Trash Idea About Painting on Those Plastic Cans
Question: No one seems to know what kind of paint I can use to paint my address on my plastic trash cans. Whatever paint I use comes off after about a month, and the job has to be redone. Do you have any recommendations?
E.H.
Corona del Mar
Answer: “Unfortunately, you’re not going to have much luck keeping your house numbers on with any kind of paint,” says Andy Carter of Sinclair Paint in Westminster. “The plastic easily expands and contracts with changes in temperature, which makes the paint chip and flake away. You may want to use colored adhesive tape to create your numbers, or switch to metal cans, which are more easily painted.”
Q: I have a problem with algae growth in a small pool and fountain. The fountain’s recirculating pump has had to be replaced twice in the last four years, and the manufacturer blames the use of anti-algae chlorine for the pumps’ failure. But without the chlorine, algae thrives. Any suggestions?
D.P.
Mission Viejo
A: “These small recirculating pumps are especially prone to damage from chlorine,” says Bill Lord of FW Pool Supply in Anaheim. “People often put too much chlorine in the water, which corrodes the pump. There are two good non-chlorine chemicals available, Physan 20 and Algae-Miacin GLBX-2. You should use Algae-Miacin if your pond has fish, because it will keep algae from forming without hurting them.
“Before usin these, it’s probably best if you drain and clean the pool out. Use a diluted bleach solution, rinse it out, then refill the pool.”
Q: While cleaning the clear plastic frame of a picture I have in my dining room, I used fine steel wool on some scratches and created two “cloudy” circles on the plastic surface. Is there anything I can use to get these out?
E.S.
Santa Ana
A: “There are two things you can try before you have to think about bringing in a professional,” says Kimberly Douglas of Orco Plastics in Anaheim. “The first is a plastic polish called Novus No. 2, which is applied by hand. If that doesn’t work, you can try a clean-buffing compound, which polishes a little deeper. You should be able to find both at a plastics supply store.
“If you still have the scratches, you may have to have someone try to remove them with a wet-sanding process. But this can get expensive, and it may be cheaper to replace the plastic.”
Q: I bought a home with light gray-frieze carpeting. It doesn’t match with any of my furnishings, and I’d like to dye it a different color rather than replace it. Is this a good idea?
R.W.
Newport Beach
A: “Before dyeing, there are some factors to consider, such as whether your carpet can be effectively dyed,” says John Heigl of JCL Enterprises in Fountain Valley. “There are some solution-dyed carpet fibers that can’t be dyed.
“You’ll also have to look at how old your carpet is to evaluate whether it will accept the dye evenly. If the carpet is worn and has pet-stain spots, you’re going to have areas where the dye will not take, as well. Also, as a rule, you can only dye a light carpet darker. Dyes today are more color fast and durable, but dyeing won’t solve all of your carpeting problems.”
Q: In planning to paint a dining room with a large chandelier in the center, I was wondering about the best way to shield the chandelier from paint spattering. Should it be covered or should it be removed?
G.T.
Lake Forest
A: “If it’s an expensive piece of glass, I’d probably remove it,” says painter Steve Brown from Placentia. “When you’ve got ladders moving around the room while you’re working, and you don’t have a table in the room to keep you away from the chandelier, you may knock something into it and damage it. If it’s too hard and you think you’ll be careful, you can remove the plate that connects to the ceiling and cover the entire fixture in a plastic garbage bag, taping it at the top.”
