Ask MetaFilter questions in the home & garden category

Removing cracked glass safely

SandiBeech — Wed, 21 Apr 2021 09:54:51 -0800

I have a piece of glass with a simple pattern of leading on it. Two panes at the bottom are cracked. I'd like to remove them without breaking the rest of the glass. What do I do? The pattern of leading is very similar to this Leick Riley Holliday TV stand. The lead is well-attached to the glass. Do I use a wheel glass cutter to score a line next to the leading and break the glass off with grozing pliers? Or can I use regular pliers that I already have on hand? Is scoring it necessary?

I'm thinking of gluing a piece of acrylic "glass" in the empty space after I get the cracked glass out. Would I need to do something different for that?

Tea mug with historical motif

Harald74 — Tue, 20 Apr 2021 01:42:22 -0800

I need a new tea mug for the office, and was thinking "how about a historical tea trade related motif" and was halfway to ordering one with the flag of the British East India Company before I recalled that the EIC was a terrible organization that caused untold suffering that has lasted into the present day. So that's a no-go. So, any suggestions to something along the lines of a flag, logo, stamp or similar that has historical significance with regards to the tea trade but isn't, you know, horrible?

Any Watchouts / Concerns for buying a Condo in Jamaica Plain, Boston?

bbqturtle — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 08:57:56 -0800

We are moving to Boston and need proximity to the Children's Hospital. I'm full of questions, but have some specific ones about Boston, Jamaica Plain, and buying a condo in general / HOAs. Specific Questions:

Any general thoughts about JP neighborhood of Boston? We have a dog, haven't ever lived anywhere walkable at all, and are used to a lot of space.

When you buy a Condo, it comes with a HOA, even if it's a split house. Are those HOAs just the two owners of the house, basically splitting the roofing costs? Almost every property has a $250 HOA - what else is included in that (typically)? I'm vaguely anti-HOA - but are these ones 'not as bad' as the usual HOAs? We're hoping to avoid sharing a floor/ceiling with other owners.

Anything particular to the boston area that I should check during a home inspection? (Maybe looking for rats/radon/something particular in a flipped condo, or flood plains in jamaica plain, or something?)

Where should I prioritize living in JP? It looks like there's nice condos close to Hyde Square, or some further south toward the Forest Hills station. I'm honestly not sure how much we'll use the tram, because I've never had one before.

Should I re-register my cars here in minnesota, or wait till boston, for fees/insurance/etc?

Left garage door open overnight. Do I need to re-key today (Sunday)?

betsbillabong — Sun, 18 Apr 2021 13:00:20 -0800

I'm a new homeowner in a pretty safe town (Louisville, CO). Last night one of us left the garage door open (i think...) and things were messy in the morning. Should I rekey asap? Or can I wait till tomorrow (Monday). Details below This morning I found it open, and a few boxes upset, and candy wrappers all over the floor and other random stuff. Our garage is full of boxed up stuff from the move still, and it doesn't look like anything was taken (some nice yard tools, nice tent and sleeping bags, etc). Most of the boxes are my kid's old toys, old kids art, clothes to go to Goodwill, etc.

It's possible it was an animal -- we have coyotes and rabbits and other animals about, and I could imagine them getting into boxes if they smelled food.

Here's my question -- I am certainly going to change the garage door code and re-key our locks just in case it was a person. But do I need to call the locksmith today (Sunday)? I have a feeling it will be an exorbitant charge. If it was a person, is there any way they could have gotten key information from the door that goes from the garage into the house?

What would you do, MeFi??

Plant watercress in boggy area where sump pump discharges?

Morpeth — Sun, 18 Apr 2021 08:26:21 -0800

I live on a hillside with a lot of water. Northeast US. A sump pump keeps the basement dry when it rains, and a little stream is forming at the place where the water comes out. It's about twelve feet from the house. It looks like an ideal location to plant watercress for the salad bowl. Has anyone ever tried growing watercress in their boggy yards, and did they eat it and survive?

GardeningFilter: what should I plant to stabilise the soil on a wall?

snarfois — Sun, 18 Apr 2021 07:22:21 -0800

Here is a photo of a planted border along a sunken sports area on our housing estate. As you can see the soil has a tendency to fall under the fence, onto the wall, and down into the court. What can I plant along the edge of the wall that will stabilise it, and perhaps hang down attractively, without becoming an invasive monster? Also, requiring little maintenance. This is in London, UK.

insulating flooring for a home with concrete slab foundation

mmiddle — Sat, 17 Apr 2021 13:42:44 -0800

My house sits on a concrete slab embedded in a bedrock ridge, and has an open floor plan on ground floor (which is approx 1350 sq'.) It is soooo cooold for much of the year, even with 6 mini-splits (2 of them on ground floor), one wood stove and a fireplace, 18 solar panels and a Tesla battery. Also heated rug pads which are too inefficient/costly to use often. Current floor covering is aging bamboo laminate. I looked into thermal flooriing (electrical), but most of the heat would just drain into the concrete, so not at all cost-efficient. I may want to convert my fireplace (opposite end of the house from the existing wood stove) to a second wood stove. But in a perfect world, I could cover the entire floor with rugs (preferably not permanently installed carpeting) that could be removed in the warm weather, when the cooling effect is welcome.

Where might I find custom-cut rugs that are about 1 cm (.4" thick), stitch rate 1/10, density maybe 200-300? Is this just a pipe dream?

Grayish, hairy "weed" from childhood memory

Spathe Cadet — Sat, 17 Apr 2021 11:59:26 -0800

When I was a kid in southeastern Iowa, I remember we had a weed growing around our residential gas tank (not a photo of our actual tank) that I haven't seen elsewhere, and I can't figure out what it is from internet searches. I was told it was "horse mint" at one point, but the photos that name brings up don't look like the plant I remember. It grew to about a foot and a half tall. The leaves occurred in pairs on opposite sides of the stem from one another, with each pair emerging at 90-degree angles to the pairs above or below it. They were very hairy / fuzzy, appearing gray, or light greenish gray. I remember the leaf margins being crenate (scalloped), and broader and more oblong than most of the images that come up for mints. Flowers were purple or light purple, on short spikes. I think the stems were square in cross-section. The whole plant had a pleasant odor but I don't remember it well enough to describe. It did try to spread, and was very vigorous, but it was contained to the gas tank area, because it wasn't vigorous enough to cope with repeated mowings.

It's possible that it wasn't actually a weed; it may have been planted there by a previous resident. It was also possibly a hybrid. It's also possible that I'm remembering certain details incorrectly, obviously.

Close but not quite it:

Mentha longifolia (horse mint): not hairy enough, leaf shape wrong, dentate margins, I remember fewer flowers further apart (but the flower color is about right).

Nepeta cataria (catnip): not hairy/gray enough, the leaves are the wrong shape, and the photos mostly show shorter plants than I remember, but overall habit and flower color are very close.

Mentha suaveolens (apple mint) looks very close in some pictures but there are too many flowers, too close together, and my plant didn't produce flowers in the axils, only in a spike at the very top of the plant (I think).

Any ideas?

What delicious things should I plant? (Absolute beginner edition)

Dorinda — Sat, 17 Apr 2021 09:53:37 -0800

I, an utter novice gardener and notorious possessor of two black thumbs, would like to (slowly, carefully) ease into the world of edible gardening. I have a newly installed raised bed of approximately 8 ft x 2.5ft that gets full sun in Seattle. I have an endless appetite for vegetables and herbs. I also have zero knowledge and skills. What (and how much) should I plant?? I have a book on organic edible gardening that (I think?) has some good information, but it’s a bit overwhelming and beyond my level (even though it touts itself as being for beginners), so I’m hoping for some concrete advice about what to plant right now in this raised bed, and how much of it to plant. I have heard the advice to “grow what you want to eat,” but since I want to eat pretty much anything that is not a melon, that doesn’t reduce the options much. My biggest criteria is EASY TO GROW/idiot-resistant. Ideally, I’d like to try a couple of veggies/herbs in the bed at once (which I think is possible?), but I don’t have a ton of space to work with.

So, green thumbs of metafilter, what would you advise an absolute beginner to plant in their raised bed this weekend that would maximize the chances that they, a bumbling fool, might successfully retrieve something edible at the other end of the process? The more specific you can be, the better (I.e. there are about seven zillion varieties of cherry tomatoes at my local garden store). How many plants/seeds/whatever can fit in an 8x2 bed/what kinds of plants might play nicely together? What things am I likely not considering that I should be aware of?
Any and all newb-specific advice gratefully accepted!

Thanks!!

Mice mice mice, and not the good kind either

Frowner — Fri, 16 Apr 2021 13:39:51 -0800

Over the winter some mice got into a closet full of stuff. I need advice on cleaning and disposing of things. First off, I'm not super worried about hantavirus - these are city mice in a second floor closet. I believe that my talented mouser cat brought them up here and released them to play with, because I've seen her bring mice upstairs before. We live in a porous old Victorian with a mouse problem but there are generally no mice upstairs.

The closet, unfortunately, is large and contained:
-Cardboard shoeboxes of shoes
-Two open tubs of shoes
- Fabric-covered boxes containing various things
- A shelving unit
- Lidded plastic tubs
- A net basket of hangers

I can see one spot where the mouse/mice had some kind of fluffy stuff from somewhere yet to be discovered - I have sprayed this and the floor immediately inside the closet with bleach and water. The tubs and boxes are stacked inward and will need to be dealt with layer by layer before the entire closet can be cleaned.

I have started on the tubs of shoes. Most of the shoes seem not to have been moused, so I have wiped the exterior and the heel portion with bleach and water and set them aside.

Several of the shoes have a little mouse shit in them (not that "a little" makes it any better). These are leather shoes, fairly well constructed. Can I wash them out well with bleachy soapy water or do I need to discard them? They seem not to be saturated with anything.

I am going to throw away all cardboard and fabric-coated boxes and wipe down all the plastic with bleach and then wash it.

Ultimately, I assume that I'll be able to spray the floor with the bleach/water mix and then mop it, plus wipe down the storage unit.

I wore a surgical mask when I started work on this. What else do I need to do? I'm hoping I don't need to discard the shoes that look untouched.

Sand in the backyard - what could go wrong.

dpx.mfx — Fri, 16 Apr 2021 09:03:54 -0800

We recently adopted a greyhound. He's wonderful. He likes to run, unsurprisingly. He is tearing up our back lawn, which was already in crappy shape for various reasons. Is sand and pine straw a workable solution? Lots of people use regular straw over dirt to allay the mud. I don't really want to do that. In one of my greyhound groups, a woman on the east coast showed her solution. She had a couple inches of topsoil removed, brought in several tons of beach sand, and covered the sand with pine straw. According to her, she replaces the mulch each year, and every couple of years has to bring in minimal sand to even some places out. Her dogs can dig and run and she brushes their feet off at the door and there's no mud. She says it hasn't impacted her established trees.

I live in Michigan, if climate matters. Our yard isn't large; we have two kids (8 and 12); it's shady and the grass has always been a struggle. I have lots of ideas about how this could be great - less upkeep, good for the dogs and kids, no mud. Are there potential downsides that I am missing?

We'd only do the backyard, the yard is bounded by concrete driveways so there's little risk that the sand will migrate to the neighbors, and we will take other measures to prevent that. No one will really be able to see it.

Please help us choose some plants for this outdoor dining structure.

wowenthusiast — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 19:03:24 -0800

Helping a friend figure out plants for their outdoor dining structure in New York City. What would thrive outside in bright-ish light from spring to fall without being too cumbersome/bushy/expensive? Said outdoor dining structure pictured here Snake plant? Coleus? Dracena?

Watering can recommendations? (Large, for outdoor use)

aws17576 — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 15:30:38 -0800

I'm looking for recommendations for a large watering can (ideally ~2 gallons) with a comfortable grip for outdoor use. Further details inside. I have a large patio garden with about 50 containers/pots which I water by hand, so I need a watering can with large capacity that is comfortable to handle. Other considerations:

- Should have a rosette (or some way to sprinkle, not pour)
- Should be practical to fill from a spigot
- Should be obtainable in the U.S. (I've seen lots of recommendations for the classic Haws watering can, but this seems to be unavailable except for a 1-pint indoor version)
- Plastic probably preferred for comfort and so that it doesn't get too hot, but I've never had a metal watering can, so I'm willing to hear that my assumptions are wrong

These requirements don't seem too stringent to me, but I've had a hard time finding anything acceptable! I returned this Bloem watering can because its dual spout design didn't work as intended (water poured no matter how it was adjusted). I currently have this cheap Cado can, which barely clears the bar but is poorly machined and has a slow leak around the rosette; I'd return it in a heartbeat if I could find something better, hence this question.

A storm door that can handle actual storms?

qxntpqbbbqxl — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 12:36:25 -0800

Needed: recommendations for heavy-duty storm doors. I have two doorways opening onto deck. The deck is exposed to some intense weather, e.g., 30mph gusts that blast rain horizontally at the side of the house. The current storm doors are Larson Southports, installed last year. They are not up to the task. During windy storms, a large amount of water gets in through the gaps between the door and its frame. The water gets between the storm door and the normal door, flows down to the threshold, and has caused a lot of damage, including leaking through to the ceiling below. I can't put weatherstripping or foam in the gaps because it will impede the closing of the storm doors. I talked to Larson support about this, and they were like ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

So I need recommendations for storm doors that are really designed for storms, and not just for energy efficiency. This summer I want to have every part of these doorways rebuilt, in an attempt to stop the water once and for all.

Also: bonus points if you have recommendations for a Seattle-area contractor who might be interested in this job

Where can my sister buy in RI for 150-200K?

DarlingBri — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 11:06:30 -0800

My sister has been pre-approved for a $150K mortgage. We may be able to find her another 25-50K. She works in Providence, daycare is in Pawtucket. What are her best options in terms of what areas to look in? She's a single lawyer with a dog working for the state attorney's office. Her office is downtown and the dog goes to daycare in Pawtucket daily. (The dog is 100% non-negotiable, and changing daycares is not possible because the dog has behaviour issues.)

1 bed is fine, 2 is better, a yard for the dog would be nice, safety is always an issue. She needs to get out of her current rental ASAP so nobody is going to be picky here -- houses, condos, apartments are all fine!

Where should she be looking?

Paid recycling services - verifying what they do, and best total impact?

kristi — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 07:45:47 -0800

Is there any way to verify that recycling services like Ridwell and GreenDisk actually keep stuff out of landfill? Should I put money and effort into better landfill policies rather than my own individual trash? I've been considering using recycling services, and I'm trying to decide if it's money well spent.

A friend is in the Ridwell service area and is thinking of signing up, but wondered how anyone would know if it was a scam where they just take your money and dump your stuff in landfill anyway. Meanwhile, I've been considering using GreenDisk for all my obsolete data CD-Rs, and it seems like a lot of money to keep, basically, one or two big bins of trash out of my trash pickup.

So, two main questions:

1. Is there any way to verify that a recycling service actually does what they say they do, and keeps stuff out of landfill?

2. Is it better for the environment to pay a service to try to keep my own trash out of landfill, or to spend that money and time to work for better waste policies that affect everybody's disposal impact?

Thanks!

Kristi

microfiber trap for washing machine?

joyceanmachine — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 06:57:56 -0800

We're looking into getting a microfiber trap for our washing machine. Any recommendations (or ones to steer away from)? Tips? We're in the US. I'm not a big fan of the Filtrol, because I don't want to have to buy replacement filters or generate more waste. We're looking at the Lint Luv-R and the extra wall mount, and would probably getting our (pretty good) handyperson to come install it because Nobody In This House Has Spare Brain Capacity.

Thanks!

How is bathroom vanity formed?

momus_window — Wed, 14 Apr 2021 22:20:29 -0800

The vanities in both bathrooms are in poor condition and weren't great craftsmanship to begin with. Where does a USian find a vanity cabinet and top/sink that won't fall apart in a few years and how much should I expect to pay? 30" and 36" widths. I'm having a hard time figuring out how bad the vanities at Home Despot and Low's are - the ones I can see in person mostly look quite cheap, and they all have pretty concerning reviews. It's not clear that more expensive ones are better-constructed. I know unhappy people are more likely to leave reviews, but the photos show awful assembly and shipping damage. Is a cabinet maker a plausible solution? Can I paint exposed particle board edges and get adequate moisture protection? Are prices higher right now because of the high demand for wood products and disrupted supply chains?

For context, the house and vanities are 15 years old, builder grade original fixtures - I've considered trying to fix them up, but they're missing doors / water damaged / dated and I don't think it's worth it. I don't need something fancy, but I'd prefer something that won't swell up from water damage or chip in a year.

Organizer for flash drives?

TimHare — Wed, 14 Apr 2021 21:16:56 -0800

Looking for recommendations for storing / organizing flash drives I'm looking for a good way to organize my flash drives, on my desk. I am not interested in cases for transporting flash drives from place to place, I'm thinking more of something that sits on the desk. Preferably wood (I have a laminated bamboo monitor stand) and preferably not a box into which I just throw all of the flash drives and root around through them later, I'd like it to be more organized than that. If anyone has recommendations for such a thing I'd appreciate it.

Hope me string trimmer!

Thorzdad — Tue, 13 Apr 2021 14:42:21 -0800

I’m looking to get a cordless electric string trimmer. But, I have no idea what I’m looking for. Following a heated and very vocal disagreement with my old gas-powered string trimmer, I’ve decided to part ways and get a new cordless electric trimmer. But, jeepers! am I ever befuddled by the specs of these things. 20 volt, 40 volt, 56 volt, 80 volt. Other places list 2, 3, 5 Amp hours.

I have a very small lot to tend to. Mowing only takes maybe 15 minutes if I dawdle, so I don’t think I need anything close to commercial quality, but I also want whatever I get to last a few years, including the battery. And I have no idea what manufacturers are reliable anymore.

Hope me MeFi lawn gawdz! Steer me to my electrical future!

Thanks!

How can I recreate a relaxing fancy hotel stay but at home?

AuroraSky — Tue, 13 Apr 2021 09:38:50 -0800

Seems like the case numbers are reducing in Scotland, which of course is great news for people surviving but also for other reasons, but it looks like it will still still be a while before we can stay in a hotel for leisure purposes. While I am waiting, can anyone suggest a way to recreate a relaxing fancy hotel feeling of a break but within my own flat? I have a notion that just for a change of scene I'd like to stay for a night in a hotel in my city, even if it's only a budget one. My flat is quite cluttered so maybe just a break from that is part of the motivation. I will probably do that once it's permitted again. I do like the idea of doing what can at home to have a nice treat night that will give a similar feeling. I don't have the energy for a full de-clutter but maybe I could tidy one room, and I'll be changing the bed linen. Can anyone remember what things are usually in a posh hotel mini-bar (I've usually just been in ones with a kettle and not a mini-bar, but I think I recall one with bottles of water, peanuts, small Pringles, can't remember what else but I do drink alcohol occasionally). Can anyone recommend a fancy brand men's or unisex shower gel that I could get from Amazon UK? (the hotels I have been in have just had cheap stuff but I am trying to have a home version of a posh hotel evening). Unfortunately I just have a shower otherwise I would incorporate a long bath with bath salts.

Is there a meal you've ordered from room service that you remember being nice and that I could get from Just Eat or similar delivery app instead? Life is still pretty quiet and even a bit boring for me until I can sit in cafes and go to cinemas again so I'm prepared to spend quite a few quid to make it nice and relaxing. I have only stayed in a fancy hotel a couple of times in my life hence looking for tips from others. Thanks!

How do you clean your oven?

massofintuition — Tue, 13 Apr 2021 02:13:50 -0800

Basically the title. We actually don't use our big oven a lot but use our air fryer/toaster oven thing and I am ashamed to say have kind of let it get out of hand with the cleaning. So now we are rewarded with a rancid smell from the oven every time we use it. I use vinegar wipes for most everything else in the kitchen but it isn't quite strong enough to get the stuck on oil and grease. And I am hesitant about buying a strong chemical cleaner because it just doesn't seem like a good idea to use something like that and then heat it up. And then I forget about it until the next time we use the oven...

troubleshoot my squeaky windows please!

brilliantine — Mon, 12 Apr 2021 09:40:06 -0800

We are prepping our townhouse to sell and were told to use silicone spray to get rid of the squeaking/screechy noise when we open them. We followed the directions but the sound almost seems to have gotten worse even though they're moving more smoothly. These are vinyl windows, possibly from the original build in 1998. Any suggestions would be wonderful.

Soothe my despair with your tales of victory over Lesser Celandine

Lawn Beaver — Mon, 12 Apr 2021 09:26:49 -0800

The Lesser Celandine is attempting a takeover of my yard and the woods behind my house. Please tell me I can tackle this problem. This is the most optimistic article I found in my initial searches, and it just. Sounds so exhausting.

How have you extirpated or at least controlled this obnoxious weed, which spreads via tuber and chokes out all the other early ephemerals? We have noticeable spread from last year, and a gardening neighbor mentioned it to me when I ran into her, so now I feel like I am not being a good steward of the land and people can see.

I think the answer might be some combination of "try not to worry" and "work on the patches that are more limited and then tackle bigger ones" and "assemble a work party of your energetic younger neighbors and perhaps some eager students from the college" but I'm so bummed looking at my yard, which I love.

Does anything eat it? Can I hope that the bees are not starving, and instead are making use of its pollen?

Buying a house across the country

FencingGal — Mon, 12 Apr 2021 07:49:48 -0800

I'm planning to move from Michigan to the western US to live closer to my kids. The increases in real estate prices where they live are freaking me out, and I'm wondering whether it would be better to move my plans up and buy something there right away rather than renting for a while. Would love to hear from people who have done that. I've got one kid in the Salt Lake City area and one in the Bay Area. The Bay Area itself is out of my price range, but Sacramento looks like a possibility, and there may be other small cities in northern California that would work (I'm trying to stay under $400K for a condo). I've been looking at real estate in both places for a while, and the prices seem to keep going up. Plus I don't know if people are paying way above the asking prices anyway. And I have to deal with selling my house, which is also pretty overwhelming. I had originally planned to wait until the COVID situation gets better, but I don't even know if that's a good idea anymore. My job is mobile, so that's not an issue.

I'd appreciate thoughts on moving and on real estate prices in general. And suggestions for any steps I can take now (call a real estate agent?).