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Show FiRST-AIDT fo the AILING HOUSE . By ROGER B. WHITMAN (Released by Western Newspaper Union.) Cleaning Paint Brushes. FOR a really good paint job, the brushes should be of top quality, with long and flexible bristles. Quality paint brushes cost money, however, and I see many home owners own-ers making use of cheaper brushes with which first class paint work cannot be done. It is well worth while to start with good quality paint brushes, for with care and attention they will last almost indefinitely. in-definitely. When a paint job is interrupted, in-terrupted, the brush should not be left standing in the can, even for a few hours; the paint should be wiped off, the brush rinsed with turpentine, and then wrapped in waxed paper. The paint can, incidentally, should be tightly closed to prevent the formation for-mation of a skin. At the end of the job the brush should be well wiped out, washed with turpentine, and protected against dust. One good plan is to suspend it in a can containing con-taining turpentine, deep enough to cover the bristles, the bristle tips being out of contact with the bottom of the can. Paint will drain out, anrt the hviicVi will hp lpft in Derfect condition. The can should be covered of course, to prevent the evaporation of the turpentine, a wad of waxed paper will serve. At the end of two or three days, all the paint will have drained out, and the brush can be wrapped and laid away. A brush should never be allowed al-lowed to stand on its bristles, for these would be bent out of shape. New House Problem. One trouble that is likely to come when a house is new is the forming of a crack between the edge of a built-in bathtub and the wall behind it. This is due to the shrinking of the timbers on which the bathtub is supported. With the splashing of water through the crack, the ceiling below may become spotted. The problem is to fill the crack with something that will make a waterproof water-proof joint. One method is to pack the crack deeply with caulking compound, com-pound, which resembles putty, but never becomes quite hard; it remains re-mains sufficiently soft to keep the crack filled, should settlement continue. con-tinue. The surface of the filling should be shaped by running the finger along it, and stickiness can be taken out by dusting with talcum powder. Another method is to cover the crack witn a strip of material somewhat resembling rubber, that is made for the purpose and is on sale by dealers in linoleum. That is put on with a special waterproof cement. The effect is permanent. Taking Out a Wall. Question: We wish to remove a partition from between a large and a small room. We are told that it must be replaced by a support for overhead beams. Because of the different sizes of the two rooms, the girder will not be in the middle, which we think would look bad. What do you suggest? Answer: Have an examination made by a competent carpenter or builder to find out whether the ends of the floor beams above are supported sup-ported by the present wall. If they are, the girder must be in a position to support them, regardless of appearances. ap-pearances. You might be able to get a steel girder that would not show as much as a wood girder having the same strength. Rough Paint. Question: In an old farmhouse the woodwork has had layer after layer of paint, so that the surface is ugly and very uneven. Can the depressions depres-sions be filled with a filler, or should the paint be removed? Answer: I think that your best move will be to smooth the surface with sandpaper, which for convenience, con-venience, can be wrapped around a block of wood. Old paint in many coats is difficult to remove. Jl it must be taken off, have it done by burning, but be sure that this job is given to somebody who is really expert in it. The job would be done with a blowtorch, and in inexperienced inexperi-enced hands there is danger of fire. Spiders. Question: My basement windows are always full of spider webs, in spite of continued cleaning. What .should I do to get rid of them? Answer: As soon as the webs appear, ap-pear, pull them down with a vacuum cleaner. This will remove many of the eggs. Other eggs are developing develop-ing in cracks and crannies around the windows. Spray with any insect liquid, being sure that it penetrates these places of concealment. Oil and Asphalt Roofing. Question: The mineral surfaced asphalt shingles on my roof are very dry. Would it be correct to soften it with crankcase oil? Answer: It would not;' for the oil would dissolve the asphalt, and all the surfacing would come off The makers of the shingles should be be able to supply you with a liquid asphalt coating, intended for the purpose. Grease-Trap. Question: How can I mak;e grease-trap for my cesspool' Answer: It is hardly possible to make one, but a grease-trap can be bought at no great expense. It look, somewhat like a section of lare sewer-pipe. Go to a dealer in build mg materials. a Perfume Odor Question: How can I eliminate the odor of perfume from a bottle so that new perfume can be used in it' Answer: Rinse the bottle with am moma. which will "kill" aU perfume" |