Spot Repairs of Lacquer Finish Can Be Spotty
Question: I have a coffee table that has a high lacquer finish. I had an electronic chess set sitting on it, and I found four yellow spots on the table where the rubber legs had been. I tried using cigar ashes and mayonnaise to get the spots out, but that didn’t work.
C.C.
Laguna Niguel
Answer: Normally, in a situation like that, the top would have to be refinished, says Henry Guttierez of Espeland Furniture Repair and Refinishing in Orange.
It will depend on the type of wood and the type of finish, but in general marks on a tabletop aren’t as easy to hide as ones on the legs.
Refinishing the entire top is often the easiest solution, rather than trying several spot repairs.
Q: I have some good-quality wood furniture that’s about 30 years old. I’ve never used silicone-based polishes, and I’ve never over-waxed them. However, some of the tables have a smeared, dirty buildup. Can this be cleaned without refinishing?
P.S.
Huntington Beach
A: You could try dipping a cloth in some mild solvent, such as Naptha, to see how it reacts to the finish on an inconspicuous area, says Mark Bausman of Bausman & Father Furniture Refinishing in Huntington Beach.
Use a mild solvent, because anything strong could remove the finish coat. If you find that you’re taking off the old coatings of grease and dirt, use it on the rest of the piece.
Even if you’ve waxed a piece sparingly, you’ll find buildup over a long period. Silicone-based polishes are often discouraged by refinishers because they’re so hard to remove, but it’s not impossible to get them off, and they can be refinished.
Q: Our 9-year-old dishwasher seems to work fine except that lately we’ve noticed a sticky, tacky residue on our dishes. We haven’t changed detergents or washing cycles, so what could be wrong?
R.D.
Cypress
A: The problem could be related to hard-water buildup in your dishwasher, says Gary Kuhn of Appliance Parts Center in Lake Forest.
Orange County has very hard water, and this affects the efficiency of appliances such as dishwashers. Most appliance supply stores carry a citric acid compound, which you put in an empty dishwasher before running it, and this will help remove hard water deposits from water outlets.
Periodically, it’s also good to run the dishwasher with a half-gallon of apple cider vinegar, which contains citric acid and will also help remove deposits.
Q: We have an asphalt shingle roof that’s almost 20 years old. It’s in relatively good shape, no leaks, but some of the shingles appear worn in areas. Are these are weak spots?
N.Y.
Buena Park
A: Those worn spots don’t necessarily mean that you’ll see leaks coming from those areas, says Jim Gorman of Rancho Lumber in Westminster.
Weathering from sun, wind and rain can knock off granules and give the roof a worn appearance, but if the shingles aren’t buckled, they should be fine.
An average asphalt shingle roof should give about 20 years of service, so you may need to think about re-roofing. Some thicker asphalt coverings give longer life.
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.