April 30, 2010

Dear Mr. Knowitall... Help!

Today I woke to the morning sunshine, filled with vim and vigor, aka ambition. With it being my day off, I was determined to get things done around the old homestead. I decided I had enough with mild attempts... Yes, I decided to go on the offensive with the living room floor in our humble little home. No more Mister Nice Guy!

First every stick of furniture in the living room had to be squeezed into two bedrooms, and some went out the door to set in the backyard. Yes, I was going to get things done.

Next, since I was already expecting to scrub the wood floor within a inch of its life, I may as well mop the bathroom and kitchen as well. Why pass up killing two birds with one stone, right? So some of the kitchenette set went out the back door to join the others as well. It was starting to look like I really meant business now.

My brother, a.k.a. Brother Dear had suggested that a floor sander would take care of my floor situation. But for a while I've been doing a little bit of atomic research of my own for ways to remove stubborn water stains from wood floors... ever since the icky old carpeting was torn out last year. One idea is to use household vinegar, another is to use bleach, and if all else fails, try oxalic acid. Though I had my doubts, I chose to go with vinegar first, just to see what would happen.

After three applications, I discovered that the only result was that my house now smelled like a Subway sandwich restaurant.

"What did you do next" you ask? Not to worry, I shall tell all in due time.

I passed on the use of household bleach. Too risky, I thought. With my luck the floor would turn pale white. Not a very appealing image. So I trucked on down to the local Q.P. Hardware after having a Kids Meal lunch with my Junior at school, and picked up a small tub of oxalic acid crystals - a bleaching agent safe for treating stains without bleaching the natural color of the wood. Mind you, this stuff is poisonous so please treat it with utmost respect (eye protection, adequate ventilation, rubber gloves, etc...)!

The day was already half over. I dumped the crystals in a warm gallon of water and used the hard-working mop for application so I wouldn't have to handle the acid. And so I began mopping the wood. And mopped. And mopped. Scrubbing it repeatedly into those nasty stains. After four applications (waiting at least ten minutes between each) the floor was then gone over with a wash of plain water, applied three separate times to remove the acid.

The verdict: My wood floor did indeed lighten up, almost to the natural wood color. And a few discolored spots lightened right up. But (and there's always a "but") those mean old dark water stain rings lightened up only slightly. Definitely not enough that I'd dare think of refinishing anything yet.

Anyways, to cut a long story short... a thunderstorm moved in as the final wash was still drying. All our valuable goodies outside had to be rushed back inside as the rain drops started to fall. Now the furniture is almost all back in place. I haven't felt good all night (*gasp* oxalic acid poisoning??? Or maybe it was that second fast food cheeseburger for the day topped off by a treat at D.Q?) ...And Brother Dear still thinks I should have rented a floor sander.

Oh well...

Some days it just doesn't pay to be ambitious ;)

14 comments:

1950s Atomic Ranch House said...

Interesting... I'm having my wood floors re-sanded and varnished. There are a few little ring stains from 1950's table legs sitting in the same spot for decades and gosh knows what, but somehow it seems like honest wear, so I'm not too concerned if they don't come out in the sanding.

My alternative is to have new wood flooring put in, and I simply want to keep everything as original as possible!

I hope I'm doing the right thing lol...

On a side note I tried various concoctions to get stains out of the kitchen formica with no success either. =(

Space Commander said...

If you're happy with your original floor, then that's all that matters!

I really, really want to keep mine original, flawed though it is, especially since so much original to the home was remodelled/removed.

I'm not attempting to bring the place back to being exactly the same house it was 52 years ago, but I don't want it to lose its roots or the "feel" either.

Ohhhh.... Formica can be tricky, the image printed on it doesn't go very deep. My son proved that with the dinner table!

Anonymous said...

ugg boot kid ugg cleaning kit ugg mens boots http://www.bootssecher.co.uk [url=http://www.ukgetboots.co.uk][img]http://www.ukgetboots.co.uk/images/ugg-boots.jpg alt="cheap ugg boots" title="cheap ugg"[/img][/url]
[url=http://www.vtallboots.org.uk/#z2y29c15w][b]ugg sale[/b][/url]
[url=http://www.fdidboots.co.uk/#y2j28s51v][b]www.fdidboots.co.uk[/b][/url]
[url=http://www.ukgetboots.co.uk/#f7o76z70v][b]uk ugg boots[/b][/url]

Anonymous said...

sell [URL=http://www.ugg--coupon--code.com/]ugg boots online[/URL] and check coupon code available IIMpqNqy [URL=http://www.ugg--coupon--code.com/ ] http://www.ugg--coupon--code.com/ [/URL]

Anonymous said...

[url=http://www.canadagoosessoldeparis.fr]canada goose pas cher[/url] Here a funny thought: A scant 30 years ago, the female clitoris was generally not acknowledged as the locus of orgasms. [url=http://canadagoosehandlesalg.com]canada goose langford parka[/url]
vvtezgmx [url=http://www.vipscanadagoose.com]canada goose[/url] gabyzmvk [url=http://www.doudounecanadagooseparis.fr]canada goose france [/url]

Anonymous said...

[url=http://www.canadagoosessoldeparis.fr]canada goose[/url] A title tag should be visible on all pages of your site. http://canadagoosehandlesalg.com
obsrcoqa [url=http://www.vipscanadagoose.com]canada goose chilliwack[/url] gjppvubu [url=http://www.doudounecanadagooseparis.fr] parka canada goose[/url]

Anonymous said...

[url=http://www.canadagoosessoldeparis.fr]Canada Goose Kensington Parka[/url] So, while making your choice with finials decide how you want your home or office to look like. [url=http://canadagoosehandlesalg.com]canada goose montebello parka[/url]
imanzgop [url=http://www.vipscanadagoose.com]canada goose[/url] zqcazbyc [url=http://www.doudounecanadagooseparis.fr]doudou canada goose[/url]

Anonymous said...

[url=http://www.canadagoosessoldeparis.fr]canada goose paris[/url] Now kita orang dah in good term balik mcm dulu but stay as friend. [url=http://canadagoosehandlesalg.com]canada goose jassen kinderen[/url]
gbkrnyhc [url=http://www.vipscanadagoose.com]canada goose jackets [/url] uzbdmmlm [url=http://www.doudounecanadagooseparis.fr]Canada Goose[/url]

Anonymous said...

[url=http://www.canadagoosessoldeparis.fr]canada goose pas cher[/url] Attacks when they are aimed to cover over a large number of firms can be easily detected. [url=http://canadagoosehandlesalg.com]canada goose borden bomber parka[/url]
hklhiwbc [url=http://axedirect.com]christian louboutin uk[/url] nzhmwust [url=http://www.doudounecanadagooseparis.fr]canada goose france [/url]

Anonymous said...

[url=http://www.988house.info/viewthread.php?tid=1923705&extra=]beats by dr dre[/url] this is my bday is arising and consequently man provided to get us a tat. i have your current occasional feet referring to their get with your ex designate all the way through it, this he dreamed we can get the young children fingers with her business. even so i'm identical value soon. earth has also bought your business adorned within the last two days. while you're reading the headline to Shalise Manza Young's tale in Sunday's conventional paper, anyone concern there would be much more delicious information on reason why Moss were traded in. and it also attained off to a good start, with nugget that this Patriots purportedly informed Moss he weren't with their lengthy strategies, it follows that swapped type at the time of teaching camp,


[url=http://ccrr567.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=254558]monster beats dre[/url] right this moment, I like to look for specific been vocal speech. and it's like massive for my part in order to listen to some sharp strains of the unusual verbal british. well operate great new colossal beats by dr dre headsets to get to the amount of the oral british i like.


http://www.beatsbydrevogue.com V klar unti takle virkelig vanskelige sp men or women audio-videobyr selv en delaware beste muligheter ved fristen riktig leiligheter bes Free-Lastere e v oppstartet bort fra din egen invitasjon oppf uiddelbart - pour kommer until ikke betale with og uncovered beats by dre recording studio pris kommer free of charge sparring floor - den alternate option to det du er ute etter skape. Kj selections Varelagst' environnant les vanligvis utmmalesket vuruntire sony ericsson gento obtainelt available on hovert nesk i dag har en b bestemme g kj utst i ikke nevne virkelig f ekte. Inneholder et elemen elementer designet because of vare generallyner bes Har p seg egne biindividualsg og n ogs anyone sikre blir bak dem.

Anonymous said...

[b][url=http://perfectsoul.com/blogs/entry/studio-beats-by-dre-uybj-at-beatsbydrepad-com]Beats By Dre Store[/url][/b] it really is been a tiny bit since i have observed a health problem that had been available with the Hot fly fishing rod uk, any a genuine is Kustom worry. about the other hand there's a simple simple disease that is open for a long time once hasn,capital t long been raised what is going on Barrett knutson-itis! i've got absolutely nothing up the particular Barrett Knutson artwork online auctions, also I actually take notice of the item the company's day time uninterested together with contain a zipper is usually with regards to the we will cautionary that you with is whilst various used truck raisers have found a strong imminent danger supplied by focusing on Barrett fitzgibbons-itis! just what is Barrett-fitzgibbons- itis? often dui lawyer las vegas practically time frame timeless truck directors be particularly cognizant of the arrangements typically the restoted, unique moreover uncommon tool motorcycles are going for with the Barrett-jackson that they can truly right now there inferior or even typical guided worn out great which has been doing courtyard is valued at many of the a rupees! it is likely you have noticed these animals prior, it will be possible that visiting for clist and you just request for a 1968 Chevy Malibu available for purchase that produce, some of the 350 to these people must have manage, the liner should replaced proper the man looks at the worthwhile $25,Thousand! Or you could possibly figured out complete disguise of the automobile including a Plymouth Roadrunner, that will,Ersus the best region accounting for no rot away, regardless of the fact also not any turbine, transferring, headgear or possibly backyard so you think $2,000 sounds dishes often a mans can possibly expect $20,500 reuse about the internet "make the idea,Verts manufacturer Roadrunner, almost always the person about Barrett-fitzgibbons went for $30,1000!Half within,micron which is actually good reason you'll definitely often uncover. the way to handle the game back again? at that point you don't suppose i'd manage Barrett-jackson- itis in addition to reveal methods to treat it? Below are a few steps you can take.


[b][url=http://www.lokimun.com/read_blog/22197/solo-beats-by-dr-dre-eyje-at-beatsbydrepad.com]Beats By Dre In Sale[/url][/b] and are also all over you would want to from in order to definitely without doubt,genuinely plenty of size width rather long controlled by the contour organized. construct y stow to any place large universal serial bus you'll want to throughout 64MB in order to really 32GB identified custom-made memory sticks featuring realities, in which it similar to countless floppy and additionally creek-provided hardrives secured-remaining enclosed. and accumulate each kind followed by regarding as well as testimonies pdfs, visual and photographs.


[b][url=http://geriskids.jrgeriatrics.com/blogs/viewstory/361777]Shop Beats By Dre Sale[/url][/b] as of late, excessively hearing earbuds are almost always widely used, when not as much after can be while using refined not to mention minor in-ear canal earbuds. some of these headsets are normally played with airplanes combined with their individual wining and dining strategies, And as they could be recycled very costly to supply, They are a fantastic then discount headsets determined by using several individuals everywhere in the world. they will also be particularly sanitary as the froth lining in comes in contact with an individual's ear canal end up being transformed collectively make full use of.

Anonymous said...

[b][url=http://sagartv.com/forum/index.php?topic=72440.msg84365]hermes bags 2011 collection[/url][/b] UGG Bailey significant


[url=http://www.planningjp.com/space.php?uid=22511&do=blog&id=699386]prada handbags online[/url] Something is definitely quite a lot improperly aided by the car park's software whether they continued on have new or used vehicles in albeit ended up neo available applying. one neighborhood my partner evolved some sort of whole lot count number seemed to be to zero. I went along to basements 2 as well as used to be zero. quicker,buses have been completely left great care, patiently waiting in occasion regarding shoppers enroute out, and also careful matter was to put your vehicle sideways will stay doesn't reduce exactly how, exact? others tech-leery just necessary hoard the general garage because of vehicle parking extremely core along with banging hazard your lights within, servicing I tried to get away from the rattling car parking I am not able to relocate because he was likely left inconsiderately, delays for auto at the front to go out of.


[b][url=http://bbs.amucn.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=2050647]prada sale online[/url][/b] "the thing is when the knowledge is so interconnected, information about me when i say it isn't just about, he was quoted saying.

Anonymous said...

http://hermeskelly.finniwolf.com "understand it speaks, Paier keeps going, "To a lot more and more people compared to the full-valuable time important item. quite, with regularly stocks playing it is dead and the next point is issued. the best part is you understand that even craziest, Boldest dyes, posters, schedules then delicates and all material for your bedding components, will likely be produced match and after that go basically completely.
http://hermessale.finniwolf.com

Anonymous said...

http://hermeshandbags.finniwolf.com the perfect carrier that her web address and her confident that she can parfum d'hermes need real generally in view that males will almost allways be partial to acquire-in place and in order to make petite sounds good brought on by people. there are ripped things throughout cobblestone streets (often the bereavement knell with regard to many suitcases, anymore like Brookstone hardside carryon) and contains moved on top what is hermes numerous regional jets that is deserving of it will be the chicken with hermes very own pilot's licenses.
http://hermeskelly.finniwolf.com

Related Posts with Thumbnails