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" Home maintenance isn&amp;#039;t restricted to repairs. In fact, certain tasks-- when performed regularly--may actually prevent things from breaking in the first place. But when things do go wrong (and it&amp;#039;s inevitable that they do), we have some backup plans that you can try before you grab the phone to call for pro. Appliances and plumbing are the most frequent offenders, but they also often can be the simplest to care for. From the gutters to the living room carpet, there&amp;#039;s a reliable method for keeping every part of your home clean, safe, and well maintained. 2:36 || A LASTING IMPRESSION:  You&amp;#039;ve rearranged the living room furniture but the carpet still shows depressions from where the sofa used to be. THE QUICK FIX Use a steam iron to remove carpet indentations. Hold the iron over the depression and apply steam. Don&amp;#039;t press the iron down on the carpet--just saturate the area with steam, then rake the fibers with your fingers. Depending on how old and deep the depression is, it may be necessary to steam the area several times to remove it. 2:37 || DISTURBING EVIDENCE:  Unless it&amp;#039;s a crime scene, you should remove a bloodstain in carpeting as soon as possible. THE QUICK FIX Blot the stain as much as possible, using a paper towel. Mix a teaspoon of household ammonia into a quart of cold water and dab the stain with a paper towel soaked in this solution, trying not to moisten the carpet backing. Combine a squirt of dish soap with a quart of water and use a new paper towel soaked in this mixture to continue dabbing the stain until it is removed. Moisten the area with a paper towel that has been soaked with cold water, and dab to remove all remaining residue. 2:38 || CHEERS AND TEARS: A marvelous cocktail party is cause for alarm when red wine spills right in the middle of your new beige wall-to-wall. THE QUICK FIX The secret to removing wine spills is to act quickly. Neutralize the stain with a small amount of white wine, then pour a little salt over the stain to stop it from setting into the carpet fiber. Once the salt absorbs the wine, suck it up with a dustbuster or blot with a paper towel. Sprinkle with club soda and blot immediately. Repeat the process as necessary to get all the wine out. 2:39 || PET POTTY FLOOR: You&amp;#039;re late getting home and Fido just couldn&amp;#039;t wait. THE QUICK FIX Clean up the accident as soon as possible. Then follow these directions, courtesy of Steve Seabaugh, technical director for the National Wood Flooring Association. &amp;quot;If the floor is finished with a surface finish (either waterbased or oil-based), use a five-percent phenol solution--available from any hardware store--to clean the area thoroughly, using a damp, soft cloth. Stains and odor are caused by bacteria, and the phenol solution will kill the bacteria before it has a chance to damage your floor. If the floor is finished with a wax finish, use #000 fine steel wool and a small amount of mineral spirits to clean the area, rubbing gently in a circular motion, then wax and buff the area.&amp;quot; 2:40 || THE WRONG SCUFF: Your nice pair of wingtips just marred the surface of your pristine vinyl kitchen floor. THE QUICK FIX Use a soft cloth soaked in mineral spirits to remove the scuff. Test under the refrigerator or in some outof- the-way location to ensure the spirits won&amp;#039;t discolor your particular brand of flooring. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/interior-projects/how-to/a3771/4293082/>