Friday, July 18, 2008

How to get paint out of carpet

About a year ago I accidentally over-sprayed enamel model paint onto my apartment carpet; now it is time to move out, and time to clean up.

I hear nail-polish remover (acetone) works well, but I didn't have any one hand. I also didn't have Goo-Gone, Gojo, or anything else fancy like that.

I did have WD-40. Good stuff.

Turns out the stuff easily takes the paint out. Just spray it liberally onto the carpet, then scrub vigorously with a wet rag. Repeat. Soap on the rag doesn't hurt.

Let it dry and do it again until the paint is gone. If you have a carpet cleaner (one of those water vacuum things), use that to remove the residue, or else just rinse it and soak it up with paper towels and suck it up with a bag-less vacuum.

That is one moving day crisis averted, and one deposit saved. Go team!

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

The River on the 4th


Every year the entire population of Saginaw Township forgets that they don't like the city and swarms the place to watch some stuff explode. Then they leave, back to their rich houses out in the sprawl.

Most of them are rude.

1972 Schwinn Suburban

I recently acquired my father's old bike - an early 70's Schwinn Suburban. Since I often Bike to work (or just Bike for the exercise) I figured it would be worth fixing this up. It is hard to tell but the whole thing is rusted pretty badly and is missing its derailleur. I have one that I think is correct but it needs a lot of work.

I managed to get the thing mostly apart but their are a few pieces that refuse to budge and a few screws that just won't come out - even after copious amounts of WD-40 and chain-oil.

I think that I will get it rolling first and then re-paint it over the winter. I am thinking that it might look nicer in the light blue color rather than the brown that it has here. But that is for later.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008