CasaSugar

How-To: Get the Red Out

CasaSugar — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 07:00:36 -0800

As we get closer to the holiday season, you can virtually guarantee that all of the festivities and merry making will lead to a red wine stain or two. But don't worry, you can usually combat that stain, especially if you act fast. Learn how to get the red out when you read more.

First, make sure to blot (not rub or scrub) the stain with paper towels. However, if the fabric is "dry clean only," skip this step and get it to the cleaners posthaste.
Position a dry washcloth between the layers of the fabric (such as the front and back of a blouse) to prevent staining on the back of the material.
Mix one teaspoon of laundry soap or dish soap and one cup hydrogen peroxide in a small bowl. Dip a sponge in the bowl, and gently blot the stain.
Review and follow any special washing directions for the type of fabric.
If the fabric is machine washable, wash in cool water and air dry.
If not, wash by hand with a mild detergent.

Have You Ever Stained Your Hardwood Floors?

CasaSugar — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 06:15:16 -0700

Staining your floors can be a very time-consuming task if you have a large space. But it's also a very rewarding one. Worn floors do have a certain je ne sais quoi, but unless your décor is shabby chic or cottage-y, they can look a bit informal. A rich wood stain will really transform a room. Have you ever stained your floors yourself?

Source: Flickr User Philo Nordlund

Ask Casa: Getting Nail Polish Off of a Wood Table

CasaSugar — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 11:00:39 -0700

Hi CasaSugar,

Last night I spilled clear nail polish on my boyfriend's Room & Board end table. I’m not exactly sure what it was, but I think it might have been solid maple, cherry, or walnut with a lacquer finish on it. Needless to say, he was not happy. Is there anything I can do about it? Or am I just going to have to live with a lifetime of guilt?

Thanks,
Susannah

To see my advice, read more.

Hi Susannah,

Oh no! I can relate! No need to live with a lifetime of guilt quite yet. My first question is whether or not you allowed the polish to dry as is, or if you smudged it with a cloth while it was still wet. If you let it dry as is, great! This is easier to deal with. Once the polish is dry, use a razor blade to carefully chip at the spot. Once it is chipped off, gently rub at the area with steel wool and furniture polish, to blend in the spot. However, if you scrubbed or wiped at the nail polish while it was still wet, you may have to have it professionally refinished. If you get an estimate, make sure to see if the table can be refinished only on the spot damaged by the polish, which will be much cheaper than having the whole table refinished.

I found some interesting home cures for this ailment online. I haven't tried any of them yet, so I can't guarantee they'll work, but here are a couple ideas:

One homespun method is to mix equal parts vinegar and olive oil and rub this mixture on the nail polish. Use a cloth dipped in warm water to rub the mixture into the stain and repeat as necessary.
Scrub the spot with mineral spirits, and then spray hair spray on the spot, let it sit for a few seconds, and gently wipe it off with a wet cloth.

Hope this helps, and good luck!

Casa

How-To: Remove Red Wine Stains

CasaSugar — Thu, 07 May 2009 08:00:28 -0700

Sometimes you can get away with treating stains at a later date, but when it comes to red wine stains, it's best to treat the spill immediately. If you find yourself with a ring of shiraz on your favorite white tablecloth, or a drip of pinot noir on a beautiful blouse, take these steps as soon as possible. I'll tell you how to banish stubborn red wine stains when you read more.

First, make sure to blot (not rub or scrub) the stain with paper towels. However, if the fabric is "dry clean only," skip this step and get it to the cleaners posthaste.
Position a dry washcloth between the layers of the fabric (such as the front and back of a blouse) to prevent staining on the back of the material.
Mix one teaspoon of laundry soap or dish soap and one cup hydrogen peroxide in a small bowl. Dip a sponge in the bowl, and gently blot the stain.
Review and follow any special washing directions for the type of fabric.
If the fabric is machine washable, wash in cool water and air dry.
If not, wash by hand with a mild detergent.

Source

DIY: Ahoy Mateys!

CasaSugar — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 11:00:06 -0700

Why's this little pup grinning? It could be due to that serious skull that's been sketched on the wood beneath his paws. To find out what this skull is decorating, read more.

This pirate skull and crossbones has been painted on a pier by Craftster member Acidtrix, who writes, "We (my mom and her boyfriend, my boyfriend and myself, and the occasional curious neighbor) built a new dock at my mom's place. It's made out of red cedar and is supported by a pontoon-like system made of large PVC pipes. the dock itself is 20 feet by 8 feet, and the ramp is 16 feet by 4 feet. This is my boyfriend's and my first real experience with power tools and I stupidly neglected to take progress shots of the build until the very end . . . I decided any self-respecting sea vessel needs a jolly roger, so I decided to stain one into the wood of the dock."

Acidtrix first taped off the image, then she and her mother stained the image into the dock. Finally, they covered it with a UV-protected sealant to ensure that this skull and crossbones stays jolly for many seasons to come.

You can read more about her project over on Craftster.

View 7 Photos ›

Source

How-To: Removing Tea and Coffee Stains From Cups

CasaSugar — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 06:15:37 -0700

I like to collect coffee mugs from all the previous incarnations of myself (jobs, vacations). But you might have noticed that tea and coffee tend to leave not-so-pretty stains on ceramic cups. So, I wind up with a lot to clean. Luckily, it's actually fairly simply to whiten my collection, and the task doesn't require a big smelly jug of Clorox.

Just fill the tainted cup with warm water and drop in a denture-cleaning tablet like Fixodent. Once the tablet stops fizzing, it will be whitened, and the tablet will also kill away bacteria. Want your toilet bowl to sparkle too? The tablet works on porcelain toilets too; just drop it in, let it fizz, and flush! Don't have denture tablets around? You can also use white vinegar to do the trick!

Source

Casa Quickie: Getting Rid of Evidence

CasaSugar — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 05:38:15 -0700

Accident in the kitchen? Pricked yourself sewing new curtains? You don't have to be an ax murderer to encounter a blood stain in need of removal. Getting blood out of fabric is a piece of cake. The trick is dealing with it as soon as humanly possible. Just pour hydrogen peroxide directly onto the stain, and then rinse it with cold water. Repeat this until the stain disappears, and then launder as usual. How about that for a coverup?
Source

Casa Quickie: Goodbye Kisses!

CasaSugar — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 13:00:55 -0700

If you've been engaging in some ill-advised covert smooch fests with a man who's off the market then this tip might just save your tooshie. Yes, I'm referring to the cliché lipstick mark that somehow winds up on a man's shirt collar. The fix for this laundry dilemma is simple. In most cases, lipstick stains will rub off of fabric with a bit of Vaseline (petroleum jelly). If not, try dabbing on a bit of vegetable oil, and then wash it as usual. Fini! Now, take a lesson from Monica Lewinsky, and stop those unchaste habits immediately . . .
Source

Casa Quickie: Banishing Grease Stains

CasaSugar — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 13:00:53 -0700

If you've been known to down a french fry or 100, you may have encountered a bummer of a grease stain on your Sunday best. Don't worry, this fashion crisis isn't unmanageable; it's actually fairly simple to repair. All you have to do to rid yourself of evidence of that munchie meal is sprinkle some baby powder or corn starch onto the stain, and let it sit for a few minutes. Then, brush it off and wash it as usual. The stain should disappear as quickly as those french fries did. Voilà! Now, off to In & Out burger for course two . . .

Source

Ask Casa: A Bedroom Update

CasaSugar — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 14:00:26 -0800

Dear Casa,

I purchased an Ikea malm bed frame in birch veneer about a year ago. My decor has changed drastically in that year and the bed no longer matches. Do you know of a way to paint or stain the bed, so that it doesn't stick out like a sore thumb?

Thanks,
PrimpPrimp

To see my answer, just read more.

Dear PrimpPrimp,

In an earlier post, I wrote about how Danny Seo used iron-on veneer to improve an old table. He had great results, but he was also working with a larger surface area, and it seems as if trying to do so on all of the disparate surfaces of your bed might be really time-intensive. Painting would definitely be an easier option.

If you want to paint your veneer, start your project by first repairing any problems with the veneer. Use wood glue to reattach any peeling veneer. If the veneer is cracked or missing, you'll have to glue on new pieces to ensure a consistent surface. Then, clean the surface with some soapy water and let it dry. Lightly sand the veneer, and then dust it so the surface is clean. You'll need to apply at least two coats of primer such as Kilz low-VOC primer, making sure to sand between coats. Finally, apply two coats of paint, and you're set!

As far as staining veneer, you can only successfully stain veneer if it has solid wood beneath the veneer. In the case of the Ikea malm bedframe, it's made of fiberboard and particleboard, so it's not advisable to stain it.

Hope this helps!
Casa