CARL DOUHAN, Waltham

A. Those steel bulkheads are great when new, but steel does not last very long in such a situation, and even faithful maintenance in keeping it painted will not help much. Make a proper repair by digging it out and replacing it with an all-concrete (except for the doors) bulkhead that can be dropped in the original opening with a minimum of adjustment. If you do this, hope that the connection betweeen the bulkhead and the foundation is tight; that is where most bulkheads leak.

A temporary expedient if you leave the steel unit in place is to cut through the steel bottom and dig a hole as big as the area at the bottom of the steps and about 12 inches deep. If the water level underground is not too high, this hole -- a sump, really -- will collect and absorb water as it comes in, and prevent it from flooding the basement floor. If this works, you can postpone replacing the bulkhead.

Q. My old-fashioned steel milk can is still in good shape; that is, it is not falling apart and has no holes. But there is some rust; in fact the whole outside of the can has a patina of rust, an orange color. How can I clean it up? Is there a shop that does this sort of thing?

SHEILA WHALEN, Holliston

A. The only shops that I know of that treat metal are those that do replating, and since your can is galvanized, there is nothing to replate. So here is what you can do: Dip fine steel wool in paint thinner and rub off the rust. Once it is clean of rust, you can give it a very fine coat of oil, which will help prevent further rust. So will keepng it in a dry, warm place, such as a house. To apply that thin coat of oil, sprinkle a few drops of mineral or lubricating oil on a cloth, knead the cloth to spread the oil around, and wipe down the can. Dispose of oily cloths safely by burning them.

Q. The installer of my deck used nongalvanized nails. How can I keep them from rusting?

PAUL HARTINGTON, Rockland

A. First, check to see if they are stainless steel nails. If they have been on the deck for a while, and are not rusting, they are probably stainless steel, because bright nails (nongalvanized) will begin to rust immediately upon getting wet.

If they are rusting, and they are countersunk, you could fill the holes with a wood filler and restain the deck. This is iffy because the filler could pop out over the years, and the stain, if any, will not cover the filler.

Far better is to pull those dumb nails and replace them with hot-zinc-dipped galvanized deck screws or nails. Or, if you can find them, stainless steel nails or screws. A good galvanized screw or nail will resist rust for many years, so you don't have to be hesitant about using them.

Q. My red cedar roof shingles are in great shape, having been stapled on strapping over the roof sheathing for proper ventilation. Some of the staples are rusting out, and some shingles are loose. Can I restaple them? If not, what can I do?

LANS BOUTHILLIER,Duxbury

A. The rusting out of the shingles simply proves that stainless steel should be used in all cases of wood roofs. You might be able to fix it in one of two ways: Use stainless steel nails, and nail them just under the butt of the shingle above. Use a nail set to secure the nails. Try lifting the shingle above to allow the nail to be driven home under the shingle above.

The second way is to lift each shingle and dab roofing cement, liberally, under that shingle, then press in place. This principle coincides with the self-sealing asphalt shingles that have an asphalt strip on their backs, ready to stick when you nail them in place.

Q. A 40-year-old toilet was pristine when I bought the house 2 1/2 years ago. Now it is rusty along the sides above the water line. What can I do?

S.K., Concord

A. Try Lime-Away, Whink or a pumice block. Whink has a new product called Whink Rust & Iron Stain Remover that might work. Another Whink product is Whink RustGuard: Add it to the tank for a slow-release treatment. Or, Super Iron Out. Still another product is Magic Rust Stain Remover. These products are sold in hardware stores, supermarkets and building supply stores.

Q. One of my stainless-steel deep sinks is rusting. I was told that stainless steel can rust. How can I remove the stains? They come off quite easily with a little scrubbing.

M.L., Arlington, Mass.

A. Stainless-steel rust? Don't believe it. Stainless steel does not rust, and I have no information that it does or will. It might if it is defective. Since your stains are easily removed, they are superficial, caused by rusty water running over the sink. Something else is rusting, under or around the sink, causing rust in water that is running over the stainless steel. If the problem persists, you have to locate what is rusting and replace it or paint it after removing all rust.

I have had a stainless-steel sink for many years without a sign of rust. I also have had stainless-steel fasteners -- nails, screws and bolts -- outside for years without rust.

Q. Rust stains are showing in my enamel-on-metal sink set in a counter top. How can I get rid of that rust and keep it away? Some of the stains are around the drain.

CHRIS CHIN, Carlisle

A. Try one of the many rust cleaners on the market. One is Rust Stain Magic, sold in supermarkets and hardware stores. Use it only on a white sink. This and some other cleaners contain acids, so wear skin and eye protection when working with them, and use extreme caution. Cleaners should remove stains, but not true rusting (deterioration, essentially) of the cast iron under the enamel. For such true rusting, sand it all off, and touch up with several thin coats of appliance enamel. Do the same around the drain; if the drain itself is rusting, it should be replaced.

If you don't succeed, replace the sink.

Q. A radiator leaked and made streaks on my flocked wallpaper. How can I remove those rust streaks?

EDITH BRAVERMAN, Malden

A. Try this: Make a mix of 1 part bleach and 5 parts water, and apply lightly to the stain. Try that bleach solution in an obscure area to make sure it does not fade or bleach out the flocking or the paper. If it does, make the solution 1 to 10. Or, try this old trick: Cut a lemon in half, sprinkle salt on one half and rub the stain lightly. Another product to try: Whink Rust Stain Remover. Sold in many stores, it removes rust from washable colorfast clothing, carpets, white sinks, and toilets.

Q. An alleged professional put in my limestone hearth, but left some rust marks on the stone, caused by steel strapping that originally held the limestone for shipment. I tried Soft Scrub with bleach with some success, but not all the rust is gone. What will take it off? What can I seal the limestone with?

J.M., Wrentham

A. If the Soft Scrub with bleach worked a little, try more. Or, use Lime-Away, found in grocery and hardware stores. Or, cut a lemon in half, sprinkle salt on half and rub. Liquid chlorine bleach might also work, but be careful: Sometimes bleach can turn things yellow.

If all else fails, sand the spot lightly with fine sandpaper.

Seal the stone with any masonry sealer or tile sealer. Thompson's Water Seal will also work. None of these sealers will darken the limestone, except when the sealer is first put on wet, nor will it produce a shine.

Q. I was given some nice old flat irons, but they are covered with rust. How can I get that rust off without spoiling the value of the irons?

MARY CULLINANE, Lynn

A. I'm not sure the irons have a lot of value, but removing the rust is unlikely to reduce it. Rub off the rust with emery cloth or super-fine sandpaper. Finish up with steel wool. For any rust that remains, treat with naval jelly (sometimes called rust jelly), which is sold in building supply stores.

Q. Leaves dropped on my bluestone sidewalk and stained it a rust color the shape of the leaves. A contractor said they will go away, and indeed they did. But some of the rusty spots remain. How can I remove them? I tried bleach and water and the spots lightened up, but have not disappeared.

L.R., Wellesley

A. The rust spots will disappear if you continue with the bleach treatment. Make the mix a mild one, say one part bleach to five or more parts water; apply this mix and let dry. A possibly better treatment is a diluted solution of oxalic acid and water. Mix 4 ounces of the acid crystals (sold in hardware and paint stores) in one quart hot water. Apply to the stains and let dry. The crystals will reappear. Sweep them up and throw them away; they have done their duty.

Q. My boiler leaked rusty water on the concrete basement floor. The leak has been fixed; how can I clean the rust spots on the floor?

BILL WEEMS, Duxbury

A. Mix 4 ounces oxalic acid in a quart of hot water. Apply this to the spots and let dry. Oxalic acid is a crystaline bleach sold in hardware and building stores. When it dries, the crystals may reappear; sweep them up and throw them away; the rust stains should be gone.

Q. My house is up for inspection prior to a sale, but I just can't get the rust out of the bathtub. The rust is on the bottom, caused by wet towels left there for too long. Is there any way I can get the rust out?

ANONYMOUS CALLER

A. There are a number of rust removers on the market, but the question is where to find them. They are generally sold in hardware stores and supermarkets.

One is Rust Stain Magic, made by Magic American Corp., Cleveland, OH 44122; telephone 800-321-6330. It contains hydrofluoric acid, so wear skin and eye protection when using it.

Another is Whink Rust Stain Remover.

Several homemade products are sugarless powdered lemonade Kool-Aid mix, applied and scrubbed with a sponge. Or, make a paste with cream of tartar and peroxide and rub it on spots. Or, cut a lemon in half, sprinkle salt on half and rub.