The Home Improvement Thread. Successes and Failures

[joecct]

Putting this here because I don't know who else to ask:

My apartment complex sprayed for bed bugs. The bugs left some nasty stains on the walls and baseboards, and I'm not sure how to clean these stains. Any advice? I read something about soapy water, but I'm not sure.

HCl or H2SO4?

Wear protection.

[MissThundercat]

Re: The Home Improvement Thread. Successes and Failures

HCl or H2SO4?

Wear protection.

Either way, I'm hoping to get the stains off the wall myself, before I have to pay for the apartment office to do it for me.

[burd]

Re: The Home Improvement Thread. Successes and Failures

Either way, I'm hoping to get the stains off the wall myself, before I have to pay for the apartment office to do it for me.

I'm too ignorant to know what joe identified, but there are a lot of auto products that are very effective at removing bug stain. I'm guessing some are safe with latex paint. And they are probably more accessible and cheaper than whatever Sherwin Williams has.

[MissThundercat]

Re: The Home Improvement Thread. Successes and Failures

I'm too ignorant to know what joe identified, but there are a lot of auto products that are very effective at removing bug stain. I'm guessing some are safe with latex paint. And they are probably more accessible and cheaper than whatever Sherwin Williams has.

Can you elaborate on that? I need ideas.

[MarkEagleUSA]

Re: The Home Improvement Thread. Successes and Failures

there are a lot of auto products that are very effective at removing bug stain. I'm guessing some are safe with latex paint.

Most Bug & Tar removers (if that's what you're referring to) contain petroleum distillates that would likely ruin latex paint.

[burd]

Re: The Home Improvement Thread. Successes and Failures

Can you elaborate on that? I need ideas.

I'd ask my local Car Quest or other automotive parts store what they recommend for bug tar. Then see if they know its suitability for latex paint or, if they don't know, google search it. In fact, I assume you have already google searched the topic.

I recently used a car wash liquid that removed bug tar like magic. I'd driven through a May Fly hatching and the car was plastered with bug stains. Days later I hand washed the car with ArmorAll Carwash, a blue liquid. Worked great. It was probably not environmentally responsible to use this stuff, but I had some on hand and it worked.

[burd]

Re: The Home Improvement Thread. Successes and Failures

Most Bug & Tar removers (if that's what you're referring to) contain petroleum distillates that would likely ruin latex paint.

I think you are probably right.

[state of hockey]

I'm too ignorant to know what joe identified...

He identified hydrochloric and sulfuric acid. Thus the smiley. Do not use.

[joecct]

Re: The Home Improvement Thread. Successes and Failures

Trying to fit a 34" depth french door refrigerator thru a 28" door.

We made it. We needed to get creative, but we got it done.

How we got into that predicament is another story that involves having the wrong person take the door measurements.

[dxmnkd316]

Re: The Home Improvement Thread. Successes and Failures

He identified hydrochloric and sulfuric acid. Thus the smiley. Do not use.

It would work

I’d recommend googling it. It has the answer for everything. Or reddit cleaning sub.

[burd]

Re: The Home Improvement Thread. Successes and Failures

Trying to fit a 34" depth french door refrigerator thru a 28" door.

We made it. We needed to get creative, but we got it done.

How we got into that predicament is another story that involves having the wrong person take the door measurements.

remove fridge door and doorstops?

[joecct]

remove fridge door and doorstops?

Bottom freezer door came out easy. Fridge doors were a complicated POS so we left them on.

Took the sliding glass door off. That got us to 30". Then opened the side doors (got us to 29") and jockeyed it in.

Next time She Who Must Be Obeyed does measurements, I'm double checking.

[Deutsche Gopher Fan]

Trying to fit a 34" depth french door refrigerator thru a 28" door.

We made it. We needed to get creative, but we got it done.

How we got into that predicament is another story that involves having the wrong person take the door measurements.

Did you leave that to an scsu grad?

[joecct]

Did you leave that to an scsu grad?

UMCP '78 grad.

She also got majorly lost on the way to the UHaul place to pick me up. Went on a 1hr tour of upper Montgomery County, MD when it was a 15 min direct trip.

[St. Clown]

Re: The Home Improvement Thread. Successes and Failures

UMCP '78 grad.

She also got majorly lost on the way to the UHaul place to pick me up. Went on a 1hr tour of upper Montgomery County, MD when it was a 15 min direct trip.

Did she also happen to attend SCSU? I'm just saying...because I had some roommates.