If you have a super dusty or dirty garage floor or you have done some drywall repairs in your house the drywall dust can get everywhere. The one product you need to help knock down the dust is sweeping compound. You spread on the floor and then sweep the sweeping compound attracts the fine dust or drywall powder and prevents it from going airborne. The truth is unless you have a high filtration vacuum it is likely better to use sweeping compound. Sweeping compound can be purchased at hardware stores or any janitorial supply store. The more common type is oil based sweeping compound but you can also buy wax based sweeping compound, its the perfect solution for super dusty floors.
How to clean the kichen sink
The vast majority of homes have standard, very durable stainless steel sinks. There is a reason for this – they are inexpensive, stand up to years of use (and abuse), and can be cleaned up to look almost as good as new.
The most common staining with stainless steel sinks is the brown residue left when coffee is poured out, but not rinsed away. This discolouration can be a subtle yellow to a dark brown, especially if the sink is located at the office near the coffee station.
There are several solutions, the quickest is a cream cleanser and an SOS or abrasive scrubbing pad. If you don’t feel like scrubbing, a mild acid such as CLR will typically remove these and any hard water deposits. Just plug the sink and pour in at full concentration and leave overnight!
If the sink is very dull, or badly scratched you can polish it with fine steel wool, and metal polished typically found in the automotive isle for restoring the finish on aluminum wheels.
For acrylic, or solid surface materials check the underside of the sink for the manufacturers name and consult their web site for proper care instructions. Usually to remove minor staining an acrylic safe cleaner and/or melamine sponge (such as a Magic Eraser) will remove surface staining.
The best preventative cleaning is to rinse the sink after each use, especially after discarding coffee, tea, colas and tomato based foods.
Built in vacuum
Built in vacuums are great. They have many advantages over tradition vacuums, in that they are more powerful, require emptying less often, deliver dust AWAY from the main living areas, and the hose is light and easy to use on stairs and in tight corners.
There are some dis-advantages too. Because they need emptied less often, they often don’t get emptied at all! And because they are more powerful, some people try to suck up everything from pine cones to toys to small family pets. And that long hose? All it takes is an errant piece of stalk from a wisk broom to start clogging everything up. These problems often create another big disadvantage, which is when the vacuum does get blocked up, there is often no easy way to clean out the system.
The first task is to determine if the blockage is in the main vacuum cannister itself, in the PVC piping, or in the hose or attachment. The first thing to check is the main vacuum cannister, usually located in the basement, garage, or utility room. Is the bag full? Empty it to be sure and get the maximum suction. Is the vaccum portion of the unit sealed tight? Are there evident blocks in the PVC pipe that lead into the cannister?
Try turning the vacuum on with the manual switch at the cannister, and then open the closest hose receptacle to the main unit. If there is strong suction, try plugging in the attachment hose. If there is no suction on the hose, then the hose itself is where your blockage can be found.
Usually, by plugging in the hose, and going down the length of the hose, bending and jiggling it, one will dislodge the debris that is caught. Be sure the hose is plugged in, and the vacuum is on, so the debris will be sucked out as you dislodge it. If this does not work, get a broom handle (or similar thick piece of round wood) and insert it in one end of the hose. Pull the hose together over the stick, then pull it off the other end. Continue doing this to push the stick through the hose.
If your hose is clear and the blockage is not on the first hose receptacle, check each receptacle further away or on the levels above to try to detrmine where the blockage is. Once you determine where the block is, use a residential size plumbing snake or an electritions fish wire to poke the debris in the PVC piping. Turn on the vacuum unit using the manual ON/OFF switch on the unit – or plug the hose into another outlet to turn the vacuum on.. The suction of the vacuum will help pull away the debris as you poke the blockage. If this is not successful, and if you.have a crawl space, it will make access to most of your system very easy. You will find that the PVC pipe should NOT have been glued together, which usually makes for easy disassembly, however runs up interior walls to higher floors will still be inaccesible.
If the blockage is not in the PVC piping, the hose, or in the cannister unit, you will need to contact the manufacturer or distributor to have a technician check out your system.
Crazy Glue From Skin
If you are working with crazy glue and you get it on your skin or even anywhere else you don’t want it, just use some nail polish remover or Acetone and it will clean up with ease.
Expanding Foam
General Info:
Expanding Foam comes in an aresol can, which reacts to air when it is sprayed, expanding and hardening into a solid foam. This product is most commonly used for form fitting unusual shaped objects for shipping, filling cracks in exterior walls for insulation and to prevent access by pests
Tools & Chemicals:
Acetone, an old rag, pecut strips of cardboard or small pieces of wood, tools.
Technique:
- If this foam ends up where you don’t want it, act immediatley! When this stuff cures it is absolutley permanent, forever and ever, until the end of time. Take the small pieces of cardboard and scrape off any excess. Throw this piece of carboard with the waste foam away now, put it down and you will get foam everywhere!
- Be sure the area is well ventilated and there are no open flames! Pour some acetone onto the old rag. Using the rag, wipe away any residue that the cardboard did not remove. Use caution as acetone will damage some painted and plastic surfaces.
- Throw this old rag away once you have used it!
- If the foam has hardened, which means it has cured the only means of removal is mechanical (cutting, grinding, scraping).
- Use whatever tools are nessecary to remove the excess foam, it can be cut, ground down, sanded filed, scraped, and the remaining residue can be removed with a wire brush. These actions are also likely to damage the surface that the foam is on.
- There is no way to remove ‘fresh’ or cured foam from clothing. It is permanent.
Fish Smell from a Freezer
This question was submitted from Mark D.
“How can I remove a strong fish smell from an older freezer?”
Try these techniques :
If you are continuing to use the freezer place a box of baking soda in the freezer, which absorbs odors well. There are also odor absorbing blocks which can be purchased at most dept. stores which are also effective.
If you can empty the freezer you should clean down the inside with an enzyme based cleaner which will work to neutralize the smell. Enzyme based cleaners and deodorizer can be purchased at any janitorial supply store.
Floods
General Information :
After a flood occurs, quick action can avert a lot of damage. If possible, shut off the source of water. Next, raise any furniture out of the affected area. If the flooding has stopped, use a wet vacuum to remove as much water as possible. At this point, using fans and/or dehumidifiers will hasten the drying process.
Tools & Technique :
Often carpets and drywall will need to be replaced completely, especially if the water is the result of a sewer back up. Contaminents and bacteria in sewer water can pose a serious health risk. If in doubt, dispose of the carpet and cut the dry wall above the waterline. For concrete and other hard surfaces, clean and disinfect completely. We suggest you use a true professional grade disinfectant cleaner available at janitorial supply houses.
Notes of Caution:
Always wear rubber boots and gloves. Also be very cautious when dealing with electric devices. Unplug using a wood pole.
Furnaces
General Information :
Keeping your furnace clean will improve its performance, cut your heating costs, keep up your indoor air quality and even extend its useful life.
Tools & Technique :
Generally, maintaining your furnace consists of changing the filter regularly and keeping heating vents open and free flowing.
Change the filter, at least twice a year. Follow the manufactures recommended procedure. It is usually a very simple job.
Dust and/or vacuum the vents as part of your regular schedule. Occasionally, remove the vent, if possible, and clean up any accumulations of dust, lint, etc.
Have your furnace serviced regularly. Follow your manufacturers recommendations.
