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If you have ever owned any stainless steel products, you know how beautiful and appealing the look can be. Stainless steel appliances give a renovated kitchen that POP! it needs, while steel also makes for a very durable cookware product that never disturbs flavors, yet guarantees a balanced heating of foods. It also resists corrosion and rust – a bonus for the steel fans!

But sometimes stainless steel appliances can be difficult to keep clean. Here are some quick and easy tips for cleaning steel and maintaining that fresh metallic look:

Clean with water and a cloth. Microfiber cloths are the best option to use when cleaning stainless steel because they absorb all of the water. It’s also a safe product to use to avoid scratching steel surfaces. You’ll want to avoid paper towels or any cloth or towel with a rough surface intended for non-stick cookware. This especially includes steel wool! When drying, dry along the grain to avoid water spots. If you clean or dry aggressively against the grain with regular scouring pads, you will leave marks on your appliance or pan, so be sure to take it easy.

Only use a drop of dish soap. For most cases, a drop of mild dish soap and warm water is all you’ll need to clean a pan or pot, so don’t overthink it! Just be gentle. Alternatively, using white vinegar as a cleaner has also been proven to work. Try it out – that stuff is like magic!

Glass cleaner is your friend. Fingerprints on stainless steel is one of the biggest complaints and it’s a valid concern! No matter how careful you try to be, fingerprints will always end up on your fridge. Spray glass cleaner on a microfiber cloth to get the job done. Wipe away the fingerprint using soft circular wipes. There are newer finishes of stainless steel that are fingerprint resistant, so if you are buying new products be sure to do your research and seek those out.

Keep a stainless steel cleaner on hand. If you need to remove stains or scratches from your stainless steel, using a steel cleaner is a great option. Read the directions on the cleaner and be sure to test the product on an unnoticeable location, just in case. Even if you aren’t trying to remove a stain or hide a scratch, stainless steel cleaner or glass cleaner will help your appliance shine. As always, rinse the area thoroughly afterwards and towel dry.

Stainless steel can be finicky, but with a little TLC, stainless steel will keep your kitchen looking sleek and stylish for years to come.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Follow these tips to design the ultimate pool house…

Connected to Nature

Consider large doors that open to the pool area and easily transition in and out.

Keep It Consistent

Consistent style between the main house and pool house provides a sense of fluidity.

Changing Room

A changing room is essential, as is storage space for towels, pool toys, and more.

Kitchenette

A kitchenette with a few key appliances makes it easy to prepare refreshments by the pool.

Covered BBQ Area

A well-designed grill station next to the pool is perfect for entertaining.

Guest Room

A separate structure gives visitors privacy, while acting as their own private guesthouse.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Owning a home is probably on everybodys success checklist. Yet, it is a box that often goes unchecked for many years for those first starting out in the workforce. We all know it takes more than just the desire to buy a home in this day and age”if you have not been working toward it for some years, its time to put thoughts into action. Keep these insights in mind when working toward owning a home.

First and foremost are your finances. If you dont have enough money saved up for a down payment nor a steady income to pay your mortgage bill, then homeownership is still out of your reach. Of course, even with our finances in check there is more to consider, such as appraisal fees, home inspections, closing costs, homeowners insurance, private mortgage insurance (PMI) if your down payment is below 20%, any repairs a home may need or furnishings, to name a few. Make sure you are prepared for additional spending.

The ideal home-buying scenario is when youre not in a rush. You dont want to rush through open houses to later realize that youve overlooked some important features of the home or neighborhood. You also dont want to rush into buying a home if youre not sure that you will be staying in the same area for at least a five-year period. Do you anticipate a big job move? Are you applying to out-of-state positions? Then it might be in your best interest to wait until you are ready to settle down.

Becoming a homeowner isnt an impossible feat. You just need to be aware of what your step-by-step goals should be. Short on down payment funds? Save up. Feeling pressed for time? Extend that rent contract one more year while you settle your affairs. Taking a big leap at the workplace? Do it now.

Homeownership is on peoples success checklist because it is a good investment, and it gives you a sense of pride and security. Reorganizing a few things in your daily routine will have you a homeowner in no time. Just take it one step at a time, and remember to breathe.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Shopping for a home loan? It’s best to do it within 30 days of a credit pull so your score doesnt drop.

When you apply for credit, such as a car or home loan, you authorize lenders to inquire for a copy of your credit report from a credit bureau. Too many inquiries could lower your credit score and result in higher interest rates when you borrow, which can translate into paying more over the life of the loan.

If youve ever looked at your credit report, you may have seen credit inquiries by businesses you dont know. Some of them count toward your credit score and others dont.

Hard Credit Inquiry
Hard inquiries happen when you apply for a loan. They affect your credit score, though not by much.

Hard credit inquiries show up when youve applied for credit: car loan, mortgage, student loan or credit card, for example. Each is a credit check that indicates a lender has reviewed your credit because youre applying to borrow money through them.

Applying for credit affects your credit score because opening several credit accounts in a short period of time represents greater credit risk, according to My FICO, a credit scoring company.

If youre rate shopping for a single loan, such as a home loan, it will be treated as one request on your credit report as long as the inquiries are made within 30 days. You may be shopping at multiple mortgage lenders, but those numerous credit requests will count as one and wont affect your credit score if done within 30 days. Some newer credit scoring companies allow up to 45 days of shopping, and some drop it to 14 days.

Soft Credit Inquiry
These arent generated by shopping for credit, and they dont affect your credit scores. Soft credit inquiries include:

• Checking your own credit score.
• Receiving pre-approval offers you didn’t apply for.
• Additional credit checks by a lender you already do business with.
• Credit checks by your employer.
• Credit checks by your insurance company.

Impact on Credit Scores

While soft credit inquiries don’t affect your credit score, hard inquiries do. New credit makes up 10 percent of a FICO credit score, and inquiries and new credit accounts are part of that.

For most, a credit inquiry will take less than five points off their FICO score, according to My FICO. Having few accounts or a short credit history, however, can cause a credit inquiry to have more of an impact.

Many inquiries can mean greater risk. People with six inquiries or more on their credit reports can be up to eight times more likely to declare bankruptcy than those with no inquiries, according to My FICO.

Inquiries remain on credit reports for two years. Only those within the past year count toward most scoring models; the older ones are ignored.

Published with permission from RISMedia.