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Showing posts with label Remove. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Remove. Show all posts

How to Remove Wrinkles From Heavy Satin

Satin is a common fabric for wedding dresses.

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Satin is a type of fabric weave that produces a sturdy, shiny fabric. Heavy satin is a common choice for prom dresses, wedding dresses and ballgowns due to its stiffness and its luster, but like any fabric, it can wrinkle. While dry cleaning can take the wrinkles out of heavy satin, sometimes it is important to straighten the fabric while you are on the go and in a hurry. Keep your heavy satin looking good by ironing out the wrinkles carefully

Related Searches:Difficulty:ModerateInstructions Things You'll NeedIroning boardTowelSuggest Edits1

Lay the heavy satin fabric shiny side down on an ironing board.

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Lay a towel over the top of the fabric.

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Set the iron to the lowest heat setting and allow it to warm thoroughly.

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Press the fabric flat by running the warm iron over the top of the towel..

Tips & Warnings

Be very careful about water near satin. While most satin is made from polyester or acetate, which repels water, a silk satin may absorb water, which removes the glossy natural coating of the silk.

Store your heavy satin garments in garment bags that can be hung rather than in boxes or suitcases to prevent the need for extensive ironing.

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ReferencesWedding Guide; Setting the Mood: Choosing the Right Fabric For Your Gown; Connie Walker"The Ultimate Guide to Shopping and Caring for Clothing"; Steve Boorstein; 2002Photo Credit Creatas/Creatas/Getty ImagesRead Next:

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How to Remove Wrinkles From Dress Pants

Wrinkled dress pants looky messy and unprofessional.

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Wrinkles in your clothing make you look sloppy and disheveled. These unsightly creases are common in dress pants because these pants are often made out of soft, natural fibers like cotton, wool or linen. Natural fibers are more prone to wrinkles and creases than synthetic fibers like polyester. Dress pants also wrinkle often due to sitting in them during long office hours or meetings. Fortunately, there are ways to remove wrinkles from dress pants and help them look crisp and clean.

Related Searches:Difficulty:Moderately EasyInstructions Things You'll NeedClothing ironBlow dryerHangerFabric softenerVinegarSpongeWash clothClothes dryerSpray bottleDistilled waterSuggest Edits1

Iron the dress pants to smooth out any wrinkles. Set your iron to the correct temperature for the fabric content of the dress pants. Turn the pants inside-out and lay them flat while you iron both the front and back of the pants.

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Blow dry the dress pants. Set your blow dryer on the hottest possible setting and wave the dryer a few inches away from the pants. This works best on wet or damp pants.

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Spray the dress pants with a wrinkle relaxer. Mix equal parts water with white vinegar in a spray bottle. Spray the dress pants with the solution and press the wrinkles out with a sponge or wash cloth.

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Hang the dress pants. Lightly spray the dress pants with clean water. Hang the pants on a hanger for a few hours until they dry. The weight of the wet cloth should smooth out the wrinkles.

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Spray the dress pants with diluted fabric softener. Mix 1 teaspoon of fabric softener in a spray bottle with distilled water. Spray the dress pants and hang them up to dry.

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Steam the dress pants. Turn the shower on the hottest setting. Hang the dress pants on a hanger on the back of the bathroom door or on a towel rack. Close the door and allow the dress pants to steam for at least 20 minutes.

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Soak the dress pants in water and put them in the clothes dryer. Set the dryer to the hottest setting and allow the dryer to run thorough the entire cycle. Remove the dress pants promptly to prevent them from getting wrinkled again.

Tips & Warnings

Test all wrinkle relaxers on an inconspicuous area first before spraying them directly on the dress pants.

Check all care labels and follow the specific washing and ironing instructions for each garment.

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ReferencesGood Housekeeping: How to Remove Wrinkles Without an IronFrugal Village: Easy Ways to Remove Wrinkles from ClothesGood Housekeeping: Smooth Out a Fabric CreasePhoto Credit Hemera Technologies/AbleStock.com/Getty ImagesRead Next:

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How to Remove the Wrinkles in a Polo Shirt Collar

Iron your collar and opt to wear it down or up.

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Polo shirts offer a clean-cut style that can be dressed up or down for any occasion. Men and women can both rock this look, but one thing that can tarnish the appeal of polo shirts is a wrinkled collar. An iron and some starch will fix that, allowing you to reclaim that crisp style that is the signature of the polo shirt.

Related Searches:Difficulty:EasyInstructions Things You'll NeedWasherLaundry detergentDryerIronIroning boardSpray starchSuggest Edits1

Wash your polo shirt with laundry detergent, and dry on medium heat in your dryer. If the tag on the shirt advises to let it air dry, then let it air dry. Continue onto the next step if wrinkles in the collar are still present.

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Set your iron to medium heat and allow it to warm up for two minutes. Place your shirt flat atop the ironing board and flip the collar up and out so that the outside of the collar is now flat on your board. Spray a layer of starch on the collar.

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Press your iron down over the collar and run it up and down the length of the collar with gentle pressure for one minute. Never stop moving the iron or you can damage the fabric of your collar. Turn the shirt over, keeping the collar flipped up and out, spray on another layer of starch and iron the other side of the collar.

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Unplug your iron and allow the garment to cool down. Spray the collar inside and out with one more light layer of starch and allow it to dry for one minute, then flip the collar down and wear your shirt, or leave it flipped up and wear it that way.

ReferencesThe Genuine Man: How To Iron A ShirtPhoto Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty ImagesRead Next:

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How to Remove Wrinkles From Satin Dresses

Wrinkles must be removed carefully from satin dresses.

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The luxury of satin makes it a frequent choice for special-occasion dresses. However, it wrinkles and creases very easily. These wrinkles and creases can be hard to remove -- care must be taken -- especially when preserving a special garment. Despite the caution that satin requires, most wrinkles can be removed at home.

Related Searches:Difficulty:EasyInstructions Things You'll NeedShowerIronHandkerchiefSuggest Edits1

Read the care instructions on the garment tag carefully and follow them.

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Steam the garment by hanging it in a bathroom with the door closed while running a hot shower. You can also use a clothes steamer if you have one.

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Iron the dress. Use a low setting and place a handkerchief or other cloth between the dress and the iron. Before ironing the satin, be sure to test the fabric by ironing a small portion in an inconspicuous spot.

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Take the dress to a professional cleaner if these steps do not work.

Referencesd’Italia: Caring for FabricsOverstock.com; How to Care for Satin Dresses; Catherine AmoPhoto Credit Creatas Images/Creatas/Getty ImagesRead Next:

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How to Iron New Cotton Drapes to Remove Wrinkles

Getting the wrinkles out can be a challenge.

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Cotton is notorious for wrinkles. New drapes that were folded and packaged may have wrinkles that are deeply set and prove difficult to remove. It may only be possible to decrease them, but by using a few drapery-makers' tricks and tools, you should be able to decrease them enough so they are much less noticeable.

Related Searches:Difficulty:Moderately ChallengingInstructions Things You'll NeedironvinegarwaterSuggest Edits1

Check the wattage of your iron. A medium-priced domestic iron is typically 800 watts; a top-of-the-line domestic iron is about 1,400 watts. You need high steam heat, over a sustained time, to remove these wrinkles. Expressing steam from an iron will cause it to cool, and water may drip from the steam vent holes as the iron reheats to temperature. For this reason, higher-wattage irons that reach temperature quicker and hold it longer are preferable. Some irons will function in the vertical position, and have a steam-burst feature particularly suited to removing wrinkles from drapes.

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Read the drapery label for fabric content. If they are 100-percent cotton, set the iron heat to cotton. If there are other fibers in the drapes, test the iron temperature on a small area first. Reduce the heat setting if the iron sticks to the fabric. Check the fabric for water-spotting by allowing several drops of water to soak into the fabric. If a noticeable spot shows when the drape is dry, steaming the drapes will produce watermarks, and only a dry iron should be used; otherwise, set the iron for continuous steam.

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Consider the possibility of shrinkage where the steam from the ironing path contacts the drapes. To avoid this, preshrink the whole drape by hanging it in the bathroom while the shower is running. The drapes need to become noticeably damp to the touch for shrinkage to occur. Hang the damp drapes on their curtain rod and gently tug at the bottom hem to pull them straight. Allow the drapes to dry before continuing to the ironing process if necessary.

4

Place the drapes in the dryer with a damp towel on a low heat cycle for several minutes, as an alternative to steaming in the bathroom. Your dryer probably has a cycle that says "fluff." Use that setting; otherwise, use the "damp dry," "wrinkle release" or low heat setting. The drapes need to tumble easily. If they are more than 50 inches wide, a domestic dryer is too small for free tumbling to occur. 

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Spray the wrinkled locations of the hanging drapes with a solution of one tablespoon of vinegar to one cup of warm water. With one hand behind the drape and one hand on the front, try smoothing the wrinkles out from top to bottom.

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Make a mini handheld ironing board to use with an iron on hanging drapes. Cover one wide side of a 16-inch piece of 1-by-6 board with quilt batting and staple cotton broadcloth over the batting. Screw a small handle onto the other side. Hold the mini ironing board behind the drapes, as they are hanging, and iron from the front.

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Iron the drapes on a flat surface as a last resort. It is very difficult to keep cotton wrinkle free if the drapes are moved while being ironed. Prepare an ironing surface that is as wide as the drape is long. When ironing, complete one section, from the top of the drape to the hem, and let it cool. Reposition the drape and iron the new section. Continue across the width of the drape. Do not drag the iron along the fabric; this may stretch the fabric under the iron. Place the iron on the fabric, count to five, lift the iron, move it to the next location, put it back on the fabric and count to five; continue this process along each section.

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Place tinfoil on the ironing surface, and the drapes on the tinfoil. When ironing on each drape, the foil will reflect the heat back into the drape, effectively ironing it from both sides. This method works well, but produces a lot of moisture if the steam setting is used. Excess steam from the iron -- steam that is not immediately absorbed into the drape -- passes through the fabric. Placing foil under the drape will cause the excess stem to condense on the foil. This moisture will be absorbed back into the fabric, from the underside, creating more dampness in the drape. The iron heat, reflected back from the foil, will act on this dampness, increasing the temperature and creating the effect of ironing from both sides. This is why this is a particularly effective ironing technique.

Tips & Warnings

Do not use fabric softener and water as a wrinkle remover. Fabric softener may contain oils that will stain drapery fabric.

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ReferencesJohn Lewis: Irons and Trouser Presses Buying InformationFeatured Content: Stem Clothes IronGood Housekeeping: Steam IronsPhoto Credit Photos.com/Photos.com/Getty ImagesRead Next:

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Remove wrinkles from a leather garment

Remove wrinkles in just a few minutes jacket.

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There is nothing worse than your leather jacket unpacking and finding that it's a wrinkled mess is. Whether it's a new coat of paint or a sentimental jacket from the old days, is it important to locate the leather to keep the best. Fortunately there are to different ways of posting wrinkles remove without damaging it. With a few simple steps, you can them in a very short time to get rid of.

Similar keywords: difficulty: moderate Brown EasyInstructions things you'll NeedIronIroning BoardThick trade PaperLeather ConditionerSuggest Edits1

Hang the leather jacket in the bathroom while you take a hot shower. The steam should remove most of the wrinkles.

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Create an iron for the viscose setting. The layout of the jacket on an ironing board.

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As a pressing cloth use small areas of the jacket with thick brown craft paper. Keep the iron quickly of each area. No ironing you in one place too long so the leather remains undamaged.

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A small amount of leather care on the jacket and massage into the leather. This will help to maintain it.

5

Launch the jacket.

ReferencesGood budget: leather plastering WrinklesLeather Association: FAQPhoto credit ComStock/ComStock/Getty ImagesRead continue:

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How to Remove Dead Dry Leaves on a Calathea Makoyana

Print this articleThe Calathea Makoyana is also known as the peacock plant because of its striking decorative leaves. This plant originated in Brazil and is accustomed to a tropical climate that is difficult to duplicate in other climates, such as in the U.S. It is important to prune the plant to improve its overall health as dead leaves will stagnate growth and lead to the further dulling of colors. If you remove the dead leaves from the right location, they will regenerate and remain healthy.

Related Searches:Difficulty:Moderately EasyInstructions Things You'll NeedScissorsSuggest Edits1

Run your hands through the plant and find the leaves that have only partial discoloring -- these do not need to be completely removed.

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Cut the yellow or brown section from the deteriorating leaves with a pair of sharp scissors, leaving a very small amount of yellow. Cut the area at the same angle of the leaf, rounding off the sides to retain the leaf shape. If you cut into the green part of the leaf, this can cause more decay.

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Search again for any leaves that are completely or mostly yellow, or even brown. These must be removed entirely.

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Hold the leaf at the point where the bottom stem and leaf connect. Cut the stem as close as you can to where it meets the leaf.

ReferencesLearn2Grow: Calathea Makoyana Care and MaintenancePlant Care: Removing Leaves from Indoor PlantsGuide to Houseplants: Peacock PlantsRead Next:

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How to Remove Dead Skin From Feet With Sandpaper

Don't be ashamed of your feet. Exfoliate them!

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Feet are prone to dry, rough skin; which makes wearing flip-flops or going barefoot in public hard. Remedying this is possible with a steady regimen of caring for your feet, and a way to begin your new foot care program is to use sandpaper on your unkempt tootsies. A fine-grain sandpaper works as a sort of emery board and sloughs off the dead rough skin on your feet when they're especially calloused and rough. This saves you money on expensive foot abrasion kits.

Related Searches:Difficulty:Moderately EasyInstructions Things You'll NeedSandpaper square (fine grain)Wet washclothLotionSocksSuggest Edits1

Apply the coarse side of the sandpaper square to the calloused part of the sole of your foot. Press firmly and scrub in circular motions, moving in one direction only. For instance, if you begin in a clockwise motion, do not deviate from this pattern. "Buff" your roughest areas with the sandpaper. As you do this, white "dust" will fall from your foot. This is dead skin. Repeat with your other foot.

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Blow away the dead skin "dust" and dampen your feet with the wet washcloth. Reapply the sandpaper to the bottom, focusing on the areas that are highly calloused or rough. Scrub in a back-and-forth motion on the sides of your soles.

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Wash your feet with a gentle cleanser and pat them dry. Apply lotion liberally to the soles of your feet, and the tops as well. Slide a pair of cotton socks on over your slathered feet and leave them on overnight.

References"The Complete Idiot's Guide to Making Beauty Products";Sally W. Trew, et al.;2010Photo Credit Creatas/Creatas/Getty ImagesRead Next:

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How to Make a Foot Scrub to Remove Dead Skin

Use a foot scrub to keep your feet looking and feeling healthy.

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Exfoliation removes dead skin cells that build up over time. On our feet, dry, cracked skin can become irritating, especially on the heels. Using a foot scrub to gently remove these cells not only makes your feet look better but they will feel better as well. Although over-the-counter foot scrubs are available, you can also make your own lime-scented scrub using natural ingredients.

Related Searches:Difficulty:EasyInstructions Things You'll Need3 limes2 tbsp. white sugar5 drops lime essential oil1 tbsp. sweet almond oilSuggest Edits1

Peel the limes, and cut them into chunks. Place the lime pieces into a food processor, and pulse until reduced to pulp and juice.

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Add sugar, lime essential oil and sweet almond oil, and blend the ingredients together briefly.

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Apply the liquid to your feet, rubbing each foot with the mixture. Rinse with warm water, and apply a moisturizing lotion to your feet afterward. Refrigerate the leftover scrub in a sealed container.

Tips & Warnings

If stored properly, the scrub should keep for approximately seven days.

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ReferencesGirlishh.com: Homemade Foot ScrubSkincare-news.com: How to Smooth Cracked Heels; March 2009Photo Credit BananaStock/BananaStock/Getty ImagesRead Next:

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How to Remove Dead Leaves From Nepenthes

Print this articleNepenthes, which is among the most varied and dramatic-looking carnivorous plants, looks best with its dead leaves and traps pruned. Foliage tends to die back on the lower part of the plant, and the dead plant material and bare stems leave gaps in the plant growth. Removing the dead leaves and sparse stems encourages new shoots. The plant has pit traps formed from leaf tissue into nectar-scented cups to attract live creatures. In the wild, a large Nepenthes obtains nutrients from frogs, rodents and insects.

Related Searches:Difficulty:Moderately EasyInstructions Things You'll NeedClippers or sharp knifeSuggest Edits1

Cut off a dead leaf at its base, next to the stem. Use clippers or a sharp knife and take care not to nick living areas of the plant.

2

Prune a Nepenthes stem at its base when the stem has dead leaves or bare areas. Feel along the stem to where it ends in the pot if it is a large plant or it has crowded stems. Insert the clippers around the stem as close as possible to the plant without cutting other stems, or use a knife to sever the stem. Cut the stem 1 to 2 inches from the growing medium.

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Remove dead material regularly and new shoots will help to fill out the plant. Pruning gives your Nepenthes a healthy and lush appearance, free of bare areas.

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Cut dead traps off a Nepenthes by clipping them right next to the stem. This keeps the plant from having stumps on the stem. Use sharp clippers.

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Prune a mature Nepenthes 30 percent in the spring to encourage new growth. Cut all of its stems back by almost one-third of their length. Support remaining stems on a wire trellis or allow them to hang over the pot.

Tips & Warnings

A Nepenthes that isn't producing pitchers may need higher humidity or more light.

Plant live stems that you prune from a Nepenthes in a suitable growing medium such as vermiculite to propagate new plants. Keep the cuttings at 100 percent humidity for the first two weeks.

A terrarium with a cover, an aquarium or a clear plastic box work well for starting carnivorous plants. Transplant the young Nepenthes plants into pots with excellent drainage — such as azalea pots — once they are well-established.

Dead plant material can attract pests. Dispose of dead leaves. Pruning your Nepenthes controls the plant growth so you don't have to repot it as often.

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ReferencesBotanical Society of America: Nepenthes -- The Monkey CupsInternational Carnivorous Plant Society; Growing Nepenthes in a Completely Inorganic Substrate; Heiko Rischer; June 2000The University of Florida Miami-Dade Extension; Curious Vines for the Serious Hobbyist; John McLaughlin; May 2007ResourcesTexas A&M University; Weird Plants; David Wm. ReedRead Next:

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How to Remove Dead Leaves From Outdoor Ferns

The 12,000 species of ferns grow in a wide variety of climates.

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Ferns add lush, low-maintenance greenery to the garden or landscape. Most grow happily in wet, dark areas with heavy clay soil where most other plants flat out refuse to thrive. This diverse group of plants has members that grow in cold climates and in the tropics and there are species for both deep shade and full sun. The occasional pruning keeps outdoor ferns looking green and lush all year round.

Related Searches:Difficulty:EasyInstructions Things You'll NeedClippersSuggest Edits1

Prune ferns early in spring before the new growth starts. Using a pair of sharp clippers, remove the dead fronds at the soil line.

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Cut up the fronds into sections 2 to 4 inches long and lay them on the soil at the base of the ferns. This creates a natural mulch layer. As the fronds decompose, they add organic matter to improve the soil in your fern garden.

3

Trim out dead fronds in late spring or summer if you miss the early spring pruning. Clip the dead fronds at the soil but be careful not to damage the new growth. If you cut into a developing frond, it will grow deformed or die.

ReferencesSeattle Pi: Ciscoe's To-do List: Tidy Up Ferns but Don't Throw Away the FrondsAustralian Distance Education: Australian Native FernsWashington Native Plant Society: Sword FernUniversity of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension: Growing FernsPhoto Credit Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty ImagesRead Next:

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What Is an Easy Way to Remove Dead Skin on Your Feet?

Soften dry skin with a long soak in warm water.

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Change in the weather, low humidity in the home, vitamin deficiency and diabetes are all causes of dry skin on the feet. While removing the dead skin is possible, there is no quick fix. In fact, removing large calluses of dried skin at one time can result in bleeding and possible infection. Instead, the dead skin must be removed over the course of days or weeks. The process itself is not difficult, but it does require a commitment to regular treatment.

Related Searches:Difficulty:Moderately EasyInstructions Things You'll NeedPumice stoneOil-based foot scrubCotton socksSuggest Edits1

Scrub the dead skin lightly with a pumice stone. Do not try to remove all of the dead skin at once.

2

Soak your feet for 10 to 20 minutes in warm water. If you do not have time to soak your feet separately, allow the tub to fill up as you take a shower. Remember to rinse your feet thoroughly to remove all soap residue.

3

Apply an oil-based foot scrub and rinse your feet in cool water to remove any exfoliating granules. The oil in the foot scrub remains on your feet and acts as a moisturizer.

4

Wear cotton socks to trap the oil on your skin and enhance the moisturizing effect.

5

Repeat the process two to three times a week until the dry skin is removed completely.

Tips & Warnings

Wash and rinse the pumice stone after every use to remove dead skin cells and bacteria.

Apply a foot cream after every shower to prevent the recurrence of dry skin.

Make homemade foot scrub with 1 cup of Epsom salts or sea salt and 1/2 cup of baby oil.

Do not apply the foot scrub while in the shower. The oil will make it difficult to stand.

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ReferencesOur Health Network: Dry Skin and Cracked HeelsSkincare News: Fixing Dry, Flaky FeetSkin Remedies: Taking Care of Cracked, Dry FeetReal Simple: Easy At-Home Pedicure ShortcutsResourcesAmerica's Podiatrist: How Far Would You Go to Remove Dry Skin From Your Feet?Photo Credit Steve Mason/Digital Vision/Getty ImagesRead Next:

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The Best Way to Remove Dead Skin After a Cast Removal

Exfoliate dead skin cells slowly after removing a cast.

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After a cast is removed, the skin underneath will appear white, flaky and hard. Your body continued to produce new skin cells, but was unable to remove the dead skin cells trapped beneath the cast. Removal of all the dead skin cells at once is impossible, and attempting to do so will cause bleeding. The best way to remove the dead skin cells is with a slow and careful regimen of exfoliating and moisturizing. This process allows the new, sensitive skin to heal and reduce the chances of infection.

Related Searches:Difficulty:Moderately EasyInstructions Things You'll NeedSoft, terrycloth towelMoisturizerSuggest Edits1

Soak the area of dead skin in warm water for 10 to 20 minutes. Increased sensitivity of the skin will make hot water painful. In addition, hot water will draw moisture from the skin, whereas warm water softens dry skin.

2

Dry the area with a soft, terrycloth towel, rubbing lightly to remove loose skin. Do not scrub the skin.

3

Apply a moisturizer to the dead skin. A thick body butter or baby oil will hydrate dry patches of skin and keep dead skin cells hydrated so that they slough off naturally.

4

Carry a moisturizer with you to reapply throughout the day to alleviate itching or pain while the dead skin sloughs and the new skin toughens and heals.

5

Wrap exfoliated skin in a single layer of gauze to protect it from long clothing and to allow the skin to breathe. If you are at home, leave skin exposed to the air as much as possible to allow the new skin to heal and to firm like the rest of your skin.

Tips & Warnings

Add mineral oil or baby oil to the water bath for additional hydration.

Do not use an exfoliating scrub or pick at dry skin. Both will cause bleeding.

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ReferencesUW Health: Skin Care After Cast RemovalHealth First: Cast CareChildren's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics: Care Following Cast or Splint RemovalPhoto Credit BananaStock/BananaStock/Getty ImagesRead Next:

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How to Remove Dead Leaves to Prune a Hard Frozen Hibiscus

Remove leaves from hibiscus plants in early spring.

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Hibiscus is a tropical plant that does well in all climates if you care for the plant properly. The tropical variety can withstand cold to about 40 degrees and then must be brought inside for the colder months. Continued exposure to hard freeze temperatures will kill tropical hibiscus. Hardy hibiscus can be wintered outdoors up to growing zone 5. Both types can be pruned in the spring for optimum summer growth and flowering.

Related Searches:Difficulty:Moderately EasyInstructions Things You'll NeedPruning shearsAlcohol-based cleanerSuggest Edits1

Don't remove leaves from a hardy outdoor hibiscus during the cold months. Even though the leaves are brown and dried, they will insulate the plant from freezing. Carefully pull brown or yellow leaves by hand from a tropical hibiscus before bringing it inside for the winter.

2

Prepare tropical or hardy hibiscus for pruning in February or March by removing any remaining leaves. Brown and dried leaves will fall off the branch easily. Pull any remaining dried or brown leaves by hand prior to pruning.

3

Clean and sterilize your pruning shears with alcohol-based hand cleaner or rubbing alcohol to remove disease-carrying organisms. Wipe the blades with the solution and wait about 15 seconds before cleaning it off and cutting.

4

Cut branches back by about one-third, starting with the longest. Look for a leaf node or eye facing up. This is the direction the new growth will take. Prune after removing all the old leaves so you can easily see where the new leaf nodes are sprouting.

Tips & Warnings

Don't prune or remove leaves on hardy outdoor hibiscus until all danger of frost has passed.

To winter indoor tropical hibiscus, place the potted plant in a cool place such as a basement for the winter months where temperatures will remain above freezing. Water once a month. Bring the plant upstairs in March; remove any remaining leaves and prune the plant. Place in a sunny window and feed an acid-based plant food every other week. Put the plant outside in the shade during the day in the spring and gradually accustom it to full sun to avoid burning new leaf growth.

Ask your nursery whether your hibiscus is hardy or tropical to determine proper winter care.

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ReferencesUniversity of Washington Botanic Gardens: Elisabeth C. Miller Library; HibiscusHidden Valley Hibiscus: Pruning HibiscusPhoto Credit Ablestock.com/AbleStock.com/Getty ImagesRead Next:

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