November 28th, 2008 — Ceramic, Clean, Handy Man, Sink, stainless steel
Our sinks are subjected to constant abuse and even with the most careful cleaning, stains can occur over time. The most common stains are due to hard water and they can be difficult to remove. However, there are a few easy tips that you can use to get rid of these stains for good.
Ceramic
One of the easiest ways to remove a bad water stain from a ceramic sink doesn’t involve any cleaner. All you need for this project is a few sheets of drywall sandpaper. That’s right - some sandpaper. Most products like this are black in color and have small holes. It’s not as rough as sandpaper, you don’t want to scrape the finish off your sink.
We recommend this fix for when all the cleaners you’ve tried have failed and you really want to get rid of that stain. Put on some gloves so you don’t rip up your hands with the paper and you’re ready to get started.
Make sure the sink is completely dry. Rub the paper in circles over the stain. You may really need to put some effort into it if the stain is very bad. Keep rubbing and you’ll notice that black residue is being left on your sink. Don’t worry, this is normal. If you need to rinse off the area to see your progress, remove the sandpaper from the sink, rinse it and completely dry the area off once again.
This technique works best completely dry, but if you do get your sandpaper a little wet, don’t worry. This should completely remove your stain and is very useful if you’re trying to take care of stains that collect around your drains that are very hard to remove.
Stainless Steel
It’s a bit easier to clean off a stainless steel sink. We recommend using a mixture of vinegar and baking soda to power off any nasty stains or white marks. It is best to use a soft cloth to avoid scratching the surface. If you prefer, you can also use half of a citrus fruit to get a very quick cleaning tool that works well.
You can take any citrus fruit, but we recommend a grapefruit since it is very acidic and quite a bit bigger so the job goes faster. Cut the fruit in half (watch your eyes!) and then place the half cut side down on the sink. Gently rub the fruit in a circle over the surface of the sink. You may want to wear gloves if you have sensitive hands since the juice can be pretty hard on your skin.
Once you’ve done this for a few minutes, you should notice the stains disappearing thanks to the citric acid. Now, rinse the sink thoroughly with cold water and then dry it. Once it is dry, you can take a small amount of olive oil on a soft cloth and rub it into the sink in spots where it still looks a little white.
We recommend oiling your stainless steel sink once a week to keep it looking shiny and to help it stay protected.
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November 4th, 2008 — Crawl Space, Fix, Handy Man, Outside, Pest Control, Sink, insulation
As the winter months get closer, this usually means having a whole host of little non-paying tenants moving into your homes. Whether it’s mice, box elder bugs, crickets or any other type of critter, these unwanted guests can pose much more than a nuisance. In the case of mice, they can carry deadly diseases, and other pests may be just as dangerous. So, how can you stop this mass influx of pests in the fall? Here are some great tips to get you started.
1. Seal all small entry holes under sinks, by baseboards, and outside.
Your house, no matter how well it was built, is bound to have a few holes somewhere along the way. These holes are put to good use by pests and before long, you may be overrun. In order to prevent this, get some hardware mesh and attach it over the holes. This mesh will usually keep out larger bugs and mice, and is very economical to install.
For warped boards under sinks and smaller gaps, consider purchasing insulation in a spray can. This can be sprayed directly onto the hole and will effectively seal it up to keep pests out. You may need to keep checking it, especially if mice decide to give it a nibble.
2. Place traps around your home.
Mouse traps, bug traps and other small critter traps can be very effective at keeping the pest population in your home under control. These traps are usually economical and there are many options now available. For example, you can now find easy close mouse traps that prevent you from have to actually touch the dead mouse, and they are much more effective than the old wooden ones with fake cheese. You may need to bait these traps however, in order to get the most functionality out of them. Peanut butter works very well for mice since they can’t grab it and run.
If the thought of killing the critters doesn’t work for you, you can also purchase live traps, or more human traps that kill with a quick electric shock. Although you may not like the fact that you are killing a small creature, the fact of the matter is they can cause thousands in damage to your home and they are indeed health hazards.
3. Stop the damage before it is done.
If you see one mouse, or one bug, chances are there are plenty more than you haven’t spotted yet. Be on the lookout for droppings, and dead bugs around your home. Try to find their entry point and seal it up. This is an easy way to take care of business before it gets out of hand.
With careful attention and prevention, you can keep your home pest free all year long. If you live in the country, you may need to up your efforts, or consider installing ultrasound devices that will plug into the wall and prevent pests from moving in with sound waves, since these can be very effective.
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October 20th, 2008 — Bathtub, Clean, Handy Man, Refresh, Sink
Whether you have a fiberglass tub or sink or vitreous china, it doesn’t take long before stains start to appear. This is particularly true if you have hard water. While these unsightly stains can be frustrating, there are actually a few ways that you can easily get rid of them, without resorting to harmful chemicals. Thoroughly cleaning a tub or sink is the first step in restoration, so let’s start there.
One of the easiest ways to remove old stains from a tub or sink is by using drywall sandpaper. This is typically black in color and will look like a fine mesh. While its normal use is to smooth out rough patches in drywall, it is also incredibly useful for tubs and sinks. Because the mesh is fine, you won’t be scratching your tub’s finish and it is incredibly effective at getting out those stains.
This will require a fair amount of elbow grease. Take a small square of drywall sandpaper and start scrubbing it in a circular motion on the stain. Take care not to involve water in this process. Keep scrubbing until you start to see some results. You may end up with some black residue on the stain but don’t panic. This is normal and is simply residue from the sandpaper. Once you think the stain has been completely removed, rinse the area. If it is still there, dry it thoroughly and start again.
For shampoo and soap stains that are stubborn, or just simple grime, there is a very easy solution. Take a grapefruit and cut it in half. Put some salt in a bowl that is large enough to fit the grapefruit in. Dip the fruit into the bowl, cut side down and then begin scrubbing the stain with it. It is best to wear gloves for this procedure.
The acid in the grapefruit interacts with the salt to create a very powerful compound that can blast through nearly any stain. This is a little known trick, but it is incredibly effective. Other citrus fruits, such as lemons, will also work, but none are as effective as a grapefruit.
Once all the stains are gone, it’s time to take a look at your handiwork and see if anything additional needs to be done. If the finish is dull, or no longer feels slick, you may need to repaint the tub. Go to the hardware store and look for tub and sink paint – making certain whether or not you are dealing with vitreous china or fiberglass. There are quite a few options available and you may even be able to get tinted paint that will allow you to change the color of your tub and sink.
Since your tub or sink will already be cleaned, simply make sure that it is completely dry and begin painting. Follow the instructions on the paint closely and make sure that you give the area plenty of time to dry. If necessary, make the bathroom off limits until the paint is done drying. Once it is, you should have a beautifully restored tub or sink.
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September 26th, 2008 — Bathroom, Book Review, Toilet, plumbing
Our bathrooms are used every day, and as such, they are usually one of the first places that trouble strikes. Whether you’ve ended up standing ankle deep in water at 3am, or you just want to find some ways to save money on plumbing costs, this is the ideal book to have in your home library. Handling basic tasks of repair for bathrooms is actually pretty easy and this book could help you save hundreds of dollars over time. If you are planning on adding or renovating your bathroom any time soon, this book is vital.
The first section deals with how to plan out your bathroom properly and how to avoid common errors that trip up the best of us. Everything is laid out in a very easy to understand fashion and there are some great illustrations and photographs throughout the entire book that explain the steps further. This section is quite comprehensive and deals not only with fixtures, tubs and sinks, but also proper ventilation. By following the advice in this chapter, you can save yourself the trouble of dealing with mold and mildew as well as other common bathroom problems.
The section on Roughing In Bathrooms is perfect for those that will be tearing out old fixtures and replacing them. You’ll learn exactly how to remove a toilet or even a tub on your own, as well as some great safety tips and more. We got a lot out of this section, particularly when it came to removing showers and prepping the space for a new unit. This can be pretty difficult especially if you have never worked with bathrooms in the past.
Read the chapter on Permits and Regulations if you need nothing else in this section. This chapter alone will save you the expense of being out of code and help you pass a new inspection. Not many people realize that they may need to get a permit to install a new bathroom and they end up paying hefty fines as a result. This advice will get you completely prepared for all that you need to do before you begin the process of remodeling or adding a bathroom to your home.
The last section contains project ideas and tips for remodeling bathrooms. The pictures here are very descriptive and we found that the plans were very easy to put to use. The chapter on floor warming systems was very interesting and covered some great techniques to ensure that you get this job done right. If you have ever had to rip up a floor after installing a floor heating system the wrong way, this chapter more than pays for the book itself.
We can’t say enough nice things about this book, and although it may be a little complicated in spots for the average do it yourselfer, reading some sections more than once usually helps bring everything into focus. We think this is the perfect addition to any DIY home library.
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