Take care of garden hose, bring in for winter

Garden hoses need to be stored away during the winter. If left out in the cold, they usually are ruined by the time you need them next spring. You should hang them up in a garage, where they will be protected. A super hose hanger is easy to make with an empty coffee can. Just attach the coffee can to the wall through the bottom of the can so that the open end is facing outward. Coil the hose over the can to store it neatly up and out of the way. You can store the sprayer and other attachments inside the can. You can even secure these items by placing the plastic lid on the end of the coffee can if you want.

Dealing with drafts

Most of us have done a pretty good job of sealing those air leaks around the house, and most of the work was done in the autumn or sometime when the weather was nicer. But drafts can still occur, and the day might not be nice enough to get out to fix them. Here are some quick fixes you might try to deal with cold drafts when you want to stay indoors.

Draft dodgers are super gadgets that can be placed in front of a drafty door or window. They are usually fabric tubes filled with something that will sit on the ground or windowsill and stay put to block the drafts. Use old pantyhose or socks filled with rice or beans to accomplish the same thing. Tie up the ends to seal them, and place them where you need to.

Peel-and-stick foam weatherstripping is best used on warmer days, but it can be placed right where you need it in a hurry when a new draft develops. It might not look pretty, but it can be moved to a less-noticeable area on a nicer day. It sure comes in handy, though.

You also can buy caulk that is removable. It comes in long coils and is sort of like modeling clay. Put it where you need it, and take it off later when you don't need it anymore. It's perfect for drafty windows and can be installed very easily on the inside of the window.

Even tape can be used in a bind. Just apply it to a drafty door or window to put a stop to the cold air coming in. You can use just about any tape, but make sure you use a type that will be easy to remove later on.

The same plastic sheeting that can be placed over a drafty window from the outside will work just as well when done from the inside. In fact, some types are made specifically to be installed on the inside of the window.

These are just a few quick fixes for those undetected drafty areas in your home. Obviously, these air leaks should be fixed permanently when you get a chance. But at least these things might help you make it to the spring without turning into a Popsicle!

Bulb remover

Some things are as easy as changing a light bulb, right? Well, what if that light bulb is on your back porch in a lamp that is 10 feet off the ground? That's when your plumber's friend becomes your bulb buddy. If you raise the rubber end of the toilet plunger up and place it firmly on the bulb, you can push while turning and unscrew the bulb. Then just carefully pull the plunger down and remove the bulb. Place the new bulb into the cup of the plunger, raise it up and turn it into the lamp. It takes a little practice, but it might just save you the time of having to get out the ladder and doing your balancing act.

Super hints

• If you glue a shallow aluminum tray or a foam meat tray to your step ladder's paint tray, you will have a more stable place to store tools and hardware while working. The small lip on the tray keeps things from rolling off.

• Do you ever find yourself in need of a tape measure or a ruler and there's not one in sight? Well, if you have a dollar you have a small ruler. One dollar bill is 6 inches long, and maybe that will help you measure the item or area in a pinch.

• Wood and tile floors are great for a lot of reasons. I think they are easy to keep clean, and that's important if you have kids or pets. Of course, rugs make living with them more comfortable -- especially in the winter -- and they are easy to keep clean, too. The one thing you want to do is to glue some scraps of rubber to the underside to keep them from sliding so much. You can use a rubber dish mat or floor mat -- or even rubber shelf liner will work. After all, a flying carpet might not be a good thing for all of us.

Q. I find that my kitchen garbage disposal gets stuck more and more, almost every time I use it. Is there some way to fix it, or should I start shopping for a replacement?

W.J.

A. It would be best to try to clean it first. Turn the power to it off and then remove the rubber guard over the top and use a flashlight to see what's going on inside. Clear away anything that might be stuck in the side or impeller. Use a scrubber and baking soda to clean the inside surface. Turn the power back on and turn the water on so you can turn it on and test it. Maybe that will buy you a few more months of usage. It might be wise to start watching for a good sale, because it will probably have to be replaced eventually.

Q. I have any old chair that once belonged to my grandmother. It has a lot of sentimental value, but it needs to be cleaned. How can I clean it without ruining the old velvet material?

T.D.

A. Velvet is hard to clean, and special care must be taken. See how much of the surface can be cleaned by just vacuuming it. Brushing the velvet with a soft brush also can loosen dirt. Brush in the direction of the nap. If you need to use upholstery cleaner, test it on the underside before putting it on the whole chair. You also might consider having it professionally cleaned. They will know how to do it without ruining it.

Q. We enclosed our garage and turned it into a rec room. It's not totally finished, but we need to correct a moisture problem first. How can we cut down on the humidity in the room before completely sealing it up?

E.D.

A. You need to determine where the moisture is coming from first. Does your dryer vent into the garage? Are your pipes insulated? Make sure you clear up the problem first, and then install insulation in the walls and ceiling before installing your drywall and ceiling material. Seal the concrete floor before installing your flooring, too. And make sure to install a weatherproofed door to keep the room comfortable. If you still have the problem, you might have to use a dehumidifier to control the humidity.

Reader tips

• I had a water line running through my basement that must have been loose, because I determined that it was the rattling that I was hearing in the den every evening. I used a bungee cord to test my theory that it would stop rattling if it were tied up to the rafters. It worked. I installed several pipe straps to secure it permanently, but it was still rattling. I installed the bungee again, and the noise stopped. It seems the bungee, being rubber, gives a little, and the rubber around the pipe also seems to cushion it. I just installed a couple more bungees and have had no noise from it anymore.

H.J.

• Stripping furniture is not as easy as I thought it would be. I tried a putty knife to scrap off the loosened paint from the stripper but soon found a faster way to do it. I switched to a plastic dust pan. The wider scraping surface made the scraping much faster, since I was covering twice the surface area -- and since the paint was already in the dust pan, it was easier to dump into the waste bin, too.

B.W.

• I got a nice ratchet and socket set for Christmas. It came in a sturdy metal box and had a plastic insert inside to keep the set organized. It was still bouncing around and would pop out of place sometimes, so I added a thin layer of foam rubber on top of the sockets inside the box. In fact, the foam was left over from some packing that came inside another gift box. The foam now cushions the sockets and keeps them in place even when the box is stored on its side.

T.M.

• I always save the packages of desiccant that come in electronics and some other things. I put the small bags into my tool drawers and other places where built-up moisture might cause a problem. I find that they seem to help, and since they are free, why not put them to good use?

V.B.

• I have a great way to store nails and screws. I find that the boxes they come in from the home center usually don't last very long and it can be hard to tell what size or type you are looking at. I take them out of the boxes and store them in clear, plastic jars with lids. Peanut-butter jars are always available in our house, and they work great, but there are a lot of other jars you can use, too. You can store a whole box of nails in the average jar, and it's easy to see what's inside.

L.P.

Shop talk

• If you are considering adding a new shed to your yard, check out Rubbermaid's Frame Works line of outdoor buildings. They are super tough and easy to put together. They are made to look nice, and the indoor and outdoor accessories make storage of all kinds easy to accomplish. Check them out online at www.rubbermaid.com to see for yourself.

• The tool box has been reinvented in the FatMax Extreme Open Tote Tool Bag. It looks much like the old tool box -- rectangular in shape with a handle on top, but this one has pockets. There are lots of individual compartments and pockets to keep your tools handy and organized. Even the handle is improved with a rubber grip. It's super for the DIY'er and will store all of your most-needed tools. Look for it at your hardware store or home center. The FatMax line is made by Stanley Works, and you can see more at www.stanleytools.com.

© 2008, Cowles Syndicate Inc.