Getting rid of odor easy, getting rid of skunk requires professional
Q. This is the third morning I have been awakened by the "sweet" smell of skunk. The night before last, he decided to spray in the woodshed, which is attached to the back of the house near my bedroom window. Again at 4 a.m., he sprayed along with next two nights. HELP!! Is there something I can put around my home to keep them away from the house? I also have a problem with meadow moles/chipmunks digging huge holes in my flowerbeds. Any solutions for that?
Via e-mail
A. If the skunk has established a den under the woodshed, you will have a hard time getting rid of it. You may want to try pouring ammonia down the hole, which is sometimes successful. But the best approach is to call a pest-management professional with experience in trapping skunks.
Rabies and other diseases are common with skunks, so don't take any chances; leave it to the experts. Skunks are nocturnal, seeking grubs in your lawn, ripe fruit, pet food, etc. The skunk may spray while fighting over females during the February/March breeding season or if frightened by a dog or other animal.
To get rid of the smell, I have had very good luck with Nok-Out. Amazing Concepts, LLC, manufactures the product, and it is available from Neo Products at P.O. Box 190, Holly, MI 48442. The toll-free number is (888) 977-4848. For instructions and advice on the best method to use, call them. You can also order it online at www.nokout.com. Several readers have reported great results.
A Havahart trap, baited with sunflower seeds, can capture chipmunks and relocate them to a distant wooded area. Interestingly enough, skunks and snakes -- two unpopular critters -- can control moles. There are poisons available, which can be hazardous to pets.
A great ladder accessory
I have just tried the new PLUS (Professional Ladder Utility System) 6-Piece Pro-Kit, and I am very impressed. This U.S.-made product attaches to the frame of any ladder and can take one of several attachments that make painting, holding tools, etc., much safer. There is a paint tray with a spill guard; a bucket for all types of tools, including power tools; and a hook to hold a garden hose (which I used to flush gutters) or a hammer, etc. My only problem is that their installation instructions are not very clear. I have called the manufacturer to bring that to their attention, and they said they would look into making them clearer.
The entire setup is very solid and gives a sense of security while working. Creative Sales Company in Columbia Falls, Mont., distributes it, and it can be found in participating Home Depot, True Value, Ace Hardware and Do it Best Stores. The 6-Piece Pro-Kit costs around $30.
Anyone working from a ladder should own one. You can see the PLUS on their Web site, www.proladdersystem.com. There is a short video that illustrates the system.
Q. In an article you wrote several years ago you suggested 3 quarts bleach to one quart water. In a recent article, you spoke of using 3 quarts vinegar to 1 quart water. In the past, I've used bleach, to good effect. Is vinegar better?
Via e-mail
A. Those mixtures serve different problems. Three quarts of fresh Clorox bleach to 1 quart of water is the mixture used to get rid of algae on roofs. Algae create ugly dark streaks that can be controlled with strips of copper or galvanized metal at the ridge of the roof. Three quarts white vinegar to 1 quart water is the solution used to kill lichen and moss from roofs. If you have had good luck with bleach on moss and lichen, keep using it.
Q. You have mentioned a number of times that heat loss to the attic is caused by access stairs. Can you describe how to use insulation and/or weather stripping? My folding stairs are mounted on a sheet of ¼-inch plywood.
Via e-mail
A. You can purchase an insulating kit for disappearing stairways from building-supply stores and probably from big box stores like Home Depot, Lowe's, etc. These kits are made of expanded polystyrene and fit over the opening in the attic. They are very light and easy to set up and handle.
Q. My daughter who lives in South Jersey has a problem with bamboo that is growing mostly along the fence of her property ... seems that a neighbor planted some years ago, and it is now spreading into my daughter's yard ... is there a way to get rid of it permanently?
Via e-mail
A. To get rid of it, she'll have to cut down the plants and roots at the property line. Then to ensure that there will no longer be any incursion on her property, she should drive corrugated aluminum strips a foot down in the ground.
Bamboo spreads by growing roots that are close to the surface. The aluminum barrier will force the roots to grow sideways in her neighbor's yard instead of hers. She should be able to get these barriers in garden centers. If she can't, I have used corrugated aluminum roofing that I cut in foot-wide strips. They can be driven in the ground with a 2-inch-by-4-inch wood block about 1 foot long and a heavy hammer. Drive the strip in a couple of inches, starting in one end. Move the block a foot away and drive the strip down a couple inches until all but an inch or so sticks out of the ground.
Q. In the spring of 2006, we built a cedar deck for a recently purchased hot tub, and this year the deck looks all worn and dried out. We used a Sherwin-Williams Deckscapes oil product that didn't hold up to the hot-tub chemicals. What would you suggest we use to seal the wood to keep the deck looking nice?
Barre, Vt.
A. Amteco TWP is ideal for cedar decks, siding and roofing. You can find out which product to use by looking at their Web site, www.twp-amteco.com. But be aware that no stain will last long in an area that is used as much as a deck is. It may require yearly coatings.
© 2007, United Feature Syndicate, Inc.