Keep your dishwasher happy, or next dishwasher may be you

Dishwashers are so helpful but do need a little light maintenance every once in a while. Here are some things you should do to keep yours running smoothly.

• You can clean the inside by running it through a short cycle of washing. Pour a gallon of household vinegar into the unit before starting the cycle. This will clean mineral deposits from the working parts.

• Check door gaskets and clean them thoroughly. Spread a thin layer of petroleum jelly on them for a super-tight seal. Replace any damaged gaskets.

• Spot-clean with baking soda and lemon juice to get stubborn spots clean.

• If you find any rust spots on the sides, clean them away with a kitchen scrubber. Make sure to get it all. Then use epoxy paint over the spots to seal and protect them from future rust.

• Use a toothpick to clean the holes in the spray arms.

• Check the bottom of the unit to make sure there are no objects or food particles that might clog the drain or pump.

• If you find rusted or cracked areas on the dish rack, use caps or patching material made to cover these areas. Check your hardware store or home center for repair kits.

• You can add a leak catcher under the unit. This is a small mat that slides in under the unit and will catch minor leaks before they cause problems to your flooring.

• Make sure to add spot preventer to your unit. This will ensure that your dishes and glassware look great even without using the dryer.

Loose screw an easy fix: We get a lot of mail, and one of the most common problems is a screw that has become loose in a piece of wood. Sometimes it's from excessive use, like in the case of a door hinge or just from too much force over time. It's a lot easier to fix than you might think, and doesn't take much time. Just grab some wooden toothpicks and wood glue. Put a little wood glue into the too-large hole after you have removed the screw. Then shove some wooden toothpicks into the hole and let the wood glue dry overnight. Cut the toothpicks off flush with the wooden surface and reinstall the screw. It's just that simple!

Super hints

• Make a poultice of white bread and household hydrogen peroxide and place it over stains on white marble or alabaster. It will draw the stains out without harming the delicate material, and can work as quickly as in a couple of hours.

• Don't forget to install a smoke detector in your garage. It's an overlooked place that is often the source of fire in the home. You can buy a very inexpensive smoke detector and have it up in no time at all.

• Letting sunshine into your home during the winter can really warm up the place. To get the most out of the light, clean your windows. You can wash second-story windows clean with a hose-end sprayer. Just mix a little water and dishwasher detergent, and spray them down. The anti-spotting agent means they will dry with no streaks!

Q. I can't find a product that will really remove hard-water stains from my glass shower door. Got any helpful hints?

A. Actually, yes, we do. Vinegar works better than anything else, and it's inexpensive to use. Heat it up for even faster results. You can use a plastic kitchen scrubber if you need to do any scrubbing. Squeegee the door after each shower to prevent the buildup, or switch to a liquid soap.

Q. Would it be a good idea to better insulate our garage this winter?

A. If you spend a lot of time out there working, it would be more comfortable. If you don't have good weatherstripping or insulation between the garage and house, it could be beneficial. If you store items that could be damaged by the cold weather, that would be another reason to insulate. It's a judgment call, and you should consider the cost versus the benefits before making your final decision.

Q. We have standard laminate countertops in our kitchen, and we are ready for a change. They are still in good shape, just not to our taste any longer. We are wondering if we might be able to tile right over them. What do you think?

A. You should be able to do it, but there are some things to consider first. Your sink might need to be remounted. To prep the surface, scuff-sand it so that tile adhesive will stick. Check the label and see if you need to prime the surface before applying your adhesive. Don't forget to seal the grout. This will have to be repeated to keep the grout from staining.

Reader tips

• I have a word of warning for your readers. Our home was burglarized by someone who used our own extension ladder to break in through an open window upstairs. We have always stored our ladder outside in the back yard, but it was not locked up. It never occurred to us that it might result in such a horrible event. It turned out to be a big mistake, which I wanted to warn others about. A small, inexpensive padlock would have prevented the loss of thousands of dollars' worth of our personal items, not to mention our peace of mind. Needless to say, the ladder is safely locked to the fence now!

• I was trying to glue the veneer back down on my tabletop for the third time. I finally just decided to give up and peel it all the way off. I discovered that, although peeling in one area, it wouldn't come up in another. I'm not sure which is worse, but I was already committed to getting the old stuff off. I laid a wet towel over the old veneer and let it sit for several hours. That was all it took to get the rest of it off.

• I used a chemical paint stripper to get all of the old finish off my hand-me-down kitchen table. The mess was excessive, so I tried adding a step, which really cut down on the amount of gunk I was scraping off the tabletop. After the stripper had loosened the old paint, I tossed some sawdust over the sludge to soak it up. This was much easier to scrape off than the mushy mess of just the old paint.

• As I was climbing the ladder to replace the porch light again, I realized I had done it three times last year. I went straight to the hardware store and picked out a nice exterior compact fluorescent bulb and used that as the replacement. Now I don't expect to have to replace it for a long time! It might have cost a little more, but the electrical savings, combined with the lack of replacements, is well worth it!

• I'm not a big he-man and my husband isn't always around to help, so I keep a scrap of sandpaper in my kitchen drawer to help loosen jar lids. You hold it on the jar lid while you try to turn it. The sandpaper really improves your grip, and I usually can get the lids off by myself.

Shop talk

• Rustoleum Universal works on just about any surface, both interior and exterior. Use it on fiberglass, concrete, vinyl and even glass. It maintains enough flexibility to withstand even extreme applications. It resists corrosion and prevents rust, and the 360-degree comfort grip trigger makes applying it much easier, even in hard-to-reach areas and at a variety of angles. It dries in only 30 minutes, and a second coat can be applied in only one hour if you need it. Check it out at your favorite paint or hardware store, or most home centers. To learn more, visit www.rustoleum.com.

• Skil's latest Laser-Guided Jigsaw is so easy to use and will give you really professional results. It works on wood as well as other materials, even metal. The laser guide helps you get those perfect cuts you are looking for in your projects. It also has a work light, so you can see where you are cutting, even in dark areas. Scrolling is simple to do, with great results, and you will be able to tackle even the most precise cutouts easily and smoothly. This is a super tool for every DIY'er and worth taking a look at. See it at your hardware store or home center. For more information, go to www.skil.com or call (877) SKIL-999.

• Write to Al and Kelly Carrell in care of the Daily Herald, P.O. Box 280, Arlington Heights, IL 60006, or visit the Carrell's Web site at thesuperhandyman.com.

© 2009, Cowles Syndicate Inc.