A home is an oasis and a haven for many people. But a lot of common errors are committed that might eventually destroy a house. These are 12 things not to do in order to maintain a tidy and functional home.
1. Use Cleaners with Caution
When used on an inappropriate surface, most cleaners—even multi-surface cleaners—can harm furniture and other home items. For instance, grout in bathtubs, showers, floors, and countertops shouldn’t be cleaned with toilet bowl cleansers. The strong acid content of these cleansers will eventually erode the caulking. Try a homemade solution instead, made with dish soap, hydrogen peroxide, and baking soda. Just make up a mixture, let it soak for at least five minutes, and then use a grout brush or an old toothbrush to scrape the dirt away.
2. Avoid Direct Spraying
It takes a lot of energy to clean surfaces like floors, counters, and appliances, and it is annoying when dirt seems to be left behind. But it can be a film that the cleaners left behind instead of dirt or grime. Instead of spraying the area, use a towel or mop to directly avoid any leftover film or stickiness.
3. Take a Shower Before Leaving
After taking a shower, walking about drenched spreads bacteria far and wide. It may eventually begin to distort the floor or leak beneath, which would lead to the growth of mold. It’s preferable to completely dry off before getting out of the bath or shower.
4. Humidity in Hardwood
Just like dripping shower water can harm the floor, using excessive amounts of water when mopping the floors can also be harmful. In particular, excessive moisture exposure causes warping and damage to hardwood flooring. Try using an oil soap and water mixture or a cleaner designed specifically for hardwood floors while mopping them, being careful not to soak the floors completely in water.
5. Remember the Fan
Most bathrooms and kitchens include exhaust fans, which are functional fixtures. They not only assist prevent mold growth but also purify the air by eliminating contaminants. After a steamy bath or shower, exhaust fans assist remove moisture from the bathroom, which is fantastic news for those who live in extremely humid areas.
6. Wetness in Unexpected Areas
Although most people are aware that bathrooms are ideal sites for mold to develop due to the high volume of water and steam used there, other areas may also be home to some rather unsavory microorganisms. Bacteria thrive in warm, humid, and dark environments. Therefore, the ideal environments for the growth of bacteria and mold are found in toilet or toothbrush holders. Before storing them, it’s a good idea to let them air dry to reduce the formation of bacteria and dangerous pathogens. Another material that provides the perfect habitat for bacterial growth is fabric. Towels should therefore be hung to dry rather than placed in a basket or on the ground. Additionally, to avoid bacterial development, hand towels, rugs, and show towels should be cleaned or sterilized every few weeks.
7. Use Vinegar With Caution
Although vinegar is a great cleaner substitute, some gadgets may be harmed by it. For instance, the high acidity of vinegar might harm dishwasher rubber components. Using vinegar on granite countertops is another situation where it’s not the best cleaning option because it can remove the sealant.
8. Most People Get in bed too early.
Even though making the bed every morning is a wonderful habit, you should hold off for a little bit. Before making the bed, give it a little time to air out to reduce the growth of bacteria and odor-causing bacteria as well as perspiration accumulation.
9. Making Use of a Sponge
Meats and vegetables, in particular, contain a multitude of dangerous bacteria that can spread from one surface to another and land on sponges and wash towels. Consequently, hydrogen peroxide is a more efficient way to eradicate bacteria from cutting boards and won’t contaminate sponges or other areas in the kitchen.
10. Keep the Sun Out of Your Home
Unquestionably, the sun is a superpower that nourishes both our bodies and souls. Doctors advise wearing sunscreen because, well, it’s quite harmful. However, furniture can also sustain damage from the sun’s rays. To avoid overexposing furniture to the sun, it is therefore a good idea to close curtains and blinds when leaving the house.
11. Using a Sweep rather than a Vacuum
Using a broom to sweep the floor might aid in removing some dust and pet hair. Nevertheless, extra dust is frequently dispersed when cleaning and then emptying a dustpan. Instead, even on hard floors, a vacuum will gather dust and debris.
12. Avoid overfilling anything
It’s easy to overstock pantries, closets, and storage beneath the house with all of your favorite items. But this could lead to a lot of issues with your house. Airflow can be obstructed by overcrowding, which is inefficient and expensive. However, it can also retain moisture, harming the structural integrity of the house. Moreover, excessive weight in closets might result in similar issues since it can harm the walls.
19 Tips That Can Help You Spot a Fake Item
In 2013, counterfeit goods worldwide accounted for $461 billion. Nike is the most counterfeited brand globally, and Ray-Ban, Rolex, Supreme, and Louis Vuitton are the most copied brands worldwide. And while some copies look almost identical to the originals, there are slight differences we think you should know about.
At Bright Side, we want you to know how to recognize a fake product and the differences between originals and counterfeits in some of the most popular brands.
1. Nike shoes
\Nike Air sneakers have a texture that counterfeit manufacturers cannot imitate. This is because their materials are different, and so are their devices. Thus, in authentic Nike shoes, you will notice a hardness in the leather that will be missing in the counterfeit ones.
You will also need to examine the symmetry of the sneakers. If something looks asymmetrical, then it may be a counterfeit product.
2. Ray-Bans
- Authentic Ray-Ban lenses with plastic frames are made in one whole piece. If it’s a metal frame, then the central part must look neat and can have small details but no protruding points.
- Most often, the lenses are made of real glass, but some can be made of plastic. To know if yours is one of them, go to the manufacturer’s official website.
- In the upper right corner of the right lens, you can find the inscription of the Ray-Ban logo. It is engraved on the surface of the lens, so it is impossible to erase it.
- On the outside of the temples, there should also be an inscription detailing the manufacturer. In addition, the item’s serial number is usually on the left side and the country of manufacture on the right side.
3. Fila shoes
- If you look at the letter “F” on your Fila shoes, you will notice that there is some irregularity in the stitching. This is perfectly normal on all original Fila shoes. What is not normal is for the letter “F” to be really sharp on the top two edges. On the fake shoes, these edges almost touch the square surrounding the logo, which should not be the case.
- Next, look at the details of the toe cap, especially the holes in the front. There should be the same distance between each hole, but if not, you probably bought a fake pair of sneakers.
- In addition, the heel logo may be completely different. On the original sneakers, that logo is the same as the one on the tongue.
4. Burberry scarf
- The authentic scarf always has well-defined lines and a dense texture.
- The fringe yarns in a scarf should be well rolled and spaced apart, they do not fall apart when touched.
- The brand name on the label attached to the article must be written in capital letters. Also, the label must contain information about the country of manufacture and the composition of the scarf.
5. Gucci handbags
- First, you should examine the two “G’s” on the front of your bag. The serifs of the G’s should be long and sleek looking and not thick. Also, the rounded part of the G should be a perfect oval and not pointed. If the logo looks blurry, it is probably fake.
- Look closely at the stitching, as a genuine Gucci bag will have even stitching. If the stitching on your bag looks uneven in places or is a different color than the bag itself, then you should assume it is a counterfeit.
6. Supreme sweatshirt
- On the collar of this brand’s hooded and non-hooded sweatshirts, there are two dark red labels. On the first, larger, is written the name of the brand with the letter R in a circle. On the second, you’ll find the country of manufacture: Canada. There should be a recommendation not to iron the item on the inner label, where you can find the care instructions. Manufacturers of replicas often forget this detail.
- On sweatshirts with embroidered logos, the location of the letters on the red part should be uniform, and the distance between the two should be adequate. If you turn the authentic sweatshirt inside out, you will see a fine mesh of white threads on the back of the logo.
- Supreme complements the hoods of its sweatshirts only with flat laces, which are carefully tied at the ends. Round laces, burned at the ends, or laces with different types of terminations are a sign of counterfeiting.
7. Adidas Yeezy tennis shoes
- First, you have to check the wave pattern on the original Yeezy, which should be sideways with irregular wave prints.
- Next, you can check the tongue of the sneakers. The original Yeezy’s tongues are more curved, while the fake ones look much straighter.
- Check the inside of the shoes and see if the Adidas icon is the same size on each shoe. On some occasions, you may notice that their size differs.
- The stitching on the inside should also be checked, as it may look suspiciously amateurish.
8. New Balance sneakers
- New Balance sneakers have brand symbols on the back, tongue, the side of the sneaker, and the side of the sole, on the sole itself, and the insoles. The logo in the shape of the letter N on the side of the sneaker is made in the form of a patch.
- The original slippers have a soft sole, made of foam material, easily compresses and quickly returns to their original state. The sole protector is made of rubber. The insoles of authentic New Balance shoes have a perforation, logo, size, and information about the model.
9. Toms espadrilles
- The first thing to check is the insoles of your espadrilles. If they can be removed, your footwear is likely fake, as the original insoles are sewn to the bottom.
- Next, you can check the back of the espadrille to look at the logo. The letters of the original brand are perfectly balanced and square. However, the letters of the fake brand are pointed and unbalanced (note the odd shape of the letter “O”). Also, the stitching around the label appears thicker on the fake ones.
- You can also check the sides of the shoes to see if any glue is discernible. A reputable brand would never allow something like this, but a copy would probably have glue all over it.
10. Michael Kors Handbag
- For its bags, the brand uses only cream-colored labels containing the primary information about the product: serial number, shade, material, parameters, the price in USD, and a unique bar code.
- All parts of the original bags are engraved with the brand name. It is applied to magnetic clips, handle rings, clasps, carabiners, and fasteners.
- The brand’s authentic bags are made from a dense material that does not deform even during shipping when the item is packed.
11. Guess handbags
- First of all, fake Guess handbags are not made of leather but are cheaper synthetic material. You can check this by pressing the fabric with your finger. If the wrinkles stay there and do not disappear, it is not genuine leather.
- Next, you need to check the lining of the bag. Original Guess bags have an apparent soft lining, while fake ones sometimes have no lining. And if they do, it is very thin, like a sheet of paper.
- Finally, you can check the metal of the bag. The metal applications of a genuine Guess bag are sturdy and shiny, with a smooth surface. Counterfeiters, on the other hand, use a cheaper material that may appear dull and even have surface marks.
12. Guess watches
- Straps for Guess watches are made of metal, silicone, or natural leather. A lousy product smell, uneven color, cracks, scratches, and wear on the strap indicate that we are dealing with an imitation.
- The back should contain basic information about the watch: a logo with the brand name, the material of the watch body (as a rule, it is steel), and data about the watch mechanism with the engraving Japan Movt (as Guess uses only high-quality Japanese mechanisms).
13. Hermès handbags
- First, check the inside printing of the leather and see how the letters have been printed. The French accent of the letter E should be very elegant and not chopped up, as in the fakes. Also, the letters F and R in the word “France” appear to be glued together, something that would never happen on a genuine Hermès bag.
- Next, you can check the leather strap of the bag and inspect the stitching. On a genuine bag, the stitching looks much more elegant and flawless. In contrast, the stitching on the fake bag is not as elegant and, in some areas, looks thicker than that of the original bag.
14. Lacoste polo
- The Lacoste crocodile is always made with clearly defined details. Its eyes, teeth, legs, and red mouth are clearly visible. The crocodile’s body is bright green, and the tail runs parallel to the back.
- At the base of the polo neck, there is a white label with the logo and a red number indicating the size. In men’s models, it is one number, while in women’s models, it is two.
- An imitation Lacoste polo shirt can be spotted because of a small detail: its buttons. Original Lacoste garments have mother-of-pearl buttons with two holes. They have no inscriptions. Replica manufacturers often forget that, so they use buttons with four holes.
- In the men’s models, at the bottom, on the sides of the polo shirt, there are small openings approximately 1/2 inches deep. In women’s versions, the manufacturer does not make any cuts.
15. Balenciaga shoes
- Balenciaga sneakers have a very recognizable protrusion on the heels. This feature is often missing in counterfeits, as their structure is much weaker.
- Not only that, but the front of the shoe has a much more prominent curve than the originals.
- Also, if you check the back of the shoe, you will notice that the brand name is not well centered. Also, not all the letters are the same size and height, and some appear more significant than others.
16. Pandora bracelet
- The color of the original silver bracelet is a bit dull, not very light or bright. In manufacturing, Pandora uses a blackening technique that gives them this unique tone.
- The new original bracelet keeps its perfect shape and virtually no bending, showing well-defined edges of its striated silver cord.
- The size of the clasp on the original Pandora bracelets is comparable to that of the charms. On the front of the clasp, you can see the engraving of the brand: the word Pandora with a crown above the letter “o.”
- There is a brand-specific fastening in the clasp: a clover in the form of a small screw with four heads that serves to fasten the bracelet securely. In addition, the clasp must bear the quality seal of the metal (indicating its purity) with a mark of origin, the initials ALE.
- Pandora charms have an inscription with the name of the brand and the acronym of the metal they are made of. Since 2011, S means silver, and G is gold. Murano glass charms are free of cracks, broken parts, and air bubbles inside.
17. Levi’s
- The arched design on the back pockets of Levi’s jeans might be the brand’s most recognizable feature. It is either a simple bow or a diamond-shaped arch in the center of the pocket. This feature is often copied remarkably incorrectly on counterfeit jeans.
- In addition, the color of the stitching is traditionally orange on original jeans, while many fakes use white thread.
- The third sign of a fake pair of Levi’s jeans is the red tag on the back pocket. An original pair has “Levi’s” written on the red label, while a fake pair has a plain red tag with the letter “R.”
18. Timberland boots
- The sole has a caramel color, but if you look at it closely, it seems slightly transparent. The company logo and the brand name are printed on them, and the sole is uniform. The heel part does not protrude, but forms a continuous line.
- The logo is located on the outside, at the bottom of the boot above the heel. Its print is uniform and well-defined, located strictly vertically.
- The eyelets on the boots are perfect hexagons, which are ideally rounded on the outside. In men’s models, there are 7, in women’s models, 6.
- All seams on the boots are made with white thread. If there are several seams close, they are clearly parallel to each other.
19. Nike t-shirts
- The first thing to examine is the Nike logo. In most cases, it does not have exactly the same proportions as the original. Its angle and inclination may be different.
- Next, the label inside the T-shirt should be checked for misspellings. The original brand would never misspell words, but counterfeit products may have one or more errors.
- You will also need to look at the labels inside the shirt, near the bottom. Nike’s usually have two or more labels sewn in, while the fake ones usually have only one.
Have you ever unknowingly bought a counterfeit product? How did you recognize that it was not a genuine brand? Could you tell the difference, or did you have to ask an expert?
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