Give your appliances a makeover

One thing you need to take into account when changing the look of an appliance is that any appliance that heats, like an oven or range, will require a treatment that can take the heat without failing.

To change your appliances to "stainless steel," you can use a liquid stainless-steel paint. This paint will work better on appliances that get hot. Just follow the package instructions to the letter for good results.

You can use a spray paint that looks like stainless steel on other surfaces to give them a new look. Special spray paints made for appliances come in a lot of other colors, too, and there are some that are made just for heating appliances.

Vinyl coverings also can be used. They even have this stuff in stainless steel. If you do a little shopping, you can find this material in tons of colors and patterns. We covered our old soda machine with a houndstooth pattern to match our game room.

Another clever option might be a chalkboard-paint finish. This would allow you to leave messages or notes, or just draw decorative pictures.

With a little extra talent, you can cover standard doors with extra cabinet doors or drawer fronts.

You can use wood trim or molding and a little paint to turn a plain appliance front into a framed cabinet door. Glue holds it in place instead of nails.

Accents can be applied with vinyl decals. There is an endless supply of these available through your craft store or online.

Store wine properly

I've never had much of a wine collection, but I do have some that I like to store for special occasions. After opening a bottle and having the cork break, my brother-in-law pointed out to me that I should store bottles on their sides in order to prevent this. I didn't have a wine rack, so I bought a long section of 3-inch piece of PVC pipe, cut it into 12-inch sections and then glued them together in a stack to hold several bottles on their sides. I'm going to paint it black so that it will look nicer, but it works great.

Other uses for PVC

I've been cleaning out my garage, which is a once-a-year chore for me. I created a neat "hanger" for tools on my garage wall. First, I secured a PVC pipe flange to the wall and then I installed a 10-inch section of pipe to the flange. I used a very large diameter pipe and flange so that I could store items inside the pipe as well as hanging on it. I put one up where I store my hard tools. I use it to hold extension cords, which are hanging on it. I placed some adapters, gloves and safety glasses inside the pipe. It's so handy that I'm going to install a couple more when I get a chance.

Super hints

• You should know there is a difference between a surge protector and a power strip. The latter is meant to control power for several devices with just one switch, and will not protect these devices from power surges.

• I love to cook, but don't really like all of the cleanup afterward, so I love all cleaning shortcuts. I think soaking greasy dishes is the best way to get a head start on cleaning, so I like to put a layer of paper towel soaked in soapy water on the cooking surfaces, and then set them aside for a while. When you get the first load of dishes in the dishwasher, then you can tackle the other items. The pre-soaking really cuts down on the scrubbing.

• An emergency generator really can come in handy after a bad storm. But make sure you use it safely. It needs to be placed outdoors, grounded and have good oil and gas to put in it. Use only heavy-duty extension cords with it and never leave it unattended.

Q. My wife uses hair spray. It builds up on the floor and counter. We've tried cleaning it off, but it always leaves a sticky residue behind. What would you recommend using to get the sticky stuff off the surfaces?

A. Try using an all-purpose cleaner, like 409. Alcohol also is a pretty good solvent for most hair sprays, so it should work, too.

Q. I'm finally ready to replace the old wallpaper with paint in my breakfast room and kitchen. I've removed the wallpaper, but I have very smooth walls now. Should I attempt to texture them, and how do I do this, as a complete novice?

A. Your walls will look much better if you apply a slight texture. Check your paint store or home center for a special paint roller that is made to apply texture. These are easy to use and, with a little practice, you can get good results. You'll need to touch-up the wall edges, too.

Q. My office desk has a nice stained oak finish, for the most part. However, there are a couple of places that are starting to fade and are scratched. What can I do to bring them back to the original good-looking finish?

A. I think you should be able to sand off the scratched and stained areas. Then, shop for a matching stain and just touch up the sanded spots. Some stains have a built-in clear coating for extra protection. If yours doesn't, you can apply one over the top of the stain. Just make sure you match the sheen, either satin or glossy.

Reader tips

• We are going to take several car trips again this summer with the whole family. My favorite trash can for the car is a large coffee can with a plastic lid. You can put quite a bit of trash in one of these cans, and the lid keeps the contents - and smell - inside the container until you can get to a proper trash can when you stop for gas. This also works great for snacks. Just don't get the two mixed up!

• I have found a great way to shine up my chrome faucets, towel rods and other fixtures. I clean them, then polish them with a sheet of waxed paper. The first time I tried it I was very skeptical, but if you just rub the waxed paper over the surfaces, it shines them up really well. The best part is that it really stays on the surface for a while, preventing future spots. I'm amazed at how well it works, and I'm so glad I tried it.

• I learned how to change my own oil in my car years ago. I sort of enjoy doing it - at least, I am happy that I can take care of it myself. I learned a little trick a while back. If you find that the oil-filter wrench slips a little, just slip some sandpaper between the filter and the wrench, and it will give you a better grip to turn it and remove it. You also can slip a plastic bag around the filter so when it comes off, the oil and filter will drop into the bag and you can get rid of it without any mess.

• I was looking for a few more storage ideas for my kitchen. It's small and I love to cook, so storage is a problem. I had a couple of old wooden shutters. I hung one on the ends of both sides of my kitchen island with the slats pointing upward. I got a few hooks at the hardware store that would hang on these slats and now use the shutters to store items like a cutting board, rolling pin and other items that I commonly use when working with foods on the island. It works great and looks cute.

• We have a large brass chandelier that has hung in our hallway for a long time. I have never liked it, but really think it's dated now. I was able to get a ladder so I could work on it. I covered the glass panels and used a brushed-nickel spray paint to give it a newer appearance. It looks so much better.

Shoptalk

• Even the plain standard closet design can be supersized, and you don't have to knock out a wall to do it. ClosetMaid has just come out with the Maximizer System. This is a really neat kit that allows you to customize just about any closet by adding rods, brackets and shelves (provided in the kit) to what you already have. It requires no tools to assemble, and it can be installed in just a few minutes. It even comes in three different finishes. You are going to really like this one, and you can see it at your local Home Depot store or online at www.closetmaid.com.

• If you haven't tried using chalkboard paint then you need to try it on at least one project. Krylon makes a good chalkboard paint and it's available in a spray as well as a canned product. It comes in black and green, but you might be surprised to find that it comes in clear, too. That means you can paint over any other color to turn that surface into a chalkboard. It's easy to apply, dries quickly and can be used on a variety of surfaces. Check it out at www.krylon.com or at your paint or hardware store.

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

© 2015, Cowles Syndicate Inc.