Home Maintenance For Dummies, 2nd Edition

by Carey, James

  Removing wallpaper

  If you’ve chosen to replace your wallpaper, you need to purchase a perforation tool (you can find these in the paint and wallpaper section of your hardware store, home center, or paint store) and rent a wallpaper steamer. After you have these two tools, removal is a breeze:

  1. Use the perforation tool to puncture thousands (yes, thousands) of tiny holes into the surface of the wallpaper.

  The perforations allow the steam to penetrate to the adhesive.

  2. Use the steamer to liquefy the adhesive, working from the top down.

  Warm, liquefied adhesive flows downward and causes the lower portion of the paper to release more quickly.

  3. Gently pull the paper off the wall.

  Don’t be in a hurry. Patience works best with this process.

  4. Remove the rest of the adhesive that remains on the wall using more steam or a liquid enzyme adhesive solvent, which can be found in the paint and wallpaper section of your local hardware store, home center, or paint store.

  For either, you’ll need a large sponge to soak up the softened gooey mess that’s left on the wall.

  If your wallpaper is looking dingy, and it’s washable, sponge it down with a solution of mild soap and cold water. Wipe with clean water and then wipe dry. (Be sure to test the colorfastness of the wallpaper in some inconspicuous corner before you clean it.) Read on to find out how to correct other wallpaper problems.

  Fixing loose seams and clean tears

  Got an edge that’s coming unglued, a seam that’s sticking up, or a clean tear? Here’s how to fix it:

  1. Moisten the damaged area with warm water and carefully lift the softened wallpaper away from the wall.

  2. Apply a thin coating of lap-and-seam adhesive (available at any wallpaper store).

  3. Press the wallpaper back in place, matching it up exactly.

  4. Roll the edge with a seam roller.

  A seam roller is part of a wallpaper installation kit that you can find in the paint and wallpaper section of your local hardware store, home center, or paint store.

  5. Sponge off any adhesive that squishes out with a barely damp sponge.

  Patching wallpaper

  Got a stain or a big, ugly rip in your beautiful wallpaper? If you can find a matching leftover scrap, fix it this way:

  1. Cut a square or rectangular replacement piece that’s a little bit larger than the damaged area, making sure to match the pattern exactly; then attach the patch to the wall with masking tape.

  2. Cut through both the patch and the damaged wallpaper simultaneously using a utility knife (a process referred to as double cutting).

  Don’t make straight cuts. In fact, making a curvy, kidney-shaped cut is best, because a curved cut patch is just about impossible to see after it’s finished.

  3. Put the replacement patch somewhere safe; then use a hot-water-soaked rag to dampen the damaged bit of wallpaper and peel it out.

  If necessary, use a perforation tool and a coat of enzyme wallpaper-adhesive solvent to loosen things up. You can buy this solvent at most hardware stores, home centers, or paint and wallpaper stores.

  4. Apply another coat of solvent, and sponge away any remaining glue on the bare spot; then clean the patch area with a clean, damp sponge and let dry.

  5. Soak and soften the patch in a bath of warm water for about three to five minutes; when the patch becomes soft and pliable, apply a thin coating of adhesive evenly over the entire back.

  6. Position the patch so that the pattern matches; then carefully smooth it down with a clean, damp cloth or a seam roller.

  7. Sponge off any adhesive that squishes out.

  There you go — a fix that’s nearly invisible to all eyes but yours.

  Chapter 12

  Floors and Interior Doors

  In This Chapter

  Cleaning and maintaining all types of flooring

  Taking care of common door problems

  Keeping your door hardware in good working order

  In this chapter, we take a close up look at what’s underfoot. To get in the proper frame of mind, we suggest that you get out of your comfy chair and sit on the floor while you read. From that position, you can clearly see — and understand — what we’re talking about. While you’re on the floor, peruse the surrounding doors. At floor level, you may get a completely different perspective. On the other hand, simply reading this chapter will give you a new perspective on doors and how to maintain them.

  Lucky for you, we move quickly and stick to the basics, focusing on the most important door and flooring maintenance and repair tasks.

  What’s Underfoot? Flooring

  Roof replacement may be the single most expensive nonelective repair you can make, but flooring is a close second. Although some flooring can be reasonably inexpensive, really good, long-lasting flooring costs a bundle — making regular maintenance a must.

  Vanquishing vinyl trouble

  Odds are, you have resilient flooring — sheet vinyl or vinyl tile — somewhere in your house. After all, it’s the most popular flooring material for kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry rooms. It’s popular because it’s easy to care for. And that’s good for you.

  This is not to say that a vinyl floor won’t ever have problems. Some problems are mainly cosmetic; others are more serious. Vinyl flooring problems are not problems with the material itself but the result of some other problem. If you have a series of ridges in your floor, for example, you actually have an uneven or swollen underlayment. If your vinyl tile or sheet vinyl is coming up in places, you probably have moisture in the subfloor from a leaking pipe, spillage from the sink, or condensation from below. As tempting as it may be, you can’t just cover up these problems — you have to fix their underlying cause. The following sections explain how to remedy these and other common vinyl problems.

  Vinyl tile and sheet flooring manufactured prior to 1978 may contain asbestos. That’s the year when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency banned the use of asbestos in the manufacture of building products. When left alone, asbestos flooring poses virtually no risk of exposure. But when disturbed, it could release asbestos fibers into the air, which could be hazardous to your health. Therefore, be careful not to disturb old tile. If you opt for a new floor, you’re almost always better off laying the new floor over the old rather than exposing yourself and your family to the risks associated with removal. If you’re not sure whether your floor contains asbestos, you can have it tested by a licensed testing lab.

  Scuff marks

  Use an art gum eraser (one of those grayish-tan ones like you used in school) or borrow a Pink Pearl eraser from your kid’s school supplies. Just rub the mark and — voilà! — it disappears.

  For tougher scuffs, use a little paint thinner on a rag to rub the spot clean. Be careful not to go nuts with the thinner — you could remove the vinyl’s no-wax finish.

  After you’ve gotten rid of the scuff marks, stop wearing scuff-makers, like cheap plastic-soled shoes, hiking boots, and running shoes, in the house.

  Persistent grubbiness

  Before you know it, a vinyl floor can acquire a funky gray cast. This comes from infrequent or inadequate cleaning. Diligence is the key to avoiding this problem:

  Vacuum or sweep regularly to remove abrasive dirt and dust.

  Wipe up spills immediately.

  Mop regularly with a damp mop and 1 tablespoon of white vinegar in 1 gallon of warm water (no detergent!).

  For the best results, work on a small section at a time and dry it before moving on to the next section. If the vinegar solution is left on for an extended period and allowed to air-dry, it can dull the finish.

  If regular cleaning doesn’t keep the perma-dirt away, use a mop or sponge and a solution of warm (not hot) water and a few drops of liquid dish soap. Don’t rub too hard. Rinse thoroughly with clean water.

  Yellow discoloration

  If the problem is a yellow discoloration, you need to remove and
reapply wax. However, don’t remove the wax more than once a year — the chemicals in the remover are hard on the vinyl. When reapplying the wax, be sure to choose a product rated for floors as opposed to a paste furniture wax. Floor wax provides maximum protection without becoming dangerously slippery. Oh, and be sure that the wax that you use is the non-yellowing type — it’ll say so on the container.

  No-wax vinyl floors require basically the same kind of care as the kind that requires waxing. Again, the secret to a long-lasting shine is keeping the floor clean. Stay on top of dirt and spills. And when you mop, use only a little white vinegar rinse and dry thoroughly.

  Eventually, no matter how diligent you are about cleaning, your no-wax floor will lose its shine. Then, believe it or not, the best way to make it new-looking is to wax it. Use a water-based self-polishing wax. Whenever possible use a product recommended by the manufacturer. If you don’t know who the manufacturer is, get a recommendation from a reputable flooring contractor in your area.

  Curling vinyl tile

  Curls in your hair may look great, but when they’re in your vinyl flooring, they can lead to bigger problems. Curling vinyl occurs at seams and edges. The adhesive that’s supposed to hold the vinyl flat is no longer doing its job and, thus, the vinyl curls up and away from the underlayment.

  Aside from being unsightly, this condition presents a trip hazard. It’s also a catchall for dirt and grime. Plus, it exposes the surface below to water damage and makes the area especially susceptible to tearing. What’s worse, left unrepaired, the condition will only get worse, which may turn a mole hill into a mountain.

  To fix this problem, you have to remove the old vinyl tile and replace it with a new one. Follow these steps:

  1. Use a warm iron over a towel to heat the vinyl and soften the adhesive.

  Make sure to warm the entire tile, including the edges and middle.

  2. Carefully peel out the tile using a thin scraper, and then scrape out all the old adhesive.

  3. Apply vinyl tile adhesive (get it at your favorite home center or flooring store) all over the empty space.

  Use a notched trowel if you have one, or apply a thin, even coat using your scraper.

  In the case of vinyl floor adhesive, less is more. Too much adhesive can cause the tile to ripple.

  4. Place the replacement tile (you set aside “spares,” didn’t you?) carefully into the hole and press on it with a block of wood to ensure good adhesion.

  5. Remove the glue that squeezes out around the edges with a solvent like lacquer thinner or whatever the glue label suggests and a soft white cloth.

  6. Lay a sheet of wax paper over the repair and then place a couple of books over the tile to weigh it down until the glue fully dries (usually 24 hours).

  7. Apply a clear vinyl seam sealer (also available at a home center or flooring store) around the edges.

  Keep traffic out of the area for a day until the seam sealer has had a chance to set up.

  Gouged, cut, or scratched sheet vinyl

  In contrast to vinyl tile that has gobs of seams, sheet vinyl has far fewer seams. There is an advantage to fewer seams: fewer places to repair if something goes wrong. On the other hand, when it comes to making a patch, it can be a little trickier than replacing a single tile.

  You’ll need the following items:

  Clothes iron

  Towel

  Utility knife and several new blades

  Metal straightedge

  Masking tape or double-sided tape

  Putty knife

  Vinyl adhesive

  Notched trowel

  Clean rags

  Adhesive solvent

  Clear vinyl seam sealer

  A piece of vinyl slightly larger than the area you want to patch

  Finding a suitable patch

  Obviously, the best patch is a piece of the original flooring material and one that gives you a chance to make an unnoticeable repair. (Look for squares or distinct patterns or lines you can use to hide your cuts.) If you or the previous homeowner didn’t save a scrap, you can steal a patch from underneath an appliance or from a closet floor.

  To remove a piece of vinyl to use as a patch:

  1. Cut the patch carefully using a straightedge.

  2. Peel up the patch, working slowly and using a warm iron over a towel (or a hot-air gun) and a putty knife.

  Try not to leave too much of the backing stuck to the floor.

  3. Replace the stolen patch with any old scrap of vinyl floor. (Who’s going to see it?)

  Older vinyl floors may have been waxed, and wax tends to yellow (especially in exposed locations). To make sure your patch matches the surrounding vinyl as closely as possible, remove all the wax from the entire floor using a commercial-strength wax remover (available at a janitorial supply house) and floor scrubber. It’s a good idea to remove the built-up wax and re-wax every few years anyway.

  Making the repair

  To apply the patch, follow these steps:

  1. Place the patch over the damaged area, match up the pattern or lines exactly, and then tape the patch in place.

  Again, it’s best to place your cuts in the lines that define squares in the pattern or something (anything!) other than “blank” areas.

  2. Use a utility knife and fresh blade to cut through both the patch and the damaged area.

  3. Set aside the patch and make sure the cuts went all the way through the damaged vinyl.

  Carefully deepen any cuts that are too shallow.

  4. Make two corner-to-corner diagonal cuts in the repair area.

  Doing so makes it easier to remove the damaged section.

  5. Peel back the damaged section from the middle.

  You might have to use the old iron-and-towel (or hot-air gun) trick to loosen the glue. Work slowly and carefully. If you’re using a pristine, never-been-glued patch, make sure to remove as much of the glue and stuck-down backing material as you can. If you’re using a “borrowed” patch that has some of the backing torn off, it’s okay if you leave some of the backing material stuck to the floor — it’ll help even things out.

  6. Apply vinyl adhesive to the floor.

  Tub-and-tile caulk works great, too.

  7. Carefully place the patch in the hole, but don’t press it down.

  8. Cover the patch with wax paper; then place several heavy books on top.

  The bottom book should be bigger than the patch to avoid pushing the patch below the level of the surrounding floor. Let the adhesive cure for 24 hours.

  9. After 24 hours of curing time, remove the books and use mineral spirits to clean excess adhesive.

  10. Apply clear vinyl seam sealer and let it set a day before allowing traffic in the area.

  The key to applying seam sealer is to apply just enough to cover the seam. Again, less is more. The material is self-leveling, will bond with the vinyl, and is designed to disappear.

  Sheet-vinyl bubbles

  No matter how good your vinyl flooring is, or how well it was installed, bubbles or blisters will appear occasionally. Fortunately, they’re usually easy to fix.

  Before you do anything, make a trip to the crawlspace or basement area below the floor in question to see if moisture is rising from below and causing the bubble. If the sub-area is wet, chances are, you’ve got water vapor migrating into the space between the floor and the vinyl and you’ve got big trouble. Believe us, soon a bubble will be the least of your problems if the sub-area water problem is not resolved. If moisture is the culprit, stop here and turn to Chapter 4 for advice on how to dry out your basement or crawlspace.