Rest Easy in a Hammock on Your Deck or Patio

Having a deck, patio or screened porch provides an excellent opportunity to explore the delights of owning a hammock. Hammocks invite you to head outside and enjoy the fresh air, either for a quick nap, the reading of a book, or simply to relax.

Caring for your hammock, as far as how to wash or store it, will help it to last a long time so you can continue to enjoy your deck or patio in one of the most comfortable settings ever. If your hammock came with instructions for its use and care, it is recommended that you follow them. However, the following outlines the easiest and most effective ways of cleaning (both by machine and by hand) and storing your hammock.

Hammocks Without Spreader Bars:
For hammocks without spreader bars (wooden bars at either end of the hammock) machine-washing your hammock is the best way to clean it. To prepare your hammock for machine-washing you need only to make a few preparations to ensure the best results and least amount of tangling to your hammock.

First, fold the hammock in half by grabbing the metal rings at either end of the hammock and bringing them together. Use string to tie the hammock together once directly under the metal rings, again at the opposite end, and finally once in the middle.

Place your bound hammock into a pillowcase and securely tie this case closed. Use mild detergent to wash (DO NOT USE BLEACH), then untie the hammock, and finally hang it up outside to dry. It will take an estimated one or two days to dry, depending on the amount of sunlight.

Hammocks With Spreader Bars:
For hammocks that have non-removable spreader bars, machine-washing your hammock is unfortunately not an option; these hammocks must be washed by hand. The easiest way to wash such a hammock is to lay it flat on a clean surface that can get wet (i.e. a deck, driveway, or outdoor table).

To wash simply fill a bucket with warm water and detergent and use a soft-bristle brush to brush away all dirt. After thoroughly washing one side, you will need to flip the hammock over and wash the opposite side with warm water and detergent. By washing both sides you not only get a more thorough cleaning but also can inspect the ropes for harder to remove stains that may not have come off from washing the first side.

Once you have finished scrubbing your hammock hang it to dry, preferably in full sunlight if the spreaders are wooden; the sooner the wood dries the better as excessive dampness will cause the wood to corrode. The drying process should take somewhere between one and two days.

Storage:
As far as storing a hammock there are many things you can do to ensure its continued life the following year. Prior to storing, it is advisable to thoroughly clean your hammock and allow it to fully dry.

To preserve your hammock, protective sprays are sold in gardening and outdoor stores that prevent the growth of mold or mildew and help repel mice and other unpleasant creatures.

These sprays are highly recommended and are generally applied by simply spraying the chemical over the entire surface of your hammock (detailed application information can generally be found on the product itself).

Storing your hammock in a durable and breathable storage bag is also highly advisable (if storing your hammock outdoors, be sure to use a bag that is also weather resistant). If you use both a protective spray and storage bag the chance of harm to your hammock during storage is significantly decreased.

If however, you still find your hammock to have any mold or mildew growing when taking it out of storage it is highly advisable to wash it before first use with the washing instructions provided above.

If you learn to properly care for your hammock and keep it clean, your hammock will generally last much longer.

Break Out the BBQ Sauce: Surefire Grilling Tips

It's that time of year for dinners on the grill and eating outside. Delicious aromas from backyard barbecues drift through the neighborhood making everyone think the same thing: I'm hungry! A deck or patio is a must if you enjoying outdoor cooking. It's the perfect setting for any type of grill from small charcoal varieties to fancy outdoor kitchens. Here are a few tips to help make your grilling adventures successful:

• Marinating quickly tenderizes meat and also adds additional flavor. Use roughly 1 to 2 cups of marinade for every 1-1/2 to 2 pounds of food. The marinade should completely surround the food. Cooked meat should never be returned to a cold marinade.

• A secret to tender, moist, tasty meat and fish is the cut you choose. The best cut for grilling steaks is a full one inch thick.

• Trim beef steaks to 1/8 inch fat--this reduces grease drippings to help minimize open flames. If you like your hamburgers juicy, go with ground beef that is about 15 to 20 percent fat. Have fish fillets cut from 1 to 1-1/2 inches thick--anything thinner will dry out too quickly. Pork chops should also be at least 1 to 1-1/2 inches thick--this cut is ready when the meat is no longer pink along the bone and when the juices run clear.

 • For direct cooking on a charcoal grill, make sure there is enough charcoal to extend in a single layer 1 to 2 inches beyond the area of the food on the grill. Pour briquettes into the grill to determine the quantity, then stack into a pyramid for lighting. For indirect cooking, food is placed over a drip pan and the briquettes are banked either to one or both sides of the pan.

• Carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide are given off during combustion, so never barbecue indoors as these odorless, toxic fumes may accumulate and cause death.

• When using charcoal, douse the coals with the least amount of starter fluid as possible to light the fire. If starter fluid is unavailable, try using regular salad oil. Wad a sheet of newspaper and pile the coals over it, then douse the coals with the salad oil. Light the paper as you would using normal starter fluid.

• When roasting or grilling with a BBQ pit closed, open a can of beer and place the beer over the hottest part of the fire. The beer will boil and super saturate the air inside the pit with water vapor, beer flavors and alcohol. This will help in keeping the roasting meats moist, while adding flavor to the meat.

• Whenever barbecuing, use tongs to turn the meat. A fork should never be used as it will punch holes in the meat and allow the natural juices to escape, causing the meat to lose flavor and become chewy.

• When grilling meats, it is usually best to turn the meat only once. When grilling meat to a medium or greater doneness, use the lid to assist in cooking. This will decrease the cooking time by applying heat to all sides of the meat at once.

• Tomato and/or sugar based BBQ sauces should be added only at the end of the grilling process, since these products will burn easily and are seldom considered an internal meat flavoring.

A retractable awning provides shade when you need it and sun when you want it and can make a deck or patio that much more enjoyable on warm summer days.

Today's awnings are usually made from heavy cotton or a synthetic fabric, treated to be water-resistant. They will last many seasons with proper use and care:

• Keep leaves and twigs off your awning. They can rot there, causing permanent stains.
• Wash off the awning fabric monthly. Use a garden hose to rinse it down so that dirt doesn't have a chance to lodge in the material.
• Never retract your awning when it is very cold or when the awning is wet. You could damage the fabric or cause it to become mildewed.
• Don't use chemical insect sprays to remove wasps or spiders from the underside of your awning. These products can destroy the water resistance of the awning fabric. Instead use a household broom to dislodge the unwelcome bugs.