Evening star., 1941-01-25
First Aid
For the
AMngHouse
By ROGER b. WHITMAN.

~. "ldG Is lIle cheapest, quickest
way possible to paint bedroom walls,
which have always been papered?
A. One coat of calcimine or casein
paint might do. It is taking some
thing of a chance to put on either
one over wallpaper, for the paste
might soften and the paper be
1oosened However. I have seen
many successful jobs of the sort.
These paints are mixed with water
instead of oil and can be had in
colors as we'll as white.
Storm Sash Hangers.
@. Could you tell me if there is
any way of fastening up storm
sash besides the usual hooks that
hold them at the top of the out
side? I find full size storm sash
very awkward to put up and take
down with these hooks, particularly
those on the second floor.
A. There is very little choice in
the hardware for storm sash. The
larger hardware stores in your 10
cality should have catalogues illus
trating several types of hangers.
There are some hangers made which
make it more convenient to hang
sash.
Glazed Chintz.
@. Glazed chintz drapes are badly
soiled with oil-burner SCOT. Pro-
fessional cleaners tell me that glaze
will be removed in cleaning. How
else can drapes be cleaned?
A. Chintz is glazed with starch,
which, of course, will come out with
laundering. The glaze can be re-
stored with starch and by polish
ing with a hot iron. Thin white
shellac could also be used. but is
likely to make the fabric too stiff.
I have heard that glaze can be
restored with a solution of gum
arabic in water, but have not tried
this out. 1t might be well worth
a trial. Another way might be to
use two or more coats of white
beeswax softened with turpentine.
Garage Apron.
@. Outside my garage doors l
have a 3-foot concrete apron which
rises with the frost; because OF this
I am unable to open the doors.
Would extending the apron correct
the condition?
A. 1t would not. Proper drainage
under the concrete is the solution
to your problem. If the soil under
the concrete does not drain of well
there should be about 6 inches OF
we'll tamped cinders not ashes or
gravel underneath the concrete. The
concrete should be about 6 inches
thick.
Crack Filler.
O. What can I use to fill cracks
between the pine boards of an old
floor?
A. If the floor Is to be painted,
pack the cracks with soft cotton
string, smeared with white lead.
If the floor is natural finish, pack
the cracks with pine saWdust mixed
with a little spar varnish. Fill the
cracks more than full, and after
drying, rub down with sandpaper,
Unless the floor boards are very
solidly nailed, no kind of filler will
be permanent. for it will be loosened
by the swelling and shrinking OF the
boards with changes in the seasons.
Paint Smell.
O. am planning to have my
kitchen repainted. I cannot stand
the smell of paint. Is casein paint
as good as oil paint?
A. Casein paint is absorbent. and
in a kitchen is likely to pick up
grease and dirt. Enamel or glossy
paint would be better, because it can
be more easily cleaned. You can
now get liquids to be added to oil
paint that will eliminate the odor
without harm to the paint qualities.
Ask at your paint store. An alter
native would be to finish the kitchen
walls and ceiling with Tall-cloth,
which is absorbent and is wash
able.
Tar Spots.
O. A roofing concern spattered
my concrete sidewalk with tar. Tar
has been removed, but stains re-
main. The roofers say that nothing
will take them off. What can you
suggest?
A. One possibility is to cover the
stain with paste made OF dry
portland cement and benzine. Gov
er with boards or something else TO
check evaporation. The tar that
remains in the concrete may be dis
solved by the benzine and picked up
by the powder. If this does not
work, the stains are probably per-
y1anent.
Hot Clothes Closet.
Q. have two closets in my apart
ment in which the rear wall of each
closet is against the chimney.
Would shirts, clothing and furs be
damaged by the heat? How can l
get the closet cooler?
A F'urs and silk might be dam
aged by heat. Line the walls with
two layers of a rigid insulating
board. Nail the first sheet directly
to the wall. then nail Turing strips,
about two inches thick, on over the
insulating board. Then nail the
second sheet on the Turing.
Blistered Paint.
@. When scraping and wire
brushing blistered paint, what
should I do to eliminate the edge
between the scraped area and the