Q. In my 48-year-old house, the bathtub drain cover is discolored, with the brass showing through the chrome that has worn off. Is there any way to restore or replace it? My plumber said the tub has to be replaced.
R.B., Wellesley
A. That drain must be so complicated that the tub might have to be moved in order to replace it (the drain, not the tub), but the tub would have to be put back, rather an expensive operation. You could paint the cover with a white appliance touch-up paint but it will look painted and not, in my opinion, satisfactory, because it would not last very long. The fact that it is chrome over brass means it is a high-quality item, so why not leave it brassy, being elegant in its old age. Keep it polished with Noxon or Maas or other polish, and all will be satisfied. Maybe.
Q. How can I get ballpoint ink out of a shade? And how can I restore carpet dents, those dents made when the carpet is squished by heavy furniture?
B. SCHUMAN, Chestnut Hill
A. Treat the ballpoint ink with rubbing alcohol. If the ink smears with this treatment, keep wiping with clean alcohol until it clears. For the dent, put a wet cloth over it and iron with a hot iron until the cloth is dry. Then take a hair pick and pull the fibers up.
Q. I am buying a house with woodwork that was painted white, and I plan to remove it before restoring its original stained wood finish. But how? I can scrape off a lot of the paint with my fingernails.
LARRY, Salem
A. If the paint comes off that easily, you might be able to scrape most or all of it off with a putty knife. The paint was applied without a primer; that is why it is so easy to remove. If you are lucky, all the paint will come off with light scraping without messing up the original stained wood. I don't think that will happen. If it does not, then you can take off the paint with Goof Off, without spoiling the finish underneath. And if that does not work, then take the rest of the paint off with a paint stripper. Citristrip is a good one, a citrus-based stripper that has a relatively low toxicity and a good ability to remove old finishes. It is likely to take off the varnish, too. If the stain is intact, you can revarnish. If not, then the stain must be sanded off and then the woodwork stained and varnished. A recent paint job like the white paint does not contain lead, and the varnish and stain do not, either.
Q. I had the west side of our house vinyl-sided in 2003. It looks like it's faded; some sun does hit that side in the late afternoon. Do you think I've got a claim with the company, which is CertainTeed, or can this be polished back to a luster? The contractor will not fix this. I'm looking at having it done by another contractor. What should I do?
K, by e-mail
A. Any siding - vinyl, painted or stained wood, painted aluminum, any material - can fade with time. I think dark colors may fade more than light ones. But fading in four years is rather unusual, and I get suspicious when the original installer refuses to do anything about it. Cute. Your best bet is to contact CertainTeed; it manufactures a lot of products and I am sure is not interested in jeopardizing its reputation.
Q. I am a new homeowner. I just bought my first house last month. I have a question about the hairy white growth I am getting from my basement walls in places. I was wondering if it is anything harmful and how to treat it.
JARED REID, by e-mail
A. Rest easy. That hairy white growth is efflorescence, the leaching of lime from the concrete if the walls are poured concrete or the mortar if the walls are concrete block or stone. That's a great name for efflorescence. It is harmless and there is little you can do except brush it off with a dry scrub brush, or add a little water and scrub. You might be able to reduce or eliminate it by keeping the basement dry, by ventilation or any other means. But not to worry if it continues.
Q. After we have been away for a while, when we come home we find crusty stains in our toilet bowl. I am sure it is mineral. How is it best cleaned, and indeed can it be cleaned? It feels rough to the touch. My husband buys a pumice stick to rub on the mineral, but it is hard work.
ELLEN NEVILLE, Clifton Park, N.Y.
A. If you say it is hard work, I suspect you are the one doing the work, while hubby sits around eating bon-bons and giving orders. But seriously, the buildup is mineral, and what you need is an acid to clean it off. Standard cleaners are Zud, CLR (Calcium, Lime, Rust), Lime-Away, and MDR remover (which might mean Mineral Deposit Rust). I think a stronger acid may be needed. Muriatic acid, cut by 1 part acid to 5 parts water, may do it. Always pour the acid into the water, and use extreme caution when working with acid. Wear skin and eye protection at all times.
And here is what Todd Williams wrote by e-mail: I think all toilet bowls are made of cast and fired ceramic. I know of nothing in normal residential use which would actually corrode ceramic. I think the roughness which was reported by the homeowner was in fact a mineral deposit from water. I have experienced that myself occasionally. If the bowl is not scrubbed frequently, the deposits can build up and be almost concrete-like and very rough.
Assuming the roughness reported was actually deposits, rather than corrosion, the solution I recommend is strong acid, which is unfortunately dangerous. Oxalic acid is a good choice for homeowners. Vinegar is far too weak to do much. The toilet bowl must be emptied of water, but the acid should be kept moist for some minutes or even hours.
Q. You mentioned a plastic laminate floor for use in a basement. I have no idea what that is. Can you clarify?
PAUL GORIANSKY, Salem
A. Laminated plastic is much like Formica brand laminated plastic, but it is not. It is hard plastic that comes in panels, with a hardwood flooring pattern, and with a foam backing designed for use on basement floors. These panels are usually clipped together, and the floor is designed to block the rise of water vapor in basements. One brand that is quite well known is Pergo, but there are others on the market. The flooring is sold in big box stores.
The Globe Handyman on Call also appears in the Sunday Real Estate Section. Peter Hotton is available 1-6 p.m. Tuesdays to answer questions on house repair. Call 617-929-2930. Hotton also chats on line about house matters 2-3 p.m. Thursdays. To participate, go to Boston.com. Hotton's e-mail is photton@globe.com.
