Evening star., 1940-05-04
First Aid
For the
AiingHouse
by ROGER B. WHITMAN.

~ 1SOAA<AS - w AAA AsA<AA>s
q. A flower jar containing waite
was placed on a corrugated pape
pad on good quality rug. The cor
rugated paper became saturated
with water, and when 1t was movet
It left a light spot on the carpet
The wet pad was put on another
place on the carpet for less than fiv.
minutes, and this left another white
spot. I cannot remove these spots
They appear to be permanent. Car
anything be done?
A. Corrugated board is usually
made with sodium silicate adhe-
sive, which is strongly alkaline
When wet with water the alkan un.
doubtedly took the dye out of the
rug. The only remedy is redyeing
You might be able to do this with
dye Of the proper color, to be had al
a drug store. Apply in very thin
coats. with drying between, then
build up gradually TO the depth OF
the surrounding color. For surest
results, have the job done profess
sionally.
SepL1C TANK Data.
q. Where can I get information
about septic tanks? I am anxious
to know what size for a small one
family house, and how it should be
set and connected.
A. Much of the information you
desire is contained in Government
bulletin published by the Depart
ment of Agriculture. Write to the
superintendent of documents, Wash
ington, for Farmers Bulletin No
1927. Sewage and Sewerage OF
Farm Homes" The cost of the
booklet is S cents in coin.
Raising a Ceiling.
@. My basement playroom ceiling
beams are 2x8s, IL feet long, and
give 6 feet head room. That is all
right for me. for I am short. But
1t is too low for some of my friends
Would it be all right to nail 2x6s to
the beams, and then to cut off the
lower 2 inches of the old beams
This would make beams Axe inches
Would this weaken the floor above
SO that piano could not be moved
or so that we could not hold a party?
The 2-inch difference would make
my friends more comfortable.
A. You would do better, I think
to place the new beams midway be-
tween the present beams with ample
bracing in between to keep the
beams from swaying. The new
beams, of course, must be solidly
supported at the ends, so that they
will carry their full share of the
weight. Another idea would be to
substitute steel beams for the pres
ent wood beams, for these could
give sufficient strength in smaller
sizes.
WObbly Garage.
@. My two-car garage leans to one
side in the front, so that the doors
strike. I have had it Strengthened
several times, but it does not stay
How can keep it square?
A. Straighten the garage and then
nail two strips of wood diagonally
to the studs at the back, running
from the outside bottom corners to
the center of the horizontal roof
brace. Also, put diagonal strips in
the sides. These strips can be 1x6s
secured to each stud by at least two
nails.
Roof Cutters.
@. The roof of my house has a
good pitch, with hanging cutters
Ice and snow pile at the caves;
water backs up and leaks through
the walls. Should I lower the gut
ters? If so, by how much?
A. The cutters should be in such
. position that the outer edges are
in line with the slope of the roof
SO that snow and ice can slide over
them. OF course, they should be
far enough out and sufficiently
broad to catch the water.
White-Spotted Table.
@. A hot dish left white spot on
our table. What will remove it?
A. If not too deep, try wiping
with a little turpentine or camphor-
ated oil. You can polish it out by