Stop mosquitoes from bugging you this summer

If you are starting to hear the hum of mosquitoes in your yard, then you better get busy with your springtime chores! Mosquitoes are not just annoying - they also can be dangerous because they carry diseases. Here are the rules you need to follow to keep them away from your family.

Bear in mind that the average mosquito lives for only a month or two, but can lay eggs continually until death. Some species can go from egg to adult in only five to seven days. They usually don't travel far from their breeding grounds to feed, so keeping your yard - and maybe your neighbor's yard - under control is extremely beneficial.

It is important that you avoid supplying them with a breeding ground. Remove trays from under your plants. Clean debris from your gutters where water might collect. Pick up items lying around your yard and patio that would hold water. There are some safe biological aids that you can add to ponds to prevent breeding. Mosquito Dunks is one popular brand.

It's also important to know that, as a general rule, mosquitoes are more active at dusk and dawn. Try to keep that in mind when scheduling your outdoor activities.

It might not be pleasant on hot days, but wearing long sleeves and socks, and just generally keeping your skin covered up will prevent them from snacking on you, too.

Talk to your local nursery and install plants that are natural repellents, like the citronella plant.

You can treat your yard with a spray that will keep them at bay. This is a great thing to do before your next patio party. You also can use repellent candles, torches or incense.

Wear repellents made with DEET. I'm not a big fan of using chemicals, but if I'm working outside where I know mosquitoes are around, I will use it. There are a lot of natural products that you can try too.

Always read the packages before using any of these products to make sure that your family, pets and home will not be harmed in the process.

There's a better way to drive small wooden stakes

Driving a small wooden stake into the ground can be a little tough, especially if your aim isn't very good. You could hit it on the edge and split the wood, or miss it entirely, hitting yourself! But there's a better way. If you place a bigger scrap of wood on top of the end of the stake, you'll have a larger target. It will prevent glancing blows and allow you to drive it in quickly and more easily, without damaging the stake - or yourself. This also works on plastic stakes, which usually are even more vulnerable than those made of wood. Give it a shot!

A bright idea for checking hard-to-reach leaks

Last weekend, while searching for something under my kitchen sink, I discovered a small leak in the back side of my food disposal, or at least that is where it seemed to be coming from. I tried to get far enough into the cabinet to see the area in question, but still couldn't locate the problem. I ended up using my flashlight, along with a good hand mirror, to check out what was going on. Thank goodness it was easy to fix!

Super hints

• If your garage has windows, it might be wise to apply a vinyl covering to them that will allow light in but won't allow someone to actually see what's inside.

I needed to put some wheels on a plastic storage container for a project that I was working on in order to slide the box around. I considered mounting the wheels on wood first and then attaching it to the box, but ended up making small holes and using cable ties to attach the wheels to the box. It worked great, and it's still working fine.

• Need a privacy screen for your apartment balcony? Grow one. Use pots, soil, string and some fast-growing vines to create some privacy. Try planting green beans or morning glories to block the neighbor's view.

Q. I have a plain toilet tissue holder that has two parts connected to the wall - at least, they are supposed to be connected. Every time I need to change the roll, one or both of the pieces come off the wall. What can I do to make them stay in place?

A. Standard screws probably were all that was used to hang them originally. Plastic anchors also might have been used. But these usually don't last very long. Remove these and install larger anchors or metal molly bolts. These may have to be placed next to the original holes, so you might need to use drywall repair compound to fill the old holes first. These new anchors should hold for a long time.

Q. We have a set of old chairs with cane seats. One is broken, and I would like to see about having it repaired. Is it hard to restore?

A. Caning is very time-consuming and tedious. I've done it a few times, and if you like this sort of thing, give it a shot. You can buy the supplies and a book to tell you how. If you don't want to try it yourself, talk to some local antiques dealers to see if they have a recommendation. It can be quite costly, as it does take a lot of patience and time to do. Good luck!

Q. My bathroom sink has a couple of chipped spots in it. Can you tell me how to possibly cover or seal up these spots?

A. Check your hardware store or home center for a basic repair kit just for this purpose. The kits have great instructions, and most are easy to do. The hardest part might be determining which color to use. If you can find the name of the manufacturer of your sink, it will be very helpful in finding a good match. You'd be surprised at how many shades of "white" there are.

Reader tips

• I love being a new homeowner, and I really appreciate the tips I get from you and your readers. I have a lot to learn for sure. We were hanging pictures on the wall and needed to find the wall studs for a heavy mirror. We couldn't find one, so we searched online for an answer. We ended up using a magnetic compass to do it. You can hold the compass next to the wall and move it around. When the magnet finds a nail or screw in the wall, it will point to it. I'm sure a real stud-finder would work better, but this was all we had. We found a good wall stud for the mounting hook.

• Our move went smoothly, and we got most of it done in just one weekend, this past month. To save on packing materials, we used our clothes and linens as cushioning around pots and pans and dishes. Things didn't get broken, and we didn't fill up the recycling bins with old packing stuff. That's a win-win in my book! I just thought I'd share. Have a great summer!

• I have a new clothesline in my backyard. It's actually nice to have one again. I've started finding extra uses for the clothespins, too, since I have them around more now. I glued a couple of them on my pantry wall to hang onto spice, gravy and sauce packets. These things used to get lost in a big messy pile before this idea came to me. I'm thinking of more uses, too, and will get back to you as I find them.

• I've been cleaning out my garage and trying to make more room for a bigger mower. I decided to try to mount my extension ladder on the backyard fence next to the pool net. I installed a couple of heavy-duty hangers to hold it. Then I got a cable and lock to keep it there. Finally, it's out of the garage and out of sight for the most part, too! The new mower is a dream.

• I liked the idea of putting a concrete topper over my old, chipping patio. But I wanted to give it a better look. I used some finishing tools to make the topper look like stones. I spread it out, and then as it was setting up, I carved out some fake joints to make it look like it was made of stones. After it set, I installed some real grout into these areas. It really does look pretty neat.

Shoptalk

• If you have noticed that the pressure in your water supply has diminished over time, especially the hot-water supply, it may be something as simple as mineral deposits clogging up the lines. It's not a very hard thing to fix once you know a little trick you can play with a dime. It's a very simple thing to do and it may just solve your problems - at least, your water-pressure problems. You also can get this information, and a lot more, at our website: www.thesuperhandyman.com.

• Terminix AllClear Mosquito Bait & Kill is a new product that is made to kill adult mosquitoes, stopping the breeding cycle in its tracks. It can reduce the mosquito population in your yard by up to 90 percent in just two to three weeks. It comes in a ready-to-use package large enough to treat 5,000 square feet. Each application can last up to a month. Although it's not totally safe to use on every surface, it's much safer than a lot of standard treatments, and the lasting effects make it more practical to use than a lot of other products. It also can be used around pets, kids and food. To find out more, go to www.terminixallclear.com, or look for it at your home center or hardware store.

• How many times have you lost your car keys? Now there's a simple tag that you can put on your key ring to help you locate them. The XY tags are small, about 1 inch wide, with a small hole so you can clip them on your keys, your laptop bag, your dog's collar, your purse, briefcase or a thousand other items. Then, you install the app on your phone and sync it with your valuables. You can use as many tags as you need and install photos of the items they are attached to. These are so simple to use, and you even can ask others in your local area who have the app to help you locate these things. Check it out at www.xyfindit.net.

• 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.