Question - My house has asbestos cement siding that has become stained under the windows, I think from rain washing over the aluminum storm windows. How can I clean those stains? D.B., Jamaica Plain, Mass.
Answer - Try a mix of one part liquid chlorine bleach and three parts water. If that doesn't work, wash it with a strong detergent and water. If still no go, paint it with a latex solid stain or latex house paint. If you do stain or paint, you are likely to have to do the whole house.
You might also paint the aluminum frames; from what you describe, I assume they are non-anodized aluminum. If you paint the frames, sand with medium to fine sandpaper, clean with paint thiner, and apply two coats of a latex solid stain or latex house paint. Don't paint or stain the movable sash. Painting the frames will prevent water from washing over the bare aluminum and causing more stains that you carefully removed in the first place.
Question - I have a few moths flying around, and I am concerned for my woolens and other clothes that could get eaten up. The moths are a soft brown color, with a two-inch wingspan. I try to clean my woolens, and dry clean them when I can. What else can I do? Genevieve McCulloch, Roslindale, Mass.
Answer - From what you describe, they don't sound like clothes moths, which are smaller, with a wingspan of 1/2 to 3/4 inch, and golden buff or yellowish gray in color. They are also unlikely to be grain moths, which are also much smaller than what you describe. I suggest sweeping them up and throwing them away.
What you have done is good; cleaning and dry-cleaning are the first line of defense against attack by moths (the larvae, not the adult moths, do the damage). Also, store woolens and other susceptible items in sealed cases: kraft paper containers well-taped and zipper-lock plastic are good. So is a plastic rubbish bag well-taped at the opening. Chemcials such as camphor, naphthalene and paradichlorobenzene are also effective, but toxic, and pesticide specialists have suggested they be avoided.
Question - The bees around my house seem to be multiplying. They are big ones, hovering and buzzing around outside, then going under wood shingles in the afternoon and early evening. I don't see any holes in the shingles or trim of the house. What can I do about them? Rose Sweeney, Peabody, Mass.
Answer - If they hover and seem fairly aggressive in their flying, and the tops of their abdomens are shiny, chances are they are carpenter bees. Bumble bees (the Latin name, appropriately, is Bombus) are rather sedate in their flying, and hairy all over, but the buzz of both sounds menacing. Neither is likely to sting. If there are no holes in the siding or trim made by carpenter bees, there is little you can do or have to do. If they are making holes, stuff steel wool in the holes, after the bees are gone, and tack a screen over the holes. If you have to use an insecticide, use a pyrethrum-based one. Avoid insecticides if possible; all bees are beneficial because they are great pollinators.
Question - I would like to put ceramic tiles on a hardwood floor. One tiler suggested putting down plywood as an underlayment, then the tiles. Another suggested nailing wire mesh directly to the hardwood, then putting down a layer of mortar, letting it set, then putting the tiles on with a thin-set mortar. What's best? Elaine Greenstein, Newton, Mass.
Answer - I think the mesh, mortar and thin-set system is best. The mesh is reinforcing for the mortar, giving the floor stability; the hardwood strips are not very stable. This method is also best when you apply large tiles (6 by 6 up to 13 by 13 inches). If the tiles are set on an uneven surface, they are likely to rock when stepped on, a sure way to break a tile. The mortar bed provides a smooth, even surface that will prevent that rocking.
Question - How can I remove old Contact paper from a wood bookcase? When I pull it up, it tears into very small shards. And, if I ever get the Contact off, how do I remove the adhesive residue? Jackie Littlewood, Danvers, Mass.
Answer - Try heat. A hot-air gun is too hot and a fire hazard indoors, so use a hair dryer; try to lift an edge and aim the heat under the paper as you pull it off. To remove the glue residue, spray on WD40, let it sit a few minutes and wipe off. Or, try rubber cement thinner, dry cleaning fluid or charcoal lighter fluid. These three are volatile, so use lots of ventilation and no nearby fire or flames. If all else fails, try the gel-type mechanic's hand soap. Your Contact paper is quite old; the newer types of Contact paper are designed to come off easily and in one piece, leaving behind little residue.
Question - My driveway slopes uphill, and water tends to erode the earth and sod along the sides. I was thinking of putting 4 inches of crushed stone in a foot-wide trench on each side of the driveway to prevent this. Would this work? D.R., Hingham, Mass.
Answer - I think it's a good idea. But be sure to put some kind of a border on the outside of the trench to keep the crushed stone from spreading. Any kind of a border will work, such as soldier bricks (inserted their long way in the earth), but an unobtrusive one is lawn edging.