For questions relating to the removal of dirt, debris and other unwanted foreign material from various surfaces and porous materials, including methods, tools and supplies, and expected results.
Questions tagged [cleaning]
582 questions
26
votes
12 answers
Avoiding dust scattering when you drill
When I drill into concrete, stone or similar materials - a lot of dust gets scattered. I realize this might sound like a newbie/trivial question, but - how can I avoid this? Both dust getting on me, and even more importantly - into the air people…
einpoklum
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25
votes
28 answers
How do I remove polyurethane spray foam from my hands?
I should have worn gloves but sadly I didn't. Now I have yellow stuff all over my hands. I got most of the stickiness to go away by using WD-40. Is there anything that will get this off without giving me chemical burns?
Engineer2021
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23
votes
11 answers
What should we look for when buying a fixer-upper house?
My fiance and I are considering buying a fixer-upper house rather than an apartment when we get married.
Obviously things like location, neighbors etc. are important, but; what should we be looking for in terms of fixing it up ourselves? Neither of…
BlueRaja - Danny Pflughoeft
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22
votes
5 answers
Central Vacuuming: Is it worth it, and how does it compare to normal vacuuming?
I am in the process of buying a brand new home in the US through a builder. The home will be approximately 3,000 sq ft and I was given the option of buying a central vacuuming system for the house.
It looks really nice and convenient. The price…
MisterStrickland
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17
votes
6 answers
Is it worthwhile to have ductwork cleaned?
Was rearranging some ductwork in my basement, and noticed that the stuff I took down was pretty filthy inside (especially the return air ducts).
Is it worthwhile to have ductwork cleaned out? What kind of (if any) efficiency benefits do you get out…
Eric Petroelje
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17
votes
7 answers
Ok to put bleach in toilet tank?
My toilet's tank has a lot of dark brown scum growing on the walls. I assume it's some kind of mold or bacteria. The water itself isn't cloudy, but when you flush, some of the scum comes loose and gets dragged along. It then clings to the toilet…
Jessica
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15
votes
8 answers
In layman's terms how much pressure is 4000 psi?
4000 psi sounds like a lot. That's what some pressure washers can go up to. Just how much pressure is that? What are some real world examples that would help explain that kind of pressure?
Daniel Duckworth
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15
votes
4 answers
How do I clean vinyl siding without a pressure washer?
My vinyl siding is turning green from mildew and I have to clean it up this weekend.
I let a friend borrow my pressure washer at the beginning of the summer, and he's out of the country for awhile. I'm working that angle to try and get it back.
I…
Steve Jackson
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14
votes
3 answers
Why do many construction projects leave so many nails behind?
I just had a significant amount of work done on my house and the contractors left lots of nails scattered around my yard.
I have a two-part question:
Is this typical?
If it's typical, why is it the case? Is it just the cost of doing business? Or…
Jim G.
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14
votes
2 answers
How should I clean and repaint a painted wooden deck?
My deck appears to have been painted with just a single layer of paint, which is now peeling off. I like the look of the paint (when it's in better condition, of course), and am uninterested in staining, especially because I'll be adding some new…
Kevin L.
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12
votes
7 answers
How do I clean stainless steel?
We have just finished building a house and we have some small stains on a stainless steel door handle.
I was wondering what was the best way to remove them? Unfortunately I'm not sure what's caused them. They appear as small "smudges" along the…
Ben
- 121
- 5
12
votes
15 answers
How to drain a toilet bowl?
I want to clean a stained porcelain toilet bowl. It feels like a small crusty coral reef right at the bottom in the water, visible to anyone looking down. I suspect its like calcium/lime but this is not normally a problem in our area.
Plain…
Criggie
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12
votes
1 answer
How to clean a burnt wall socket?
I had a dishwasher plugged into the wall. The dishwasher plug has always been a little iffy but we have never had a problem with it before. It shorted while the dishwasher was running and I caught it pretty fast but it scorched the wall a little and…
Feltope
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12
votes
7 answers
How to clean rusty grill grates?
Accidentally left grill grates outside during the winter and rust built up.
Tried to search online and ask at Lowe's, but didn't find a good solution.
What worked for you?
Nikita R.
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11
votes
1 answer
How to remove/clean black mold?
What is the best way to remove black mold from wood?
Specifically, the mold on my back porch is black mold. Is the best option to use something like Kilz over it?
warren
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