Ready for a few quick Fall Projects to spruce up your home?

Many fix-ups do not necessarily call for hours of physical labor, sweat and tears - a number of projects can be accomplished on the weekend, or even in an evening, to give your home a fresh new appearance. Here are some ideas that require just a few hours, a little elbow grease and won't break your budget:

Carpet Clean Up:
If your carpet shows stains and dirt, consider performing a deep cleaning to enhance a room's decor. Many local hardware stores rent carpet extractors for those who don't own one. To get rid of ingrained stains from food, drinks or pets, use a heavy-duty stain remover to lift out dirt and grime while deodorizing. While it's smart to treat stains right away, many new products will even reduce the appearance of stains that have been there for some time.

Hardwood Floor Freshener:
Do your hardwood floors appear dull? Bring them back to optimal condition with a cleaner made specifically for hardwood surfaces. Use a convenient water-based, non-toxic spray designed for polyurethane finished hardwood floors that will not leave behind residue or dulling ingredients.

Furniture Fix-Up:
Re-upholstering furniture can be pricey, so first consider repairing tears, stains and spots yourself. An upholstery shampoo or mild solvent followed by light brushing or vacuuming can gently lift dirt out of the fabric. Spot-treat a small section of the fabric first to ensure the cleaner won't affect the texture or color. Wood furniture is easily brought back to life with specialty wood polishes designed to help to hide imperfections, as well as remove dirt and wax build-up.

Lighting Lift:
Nothing brightens a room or brings out the true colors of your decor like new lighting. Consider installing light-dimmers, color-enhancing light bulbs and even decorative switch plates to give your lighting a lift. Installing a new light fixture, moving lighting fixtures around the space or highlighting specific wall art can bring a fresh ambiance to the room.

Wall Work:
Unsightly scuffs, scratches and marks often mar walls in busy households. Use a wall-specific cleaner to remove light mildew, grease, food and smoke discoloration. If walls are too dirty to spot-treat, consider repainting them. One paint to consider is Ace Sensations™ with Scotchgard Protector, a premium acrylic latex flat paint that repels common household blemishes such as coffee, grape juice and even the hard-to-remove oily spots made by lipstick and grease.

Bathroom Brightener:
New fixtures like a towel rack, faucet and toilet seat can give a new look to your bathroom in the nick of time. Most are easy to install and will immediately improve your commode.
Follow these simple tips and your house will look and feel as good as new. And remember, if you have home improvement questions and need a little advice, send me an email at asklou@acehardware.com - I'd be glad to help!