A Simple Fix To A Spring Cleaning Catastrophe

How to use a potato to change a light bulb

(Monday, February 27, 2006) - It's that time of year again for spring cleaning, but if in the midst of changing a burned-out light bulb, you break it, Mr. Electric® has a simple and safe way of removing the metal base left in the socket. The answer is actually in a sack in your pantry — a potato. "As crazy as it may sound, a potato really is a quick way to extract the broken bulb," said Rick Cross, president of Mr. Electric. "It won't slow down your cleaning process, and it's also safer than using a pair of pliers." Follow these steps by Mr. Electric to remove the metal base without getting shocked or cut by glass: Step 1: Turn off the power to the fixture. If it's a lamp unplug it. If it's a hard-wired fixture, turn the switch off and put a piece of tape over it (to keep someone from accidentally turning it on) – or better yet, turn the breaker off. Step 2: Wearing gloves and eye protection, carefully snap off the shards still attached to the base of the bulb. Be sure to use a strong trash bag to dispose of the glass. Step 3: Take a medium-sized, uncooked potato and carve one end into a cylinder. Taper the tip of the cylinder and make a hole in the center of it to fit over the base. Hold the potato by the unpeeled end and push it firmly over the filament support and into the base of the fixture. Finally, nudge and twist the base of the bulb out of the socket. Step 4: Wipe off any potato juice and install the new bulb. One last word of advice — don't over-tighten the new bulb! About Mr. Electric®: Established in 1994, Mr. Electric is a global franchise organization providing electrical installation and repair services. Recognized by Entrepreneur magazine among its "Franchise 500," Mr. Electric franchisees provide these services to both residential and commercial customers at more than 160 locations worldwide. Mr. Electric is a subsidiary of The Dwyer Group, Inc. For further information or to find the location nearest you, visit www.mrelectric.com. About The Dwyer Group®: The Dwyer Group, Inc., based in Waco, Texas, is a holding company of six franchise businesses, each selling and supporting a different franchise under the following service marks: Aire Serv®, Glass Doctor®, Mr. Appliance®, Mr. Electric®, Mr. Rooter® (Drain Doctor® in the UK), and Rainbow International®. Collectively, these independent franchise concepts offer customers world-wide a broad base of residential and commercial services. The Dwyer Group also owns Harmon Solutions Group™, a third party administrator for the insurance community, and provides services to an associate company, DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen by Worldwide®, a national remodeling franchise. The Dwyer Group is a portfolio company of The Riverside Company, a private equity firm with offices in New York, Cleveland, Dallas and San Francisco. For more information on The Dwyer Group, or its franchise concepts, visit the company's Web site at www.dwyergroup.com.

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