Use a soft cloth and water to gently wipe down all surfaces of wicker to remove dirt and retain shine.  Try using a mild soap on your cloth or sponge for more stubborn dirt and stains on your wicker, but follow by wiping with just water afterwards. You can also add salt to water as a non-abrasive way to gently scrub away dirt and stains.  Add a mixture of one part white vinegar to three parts water on your cloth if you need to eliminate mold or mildew built up on the wicker. Remove any cushions or other material that is not made of wicker and clean separately.  Check to see if cushions have a tag with care instructions. You may be able to put the entire cushion, or a removable cover, into a washing machine. When in doubt, opt for gently dabbing at cushion fabric with a damp cloth and a small amount of gentle soap or stain remover. Wipe outdoor furniture with a wet cloth or sponge and soap, then rinse with a hose.  Never hose down paper fiber wicker, as it will easily be destroyed by a large amount of water. Washing should mainly be done with care on natural reed or synthetic wicker.  If possible, tilt your piece of furniture so that any area with a tighter weave of the wicker is on top. This way, water will run down from it to the looser weave, where it can be wiped away or dried more easily without keeping moisture trapped inside the weave.  Steam-clean outdoor wicker furniture with a hand steam-cleaner if it is very dirty. Make sure that you dry the wicker right away with a hair dryer or full sun and wind to avoid the wicker warping or bending. Ensure that the wicker is fully dry after washing and before replacing cushions or using the furniture again.  Keep the furniture in a dry place indoors, outside in the sun in dry conditions, or use a fan or hairdryer at some distance away from the wicker to accelerate drying. Keep the shape of the wicker as best as possible. Avoid sitting or placing any objects on the furniture before it is completely dry, as the wicker may form a new shape when wet. Expect to wait several days for the wicker to dry entirely.

Summary: Wipe with a damp cloth or sponge. Wash cushions separately. Hose down outdoor wicker furniture. Let the wicker dry.


After removing some teeth from your zipper, you will need to replace some of the teeth with top stops and/or square tabs to prevent your zipper pull from coming off the zipper again. Top stops are small pieces that go on one side of your zipper. Square tabs are larger pieces that will bridge across your zipper and prevent the zipper from coming down on both sides while also covering the gap between the zipper sides.  Top stops are best for the top of your zipper because they will prevent the slider from coming off again, but they will not prevent you from opening and closing the zipper. Square tabs (also known as zipper bottom stops) are best for the bottom of a zipper because they will prevent the zipper from coming off and cover the gap in the zipper left by the missing teeth. If you want to add a top stop to keep your zipper from coming off the slider at the top, then place the top stop right above the first tooth at the top of your zipper. The zipper will need to be slightly open for you to do this. After you have the top stop where you want it to go, use the pliers to crimp the top stop into place.  Make sure that the top stop is snug and will not move or come off when you pull on it. Place a top stops on both sides of the zipper to ensure that the zipper will not come off of the track again. If you want to use a square tab to close the gap at the bottom of a zipper, then take the square tab and push the prongs through the zipper fabric on both sides of the zipper. Insert the prongs right below the bottom teeth of the zipper. Make sure that the zipper is closed when you do this. After pushing the prongs through, turn the garment or fabric over and use your pliers to bend the prongs inward. Make sure that you crimp the prongs down well so that the tab is secured and the prongs are flat. It is important for the prongs to be flat so that they will not snag on anything or scratch your skin.

Summary: Consider whether top stops or square tabs are best. Squeeze a top stop onto the zipper with pliers. Push the square tab’s prongs into place. Finished.


To keep your photos and videos organized, try sorting them into albums. You can do this using the Google Photos app or in a web browser. The steps are a little different depending on your device:  Mobile: Tap the ⁝ icon and select “Album.” Now you’ll see a list of your photos, all with circles at their upper top corners. Web: Click the + symbol next to the search box and select “Album.” Your photos will appear, all with circles at their top left corners. This will add the photo to the album. You can select as many photos as you’d like. See Adding Photos to an Album to learn how to add additional photos later. Now you’ll see a text box that says “Untitled” above the album’s contents. You can call the album anything you want. Nobody will see the name unless you use the Google Photos sharing tools to share it with others. It’s at the top right corner of the screen. Like an album title, nobody will see the description except you. Your album is now live. To view a list of all of your albums next time you sign in, click or tap the Albums icon (at the bottom of the app, and on the left side of the website). The icon looks like a square with a bookmark at its upper-right edge.
Summary: Open the Google Photos app or visit http://photos.google.com. Create a new album. Click or tap the circle to select a photo. Tap “Create” (mobile) or click “Next” (Web). Enter a name for the album. Click or tap the text tool (T) to write a description. Click or tap the check mark to save.