Posted on: Friday, September 24, 2004

HOME HANDYMAN
Deck cleaners won't harm siding

By Glenn Haege

Q. I have a wood deck and need to clean it. Is there any deck cleaner that is safe in case I splatter it a bit on my vinyl-sided house?

A. Just about all deck cleaners are safe for use around vinyl siding. If you are just cleaning the deck, use a solution of a half-gallon of Simple Green to one gallon of water.

If you have OxiClean in the laundry room, use 8 ounces in a gallon of water. The OxiClean formula will brighten as well as clean. If it gets on your vinyl siding, it will make the area super clean.

Q. We have 50-year-old vinyl tiles on our basement floor. Is it safe to remove them? How do you determine whether they contain asbestos?

A. Don't worry about it. It is perfectly safe to remove these tiles. Asbestos is dangerous when it disintegrates and becomes airborne. Vinyl tiles, at their worst, just crumble. If you want, wear a mask just like you would when sawing pressure-treated wood.

Q. About a year or so ago, I put a white sealer on my shower floor tiles. We were having problems with mold, and I thought this would solve the problem. It made matters worse. I now have mold in the grout of my floor tiles, and I cannot get it out. I have tried bleach (plugged the drain, filled with bleach, let set for a while), Tilex and hand scrubbing with cleansers and anything else I could buy that kills mold. Short of having the grout removed (at a cost of $250-$300) and regrouted is there anything else I can do?

A. Regrouting is the best way to solve the problem. But it won't cost you $300. Do it yourself with a Dremel No. 568 Tile Grout Removal Kit. Set the bit at one-eight inch and just follow the grout lines. The Dremel will remove just enough to be able to put in a new layer of grout. After you regrout, wait 72 hours then seal using a penetrating grout sealer. Wipe off excess from tiles. Also, make a note to buy a good set of kneepads. Your knees will thank you for it.

Q. My 12-by-14-foot deck already has been power washed and came out great. I plan on staining the deck in a few days after the deck has a chance to dry. How long will it take me to stain it?

A. It all depends on the type of stain you use. Some stains require one coat. Some two. Some can be applied with a garden hose or special deck sprayer. Some need to be brushed. All these are variables. Penofin Ultra Premium Red Label could be sprayed on in about two hours. If your dealer has a Penofin Sprayer in stock, buy it. The nozzle has a special orifice that is very effective. Be sure to wipe up overspray.

Glenn Haege writes for the Detroit News. Write Ask Glenn, Master Handyman Press, P.O. Box 1498, Royal Oak, MI 48068-1498 or askglenn@mastehandyman.com.