Getting the Bugs Out Is Job for Framer

Question: About four years ago, I bought a great painting that was already framed in a plexiglass box. My problem is that there are some dead bugs on the inside of the bottom frame that I’d like to get out. Do I have to have it taken apart? Can’t I just drill a hole in the back of the frame and shake them out?

R.Y.

Seal Beach

Answer: “I really don’t think you should start drilling holes in the frame,” says Stacey Fernandez of the Lori Kaye Gallery in Garden Grove. “You may damage it, which will mean you’ll need reframing. Or, you might damage the artwork.

“The best solution is to take it to a framer who will be able to carefully take it apart, clean it and put it together correctly. If it’s a piece of art you really like in your home, don’t risk ruining it.”

Q: I bought sliding mirrored closet doors for one of my bedrooms about five years ago, and on the carpet next to the doors, there’s a black grease stain. I didn’t know grease was used on this kind of door hardware. How do I clean the rollers out?

B.G.

Laguna Hills

A: “What you may be seeing isn’t grease but graphite stains,” says Bob Burke of Burke’s Glass in Orange. “This happens when you have metal rollers in contact with a metal track, and it’s black so it looks like a grease stain. About the only way I know of to avoid that is to have nylon rollers in the door hardware. You’ll have to contact the place where you bought the doors to find out if nylon rollers are available for your particular doors.”

Q: My in-laws are giving us the crib they used for my wife when she was an infant, and it’s in excellent shape, except that it needs repainting. Since it’s at least 35 years old, I’m a little concerned about lead or any other contaminants in the paint. How do I handle the resurfacing?

H.C.

Tustin

A: “There is a kit available at many paint stores that you can use to test for lead in a paint,” says Carol Walter of Alamitos Paint and Wallpaper in Placentia. “If there is lead, you’ll need to use a paint remover and scrape the paint off into metal cans, which you’ll have to dispose of at a hazardous waste center. After you get the paint off, you’ll need to use steel wool to smooth it out. Of course, whenever working with paint remover, use gloves and a mask.”

Q: I have an old cordless screwdriver a friend gave me and it works great except I think the recharging unit has a short in it. I’d like to wire it up to the recharging base that I use for my cordless drill, but would I risk damaging it?

S.O.

Santa Ana

A: “It’s probably best to use the exact recharging unit for that particular appliance,” says Gary Lillge of Crown Hardware in Corona del Mar. “Even if they look the same, the voltage could be different. I’d contact the manufacturer to see about a replacement or maybe an alternative unit.”

Q: Our kitchen faucet is about seven years old and works fine except that the base is a little loose and it moves a little along the sink. I’ve tried tightening the bolts underneath but that hasn’t helped. Any suggestions?

G.N.

Huntington Beach

A: “There’s a putty packing that’s usually put underneath the faucet and that may be worn away,” says Ted Blanke of Central Heating and Plumbing Supply in La Habra. “The faucet is secured to the sink through the shanks from the hot and cold water lines. Generally putty is put into place around that base to keep water from seeping below the sink. When it’s loose, the fixture has to be removed and reset with a new seal. Considering its age, you may want to consider getting a new faucet since you’ll have to pull it off and put it back together.”