Q: If you've got a kitchen table, TV trays, or a counter where you eat, or anything like that, you need to get a rag and some soap, depending on the surface, and wipe it clean. Most surfaces will clean with a wet rag, but sometimes you'll need to bring in the big guns. But remember: Use appropriate chemicals for appropriate surfaces. You don't want to ruin hardwood furniture with abrasive chemicals. Try to use a microfiber towel when you can. Stick to water and a little soap when and where you can. Dusting will give your room a much cleaner appearance, and help improve the air quality. It is one of the most important elements of keeping a clean house. Depending on how much time you have, you can choose the extent in which you will dust. Consider: Use microfiber towels when you can. Dusting the surfaces of furniture, like desks, a TV stand, bookshelves, and more. Dust ceiling fans. Dust and remove cobwebs from crown molding. Wipe down the surfaces of electronics with microfiber towels. Now that your surfaces are clean and better organized and your floor is clear, it's time to vacuum. Vacuuming will help remove dirty, dust, and dog or cat hair from the room. It is an essential part of any clean. Most rooms can be vacuumed in under five minutes, if you're in a hurry. Start at the back of the room and systematically move toward the entrance. Make sure to vacuum along the baseboards, behind and under couches and other furniture. Vacuum couches, chairs, and loveseats if appropriate. Be careful though, try to avoid damaging delicate fabrics. If you're going to spend a little bit more time, try to vacuum over an area 3 or 4 times. Mopping is essential in removing dirty and grime from your floor, and all you need is some soap and a bucket. This is a must, so you won't want to skip it. But, if you're in a hurry, there are a few ways to save time: If you want to save time, invest in a swifter or something similar. Another way to save time is to get a wet soapy towel, and to walk around the room with it. This won't be as effective as actual mopping, but you'll be able to pick up a lot of dirt and grime and save time. If mopping the old fashion way, make sure to sweep the floor first. Sweep from the back of the room toward the entrance, working systematically, and picking up your dirt/debris piles as you move toward the entrance. After sweeping, start mopping from the back of the room toward the front. Mop 3x3 or 4x4 foot sections and then rinse your mop with fresh water. Slowly and systematically move toward the entrance of the room. After you've mopped, make sure to take a good look around the room and make some final adjustments if you need to. This is your chance to spend a couple minutes getting to the little things you might have neglected because you were in a hurry. Also, there are some finishing touches that will help your room look and smell clean: Open the windows to let fresh air in. Turn on the fan, this will help the floor dry and will spread the clean air from outside around your home. Consider lighting a candle. If you're confident in how clean the room is, open the blinds and let some more light in.
A: Clean surfaces of hard-to-remove dirt and grime. Dust the room. Vacuum the room, if you've got carpet or if you want to vacuum your tile/hardwood. Mop the room, if you've got tile or hardwood. Look around the room.

Q: Clams are animals, not plants, though they are often marketed as "filters." This is only partially true. Unlike plants, which filter chemicals out of the water and use light to make food, clams are "filter feeders," meaning that they eat small organisms and algae that they pull out of the water. A brand new tank, however, will not have any other life developed, meaning your clams could starve without proper care. Clams like to hide and feel safe, sitting in the bottom of the tank and filtering out all the food waste and leftovers that drift down to the bottom. You want roughly 4 inches (10.2cm) of sand for them to nest in. Make sure you rinse your substrate (sand) off before adding it to the tank, especially if you've taken it from a natural environment. You want a nice, fine substrate, something with a grain size between 1 to 3mm. Snails and coldwater fish all create food waste and scrapes that are perfect to feed your clams. With a strong ecosystem around them, most clams will need little other maintenance beyond the occasional checkup, as they eat the leftovers of the other fish. They can also keep your tank clean by filtering our some algae and microorganisms. Freshwater puffers, some catfish species, and loaches will all eat clams if they get hungry enough, so it is best to keep them in separate tanks. Your clams can eat a lot of the food leftover by the rest of the tank, but, especially in newer tanks with fewer organisms, they will need some extra food to truly thrive. This is especially essential if you have a lot of clams, or many larger, adult clams. You can use clam food, found at your local pet store and often sold as "sinking algae wafers," or you can make your own mixture, pureed in a blender and given to your clams individually: 1/3 pound red meat (hamburger, beef liver, beef heart) OR Fish with Roe Beef Blood (drippings from beef package) 1 tsp Cod Liver Oil tsp Yeast 2-3 tablespoons water from the aquarium the clams live in. A good, healthy clam will spring closed quickly if you touch it or it feels like it is being threatened. This is a naturally clammy defense mechanism. Every 2-3 weeks, pull your clams out and make sure that they close up quickly. Since they bury themselves in the sand, finding dead clams can be tough, but you can make it easier on yourself: Poke 10-20 holes in a clean, single serving applesauce container. Place 2-3 clams (depending on size) into the container. Cover them in sand so that the tops are still visible at the top. Place the container at the bottom of your tank, removing it with your clams whenever you need to check on them. Dead clams release a large spike of ammonia, which can damage or even kill other animals in the tank. This is why checking your clams regularly is so important. Make sure that they still close up rapidly. If they won't close at all, they've likely died and should be discarded. Dead clams also have a rank, fishy odor. If you are unsure if a clam is dead, try making a small, separate "maintenance tank." Feed them and provide a nice, sandy bottom and see if they begin to react after 4-5 days. Clams are not water filtration systems, and they will not keep your tank clean and happy all on their own. You still need a water filtration system, plants, and carefully monitored water levels to ensure that your tank is healthy and happy.
A: Place clams in well-established tanks for the best results. Provide a sandy bottom for your clams. Add other fish to create a vibrant aquarium system around your clams. Augment your clams natural food with feedings 1-2 a week. Note the speed a clam closes up to measure health. Remove dead clams from your tank quickly. Do not rely on clams to filter your water.

Q: You want to keep your Barbie makeup intact, especially if you're going to an event like a costume party. Take a setting spray and hold it about a foot away from your face. Close your eyes and mist the spray all over your face. This should help your makeup stay on throughout the day.
A:
Set your makeup with a spray.