38
votes
Accepted
How to clean a burnt wall socket?
Do not try to clean a scorched receptacle even with the power off; the heat created takes the temper out of the metal and the receptacle would not pass a withdrawal force test, this is important ...
- 101k
36
votes
In layman's terms how much pressure is 4000 psi?
4000 PSI is too much or a shitload of pressure. I would never use it on high on anything that I was cleaning at a home. Even brick work could get damaged of up close 4000 PSI. Probably the only ...
- 47.1k
32
votes
Avoiding dust scattering when you drill
Vacuum near the point of drilling
Have someone to stand next to you with the nozzle of a (running) vacuum cleaner, and position it very carefully near the where the drill bit enters the wall. ...
- 2,517
30
votes
Avoiding dust scattering when you drill
Get it wet!
When drilling or cutting stone, using water to cool the bit will help cut faster and smoother and prolong the life of the bit. When drilling in the wet hole, you don't need a special ...
- 27.1k
22
votes
Best way to clean up nails after demolition?
Since you are planning to do the teardown yourself, you could lay a tarp or sheets of plywood to make a place for nails to not get lost in the grass/dirt in the process of tearing it down - or remove ...
- 167k
21
votes
Santizing a vacuum cleaner by sucking up disinfectant
Either you trust the HEPA rating or you don't. If you do, you can continue to use the vac until you are ready to swap that filter media out, and then decide whether you want to sanitize. If you don't, ...
- 21.5k
19
votes
Why do many construction projects leave so many nails behind?
Yes it is typical, but a conscientious contractor will pick them up with a magnet or not let them drop to begin with. Sadly, from my experience, not many workers do. Cost of the nails versus the time ...
- 32.5k
19
votes
Accepted
Central Vacuuming: Is it worth it, and how does it compare to normal vacuuming?
I've installed several systems in new construction projects up to about 6,000 s.f., one of which was a log home. (That was interesting.)
No, you don't necessarily get better performance. It's all ...
- 116k
19
votes
Avoiding dust scattering when you drill
In addition to the halved tennis ball trick, when drilling walls, I usually use Post-It notes. Take one sheet, fold it horizontally away from the sticky side, then stick it to the wall just below the ...
- 451
19
votes
Accepted
Ok to put bleach in toilet tank?
This is perfectly normal practice.
I have put a shot of bleach in toilet cisterns as regular maintenance for years.
Just put in a small amount and leave a couple of hours before flushing. Do this two ...
- 1,295
18
votes
How to drain a toilet bowl?
A wet-capable vacuum cleaner
If you only have a dry capable vac you can buy or build an interim canister that traps the water
Any canister with a wall strong enough to resist being sucked flat will ...
- 1,312
16
votes
16
votes
Accepted
Why do many construction projects leave so many nails behind?
There are a bunch of different ways that nails wind up on the ground, and none of them are really avoidable. They fall out of nail pouches, they'll kick out and go flying if you hit them wrong with a ...
- 6,875
16
votes
Accepted
How do I clean sealant/silicone from a glass mirror?
Wait until it dries and use a razor blade to scrape it off.
- 691
16
votes
Accepted
Removed front closet doors and hardwood below is a different color
The rest of your floor has been stained a darker color and has also weathered with exposure to air.
You have a few choices of how to handle this, listed here from hardest to easiest:
Refinish the ...
- 2,547
16
votes
How to drain a toilet bowl?
Professional plumbers, like Richard Trethewey of This Old House, use a turkey baster to remove water:
- 5,682
13
votes
Avoiding dust scattering when you drill
I am using this tool (Kärcher DDC 50). You put the drill through the hole on the right, and the battery-driven vacuum not only sucks the dust into the storage container but also sucks the entire tool ...
- 231
13
votes
Accepted
Best way to clean up nails after demolition?
Dismantle the shed into the biggest chunks that you can move. Then do as much dismantling as possible on a driveway so that any nails will (a) be obvious and (b) be easy to sweep up afterwards.
- 146
13
votes
Accepted
Santizing a vacuum cleaner by sucking up disinfectant
If yours is a commercial model then it probably uses the venturi effect or compressed air to cause suction. This means that the sucked-up material does not touch any internal moving parts. If it is ...
- 1,933
12
votes
Accepted
How to clean rusty grill grates?
Put them in the grill and get them HOT! Then use a wire brush and scrub the scale and rust off. After that I usually coat them with olive oil but any cooking oil will work.
- 101k
12
votes
Central Vacuuming: Is it worth it, and how does it compare to normal vacuuming?
Like anything else, can be done well or poorly. Having seen some done poorly, those are a waste of money. Short sharp turns, improperly arranged tees make keeping the system free of clogs a pain, when ...
- 167k
12
votes
Ok to put bleach in toilet tank?
I also would adhere to the "shot" of bleach is fine. This will not harm the tank or the pipes.
The only other concern would be if you are on a septic tank. Bleach kills the beneficial ...
- 581
12
votes
Accepted
How to clean bath spa nozzles?
Probably have to fill the tub with cleaning solution and let it run for a while. First stab would be a bleach solution to kill off any biofilm (don't go overboard, the fumes will be bad enough with a ...
- 167k
11
votes
Why do many construction projects leave so many nails behind?
It's fairly typical. Nails get dropped, nails are struck poorly and go flying.
Nails are not hugely expensive (modern era - supposedly in the era that they were hand-made one at a time, folks would ...
- 167k
10
votes
Avoiding dust scattering when you drill
Squirt bottle
Wet the wall area just as you start, then as soon as the bit is seated, use one hand to squirt a small amount of water at the hole in frequent intervals. This will assure the stuff ...
10
votes
Avoiding dust scattering when you drill
A combination of my "vacuum near drill point" answer and @mrks' mini-vacuum Karcher device answer: You can get a (hopefully) universal vacuum cleaner collector attachment for collecting drilling dust:
...
- 2,517
8
votes
In layman's terms how much pressure is 4000 psi?
Take a moderately average car, such as a Honda Civic - roughly 3000 lbs (depending on options, year, etc)
Balance it on a US Quarter (0.955 inch diameter, 0.716 square inches)
Or:
Stick to quarters....
- 167k
8
votes
Accepted
How to clean brush after polyurethane?
I have had trouble cleaning them with everything and had the same problem, until I found a jar large enough to put the brush in filled to the bristle level with thinner keeping it tightly sealed. (I ...
- 101k
8
votes
Accepted
How to clean a paint brush?
First I "paint out" the brush (try to paint scrap material, cardboard etc.) until the brush is too dry to paint. Then:
Latex paints
Assuming I have flowing tap water on site, I rinse the brush with ...
8
votes
Avoiding dust scattering when you drill
Cut a tennis ball in half. Drill a hole in the center of one half, slide the half over the drill bit, line up the drill and bit to where the hole is to be. Slide the half ball up against the wall and ...
- 69.2k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible