Posts

How Dismantling the Faucet?

/in /by


Gather the proper tools. You will need a monkey wrench, bath socket wrench or vice grip pliers, a Philips screwdriver, a flat-head screwdriver, a jar gripper, plumber’s grease, a rag, Teflon tape and possibly tub caulk. You may also need a hair dryer.


Turn off the water intake to your house. You will need access to the pipes for the next hour or so. Tell family members or tenants that they will not have water during this time. Open the hot and cold valves on the bathtub faucet. This will drain any remaining water in the pipes.


Insert a Philips head screwdriver into the hole and unscrew the handle from the wall. Over time, handles can corrode and weld the faucet on. Use a hand dryer to heat the handle and loosen it. Don’t use too much force or it can break. Call a plumber if your handle breaks or will not come off.


Unscrew the trim and the collar from the wall by hand. The trim is the decorative piece that fits around the outside of the faucet, generally just behind the handle, while the collar is generally a tubular piece that fits around the internal faucet parts. They should unscrew fairly easily. You can use a hair dryer to loosen them as well. Repeat for the other handle if your tub has two.


Set the faucet handle inserts, faucet handles, screws, trim and collar parts aside in a small container. You will need to reconnect them in a similar fashion when you are done fixing the faucet. Remove the stem bonnet, which is the packing nut that holds the stem in place. These are sometimes also called “cartridges.” Insert a bath socket wrench and turn it counterclockwise.

How Attaching the Grille?

/in /by


Twist the same color wires together (usually white to white and black or red to black) and add the connectors. Wrap the bare copper wire around the green grounding clip or screw and tighten to secure. Place the wires back in the electrical splice unit and reattach the cover.


If you don’t feel confident about doing the wiring yourself, don’t hesitate to call in a licensed electrician to install the fan or simply inspect your work when you’re done. Also be aware that aluminum (rather than copper) wiring requires special handling and any electrical work involving this type of wiring should be undertaken by a professional.


Attach the grille. Now you’re almost finished. Plug the blower motor into the electrical receptacle and secure it with the screws provided. Install the decorative plastic grille by slipping its mounting wires into the available slots in the housing unit. Make sure it sits snugly against the ceiling — spread the mounting wires a little to create more tension, if necessary.


Turn the power back on and test your new bathroom fan to make sure it’s working. Attach the duct. Once the fan is in place, connect a 90 degree duct elbow to the fan’s exhaust port using sheet metal screws. Then attach a new 4 to 6 inch (10.2 to 15.2 cm) duct pipe to the duct elbow.


It is possible to use the duct pipe from the old fan, but if it is less than 4 inches (10.2 cm) in diameter you will need to install a duct pipe reducer before reattaching the pipe. However be aware that using a smaller, older duct pipe will prevent the fan from working as efficiently.

How Unclogging a Bathroom Sink?

/in /by

Pour boiling water down the drain. To remove stubborn buildups, start by boiling about ½ gallon (roughly 2 liters) of water and carefully pouring it down the drain. High temperature water will begin to break apart and dislodge the blockage. Plunge the drain. Encourage the buildup to proceed down the drain by plunging the drain 5 or 6 times. While this may not fully remove the buildup, it will help loosen it further. Use a plunger that can create an airtight seal over the opening of the drain.

Put baking soda in the drain. Slowly pour about 1 cup (220 grams) of baking soda into drain. Allow the baking soda to sit for a few minutes. Not only will the baking soda absorb unpleasant odors, it will help physically break apart the buildup.

Add vinegar. Pour 1 cup (240 ml) of distilled white vinegar into the drain after waiting a few minutes. The baking soda and vinegar will react with one another and begin to foam. Cover the drain, as this will encourage the baking soda and vinegar mixture to work it’s way into the clogged portion of the drain and break down the remaining blockage. Allow the mixture to sit in the drain for an hour or so.

Vinegar is also a natural deodorizer. Together, this mixture will also help remove any odor the deposit caused. Cider vinegar or lemon juice will work in lieu of white vinegar. After allowing the mixture to sit, rinse again with hot water. Repeat the process to eliminate residual odors.

Snake the drain. Stubborn deposits may require more physical disruption. Get a drain snake from your local hardware store. These are essentially long, thin strips of plastic with hooks on either side. Use it to break up and push or pull away any deposits that have clogged your drain. Keep inserting and removing the snake until no hair or clumps are attached to it when you pull it out.

Alternatively, you can bend a metal coat hanger so it has a hook at 1 end and use that. If it gets stuck, pull it out with a pair of needle-nose pliers. Follow this with a baking soda and vinegar soak to remove unpleasant odors.

 

How Cleaning Bathroom Grout With Kitchen Remedies?

/in /by

Steam clean the grout. One effective and environmentally friendly way of cleaning grout is to attack it with a steam cleaner. Outfit your steam cleaner with a thin and pointed nozzle, and a brush attachment if it’s available. Aim the nozzle at the grout lines, apply continuous steam, and follow the grout lines with the steamer.

Even if the steam cleaner doesn’t get the grout perfectly clean, it will clean it somewhat, and help loosen the rest of the dirt and debris to make it easier to clean with other products. Attack it with baking soda and vinegar. Take two tablespoons (30 g) of baking soda and add enough water to make a thick paste. Dip a clean toothbrush or grout brush into the paste, and then use the toothbrush to scrub the grout with the paste.

For the best results, use a new toothbrush with hard bristles, and scrub the grout in a circular motion, rather than back and forth. When you have finished scrubbing the grout, use a spray bottle to spray the area with a half-and-half mixture of vinegar and water. Let it bubble for about half an hour. Use the toothbrush to scrub the baking soda paste and vinegar into the grout again. Rinse the area with clean water.

Move on to baking soda and hydrogen peroxide. In case the baking soda and vinegar mixture didn’t to the trick, try hydrogen peroxide instead of vinegar. Make a thin paste with baking soda and hydrogen peroxide, and use the toothbrush to scrub the paste into the grout. Pour on some additional peroxide if necessary. Rinse with warm water when you’re finished.

You should never mix vinegar and hydrogen peroxide, so clean the area well and wait a couple days before trying this method. If the hydrogen peroxide doesn’t remove all the dirt and grime, it will at least improve the appearance of the grout by removing stains, and will kill any mold that’s present.

Give borax and lemon juice a try. In a small bowl, mix together ¼ cup (63 g) borax, ½ teaspoon (3 ml) lemon oil, and enough liquid soap (such as Castile soap) to make a paste. Use your toothbrush to scrub the paste into the grout, and then rinse with warm water.