Be aggressive when fighting fleas on your household pets

If you have pets, then can fleas be far behind? These pests carry and spread disease and can even get on you and your family. Getting rid of them is tough. Here are some steps you can follow to make them go away and prevent them from coming back.

Aggressive treatment is important, and you need to treat the home where pets are present, the yard where they play and the pets themselves -- pretty much all at the same time -- in order to eradicate the problem. Precautions need to be exercised in all of these places, and you should always read and follow package directions for your and your pets' safety. Also, keep in mind that a flea's life cycle might require you to repeat some treatments in some cases.

Your vet can suggest which treatment is best to use on your pet. There are shampoos, collars, skin/systemic treatments and even pills you can feed your pet. Some pet stores even carry organic controls that some people say are safer for your pet.

For the home, flea bombs can be used and can be quite effective. Use the ones specified for fleas, and repeat the treatment if needed. Take all precautions as far as protecting dishes, eating surfaces, food and other pets.

Other indoor treatments include spreadable powders and sprays. Use precautions with these as well, and repeat as needed. Pay special attention to areas where pets hang out the most.

Clean carpets using special flea shampoos and treatments. Wash all linens and other materials that might be places where fleas lay their eggs.

Outdoors, use sprays, powders and granules made for specific areas. Use precautions and follow label directions for the best results. Beneficial nematodes are a natural approach to the problem and can be quite effective. Supplies are available at hardware stores and home centers, as well as at most pet stores. Many of these materials will also take care of other outdoor pests at the same time.

Be diligent and careful, and you can control these little beasts!

Gluing small cracks

When a piece of wood splits or a small crack needs to be filled, it can be a real challenge to get the glue into the area. One simple approach is to blow glue into the crack. Put a dab of glue into a thin straw and place it as close to the crack as you can get it, then gently blow the glue into the area. This way is simple and works most of the time. Clamping might be a good idea if you can do that too. Then just throw the straw away when you are finished.

Pegboard accessories

One of the pegboard accessory "hooks" is really a metal piece that extends straight out from the pegboard. This particular attachment can be used for a variety of things, but when you place two of them a foot or so apart horizontally, it will hold a simple shelf for storing even more items. Just drill straight holes into a scrap of shelf board and push the shelf onto the ends of the hangers. The new shelf can hold lots of things and keep them handy for your next project.

Super hints

•Your leaf blower can clean up more than leaves. Tilt your mower up and use the blower to get rid of the caked-on grass that builds up on the underside of the mower deck. It is much safer than using your hands.

•Keep a roll of reflective tape in your car's trunk to use in case of a roadside emergency. The reflective tape can be placed on a spare tire, placed to the side of your car, on the car's jack, on the car itself or even on you to make you more visible when stopped on the side of the road.

•I don't really enjoy ironing, but when you have a dent in a nice piece of wood, sometimes ironing can remove it. Just apply a damp cloth to the surface of the wood and use a warm iron to press over it. The moisture from the heated cloth gets into the wood fibers and will sometimes raise a dent. Be careful not to damage the finish of the wood.

Q. I have older vinyl flooring that is in good shape -- it just looks hideous. Can I paint it? Can you tell me how? Will it last?

G.K.

A. Yes, you can paint it, but it won't last forever. To prepare the surface, you need to scuff-sand the entire floor to remove the glossy finish and to allow the paint to stick. Then paint the surface with a base coat. Any type of paint will do. Then apply your surface paint. Make sure each coat has plenty of time to dry. Next, apply at least a couple of coats of clear polyurethane to seal the surface paint. Be creative and have some fun.

Q. I had a leak under my kitchen sink, and the floor in the cabinet was made of particleboard. Needless to say, it's ruined, and we pulled it out. How can I fit another board in the cabinet, as the doors won't allow for it to fit inside?

N.M.

A. We would suggest plywood, either marine-grade or exterior. You might have to cut it into two pieces to fit it through the cabinet door, but that's OK. Build up the space under the new floor so it has no "give" to it.

Q. I am getting ready to build a deck and have a question. Somebody told me that the boards should be placed with one specific side up or down. I can't remember. Can you help me with this question?

A.S.

A. If you are using real lumber or deck boards, place them with the "bark" side up. Look at the ends of the boards, and the curves will tell you which side faces up. This might be hard to figure out. You might consider using fake lumber for the deck boards, as you won't have to wonder about warping or cupping at all.

Reader tips

•I had a magnetic paper-clip holder in my office, and I decided to get rid of it. It turns out that it is perfect for my workshop. The clip holder now is filled with small nails, and the magnet keeps them handy for use whenever I need them in my workshop. The magnet also keeps them from falling out of the container and onto the floor. It's a great addition to my shop.

T.L.

•My wife noticed the aroma when I was working with some cedar wood for a project. She asked me to cut a few small pieces that she could put into the plastic boxes before packing up the clothes at the end of last winter season. I cut and sanded some small blocks that she used. She is starting to unpack stuff now, and she says it seems to have worked. She said she can still smell the cedar and has not found any moth damage in the boxes of clothes.

L.M.

•I use cooking spray when baking to keep foods from sticking to the pans. Well, I use WD-40 for the same reason in my workshop. The WD-40, when sprayed on my metal tools, keeps them from getting all grimy when working on projects. The grease is easily wiped right off. I can also spray WD-40 on parts that I don't want to get paint on when painting. It's much easier to use than masking tape on some surfaces. It acts just like the cooking spray in my kitchen and does a super job for me in the shop.

V.N.

•My neighbor told me to wipe the inside of the trash can with old motor oil to keep the cans from rusting. Our trash cans do tend to rust, even with the galvanized coating. It's just very humid here most of the year. I applied the coating, hoping it would do some good, and it really has cut down on the rust that was starting to ruin the can. I have discovered that it also seems to keep the flies away. The oil has a certain smell to it. It doesn't bother me, but it seems to keep the flies away, which is quite a blessing for sure.

W.R.

•I remember reading in your column to use paint thinner to dissolve an oil stain and then to cover it with absorbent overnight, but I had an oil stain on my basement wall. I used the paint thinner to dissolve the oil and it worked, but I couldn't use the absorbent, since it was on a vertical surface -- a wall. I taped a large piece of plastic over the area and filled it with a light absorbent. I left it overnight, and it worked! The stain was gone, and I wanted to pass this along. I know that oil stains aren't as common on walls, but they do happen.

C.G.

Shop talk

•We've talked about waterless hand cleaners before, and Goop is a staple in both of our shops. Goop also makes antibacterial cleanup wipes that are super for the shop and home. They come in a dispenser pack that makes them super handy to keep in your shop, boat, car, camper and even your home. The citrus smell is nice, and they keep you clean between projects. They are great for wiping down tools and hardware, and can even be used on barbecue grills. You can find the whole line of Goop products at your local discount store, auto supplier, hardware store or home center. For more information, visit www.goophandcleaner.com.

•Before painting, mask off the areas you don't want to get paint on with Scotch-Blue Painter's tape -- and to make it even easier, use the dispenser. This handy gadget applies yards of tape in seconds. It easily glides over walls, woodwork and other surfaces. The special design allows you to get a flush fit against the wall, and the operation is smooth. A wheel in front presses the tape down as it goes along, for less bleed-through. If you've got a big paint job in your future, you'll want to use this tape, and the dispenser comes loaded with it. For more information, check it out at your paint or hardware store, as well as at most home centers. Visit 3M online at www.3m.com.

© 2007, Cowles Syndicate Inc.