Simple Solutions

Removing Pet Hair from Furniture – If you live with cats or dogs, you know how difficult it can be to remove pet hair from upholstered furniture. You can try vacuuming, but most of the hair will stick to the fabric, making it difficult to remove. Instead try this simple trick: Put on a pair of disposable rubber gloves and simply wipe the pet fur right off of the upholstery.

Workbench from Bi-Fold Doors – Make a portable, versatile workbench from two sawhorses and a pair of bi-fold closet doors. The doors come hinged together and when you open them up, they’re about 24 inches wide x 80 inches long. Set the doors across two sawhorses and you’ve got a workbench that perfect for painting projects, assembling furniture, or using a miter saw and other power tools. And if you’re working in a tight space, fold the doors to recreate a narrow 12-in.-wide workbench.

Best New Product

Battery powered Miter saws are not new, but full sized ones with the power to do what a miter saw should do are. In this case the Ryobi One plus One 10-inch Sliding Miter Saw accomplishes that by using two 18 volt batteries to take advantage of 36 volts of power. The brushless motor means you’ll get longer run time which was another drawback of past battery powered miter saws (about 800 cuts per charge in fact). Beyond that it just has some great miter saw features like a dual bevel design for faster, more accurate cutting. There are miter detent settings for all the most common angles on both the left and right sides of the blade for speed and precision. And the laser alignment system lets you accurately align the projected cut line with the blade. If you need an affordable miter saw that will go anywhere, this is good choice.

You can purchase this product at The Home Depot.

Tip of the Week

Are you ready to take your spring cleaning to the next level? Let’s talk about a cleaning chore you may have never tackled but probably should. If your dishwasher runs perfectly yet leaves your dishes dirty, it’s time for some attention. First, clean the tiny holes at the end of the spray arms to unclog them. Use an awl or toothpick to gently remove any debris or mineral deposits from the holes so that water and detergent can circulate through the washer. Next remove and clean the filter in the bottom of the dishwasher so it can drain more easily. Finally, toss a cup of white vinegar into the bottom of the empty dishwasher and run it through a normal cycle. Your dishwasher will be clean and your dishes even cleaner. This tip is brought to you by Broan.

Hour 1

Susie in PA
What is the absolute best way to clean tile grout?

Cynthia in VA
I had a floor outlet put in my family room and since then I’ve had centipedes in the same area. I’d like to know what I can put in the outlet box that will not be susceptible to burning but will help seal it. It is a 2-outlet box but I usually only have 1 light plugged in. Please help, I’m terrified of centipedes!

Bob in AL
My house has 3 showers that were built in 2004.The shower pan leaked in the master shower causing the sub flooring and a portion of three joists and an adjacent girder to rot. There was a tear in the pan but it was three inches from the bottom and a nail into a stud 1 inch from the bottom .I have not noticed any problems with the other two showers but when testing the pans they do not leak until I have greater than 2 inches of water in the bottom of the other showers. Should I replace the pans in them? There was no signs of leakage on the bottom of the sub flooring prior to testing the pans.

Ray in IL
I just have a question about furnace filters. I use a 3M furnace filter that’s supposed to be good for 3 months. Is that true, or is it best to change the furnace filter once a month?

Laura in IA
I need help with a small, but annoying problem. We have a new six-drawer vanity in our master bathroom and two of the drawers squeak like crazy. It sounds like nails on a blackboard! I took the drawers out of the cabinet and everything looks okay to me. The drawers have metal slides with plastic wheels. The other drawers roll silently. What’s causing these two to squeak so loudly, and how can I stop it?

Pat in MN
We have an older home and both bathrooms have paneling from floor to ceiling. We can’t afford to completely remodel the baths, but we’d like to update them. Can we simply paint the panels? If so, how?

Cole in KS
A few episodes ago Joe mentioned a solution to sticky kitchen drawers and suggested a product called Slick Strip in lieu of paraffin wax. I hadn’t heard of that product, but wondered if it would be worth trying on windows. I have restored some old double-hung windows and was planning on using wax to lubricate between the sash and the casing. The windows have been weather-stripped but still could use a nicer glide when opening and closing. What do you think? Have you heard of something similar?

Hour 2

Kathy in PA
I put Thompsons water sealant on my garage floor to protect it from salt. BUT it is now so slippery when it is wet that I had to place a large number of rubber mats down so i don’t slip. Is there any way to remove the sealant?

Sam in NY
I have a carpet that’s still in fairly good shape but it’s got some wrinkles in it. Is it feasible to re-stretch that and is it economically viable to do that?

Judith in NM
I’ve heard that you can renew appliances with Liquid Stainless Steel. Can this product be applied to the door of a built-in oven?

David in PA
I have a shed that I’d like to paint, but the wood siding is stained with mold. I killed the mold, but the stain remains. How should I prep the area prior to painting, and what type of paint should I use?

Rob in TX
I just had a concrete slab poured that’s 4 in. thick x 20 ft. wide x 25 ft. long. But it didn’t get smoothed out before it hardened, and now one end is 1 in. too high. How can I take the high end down level with the rest of the slab. I have looked at renting a grinder but it only removes 1/32 in. of concrete and that’s not enough. Now what?

Marilyn in VA
Do termite inspections need to be done every year? They’re quite expensive and we’d like to avoid the high cost of doing this every year if possible. What do you think?


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Danny Lipford

Danny Lipford is among the country’s most sought-after home improvement experts.
The seasoned remodeling contractor and media personality served as the home improvement expert for CBS’s “The Early Show” and The Weather Channel for over a decade and has made more than 180 national television appearances on “Fox & Friends,” “Inside Edition,” “Morning Express with Robin Meade,” Fox Business Channel, Rachael Ray and more.
He travels the country making appearances as a brand ambassador and spokesperson, and each year contributes expertise to hundreds of popular magazines and online media outlets.

Editorial Contributors
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Danny Lipford

Founder

Danny Lipford is a home improvement expert and television personality who started his remodeling business, Lipford Construction, at the age of 21 in Mobile, Alabama. He gained national recognition as the host of the nationally syndicated television show, Today's Homeowner with Danny Lipford, which started as a small cable show in Mobile. Danny's expertise in home improvement has also led him to be a contributor to popular magazines and websites and the go-to source for advice on everything related to the home. He has made over 200 national television appearances and served as the home improvement expert for CBS's The Early Show and The Weather Channel for over a decade. Danny is also the founder of 3 Echoes Content Studio, TodaysHomeowner.com, and Checking In With Chelsea, a décor and lifestyle blog.

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