Choosing the right Formica countertop for your home is not a simple feat. It needs to be a good match for the design and color of your house. Enumerated below are things to remember before choosing a certain Formica sheet.

Research – reading magazines and going through stores could help you find the best suited Formica sheets for your homes. It’s better to narrow down your sample to avoid confusion in choosing.

Take Samples- It’s good to bring back samples to your homes. It’s much easier to decide if you have the actual samples.

Choose the Best- The color and texture should match the paint color and household appliances in your homes. This makes your Formica sheets more polish and attractive. Compare the samples at night time and day time to see how lighting affects the way it looks.

Consider your Budget and Lead time for Delivery- Avoid choosing special item for it might take long to deliver. It’s also best to consider your cash for you might end up with an empty pocket.

Seek for Professional Help- If you have a hard time choosing, it’s better to seek help from others who know this craft well.

One good quality of laminated countertops is its durability. It could conform to any shape thus making it easy to install. Formica sheets could last for years as long as its well maintain. You could install it on your own but for best results; it’s good to have someone with knowledge with it because it requires special tools and skills. Professionals could ensure a quick, sleek, painless and inexpensive installation. Without prior knowledge you would just waste your effort and money.

This is the best inexpensive countertop material in the market. Maintenance is simple and does not require extreme effort. Removing scratches and other defects could be done easily. Would you choose to buy an expensive material for your countertops? I would rather go for the cheaper product that offers the same quality and durability. It’s a matter of choosing the right Formica sheets for your needs. Go for Formica sheets and see how it could transform your homes.

Butcher blocks may be solid but proper maintenance and care is needed to prolong its life and keep its sleek looks. It does not function as a cutting board but you could use it for cutting as long as you keep it well maintain. It is recommended to use another cutting board on top of the countertop for food preparation. If you use it as a cutting board then cleaning it should be done meticulously to avoid bacteria growth. Scratching the countertop could lessen its radiant look. Returning it to its sparkling form could be done by sanding and treating it with pure mineral oil. This keeps the wood treated while sanding removes damages.

Here are some tips on how to keep your butcher block clean and odor free.

Stain Removal
· Do not use any type of chemical to remove stain for it could damage the wood. Use only chemicals that are not harmful to your countertop. Soap and water would be enough to wash and clean it. If it’s a hard to get stain, you could use natural materials. Sprinkling salt over the stain and rubbing it with a cut lemon could help loosen it up. Rinse it with warm then cold water to prevent bacteria build up.
Sanitizing
· When you use your butcher block to cut meat, it is more prone to bacteria growth therefore disinfecting it after every use should be done diligently. A mixture of water, bleach plus a squeeze of lemon juice could help prevent the growth of these harmful microorganisms. Spray the solution after every use then let it sit there for a few minutes. Wipe it with a clean cloth soaked in cold water. Cold water is less inviting to bacteria so its recommended finale for cleansing.
Deodorizing
· Using it for meat cutting could leave a potential smell of meat which is not a pleasing odor if not properly clean. Wash it with warm water and sprinkle baking soda. Let it sit there for a few minutes then rub it with a wet cloth. Rinse it off with warm water then the cold water finale. Dry it up with the use of a clean cloth or towel. Baking soda is a good deodorizer.

Butcher blocks are guaranteed to last a life time as long as you do the proper cleaning and maintenance. Cleaning it up properly ensures a healthy and safe workspace for your cooking needs.

1. Scientific research has shown that wool blankets has natural abilities which keep us warmer than traditional blankets and the comfort is hard to match, especially for the lower cost of wool compared to higher synthetic types of fabrics.

2. Wool blankets help keep your body tempurature regulated and consistent which will help you feel better while you sleep.

3. Wool blankets have unique thermal properties which retain warmth but do so at the same time as letting your body breathe comfortably. So wool blankets will help you stay warm in the winter and in the summer they can be used for comfort without giving you that clammy feeling you might get with other synthetic fabrics, all the while letting your skin and body breathe naturally.

4. Wool blankets are also found to be extremely versatile. If you have several wool blankets you can add or remove a layer depending on the season, the tempurature outside and the tempurature inside your house. This gives you the flexibilty to use one type of blanket no matter if it’s hot or cold.

5. Because Wool blankets can breath so well, they also can prevent moisture build up while you sleep which makes a big difference on how deep your sleep actually is. If you sweat while you sleep because of being too smother or hot, the moisture that builds up can lead to bacteria in your sheets and blanket which can directly lead to allergic problems. You simply won’t find this in other types of blankets.

6. Wool blankets promote good health by being natural and eco-friendly. Wool comes from a renewable resource and there are no dangerous chemicals used in the process. Wool is also naturally flame-retardant which is great if you use them around fireplaces or outdoor fires.

How do I clean my wool blanket?

Wool blankets should either be washed by hand, or taken to a professional dry cleaners under most circumstances. Do not use a washing machine to clean them because doing so can either ruin the blanket, damage it and/or make it shrink considerably. Wool simply doesn’t respond well to washing machines and should just be avoided. Fortunately you can wash them by hand so you don’t have to pay the extra money to get them dry-cleaned. Here are the basic steps you can use to clean your wool blanket.

It’s going to take about an hour to an hour and a half. It’s not too difficult so you don’t need to be an expert to get the job done.

Step 1. Fill up your bathtub or a big enough bucket to fit the wool blanket in with room to spare, with luke-warm to warm water. Make sure it’s not hot because that can shrink the wool blanket.

Step 2. Add in a mild soap like dishwashing liquid or specialty soap for washing declicates.

Step 3. Put the wool blanket into the tub or bucket. Make sure it’s fully immersed.

Step 4. Let it sit for about one hour.

Step 5. After you let it soak, look for any trouble areas and gently scrub them. It’s best to simply use the wool blanket to scrub it self.

Step 6. Compleletely empty out the bucket or drain the bathtub. (It’s much easier to use a bathtub for this specific reason)

Step 7. After you’ve drained it, refill it with luke-warm to warm water again. As it’s refilling, make sure the running water is not spraying or coming down directly onto the wool blanket.

Step 8. Let the wool blanket sit in the new water for about 10 minutes.

Step 9. Drain the water once again.

Step 10. Gently squeeze excess water from the wool blanket.

Step 11. Hang the wool blanket out to dry, or hang it over a rod in the shower or other location where it can air dry. Make sure you have a towel under it to catch any drips. If you do hang it outside, make sure it’s not directly in the bright sunlight or this cane damage the blanket by causing it to felt.

You are done! After your wool blanket completely dries it should be back to normal and should keep you warm and safe once again.

What if my wool blanket shrinks?

One thing you want to avoid when you use woolen blankets is having them shrink. This can happen when they are washed with water that is too warm or hot, or too much sunlight when drying outside. You don’t want to throw your wool blanket in a dryer because this will guarantee that it will shrink.

If you are thinking that you actually would like your wool blanket to shrink, you still won’t really want to use these methods as they will also weaken and can damage the wool blanket.

Wool blankets once shrunk, will not be able to be resized back to their normal size. This is because of how wool fabric works. On the ouside of wool fibers there are overlapping scales that all run in the same direction just like roof shingles do.

Whenever the wool shrinks, the fabric scales get closer together and interlock with each other. This can be caused by either heat, too much moisture or other kinds of agitation. If you try to resize and expand the wool back to it’s original size you can cause the wool to become weak or even break.

It’s not like cotton, where if a shirt shrinks you can pull on it and stretch it so it fits better. Once your wool blanket has been shrunken, it will be permanent.

How can I protect my wool blanket from moths?

Moth damage occurs to wool blankets typically when they are not being used or are in some sort of storage space. Clothes moths will usually find darker, quiet places that do not get much activity or human traffic and place their eggs there.

If they find your wool blankets in a location like this the wool larvae will feed on the wool blankets and this is actually what causes the damage, not the clothes moths themselves.

To prevent this you use airtight storage bags to store the wool blanekts when you are not using them for long periods of time. If you put your wool blankets up for just a little bit at time you most likely will not get any sort of moth damage, but just to be safe make sure that they are completely cleaned and brushed.

If you leave any sort of wetness or dampness on your wool blanket while storing it the chances it will get moth damage will increase greatly.

There are some chemical soltutions for protecting your wool blankets which you can also use. Things such as moth balls, will also work.

You can get some moth repellent spray and cover the wool blankets but you will usually want to do this if you are going to be storing them for an extended amount of time, not if you use them daily or weekly.

If you do believe that moths have laid larvae eggs on your wool blanket you can brush them clean or for best results take them to a dry cleaner.

Can moth damage / moth holes be repaired?

If you are unfortunate enough to have your wool blanket receive moth damage or moth holes then there are methods on getting the wool blanket repaired but they might not be completely practical.

You can have the wool blanket reweaved but the process is not that common and can be pricey. Since reweaving is sort of a lost art form it may be difficult to find someone who can do this for you.

The practice of reweaving means that any damaged are will have to be replaced by the missing material which would usually be yarn. The yarn would be reweaved into the missing parts of the blankets, so if the blanket is highly detailed or an common style or color this might not work as well.

Typically the only times you would spend the time and money on reweaving a moth damaged wool blanket would be if the wool blanket was very expensive or very treasured to you.

Remember that you can prevent moth damage and moth holes fairly easily by just taking some precautionary measures.

What are organic wool blankets?

For wool blankets to be considered “organic wool blankets”, the wool absolutely must be produced in 100% accordance to the federal standards for organic livestock production. There are federal requirements in place that regulate how the wool must be produced from start to finish.

- The livestock feed and forage used from the last 3rd of gestation must be certified as completely organic.

- You cannot use any synthetic hormones.

- You cannot do any genetic engineering.

- You cannot use any synthetic pesticides.

- The producers of the wool must provide and encourage the livestock used to make the wool with healthy cultural and management practices.

The major ways thats normal wool and organic wool livestock differ is that the sheep that are used for organic wool cannot be dipped in any sort of insecticides to control or inhibit parasistes like ticks, lice, etc and that the producers of the wool have to keep in regulations on how many livestock are grazing on their land and make sure not to go over those set limits.

There are 3rd party organizations that oversee and regulate that the producers of the organic wool only use proper methods and handling during the process. Any failure to do so would not allow them to label their wool as organic, and any wool products, such as blankets would not be allowed to carry that label.

Because of the benefits of organic wool, this is enough reason for them to follow the rules strictly.

A few of the breeds of sheep that can used for organic wool are Tunis, Columbia, Navajo-Churro and Rambouillet.

What are Merino Wool Blankets?

It is commonly believed that Merino wool is the finest and most pure wool on the earth. Wool blankets made of Merino wool are said to be the softest and purest you can find.

The fibers of Merino wool compared to regular wool are but a fraction if the size in diameter and is a big reason that it doesn’t itch like regular, or cheaper wool can do, especially the more newer it is.

Regular wool blankets have larger scales and can irritate your skin and cause it to itch. If you’ve ever used a wool blanket and had this feeling you will know what we are referring to, it’s not comfortable.

Merino wool blankets, in contrast, are much finer and actually feels completely smooth on your skin. It’s because it comes from the Merino Sheep who live in the South Alps in New Zealand which is about seven-thousand feet above sea level and because of that, have developed a fleece that sheilds them from the hot summers and also protects against the cold, tough winters of New Zealand.

The extremely fine wool fibers used in Merino Wool Blankets have incredible warmth to weight ratio, which means that just because they are thinner, skinnier, doesn’t mean you lose out on any of the warmth that you would typically find in a thicker, rougher wool blanket, which is a big reason people buy wool to begin with.

They don’t always go in thinking they will be buying a comfortable blanket, just that it will keep them warm. Fortunately, because of Merino Wool blankets, you can have both.

How do you keep wool blankets soft after washing?

This has a lot to do with the quality of the wool that is used to make the wool blanket. The higher quality wool will last longer as will the softness.

Many say that leaving your wool out to dry in the shade / slight sunlight can help them remain soft.

You can also use a small amount of fabric softener on your wool blanket but be careful not to use too much because of the properties of wool fabric, it will soak up the fabric softener and can cause future odors or stains if it’s too heavy or too much is used and will be very hard to rinse out completely.

Remember that the better you treat your wool blanket, the longer it will last and the more soft and comfortable it will remain.

How do I prevent lint on my wool blanket?

Unfortunately it’s in the nature of wool blankets to attract lint. When you have a dark colored wool blanket such as black or brown, the lint will therefore show up much more. Because the natural tendency of wool is to attract lint there isn’t a lot you can do to prevent that natural habit, but there are some things you can do to lessen it’s effect on your wool blanket.

For starters, the darker your vintage wool blanket is, the more lint will show up generally, so if it’s a major problem remember that the lighter colors will show less lint and might be a better option when you are picking out your wool blanket.

If you do have a dark vintage wool blanket that is suseceptable to picking up and attracting lint you can help prevent how much lint shows but wearing lighter color clothes when you are using it. This wont stop the lint from getting on the wool blanket but will prevent how noticeable it is.

Another thing you can do on top of that is to wear clothes that are less likely to shed lint. Some clothes are much more likely to be lint sources and avoiding these types of clothing when you are using your wool blanket will prevent a lot of the problems. If you combine this with the lighter color clothes it should noticably reduce how much lint is on the wool blanket, and the lint that is on there, will hardly be noticable.

You can purchase and use a basic lint brush if the lint gets too bad on your wool blanket. You can get compact sized lint brushes which should do the job fine. Since there is a good chance you will be using your woolen blanket at a house, having a normal sized lint brush shouldn’t really be inconvenient.

If you don’t have access to a lint brush you can always use tape, with scotch tape being the best option for lint removal.

There are some types of wool that will attract more lint and will have it stick to it easier. When purchasing your wool blanket you might look at the properties and information about the specific type of wool that is used in the blanket to find out more information on whether or not it does attract or repel lint.

How do I remove odor from my wool blanket?

Removing odor from your wool blanket can vary depending on the actual odor that is coming from it.

There are many things that can leave a lasting odor in your wool blanket, such as cigarette or cigar smoke, cat urine and things of that nature.

You might even get an odor from a cleaning substance you have used on the wool blanket that you would like to get out, or at least lower the potency.

One method is called an ozone treatment and is great for organic materials like wool or yarn. You can get an ozone treatment from your dry cleaners or there might be a specialized place near you that will do it better.

Sometimes a company that deals with smoke damage or fire restoration will have the ability to remove odors from your wool blanket as well.

If you would like to clean the odor out of your wool blanket at home you can do a simple wash but add some vinegar or vanilla extract, flavoring or vanilla fabric softener.