Hope Leitner, Realtor®, CRS

  Information is brought to you by Hope Leitner Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 10 Easy Upgrades for a Healthier Home ’Tis the season for pollen and pesticides, not to mention pet dander and disease-carrying creepy-crawlies. The editors at ThisOldHouse.com checked in with health and environment experts across the country for easy, inexpensive tips to help keep your home healthy. Here are 10 tips to keep in mind: Add mats on both sides of the door.  Up to 80 percent of the dirt that gets tracked inside—along with countless allergens, bacteria and lawn chemicals—can be caught before it makes itself at home with washable mats on both sides of the door. Establish a no-shoes-indoors policy.  Keep a basket of slippers or socks near the entryway for family members and guests alike. Create a pet checkpoint.  Treat cats and dogs with a monthly tick-and-flea medication, and use a fine-tooth comb to catch fleas before they come inside. Know that flea shampoos and collars may

  Information is brought to you by Hope Leitner Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties 10 Tips for Dealing with Bed Bugs The familiar bedtime saying, “Good night, sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite,” might be a cute little rhyme from our childhood. But when a home actually has bed bugs, there’s nothing cute about it. Bed bugs feed on blood and cause irritating bites. It’s also a myth that these pests only live in dirty places; in fact, they can be transferred into a spotless home by humans or bug-infested items, such as second-hand furniture. Here are 10 tips to keep in mind in the unfortunate event that your home gets bed bugs: Make sure they’re bed bugs.  If you think you have bed bugs, ensure the insects aren’t fleas, ticks or other bugs. Adult bed bugs are about the size of an apple seed and look balloon-like and reddish-brown if fed recently. They also have antennae and produce a “musty-sweetish” odor. Compare your insects to pictures of bed bugs on reputable

  Information is brought to you by Hope Leitner Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties Common Natural Cleaning Products Found in Homes Many home cleaning products can be expensive and include harmful chemicals. With just a little extra elbow grease, you can save money by using some natural cleaning products you may already have around the house. Here are some common and cheap items that are free of artificial ingredients and can make house cleaning simpler: Baking Soda Baking soda can be used for many other things than refreshing the smell of a refrigerator. For a dollar or so, a small box of baking soda can go a long way in cleaning up spills. For a carpet stain, cover it with baking soda and spray it with a mixture of half white vinegar and half water. The baking soda will foam up, then let it set for three hours before scrubbing. Let it dry overnight and vacuum the baking soda up the next day. Baking soda can also be used to help clean dirty pans; deodorize musty upho