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• Cleaning and laundry8 lessons

8. Know your home's shutoffs, keep supplies and records ready before you need them, and do routine care safely.

A burst pipe can soak floors and ceilings quickly, and the first fix is the main water shutoff, so find it before you need it. After a storm or long power cut, help can take days to reach everyone. The Government of Canada asks households to be ready to manage on their own for at least 72 hours, and Ready.gov in the US asks for several days of supplies. Cleaning carries risks too: bleach mixed with ammonia or with acids releases toxic gases.

1. 8.1Find and test your main water shutoff and your breaker panel now, and call an electrician if a breaker trips again right after you reset it.
   8.13 Shutting off the water8.11 Resetting a tripped breaker
2. 8.2Keep enough water, food, light and medicine in one place for everyone in your home to manage for at least 72 hours, including about 1 gallon (4 litres) of water per person per day.
   8.12 Building a 72-hour emergency kit
3. 8.3Use one cleaning product at a time, never mix bleach with ammonia or acids, and give the cleaner the time on its label to work.
   8.8 Cleaners you must never mix8.3 Cleaning a toilet properly
4. 8.4Do routine jobs properly: tuck sheets so they stay flat, follow the laundry care label and wash in cold water unless it says otherwise, and plunge a blocked toilet instead of flushing again.
   8.1 Making a bed with tucked corners8.7 Doing a load of laundry8.10 Unblocking a toilet with a plunger
5. 8.5Keep records: photograph a rental on move-in day, write the agreed chore list down, and check each utility bill against your meter reading and past bills.
   8.16 Recording a rental's condition on move-in day8.17 Splitting chores with a housemate8.14 Reading a utility bill
6. 8.6Clean and launder by the label and the chemistry, and keep the dryer vent clear.
   8.6 Laundry symbols: how to read a care label8.5 How to get blood out of clothes8.4 How to clean a shower8.9 How to get rid of fruit flies8.15 How to clean a dryer vent8.2 Removing sticker residue