Do you have unwanted visitors in your atic?? .... what to do...

Q: Before I spend a lot of money to hire a professional to climb into my attic and get rid of two or three squirrels' and birds' nests, is there anything I can try that would act as a deterrent to these animals?

I am thinking of maybe a canister-type system that would slowly emit an odor that would be offensive to animals and keep them from making my attic their home. I'm not sure if such a product exists.

A: I don't encourage chemical warfare in dealing with rodents, and certainly not with birds.

You will, however, need to find and close up access points for these incursions and find ways of discouraging the return of these tenacious invaders once you've sent them packing. Hardware cloth, available at the hardware store, has worked best for me in closing up access points once I've removed the invaders.

That, as just about everyone reading this column will tell you, is the worst job of all.

Spraying fox urine, available at home and garden stores, has some deterrent effects in gardens — although I've had a fox or two visit overnight looking for romance.

Do's and Don'ts about Grills... BBQ Grills that is...

Q We have a permanently installed gas grill that is about 30 years old. It does not get a lot of use. For a number of years, the interior paint on the lid has had flakes and chips. I scrape it, use a wire brush and steel wool to clean it, and rinse it with water. After a few days of drying, I spray it with black heat-resistant paint.

It looks good for a year or so, then the flaking starts again.

Is there something you can recommend for a cleaner (for the smoke and grease) or primer, or can you tell me what I might be doing wrong so that my attempts at refurbishment will last longer?


A Have you used a degreaser on the interior to prep for painting? Sometimes a buildup of grease will prevent paint from adhering to the interior surface of a grill. Rinsing with water isn't a good substitute.

Some experts recommend several thin coats of heat-resistant paint, with proper drying and light sanding between coats, rather than one thick coat, for a longer-lasting finish.

Once you finish painting and the final coat is dry, turn up the heat full blast to cure the new coating. The experts also suggest a quick touch-up coat periodically, perhaps once a year, whether the grill needs it or not.

Thirty years is a long time for anything to remain fresh and good-looking — people as well as gas grills. The fact that you've kept it running this long is a tribute to your care and diligence.

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Did you know?.... National Historic Landmarks in Illinois

Abraham Lincoln's Home

Springfield, Illinois

County of Sangamon.

Eighth and Jackson Streets

National Register Number: 71000076

Resource type: District.

Property type: Domestic - single dwelling. The threat level was Satisfactory in
2008.

Congressional District: IL-18 Certified Local Government: YES

This NHL offers public access.

Please contact the NHL directly for visitor information.

Current use/information: Lincoln Home National Historic Site: www.nps.gov/liho.

Web Site: www.nps.gov/liho.


Statement of Significance (as of designation - December 19, 1960):

This was the residence of Abraham Lincoln, who lived here for most of the period from 1844 until 1861, an important era in his advancement from small-town lawyer to President of the United States.

Condition:

Currently, there is no threat to the landmark.

There is no change since the last reporting period.

Extraordinary uses for ordinary items ...Like a Bananna !!

Some ordinary, unassuming household objects have super powers. And most of these items cost less than a couple of bucks. So the next time you stain a shirt, smell something funky or think about tossing a banana peel, check these 100-plus uses first. Not only will you be going green, you'll be saving some green. --By Aisha Sultan

Bananas
• Polish leather shoes with a destringed banana peel. Buff with a soft cloth or paper towel.

• Remove warts by rubbing them with the inside of a banana peel every night for several weeks.

• Deter aphids by burying dried or cut-up banana peels a few inches deep around rosebushes.

• Nourish your skin with a mashed, medium-size banana combined with a quarter-cup plain yogurt and 2 tablespoons honey to make a mask. Leave on 20 minutes.

• Tenderize a roast by adding a peeled banana to the pan.

• Wipe houseplant leaves with the inside of a banana peel to remove dirt and leave a shine.

• Rub scraped knees with the inside of a banana peel to promote healing.

Extraordinary uses for ordinary items....Asprin you say?

Some ordinary, unassuming household objects have super powers. And most of these items cost less than a couple of bucks. So the next time you stain a shirt, smell something funky or think about tossing a banana peel, check these 100-plus uses first. Not only will you be going green, you'll be saving some green. --By Aisha Sultan

Aspirin
(JOE KOHEN, BLOOMBERG NEWS)
• Remove perspiration stains from white fabric by dissolving two aspirin in half a cup of warm water and applying to the fabric for a couple hours before washing.

• Eliminate chlorine discoloration from hair by dissolving eight tablets in a glass of water and rubbing into your hair. Leave for about 10 minutes and rinse. Shampoo.

• Reduce pimples by making a paste of water and crushed aspirin. Cover the pimple and rinse after a few minutes.

• Recharge a car battery by dropping two tablets into the battery. The aspirin's acetylsalicylic acid will combine with the battery's sulfuric acid to produce one charge. Drive to the nearest service station.

Getting zapped by static no fun !!

By Diana Strzalka
Special to the Tribune

Q: We have a two-story home, almost a year old. When we moved in, we had a humidifier installed in one of the two furnaces for the lower level. Because of the cold winter so far, we have been experiencing static shocks on the upstairs level. About three to four weeks ago, we had a second humidifier installed in the other furnace. (I have changed the filter in the first unit and can see that there is a water flow in both units). I have been adjusting the humidity level per the manufacturer's direction but continue to get shocks. At one point, I turned the humidity all the way up to see if that would help, but of course I only got water condensation on the windows. I am back to adjusting per directions, but nothing seems to help. Any suggestions or solutions?

Bob Vacko, Plainfield

A: To maintain consistent humidity, a homeowner needs to be sure he has a properly installed, good quality humidifier with adequate power to meet the needs of the indoor space, said Tom Hack, of A Custom Heating and Air Conditioning, Inc., in Chicago. Not all brands are equal; some humidifiers are less effective and reliable than others. For seriously dry homes, especially new homes with wood, walls and other materials sucking up moisture, he recommends a steam humidifier because it is set up to run independent of the furnace.

Humidifiers that are linked with the furnace shut off and on with the furnace and may not be maintaining the targeted humidity level, he said. Homeowners should also check their ducts to be sure they are not undersized or leaking along their seams.

A dry house is a prime place for static electricity to develop so increasing humidity is the first line of defense, he said. Static electricity is caused when certain materials are rubbed against each other, causing electrons to be pulled off the surface of one material and moved to the surface of another material.

It's best to walk barefoot on the carpeting or wear leather shoes rather those made with synthetic materials. A wood floor is better than carpeting when it comes to static. There are also anti-static sprays, anti-static floor mats to protect computers and anti-static dryer sheets

Alka Seltzer at it's finest..... Did you know??

Wait till you read this....


Alka-Seltzer Uses you never thought of....
ECKEHARD SCHULZ, ASSOCIATED PRESS


• Clean a toilet. Drop in two Alka-Seltzer tablets, wait 20 minutes, brush and flush.

• Attract fish. Fill a tube jig with a piece of Alka-Seltzer and cast off.

• Remove burned food from cookware by filling it with warm water, dissolving six tablets and letting it sit for an hour or so.

• Soothe insect bites. Dissolve two tablets in water, saturate a cloth or cotton ball with the solution and place on the bite for 30 minutes — unless you're allergic to aspirin, a key ingredient in Alka-Seltzer.