Hot answers tagged cleaning
19
Goo Gone! - they claim that it's safe on any surface, and I haven't used it anywhere that it's caused damage, but check a small spot first just to be safe.
If you want to try something cheap, you could always simply get the stickiness off with more tape, but that probably won't work with old grungy remains.
16
Dilute chlorine bleach and your garden hose (assuming an adjustable nozzle that can give you a focused spray). No scrubbing required.
You can't really prevent it from getting smelly, but keeping all the trash in plastic bags will help. I use 13-gallon drawstring bags in the main kitchen trashcan and plastic shopping bags in my others. Tie them off before ...
15
I'll echo the comment and say that you should make sure you have a proper P-trap installed under the sink. This trap holds water and provides a seal against sewer gases getting up into the bathroom. Without one, gases will leak in constantly, and will be displaced by water down the drain which can force the gases up into the bathroom even if normally it's ...
14
Danny, I respect your enthusiasm. I am a certified home inspector and general contractor in Maine. There's some great advice in the answers here, and I won't repeat the obvious.
I will warn you, however, learn realtor language. "Fixer-upper" means a train wreck about to happen! Get a real good inspector that has building experience. DO NOT take a ...
13
This article suggests it might be a bacteria known as Serratia marcescen
if you’ve noticed a pink or red slimy
substance forming in your toilet bowl,
you’re not alone.
It is bacteria known as Serratia
marcescens, according to Roxanne
Johnson, North Dakota State University
Extension Service water quality
associate.
You may find this ...
12
Most of your questions are the same question, just asked in a different form.
Before you even start looking -- Before you even find a realtor -- Do your research on a good home inspector in your area. If you are looking at an old house, make SURE to tell the home inspection service that you want someone who knows about houses xxxx years old. Most inspectors ...
12
I think shirlock makes a good point. Particularly since the original poster mentions he does not have lots of DIY experience. There are many projects you can do on a house, but starting with one that is a "fixer upper" or "handyman special" is realtor code for "needs major work!". It will probably need so much work that even if you had time to do it, it ...
11
You need a Roller Nut Harvester!
Amazon also has the Nut Wizard, which has an infinitely better name, but it's $50 vs. $18.01 for the Roller Nut Harvester. Plus you can still tell your friends it's called the Nut Wizard and they'll never know.
11
My immediate vote is for a pressure washer. They are relatively cheap these days. Lacking that, a simple high pressure hose nozzle and a good stiff brush will do well too. Various oxidizing bleaches will also work, all of which will last for only a limited time.
To stop it from returning is difficult, since any moist, shady spot under a tree or bush is ...
10
This stuff is sick: http://www.evaporust.com/
I used it on a drill press my buddy left out on a patio in the rain for a year. Virtually no scrubbing. I don't understand how this is not one of the most widely known products in the world. It is THAT good. I guess with the military as a client, they don't need the business from the public. Here are some ...
10
Does it smell when you turn on the tap and catch the water in a bowl (so it doesn't go down the drain)?
If so, it's something in the faucet. Take off the aerator cap and look for gunk inside, and/or look in the barrel of the faucet if you can to clean it out. You can also consider replacing the faucet. (I am assuming that since this only affects the ...
9
Recycled concrete is used for several different purposes. It can be used "as is" for bulk
fill / drainage / etc.
When cleaned, crushed, and graded for size, it can be used as a base underneath a new concrete pour.
Recycled concrete can also be used as aggregate within the new concrete. Several factors must be taken into account to ensure that it will ...
9
To remove surface mold I use a 4:1 mixture of water:bleach. Spray on liberally and allow to sit for about 15 minutes. Rinse with water and wipe clean.
If you need to use a brush to scrape off heavy deposits, I recommend brushing away from your face or preferably wear an appropriate mask and goggles. The mold spores are probably more dangerous than the ...
9
If the pros couldn't do much, It sounds like the stain is there for good. Some suggestions:
small throw rug/welcome mat. Just cover it up!
bring in a pro to swap that bit of carpet with maybe something in a closet, or just a far corner. A good carpet pro should be able to seam it all back together.
dye the entire carpet a shade or two darker. I know such ...
8
I've heard that plumbers swear by bio-clean.
I guess the idea is that all the anti-bacterial soaps that people use tend to kill the "good" bacteria in the drain lines that naturally digest the crud that gets stuck in there. This stuff restores those bacteria so they can clean the pipes out naturally.
My experience with it has been pretty good for ...
8
Concrete is essentially a mixture of portland cement, sand and aggregate.
The strength of the concrete does not come from the cement, but from the aggregates. You want the smallest amount of cement possible -- just enough to glue the aggregate and sand together (i.e. fill the gaps).
By reusing old concrete as an aggregate, (and adding more cement to the ...
8
I would just replace the hose. You would probably have to take it apart to clean it anyway. I found replacement hoses for around $4. The directions seem fairly straightforward.
8
This is a problem best suited to the professionals, but if you must do it yourself the number one priority is the safety of you and those around you. This can be a very hazardous task, if you do not take every precaution to contain and remove the spores properly.
The first thing you'll have to think about is containment, you don't want to spread the mold ...
8
Vinegar is an acid. It's a mild acid, but it's an acid nonetheless. You might want to find a different brand of spray bottle that is chemical resistant... mine seem to keep working, but I buy them from a janitorial supply store. I know the one time I put a vinegar and water solution in one of my girlfriend's spray bottles, which were artsy and came from a ...
7
I'm answering my own question here - maybe and admin can move this as a comment to my original question:
I did some more research on how to detect and clear blockage in central vac system. I disconnected the vac bucket from the unit and then used a regular vacuum at each outlet. At one of them, a huge amount of debris came out, including a "fabric softener" ...
7
Wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it. I wish I took before/after pics.
Bought:
Jomax
Clorox Outdoor
Put in a garden sprayer designed for bleach according to instructions on Jomax:
3/4 cups Jomax
2 1/4 cups bleach
13 cups water
For 75% of the siding, I applied the mixture, then rinsed after 5 minutes. A number of sections needed a ...
7
Some background, there are two types of wood water stains. White rings and black marks. White rings form when the water has only made it into the finish, this is the "best" kind of stain to have. Black marks occur when the water has penetrated into the wood itself. This is slightly harder to fix and will ultimately require either sanding or covering it with ...
7
To add some detail to chris's list:
Structure: check for sagging floors and anything out of level (floors, walls, doors). Check around any openings to see the materials used (from the outside, look for any protrusions like a faucet to see what's behind the siding, and from the inside, check the joists and rafters from any crawl space or attic).
Check for ...
7
This doesn't really answer your question; but I wanted to mention it. I was in your situation about four years ago. My wife and I wanted a house, but money was tight....we looked at some bank owned foreclosures and found one that was in a good area for a good price. It was kind of a dump though....
We figured one year and 10k and we'd be done, with a ...
7
A cheap and easy solution would be to strap an air filter to a box fan and run it in the room for awhile. I've seen several variations of the basic concept. Here is one example:
Build a do-it-yourself air purifier for about $25
7
The way I've done this is not using water, instead take the roller or brush and put in a big ziplock bag and stick in the fridge. yes it may look gross in there but it won't be a problem to return to continue painting. It won't be able to dry as much. Certainily it won't dry out. Seems like my wife left one in there for a couple days to return AND multiple ...
6
Here are the EPA guidelines for duct cleaning and when it is necessary. http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/airduct.html
Keep in mind that the airflow ducts usually aren't as bad as commercials would have you believe, unless the system was run without an air filter. The filter usually sits in your air return, which makes sure any air flowing into your supply ...
6
You may want to look at something like the Gutter Cleaning Wand:
You don't need to hire a professional to clean out your clogged rain gutters. Attach the Gutter Cleaner Wand to any standard garden hose, and you'll be able to clear out those debris-filled rain gutters yourself. This heavy-duty hose attachment has a telescoping wand that extends from ...
6
Surprisingly (to me, anyway) a pumice stone works great for this. A friend recommended it to me when I had a similar situation to yours. I had a hard time believing the stone wouldn't scratch the porcelain bowl, but it didn't and removed the rings pretty quickly.
6
I have a well as my water source, and my water has high levels of iron. This stains and leaves a residue in my sinks, shower, and toilets. It's from from the byproducts of the iron-eating bacteria. It's actually harmless, but it's smelly and ugly.
If you're not sure what's in your water, you should take a water sample to get chemically tested. I found ...
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