Vinyl siding will look great for a long time with regular cleanings
Vinyl siding is a great way to give your home a well-maintained look without the hassle of all the work. It requires very little maintenance and upkeep - in fact, washing it is about the only thing you need to do once a year or so. Here are some super tips on how to take care of that project so you can get back to your other chores around the house.
Of course, you can use a pressure washer to clean your siding. You can take care of most of the job from ground level, and it's really fast this way. But consider what is behind your siding. The pressure washer can actually push water behind your siding, so if your siding was put up to cover an ugly wood wall, you could create a situation where rotting would occur. You also must be very careful that the pressure washer doesn't hit windows, trim or other items that it might knock off the house. It could push water into these areas or knock loose hardware from your home.
If you don't want to use a pressure washer or don't have one, you can use a mop, some soapy water or house cleaner, and a water hose. This will take more time, but you will get good results and, since you only have to do it once a year, might be worth the extra trouble.
Whichever method you use, you will need to do a little prep work. If you have outdoor lights on your home, you will need to cover them to protect them from the water. All outdoor power receptacles should already be covered, but make sure they are sealed up good and tight. If you have delicate plants in the area, you can cover them with a dropcloth.
Start at the top of the wall to clean it. Apply your cleaner, and then rinse it off. It's also best to work on one wall at a time. Don't let the soap dry on the surface, or you will have spots and streaks. Go back over areas that have mildew with a stronger cleaning solution and some more scrubbing power if you need to. If you are using a hose-end sprayer, you might consider adding some antispotting compound, normally used in a dishwasher to prevent spots on glassware. That's about all you need to do to keep your siding looking new year after year.
Get a grip
When you are working hard at getting a nut and bolt removed, it's very helpful if you can hold the bolt head while turning the nut. The problem is that oftentimes, the bolt head has no slots on top and the edges are round. A metal file can fix this. Just file down the rounded edges opposite each other. Now you will have something to hold onto with pliers or a wrench.
Painless painting
Painting walls is fun. Painting trim, not so much fun. But we can tell you how to make that job a little easier and, heck, maybe fun, too! The hassle with painting trim is that you have to mask it off, but if you can gently pry it away from the wall just a fraction of an inch, then you can slip a scrap of paper, wax paper or cardboard behind the trim and paint. Since the trim isn't sitting against the wall, you can move the paper shield as you work. This will make the job go really quickly, and after the paint has dried, you can just tap it back into place.
Super hints
• If you want a lighted china cabinet or display case, why not add some inexpensive twinkle lights to the inside of the cabinet? They will give you the look you want for a fraction of the cost.
• A nail hole in a white wall can be filled quickly and easily with white toothpaste. The thick paste fills most holes, and it dries quickly and is invisible on most walls.
• Door sweeps are the perfect addition to most doors. They are easy to install, with just a screwdriver in most cases, and they are great at blocking those cold drafts from coming in under your exterior doors. If you don't have them on your doors, go to the home center or your hardware store and check them out. You can get one for each door in your home for only a few dollars each, and you will save that much on your next electric or gas bill right away.
Q. Because our home has gas appliances, I would like to protect the family from carbon monoxide poisoning. What should I do to ensure our safety?
A. Carbon monoxide is odorless and invisible, and everyone should have detectors in their home. Most are inexpensive and easy to install, and you will want to have more than one in case one fails. All of your appliances should be inspected once a year to make sure they are operating properly and that there are no leaks. Most inspections are inexpensive, and you should deal with certified and trusted companies in your area.
Q. My white carpet has a large stain in it, and I've tried everything to get rid of it with no success. Got any ideas?
A. If you've tried everything you know, maybe it's time to call a pro. Check your local carpet cleaners to see if you can find someone who does a good job with tough stains and give them a try. If that doesn't work, you will have to have the carpet patched or just cover it with a rug. Have you thought about rearranging the furniture?
Q. Our toilet sounds like it's filling even when nobody has used it. What's the deal?
A. The most common reason for this automatic filling is due to a leak between the tank and the toilet bowl. Check your flapper, which is a rubber device that, when flushed, rises to let water from the tank into the bowl. These go bad after a few years. They won't seat properly and might need to be replaced.
Reader tips
• I had to replace the wax ring on my toilet last week. The job was difficult, but I did get it done with some help from my neighbor. After replacing the ring, I attached the bowl to the floor and caulked around the base to make it look nice. After turning it back on to test it for leaks, I was lucky to find one at the base. I say "lucky" because I had already caulked it. Turns out that there was a leak and if I had done a better job caulking, I would never have known it was there. From now on, I will test before I caulk and I urge others to test first also. This could have been a real disaster.
• Our apartment is old and still has old-time radiators. They have been painted to look better, but I found a way to make them work better, too. I bought some inexpensive metal sheets that fit behind each unit to reflect the heat back into the room. It really does help, and I am actually looking forward to winter this year!
• I like my patio furniture but don't get much use for it in the winter. To keep it from rusting, I have my son load it all up in his truck and take it to the car wash to clean it. Then, when he gets it back home, I spray it down with floor wax. This doesn't have to look good; it's just coat it to protect the finish over the winter. Then it goes into the storage shed for the winter. Every spring, I just take it out and wipe the wax off. I've had it for years and have never had a rust problem.
• I love to restore old chairs, and I have learned a neat trick to pass on to your readers. Loose joints are a common problem, and you need to release the old glue to make proper repairs. I have found that warm vinegar works great to soften the old glue for that purpose. I just try to get a squirt or two into each joint and give it an hour or two to work on the glue. It does a great job, and is inexpensive to use, too. Then I can get some new glue into the joint and clamp the chair until it's sound again.
• I got so tired of cleaning the shower stall, and this time I added another step to the cleaning process to see if I could prevent some of the soap scum from forming in the first place. After it was really clean, I sprayed it down with a furniture wax. Then I wiped down the walls. I thought that the wax might prevent the water from spotting. It really worked. The water beads right off, and so does the soap scum. It's been more than a month, and I haven't had to clean it again yet. Why don't they just call it furniture and shower wax?
Shoptalk
• A bathroom lamp/vent doesn't have to look like the standard plastic ceiling fixture that most do. NuTone's latest models look more like fancy, expensive lamps with their alabaster glass and polished chrome touches. But both models utilize an ultra-quiet, powerful motor to draw 100 cubic feet per minute through the vent while looking nice in just about every bathroom. The motors are permanently lubricated, and no maintenance is ever required. Check them out at your home center or lighting store, or visit nutone.com.
• Moen Enliven shower heads provide high-performance options at a discount price. You get the choice of "relaxing," "invigorating" or "refreshing" with just a simple adjustment. It's easy to use, and a hand-held version is also available that has an ergonomic grip handle. It's simple to install, and the chrome finish will look great in your bathroom. Look for Enliven shower heads at Target stores or at moen.com. For more information, visit the Web site or call (800) 289-6636.
• Write to Al and Kelly Carrell in care of the Daily Herald, P.O. Box 280, Arlington Heights, IL 60006.