I, like everyone else in the area, have started preparing for winter.  Around my home that means painting, caulking and nailing in an attempt to seal my home up from wind and water intrusions.  Below are a few handy tips that you may find beneficial:

n To stain wood more smoothly and uniformly, try wrapping a rag around a household sponge before applying the stain.  I think you will find it works great.

n When painting baseboards in a carpeted area, slide an old plastic venetian blind slat between the baseboard and carpet, curve side up.  Paint drips on the blind and not on your carpet.

n To prevent leftover caulk from drying out in the tube, use a wire connector.  The threads in the connector allow you to screw it on to the tube securely.  This technique has saved a lot of money in wasted dried out tube.

n To keep expensive paint brushes like new, wash them with a shampoo that has a conditioner in it.  Your brushes come out clean and ultra soft.

n I’m constantly losing my spray tubes for my WD-40 cans.  Try this technique.  Get an old Bic Brand pen tube with pen cap.  Tape the pen tube to the WD-40 can.  After you have finished using the WD-40, take off the spray tube and slide it into the Bic pen tube and put the pen cap on the pen tube.  Now it is secure and ready to use again.

If you would like to share a cleaning idea or concept with the reading audience, call Ed at NWES (255-2266), e-mail them to [email protected] or send them to Bonner County Daily Bee, 310 Church St., Sandpoint, ID 83864, Attn: What Would Ed do?  For more information about Ed, and his new handyman services, check him out at www.nwees.com

n Copy written by Edmond E. Madan, certified forensic, fire, flood, mold inspection & remediation/restoration contractor.  Ed is the president of Northwest Environmental Services, (NWES, Inc.)