8-6-12. In the chapter about bug out vehicles, I mention several floor jacks that work well for those getting into repairing their own vehicles. One inexpensive choice is the Harbor Freight 3 ton floor jack (model 68048). I have one of these and it has worked well for me. Yes, it’s made in China. In the newspaper, Harbor Freight has a flier which has a coupon for this jack for $69.99. For a well-made 3 ton floor jack, that’s a heck of a deal. The coupon is good until 12/5/12. If you can find a coupon in your local paper and have a Harbor Freight nearby, you might want to check it out.
With the warmer and more humid weather, one thing some of us notice is more congestion. Usually chalked up to pollen allergies, there is another potential suspect: dust mites. Dust mites thrive in the summer. As with many small creatures, the animals themselves aren’t so bad, but they poo, and many little creatures pooing really adds up. The poo dust enters the air and becomes an allergen or worse.
Dust mites are like the little Chuck Norris’s of the microbe world, they’re tough critters. Even the prepper go-to–bleach–won’t bother them. Their food source is shedded human skin, which is everywhere in the home. They get their hydration from humidity in the air.
Regular vacuuming and washing of bedding reduces their number. One study says reducing temperature and humidity in the home in the summer with an air conditioner reduces the number of dust mites by a factor of ten. If you can reduce home humidity to 50-60%, you’ll keep the little bugs in check.
Other tools to fight dust mites include protecting your mattress with mattress protectors to keep the mites from taking up residence in your mattress. Vapor Steam cleaners (expensive!) use dry steam to clean, and the hot temperature will kill dust mites. For those who can afford them and have dust mite allergies, a vapor steam cleaner can be used to clean rugs, mattresses, favored stuffed animals, and other items that can’t be easily laundered. Vapor steam cleaners also kill bacteria and mold.
Here’s some good advice (lancaster.unl.edu) about reducing dust mites in your home.
USA Today Story about the wildfires in Oklahoma. In another story, I learned that Russia is in a drought too and that many parts of the Siberian forest are ablaze.
preppernextdoor 