Doing mower maintenance now ensures it's ready to go come springtime

Some of us are finally starting to see the end of another mowing season, and what a relief that is! But before you store your lawn mower away for the season, you need to make sure you do a few things to ensure that it starts up easily next spring.

It's very bad to store your mower with gas in it. Gasoline starts deteriorating after only a couple of weeks, and if left in your mower over the winter, it may really gum up the works and cause costly repairs next spring. Use a pump to remove the gas in the tank, or just don't put much in on your last mowing. Start the mower and let it run until the gas runs completely out.

Oil can go bad, too, so it's best to drain the oil from the engine as well.

Remove the wire from the spark plug, and then take the plug out. You can go ahead and put a new plug in now if you want.

While the oil and plug are out of the way, clean the underside of the mower deck and remove the blade.

This is a great time, too, to clean off any loose paint and remove any rust from the surface. Use metal primer and paint to touch up and protect the surface from rust.

Clean or replace the air filters.

Now you can refill the engine with fresh motor oil. We like to put about a teaspoon of motor oil into the port before turning the plug in, just as some added protection.

It's best to leave the blade off until you are ready to start mowing again in the spring. If you have it sharpened now, make sure to store it in a dry place with a little oil over the fresh edge so it won't rust before you start using it.

Some mowers will require additional maintenance, like lubricating the moving parts or additional cleaning of certain areas. These are just the basics. Check with your owner's manual for specific tips for your mower. If you don't have a manual, check online. Most dealers will have this information available for you.

Now all you have to worry about is that snowblower!

Over-door pocket storage

You know those things that hang inside a closet door that have a bunch of pockets for shoes? They can become a storage rack to hold tools and hardware in your shop. You can adapt them to mount on a flat wall pretty easily and, depending upon the type of shoe holders, you should be able to store quite a few thingamajigs and gadgets. If you have room for two, you can double your storage. You even could store your work shoes in the pockets - or would that be too logical?

Inner tube enhances storage

We've always thought it a super idea to use a bicycle inner tube placed around the top of a trash can to help hold the plastic bag in place so it doesn't slip down inside the can. Well, it turns out this is a great place to store garden tools, too. We tried stretching an inner tube around a garden cart while working in the yard, and found that it was the perfect place to hold garden gloves, seeds and even a cell phone while "puttering." If you have an extra one, why not put it to good use?

Super hints

• If you are putting grout down in a specific area, like when replacing a single tile, put your grout in an empty mustard squeeze bottle to dispense it right where you want it and keep it from getting all over the place. It will prevent messes and wasted grout.

• Add a phone to your shop to use in case of an emergency. There are cordless phones that, when used with a base, don't even require a phone line to be installed in the garage to use it. They sure can come in handy.

• If you are doing a sanding project, you might consider hanging a dropcloth over the door to the room you are working in. This way, the dust will stay inside the room and not get blown or tracked into the rest of the house. Keep this in mind the next time you are making a drywall repair or refinishing some furniture, especially in the winter months, when you have to work indoors more.

Q. We have a wood-burning fireplace in our family room and would like to make it look a little classier. Is there any way to paint this to cover the existing flat black finish?

A. Check with your paint store for a high-temperature paint made to use in fireplaces. You might not have a lot of color choices, but maybe the store has something you can use to get a nicer look. If not, you might consider tiling the surface. Talk about classy!

Q. I have a gas heater that is wall-mounted. The white tiles over the heater have dark soot stains on them. I have tried everything, but nothing will get the stains off. What would you all recommend?

A. You can remove soot or smoke damage by cleaning it with trisodium phosphate. Stubborn spots usually will respond to a paste made from cream of tartar and water. Smear the paste on and let it dry completely. You have a bigger problem, however, and it is that the heater needs to be regulated to prevent the soot. Maybe adjusting the air mixture will do it, or maybe you should replace the heater if it can't be regulated.

Q. We need your help. We have a loud, scary noise that is coming through our plumbing pipes at different times of day. We have pinpointed its cause as the outdoor faucet, but can't make it stop easily. What can we do to get rid of it?

A. This actually is more common than you think. It's usually caused by a restriction in the line, probably in that outdoor faucet valve. First, shut the water off to the faucet. Then take the faucet apart and replace the washer inside. Use some vinegar to dissolve any mineral salts that have built up inside the valve, too. Then give it a test. Hopefully, you won't hear the scary noise anymore.

Reader tips

• I bought a picture that was already in a frame. It wasn't up on the wall any time at all before the frame started to come apart at the seam. I put some wood glue into the joint and had to tap the frame back together. I didn't have a mallet and didn't want to cause more damage to the frame, so I put a felt pad on the face of the hammer head. This was left over from a package that I had bought to put on the dining-room table's feet to keep them from scratching the floor. It did a pretty good job, and the adhesive still works for another time or purpose.

• I've been working with my brother-in-law, a painter, for a couple of years for extra cash. I've learned a couple of good tips for your column. When he has to prime a wall before putting on a dark color, he tints the primer a darker shade. This way, the new color goes on with only two coats instead of three. The darker primer really seems to make a difference. It also seems to give the color more depth, and it looks great.

• I save plastic jars for storing all sorts of things around the house. They are especially good for storing hardware and things in the garage. Because they are plastic, they don't break. And the clear jars are easy to see through, so I can find just what I'm looking for. I also used to get a little rust on the jar lids in the humid garage, and this caused the lids to stick sometimes. The plastic doesn't do this.

• We decided to build an outdoor fireplace. Then we discovered that we would have to use heavy bricks and mortar and follow some plans. That seemed like the hard way to do it. We opted for a "fireplace insert" and just put a rock facade around it. The rocks didn't have to be put in so perfectly, and the mortar was actually fun to do. The fireplace turned out great, and we are looking forward to having a party next to it this fall.

• It seems like all the time I spend standing at my workbench is starting to take a toll on me. Me legs get tired, and even my back starts to ache. I bought a floor mat, but it didn't seem to help very much. I bought a second one and added it over the top of the first. Now I can stand in comfort for a lot longer. I might even get my project finished this month, and without the backache!

Shoptalk

• The ODL Solar Entry Light is a sleek-looking, solar-powered light that easily can be mounted over most exterior doors to add enough light for a safe and secure entry or exit after dark. A solar panel with a 15-foot range charges the battery during the day, which automatically powers four LED lights for up to 12 hours each night. It installs with just a couple of screws, and there's no wiring to do. To find out more about this product, visit the company online at odl.com.

• The Caulked N' Ready is a great gadget. It's a holster you can wear on your pants that holds your caulking gun when you need to set it down. It has a neat, pointed tip at the base that plugs the hole as you set it into the holster, keeping it clear and ready to use. If any does ooze out, it's safely caught in a reservoir on the base. The hanging hook is adjustable and also can be used on a 5-gallon bucket of paint or just on your shop wall. It will save you money on caulk, building adhesive and other tubed compounds. Check it out at fastcap.com.

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

© 2009, Cowles Syndicate Inc.