Extend the life of your carpets

New carpeting is great if you can afford it! But if you are trying to hang on to yours a little longer, try some of these tips.

The most important thing you can do is vacuum your carpets often, even if they don't look like they need it. A good vacuum cleaner is important, as you want one that actually picks up the dirt, not just moves it around. Make sure your vacuum cleaner's canister or bag is clean, and change or clean the filter to prevent dust from coming back out the exhaust.

For those with allergies, carpet is a fantastic place for dust and dust mites to thrive, so keeping it clean can go a long way in preventing allergy- and asthma-related issues.

Having your carpets professionally cleaned may seem like a luxury, but it's really an investment and will help your carpets last longer. See if you can swing it once a year.

When you do have a mishap, get right on it. Don't let it sit and set in. There is an array of cleaners for different stains, so keep a few around. Just blotting the stain with a paper towel or rag is a great first step. Never rub the stain; just blot it.

It's a good idea to move furniture periodically, even if it's just an inch or so. This will prevent those carpet dents that are so hard to get rid of. One way to work them out is to carefully apply a little steam from your clothes iron and then use your fingers to work the carpet fibers back into place.

You can stop a lot of debris from ever reaching your carpets by placing welcome mats at each entrance to your home. Protective carpet runners also are helpful, especially in high-traffic areas.

And when you do decide to replace your carpeting, do your homework. Buy a carpet that wears well and has a warranty. Also, and just as important, don't scrimp on the padding. Good-quality padding can help your carpet last a lot longer.

Tidy trim around trees

Trying to keep the grass away from your trees usually means going after it with a weed whacker. This can cause irreparable damage to the tree, and it takes up a lot of your spare time, too. Use a carpet scrap or carpet tile to help block the weeds. Just cut a hole in the center of the carpet and cut it up the side to the center hole to make putting it around the tree easier. The hole should be the same size as the tree trunk. You can cover the carpet with mulch to hide it.

Here's how to make your own slow-release plant watering system

It's almost the time of year when you need to bring your more sensitive plants indoors for the winter. That means a lot of extra watering will be required, but we have a super solution to that problem. Make a slow-release watering system for your plants from an old single-serving soda bottle. Just cut the bottom inch off the plastic bottle, being careful not to cut your hand at the same time. Now drill or poke a few holes into the cap of the bottle. Then remove the cap, place a scrap of nylon hose over the top of the bottle and screw the cap back on. Turn the bottle upside down and push it into the potting soil next to the plant. Now fill it with water. The water will be slowly released as the plant needs it, and you won't have to water nearly so often. You also are recycling part of the plastic bottle!

Super hints

Ÿ Plain shaving cream can be used to clean up some carpet stains. Just put a dab on the stain and use a clean rag to blot it up. The foam will leave less mess and will dry faster than soap and water.

Ÿ I love my canister vacuum cleaner, but it is heavy and I hate dragging it from room to room. I bought a second hose and connected it to the first, so now I can go twice as far without moving the vacuum cleaner with me. This definitely is the way to go!

Ÿ Try using a wood-graining tool (available in your paint store) to give a plain surface the look of real wood grain. It's a fun tool to use, and the results will be a real conversation piece.

Q. We have an older concrete porch on the front of our home. The rest of the house is modern. We want to install a new iron railing around our porch. How do these attach to the concrete?

A. Most attach directly to the concrete with bolts. To do this, you need to drill into the concrete with a special drill bit and sink in anchor bolts. You may want to add epoxy to the bolts in order to add a little extra security to them. Then the railings are bolted down.

Q. We painted our apartment last year. We were going for a retro look, and we painted our radiators with a silver paint, thinking it would help radiate more heat. Now this paint, which is supposed to be good for radiators, is peeling off. Is there a better paint, or did we do something wrong in applying it?

A. There is a special paint made for radiators. Ask your paint dealer to order some for you. You will need to remove the aluminum paint, as it actually blocks some of the heat from getting out. Wear a mask and gloves, and be careful with the aluminum you remove.

Q. My wood floors are very old and scuffed. I am trying to decide whether to try to refinish them myself or hire a professional. What do you think?

A. That's entirely up to you. It is a very difficult and time-consuming job, and requires some experience and specialized equipment. You will need to sand the floors to remove all sealers and smooth them out. Then you will need to stain and protect them. Use the best-quality finish you can find, and make sure you have plenty of time to get the process done. Do your homework before you start, and then you can decide if you want to continue. Obviously you can save a ton of money if you can do a good job.

Reader tips

Ÿ I was trying to clean up the front yard early one morning and was almost finished. The only thing I had left to do was blow away the grass. But my leaf blower is really loud, and I didn't want to do it so early in the morning. I decided to use my shop vacuum because it has an exhaust side that blows instead of vacuuming up things. I really like it better. It's on wheels, so it's easy to move around, I don't have to carry it and, best of all, it's quieter. I didn't even notice the difference in power.

Ÿ The other day, I found a leak in our sunroom. I thought we had repaired the roof, but I guess we missed a spot. I was in a hurry and didn't want to take the time to wipe up the whole mess, so I grabbed the daily newspaper. We already had read the whole thing, and it was on its way to the trash. I just put it on top of the water and left the room. When I came back about an hour later, the water was all soaked up in the newspaper. I hadn't even spread the paper out. The neat stack of wet paper went straight to the trash, and there was no water left behind to clean up.

Ÿ I don't have much storage for tools in my garage, but I did install a large pegboard panel on the wall at the back of the garage. With the hooks and other hangers, I was able to hang up tons of stuff that I never would have had room for. I have to back the cars out to get to it, but it's still handier than having to borrow things from a neighbor or dig through a storage bin.

Ÿ This is our second year having a window unit in our bedroom. Last year, we left it in place during the winter because it's just too heavy to remove. But the room was cold, so this year we wrapped it in a heavy-duty trash bag. Then we took off the front panel and placed a bag over that, too, and then replaced the cover. None of this stuff shows, but we feel like the window is sealed better for the winter.

Ÿ My iron was supposed to be low-maintenance and nonstick, but it had started to stick. I turned it on, poured vinegar into it and let the vinegar steam through the holes. Then I ran it over a towel until the vinegar was all gone. I even sprayed some through the spray nozzle to help unblock it. Then I refilled it with water and repeated the process. This has made it work like new again.

Shop talk

Ÿ Future Glue Gel is a new, high-performance glue from the Super Glue folks. It's great for vertical applications, and the gel helps fill gaps and works well on more irregular surfaces. But the biggest advantage is that the surfaces don't have to be cleaned first. It even can be used on oily surfaces. It resists high and low temperatures and most chemicals. Use it on vinyl, leather, metal, plastic, rubber, brick, fabric and wood. To find out more, go to www.supergluecorp.com. It's available at discount and hardware stores and home centers around the world.

Ÿ Liquid Wrench has a super line of products that we've been using for years. The penetrating oil helps unstick even the most stubborn locks, nuts and hinges, and the silicone spray keeps everything moving smoothly. But the White Lithium Grease is a must for the garage. The thick grease won't freeze, melt or run, and is made to last a long time in difficult situations. It is good for lubricating garage doors, automotive parts, lawn and garden equipment, and other things like that. Check it out at hardware stores and auto-supply dealers, as well as most home centers. Visit www.liquidwrench.com for more info.

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

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