It Takes Much Gold to Fix Mirror’s Silver

Q. We’ve got a large, old mirror in our bedroom that has developed some small brown spots near the bottom. They seem to be below the surface of the glass, and I’ve not been able to get them out. Is there something that can be done about them?

P.L.

Anaheim Hills

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A. As mirrors are being exposed to the elements in the air and from cleaning, the silver backing wears down, says Dee Watt of College Glass & Mirror in Fullerton.

When that happens, it’s time to have them resilvered. This is generally an expensive process that should only be done on valuable mirrors. If the spots are just along the bottom, you could put the mirror in wider frame to cover them.

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Q. I’d like to paint the aluminum trim on my sliding glass door to match the paint on my walls. How can this be done?

B.H.

Huntington Beach

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A. Make sure the frame is perfectly clean, says Rich Zelle of Hal’s Paint & Decorating in Fullerton. Remove any dirt or grease from the frame with a solvent that will affect the paint’s adhering to the metal. Then use an aluminum primer, which is a Latex coating that will provide a good surface for the finish paint.

I’d recommend an oil-based paint for a slider because it probably gets lots of use. Avoid painting the track; because of the wear involved it will be hard for the paint to stick. Spend enough time to carefully mask the window glass, which is preferable than the work you’d have to do later to get it off.

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Q. We have sterling silver flatware that gets hand washed in a container of soapy water. A steel spoon was accidentally added to the container with the silver, and the silverware turned dark black. Using silver polish hasn’t worked. Any other ideas?

J.R.R.

Laguna Niguel

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A. Try a professional quality polish, says of Rick Pushckor of Antique Metal Finishing and Silver Plating in Long Beach. Some chemical process has occurred to discolor the silver; it’s the same thing that happens when you put silver in the dishwasher.

A product known as Perfect Polish is used on silver and other metals has been successful for Pushckor. If that doesn’t work, you may need to have a silversmith machine-polish it.

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Q. Some crystal wine glasses have become cloudy from dishwasher use. We’ve tried cleaning them with vinegar and some commercial lime removers, but nothing works. Is there anything else?

S.S.

Huntington Beach

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A. There’s a product known as CLR that’s available at most hardware stores, says Gary Lillge of Crown Hardware in Newport Beach. It’s a gel that’s easily applied, and it’s effective at removing water deposits from all kinds of glass and mirrors.

Also, keep those glasses out of the dishwasher. Use a mild soap and dry them completely before putting them back on the shelf.

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Q I have green floor tiles in my bathroom with a dark tan grout. I’d rather have white grout. Can I just use colorant, or will I need to re-grout?

T.S.

Placentia

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A It will depend on how old the grout is, says tile installer Craig Stephans of Buena Park. If it’s more than five years old, the grout is probably cracked in a few places, and re-grouting may be a better solution. If it’s fairly new, you may want to try a colorant. Make sure that the grout is clean and dry before applying colorant.

If you have a question about your home or garden, A Helping Hand will help you find the answer. Send questions to John Morell, Home Design, The Times Orange County, 1375 Sunflower Ave., Costa Mesa, CA 92626.