Simple Solutions
Leather Conditioning Tip
Heat leather shoe with blow dryer, then hand rub on mink oil or leather conditioning cream. The oil/cream liquefies the instant it hits the heated surface, which helps drive it deep into the leather grain. Heat shoe in sections: toe, left side, right side, rear, etc. This tip can also be used to condition leather gloves, boots, hats, and belts. Alternately, rather than using a blow dryer, heat the shoes on dashboard of car on hot, sunny summer day.
Straightening Saggy Shelves
Nearly every bookcase has a shelf that’s sagging under the weight of too many books. If not remedied the shelf will either fail, spilling books all over the floor, or become permanently bowed. If you can’t reduce the number of books, try this: Cut a vertical divider out of 3/4-inch solid wood or plywood to fit beneath the sagging shelf. (If you use plywood, conceal the exposed edge with iron-on veneer banding.) Make the divider just tall enough to prop up the shelf to its original, flat position. If the divider fits between two shelves, install a second divider directly under the first one. Otherwise the shelf below will begin to sag. To provide proper support for all shelves, and eliminate any further sagging, the lowest divider must rest on the bottom of the bookcase.
Hour 1
Donna in MI
How do I remove a spot of super glue 2 inches wide 10 inches long from my laminate wood kitchen floor?
Sean in ME
I have a gap under a part of my house that can allow mice to get into the drop ceiling in my basement. It is about 10 feet long and 8 to 12 inches high, with joists between each point. Right now I have insulation stuffed in there, but I want to prevent the animals from crawling in. Is there a foam that I can spray in there that won’t expand too much and that will fill the gap? Preferably something the mice and chipmunks won’t like to eat?
Cindy in NY
We like to get our outdoor Christmas lights up early before the snow flies but it seems like every single year I’m replacing strands that have gone bad. It’s such a waste. Is there any way to fix these things? We use the traditional miniature lights.
Janet in TX
Hi Danny, we own an antique child’s rocking chair that has been in my husband’s family for many, many years. The chair is made of maple and it has been on our front porch for the past 10 years for the grandchildren to use. Well, thanks to Hurricane Harvey the chair took on a lot of water and fell apart. Please tell me how to fix it. The finish is gone and I have sanded it lightly. Can I just glue it back together? I could paint it, but would prefer to restore the old finish. The wood has dried out a lot and has cracks in it. What are my steps? HELP!
Carolyn in MA
I have a wooden shed, and the bottom of the doors are starting to rot. On your TV show you showed using something to fill wood rot on a shed, but I don’t remember what it was.
Jen in NC
I just applied three coats of Minwax Spar Urethane Satin Varnish to an outdoor table and six chairs. I sanded between each coat, but the finish came out very shiny. Is there is another product that I can put over this to make it less shiny and more like a matte finish?
P in IA
What’s the difference between roofing a house and roofing a garage? I have a detached two-car garage that isn’t heated, insulated or drywalled. It has exposed 2×4 wall studs and roof trusses. I want to replace the roof shingles, which weren’t properly installed. The shingles on one side of the roof have slid down and are covering the gutter. The other side has a lot of missing shingles and water is leaking in.
Hour 2
Toni in OK
How do I remove rust stains (due to dripping water on the Hardie Plank) from the Hardie Plank siding without damaging it?
Arla in CA
Last week, carpet was removed from a rather large area of an en suite master bath and porcelain tile was installed (hired people to do the installation). The wash basin cabinetry is almost 6 feet long. The counter depth is 1/2″ longer at one end than the other. I’m not happy with the layout. The tile up against the cabinet is 1″ wide and gradually increases to 1-1/2″ wide. The entire tiled area looks crooked. I will have the cabinetry refinished, but first I need to figure out how to correct this problem.
Ron in CA
I have had quotes to put in a $3,500 and a $2,500 water softener. Yet I go to Home Depot and see what looks to be good made by Whirlpool for $700. The installers tell me the cheap softeners are a “bunch of junk.” Would certainly like an unbiased opinion.
Louise in NC
How easy is it to replace a faulty wall switch that goes to the garbage disposal? I don’t have any electrical experience, but I’m pretty handy.
Mary
I live in the Mojave Desert in California. My home is approximately 1,600 square feet, and I want to insulate the attic. Is the amount of insulation needed the same as the house, about 1,600 square feet?
Doug
I have an antique cabinet from Mexico that I’d like to refurbish. The iron hinges appear to have been made by a blacksmith. I’d like to remove the hinges, but they’re secured to the cabinet with old-fashioned square-head nails. What’s the best way to pull the nails without damaging the hinges or cabinet?
