Renovation & Design
Renovation & Design
SOLUTIONS: Use citric acid to see if glasses are etched
QUESTION: I have a problem with my four-year-old dishwasher. The acrylic glasses have a white coating on them, especially on the bottom and the top edges of the glasses. The cutlery has a blue color stain, like a stainless steel pot when on a hot element. Do you have any ideas on how to solve this problem? R & G, Winnipeg
ANSWER: The white coating on the glasses may be a permanent condition called etching. Go to the grocery store and ask for citric acid (in the pharmacy). Put the glasses in the dishwasher and add citric acid to the soap dispenser. Run the cycle as usual and if the etching stays it is likely permanent. You can also soak the glasses in vinegar and rub with fine steel wool. Don't get too excited if at first the glasses look brand new because the etching may return when the glasses dry.
In terms of the blue color on your stainless steel: Line a baking dish with aluminum foil and add hot water (enough to cover the cutlery) and half cup of washing soda (baking soda is an alternative but not as effective). Let the cutlery soak for five minutes and note if there is a difference. You will be excited when the blue disappears!
Tip: To avoid the problem of stainless steel pots forming a green/blue hue to the bottom of the pot, avoid adding salt to water until water has come to a full boil.
QUESTION: Always read your articles, I also have one of your books. I have a question regarding cleaning leather. I have a leather chair (soft leather) in a lighter color that needs cleaning. What should I use? I know that the softer leathers need special attention and I have a piece of leather that I can use as a test piece. Now what to use? Thanks, Gladys (Steinbach, MB)
ANSWER: I like the fact that you have sample leather to test solutions on! If you can get a hold of a product called Urad (check it out on the web) this is a fantastic cleaner. Alternatively, mix one-quarter cup vinegar, half-cup water and a few drops of tea tree oil. Wipe leather with a damp cloth. You can also rub cold creams on leather to soften. Another option is to wipe the leather with a small amount of olive oil which tends to seep into the leather without attracting dust or dirt.
QUESTION: Do you know how to get the smell of hydraulic oil out of clothes? We have washed them four times, used Febreeze, you name it, still it smells. Brian (Landmark, MB)
ANSWER: Leave the clothing outside for a few hours. Soak the clothes in either: half cup washing soda, white vinegar, borax or baking soda and enough water to cover the fabrics. Wash fabrics separately so that one color does not run into another. For best results boil the fabric in a large stainless steel pot for 5 mins. Wash as usual. Simple Green is a commercial product that has also had great success with this challenge (taken from Household Solutions 1 with Substitutions).
QUESTION: Will a combination of vinegar and baking soda or vinegar and ammonia make a good household cleaning agent? Look forward to your reply. Marie, Winnipeg
ANSWER: The combinations that you mentioned are amazing and powerful cleaners. I prefer vinegar to ammonia due to the strong fumes.
Just be sure never to combine bleach with any product. Sometimes people may look at a bottle of bleach and wonder, 'Why shouldn't this be mixed with ammonia?' The answer? Huge danger! Chlorine gas was used as a chemical weapon during World War I and later by Nazi Germany in World War II. Bleach and ammonia create chloramine gas, a deadly combination!
Fantastic Readers Respond
Dear Reena,
I doubt many people know this solution to fixing a washer or dryer that no longer goes through its cycles properly. The method has saved me many hundreds of dollars over the years. When a washer or dryer refuses to go through its cycles, it is probably because of moisture in the main electronic panel. I simply lift the servicing lid to gain access to the panel and insert a trouble light close to the panel. The heat from the trouble light in say about 8 hours will dry out the panel and the machine will work properly again. Works every time. Cheers, Dick
Fabulous Tips of the Week
*Prevent S.O.S pads from rusting! Line a small dish with aluminum foil. Place the used pads in the lined dish and they won't rust.
*When my sister went to Australia for 6 weeks, they visited a tea plantation. The owner of the plantation explained how to remove caffeine from tea. Add hot water to loose leaves and steep for 1 minute. Discard the liquid. This first brew contains most of the caffeine of the tea. Add water to the teapot and let steep for 2-3 minutes and drink that infusion that has only small amounts of caffeine (over 80% of the caffeine is removed during the first wash of the leaves).
I enjoy your questions and tips, keep them coming. Missed a column? Can't remember a solution? Need a speaker for an upcoming event? Check out my brand new videos/blog/website: reena.ca!
Renovation & Design
SOLUTIONS: Vinegar effective against mold and bacteria
QUESTION: Could you enlarge please on the antiseptic properties of vinegar? I am using it exclusively now and feel very good doing so, but I would like some info on just how effective it is.
What I do suggest also is that you look into its benefits as a toothbrush disinfectant, particularly at this time of year when colds seem prevalent. Without giving it much thought, we put a toothbrush in our mouths several times a day. We'd think twice about doing that with a spoon or straw and NOT washing it well afterward.
I've started putting my toothbrush (and tongue scraper) into a quarter-cup of water with maybe a capful of vinegar in it every few days for a good soak and think this must be worthwhile, but I would like this verified. And then, tell people please! Thanks, Karen (Russell, MB)
ANSWER: I agree that disinfecting your toothbrush is important. After researching the effectiveness of household vinegar, I've come across several studies that say vinegar is effective in reducing microbial contamination.
In fact, one experiment was carried out and reported on CBS News. A Good Housekeeping microbiologist wanted to find out whether or not vinegar kills mold and germs.
"We put the mold into the grout of tiles," said the microbiologist, Gina Marino, adding that this mold and bacteria had to grow for a few days. The results? "Well, with mold, it's sort of effective," she said. "It reduced it by 90 per cent, actually."
But what was really exciting is how well vinegar worked against bacteria. It was 99.9-per-cent effective. Vinegar worked far better than anyone expected, and better than many of the products on the market today.
Consider soaking your toothbrush in 1 tbsp. baking soda to 1 cup of hot water for 30 minutes following a cold. If using vinegar, use the same amount. Vinegar is one of those household superstars that has an endless amount of uses, so I always make sure that I'm fully stocked up on the stuff.
QUESTION: Would you know how to remove polyurethane from countertops? When I was finishing the cupboards, some dripped onto the counter and now it will not come off. I am afraid to use sandpaper as this might scratch the countertop. Please help! Bill, Winnipeg
ANSWER: Although I don't know what your countertops are made of, I can tell you that when it comes to polyurethane you will need to use acetone, denatured alcohol or mineral spirits to dissolve the spill. These are the products that wood-finishing experts use to clean excess polyurethane when installing woodwork.
Be sure to test any product that you use on an inconspicuous area first, perhaps under the lip of the counter.
QUESTION: My fiance stored her bike on top of a pink-cushion wing chair. Of course, grease from the bike chain got onto the chair. How would one get this grease stain out of the chair? It's on the arm and I believe there is one on the cushion. If you can help me with this it would be appreciated. Rene, Winnipeg
ANSWER: There are a few products that have had great results on bike-chain grease. Begin by scrubbing the area with Sunlight laundry bar soap, rinse with water. Other products that have had great results are Resolve Carpet Spot Remover, waterless hand cleaner, brake cleaner and Murphy's Oil, or WD-40. Apply clear dish soap onto area to avoid product stains. Test on inconspicuous area first. (Taken from Household Solutions 1)
If products were already applied to the area, the stain may be set and difficult to remove.
Fantastic Readers Respond
Re: Your article in today's Free Press about hummingbird food. In one place, you wrote that honey is bad for these birds and then you suggest to "substitute honey for plain old white sugar". Don't you mean substitute plain white sugar for honey?
I'm also curious about your comment about red food coloring. If it has not been tested satisfactorily for safety, why can it be called "food" coloring? Chuck
Reena's Note: Yes, I meant plain white sugar instead of honey! While red food coloring is approved for human consumption, no tests were done to determine safety for hummingbird bodies. Good catch, Chuck!
Hi Reena,
I've discovered the easiest way to remove mascara from a face cloth is to hold it close to the shower head or the laundry sink faucet set in the spray-action mode. If the shower head has adjustable settings, the strongest setting gets the mascara off very quickly. Jo-Ann
Dear Reena,
Further to the lady about pillows and allergies, I suggest she try a water pillow. They are a bit more expensive but are worth it since they don't lose their shape and conform well to the head and neck. I've had mine for a few years now and I love it. Grace
Dear Reena,
I am very grateful for your response to my problem regarding tree resin on pants and thank you with all my heart.
One good turn deserves another, so I will share my latest "brainstorm". It falls into the category of cleaning.
I have problems reaching and cleaning the outside of my windows, so I bought one of those telescopic mops which have a swivel flat head and microfibre cloth. I took two buckets of water, one with a warm vinegar solution and another with plain water for rinsing. Then I used that swivel flat-head extendable mop, which really is meant for your floors. It worked like a charm, so easy, so fast. In the summer you could use a hose instead of the second bucket. Anne
I enjoy your questions and tips, keep them coming. Missed a column? Can't remember a solution? Need a speaker for an upcoming event? Check out my brand new videos/blog/website: reena.ca!
Renovation & Design
ASK THE INSPECTOR: Solid flooring materials best for basement
QUESTION: Can I ask for your input on an issue in our 1950's Winnipeg bungalow?
We are renovating our basement and will be installing carpet in some of the rooms. The basement floor is a concrete slab. The construction's a bit unusual -- before the floor was poured, the substrate was covered with a tar paper. The interior partition walls were then built by suspending them about four inches above the ground, baseboard added and then the concrete floor was poured.
During renovation, we tested for Radon and found the levels a bit high. To reduce the levels we undercut all of the interior walls, laid a 15-mil poly into the spaces and used adhesive to attach it to the sides of the concrete slab. We accessed all spaces along the exterior of the building and used a polyurethane foam to seal.
The results were a reduction in the radon levels below Health Canada guidelines. We added an HRV for good measure in this hot water radiant-heat home and further reduced levels to around 100 bq/m3.
When we took the old carpet up, we noticed that all of the concrete floors were covered with a sheet of plastic, presumably to reduce moisture from getting into the underlay and carpet. There must have been tiles on the floor prior to the carpet as the floor has black tar-like residue on it. Before we had estimators in to quote the work, we removed the old carpet along with the plastic.
Two companies quoted on installation of a new wool carpet. Company A included replacing the plastic, "to avoid any black material coming through the underlay". Company B made no mention of laying plastic before installing the carpet.
Should we be replacing the plastic before installing the rubber padding and wool carpet?
Thanks, Joel Kay
ANSWER: Replacement of flooring in basements can be a tricky subject, due to the possibility of moisture or dampness in this area. Some of the discrepancy between flooring installers may be due to a lack of familiarity with your in-floor heating system, which may help prevent condensation common with carpets on basement concrete floor slabs.
I don't think that putting polyethylene sheathing under a carpet is a good idea and will offer some alternatives for you to explore.
I'm not a proponent of soft floor coverings in any basements installed directly over concrete slabs. This is because I've seen far to many cases where the carpet has become wet or damp from water sources or condensation. Even in a relatively dry basement, the concrete floor slab may be cool enough to cause condensation from slow-moving air.
If this condensation is trapped in the carpet fibres, mould growth is a strong possibility. Many times, a damp, musty smell associated with basements can be due to old floor coverings. With your in-floor heating system, this is less of a possibility, but it could still occur if there's a water leak.
Putting plastic sheathing underneath a carpet may help prevent some condensation, but may also trap moisture that develops underneath. It may have helped prevent staining from black adhesive used with the previous flooring, but it would have been a problem if water had seeped underneath the poly from minor basement seepage, a leaking water heater or washer, sweating water-supply pipes or sewer back-up. All of these things could have happened at one time or another over the many decades since your home was built.
A better alternative to carpet, especially one made from natural fibres like wool, is to use flooring that is moisture-resistant. Solid vinyl or ceramic tiles, which both come in multiple styles and applications, may be a better choice. However, since there's very little flexibility to ceramic flooring, it could crack or become damaged if your basement floor slab shifts or moves seasonally. For that reason, vinyl flooring may be a better alternative, due to the excellent flexibility if floor movement is an issue.
If you're dead-set on carpeting your renovated basement, installing a subfloor would be a much better alternative to a typical underpad and poly. This would not only prevent bleeding through of the old floor adhesive, but would also remove the carpeting from contact with the concrete, eliminating condensation as an issue. Even with a heated floor, condensation could still occur in areas where the heating pipes are poorly distributed or air circulation is poor.
The subfloor should be made from moisture-resistant material, such as pressure-treated plywood or other specialized subfloor sheathing. This could be installed directly over the concrete to ensure maximum headroom, or with treated "sleepers" to help level an uneven floor.
So, while solid flooring materials are preferable to fibre-based coverings in a basement, a proper subfloor with your heated floor slab means that carpeting could be relatively problem-free in your home.
Ari Marantz is the owner of Trained Eye Home Inspection Ltd. and the President of the Canadian Association of Home & Property Inspectors - Manitoba (www.cahpi.mb.ca). Questions can be e-mailed to the address below. Ari can be reached at (204) 291-5358 or check out his website at www.trainedeye.ca.
trainedeye@iname.com
