Renovation & Design
Renovation & Design
SOLUTIONS: Clouded decanters need professional help
QUESTION: I love your column in the Winnipeg Free Press and would like to ask you for a cure to my problem. The insides of my wine decanters became cloudy over the years when I no longer put wine in them and instead used them to hold mouthwash for the bathroom and vinegar for the kitchen. I ended up spoiling all of my beautiful decanters! They are 40 per cent lead crystal. I would like to restore their beauty for posterity.
The products I've tried seem to make them look worse. So far, I have used: cola, baking soda, denture-cleaning tablets, Oxyclean, bleach, ammonia and lemon juice (both with and without salt). Thank you. Lillian, Winnipeg
ANSWER: Sounds like the glass is permanently etched. That means that material has been removed from the surface, leaving it no longer smooth (shiny). The glass needs to be polished with a buffing compound using an electric buffing machine, buffing wheel, etc. In other words, it's time to contact a professional to rectify this challenge. Oone option is to contact European Art Glass Ltd. in Winnipeg, located on Archibald.
QUESTION: I have all three of your books but cannot find an answer to the following question: How can I thin correction fluid once it becomes gummy? Sheldon, Birtle
ANSWER: There are thinners designed specifically for this challenge. If you cannot find a thinner for your brand, you may want to add a few drops of one of the following to your correction fluid: Nail-polish remover contains acetone, and is a quick-drying solvent compatible with many products on the market. Be aware the fumes are flammable and breathing them can be dangerous. Another common solvent is isopropyl alcohol, which you can find in your local drugstore.
QUESTION: Can you tell me what Accent is? I have a recipe that calls for this ingredient and wonder if it is necessary to go out and buy it. Edna, Steinbach
ANSWER: Monosodium glutamate, also called MSG, can be found in most supermarkets in the spice aisle and is sold under the name brand name Accent Æ. If using MSG, reduce salt to a half teaspoon. The purpose of monosodium glutamate is to enhance the flavour of certain foods. Originally isolated from seaweed, MSG is now made by fermenting corn, potatoes and rice. It does not enhance the four basic tastes (bitter, salty, sour and sweet), but it does enhance the complex flavours of meat, poultry, seafood and vegetables. MSG is an important ingredient in the cuisines of China and Japan and is used commercially worldwide in many types of foods. It is naturally present at high levels in tomatoes and Parmesan cheese. In China, MSG is known as wei jing, which means flavour essence. It is up to you whether you choose to include MSG in your recipe. Personally, I would opt to leave it out.
QUESTION: I recently bought an LCD-screen TV. The dealer stressed that the screen was not glass and could easily be damaged by using common glass cleaners -- for example, those that contain ammonia. From what I've read, the damage may not appear immediately, but after regular cleaning with the wrong products it may become cloudy or have some other visible problems. Most of the commercial LCD-screen cleaners claim that they are alcohol- and ammonia-free. Another issue is the apparent dust-magnet properties of the LCD screen. Some of the commercial products claim to have anti-static properties, and I'd sure like to know what substance they use and how we can be sure it won't affect the screen. Can you shed some light on this and recommend something to clean the TV screen? Thanks in advance. Jeff, Winnipeg
ANSWER: When in doubt, always refer to your manufacturer's manual first. If you do not have a manual, call the company that manufactured the screen and ask them to email you their recommendations. Getting recommendations in writing is always a good idea.
If you would like to make your own homemade cleaner, use a solution of diluted isopropyl alcohol, no more than a 50% solution. Mix one part water and one part 90% isopropyl alcohol. Wipe with a very soft cloth. Do not use paper towels or anything more abrasive than a cotton T-shirt. I do not recommend Windex or anything that contains ammonia; it can etch the screen surface and can cause the plastic to become cloudy. There are commercial cleaning solutions available, but some of them are quite expensive and contain nothing other than isopropyl alcohol and water.
To repel dust, gently wipe the screen with a dry fabric-softener sheet.
QUESTION: We have two bedroom lamps which are 25 years old and we still like them. However, although the shades are not dirty, they do show signs of yellowing. We have been looking for new shades in stores, but are unable to find anything that suits nor as nice as the old items. We have not been successful in finding new lamps that would suit as well.
Do you know of any product in Winnipeg that would clean the shades? Painting them would be very difficult to get good results, and dyeing is out. You are our last hope of finding a solution. Thank you for your help. Pat, Winnipeg
ANSWER: You are right -- even with proper cleaning, sunlight can cause fading or discoloration over time. There is a company in Winnipeg called Ideal Electric Manufacturing Co. Ltd. They make custom lampshades and also re-cover old lampshades. Not knowing what the fabric of your lampshade is makes it difficult to advise on cleaning, but I must tell you that both my mom and I spray-painted our lampshades on separate occasions several years ago and we are both happy with the results.
For everyday cleaning of lampshades, use a lint brush to remove dust. For general cleaning of washable lampshades: Mix four cups warm water with a half-cup of fabric softener. Dip in soft cloth and wipe down lampshades. If the lampshade is washable but has glued-on trim (preventing water immersion), use the following method for cleaning: Mix one cup dish soap with one cup warm water, whip the mixture with an eggbeater until it makes stiff foam. Apply the foam to the shade with a sponge, being careful not to wet the trim. Rinse by going over the shade with a clean cloth wrung out in clear water. Allow the shade to dry. Lastly, some dry cleaners will accept lamp shades for cleaning.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
I enjoy your questions and tips; keep them coming!
Check out my website: www.householdsolutions.org
Reena Nerbas is the author of the national bestselling Household Solutions series. Her website is www.householdsolutions.org. You can contact her at Box 429, Blumenort, MB, ROA 0C0.
Renovation & Design
SOLUTIONS: Use carpet remnants to fix burned patch
QUESTION: I have a cigarette burn on my carpet. Is there an easy way to fix this without leaving a big space? Help please! Val, Winnipeg
ANSWER: Since the carpet fibres have actually been singed away you basically have two options. Either call a professional carpet care service. Or trim the entire cigarette burnt parts away with small scissors. Using leftover carpet remnants, trim several pieces of fibre. Superglue the fibres into the burnt area. Check the repaired area in a day and add more snipped pieces if needed.
QUESTION: How do you clean the coffee stains in a coffee maker? Even though I use a filter in the filter basket, the "mesh" basket remains stained. The same problem applies to the cover of the carafe; nothing seems to clean it. I do enjoy the cleaning hints in your column. Aurise, Winnipeg
ANSWER: Begin with the easiest solution first: run a cycle of vinegar through the coffee maker. Let the vinegar soak for 30 minutes before pouring the contents out. Follow that step with a thorough water rinse. If the stains remain, clean the entire carafe with a product called Iron Out. Ventilate well and allow the carafe to soak for a few hours in hot water and Iron Out.
QUESTION: I have an interesting dilemma to solve. On the inside of my clothes dryer there is a blue tint on the door, back wall and drum. I've tried paint thinner, Lysol spray cleaner, rubbing alcohol, plain soap and water and lighter fluid, but nothing EXCEPT Circa 1850's 'Super DeGooper' can remove this bluish tint off the white enamel. I have to apply the Circa product to a small area on a rag and then rub the blue off. The Circa product is overpowering and noxious to use, especially when a person has their head inside the dryer trying to access the back wall of the dryer or the drum itself! The white enamel is still intact after this two to three-hour cleaning ordeal, but the blue tint starts to come back (drying of T-shirts, blue jeans, etc.) in a few weeks. Have you run into this before and how can it be solved without using noxious fumes and expensive chemicals? Thanks! Sharon (Birtle)
ANSWER: Dye transfer from blue jeans to dryer interiors is a very common occurrence. You are right; only strong solvents will have the power to zap this stain and, because it is an ongoing challenge, it is probably not worth your time or health to clean. Some people have had good results with the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser but again this is not a quick fix and requires hours of elbow grease. If you decide to continue with strong solvents, let the dryer stand for several hours with the door open before using, to be sure all the solvent vapours from the cleaner have evaporated into the air, as these are flammable.
QUESTION: I read your columns with great interest and have got many goods ideas from them. Now I really need another. I have linoleum floor covering in my entry and right at the basement stairwell I spilt some type of lubricant that is very slippery regardless of any footwear or bare feet. I have never felt anything that slippery.
Because of the location, it is very dangerous, as you can imagine. I live alone and often wonder what would happen to me, being 61 years old, should I slip and fall down the stairs. I have tried a liquid household cleaner to no avail, and a household steam floor cleaner, which seems to have succeeded only in spreading the size of the slippery area. Any ideas? Brian, Winnipeg
ANSWER: People often call vinyl flooring linoleum, but unless the flooring is more than 50 years old, it is likely vinyl. In any case, clean the slippery area with one-quarter cup ammonia and two cups water. Or, strip the floor with professional vinyl/linoleum floor stripper, seal and apply polish (optional) and clean with pH neutral cleaner. Take care to rinse the floor after cleaning. Although these are sold in cleaning aisles, the best are sold at janitorial supply stores. The floor can then be sealed with vinyl floor sealer.
Fabulous tip of the week:
A great idea for a child's bedroom wall is to paint a chalkboard there. This is easy to do and fun for the child. Chalkboard paint is widely available at paint and hardware stores and comes in green or black, spray paint or canned. A few coats of this paint will create a fun chalkboard surface on the wall that children can write on with chalk and will wash off easily. If you affix a wood frame around it, you have a great looking instant chalkboard. Plus, the chalk can be stored on the ridge around the frame.
I enjoy your questions and tips; keep them coming!
Check out my website: www.householdsolutions.org
Reena Nerbas is the author of the national bestselling Household Solutions series. Her website is www.householdsolutions.org. You can contact her at Box 429, Blumenort, MB, ROA 0C0.
Renovation & Design
ASK THE INSPECTOR: Patio door's sliding action an open invitation to frost
QUESTION: I was hoping that you might be able to offer an opinion on a frost problem that has cropped up. I believe the attached photos will help you see what I am referring to.
This patio door, which is a Pella door, was installed this past fall. In doing our research, the Pella door seemed to be the best of the patio doors on the market.
Since the cold spell has hit we have noticed frost as noted in the pictures. We contacted the installer and he is suggesting that our humidity level in the house is the likely cause. I do not agree with this as I believe the frost is caused by air leakage.
The relative humidity level in our house is about 28 per cent. We do not have any condensation or frost on any of our other windows in the house, even ones covered with drapes. There are no drapes or other obstructions on or in front of this door. We do not use this door in the winter and it has not been opened.
We would appreciate your thoughts on this issue.
Gord and Dianne Smith, Winnipeg
ANSWER: I also agree with you that the problem with the ice and frost on your new door is not due to high relative humidity in your home, although that is often the cause. I think there is a fairly simple explanation for the ice, but the repair can vary greatly between relatively simple to very difficult depending on the design or your patio door.
At the risk of stereotyping both window- and door-installation companies and patio-door manufacturers, they will almost always try and blame defects in their products on the home or homeowners. In many cases, it is either the products or the installation that is to blame for moisture-related issues.
Most moisture complaints from homeowner about windows and doors fall into two general categories. The moisture is normally due to either poor weatherstripping or sealing of the units or improper insulation and sealing around the replacement units in the exterior wall assembly. The frost you are seeing is due to condensation and freezing of the warm, relatively moist air in your home as it hits the door. This can only happen if the door surface is below freezing or excessive cold air is leaking in, causing the house air to condense and freeze before more warm air can dry the condensation.
The simple fact that patio doors have large sliding sections makes them prone to air leakage. Most new doors and windows that are not sliders have large compression-style weatherstrips that seal well when the units are closed and locked. This prevents cold air from leaking in and warm from leaking out around the sash or the door slabs, in most cases. With sliding units the weatherstrips tend to be brush-style ones that seal the air space around the doors somewhat, while allowing good movement of the door. The problem with this style of weatherstripping is that it is comprised of thousands of small, individual fibres, which may allow air to pass through the many openings between the fibres. This is unlike the aforementioned plastic or neoprene compression weatherstrips, which become an impenetrable gasket when the window or door is closed and the cam locks closed to pull the door or sash tight. While the nature of the weatherstripping and thus the design of the patio door may be the underlying cause of the air leakage and ice, there may be an easy remedy to minimize the air leakage. Most patio doors have adjustment screws or mechanisms in the bottom rail to alter the height of the wheels that the door rolls on. These adjustment fasteners may be found behind small plastic caps or plugs on the inner surface or other areas on the door. While these are normally adjusted individually to compensate for a floor that isn't level or door frames not plumb or out of square, they also can be turned to reduce the gap underneath the door itself. Reducing this gap by lowering the door-wheel height may allow the sweep-style weatherstrips to contact the door more fully, preventing excessive cold air intrusion through the individual fibres. Also, these adjustments can be done to change the vertical sections of the sliding doors, improving contact with the side jambs that also have weatherstripping installed to close air gaps.
After looking at the pictures that accompanied your inquiry, these areas are exactly where the frost and ice seem to be forming. I would call the manufacturer's agent or the installer and insist they send down a trained service person to adjust the door and latching system to see if the gaps can be reduced. This service call should also include an inspection of the door for small shipping blocks or screws, installed at the factory to minimize movement of the door during transportation to the jobsite. I often see these small items on windows in newer homes and they need to be removed for the units to properly seal. If no solution can be found for your ice and air-leakage issues after proper adjustment and service of your new patio door, the answer may be simply the door itself. While your research may have led you to this specific brand of door, the ratings you have seen may not have been applicable in our climate. Older Pella windows were indeed the highest quality when it came to materials and construction, but their unique vented glazing system was not very well suited to our harsh winters. Later models, like yours, now have proper sealed units for the glazing but the weatherstripping and hardware still may not be designed to handle our - 30 C weather.
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 emailed to the address below. Ari can be reached at (204) 291-5358 or check out his website at www.trainedeye.ca.
trainedeye@iname.com
