Ah, the things that cross a home and garden editor's desk! Actually, they don't cross the desk, they plop right down on it, piling up so fast that it takes a day and a half to clear it. They are of infinite variety, products mostly, that their manufacturers or promoters would dearly love to have the editor write about. Favorably, of course. Just asking for a bit of free publicity. Those ads cost too much! Most of the items come by the good old Postal Service. Some are actual products, which the editor is not supposed to keep; most are propaganda about them. Others come by the newfangled fax. Some are schlock, some are artsy craftsy, and some are actually practical, and helpful for the embattled householder and gardener. So, here are some of the items that the editor can share:

How often have you forgotten to stake peonies, and come out one fine day to see those big blooms all flopped down? Garden Trellises Inc. of LaFayette, N.Y., has the answer, which is its name: wire garden trellises of all kinds, including perennial trellises, cages sort of, for peonies and other plants that tend to flop. The trellises are galvanized steel, similar to the familiar tomato cages that support tomato plants. And, they'll support a lot more things than peonies and tomatoes. One nice thing about using any kind of wire trellis is that if you set it up early, the plants will soon grow well enough to make it disappear. There are various types of trellises: rectangular, square and a unique corner one. All are sold in pairs and are reasonably priced: from $12 a pair. Some of the fancier trellises, such as a rose tower, and arches, are made of copper and are pricey, from $105 each. To order, or ask for a free catalog, call 315-498-9003.

If you have ever painted an acoustical ceiling, you are well aware of the difficulty in painting over holes or fissures in the tile; they tend to get plugged with paint, but not all of them, giving an uneven look to the ceiling. The prospect of unplugging the paint from a million holes with a toothpick or matchstick is not a happy one. ProCoat of Holbrook has come out with an improvement on its Acoustical Tile Restorer, in a spray can, which is the secret to its success. Spraying tends to fill the holes evenly, without covering the openings, and what is more, the restorer covers water stains and smoke discoloration, and will not cause warping. If you can't find the restorer at building supply stores, you can order it by calling 781-767-2270.

It's a bird-eat-bird world out there, and some of our feathered friends often grab nestlings right out of the birdhouse. Other predators -- cats, crows, bluejays, possums, squirrels, and raccoons -- make short work of the little birds, squeezing into or reaching into houses and taking their prizes. Pat Reynolds, who lives in Fontana, Wis., saw too many tiny birds falling victim to marauders, so invented the Bird Guardian, a birdhouse tunnel that makes life easier (and longer) for young birds. It is a plastic tube that is screwed or clipped over the opening of a birdhouse. The length of the tunnel prevents larger birds and other predators from getting into the hole. Some of the birds the tunnel protects are chickadees, wrens, titmice, nuthatches, woodpeckers, bluebirds, and swallows. Bird Guardian sells for between $6.50 and $7.95 at wild-bird stores, in mail-order catalogs, at lawn and garden centers, and at Wal-Mart. Or, order one from Audubon Entities Inc., 414-275-1186.

Finally, Harmony Hollow Bell Works of Ann Arbor, Mich. has come up with three variations on wind chimes. They are individual bells made of bronze with a pendulum that gets them moving and ringing the breeze. One is called the Housewarming Bell, with a little house as a part of its brass hanger; another is the Gardeners Bell, with a water can; and a third is the Friendship Bell, with an open hand. They might appeal to homeowners who don't like the contrapuntal clanging of wind chimes. The bells are single bells, and quiet at that. If they get on your nerves, you can always silence them by removing the pendulum or hanging a weight on it. The bells range in price from $23.50 to $39.50. To order, call 800-468-2355.

Clean your toilet with Coke, and other zany things to do

Authors and newspaper reporters are repeatedly cautioned not to use brand names in their stories if they can help it.
Editors, in their wisdom, reason that if one brand name is used, all of them should be (fair treatment, you know), therefore do not use any. And, any mention gives that particular manufacturer an edge on publicity, and will offend other advertisers, causing them to pull their ads in protest.

While this philosophy is somewhat passe, it still lies deeply in the souls and egos of editors and publishers. Let the reporter beware! This philosophy never bothered Joey Green, an iconoclastic writer of zany books, who has just come out with another zany book that has hardly anything except name brands.

The book is Joey Green's Encyclopedia of Offbeat Uses for Brand-Name Products, published by Hyperion. The products include everything from peanut butter to vinegar, Alka-Seltzer to Ziploc storage bags, neatly arranged by subject from Arts to Repairs.

While all the uses are offbeat, the vast majority make sense, mainly to help the beleaguered householder. For instance, Green suggests you dye candles with Crayola Crayons: When making candles with paraffin wax, melt Crayola Crayons with the paraffin to make color candles. Or, make fingerpaints with Barbasol shaving cream. For color, sprinkle powdered tempera paint or add food coloring.

Here's a good one: Make a poor man's lava lamp with Canada Dry club soda. Fill a glass with the soda and drop in two raisins. The carbonation will cause the raisins to float repeatedly to the surface and then sink again. For shaving, there are a lot of tricks, if you run out of shaving cream: baby oil. Or slather on Bosco chocolate syrup on wet skin. Or Dr. Bronner's Peppermint soap. And best, Jif peanut butter. Former Senator Barry Goldwater once shaved with peanut butter while on a camping trip. For best results, said Green with a straight face, avoid Jif Extra Crunchy.

Even more practical is what to use to wash windows: Heinz vinegar. Use undiluted vinegar in a spray bottle and dry with a soft cloth. Or Kingsford's corn starch: Mix a little with ammonia and water. This next one makes sense, especially to people kept awake by a neighbor's mutts. Train a dog to stop barking with ReaLemon: Squirt some in the dog's mouth and say ``Quiet.''

The chapter on Insects and Pests is especially useful, partly because Green's ideas can work and the products used are in most bathrooms and kitchens. Try these for ants: Mix three tablespoons Dr. Bronner's Peppermint soap with 16 ounces of water. Spray on the ants. Draw a line of Crayola Chalk around windows and doors outside and around water pipes inside your house. Ants will not cross a chalk line. Use a spray bottle or mister filled with equal parts Heinz vinegar and water around doorjambs, windowsills, water pipes, and foundation cracks.

Immobilize flying insects with Alberto VO5 hair spray to stiffen its wings, bringing the pest spiraling to the ground. Plug mouse holes with S.O.S. steel wool soap pads. While this makes sense and is practical, it has its shortcomings because the steel wool tends to rust and deteriorate, so then where are you? Better yet, use a stainless steel or other kind of nonrusting metal wool. Not all ideas are new, but they are still practical. For slugs, fill jar lids with a half inch of Miller High Life. Slugs love beer and drown in it. Another: Slugs will not cross a Crayola Chalk line. Repel moths with McCormick/Schilling black pepper as an alternative to mothballs. Fill a cheesecloth bag or the foot of a nylon stocking and use it as a sachet.

Squirrels do not escape Green's zany techniques: To prevent squirrels from climbing into a birdhouse (birdfeeder, too?), secure a Slinky to the bottom of the birdhouse and let it hang down around the pole, making it difficult for squirrels to climb. Or, spray WD-40 on the pole or wires. One of the best chapters is on Workshop and Repairs, because it covers things that handymen would like to know. Actually, handymen do know of a lot of them, but it's nice that they are written down. If batteries are loose in any toy or appliance as the result of a broken spring, wedge a small piece of Reynolds Wrap (foil) between battery and spring.

Here's another old one: To take the squeaks out of a box spring, remove the fabric from the bottom of the box spring and spray the springs with WD-40. Restaple the cloth back onto the frame. Also, use WD-40 to stop door hinges from squeaking, or Alberto VO5 conditioning hairdressing, Barbasol shaving cream, Endust, or Pam cooking spray. Lubricate screws so they will drive in easier with Chapstick or Ivory Soap. Remove rust with Canada Dry club soda, which will also loosen rusty nuts by pouring the soda over them. Or soak the rusted tool, bolt or spigot in undiluted Heinz white vinegar overnight. Coca-Cola will also remove rust.

For woodwork, repair scratches with Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce. Use a cotton ball to apply. Mix one teaspoon instant Maxwell House Coffee with two teaspoons water. Apply with a cotton ball. Mix a level teaspoon Nestea with two teaspoons water. Apply with a cotton ball. With all these ideas, why bother with brand names? Wouldn't another kind of peanut butter or vinegar do? Most are basically the same; others, such as bleach and vinegar, are exactly the same.

Yes, they would, but there's the rub, writes Green in his introduction, where he explains how he comes up with the unusual ways to use brand-name products. ``The answer is simple. I don't. Upstanding Americans just like you are constantly discovering extraordinary ways to use ordinary products they have around the house. ``They might accidentally discover that Worcestershire Sauce shines brass. They may polish silverware with Colgate Toothpaste. Or they may figure out that Tidy Cat litter provides outstanding traction for cars stuck in snow.'' So, they write enthusiastic letters to the manufacturers to share their discoveries, Green writes. ``The companies do keep all these suggestions on file . . . which are then filed away, never to see the light of day again.

``So I contact companies to obtain these secret lists. To me, it's like opening up the CIA's files. I also lock myself in the library for days to research kitchen remedies, household hints, and folklore medicine. Then I test them out at home. They're not only fun, but they actually work.'' The result is the encyclopedia, Green's 12th book. It is not one you'd read in one sitting, but it is not a cocktail table book, either. It is a great book to pick up and find something to solve a problem that you might just be having right now.

Green spices up (no brand name here) his book with sidebars and short features on such things as how various brand names got their names, ``What Exactly Is Epsom Salt?'' ``The Stories Behind the Logos,'' ``Honey Never Spoils,'' and other marvelous tidbits of useless information. The book, by Hyperion, is a good buy at $15.95, and sold at bookstores or from the publisher: Contact Marianne Magid, 212-633-4489.

Q. You wrote some weeks ago about a good cleaner and finish for brass. I think I mislaid the clipping. Could you repeat it?

DICK KNOWLTON, Watertown

A. I think the cleaner and finish was a product out of the Improvements Catalog (800-642-2112). The cleaner (a polish) is called Lusterlite Polish, and the finish is called Staybrite Brass Lacquer. You have to buy both; the item is 151502, and it is $14.99.

Another good polish is Noxon, best used with power buffing with an electric drill. Still another polish is a homemade formula: 1 cup vinegar, 1 cup salt, 1/4 cup flour. Mix into paste and wipe on metal, let dry and wipe off.

All these polishes must be used on unlacquered brass. If they are used on lacquered brass, they may ruin the finish.

Q. I have a large brass eagle over my garage door. What's a good polish for brass?

MARY FARRELL, Methuen

A. There are tons of them out there, each claiming to be better than its predecessor. Noxon is good, but needs power buffing. So is Maas, an old name in brass cleaners. Both these polishes will make a mess of lacquered brass; if your brass is lacquered to keep it new looking, then you have no choice but to leave it alone or remove it with lacquer thinner, and find a power buffer before using Noxon or Maas. Twinkle and Goddard's Long Shine are two other polishes.

Here's a homemade formula that has worked for a lot of people, but it should not be used on lacquered brass: 1 cup vinegar, 1 cup salt, 1/4 cup flour. Mix into paste and wipe on metal, let dry and wipe off.

Products for the beleaguered homeowner

The lumbermen got together in January to talk about lumber and everything else that goes into the mysterious, to some, process of building a house.

It was the annual convention, always held in Boston, of the Northeast Retail Lumber Association. They used to call themselves lumbermen but changed the name some years ago to cover a wider range of construciton.

With this convention, there was also a home show, with hundreds of booths and displays showing the lumbermen what's available to them to sell to you and me.

The show was not open to the public. It's too bad, because there are always lots of things there for houses.

So, the handyman, was able to roam the sacred halls of the show, to pick up products, hints, and ideas that the vendors would sorely like to sell to the lumbermen to sell to you and me.

Here are some of those products gleaned from a four-hour prowl. Some you might even find at your local lumber store.

-- Radiance, a low-e interior wall finish. This is one product that is really new.

Its manufacturer does not call it a paint, although basically it is; rather he calls it a finish that makes a house warmer in winter and cooler in summer, reducing heating and air-conditioning costs.

How it works: Radiant energy travels through the air in waves, and only when it strikes another object does it actually produce heat. Radiance reflects about 40 percent of the radiant energy back in to buildings, making them more comfortable in winter. In summer, Radiance acts like a protective barrier, keeping about 40 percent of the radiant energy from the sun from entering the room.

The physics behind Radiance is similar to low-e glass windows, which reduce the loss of radiant heat in winter and the emission of heat into a building in summer. The ``e'' in low-e refers to emissivity, which is the ability of a surface to emit or absorb radiative energy.

Radiance can be applied in one coat over a primed or painted surface. Radiance must be the outermost layer on an interior wall (the final finish) to be effective. If you cover it with standard paint or wallpaper, it loses its energy efficient.

The manufacturer says Radiance is washable, hides well, is sold in paint stores in flat and eggshell finishes in 72 colors, and offers soap and water cleanup.

For more information, call the manufacturer, ChemRex Inc. of Shakopee, Minn. at 800-766-6776.

-- K-Nections, an innovative wood connector. This one is also new.

Connectors, or fasteners, such as joist hangers, were developed some years after World War II and were a boon to builders. Many variations are available, but Walter Kresa Jr. of Whitesboro, N.Y., came up with a hanger that makes its own variations right on the job.

This unique fastener is hinged, so that it can support lumber at almost any horizontal angle without mitering. It can also be adjusted to hold two joists and rough-cut lumber, thicker than stock lumber.

It might be more useful to contractors, but a home handyman could take advantage of its versatility. For more information and availability, call Walter Kresa Jr. at 315-768-1064.

-- Scapewel by Bilco. This New Haven, Conn., company, long known for its basement bulkheads and bulkhead doors, has re-invented the window well into what it says is a state-of-the-art, patented product for basement safety, and aesthetics.

Scapewel consists of plastic panels set in the ground against a below-grade window or a deep basement window that is partly below the ground level.

It comes in six sizes, but does not take the place of a bulkhead opening. The unit is terraced for placing plants and to allow emergency escape, and allows more natural light into the basement.

You can also buy a clear polycarbonate cover with hold-down clips to fit a specific Scapewel. For more information, call Bilco at 800-854-9724.

-- Deckmaster brackets and screws. There are many brackets for hiding deck nails and screws so they don't show.

Deckmaster consists of a series of 22 1/2-inch galvanized or stainless steel angle irons with holes. These irons are set on a joists at strategic points, and the deck boards are screwed on from below. Kits include brackets and screws. For more information, call Deckmaster at 800-869-1375.

-- Sheetrock Lightweight Touch-Up Compound. This is a small item, but might help a homeowner who is plagued by harmless but infuriating hairline cracks in plaster or plasterboard walls.

It is not a caulk, even though it comes in a caulking cartridge for easy application. Vinyl based, it is designed to be applied to hairline cracks, small holes, and other minor imperfections of wallboard panels.

Apply the compound to a crack or hole, smooth off with a finger, and wet-sand, using light strokes with a wet sponge.

After everything dries, apply a latex flat wall paint before painting, decorating, or wallpapering. The compound is sold in hardware and building supply stores.

-- DecoRoof roofs for entryways and bay and bow windows. These roofs are solid copper in four styles, and come in finishes of shiny, ``new penny'' copper, or aged blue-green patina copper. Other finishes are bright brass-look aluminum, white prefinished aluminum, or primed aluminum for painting.

For more information, call the manufacturer, Stillwater Products Inc., at 800-326-5355.

-- EasyRiser Engineered Stair Stringer System. If you have ever tried to build a stairway, you'll appreciate this system. It is designed to take the place of a notched stringer. It consists of a shaped 2 x 6 flanked by two pieces of oriented strandboard that is screwed to an unnotched 2 x 6 stringer, and automatically adjusts to the slope of the steps after being screwed to the sides of the stringer.

EasyRiser is made by Building Components Manufacturing Inc. of Minneapolis. For more information call 800-475-9304.

- Hy-Lite Block Windows. Most everyone has heard of glass blocks, made for partition walls in bathrooms and for certain types of windows. Some people may have them in their house.

Now, Hy-Lite Block Windows (that's the name of the company) is making block windows, all preformed and ready to install. It even makes arched-top windows and windows that open and close, something that most such windows do not move.

The manufacturer claims the windows are 70 percent lighter than installed glass block, available with 6- or 8-inch blocks in three patterns: wave, frosted wave, and cross rib, in four framed colors: white, tan, bronze, and clear anodized.

The company also makes glass block partitions, panels and shower walls.

For more information, call Hy-Lite of Beaumont, Calif., 800-827-3691.

Q. How can I dispose of used paint thinner? It is a hazard.

N.W., Newton

A. Yes, it is a hazard, but instead of disposing of it, you can recycle it. It never loses its strength; it just fills up with pigment from cleaning brushes. Let the can of ``dirty'' paint thinner set a while so the pigments settle to the bottom, leaving a nearly clear (and still potent) thinner. Pour this off into another can and reuse it. The pigments can be disposed of at a hazardous waste collection. Call your town; it will tell you of specific days that you can take hazardous materials to a collection point.

Q. I can't get my one-piece fiberglass tub-shower clean. It always looks dingy. I tried Soft Scrub without success. What can I use?

F.M., Billerica

A. Use the Soft Scrub, but use it this way: squeeze a lot of it on the entire surface, then spread it evenly with your hands. Leave it for an hour or so, then scrub and rinse. If that doesn't work, Gel-Coat might work. Or, make a strong solution of Spic and Span and water (half again the strength of a standard mix), apply it heavily and let it sit on the fiberglass for two to five minutes without evaporating. Then scrub and rinse.

Q. I'm desperate! Soap scum is sticking to my fiberglass bathtub and surround like ugly on an ape. I tried liquid Comet and Scrubbing Bubbles without success. What will work?

B.L., Marshfield

A. The Comet and Scrubbing Bubbles should have worked but perhaps you didn't give them enough time to dissolve the soap, which can build up to a pretty tough skin. You can try again but leave the cleaner on for a minute, even longer if it doesn't evaporate. If it dries out before you scrub, it's too late. The wait-for-the-stuff-to-work rule applies to the solvents below, as well.

Here are some more ideas from the Handyman's soap-scum file:

De-Solv-It, sold in hardware stores and supermarkets.

One from Lorraine Simoni of Ocala, Fla.: A damp cloth and baking soda; keep dipping the cloth in the baking soda and scrubbing. Keep it off chrome. Rinse well and sponge with vinegar, then rinse again and dry.

A strong solution of ammonia and water (half a cup in a half-bucket of water).

Other solvents that can work: paint thinner, kerosene, Soft Scrub, and Clorox's Tilex Soap Scum Remover.

Q. You mentioned a place to which I could give old household materials, but now I can't remember what it is. I am not interested in selling; I just don't want to throw any good stuff away.

C.R., Sharon

A. I like your attitude in this money-grubbing, throw-away society. You're not unique, but certainly refreshing. That place is the Building Materials Resource Center of Roxbury, headed by Matthew St. Onge. Call (617) 442-8917. The center is a new part of the Boston Building Materials Cooperative. St. Onge said the center will accept materials that are, in turn, given, for a nominal handling fee, to those who need it in Roxbury, Mattapan, Dorchester, Jamaica Plain, and the South End.