Spruce up your shower with these super tips

Want to kick your shower up a notch? Change out the showerhead. It's not a very hard thing to do, and it can make a huge difference. Here are the basic steps and a few super tips to make it quick and easy.

You have many options when shopping, so spend some time at your hardware store or home center. If you have a plain shower head, you can go back in with a new standard showerhead, or maybe one with a hose extender or one with more than one head. If your old shower head is really old, you will love the water savings on the newer ones, too.

Once you choose the replacement, open the package and check out the instructions before doing anything else. In most cases, you will not have to shut off the water just to change out a shower head.

Cover the shower or tub floor with towels and make sure the drain is covered to prevent any tiny pieces from falling into it.

To remove the old shower head, cover the pipe and shower head with tape or a sloth to prevent scratching the chrome finish with your pliers and wrench. Hold the pipe coming from the wall while turning off the old shower head.

Remove any old Teflon tape and clean the threads. Wrap new Teflon tape around the threads in the same direction you will be turning the new shower head onto to the pipe. Teflon tape will make installation easier and will prevent leaks and damaged threads for years to come.

Keep in mind that many of the parts of your new shower head are plastic made to look like chrome, so don't apply too much pressure to them while working. Protect them from scratches, too.

Once complete, check your installation for leaks and make adjustments if you need to.

Cleaning the shower head with warm vinegar a couple of times a year will keep water flowing as it's designed.

Fix for sagging shelves

Sagging shelves could mean you have too much stuff sitting on them. Even when you remove things, they still might sag, because they have been overloaded for such a long time. Well, there's an easy fix for this. If you can remove the shelf, just flip it upside down and slip it back into place. It might bow upward a little bit, but it should settle back into place in no time at all. It doesn't seem like it could be that simple, but it really can be. Try it!

Versatile cardboard box

When you are painting, you usually have a few things that need to travel with you around the room as you work - your paint can, tray, brushes, rags, etc. See if you can find a sturdy box to set all of these items in. Then just attach a rope to it and pull it with you. This is so much easier to do than moving things individually. If things do tip or slosh over, they will spill into the box, not onto your floor or dropcloth.

Super hints

• If you have to do some caulking outdoors, you'll be in for a shock when you discover how tough it gets in cold temps. Wrap your caulk tubes up in a heating pad for about a half-hour before doing it, and you'll get the job done much quicker and easier. Next time, start earlier in the season!

• Several years ago, we had to replace a water heater in a hallway. It was set behind the air conditioner, so it was impossible to remove without going through the wall. Since the bedroom door was always in the way, we took the opportunity to change the swinging door to a pocket door. The water heater got replaced with a tankless model, and we got the pocket door we always wanted in that spot!

• When you have to do soldering or any other hot work, grab some hot pads from the kitchen to handle your project. These will prevent burns and help you get your project finished much quicker.

Q. I'm not sure when it started, but my washing machine seems to move a lot when it is working. Every time I finish a load, I have to scoot it back over next to the dryer. Should I be concerned? Is there a way to adjust something to prevent this from happening?

A. If it's not making a lot of noise and your clothes still are being cleaned, then it might just need to be leveled. Most washers have feet at the front corners that can be turned to raise or lower each side. Use a bubble level to see which side needs to go up or down, and level the machine in all directions. It might take a few minutes to get it just right, but this should fix the problem. If not, it might be something more serious that requires service.

Q. We have a standard kitchen stove with a ventilation fan over it. I have tried to clean it by removing the filters, but they don't really seem to be much cleaner. What can I do to get all of the grease off them, or should I just replace them?

A. Find a shallow pan and soak the filters in mineral spirits paint thinner to soften them. Then use a scrub brush and soap and water to clean them. Allow them to dry completely, and then check them out. If they aren't clean enough, then, yes, just replace them. If you clean them a couple of times a year, they should stay in good shape.

Q. I'm new to this do-it-yourself stuff but enjoy your columns. I want to try my hand at painting something. Are certain brushes better for specific paints?

A. Basic brushes are divided into two types: natural and man-made bristles. As a general rule, synthetic materials are usually better for latex and acrylic paints and natural bristle brushes are best for oil-based paints. Many times, paint manufacturers will specify a special type of brush to use with their paint and they usually know best. When in doubt, check with your paint dealer, too.

Reader tips

• I have successfully cleared my first snow-covered driveway! I knew it would be coming soon, so I bought a new shovel and was ready to do it. I even sprayed some baking spray on the shovel to help the snow slide off easier. I don't think I want to do this every day, but for my first attempt, I think I did a pretty good job.

• I have always loved the look of a door with a rounded top. One of my neighbors has one, and I covet it every time I see it. I got a great idea and tried it out, and it looks amazing. I bought some wooden corner brackets, stained them to match the door-frame trim that I have, and installed them in the top corners of the door frame, in front of the door. From the street, it looks like the door is round at the top. It doesn't interfere with the way it opens and closes, but it really looks neat.

• I know a lot of people have dry homes in the winter, but mine is a little humid. In fact, I wanted to tell you how I have learned to deal with the sweating windows that we have on super-cold days. I wax the window frame surfaces and the sill, and this prevents the sweating from happening on these surfaces. Maybe one of these days I can afford new windows but, for now, this will work for me.

• My older windows are just fine and don't seem to let very much air in and out. The only problem I have with them is they no longer stay up when I open them. I know there's a way to take the frames apart and fix them, but I'm not up for that chore. I have a small piece of PVC pipe that I have cut to fit into the track when I want the window to stay up. It doesn't show and works pretty well. One of these days, you'll need to tell me how to make a permanent repair, OK? Thanks.

• We had a little accident where some candles dripped wax on our dining-room floor. It's wood, so I knew if I was careful, I would be able to get it off the floor without ruining it. I softened it with my hair dryer and then scraped it off with a plastic credit card. It's all off, and there are no scratches on the floor, thank goodness!

Shoptalk

• If you have spent a lot of time and money to get a piece of furniture to the stage where it's ready for a good finish, don't forget to clean it thoroughly with a tack rag. This special rag will remove any dust left over from sanding or just from sitting in your shop or garage while you work. You can buy tack rags if you like, but you also can make them fairly easily yourself. For faster instructions, download them from our website, www.thesuperhandyman.com. A good tack rag will last you through several woodworking projects and make your efforts worthwhile. You can even renew them over and over again.

• Can we talk about snow yet? True Temper has a new Scratch-Free Snow Brush that you really are going to like. The EVA Foam Brush is what makes it different and way better than regular-bristle brushes, which can break down and eventually scratch your car. The foam brush won't freeze or clog, even in extreme temperatures. The other end of the tool has a standard scraper on it, too. It comes in three different lengths and is available at most home centers this winter, so grab one now, before you need it. To find out more, go to www.amestruetemper.com.

• You've tried powders, liquids and probably countless other ant killers, but you really are going to like Raid's Ant Gel. It's a clear gel that is perfect for hard-to-reach places, like cracks and crevices inside your home. It's a bait that the workers come to see and bring back to the queen, killing the entire colony. It continues to work up to a month after you set it out, and is OK for kitchens and bathrooms as long as you keep kids and pets away from it. It will kill all kinds of household ants, including fire ants and carpenter ants. Find out more at www.raidkillsbugs.com.

• Write to Kelly Carrell in care of the Daily Herald, P.O. Box 280, Arlington Heights, IL 60006 or visit online at thesuperhandyman.com.

© 2014, Cowles Syndicate Inc.