Home Improvement tips |
Specific Stain Removal Tips Almost every spot can be removed if immediate and appropriate spotting methods are applied. The longer the spill is allowed to dwell on the carpet, the more chance there is for permanent discoloration. The following stain removal methods work on all kinds of pesky stains. The stains list below indicates which removal method(s) best suit a particular type of stain. Some stains may require more than one solution to be completelh removed. A: Apply a small amount of dry cleaning solvent (available at grocery, drug, and hardware stores). Use small amounts to prevent any possible damage to sizings, backings, or stuffing materials. Do not use gasoline, lighter fluid or other flammables. B: Mix one teaspoonful of white neutral detergent (a mild liquid dish washing detergent containing no strong alkalies or bleaches) with a cup of lukewarm water. C: Mix one tablespoon of household ammonia with a half-cup of water. D: Mix one-third cup of white household vinegar with two-thirds cup of water. E: Mix a solution of powered enzyme laundry detergent following label or box directions. Allow the solution to remain on the stain for the length of time recommended by the manufacturer. _____________________________________________________________________________ |
_______________________________________________________________ PLEASE NOTE: Apply with towel and blot only. Always test solution in an inconspicuous area of carpet to determine safe application. Rinse thoroughly to prevent residue. Never mix ammonia and bleach during any cleaning operation. ________________________________________________________________ |
Alcholic Bev...........B, D, C Beer..................... B, D Blood.................... B, C, E Butter.................... A, B, D Candle Wax........... A, B, C Catsup.................. B, C, E Chewing Gum........ A, B Chocolate............. B, C, D, E Cocktails............... B, D Coffee................... B, D, E, A Cosmetics............. A, B, C Crayon.................. A, B |
Egg..................... B, C, E Food Coloring....... B, C Fruit & Juices....... B, C, D, E Furniture Polish.... A, B Glue, school......... B Grease................. A, B, C, D Ink........................ A, B, C Iodine, Methiolate....B, C, D Milk................. B, C, D, E, A Nail Polish.......... A, B, D, E Paint, oil............... A, B, C Paint, water........... B, C, A |
Perfume................. B, D Rubber Cement...... A, B Shoe Polish............ A, B, C Soft Drinks............. B, C, D Soot...................... A, B, C Syrup.................... B, C, D, E Tar,Asphalt............ A, B Tea....................... B, D, E, A Urine..................... B, C, D Vomit.................... B, C, D, E Water Stains.......... A, B, C, D Wine..................... B, D, C |
General Carpet Cleaning Tips Act quickly, blot - don't wipe, as much as you can. If there are solids, scrape them away. As you treat the area, work from the outside in so that you don't spread the stain. For older stains, mix together a couple of table spoons of dish detergent, 3 table spoons of white vinegar and a quart of warm water. Use the solution and a clean white cloth to gently blot the stain away. For a fresh spill, quickly blot as much as you can. Spray some white shaving cream on the spot and scrub the stain with a soft brush! Then just rinse it off with some clear water. If you don't have shaving cream, try powdered laundry detergent, warm water and a soft brush on the spot. Repeat the process until the spot disappears. |
Vinyl Tile Flooring Tips Tip 1: Cover the loosened area with foil and run a hot iron back and forth over the area several times. Be careful because the foil will become hot to the touch. The heat from the iron will soften the tile adhesive and reactivate it. Tip 2: Peek under the foil. When you can see the loose area beginning to stick back down, put several heavy books over the foil and leave them overnight. This will keep the tile in place and tight to the floor while the adhesive sets. Tip 3: If you have to remove a damaged tile, follow the same process, but when the adhesive is soft, use a large putty knife to pry the tile up from the floor. Tip 4: For a small gouge in your vinyl flooring, grab your child's crayon box. There is sure to be a color that matches. Just melt it into the gouge and then buff it to a shine. |
1. Divide the deck height by 7 inches. (typical rise) 2. Round off to the nearest whole number. (# of treads) 3. Multiply number of treads by 11-1/2 inches. (total run of treads) 4. Divide the deck height by number of steps, (# of treads plus 1), to find actual rise between treads. Example If the deck height is exactly 10’-0” , there would be 17 treads. The total run of treads would be 195-1/2” or 16’-3.5”. The actual rise would be (120”/18) = 6-10/16”. |
Most codes require stairs if the top of your
deck is over 12 inches. Stairs consist of open or closed STRINGERS,
the side boards that support the steps, TREADS, the steps, and RISE or risers,
the increase in height from the top of one step to the top of the next.
RUN is the total distance out from the face of the deck to the outside edge
of the first step. A comfortable tread is 11-1/2 inches (the actual measure of a 2x12) . Stringers can be 2x10, but for stairs over 4-5 feet, I recommend a 2x12 or larger in stained or painted pressure treated Fir. For added strength, |
simplicity, and decor, I recommend a closed stringer (the 2x12 stringers remains
whole and just add metal cleats to the inside face to support the 2x12 treads).
Attach the stringers with angle iron to a reinforced 2x12 face board on
the face of the deck and angle iron anchored to a small concrete pad in the ground.
In the following, do not count the ground as a step, the top of the
deck is your last step, but not a tread. |
Building Stairs |
Nailing Tips Tip 1: If you want to nail into a wood that splits easily, like molding, turn the nail upside down and blunt the tip slightly with a couple taps of your hammer before driving the nail in. This will cause the nail to break wood fibers instead of seperating them causing the wood to split. This is especially important on end cuts. Tip 2: Lubricate a nail to make sure it goes in smoothly. You can drive the nail into a bar of soap, rub it across a candle or dip your nails in a jar with some lubricating oil. Tip 3: If you don't have a nail set, tap the nail below the surface with another nail. It sometimes works just as well. Tip 4: When pulling a nail with a claw hammer, place a 3/4" thick wood block under the head of the hammer. It will add leveage, making it easier to pull, and protect the wood surface from hammer marks. Tip 5: If you're trying to drive a nail into a tight spot and you're having trouble holding it, stick the nail between the teeth of a comb to hold It while you start it. A piece of corrigated cardboard or thin piece of packing foam will also work well. |
The Dangers Of Using MURIATIC ACID As A Masonry Cleaner CHEMICAL NAME & SYNONYMS: Hydrochloric Acid FORMULA: HCl TRADE NAME: Muriatic Acid DESCRIPTION: Colorless to pale yellow liquid with pungent, suffocating odor. Muriatic acid use to be the most common way tile installers and brick masons cleaned excess grout or mortar residue from their tile or brickwork. It is a very effective masonry cleaner and some diehards still use it. (They’ve been doing it for years - just ask them!) While outdoors the risks are considerable, indoors the risks are immense. Dilutions of the acid do not prevent the conditions described below. Remember, you have to live with the possible side effects. SIDE EFFECTS OF MURIATIC ACID 1. Muriatic acid generates invisible fumes that are not only potentially harmful to people, when they contact metal, they adhere and create small rust spots. While the process may be slow, they can eventually grow and completely corrode metal parts of fixtures and decor. Once this process begins you can't stop it and the damage can be enormous. (Yes, this includes constant washings and attemps to seal it.) 2. Muriatic acid will penetrate into tile and grout or bricks and mortar and dry out leaving behind minute acid crystals. These tiny crystals will react with moisture in the air and mop water to reactivate and produce undetectable fumes. As all sealers must breathe out water vapor, a sealer will not stop this process and these fumes over time will cause the rust effect described above. These crystals can also react with a liquid sealer and cause white spotting, peeling, and/or premature curing of some sealers. 3. Unless muriatic acid is appled very carefully the cement bond in the grout or mortar can be broken down. The result is grout or mortar that "powders" out of the joint. (Think of it as removing the glue that holds the sand together.) Today, most tile installers and brick masons use concrete and grout cleaners that contain phosphoric acid. These specially made cleaners (available at masonry supply yards and home centers) contain chemicals which emulsify oils to help the acid work more effectively. In most cases, they will clean as well as muriatic acid. Most importantly, the phosphoric acid cleaners do not have the dangerous side effects of muriatic acid as described above. Be sure to read and follow the directions on the container, and heed the product’s warnings. Also, TSP, while not a masonry specific product, can sometimes be very effective in cleaning masonry products. TSP, Trisodium phosphate is also a heavywieght and can also be dangerous if handled incorrectly. TSP falls on the other side of the scale; As Muriatic Acid is one of the top 6 most powereful acids, TSP is far up the scale as a powerful alkali. It also can severely burn the skin and eyes. A violent reaction occurs when mixed with acids. (Do Not mix TSP with any acid or acid cleaner ) If you are determined to use it, here are some things you should know about Muriatic Acid for your own personal safety: 1. Only use outdoors in a well ventilated area. (Be aware of where the acid fumes may go.) 2. Brick masons generally dulute the Muriatic Acid 1 part to 10 parts of water. 3. When mixing ALWAYS POUR ACID INTO WATER, NEVER POUR WATER INTO ACID. Pouring water into acid can cause a thermal “belch” that can spray up and drench
you with acid. 4. Wear protective clothing including eye goggles; eye damage from Muriatic acid is irreversable. 5. Brick masons first flood the area to be treated, (the acid cleans by removing the lime in the mortar,) brush the acid onto the mortar to be removed, wait until the fizzing stops, (only several minutes) and thoughly rinse with water. Keep another bucket at hand with a nuetralizing solution (1 cup amonia to a gallon of water) on hand in case you spill acid on other surfaces. Keeping a box of baking soda handy (also a nuetralizer) can be wise if acid is accidently spilled on a vertical surface. 6. Brick masons only leave the solution on for a few minutes, as little as 2-3 minutes can completely remove mortar stains. If you need more repeat the process for a 1-2 minutes. Better to take off to little and repeat then accidently remove too much. Concrete contracters use it to etch the top surface of an old layer before pouring a new layer on top. 7. Proper disposal of Muriatic Acid (HCI): Do NOT dispose down the drain or in storm drains without neutralizing. Do NOT dispose of in the trash: liquid wastes can leak in a trash truck and react with other chemicals. Take to a HHW collection or commercial hazardous waste facility. Wastewater treatment facilities routinely use muriatic acid. Call your local facility to see if they will accept it. To neutralize: In a large, 3-5 gallon plastic container, mix a one-pound box of sodium bicarbonate with a large quantity of water, mix, but leave some of the sodium bicarbonate visible at the bottom of the container. Slowly and carefully add the acid to the mixture stirring cautiously to avoid splashing. When the acid ceases to react (fizzing) and/or the sodium carbonate can be seen as a paste on the bottom of the container, the acid has been neutralized and can then be disposed down the drain. Should the acid not become neutralized, carefully add more sodium bicarbonate to the mixture. OR 1 cup of amonia to a gallon of water. |
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