What is Fleece & Advantages of Fleece?
A fleece jacket is designed to function as a lightweight & breathable midlayer for outdoor activities. Read the article to explore the fleece meaning & look at the various advantages of fleece.A warm summer passes, and rains cease to make way for the mighty winter. With it, winter brings cold air, hot coffees, and winter festivities. The summer dresses and raincoats hibernate in the closets, and jackets and sweaters make their appearances. With life slowly getting back to normal, people cautiously making their way to foggy winter streets, you will need the choicest garments to make your winter debut.Moving forward from conventional winter wear, many new jackets and hoodies have made their way into the modern men’s and women’s wardrobes. Bidding farewell to wool and fur, there is a new trend in the market - fleece. The fleece meaning is recognized in popular culture as the ultimate hip cold weather apparel. Made popular by athletes, mountain climbers, and believe it or not - sheep, this revolutionary fabric is designed to bring new levels of warmth and comfort to your life. But what is fleece exactly?
Through this article, we will explore the fleece meaning, look at the core fleece definition, and look at the various advantages of fleece. Including fleece in your daily life is cool because it is bound to make you feel cozy and warm. With new and new options cropping up in the fleece selection every day, you are bound to find something that is essentially comfortable and uniquely ‘you’.
What is Fleece?
Fleece is a miraculous product, which is entirely human-made. Despite being called the name ‘fleece’ after the unmistakable fur coat on the sheep, the fleece definition dictates that the material is completely synthetically made and is derived from plastic materials rather than a warm and fluffy sheep’s coat. The main feature of this material is that it is extremely fuzzy to the touch. This ultra-soft, warm, and breathable magic material makes it perfect for winter outerwear and assists you in keeping all things chill and cozy.The easiest answer to what is fleece is that it is a synthetic material that looks and feels like a fur coat on sheep. It is extremely versatile, comes in a lot of color options, and can be paired with almost anything. With fleece jackets and inner layer options like fleece shirts, fleece pullovers, fleece hoodies, and fleece knitted sweaters, your winter will be colorful, stylish, and warm.
Advantages of Fleece
With the winter rapidly approaching, the advantages of fleece are huge. Due to the material’s warm and cozy texture, it is favored by people of all ages and genders to keep them safe and provide them a shelter from the storms. Despite being warm and furry, the material is extremely lightweight and easy to carry. According to fleece definition, this material is made with tight-knit polyester fibers, which ultimately prove to be lightweight but efficient even below zero degree celsius temperatures.
Wear Resistance
The fleece meaning is hidden in its usability. This material, made from the finest polyester fibers, is great for colder temperature. Due to its material, fleece jackets also prove to be effectively water-resistant. Not that you would want to wear your comfy jacket in the heavy rains, but it is very effective in sliding off the water caused by low temperatures, which keeps the cold from getting to you. This feature is extremely important if you love the mountains and are planning for a hike or two. Fleece jackets like this stretch fleece long sleeve full zip hoodie will make for a great outer or even inner layer in icy cold treks or winter campfire outings. It can take a little drizzle and will make sure that you are safe and comfortably dry and warm inside!
Dries Quickly
Due to its material origin, fleece tends to shed moisture easily. While materials like wool, cotton, and corduroy take a long time to dry, the fleece wins all the prizes. Its micro fibers made of polyesters shed the water out quickly and easily, and you can wear them almost every day. For the adventurous and the wild ones, fleece offers effective solutions in geographical landscapes with varying temperatures and weather. Comfy clothes made with fleece like this micro fleece set for men or a fleece for women that will keep you warm, fashionable, and dry. These outerwear options not only dry quickly but also can be paired easily with thousands of bottom wear options in your wardrobe.
Cost Effective
As the fleece meaning describes, fleece is a human-made synthetic material. Apart from being extremely stylish and ‘in’ right now, it is also very cost-effective. While wool and fur can cost a lot to purchase, maintain, and repair if needed, fleece is highly approachable and low maintenance. Fleece clothing items like this women’s knitted fleece high neck long sleeve tunic or men’s fluffy yarn fleece long sleeve pullover shirt will keep you warm and comfy without burning a hole in your pocket.
Increased Comfort
As we saw in the fleece definition, fleece is an extremely warm yet lightweight winter wear option. The knitting of this material is specialized in delivering heavy-duty warmth without feeling the weight of it. Unlike other winter wear materials like wool or fur, wearing a fleece jacket or inner layers like a shirt or pullover will not feel heavy or stuffy. The comfort of fleece lies in its breathable simplicity. Options like this women’s windproof fluffy yarn fleece full zip hoodie or men’s wool blend fleece jacket will provide you with ultimate protection as well as comfort without compromising on style or mobility.
Easy to Clean
Unlike the traditional winter jackets and sweaters, which need to be cleaned and dry cleaned and dusted and washed and softened and processed before every winter, fleece is a material that is extremely easy to clean and use. Its lightweight and microfibers make the task of cleaning it much easier than any other materials. Due to its quick-drying and water-resisting qualities, fleece is as good as a pick and wear option in winter wears. Low maintenance wear like this men’s fleece long sleeve full zip jacket or women’s smooth yarn fleece collarless jacket can make your life easy and stylish at the same time.
Sportswear: Between Fashion, Innovation and Sustainability
The general editors of Fashion Practice, Sandy Black and Marilyn Delong, would like to extend their sincere thanks to the guest co-editors of this special issue focused on a range of historical, social, technical and design perspectives in sportswear and functional textiles: Mette Bielefeldt Bruun, head of the Næstved Museum, Museum Southeast Denmark is an art historian specializing in design, and Michael A. Langkjær, of the Saxo Institute, University of Copenhagen is a historian specialized in fashion and costume history.
Sport is an important part of many people’s lives—as both recreation and entertainment. It is also a sizeable industry with political and economic ramifications in today’s world. Within the last half-century or so, sportswear has become a driving force for new trends in fashion and for textile innovation. This special issue of Fashion Practice was inspired by the “Spandex to Sportstech—Fashion and Innovation in Sportswear” conference, organized in 2011 by guest editor Mette Bielefeldt Bruun at the Danish National Research Foundation’s Centre for Textile Research at the University of Copenhagen.
The stated purpose of Fashion Practice is to provide a site for multidisciplinary treatments of the practices of fashion. “Spandex to Sportstech” was designed as a cross-disciplinary forum for renewed consideration of functional, social, aesthetic and environmental issues connected with sportswear, and some of the papers presented here are rooted in original conference contributions. This journal issue is truly cross-disciplinary, beginning with fashion history, represented by Michael A. Langkjær with “Urban Fitness, Gendered Practices, and Fine Art: The Significance of Antonio Lopez’s Sporty Styling of Fashion” and moving on to the sportswear industry itself with its brands and markets, represented by Kristine Holm-Jensen with “Specialized in Sportswear: Transformations of the Generic Knitwear Industry in Post-War Denmark.” Several articles then consider fiber and textile technologies and their design applications. Jane McCann leads this group with her “Sportswear Design for the Active Ageing.” McCann is followed by Deborah A. Christel and Nicole H. O’Donnell with “Assessment of Women’s Plus-Size Swimwear for Industry Applications.” Alicia Potuck, Sarah Meyers, Ariana Levitt, Erik Beaudette, Hong Xiao, C. C. Chu, and Huiju Park complete the group with their “Development of Thermochromic Pigment Based Sportswear for Detection of Physical Exhaustion.” In “What’s the Problem? Odor-control and the Smell of Sweat in Sportswear,” Ingun Grimstad Klepp, Madeline Buck, Kirsi Laitala and Marit Kjeldsberg look at how fiber technologies connect with our social values associated with body odor and its suppression; in doing so, Klepp et al. also mention the issue of sustainability. A forthright appraisal of the problem of sustainability within the sportswear industry is given by an industry representative to Lena Erdnüß in “A Perspective on Sustainability Initiatives of a Swedish Outdoor Brand: An Interview with Lennart Ekberg from Haglöfs.” Finally, Lauren Downing Peters has contributed a review of the Museum of the City of New York’s 2013 exhibition: “Stephen Burrows: When Fashion Danced.”
Difference between Sweatshirt and Hoodie
What is the difference between sweatshirt and hoodie? Both are sportswear garments to keep you warm in the cold weather. Read to know the exact difference between a sweatshirt and a hoodie.
There is nothing superior to a classic sweatshirt or a hoodie when it comes to fashion to beat the winter chills. Just like denim jeans and t-shirt, a sweatshirt or a hoodie makes up an essential part of any individual’s wardrobe, specifically the teenagers who want to keep it stylish yet cozy. Both sweatshirts and hoodies are trending these days and are a style statement with a range of patterns.
Sweatshirt and hoodies are sportswear garments to keep you warm in the cold weather. They have quite a similar look at a glance and often are made with similar fabrics; however, there is a difference between sweatshirt and hoodie. Very obvious is that a hoodie has its hood while a sweatshirt is without a hood. The sporty garment is worn by all ages and genders. Several brands, including UNIQLO, offer a diverse collection of both sweatshirts and hoodies with comfortable material, sizes, and various colours. Durable and versatile, a wide variety will let you feel the warmth in winter with a stride.
The Best Men's Tracksuits Are the Next Great Frontier in WFH Style
There’s something about the best men's tracksuits, comfortable as they may be, that just feels more purposeful than a sweatsuit. The fabric is denser and more structured, and there’s a jacket involved—one that you have to go to the trouble of putting on and zipping up, rather than just slipping over your head like a hoodie. And then there are all the baked-in associations. Tracksuits are uniforms for people who get shit done efficiently and ruthlessly: elite athletes, UK grime rappers, mall-walking senior citizens determined to stay in shape, tough guys stretching from the Russian section of Brighton Beach all the way to actual Russia. Oh, yeah, and they also look really, really dope—leisurely and relaxed, but still plenty smart and distinctive.
Tracksuits are so essential right now that literally every brand on the planet makes their own swishy, striking take. That might sound like a good thing, only the actual number of available options is so vast that it’s honestly sort of anxiety-inducing—and lord knows you don’t need any more of that at the moment. So we did you a solid and surveyed hundreds of versions, from the tiniest underground streetwear labels to the oldest luxury fashion houses to the biggest athletic conglomerates, and narrowed it down to these: the 21 best men's tracksuits in 2021. Pick the one that’s right for you, get into it pronto, and give your tried-and-true sweats a well-earned break.

Types of Shovels: Comprehensive Guide
While buying tools for your toolkit, garage, or workshop, you can find yourself across a wide range of hand tools. As you would expect, these tools are made for all kinds of usage depending on the buyers. Although, a few hand tools are highly universal that can be used for a wide range of applications making them a must-have for any toolkit.
One such hand tool that you will find in almost any garage is a shovel. Whether you are working around your home or at a job site, there are a lot of cases where you might need a shovel. Although, even while buying a shovel, you can find a lot of different types, which can be quite confusing for a lot of buyers. In that case, make sure to check all the different types of shovels stated down below to easily pick the best one for you:
Now that you know that shovels are highly versatile in general, this means that they get used for a wide range of applications. And while you can use any normal shovel for multiple things, you will not get the best results. Instead, you should go through the following different types of shovels and pick the one made for your specific use case for the best results:
1. Digging Shovel
Whenever you are talking about shovels in general, a digging shovel is most likely what comes to your mind. As per the name, such a shovel is used for digging up soil for gardening and other applications. To offer high functionality, these shovels have a decently sharp blade for easily cutting through soil and other things present in the ground. You will also find a high grip collar handle with most digging shovels for easily moving hardened soil if needed. But even if you are going with a digging shovel, you will the following three types of blade options to choose from:
A) Square Digging Shovel
SQUARE DIGGER
As per the name, a square digging shovel has a flat and straight blade end which makes it useful for edging and making trenches. You can also use a square digging shovel to move shrubs and bushes if needed. Since the blade is completely straight and rigid, it can be a great option for digging up hardened soil.
B) Pointed Digging Shovel
Round Point Shovel
With a pointed digging shovel, you can work in tight spaces as well as in a part of soil that has a lot of roots and rocks. Because the blade is curved at the front, you can also scoop up loose soil with ease in comparison to a square digging shovel.
C) Round Digging Shovel
ROUND DIGGER shovel
A round digging shovel has a completely dome-shaped blade at the end, which is generally used for gardening. If you want to move small plants, shrubs, and flowers, then this can be a great option as the round blade does not cut the roots. Similar to a pointed digging shovel, a round digging shovel is also ideal for loose soil and not hardened soil.
. Edging Shovel
Edging Shovel
As per the name, an edging shovel is made for highly specific usage. To be exact, you will have to use an edging shovel when you wish to create edges in the soil. This is generally ideal for gardens where you might want to distribute the solid of your garden into different parts for different plants and flowers. In comparison to most other shovels, an edging shovel has a very unique-looking blade which is similar to a half-moon. Since this type of shovel uses a very thin blade, you can easily use them alongside fences, sidewalks, garden borders, driveways, and other places where you have to create a precise edge.
3. Trench Shovel
Trench Shovel
You can also go with a trench shovel if you are looking for highly specialized shovels to be used in your garden or backyard. Just per the name, a trench shovel is used for making trenches in any given area. To make sure that your trenches are deep and straight at all times, a trench shovel uses a long and narrow blade. This blade has a sharp pointed end along with a concave design resulting in almost a triangle-shaped blade. The angled design of a trench shovel allows it to quickly move a lot of soil for quickly, making trenches wherever you need.
How To Use A Round Head Shovel In The Garden
Gardeners know that the right tool, used in the right way, can ensure success on every task. We treasure our tools like a chef treasures his/her knives. Round point shovel uses extend past digging to scooping and are useful in transplanting, trenching, moving compost or mulch and many more applications. Taking care of the tool will extend its life when its edges are kept sharp and the shovel clean and dry. Rounded shovels usually have a beveled edge to help penetrate tough soil situations. They may also have a point to push into soil. The edges are curved to facilitate scooping. Handles are the height at which most people stand and can be ergonomically angled. Grips are often cushioned to prevent blisters. These specialized tools are widely available at any big box store or garden center. It is important to choose one which will last. Wooden handled tools often break on big jobs. The attachment of the scoop to the handle should be welded securely. Since it is one of the most popular tools, using round point shovels for many tasks makes it a work horse of the garden. Good construction and sturdy fabrication will make these tasks a little lighter. What is a Round Point Shovel Used For? Rounded shovels are a bit like a Ginsu knife. They may not slice, dice and julienne, but they can cut, dig, scoop, lift and chop through hard soil. These are invaluable tools for any gardener. Taking care of the tool is essential to its long life. Always rinse the shovel and allow it to air dry before putting it away. This prevents rust that will destroy the metal over time. Every spring, bring out the shovel and use a whetstone or hand held file to sharpen the edge. That will make breaking through tough soil much easier. Keep handles dry if they’re wooden, and occasionally sand them to remove any splinters. Rub with linseed oil to protect the wood.
Choosing Shovels For Gardens: What Shovel Do You Need For Gardening
The sheer variety of shovels available in gardening and hardware stores can be confusing. Fortunately, most garden shovels fall into a few common categories, each intended to be used for specific garden tasks. If you’ve ever wondered “what shovel do you need for gardening,” this article will help answer your question. Before learning about the common types of garden shovels, it is helpful to know the parts of a shovel. From top to bottom, you will find the grip, then the handle, which varies in length, with longer handles better suited to digging deep holes and shorter handles better suited to precise tasks. Next is the collar, where the blade is fastened to the handle. At the bottom is the blade, typically made of metal or, in some cases, plastic. The flat portion at the top of the blade is called the step. The step allows you to use your foot and body weight to push the shovel into the soil, which is much easier than using just your arms! The blade and tip, also called the point, come in different shapes depending on the type of shovel.
A brief history of the pick axe
Pre-history
Ancient Persian Susa pick axe The pickaxe is thought to be one of the oldest tools used by mankind. Its use can be traced back to prehistoric civilizations, and has been associated with everything from cultivation of land to mining and war over the centuries.
Ancient history
Ancient Elam city of Susa being taken by Assyrian soldiers The relief opposite shows Assyrian soldiers taking the ancient Elam city of Susa (2700-539BC) and depicts them using pickaxes and crowbars to destroy and loot the city.
Middle age warfare
Polish winged hussars horsemans pickaxe The horseman's pickaxe was often called a war hammer and was a weapon used through the Middle Ages across Europe by cavalry in war.
The main use of the horseman's pickaxe during battle was to tear cavalry from their mounts.
Another one of its uses was as a means to pierce thick armour or mail that a standard sword was unable to penetrate.
Middle age war hammer However, the horseman's pickaxe has several drawbacks as a weapon. Its heavy weight made it unwieldy and easily avoided by the enemy.
Injuries caused by the horseman's pickaxe were small and rarely fatal, and if swung with too much force, the weapon could become stuck in the victim or their armour, and be difficult to retrieve.
19th Century railroad construction
Railroad construction with the use of a pickaxe Railroad pickaxes are the most common type used today. They get their name from their use in constructing The Great American Railroad between 1850 and 1890, which connected the rest of America to the once wild west.
Mining
Pickaxe being used in a coal mine A mandrill, also referred to as a miner's pickaxe is used in traditional mining, or old-school mining, as it is a mining method involving the use of basic manual tools, like pickaxes.
This type of mining was employed throughout the world up to the early 1900s. It is still a mining method employed in some countries today, such as Colombia, Peru and parts of Africa.
Tips For Using a Machete
Cutting and trimming with hedge shears will help keep exuberant growth under control, but sometimes you need a tool with more heft and more bite — a machete. Backyard swashbucklers, take up your blades: with a machete (sometimes called a cutlass), you're not just taming the blackberries, you're wielding a tool with traditions.
A machete is a powerful tool for clearing brush. In the tropics, machetes are ubiquitous, all-purpose tools: they have been used to carve trails through tropical forests, to slash out clearings for crops, to crack open coconuts and slice papayas, and, of course, as imposing weapons. Use your machete to keep the peace with weeds and brush in your garden, or to serve watermelon with a flourish. Use it with care and respect: it is a razor-sharp tool.
When you use it:
Dress for the job, in sturdy shoes, long pants, and work gloves.
Cut in front of yourself.
Take big swings, leading with your elbow, so the blade meets the stems and stalks at an angle and slices through them. Never reach out to one side or the other to make quick clean-up cuts in such a way that the blade is moving toward your legs.
Keep your free hand well out of the way. Never grab a fistful of brush with one hand and swing the machete with the other; some users recommend holding a stout forked stick in your free hand for this purpose.

What is a Ferrous Metal?
There are many different categories into which metals can be placed. Some metals may be ductile, some may be brittle. Other metals could be magnetic, and some have no magnetism at all. Some types of alloys can be precipitation hardened, and others cannot. The aforementioned are important distinctions; however, when categorizing metals, one of the most important differences worth noting is whether the metal in question is ferrous or non-ferrous.
What is a Ferrous Metal?
A metal with the descriptor “ferrous” means that it has iron in its composition. When the term ferrous metal is used, it also usually implies that iron is a large percentage of the elemental composition. If it’s not the most abundant element, it would probably be the second or third most prolific. If a metal only contains trace amounts of iron, as many metals do, then that small amount is not considered enough to declare the metal ferrous.
What are the Common Properties of Ferrous Metals?
It is difficult to assign common properties to ferrous metals, since they can have a wide variety of alloying elements that greatly change their characteristics. For instance, many ferrous metals are magnetic; however, it is not true for all ferrous metals. Austenitic stainless steel, while considered a ferrous metal, is not magnetic because the large amount of nickel allows it to have a crystal structure that is predominantly austenite at room temperature. Austenite is not magnetic, although it does contain iron. Some ferrous metals, such as cast iron, are extremely strong and brittle. However, low carbon steel, another type of ferrous metal, can be quite soft and ductile because it does not contain as high of an amount of carbon as cast iron.
While it is difficult to place the properties of all ferrous materials under one umbrella, there are some generalizations that can be made with some accuracy. Ferrous metals often have relatively high amounts of strength, especially when compared with copper, tin, and lead alloys. Ferrous metals are also generally hard, and if they’re not alloyed with many other elements or coated, can be subject to rust. Most ferrous materials, with the exception of austenitic stainless steel and some other grades, are magnetic.
Examples of Ferrous Metals
As was mentioned earlier in the article, there are many different types of ferrous metals.
The following are some examples of ferrous metals:

• Carbon Steel
  
  
• Stainless Steel
  
  
• Cast Iron
  
  
• Alloy Steel
  

Diesel Engine Basics
A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses compression ignition to ignite the fuel as it is injected into the engine.
DIESEL ENGINES VS. GASOLINE ENGINES
It is helpful to an understanding of how diesel engines work to compare the differences between a diesel engine and a gasoline engine. The main differences between a gasoline engine and a diesel engine are:

• A gasoline engine takes a mixture of gas and air, compresses it, and ignites the mixture with a spark. A diesel engine takes air, compresses it, and then injects fuel into the compressed air. The heat of the compressed air ignites the fuel spontaneously. A diesel engine does not contain a spark plug.
  
  
• A gasoline engine compresses at a ratio of 8:1 to 12:1, while a diesel engine compresses at a ratio of 14:1 to as high as 25:1. The higher compression ratio of the diesel engine leads to better efficiency.
  
  
• Gasoline engines generally use either carburetion, in which the air and fuel are mixed long before the air enters the cylinder, or port fuel injection, in which the fuel is injected just prior to the intake stroke (outside the cylinder). In a gasoline engine, therefore, all of the fuel is loaded into the cylinder during the intake stroke and then compressed. The compression of the fuel/air mixture limits the compression ratio of the engine - if it compresses the air too much, the fuel/air mixture spontaneously ignites and causes knocking. Diesel engines use direct fuel injection i.e. diesel fuel is injected directly into the cylinder. A diesel engine compresses only air, so the compression ratio can be much higher. The higher the compression ratio, the more power generated.
  
  
• Diesel fuel injectors, unlike gasoline injectors, must be able to withstand the temperature and pressure inside the cylinder and still deliver the fuel in a fine mist. To ensure that the mist is evenly distributed throughout the cylinder, some diesel engines are equipped with special induction valves or pre-combustion chambers. Newer diesel engines are equipped with high-pressure common rail fuel systems. See Diesel Fuel System Basics for more information on this type of fuel system.
  
  
• Diesel engines may be equipped with a glow plug. When a diesel engine is cold, the compression process may not raise the air temperature high enough to ignite the fuel. The glow plug is an electrically heated wire that facilitates fuel ignition when the engine is cold. Glow plugs are typically found on small diesel engines. Gasoline engines do not require glow plugs as they do not rely on spontaneous combustion.
  

Using disposable gloves: Overview
Disposable gloves are gloves that you use one time and then throw away. They can protect your health and the health of the person you're caring for. They help keep germs and infection from spreading to you and to the other person.
Use gloves whenever you might touch your loved one's body fluids, such as saliva, blood, urine, or stool. Use a new pair of gloves when you touch areas near a cut (incision) made by a doctor. And some people use gloves when bathing a loved one. Gloves can also be used when you put medicines on the skin and when you give shots.
Gloves do not protect you from poking your skin with sharp objects. So if you are handling sharp objects, such as needles, be sure that the object doesn't poke a hole in the glove. Handle these types of objects carefully.
Gloves can help prevent infection from body fluids. But if there are times when you choose not to use gloves or don't have any, keep your hands as clean as possible. After coming into contact with body fluids, wash your hands as soon as you can. And keep hand sanitizer available.
What are the types of disposable gloves?
Disposable gloves may be sterile or non-sterile. Your care team can tell you if you need to use sterile gloves, and they will give you special instructions about where to get them and how to use them. Most people do not need sterile gloves. Sterile gloves will be individually wrapped. Non-sterile disposable gloves are usually pulled out of a box or container.
Disposable gloves may be made from latex (rubber) or vinyl. If you or the person you're caring for is allergic to latex, be sure to use vinyl or non-latex gloves.
How do you put on and take off disposable gloves?
Be sure the gloves are the right size. They should fit close but should not be too tight. If the gloves are too big, they can slip or make it harder to grip things. If they're too small, they won't feel comfortable and they can tear.
Wash your hands well with soap, and rinse them with clean, running water. Then dry them well.
Hold the glove in one hand, and put your other hand into the glove.
Repeat with your other hand.
When you are ready to remove your gloves, remember that the outside of the gloves may be soiled. Be sure to take them off so that the soiled material stays away from your hands. Grab the cuff of the glove and pull it down so that the glove comes off of your hand inside out. Throw away the gloves in a plastic bag, and wash your hands.
Benefits of disposable gloves in healthcare
They offer chemical resistance
You'd be surprised to find that your natural rubber latex is originally sourced from the sap of a rubber tree. Latex is what offers your gloves the chemical resistance that you need from acids and other dangerous chemicals. This ensures that you're protected if you work in a lab that houses various chemical components. But if you're worried about a latex allergy, there are other alternatives, such as vinyl gloves, that you should consider using.
It's resistant to punctures
When you're in healthcare, you use a lot of needles to prick and probe your patients. Therefore, ensuring that you're not exposed to their blood when you're trying to get blood samples of any kind is essential. The great thing about choosing disposable gloves is that they won't be easily punctured should you make any mistakes while trying to draw blood from your patient. This should help you to avoid any cross-contamination. In addition, it should ensure that you don't expose yourself or your patients to unknown issues should your blood accidentally mix.
They're durable
If your job requires you to do different tasks throughout the day, you want adequate protection for your hands that won't break easily. Disposable gloves are the durable protection that you need to last you throughout the day. They're made from rubber tree sap. Since they're naturally sourced, they're made from natural and robust material. You should rest-assure that they won't snap when you least expect them to.
Comfort
Latex offers you flexibility and comfort. You don't have to worry about your hands being cramped after using these gloves for hours.
In summary, these gloves offer you a wide range of protection from free radicals when you work in an environment at high risk. In the healthcare industry, it's not only your health and safety that's a significant concern. The last thing you want to do is infect your patients with any potentially life-threatening diseases due to negligence. An almost sure way to ensure that this doesn't happen is by covering your hands with protective and durable gear such as your disposable latex gloves.
Nitrile vs Vinyl Gloves - A Detailed Comparison
What are the differences between nitrile vs vinyl gloves? Which is better for what purposes?
While nitrile gloves are generally more expensive than vinyl gloves, they offer a number of advantages over vinyl. When choosing disposable gloves, the main issue to consider is which ones are appropriate for the task at hand.
The purpose of this guide is not to give you a definitive answer on which type of glove is better. Rather, it will provide information about nitrile and vinyl gloves that allow you to make your own decision based on your needs.
What are Nitrile Gloves?
Nitrile is a synthetic rubber that offers flexibility, long-life durability, and chemical resistance. Nitrile is a synthetic elastomer designed to be moisture resistant. Disposable nitrile gloves are flexible and durable making them ideal for industrial tasks, the food industry, and health care applications. They are also great for most medical environments.
What are Nitrile Gloves Made From?
Nitrile gloves are made from synthetic rubber called acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber. This material provides users with heightened tactile sensitivity, allowing you to pick up small items such as screws and needles more accurately. They are also more puncture resistant.
The disposable glove materials were first developed to solve the common problems of allergic reactions to natural rubber latex gloves and low protection against solvents. They are the most popular glove materials used in many industries and the ideal alternative to disposable latex gloves.
What are Nitrile Gloves Used For?
Nitrile gloves are used for a variety of industrial, domestic, and healthcare purposes. Nitrile gloves are the popular choice for health care workers, dentistry, beauty shop owners, healthcare providers, laboratory work, food handling, chemical handling, and general industrial tasks.
Nitrile protective gloves can also be found in the automotive industry and janitorial industry. Nitrile was found to be more durable than vinyl when performing gripping tasks with power tools and picking up tools like wrenches and screwdrivers.
What are the Advantages of Nitrile Gloves?
Because nitrile is naturally resistant to oils, it can offer extra protection for people working with oily substances such as motor oils, adhesives like epoxies, and other petroleum based chemicals or lubricants.
Nitrile gloves offer many advantages over vinyl gloves that include:

• High chemical resistance
  
  
• Highly resistant to oils, fats, and petroleum-based products
  
  
• Superior puncture resistance
  
  
• High level of touch sensitivity
  
  
• Mimics the fit and feel of latex gloves
  
  
• Best for high-risk situations around infectious materials
  
  
• Great fit molding to hand
  
  
• Long lasting durability and flexible
  
  
• Lightweight and breathable material, easy to use
  
  
• Available in powdered and powder-free
  
  
• Can be worn for longer periods of time
  
  
• Latex-free, protein-free, and allergy-free
  
  
• Long shelf life
  

What are slip-on flanges, and When do we use slip-on flange?
Slip-on flanges are available at a lower cost and hence preferred by several contractors. The product holds ample of strength and works even under fatigue conditions as that of the weld-neck flange. The slip-on flange can work well after attaching to the end of a pipe or pipe fitting. The product is fit in easily, or the end of the pipe is set back easily by the thickness of the pipe wall plus 1/8 of an inch. It allows easy installation without putting effort and damaging to the flange face. The outer side of the flange is welded with a fillet weld.
Features of Slip-on flanges
These are flanges available at less cost. They have a low hub as pipe slips into the flange before performing welding. These slip-on flanges are easy to align welded, both internally and externally.
Types of Slip-on flanges
There are various types of Slip-on flanges, including the Slip-On Reducing Flange, raised face slip-on flange, and RTJ slip-on flange. The flange is applicable for reducing the line size and limitation of the space limitations. These flanges work along with the weld neck flange and reducer combination. They are useful when the flow is directed from the smaller size to the larger size. Slip-On flanges are welded internally and externally. The welding offers them the ability to prevent leakage and sufficient strength.
Uses of Slip-on flanges
Slip-on flanges are primarily applicable for fluids working at low pressure. Also, these flanges work well with little chance of leakage. These flanges work well in cooling water lines, firefighting water lines, and low-pressure compressed airlines. Along with this, slip-on flanges are suitable in process lines to maintain the stream of steam, oil, gas, condensates, etc. These flanges are applicable for low pressure and higher temperature system.
Common Uses and Features of Blind Pipe Flanges
Blinds are flanges without a center bore (hole or opening) and are available in both Raised Face (RF) and Flat Face (FF) styles. While most flange types create a connection point that allows the flow of liquid, gas, or air, blind flanges are used to seal the end of a piping system and prevent flow. Blind flanges may be used when testing pipe pressure, to create an access point in a piping system, to temporarily seal a piping system while modifying or repairing the line, or to create a long-term seal to terminate a piping system.
A blind flange is bolted, rather than welded in place. This allows easier access as needed for pipe system upkeep, inspection, or to allow for future expansion. Pairing with a gasket creates a tight seal: The gasket fills the space between the flange faces, which prevents liquid or gas leaks.
How to Choose the Right Blind Flange
Blind pipe flanges may be produced to match bolt hole measurements for slip-on or weld neck flanges, or if needed, can be custom machined to any other specifications. Either way, when purchasing flanges, choose the appropriate flange features, material, dimensions, and class to meet your application needs.
Find the Best Blind Flange Material for the Job
When choosing blind flanges, you must consider the best flange material and dimensions in relation to the piping standards and requirements of your intended application. Generally, your flange material should match the connecting pipe material. The most common blind flange materials are steel and stainless steel.
Steel is preferred for strength. API International stocks blind flanges in both forged and plate steel.
Stainless steel flanges are also available in forged or plate varieties in 304L and 316L. Stainless steel flanges are often preferred for corrosion resistance.
In many cases, import material is acceptable to save on cost – in these cases, the flanges will still meet all the standards for pressure applications. In instances where domestic flanges are specified, API International manufactures flanges meeting “Buy American” or meeting American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) requirements.
Plate flange vs slip-on flange
A plate flange is a flat, circular disc welded to a pipe’s end enabling the flange to be bolted to another pipe. It is often referred to as flat flange, plain flange and flange slip, etc. Two plate flanges can be bolted together with a gasket in between them, usually used in fuel and water pipelines.
The length of the pipes is not always known while constructing a pipeline. The plates may also be welded with a slight bias to the shaft, allowing two pipes that might not be perfectly matched up to be joined.
Plate flanges have a serrated finish on the inner mating surface allowing the plate to fit within the material of the gasket. In any given dimension, plate flange designs are standardized regardless of the materials used to manufacture them. This ensures it exactly fit a 6-inch (15 cm) black pipe flange to a 6-inch stainless steel flange. This guarantees a perfect seal between the two connecting pipes.
Slip-On flanges also known as SO flanges, or reducers, long-tangent elbows, and swags are built to slip over the outside of the pipe. The flange has low vibration and shock resistance. Aligning a slip-on flange is simpler than any other flange. The slip-on flange is suitable for applications with low pressure as the strength is around one third that of a weld neck flange when under internal pressure. The Slip-on flange features an elevated profile.
Slip flanges or SO flanges are typically lower in cost hence making a common choice for the customers. A fillet weld is often welded to the back or exterior of the slip-on flange or SO flange. Because of their lower initial cost, they are favored over other flanges by many consumers, but the final installation cost is possibly not much less than that of the other flanges due to the additional welding involved.
Threaded Flanges
Threaded flanges are widely demanded as pipe flanges used in different industrial applications. They are the special type of pipe flanges which can be attached to the pipe without welding. Threaded flanges are threaded in the bore which match an external thread on the pipe.
These threads are tapered in order to create a seal between the threaded flange and the pipe as the tapers approach the same diameter. Sometimes a seal weld is also used together with the threaded connection. They are available in various sizes and materials.
Uses of threaded flanges:
Threaded flanges can be fitted to pipes of various sizes without welding and this is one chief benefit for which these flanges are highly demanded.
They can be used in extremely high pressure applications, particularly at or near atmospheric temperature, where the necessary post weld heat treatment is not possible.
They are ideal for small diameter piping applications.
They are economical and time saving devices.
These threaded flanges are normally designed for non-cyclic applications.
The flanges are suitable to be used in applications where welding is hazardous.
They can be used in highly explosive areas.
Lap Joint Flanges
Lap Joint flanges are used on piping fitted with with lapped pipe or with lap joint stub ends. The lap joint flange with the stub end assembly are normally used in systems requiring frequent dismantling for inspection and cleaning and where the ability to swivel flanges and to align bolt holes materially eases the erection of large diameter or unusually stiff piping. These flanges are also used in applications where there is a need to facilitate bolt alignment.
These type of flanges are similar to slip-on flanges. The only difference is that it has a curved radius at the bore and face to accommodate a lap joint stub end. They may be used at all pressures and are available in a full size range. These lap joint flanges slip over the pipe, and are not welded. They are otherwise fastened to it. Here the bolting pressure is transferred to the gasket by the pressure of the flange against the back of the pipe lap.
Advantages of Lap Joint Flanges:
Lap Joint FlangesLap Joint flanges have certain special advantages over other flanges. These are as follows:
Lap Joint flanges have the freedom to swivel around the pipe. This facilitates the lining up of opposing flange bolt holes.
Lack of contact with the fluid inside the pipe leads to the greater durability of these flanges.
In piping systems which corrode or erode quickly, the lap joint flanges may be salvaged for re-use.
The pressure-holding capacity of lap joint flanges is little. But it is better than that of slip-on flanges.
The Lap Joint works as a backing ring on the stub.
The main advantage of lap joint flange is that the bolt holes can be aligned with the matching flange after the welds have been completed.
They allow rotational alignment capability.

How False Eyelashes Have Become a Must-Have, Everyday Accessory And a Booming Market
Celebrities sporting lush eyelashes have always been in vogue, but now false eyelashes have gone from special-occasion adornment to a must-have, everyday accessory.
With demand soaring, the market for false eyelashes is booming and is projected to reach more than $1.5 billion in the next five years in product alone.
Salon owners and makeup artists spoke to ABC News' "Nightline" about their growing industry as well as the different kinds of false eyelashes in the market and gave a demo of the process.
Tirzah Shirai started Blink Bar, an eyelash-extension specialized salon in Los Angeles, to cash in on the booming market.
"I just couldn't find anyone in L.A. that was doing eyelash extensions that looked really natural and didn't damage the lashes and would look good on camera," she told "Nightline." "I really saw a need."
With a seemingly endless list of options -- from "Coquette" and "Temptress" to "Vixen" -- Shirai said her salon stocked more than 300 types of different eyelashes.
"One big thing is customization," she said. "We really take a different approach to really bring out and enhance the natural beauty that every woman possesses."
When a customer is getting an eyelash extension done, the style is chosen first, followed by the material, Shirai said.
Synthetic lashes are considered to be for beginners. Hollow, feather lashes are known for being light and weightless. Matte lashes, Shirai said, are also popular.
"We have a lot of models who come in, who shoot all over the world, and they'll use the matte lash because the photo shoot that they're doing that day may not call for any makeup at all. And so, the matte really looks like it's your own natural lashes," she said.
The entire process takes about two hours and costs between $120 and $350.
Instead of relying on traditional advertising, Shirai uses social-media influencers to promote the brand.
"It is so worth it because when I want to go outside and not wear any makeup, boom, my lashes are there. So it's like my number-one accessory right off the bat," said Alexis Joy, a social-media influencer for Blink Bar.
"The first time that I got lashes was life-changing for me," she said, as she got the "Cat Eye" lashes at the salon.
"We live in a social-media-driven environment these days. I think everybody wants to look good for those selfies," said Sephora makeup artist Jeffery English. "I think that they're not necessarily a trend, [but] maybe the new standard."
English showed "Nightline" his so-called "Wall O' Lashes," an array of temporary eyelash options as he gave a step-by-step demonstration.
What is the Difference Between Strip Lashes, Cluster Lashes, and Lash Extensions?
Strip Lashes
Strip lashes are a pre-made band of lashes that are applied with a removable adhesive.
lash extensions
These are worn for a special occasion or during the day but are not to be slept in. Strip lashes are meant to be an enhancement that can get applied every day, but also must be removed every day.
They can range in volume and length depending on the desired look and material they are made with.
lash extensions Cluster Lashes
Cluster lashes are little sections of a strip lash or a group of lashes that are glued together in a cluster with a thick base.
These can give you more of a natural look compared to strip lashes but are still very heavy to the eyes. These also should not be worn for more than a day and should not be slept in.
Be cautious: some salons will advertise they do lash extensions but will glue cluster lashes to their clients using unsafe adhesives. At Skin Renew Day Spa, we have our clients’ health and best interest in mind. Only the best professional-grade lashes and adhesives are used by our lash technician.
Lash Extensions
Lash extensions are where a professional adheres one extension or a bouquet of extensions to one natural lash.
Lash Extension Sets
lash extensions
Our technician uses two sets of tweezers, one set will isolate one natural lash, and the other will grab an extension or a bouquet. Then at a precise angle, the extension will be dipped into the adhesive and applied to that one natural lash. At no point during this service will the client feel anything or be in pain. Lash extension sets are completely customizable and created at the moment.
The Power Of Well-Designed Eyelash Packaging Box
The role of wholesale custom eyelash packaging box in marketing is widely acknowledged, well supported, and commonly used as the core part of every cosmetics brand's marketing and packaging strategy. The Packaging Republic's dedicated team of packaging experts suggests that the tangible and symbolic role of eyelash boxes' design at the point of purchase makes it perhaps an essential element in the marketing mix. The importance of packaging boxes in branding and marketing has been supported by every brand belonging to every industry.
It has been noticed that an attractive package design can influence the consumers in three ways: increased shelf impact and visibility, enhanced product perceptions and brand impressions, and greater functionality and satisfaction after use.
Greater Product Visibility – First, greater visibility helps ensure that products enter the consumer's consideration set and drives impulse purchases. Elements that have been found to create greater visibility include graphics and color, as well as the design and shape of wholesale custom eyelash packaging box.
Enhanced Product Perceptions and Brand's Image – Second, preference begins with visual perceptions. Various packaging experts suggest that prospective consumers translate the appearance of a product such as the eyelashes encased in an eyelash packaging box into an “inference about a reality not expressed.” Visual perceptions of graphically enhanced package designs can elevate consumer perceptions of taste, quality, and product performance. Attractive and appealing wholesale eyelash boxes also increase the likelihood that consumers will buy the eyelashes. Visual perceptions of wholesale eyelash boxes' design also provide a link to the brand's heritage, impression, positioning, imagery, and core values.
Greater Functionality of Custom Eyelash Boxes – Third, the eyelash packaging box design provides functional benefits that can lead to an improved consumer experience, increased customer satisfaction, and stronger brand.
preference and loyalty. Many renowned packaging experts have interlinked consumer satisfaction with custom eyelash boxes at the point of purchase. They call it the first moment of truth. Customer satisfaction has been distinguished as the second moment of truth. It occurs when the consumers use the product.
The companies, brands, and sellers are suggested to concern themselves not only with the first moment of truth during product selection but also the second moment of truth during product usage while designing the custom eyelash boxes. At the first moment of truth, the design of customized packaging boxes must attract consumers' attention in a cluttered, competitive environment. At the second moment of truth, the packaging box must accommodate the use, handling, and actual consumption of the encased product after the purchase has been made. It is believed that the packaging box can lead to an improved user experience, increased consumer satisfaction, and stronger brand preference and loyalty. |Read more the general time.
Finding the Packaging Partner
Your customized eyelash boxes must be optimally designed to enhance consumer acceptance, elevate product perception, and uplift your brand image. This can only be achieved by choosing an experienced and dedicated packaging partner. The packaging industry is filled with packaging solutions providers making false claims. In order to uplift your brand image, you must choose the right packaging solutions provider having a flawless reputation in delivering impeccable packaging solutions on time. Remember, choosing the wrong packaging partner can lead to devastating results. Therefore, do your research thoroughly to get attractively designed eyelash boxes.
Lash Extensions 101: The Eyelash Adhesive
Move over falsies, the era of false lashes has ended and it's officially the decade of the lash extension! Lash extensions have garnered popularity over recent years as a convenient and long-lasting alternative to false lashes. Through professional application, women can enjoy the length, volume, and curl that false lashes afford without the everyday hassle of reapplying lash strips.
Lash extensions can last anywhere from 4-5 weeks without retouches, but the staying power of your lashes really depends on the type of lash adhesive that your technician uses. Continue reading to learn everything you need to know about lash adhesive so your next set is your best set yet.
What is Lash Extension Glue?
Eyelash extension glue is the key factor used to attach a lash extension to a person's natural eyelashes in the lash application process. While it may seem that any adhesive can be used to achieve this, using the incorrect type of glue could wreak havoc on your natural lashes. Low-quality adhesives can make your extensions uncomfortable, flaky, and can cause pain and discomfort.
Because lash extensions can be pricey and are a true investment into your beauty regimen, it's important that the adhesive your technician uses is of the highest quality so that you're left with the natural-looking lashes you've always dreamed of.
The main ingredient in all lash adhesives is cyanoacrylate, a fast-drying, glue-like chemical bonding agent. This compound is made from cyanide and acrylate, which both sound like things you definitely shouldn't put near your eye, but stay with me here. Cyanide is a carbon atom that is triple-bonded to a nitrogen atom.
On its own, cyanide can be extremely dangerous, but it is necessary as a thickening agent for adhesives. Once the adhesive is fully processed and manufactured, the cyanide is completely neutralized and isn't found in the final product at all. Acrylate is a conjugate base of acrylic acid. Acrylic acid is an organic acid that quickly hardens or thickens when exposed to air which aids in the fast-drying component of professional lash adhesives.
Adhesion Strength
Unlike traditional false lashes, lash extensions are intended to last anywhere from 4-8 weeks. Because of this, the lash adhesive used needs to be much stronger in order to keep your natural lashes attached to the extensions for long periods of time. This is where methyl methacrylate comes in handy. Methyl methacrylate is a monomer made of methyl (a single carbon atom) and acrylate, the organic acid found in cyanoacrylate that causes the adhesive to harden. When this compound is polymerized and used in conjunction with cyanoacrylate it acts as a reinforcer that strengthens the adhesive's bond.

Single Vision Stock / Grind
Single vision lenses are those that have the same focal power throughout the lens. They can be used to treat short-sightedness, far-sightedness or astigmatism.
The conventional stock lenses provide sharp view at the center of the lens, with some distortion in the peripheral areas. The lenses are fitted to the particular wearer and optimised for clear vision. Stock lenses are available in restricted power range only and are limited to frame sizes. While these lenses can be ideal for people that are short-sighted (minus powers), we recommend grind lenses for people that are long-sighted (especially high plus powers), that result in a thinner and lighter product.
Grind lenses are made with advanced optical design technology and are specially surfaced to the correct thickness for the dimensions of the frame. These lenses provide sharp view and minimal distortion in the peripheral areas. There are different lens technologies available to grind single vision lenses. Besides the standard grind lenses, CR Surfacing offers Digital and Digital Accuracy lens designs, that take single vision performance to the next level.
For general purpose, everyday wear, we recommend using Satin UV Anti-Reflecting Coating. Our Satin UV Anti-reflective coating is developed to improve vision by reducing glare, eliminate eyestrain by enhanced visual performance, protect your eye health by blocking UV rays, and enhance cosmetic appearance by cancelling out reflections on the lens surface. This coating also helps extend the life of the lenses. The Satin UV coating consists of layers specially formulated to create a scratch-resistant, water and dust repellent coat, making the lenses last longer. An ideal solution for everyday use, no matter the environment.
If you spend a lot of time on computers or digital devices, to give your eyes as much comfort as possible, we recommend to pair these lenses with Satin Blue coating. CR Surfacing’s special anti-reflective Satin Blue coating filters out harmful blue light coming from digital surfaces, as well as natural and artificial lights. Approximately one third of all visible light is blue light, a high-energy light that has a number of biological effects, including on the eye. Blue light penetrates all the way to the retina and can damage the light-sensitive cells and can increase the risk of age-related macular degeneration. Although not all blue light is bad, as it helps boost alertness, memory and cognitive function, the harmful wavelengths can be filtered out with Satin Blue coating, providing maximum comfort, enhanced visual performance and protection for your eyes.
Progressive lenses and the advantages of having them
Progressive lenses are no-line multifocal eyeglass lenses that look exactly the same as single vision lenses. In other words, progressive lenses will help you see clearly at all distances without those annoying (and age-defining) "bifocal lines" that are visible bifocals and trifocals.
Progressive lenses are line-free multifocals that have a seamless progression of added magnifying power for intermediate and near vision.
The power of progressive lenses changes gradually from point to point on the lens surface, providing the correct lens power for seeing objects clearly at virtually any distance.
Bifocals, on the other hand, have only two lens powers — one for seeing distant objects clearly and a second power in the lower half of the lens for seeing clearly at a specified reading distance. The junction between these distinctly different power zones is defined by a visible "bifocal line" that cuts across the center of the lens.
Progressive lenses sometimes are called "no-line bifocals" because they don't have this visible bifocal line. They have a significantly more advanced multifocal design than bifocals or trifocals.
Most people start needing multifocal eyeglasses sometime after age 40. This is when a normal aging change in the eye called presbyopia reduces our ability to see close objects clearly.
Progressive lenses also are the lens of choice for anyone who needs corrective lenses to see distant objects clearly (due to nearsightedness, farsightedness and/or astigmatism) and for those who are presbyopic.
For anyone with presbyopia, progressive lenses have significant visual and cosmetic benefits compared with traditional bifocals and trifocals.
As already mentioned, bifocals have just two powers — one (in the top half of the lens) for distance vision, and a second (in the lower half of the lens) for near vision.
Trifocals go one step further — they have a third power for seeing objects clearly at arm's length. This "intermediate" power of a trifocal lens is located in a thin horizontal zone between the distance and near power zones.
Progressive lenses, on the other hand, have many more lens powers than bifocals or trifocals, and there's a gradual change in power from point to point across the surface of the lens.
The multifocal design of progressive lenses offers these benefits:

• It provides clear vision at all distances (rather than at just two or three distinct viewing distances).
  
  
• It eliminates "image jump" caused by bifocals and trifocals. This is where objects abruptly change in clarity and apparent position when your eyes move across the visible lines in these lenses.
  
  
• Because there are no visible "bifocal lines" in progressive lenses, they give you a more youthful appearance than bifocals or trifocals. (This may be the reason why today more people wear progressive lenses than the bifocal and trifocals combined.)
  

Simple Science: The Difference Between Soap and Detergent
American consumers often use the words “soap” and “detergent” interchangeably, but in reality there are significant differences between these two types of cleaners.
A Brief History
The earliest evidence of soap can be traced back to 2800 B.C., where historians believe it was used by the ancient Babylonians. Soap making is mentioned in ancient Roman documents written as early as 70 A.D.
Fast forward to Medieval Europe where soap making is an established craft with centers in France, Spain and Italy. During that time the use of soap was a luxury enjoyed mainly by those who could afford it. Manufactured bar soaps weren’t available until the late 18th century in Europe and the U.S. Widespread use of soap during this period can be attributed to advertising campaigns touting the relationship between good personal hygiene and health.
Detergents entered the picture about 1916 when World War 1 soap ingredient shortages encouraged manufacturers to develop synthetic cleaners to meet demand. By the 1950s detergents had overtaken traditional soap products in homes across America. Today, detergents are used for laundering, dishwashing and many other types of cleaning.
The Chemistry
Soaps are made from natural ingredients, such as plant oils (coconut, vegetable, palm, pine) or acids derived from animal fat. Detergents, on the other hand, are synthetic, man-made derivatives. While soap is limited in its applications, detergents can be formulated to include other ingredients for all sorts of cleaning purposes. Perhaps the most common and versatile of these ingredients are surfactants … surface active agents.
About Surfactants
Surfactants aid in cleaning because they reduce surface tension and improve water's ability to spread evenly over it. This creates a more uniform wetness that makes dirt and soil easier to wipe away and remove. Surfactant molecules can also have either a positive or negative charge, with one end attracted to water and the other end attracted to dirt and grease. This helps detergents attach to dirt, break it up and let water wash it away.
Most cleaning products today are detergents. One of the biggest reasons for this is the way soap reacts with water. While detergents are free-rinsing (meaning they don’t leave a residue), soap needs a clear water wash after application or it will leave a film.
Hard water is the enemy of soap. In hard water conditions soaps form scum. Soap scum affects more than just cleanliness; it can deteriorate fabrics and eventually ruin clothing or other surfaces. Conversely, detergents can work in any level of water hardness since they react less to the many minerals in hard water.
Finally, soaps need warm water to work at all. Detergents, on the other hand, can be built to perform well in any water temperature. This versatility enables detergents to be used in everything from shampoo to laundry liquid to hand cleansers and stain removers.
Powder Detergent
Pros:

• Less messy than liquid detergent
  
  
• Tends to be cheaper per load than liquid or pods
  
  
• Generally more shelf-stable than liquid or pods, so it will last longer
  
  
• Has more eco-friendly packaging
  
  
• Amount of powder used per load is customizable
  
  
• Lightweight compared to liquid detergents
  
  
• Works well on heavily soiled clothes, such as sports uniforms
  

• Some powder detergents have trouble dissolving in colder water, which can leave residue on clothes
  
  
• Can be used for pretreating clothes, but you need to make a paste or dissolve it first, adding an additional step to your laundry routine
  
  
• Needs to be kept dry
  
  
• Messier than pods
  

Benefits of OEM Volvo Parts
OEM Volvo Parts: Making a Smart Investment in Your Vehicle
When you buy a new Volvo, you're not just buying a car. You're buying pragmatic design, premium materials, and precise engineering. You'll want to preserve that quality throughout your car's life, and one of the best ways to do that is to use genuine OEM Volvo parts for all service and repairs.
Volvo's proprietary OEM parts and accessories are designed and built with the same dedication to quality as its cars. From model-specific batteries and brake pads to practical interior and exterior add-ons, these components serve a wide array of needs. And every one of them is held to high standards for durability, fit, and appearance.
There are quite a few reasons to pick OEM parts for your Volvo, but it breaks down to one simple idea: it's one of the best ways to help your vehicle reach its peak potential.
Designed for a Perfect Fit
First and foremost, Volvo designs its OEM parts to fit perfectly into their designated models. There's no wiggle room or grey area -- each part is engineered for a seamless integration into the systems of a specific Volvo model. Replacement parts are built to the exact specs as the original factory components, while add-on accessories are designed to fit in flawlessly. The result is parts and accessories that work well with the vehicle as a whole.
Engineered for the Long Road
You may be able to find some lower prices with off-brand parts, but you'll likely make up for the cost with diminished quality. Volvo OEM parts, on the other hand, are built without compromise to durability. They're meant to last longer and perform better than any of the aftermarket or off-brand alternatives.
Compliant with Your Warranty
If your Volvo is still within its warranty period, you'll want to keep using OEM parts for the duration of coverage. Using certain off-brand components can end up voiding your warranty, since they don't adhere to Volvo's own standards for quality. Bring your car to a Volvo service center near Troy or Royal Oak and the staff will make sure quality OEM parts are installed. That way, you can rest easy knowing your warranty coverage is intact.
Order OEM Parts from Suburban Volvo Cars
Next time your Volvo needs replacement parts or you're looking to install accessories, you know who to call. Suburban Volvo Cars serves drivers near Southfield and Warrant with a wealth of components, from brake pads to batteries and more. We're one of the states foremost providers of OEM Volvo parts of all kinds.
We can help you find good prices, as well. Our parts department is always running parts specials and discounts on a wide variety of popular parts.
When you're ready to buy, you can submit your request online. We'll pull the parts and have them ready for pickup at our location. If you need help with installation, we can schedule a service appointment with our in-house Volvo service center near Sterling Heights and Detroit, MI.
How Do Water Tanks Work?
Water tanks provide real water conservation benefits, for both people and the environment. They play an important role in preserving precious water, especially rainwater. However many still ask, how do water tanks work? Water tanks come in different sizes, shapes and types, but all the different tanks have certain similarities in how they work.
People need lots of water every day for essential purposes like drinking and cleaning – but there is only a certain amount of water available. Sometimes water gets even scarcer, like when there is a drought and water restrictions come into effect. Rain water harvesting can ensure that people have water to meet their daily needs, and water tanks are an essential part of this. A water harvesting system can be installed in a house. When it rains the roof of the house becomes the water catchment area. The gutters on the roof funnel rainwater into the pipes, which connect the gutters to the water tanks. The water is then transported via pipes to the water tanks installed above or below the ground.
The captured rainwater is then stored to be used around the house. The water can be used for a number of purposes like cooking, washing and gardening. In urban and suburban areas where town water is available, it is not recommended to drink rainwater. In rural areas it may be possible to drink harvested rainwater, but you will need to install a filtration system to do so. Water tanks may also play a role in storing water that is supplied by local authorities.
Every home would benefit from having a water tank installed that is large enough to sustain the home for a considerable period of time, even if rain is scarce or the water supply from the local authorities stops. Depending on the property, a water tank can either be placed on the ground, below or even be elevated above the ground on a stand or platform. Above ground round polyethylene tanks are often the most cost effective option.
How Mud Flaps Benefit Your Vehicle
Mud Flaps – They Are Not Just for Aesthetic Purposes
Work trucks entering the highway are many times the culprits responsible for leaving for gravel, mud and dirt caked onto the road. Not only can hitting these road debris fields affect your car, but it can have damaging effects to other cars around you. Whether you have a truck, van or SUV, adding Mud Flaps can help save you from irritating dings and dents to your vehicle.
How Mud Flaps Benefit Your Vehicle
Mud Flaps protect your vehicle by safely deflecting road debris away from the fender wells. Your tires are in constant contact with a long list of obstacles ranging from muddy water to thick tar on a daily basis. Fender wells are made to contain these elements, but need some additional help. Since your fender wells do not extend down behind the tires, debris can still be thrown to damage cars behind you and directly affect your vehicle with damage.
When you install Mud Flaps, an additional barrier is created between the wheel well and the tire. Once the paint around your fender is penetrated, the potential of rust forming on the bare steel is quite real. The various road chemicals, oil, and dirt now have a place to adhere. The unsightly dents from rocks and paint chips could leave your car at the local body shop with costly repairs. In their simplest form, Splash Guards also keep the exterior of your vehicle looking cleaner by limiting water splatter.
Dee Zee offers several styles of cost effective Mud Flaps to keep you safely on track to your next destination. You can make sure the design fits your lifestyle for worry free driving.
Car Grille: What Are Its Functions?
A car grille is a protective metal or plastic latticework or grating located on the front of your vehicle between both headlights. It is one of the auto parts that complete the face of a car. Sometimes, the grille bears the logo of the manufacturer.
Most people see the car grille as just an aesthetic feature to enhance the vehicle's appearance. In reality, it does that and more. I'll try to bring this underrated accessory to limelight by stating three essential functions it performs. Just before I jump into it, there's a common misconception over whether it is grill or grille. It's grille (with an e). We're not in the kitchen, alright? (wink)
What Are the Functions of a Car Grille?
1. Help in air circulation
The grille covers the car’s front end yet allows air to get through its gaps. So, while it protects the engine from road debris, its ultimate function is help air circulation to the engine room. Air that’s allowed through the grille helps cool the moving components under the hood. Isn't that what a radiator is for, you may wonder? In fact, it is. But the car grille performs an essential supportive role. The air that comes through the grille cools the temperature of the water in the radiator to avoid overheating. In short, the grille enables the radiator to perform optimally.
2. Aid aerodynamics and performance
The car grille’s design is often integrated into a vehicle's aerodynamics, which enhances the car's performance. Without an opening, air resistance would build-up against a car and impact on its speed. With a grille present, and one designed to optimally aid aerodynamics, air shifts smoothly through the grille, the side, and top of the vehicle, lessening the impact of air resistance significantly.
Some automakers have even adopted a technology that automatically opens and closes the grille’s cavity as needed by the engine.
3. Improve aesthetics
The aesthetic benefit is undoubtedly the most apparent function of a car grille, although not the most important. Since we all care about beauty, it’s a function worthy of being mentioned.
Virtually all car brands treat the grille as a part of the brand’s identity. Grilles are so unique and distinctive in their appearance that you can tell an approaching car by its grille. You’ve noticed too, right?
Some auto manufacturers deliberately maintain the design of their grille because, over time, it has become an iconic thing for the brand. Others modify the car grille design more frequently but have the grilles carry their logo as part of their brand design.
BMW, for instance, has had the same twin-oval design for several years, although she often revises them slightly for a new look. Consider Volvo too, for instance. Relative to other brands, she changes her grille design pretty often. But the grille still always has the brand logo or signature as an emblem.
Is It Okay to Drive Without a Grille?
Despite the advancements in engineering and technology, it is still impossible to have an internal combustion engine vehicle without a grille. The aesthetic and aerodynamics features could be overlooked. Without air passage, the cooling system won't function at optimal capacity. Without a grating to cover air passage, you will put the vehicle at risk.
But what if your car's grille was removed for whatever reason, and you needed to hastily drive your car without it? In emergency cases, you may drive without car grille, because its absence does not block the air passage. That's not to say that it's okay, because it's not advisable. You'll need to check with transport laws if you're allowed to drive without car grille. Also, with an unprotected front end, your car's radiator and engine will be exposed to debris and wind.
With the future rolling more and more toward electric cars—which have no need or less need for air cooling— we may be seeing more grille-less cars. And if we did see them, it'd be mostly for design purposes.