartments, our residents enjoy outstanding amenities. We encourage you to give us a call to learn more about our available apartments in Mountlake Terrace. We’re happy to help you!
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Repeated exposure to UV rays can be destructive to your indoor furniture, causing fading or damage to anything from your couch to the hardwood floors. While you probably won't notice any visible trouble after a single season, it's important to practice prevention, so you can keep your things in good condition for as long as possible. Learn more about what it takes to keep wood, fabric, and leather from buckling under the sun's harsh glare.
Cover the Windows
Putting up the right drapes in your apartment can immediately block out the harmful rays pouring in through the glass. (It's also not a bad idea if you want to keep your skin from sun damage too.) For an even better effect, purchase blackout liners to place under the drapes of your choice. They come in a variety of options, so you don't necessarily need to close out every last drop of sunlight if you don't want to. This is usually the best possible long-term solution and one that you likely won't even notice.
Tips for Better Protection
Closing your windows during the worst of the summer sun cannot only keep your furniture safe, but it can also lower your cooling costs as well. Condition your leather pieces once every six months or so to maintain their looks and durability. Keep delicate fabrics like silk and linen out of sunlight whenever possible, but feel free to put cotton, nylon or polyester in the spotlight. Wood can either fade or become darker when exposed to the sun's rays, depending on the specific type of wood. You can prevent odd discoloration by moving rugs or tables around to ensure that the wood isn't only exposed to sunlight from a select number of angles.
Your apartment is more than just a place where you keep your things; it's an expression of who you are. Taking care of your furniture may take some extra effort, but it's one you won't regret making. Whether you plan to keep your furniture for a year or ten years, protecting it from the sun is a smart thing to do. If you're looking for apartments in Mountlake Terrace that can give you the space and the amenities you need, call Taluswood Apartments today!
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Whether you miss spending time with your loved ones or that special someone, there is nothing quite like a traditional picnic to help you feel more connected with the ones you love. Planning a picnic doesn't have to be a chore when you follow these practical picnic tips.
Preparing a Perfect Picnic
Choose a Beautiful Spot
Although many people believe spontaneity adds to the excitement of a picnic, often if you neglect to choose where to hold your picnic beforehand, you may end up being disappointed. Although the perfect picnic spot is anywhere you want it to be, many people find a soft, grassy area in the shade is ideal.
Forget the Picnic Basket
A wicker picnic basket filled with ceramic plates, real glasses, and metal cutlery may seem like a romantic nod to tradition, but in reality, it is just not practical. Consider packing your food in two different containers. Use an insulated cooler for the items that need to stay cool and a separate container for everything else. Bring disposable paper plates and throw-away utensils.
Pack the Right Food
When it comes to picnics, there are two different, yet equally acceptable, theories for deciding which food to bring along. The first option is to go with simple finger foods such as premade sandwiches, cold chicken, or just a cheese and meat board. These foods are suitable for families with small children or those who don't want the picnic to last all afternoon. Alternatively, feel free to go all out by bringing a complete meal of salads, appetizers, a selection of main courses, sides, and dessert. This is the better option for picnics for larger groups.
Don't Forget the Extras
Now that the essentials are taken care of, don't forget to pack a few extras to make your picnic extra special. Remember a blanket to sit on. You can find waterproof blankets made for picnics online. Throw a few games such as Frisbee or a deck of cards into your picnic container for a bit of extra fun.
Our apartments in Mountlake Terrace, Washington, provide easy access to a variety of picnic sites. Taluswood Apartments offers residents stunning apartments with a long list of amenities. Call (855) 450-2838 to schedule a viewing.
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Kebabs are a natural part of summer—and for good reason. They're easy to make, delicious to eat, and fun to put together. But just because kebabs are easy to make doesn't mean that they're easy to perfect. To get better kebabs this season, it's time to consider a few tips to make your grilling picture-perfect.
Soak the Skewers
Bamboo skewers can burn if you're not careful, which doesn't exactly make for good eats. You can soak the skewers in water or buy presoaked skewers so you can grill whenever you like. If you grill all the time, consider freezing a huge packet of skewers so that you won't have to worry about whether or not you have enough. You can also save a few bucks this way by buying in bulk.
Aim for Fat
Fat can get a bad reputation today, but when it comes to grilling, it's the only way to go. Whether you're grilling steak, lamb, or pork, it's the marbling from the fat that ensures you get a moist kebab at the end of the grilling session. Make sure that all of your meat is sliced evenly so that it all cooks through in just a few minutes. You can also leave a little space along the skewer so that you can get the crispiness you crave.
Add the Extras
Use vegetables that can stand up to some pressure on the grill. Onions and peppers are thick and durable enough to cook alongside the meat without charring or breaking apart. Carrots will take too long to soften, which can make for overcooked meat. You can thread things like lemon slices onto the skewer so you know they won't fall off when grilling. Consider adding salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper to up the flavor quotient.
Making kebabs your go-to meal this season is never the wrong way to go. They're customizable enough that you can have them multiple nights in a row and not get bored! If you're looking for more culinary options in your life, consider checking out Taluswood Apartments this summer. Our Mountlake Terrace apartments may be just what you need to take your grilling skills to the next level. Give us a call to learn more about our apartment community!
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Dogs make for great apartment-living pets, but to keep them happy and healthy you’ll need to make sure they get lots of exercise each day. Luckily, with so much natural beauty here in the Pacific Northwest, walking your dog each day doesn’t have to be a chore. With a few simple dog walking tips and a regular routine, you and your pup can both benefit from the extra exercise.
5 Simple Dog Walking Tips
1. Try a Front Clip Harness
If you’ve noticed that your dog likes to pull on their leash in excitement, using a front clip harness can help to eliminate the unwanted behavior. With this simple leash direction change, you stay in control and your dog still gets out for some fun.
2. Let Them Sniff
While it may be a bit tedious after a while, stopping to let your dog sniff is a super important part of your walks. In fact, sniffing is directly related to positive brain stimulation that keeps your pet happy and stress-free.
3. Skip the Retractable Leash
Although they have a certain appeal, retractable leashes actually pose quite a few safety hazards for yourself, your pup and other people on the trails. The long length makes it difficult to control your dog and under the right amount of pressure, the leash can snap.
4. Clean Up After Your Dog
Picking up after your pet is not only an important part of being a good neighbor but it helps to prevent health issues for other dogs and people. Invest in a handy poop bag carrier that you can clip on your leash to ensure you never leave home without a bag and be sure to dispose of all bags properly.
5. Bring Water
If you and your dog will be out walking for more than 30 minutes, bringing along water to help keep them hydrated is a good idea. Because they have a more difficult time regulating their body temperature than we do, stopping for a drink is an easy way to help them cool down.
Explore the Great Outdoors With Your Dog
For more information about our pet-friendly community or to take a look at the available floor plans at our apartments in Mountlake Terrace, visit the team at Taluswood Apartments today.
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Like any home appliance, a dishwasher needs its fair share of maintenance to run up to par. The good news is that this maintenance is relatively straightforward and simple to complete. On that note, here's a look at some easy-to-implement dishwasher tips and tricks to keep your machine running as best as possible.
5 Tips for Making Your Dishwasher Run More Effectively
- Clean the trap: The dishwasher trap is located under the bottom-most sprayer. For best results and to minimize dish recontamination, this trap must be cleaned regularly to remove food debris and grime that doesn't get properly washed away. On most new dishwasher units, the trap comes right out for easy cleaning in the sink.
- Run hot tap water: Hot water is just better at cleaning than cold water. However, like any faucet or appliance, a dishwasher will often run cold water before the hot water has a chance to fully kick in. For a dishwasher, this may mean that the first wash cycle consists of either cold or lukewarm water. To ensure that the dishwasher runs hot water from the start, simply run the tap on hot water until it's hot.
- Clean regularly with vinegar: Aside from the trap, dishwashers need to be cleaned on occasion for best results. This is fairly easy to do – just place one cup of vinegar into the dishwasher and then run it on a standard cycle.
- Clean out the drain hose: If your dishwasher has standing water in it after a cycle, chances are it's not draining properly. This is an easy fix, but you have to get underneath the sink to do it. Find the connection where the dishwasher hose meets the sink hose and disconnect it. Typically, you'll find it's been clogged up with grime and debris that will need to be cleaned out.
- Don't overload: Last but not least, don't overload the dishwasher! While it's tempting to want to cram as much in as possible, an overcrowded dishwasher is going to result in soiled dishes.
An in-unit dishwasher is just one of the many amenities our Mountlake Terrace apartments offer to community members. Contact us today to set up an appointment to see which floor plans are currently available.
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