Shining matte tiles isn't worth the work

Q. The new ceramic tiles in my house have a matte finish. Is there any way I can effectively put a shine on them?

TIRED OF FLAT

A. Not really. You could wax and buff them but that would require regular upkeep. You could varnish them, but that would change their color, and varnish can peel. I say live with the flat. There are better things to get het up about.

Q. I had a handsome staircase installed in the front of my house, one with a landing that gives it some style. It is built of pressure-treated wood, which was immediately primed and painted. Now the paint is peeling, revealing the white primer. I am bummed out. How can I prevent that?

MARY JANE BECKER, Mandeville, La.

A. I think the problem is with the pressure-treated wood. Normally it will take primer and paint very well, but when it's green (full of water) when it's installed, it needs to be left alone for six months for the moisture to dissipate. Then primer and paint will work nicely. If the primer is intact, sand off the peeling paint and spot-paint where the paint failed. You might luck out. If that doesn't work, wait six months before repainting, or strip all paint and put on a semitransparent stain; only one coat is needed and there will be no peeling.

Q. When I run tap water from the kitchen sink, it looks cloudy in my glass. When I leave it on the counter for a few minutes, it clears up. It started to happen when I installed a new diverter for a sprayer attachment. What's going on?

DAVID J., from Charlestown

A. Nothing much. That cloudiness is harmless; it is just a bunch of air bubbles. When you put in the diverter, it might have agitated the air flow. The agitation makes the bubbles.

Q. I have a large copper cooking pot with a steel colored heavy handle that has been used for cooking. Parts of it are covered with black and the whole thing needs to be polished. I have soaked it in vinegar without success. How can I get it clean and have that shiny copper look?

MARLENE NIHART, by e-mail

A. Many products in stores can clean copper; here are some of them: Noxon, Twinkle, Goddard's Long Shine, Top Brite. But one of the best is homemade: 1 cup vinegar, 1 cup salt, 1/4 cup flour. Mix into a paste, wipe on the copper, let dry, and wipe off.

Since part of the pot is black, I suggest you rub with fine steel wool. It may scratch the copper, but it will certainly get everything off. If everything comes off but the copper shows scratch marks, you may be able to make them disappear with one of the store-bought polishes.

Q. We are planning to remodel our bathroom. The tub is original 1977 gold color. Would it be better to replace it or have it repainted white?

JAN, in Hotton's chat room

A. You could have it reglazed white, which is an epoxy paint, but that is sometimes iffy. That tub is cast iron and you can't get any better than that. If it is in good shape, I would consider redecorating around that color.

Globe Handyman on Call Peter Hotton also appears in the Sunday Homes Section. He's available 1-6 p.m. Tuesdays to answer questions on house repair. Call 617-929-2930. Hotton (photton@globe.com) also chats online about house matters 2-3 p.m. Thursdays: Go to Boston.com