{ "0": { "title": "How to Clean a Sharpening Stone", "steps": [ "Rub a quarter-size amount of honing oil onto your stone. Honing oil is a mineral oil that is commonly used in machine shops to carry away metal flecks from stone. Apply honing oil to your sharpening stone with your finger or a soft toothbrush in small, circular motions. Continue rubbing until you see metal flecks rise up from the pores of the stone.\nHoning oil can also be used to provide lubrication during the sharpening process.\nPurchase honing oil in hardware stores or online.\nUse honing oil to flush out your sharpening stone whenever you see metal flecks embedded in the surface, as they may reduce its effectiveness.", "Wipe away the metal flecks with a damp cloth or paper towel. Wet a clean cloth or paper towel and wring it out. Gently wipe the surface of the sharpening stone with it. Be sure to remove all the metal filings that emerged from the stone.", "Rinse the stone thoroughly under running water and dry it. Washing the sharpening stone will remove any remaining metal filings and debris from your stone. Run the stone under warm water for 1-2 minutes to ensure that it is clean. Dry the stone with a clean, dry cloth or paper towel. \nDo not use soap or anything other than water to clean it." ], "captions": [ "A sharpening stone with a small pool of honing oil on its surface.", "A hand holding a damp cloth wiping the surface of a sharpening stone. Metal flecks are visible on the damp cloth.", "A sharpening stone being rinsed under running water." ] }, "1": { "title": "How to Clean Silk Rugs", "steps": [ "Vacuum silk rugs regularly. Use a brushless suction head to vacuum silk rugs. Beater or roller brushes may pull out fibers, reduce the pile and damage the rug.", "Sweep silk rugs with a broom. Gently sweep the rug to avoid damaging the fibers." ], "captions": [ "A person using a vacuum cleaner on a silk rug.", "A person sweeping a silk rug with a broom." ] }, "2": { "title": "How to Preserve Basil", "steps": [ "Clean the basil leaves and allow to dry.", "Place in a suitable storage container.", "Sprinkle with salt. Shake through to cover in salt.", "Fill the container with olive oil.", "Cover the container. Place in the fridge and leave. Stored in this manner, the basil leaves will remain in great condition for use over the coming months.", "Use as usual according to your recipe. Both the leaves and the oil (now infused with basil) can be used for cooking." ], "captions": [ "Basil leaves being washed and dried.", "A storage container filled with basil leaves.", "A storage container filled with basil leaves being sprinkled with salt.", "A storage container with basil leaves being filled with olive oil.", "A storage container with basil leaves in the fridge.", "A pan with chicken and basil leaves being cooked." ] }, "3": { "title": "How to Steam Clean Carpet", "steps": [ "Remove everything from the room. Steam cleaning is most effective when you remove all toys, papers, and general clutter from the floor. Move all tables, chairs, and furniture out of the room. Clear as much of the floor space as you can.\nIf some furniture is too heavy to move, place squares of wax paper, foil, wood blocks, or plastic film under the legs to protect them from the moisture of the steam cleaner. You can\u2019t clean the carpet completely if you leave furniture in the room.\nIf you don\u2019t have room to move the furniture to another room, move it all to half of the room and do the room in two separate sections. Let the carpet dry before you move furniture back to the already cleaned half.", "Dust the baseboards. As you run the steam cleaner, you might knock dust off the baseboards if you don\u2019t dust them beforehand. Use a dust cloth with wood polish or a long handled duster to remove as much of the dust as you can.\nDust ceiling fans and corners of the ceiling to prevent extra dust from falling on the carpet after you have steam cleaned them.", "Vacuum the entire carpet carefully. Steam cleaners are meant to pull up small dirt particles that are down in the fibers of the carpet. They are not for removing hair and larger dirt pieces. Vacuum the entire room more slowly than you usually would. It is best to go over the room twice to get as much of the larger debris as possible. The second time, go over the room in the opposite direction to pick up more dirt.\nFor extra cleaning, use a nozzle attachment to get right up to the baseboards and edges of the room.\nVacuuming also fluffs up the carpet so that the steamer can clean the fibers more effectively.", "Use stain remover on specific bad spots. Steamers can\u2019t always lift deep, set-in stains, so it\u2019s always helpful to treat stains before steaming the carpet. Use a carpet stain remover, or other natural solutions if you prefer. Blot the stain remover up with a cloth or leave it to be sucked up by the machine.\nWhen you do this, dab at the stains with a cloth. Never scrub at stains as this can cause them to work deeper into the carpet." ], "captions": [ "A room with all furniture removed.", "A person dusting the baseboards.", "A person vacuuming a carpet.", "A person using a stain remover on a carpet." ] }, "4": { "title": "How to Polish Wood", "steps": [ "Wipe down your furniture with the wax remover. Dampen your dry microfiber cloth with the wax remover and wipe along the grain of the wood. Wait until it is completely dry to ensure that you won\u2019t damage the wood, then wipe off any excess dirt or wax with a dry microfiber cloth. Use 0000 steel wool to gently sand away any remaining marks or stains.\nIt is important to remove any excess wax buildup before polishing as any remaining wax will degrade your polish.\nTest your wax remover on an inconspicuous area before covering the entire piece of furniture.\nYou can purchase wax remover in any store, but you can also use a mixture of .5 cups (0.12\u00a0L) cups of water to .5 cups (0.12\u00a0L) of white vinegar if you would prefer a homemade option.", "Apply thin layers of polish along the grain of the wood. Place a dry microfiber cloth on the open cap of polish and flip. This will allow the polish to absorb into the cloth without applying so much that it will begin pooling on the furniture. Rub the cloth along the grain of the wood to work in the polish.\nYou can continue to apply layers depending on how dry the furniture is and the level of shine you would like to achieve.\nMake sure to get in all crevices and corners. Open cabinets or drawers to polish the joints and interior spaces.\nBe sure to test the polish in an inconspicuous area before covering the entire piece of furniture.", "Repeat the polishing process as needed. Once complete, your furniture should be glossy and shiny, but you can continue adding layers to achieve the finish you want. You can repeat the polishing process on a routine basis to keep your furniture looking great, but unless you apply a new layer of wax you won\u2019t need to use wax remover again." ], "captions": [ "A person wiping down a piece of wood furniture with a wax remover.", "A person applying polish to a piece of wood furniture.", "A person polishing a piece of wood furniture." ] }, "5": { "title": "How to Make a Door", "steps": [ "Measure the doorway where you\u2019ll be installing your door. Before you get to sawing, gluing, and sanding, you\u2019ll need to know exactly how big your door needs to be. Find the height and width of your empty doorway by running a tape measure down one side, then stretching it across the top. Make sure you jot your measurements down. You\u2019ll need to refer back to them later while you\u2019re cutting the panel for your door.", "Acquire a 4 ft (1.2 m) x 8 ft (2.4 m) sheet of 1\u20442 in (1.3 cm) plywood. Run down to your local hardware store or home improvement center and purchase a sheet of plywood to use as the main panel for your new door. For a standard interior door, 1\u20442 in (1.3 cm) plywood will work best. A solid piece of plywood will create a door with a much sturdier construction than the hollow-bodied variety installed in most homes.", "Mark the doorway dimensions on your plywood sheet with a pencil. Using the measurements you recorded earlier, draw one line down the length of the plywood corresponding to the height of the doorway and another line across the top to indicate the width. This will create a rough outline for your door panel. Use a ruler or straight edge to confirm that your lines are straight and precise. Otherwise, you could end up with a door that doesn\u2019t fit!", "Cut the plywood to the correct dimensions using a circular saw. Guide the saw blade slowly over the plywood sheet along the height and width lines you just drew to trim the excess material from the edges. Depending on how your work bench is set up, you\u2019ll need to reposition either the plywood or the saw when it comes time to make your second cut. Laying a separate piece of lumber along your measurement lines will ensure cleaner cuts and help prevent mistakes. The standard size of an interior door is 80 inches (200 cm) x 24\u201330 inches (61\u201376 cm).", "Sand the entire door panel. Run an electric sander or sheet of high-grit sandpaper over both sides of the panel, using even pressure to ensure that the outer surface is smooth and level. Once you\u2019ve sanded both faces, turn your attention to the edges of the panel. You may have to clamp or brace the panel against another object to hold it steady while you sand the edges. At this point, you can either move on to painting and installing the mounting hardware if you\u2019re satisfied with a plain, flat door, or cut a few more pieces of plywood to add textural accents to your blank panel." ], "captions": [ "A person holding a tape measure against an empty doorway. Numbers are visible on the tape measure.", "A stack of plywood sheets at a hardware store with a person reaching for one.", "A sheet of plywood lying flat with a pencil and ruler beside it. Two straight lines are drawn on the plywood with measurement markings next to them.", "A person using a circular saw to cut along a marked line on a sheet of plywood. Sparks are flying from the saw blade. A straight piece of lumber is positioned next to the cut line as a guide.", "A person using an electric sander on a flat plywood door panel. Dust is visible in the air." ] }, "6": { "title": "How to Clean Natural Stone", "steps": [ "Sweep off surface debris. If you are cleaning a natural stone floor, you'll want to use a fluffy mop or brush that has soft, natural bristles. This will prevent the stone from getting scratched by brushes with abrasive bristles. If you are cleaning natural stone countertops, a clean cotton rag or a handheld duster can remove surface debris. Sweep all the dirt and dust into a dustpan and dispose of it.\nIf you are cleaning natural stone floors, you can also use a vacuum.\nSweep or dust your natural stone at least twice a week.", "Mix warm water and a mild dish detergent in a bucket. Fill up a bucket with five cups (1.1 l) of warm water from your faucet and put two to three drops of a mild, pH neutral dish soap into the bucket. Mix the water and soap together until bubbles start to form on the top. Read the label of the dish soap that you are purchasing to make sure that it doesn't contain any acid, which could damage the natural stone.\nAlcohol, citrus, and vinegar all contain acids that are corrosive to natural stone.\nYou can also ask a stone retailer to direct you towards a stone-specific cleaner.", "Wipe down the natural stone with the solution. Use a soft mop or a rag and dip it into the solution that you just created. Work in circular motions to lift up any stuck on soap scum, dirt, or gunk that is on your stone. If you are using a mop, go left and right in large sweeping motions to remove dirt and gunk from the floor.", "Rinse off the solution with distilled water. Rinse the stone with distilled water until there is no more soap or cleaning solution left on the stone. Regular water from your tap may contain minerals that could discolor the stone. The cleaner can also be absorbed by the stone and cause discoloration, so make sure that you rinse it thoroughly.\nIf you don't have distilled water, you can boil tap water instead.", "Dry the stone. Dry the stone with a soft, synthetic or cotton rag until all of the moisture is gone. Do not leave any cleaner or liquid on the surface of the stone. Continue to buff the area until your natural stone looks shiny and clean." ], "captions": [ "A person using a soft-bristled mop to sweep dust and debris off a natural stone floor.", "A bucket filled with warm water and a few drops of dish soap. Bubbles are visible on the water's surface.", "A person using a soft cloth dipped in cleaning solution to wipe a natural stone countertop in circular motions.", "A person pouring distilled water from a watering can onto a natural stone surface.", "A person buffing a natural stone surface with a dry, clean cloth." ] }, "7": { "title": "How to Frame an Oil Painting", "steps": [ "Select a floating or baguette frame for a minimalistic, modern look. Baguette frames refer to flat panels of wood or metal that fit along the edges of your painting without obscuring any portion of the image. Float frames use a mat to set your image inside a simple frame. These frames provide a modern look, and differ from traditional frames by adding very little visual impact on their own. They look sort of like siding or open borders for a piece of art.\nFloat and baguette frames tend to emphasize the work itself, since the frames tend to contain few details on their own.\nFloat frames can make a work appear more striking. The mat helps isolate the work in the center of the wall, making it stand out more.\nBaguette frames can make a work look dramatic. The minimalistic frame lifts the image off of the wall a few inches, which can make it seem like the work is literally popping out.\nThe difference between a baguette and float frame is whether there is any space between the canvas and the frame itself. Float frames have a space, which is sometimes filled in with a mat, while baguette frames leave no room between the frame and the painting.", "Use a traditional frame for classic landscapes and portraits. Traditional frames come in all types of shapes, sizes, and designs. They tend to be metal or wood, and add an additional visual element to a painting\u2019s presentation. Choose a frame that you think works well alongside your image without drawing the viewer\u2019s attention away from what\u2019s important.\nTraditional frames cover the edges of a canvas. They also tend to have minor details and patterns built into the frame. These minor elements change the way that a viewer perceives a work.\nWhen in doubt, opt for a simpler traditional frame. You can always upgrade the frame later when you need a change of pace.", "Get an antique frame for high-end or older oil paintings. For older works or paintings with a high price tag, choose an antique frame to really make your work stand out. Antique frames tend to have high levels of detail and create a striking impression on their own, which can demand attention as soon as the viewer enters the room.\nAntique frames tend to be have expressive designs and strange colors. These can help stress the specialness of a historical or expensive piece of art.\nLook for antique frames at antique shops.", "Display your art without a frame if the sides of the canvas are painted. If the canvas comes with a prebuilt frame and the artist elected to paint details along the sides of the canvas, you probably don\u2019t need a frame. The artist made a conscious decision to extend the image past the edge of the canvas, and covering it could reduce the impact of an image.\nYou can tell if a framed canvas was meant to be hung on its own if the artist installed hangers along the backside of the frame." ], "captions": [ "A modern oil painting with a float frame. A thin border surrounds the painting, creating a clean and contemporary look.", "A traditional oil painting (e.g., landscape or portrait) with a decorative wooden frame. The frame complements the artwork's style without overwhelming it.", "An antique oil painting with an ornate frame. The frame features rich details and flourishes, enhancing the prestige of the artwork.", "A close-up of a painted canvas edge. The sides of the canvas continue the artwork, creating a seamless flow from the front." ] }, "8": { "title": "How to Remove Oil Stains from Paper", "steps": [ "Create a cleaning solution with half plain water, half white vinegar. Combine 1\u20442\u00a0\u00a0c (120\u00a0ml) of white vinegar and 1\u20442\u00a0\u00a0c (120\u00a0ml) of plain water in a cup or bowl. Set your solution aside for now until you are ready to clean.\nVinegar is a natural cleaner that works like a mild bleach and can be used to clean many types of materials.", "Lay the affected piece of paper out flat on a hard, waterproof surface. Flatten it out as much as possible. You can place heavy objects on the corners to stretch it out and keep it flat and stable.\nRemember that the sooner you start working on the oil stain, the easier it will be to remove.", "Moisten a cotton ball or swab with the cleaning solution and clean the spot. Gently and carefully dab the oil stain with the moistened cotton ball or swab. Be careful not to use too much of the cleaning solution as you could damage the paper you are cleaning if it gets too wet.\nIf the oil spot looks like it is getting too wet, dab it dry with a paper towel or let it air dry so that you don\u2019t create a hole in the paper.\nKeep dabbing rather than letting the vinegar soak in, until the stain appears to be lifted, then you can dry the area.", "Dry the cleaned area by dabbing it with a dry paper towel and letting it air dry. Once the spot is completely dry you can see if the stain was completely removed. If there is still an oil stain, repeat the process to remove as much of it as possible.\nKeep in mind that this method will work better the fresher the stain is, older stains may not come out completely but you can reduce their visibility." ], "captions": [ "A cup with equal parts white vinegar and water.", "A piece of paper with an oil stain laid out flat on a table.", "A person using a cotton swab to dab a cleaning solution onto an oil stain on a piece of paper.", "A person drying a cleaned oil stain on a piece of paper with a paper towel." ] }, "9": { "title": "How to Paint Plastic Models", "steps": [ "Paint your base coats using as few strokes as possible. To start painting a smaller or intricate model, grab the color that you\u2019re going to use for the base of your model. Load your brush with your base color and wipe it back and forth on your easel or palette to remove the excess paint. Apply your base coat over the areas that you want to paint using as few strokes as possible. Hold your brush at a slight angle and make each brush stroke as large as you can without brushing a part of the model that you aren\u2019t trying to cover.\nFor larger surfaces, use a flat brush. The tip of the brush must be smaller than the surface that you\u2019re painting. For models smaller than 1 foot (30\u00a0cm), a 1\u20132\u00a0in (2.5\u20135.1\u00a0cm) brush is appropriate. The size of the brush is largely a matter of personal preference, though.\nIf your base coat is a lighter color, feel free to paint the entire model. The other paints will easily cover the surfaces you\u2019ve painted. If the base coat is a darker color, like a black or blue, try to avoid painting other surfaces of the model. It will take multiple coats to cover a darker base coat.\nTo figure out what your base coat\u2019s color is, determine what color will cover the highest percentage of your model\u2019s surface. This is the color of your base coat.\nSome models have instructions for which colors you should use, but you can always pick your colors out yourself. There are no right or wrong choices when it comes to picking colors. It\u2019s totally up to you!", "Overlap your brush strokes to ensure an even coat of color. When painting your model, overlap each brush stroke to avoid leaving gaps between them. If you try to place each brush stroke perfectly against one another, you\u2019ll naturally miss small areas in between the paint strokes. Overlap each stroke to ensure that your colors come out evenly.\nThis will also prevent smearing, since you\u2019ll be spreading the paint out before it has an opportunity to start drying. If you have to go in and add paint to spaces that you\u2019ve missed, you\u2019ll have to wait for the coat to dry entirely before you can add more color.", "Wait 24-72 hours in between coats to let them dry. After you finish your base coat, wait 24-72 hours to give the paint time to settle. Acrylic paint will dry closer to the 24-48 hour range, while enamel usually takes 48-72 hours to dry. The thickness of your coat will also impact the amount of time it takes for your paint to dry.\nIf you\u2019re trying to blend colors, feel free to continue painting while your paint is wet.", "Work your way down to the smaller layers after painting the base coat. Once you finish your base coat, add your next biggest layer of color. Work from larger layers to smaller layers to avoid having to work around smaller brushstrokes. Use a smaller brush to cover smaller layers, and continue to use as few brush strokes as possible. Overlap each application of color to ensure that the coat comes out evenly.\nFor example, if you\u2019re painting a model police officer, your base layer is probably the blue uniform. The next biggest section of color will be the skin tone, followed by the silver buckle and buttons and the black details on the uniform.", "Apply details with your thinner brushes by using short strokes. Once you\u2019ve added your key layers of paint, start adding your details. Use the thinnest brush that you have to carefully apply small lines, textures, or shadows. Use a short, flicking motion and only load the tip of your brush to avoid adding too much paint. Work slowly and be careful to avoid putting paint where it doesn\u2019t belong.\nFor some people, it\u2019s easier to keep their hand steady if they brace it on a table or small stack of books. Maintaining a steady hand is the best way to ensure that you don\u2019t miss a stroke.\nDon\u2019t be too hard on yourself. It can take a lot of practice to develop the skills required to paint small details. The more you practice though, the better you\u2019ll get at it.\nFor smaller miniatures, use a 0, 00, or 000 round brush. These brushes are smaller than 1\u204432\u00a0in (0.079\u00a0cm). For larger models, details may be painted with a 1 or 2 brush, which are only slightly larger than 1\u204432\u00a0in (0.079\u00a0cm).", "Thin your paint before applying textures or translucent colors. If you want to add dirt, blood, dust, or some other texture, thin your paint before applying it. Acrylic paint is thinned with water, while enamel requires a special modelling solvent. Start with a drop or two of thinner when mixing your paint. Continue to add thinner until you\u2019ve achieved the opacity and look that you desire.\nTest your mixed paint on a blank sheet of paper to see how it looks. If you don\u2019t like the texture, add paint or thinner to change the opacity as desired.\nUse droppers to mix small amounts if you\u2019re painting a smaller model. You usually don\u2019t need more than a drop or two to adequately thin out paint for a texture.", "Use a toothpick to carve grooves or add tiny details. For extremely intricate details, grab a toothpick with a sharp point. Use the toothpick to carefully remove small sections of paint and add details. You can also dip the tip of your toothpick into paint to apply small specks of color where you want them.\nIf you\u2019re trying to add shadows, use a cotton swab instead of a toothpick. This usually produces a shadowy effect without adding too much paint.", "Clean your brushes as soon as you\u2019re done painting. When you\u2019ve finished painting, fill a cup with 2\u20133\u00a0in (5.1\u20137.6\u00a0cm) of your cleaning solution. Use water to clean your acrylic brushes and use paint thinner or enamel cleaner for enamel brushes. Wipe your bristles against the side of the cup repeatedly to remove the majority of the paint. Once most of the paint is gone, rinse your enamel or acrylic brushes under a stream of warm water.\nNever push your bristles directly into the bottom of the cup. This can damage your brushes by fraying the bristles.\nAfter you\u2019ve dried your brushes, you can rub petroleum jelly on the bristles to preserve them.\nIf you don\u2019t clean your brushes, you\u2019re going to waste a lot of money replacing them." ], "captions": [ "A person holding a paintbrush at an angle, applying paint to a plastic model. The brush is loaded with a small amount of paint, and the person is using long strokes to cover a large area.", "Close-up of a person painting a plastic model with a brush. The brush is overlapping the previous stroke slightly, ensuring there are no gaps between the painted areas.", "A painted plastic model sitting on a table. A clock with an arrow pointing between 24 and 72 hours is next to the model.", "A partially painted plastic model. The base coat is complete, and the person is now applying a different color to a larger section of the model.", "A person carefully painting a small detail on a plastic model with a very thin brush. The person's other hand is braced on a stack of books for stability.", "A palette with two drops of paint and a small amount of water mixed together. A paintbrush rests in the palette.", "A person holding a toothpick and carefully scraping away a small section of paint on a plastic model to create a detail.", "A cup filled with cleaning solution and a paintbrush being rinsed under warm water." ] }, "10": { "title": "Make a Decorative Jar", "steps": [ "Take an empty glass jar.", "Paint or decorate it with stickers, twine, or washi tape.", "Use it as a vase, a pen holder, or a candle holder." ], "captions": [ "A clean, empty glass jar with paint, stickers, twine, and other decorative supplies beside it.", "A person painting the jar, wrapping twine around it, or applying stickers.", "The finished decorative jar being used as a vase, pen holder, or candle holder." ] } }