Today’s Homeowner Radio Show Podcast | October 29, 2022

Today’s Homeowner Radio Show Podcast | October 29, 2022

Split image of White stair spindles with wood railing and treads and fabric blinds
This week, hear a idea for replacing stair spindles and learn how to clean material blinds. (EricVega, Getty Pictures Signature/Adobe Inventory)


Hour 1

Discover a take care of for squeaky floors, moreover how to clear material blinds and whirlpool jets.

Resolve for Squeaky Floors

Brown laminate floor with couch and end tables in background
If your floors are squeaky, you will need to verify the joists beneath them to make absolutely sure there’s no place to create friction. (Eduardocruzphoto, Getty Images)

Ryan’s noisy flooring in his Illinois residence are turning into a challenge for his wife, who’s an RN who performs nights and sleeps during the day.  

“Almost almost everywhere you phase it is creaking and squeaking, and it carries throughout the property,” he states.

He would like to know if there’s a alternative to resolve the floors with out getting rid of them. The flooring are relatively new floating luxurious vinyl plank installed in excess of a fully completed basement with a fall ceiling. 

The squeaking sound is a end result of friction, resources rubbing with each other. The thriller is whether or not the sound is coming from the ground or the subfloor underneath. 

We suspect the squeaking is coming from the house wherever the subfloor fulfills the flooring joists. Anytime putting down a new ground, often screw down the subfloor to avoid this squeaking.

The fantastic news is Ryan has obtain to the subfloor from below. 

To take care of this, go into the basement and have somebody stroll on the ground earlier mentioned so you can see the place the squeaking is coming from. Then, consider a picket shim, smear some wood glue on it, and tap it into the joint amongst the best of the joist and the underside of the plywood subfloor. 

Really don’t drive the shim in since it will increase the flooring. Just faucet it in enough to fill the room so the plywood doesn’t bounce up and down. 

Test this in 1 or two destinations to see if it works. You’ll know just about promptly.


How to Clear Cloth Blinds

Material blinds insulate your windows, but they call for distinctive care to cleanse. (Adobe Stock)

Marjorie in Pennsylvania has several custom-made cloth blinds in her property that require cleaning. 

She asks, “Is there an quick, safe way to clean up these blinds? They ended up quite highly-priced and I really do not want to wreck them.” 

We know it is a agony to get them down, but the most effective way to clear them is to just take them down and soak them in a bathtub. Use a mixture of heat drinking water, oxygen bleach and Woolite. Oxygen bleach won’t bleach out the color.

Frivolously scrub them with a comfortable bristle brush and cling them up to dry, if possible outside so the sunlight can help with the drying procedure. They’ll drain a good deal of drinking water just before they are ultimately dry. 

If you just can’t consider them down, spray them with rug and upholstery cleaner. Spray it on, let it dry, then vacuum the blinds. 


How to Clear Whirlpool Jets

closeup of water jet in whirlpool tub
Mould and mildew can build up in Whirlpool jets on a closed-loop technique. (amriphoto, Getty Images Signature)

Just about every time Stephanie in Indiana turns on the jets in her Whirlpool tub, black things comes out. 

“I have tried out every thing. I’ve tried vinegar, bleach, and blowing out the jets so they are empty, but absolutely nothing is effective. What would you recommend?” she asks.

These Whirlpool jets are possibly on a shut-loop process, which usually means that they won’t drain out absolutely when the tub is turned off. As a result, the water stays in the loops in the line, and mildew will grow because it is dim and damp in there.

Try this process to thoroughly clean them:

  • Fill the tub with scorching h2o (the most popular you can maybe get) 2 inches above the highest jet
  • Insert a 50 percent-gallon of distilled white vinegar
  • Run the jets at the best velocity for 15-20 minutes. This circulates the vinegar h2o by the jets
  • Drain the tub, then refill it with cold drinking water (no vinegar)
  • Run the jets for yet another 10-15 minutes

Relying on how considerably crafted-up mildew is in the jets, you could possibly require to repeat this approach two or three situations.

If this does not get the job done, get in touch with the producer and see if they have a commercial solution that they propose. 



Hour 2

Pay attention to a in no way-right before-read Very simple Resolution, a tip for changing stair spindles and a lot more.


Straightforward Solution for Catching Wooden Chips

Split image of sawdust texture on dark background and upside down umbrella
When drilling big holes, dangle an umbrella upside down to catch the wooden chips. (Marco Livolsi/photopal, Getty Images)

Trent in Vermont is jogging a new electrical cable throughout his basement, a total distance of practically 40 toes. That indicates drilling far more than two dozen 5/8-inch-diameter holes by means of the exposed ground joists in the basement ceiling. 

“Do you men have a easy remedy for catching all the wooden chips? If not, it is heading to be a true suffering to cleanse up”

Of study course, you can use a drop fabric to catch the wood chips, but you even now operate the possibility of these wooden chips spreading almost everywhere when going it throughout the 40-foot span. You can also have an individual abide by you with the store vac as you drill. 

But what if you are working by yourself? Here’s Joe’s Straightforward Option: 

Cling a small vacation umbrella upside down from the joist that you’re drilling into. Secure it to the joist with a cable staple, nail or screw, so it is right underneath wherever you’re drilling. 

The umbrella will capture the wooden chips as you are drilling, and you can quickly dump the chips at the time the umbrella is full. 


Changing Stair Spindles

White stair spindles with wood railing and treads
If the dowel joints are restricted and you use the appropriate interior glue, you don’t have to use end nails to protected spindles.  (EricVega, Getty Photographs Signature)

Sal from New Jersey is updating the stairs in his dwelling to get rid of the carpeted treads and dated spindles. 

“I’ve obtained new oak treads in position and the handrails are up coming. My question is about the spindles. They’re dowelled at the leading and bottom so I presume they must be glued, but do I want to strengthen that with finish nails far too?” he asks.

Some individuals do Sal, but if the dowel joints are limited and you use the appropriate inside glue, you shouldn’t have to. 

The benefit to working with glue only is that there are no nail holes to fill so I would advise applying Titebond Primary Wood Glue. This stuff swiftly builds a bond much better than the wood by itself. 

Squirt a very little into the holes in the rail and treads, then use a tiny brush to spread some about on the dowel finishes of just about every spindle. When you get 15 or 20 spindles glued into the handrail and the oak treads, the entire rail procedure will be super powerful and you will not have to fill nail holes or touch up paint.


Finest New Merchandise

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Basic Options

Wooden fascia boards can rot if rainwater drips guiding the gutters. (3 Echoes Material Studio)

Help you save Fascia Board — If the wooden fascia boards on your house are enduring blistered paint, h2o staining or rot, it is ordinarily due to the fact rainwater running off the roof is dripping at the rear of the gutters.

Resolve this by slipping a 3/8-inch-thick by 3/4-inch-extensive strip of PT wood, or far better yet, a strip of composite or plastic lumber driving the current metallic drip edge. That will kick out the drip edge and divert rainwater into the gutter, not down the face of fascia. 

Wood cutting board with whole lemon and slices and knife
Mainly because lemons are acidic, they can get rid of microorganisms, mould and germs. (Tina Hsu, corelens)

Clean up and Disinfect Slicing Boards — Minimize a lemon in 50 % crosswise, and sprinkle coarse Kosher salt onto the reducing board. Then, use the reduce side of the lemon to scrub the salt into the chopping board.

Scrub for 2-3 minutes, including much more salt, if required. Wipe the board cleanse and let it dry right away.

If it is a wood reducing board, handle it with food-quality mineral oil (not vegetable oil) or butcher-block oil built specifically for wood.

View: How to Clear and Disinfect a Wood Reducing Board


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