Loaded vehicles on the road are a very common scene, but it is quite risky to get close to any of them because over 1200 people are injured every year due to unsafe loading practices. Apart from injuries, goods that are worth millions of pounds are also damaged during such accidents.

Unsafe loading of goods leads to shifting of the goods within the vehicle and goods falling out of the vehicle on people. While transporting the goods, there is a likelihood of the goods shifting forward and falling on the road and injuring a vehicle that is coming behind. Another possibility is that when the goods roll, the transport vehicle can topple and roll, damaging the goods and injuring the driver and other vehicles.

Following simple load safety rules can help avoid these kinds of mishaps from happening. Before taking the vehicle out, the driver should ensure that all the goods are tied down firmly to the load bed. The goods must be contained securely, without any room for it to move around.

Using eco-friendly products is the new trend in the cleaning industry. More people are turning to green cleaning, realising the harmful effects of powerful chemicals used in regular cleaning solutions and detergents. But how do you make sure that the products you buy are really eco-friendly? Do you just take the advertisers’ word for it?

Well, here are a few things that you can check.

Always read the list of ingredients that make up the cleaning product you are buying. Make sure to avoid products that have petroleum-based solvents, ammonia, chlorine and phosphates.

Read the label carefully, even when a product claims to be “natural”; petroleum is considered “natural”.

Look for information on biodegradability; it is important that the products are biodegradable.

Reject products with synthetic fragrances and go for those that use essential oils for scent. Also, stay away from products that have ‘danger’, ‘warning’ or ‘poison’ labelled on them, as they are usually toxic and harmful.

Keeping carpets clean is not an easy task, even at the best of times. When there are stains to be removed, it gets even more difficult. So how do you remove stains without damaging the carpet? Here are a few tips.

To remove tar stains, apply a solution of equal parts of glycerine and water and leave it for about an hour. Next, rinse the area with water. Repeat the process till the stain is gone.

For coffee stains, blot with a towel, sponge with soda water and again blot dry. The same process applies for beer stains too. Squirting soda water works well for wine, red or white.

The best way to remove chewing gum is to scrape it away carefully with a blunt knife as much as you can. Then apply carpet shampoo and vacuum clean.

To remove oil or grease, lay blotting paper over the stain, place a cloth over it and apply medium iron. This will draw the grease into the paper. Do it a few times and then clean using carpet shampoo.