Dear Reena: The zippers on my convertible boat top are very hard to zip. Is there something to put on them to make them easier to close? I have used soap but it just washes off.
Merv
Dear Merv: Let me give you a few options to loosen the zipper: Use a solid, waxy substance such as candle wax made for snow skis, or a crayon. Using a toothpick, work the lubricant into the teeth of the zipper, and then slide the zipper up and down.
In my opinion, the most effective option is to spray the zipper with WD-40, wipe off excess and zip!
Here's some zipper trivia: Whitcomb L. Judson, a Chicago mechanical engineer, invented the zipper. It came about because a friend with a stiff back could not do up his shoes.
Judson designed a slide fastener that could be opened or closed with one hand. In 1893, he patented a device called the "clasp locker," which was the forerunner of the modern zipper.
It had only two problems: It didn't work and no one wanted it.
Judson displayed it at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. Although about 20 million people went to the fair, he sold only 20 of the fasteners. The U.S. Postal Service bought them to put on their mailbags.
Instead of giving up, Judson founded the Universal Fastener Company to manufacture his new device, which was improved by his head designer, Gideon Sundback. When a customer ordered a huge quantity of them for the rubber galoshes he was manufacturing, he liked the "z-z-zip" sound they made and coined the name zipper.
Dear Reena: We are in desperate need of your help. Last week, I fried cod fillets on the stove. Since then, the odour of fish seems to permeate our house, especially when you enter from outside. I have tried washing the floors and counters with vinegar and water. I tried leaving the doors and windows open for long periods.
I even purchased some sort of sponge container from our local Wal-Mart that is supposed to clean smells.
Nothing seems to help. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I have cooked fish before, but never had this result.
Linda
Dear Linda: Overpower the fish scent by bringing a pot of water to a boil, then squeezing in the juice and rinds from three lemons. Boil for 30 minutes, or until your fish smell is completely gone. You can also toss cloves, cinnamon, or nutmeg into your brew. Or pour the contents into a slow cooker and simmer on low all day.
Dear Reena: We have black spots on the caulking around our wooden windows indoors and black areas on the corners of our windows. I have tried everything to remove them and have been unsuccessful.
Karen
Dear Karen: The black stains are mildew, of course. Use a solution of 50/50 vinegar or bleach and water and clean the area with a damp sponge. (I also like to add 1 Tbsp borax or baking soda so the cleaner is gritty.) Leave for 10 minutes, then scrub and rinse several times.
This technique will kill the mildew, but the spots may still be present. If the stain remains or is below the caulk, don't waste your time buying all sorts of cleaners; you will need to replace it.
Scrape out as much of the old caulk as possible. Wear heavy work gloves and plan on taking your time for this job. Use a utility knife or a strong scraper.
If the old caulk is non-acrylic, laying a wet rag on it for several days will make the material swell and allow you to peel off most of it. If it is acrylic caulk, 90 per cent isopropyl alcohol should help lift it off. Silicone caulk is the most difficult to remove because it is resistant to most solvents. Some strong alkaline chemicals might weaken the old silicone.
When replacing old caulk, use caulk that is labelled mildewresistant to eliminate the need for bleach treatments.
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