Question: Carburetor cleaner was accidentally sprayed under a sink, and now there is a terrible smell there, just awful, like chemicals. How can I get rid of it? The inside of the cabinet looks as if it has been stained by a wood stain; there is no shine on the wood. I tried baking soda without success. Martha O'Mara, Waltham, Mass.
Answer: It certainly is a chemical smell, because what's causing it is a pretty strong solvent. Ventilation will help but will take awhile. Baking soda will also work, I think, but you have to do it this way: Dampen the affected wood with paint thinner, then immediately sprinkle lots of baking soda on it. Let it really pile up, leave it for an hour or so and sweep up and throw away. Repeat. If the spray is on the sides of the cabinet, make a paste of the baking soda and a little paint thinner and smear it on the side so that it sticks. Wait a while and scrub off.
A temporary cure might be to cover the affected surfaces with contact paper. I think this will seal in the odor. Finally, if all these tricks fail, apply two coats of an oil-based urethane varnish on the inside of the cabinet. Of course, the varnish will smell for a while, so you have to use lots of ventilation while the varnish cures, a matter of days, or until the odor (of the varnish) dissipates.
Question: What kind of a mix can I use to fill some shallow chipped-out areas of my concrete foundation? There are no leaks. Bert Kessel, Lincoln, Mass.
Answer: Your best bet is to buy some Top and Bond, a special type of mortar or concrete designed to go on in very thin layers and hold. The Handyman filled some areas in his foundation with Top and Bond last fall; the patch still looks good and is holding.
Question: I have a masonry stoop and steps on the front of my house. They have drooped a bit, they are out of level, and there is wood decay between the stoop and the foundation. One contractor said he could lift the whole works and insert crushed stone to bring the steps up to the correct level. Is this feasible? M.P., Sudbury, Mass.
Answer: It is feasible to lift the stoop/steps and insert crushed stone. Have as much crushed stone inserted as possible; the deeper the crushed stone, the more drainage you will get; with more drainage, there will be less chance of heaving and of the stoop/steps getting out of whack.
There should be no wood behind the stoop; it should butt up against a concrete or stone foundation. But if that cannot be helped, replace the rotted wood and cover with pressure-treated plywood. A membrane over the plywood will help keep water away.
To further keep water away, you can do one of two things: Set the stoop an inch away from the foundation and insert mortar as deeply as possible in the gap. Make sure this mortar is intact; replace it if it develops any cracks. The second possibility is to leave the gap open and install a piece of copper flashing under the trim, just below the door threshold, with about 2 inches on the floor of the stoop. This will simply be a watershed. You could caulk that joint for further waterproofing.
Recently a caller asked how to protect a greenhouse from heat gain in the summer, without resorting to inside shades. Is there anything that could be put on top of the greenhouse that would provide shade?
Not an easy question, the Handyman related, without much of an answer. But Denise Backus of Woods Hole, Mass., had one:
"An often successful way to provide shade on the outside of a greenhouse is to plant scarlet runner beans and let them - quickly, too - run up and over the greenhouse. An old-fashioned way is to whitewash the windows; by fall when you want the heat, wash off what summer rains have not. The runner beans are definitely prettier. Morning glories will also work."