Evening star., 1941-04-12
First Aid
For the
AHingHouse
BY ROGER b. WHITMAN.

A chemical with the name of tri-
sodium phosphate has many uses
IN household. 1t has the effect
of destroying grease and thus makes
a good cleaner. A handful in a
dishpan makes dishwashing easier
and one or two tablespoons in a pail
of water is excellent for cleaning
painted surfaces. In stronger Solu-
tions it eats into the paint, even to
the extent of being flrSt-rate paint
remover. For this it is used in the
proportion of pounds to the gallon
of water When applied boiling hot
with a dishmop or brush, paint and
varnish soften quickly and can be
taken off by rubbing with cloth
or using scraper. On some kinds
of wood the grain may be raised
slightly, so that sandpapering will
be needed before refinishing. 1t has
the great advantage of being harm
less to the skin, which is not true of
many other removers. Trisodium
phosphate is not stocked by drug
stores. 1t can be had from chemical
houses, and many paint stores sell
1t under its chemical name, as well
as under the name of beet salt 1t
Is also sold under many trade names
Rough Paint.
@. Woodwork in our house has
many coats of paint put on by
amateurs without sandpapering
How can we remove the roughness
and do a good paint job? I feel
that using blowtorch in the house
would be dangerous Sandpapering
would hardly do because there are
one or two coats of paint on the
rough places.
A. You are right in not using a
bloWtorch. You can smooth the
rough places with sandpaper wrap
per around block of wood, starting
with a rough grade that will cut
quickly and finishing with a finer.
Pine Floor.
@. Can a Georgia pine floor be
sanded with good results, the same
as an oak floor?
A. Yes. but for a good finish you
may need to wind up with a steel
wool pad.
Painting Cushions.
@. Can cushions of porch glider
be painted? They are covered with
a waterproof material, something
like oilcloth. Would paint crack
when exposed to weather or when
sat on?
A. After washing with soap and
water. rinsing and allowing plenty
of time for drying, you can finish
with quick-drying enamel. This is
sufficiently flexible to stand the con-
ditions for at least a considerable
time. Apply in a single thin coat.
Peeling Kitchen Paint.
@. My kitchen woodwork was dark
oak. In refnishing with ivory
enamel 1 put on first coat of
aluminium paint. A week later the
paint peeled. including the alumni
mum. What did I do that was
wrong?
A In any kitchen walls and wood
work become coated with a film of
grease. 1t may be too fine to be
noticed, but will still be there. With
the grease filling the pores of wood
work and plaster, it must be taken
off before painting. for if not the
paint cannot penetrate the pores
and secure a proper hold. Wash
ing the woodwork with a grease
cutter might have prevented the
peeling. Another reason may have
been that the aluminium paint was
put on over glossy varnish, to which
1t could not adhere. All gloss should
first have been dulled with sand
paper, steel wool or in in some other
way.
Wall LinOleum.
@. I plan to cover the walls around
my bathtub with linoleum. How
should it be applied? Would there
be any disadvantages?
A. No disadvantages, for wall limo
ieum is an excellent finish for a