Rant for the Day (keep it clean)

[Pearl]

I forgot about the eraser trick! damn, I'm getting senile. they take light rust off guns without much bluing damage too.

So will a slightly damp microfiber rag!

 

[Supervisor42]

I have a tooth coming apart. It was doomed for extraction back in March.
Told the dentist: "but I can still chew with it, I'll let you know when I am done .
I am a confirmed 'dental-phobic' from having all of my dental work when I was young, done without any anesthesia.
I do remember decades ago, I had a good dentist who said:
"Do you want nitrous oxide? Insurance doesn't cover that"
I said: "How much does it cost?"
"$16".
"I'll take $32 worth please"
He gassed me off the planet and then said: "how do you feel now?"
I said: "fine, but you haven't done anything yet"
He said: "feel your face". ...Half of it was numb.

 

[Tootsie]

Here it comes. The ‘smart meters’. Sorry for the pics. Couldn’t figure save and share.
Maybe I’m jumping the gun. This may only be for the meter read, not any ‘remote control’.

 

[zannej]

Thanks for the cleaning tips. I will try the vinegar and baking soda. My tap water is part of the problem because it has all the sediment in it. I don't know what I'm doing wrong, but every time I've used Magic Eraser it fell apart and didn't do jack squat for cleaning. Doesn't matter if it was wet or dry. The only "magic" I found with it was how it "magically" shredded to pieces.

The toilet parts thing reminds me I need to take the fill valve and flapper off the tank that broke. Flapper can be a spare for the guest bathroom and fill valve will work for all of the toilets (they are Toto Drakes) in the house.

My stomach doesn't like me today and I'm feeling run-down. Slight sinus headache and generally feeling cruddy. I know I need to get some cleaning done today though. I took antacids and then Pepto Bismol but stomach is still in knots and I'm having to force myself to belch to get relief from the gastric pressure. I've had worse but it still is annoying. At least my kitties like to keep my abdomen warm. Gonna nap and see if I feel better and even if I don't I'm going to force myself to get up and clean in the kitchen. Feeling like my breathing is restricted slightly and that is annoying as well. Not getting enough oxygen. I'm forcing myself to take deep breaths and the cats are staring at me.

 

[backlash]

This may only be for the meter read, not any ‘remote control’.

If they can read them they can control them.
The story even say it allows 2 way communication.

 

[Supervisor42]

I have a tooth coming apart. It was doomed for extraction back in March.

Got it done today. (no, you don't need an appointment )
Read the 'after-procedure instructions'....
For the next 48 hours: don't smoke, don't drink with a straw, don't drink alcoholic beverages.

But I'm good with having the gauze pad parked in my mouth, reminds me of having a chaw of Redman.

 

[Pearl]

Got it done today. (no, you don't need an appointment )
Read the 'after-procedure instructions'....
For the next 48 hours: don't smoke, don't drink with a straw, don't drink alcoholic beverages.

But I'm good with having the gauze pad parked in my mouth, reminds me of having a chaw of Redman.

Have a few beers you'll feel better! Glad it's over!

 

[zannej]

I don't like the idea of them being able to send to the meter if it can actually control it and tell it to throttle usage or to claim it used more than it did. But I don't know if its anything beyond just getting acknowledgement that the data was received. I'd like to know more about it.
As far as I know, they already have a digital remote reader on mine.

Another thing on tooth extraction that is not always easy is you're not supposed to poke the extraction area with your tongue. I found that to be the hardest part--and I did poke a little. Felt kind of like jelly was in the hole for awhile. It was kind of neat actually, but I had to be careful not to poke too hard. Oh, and eating rice isn't a good idea because it can get into the pit and get stuck. They want you to be on liquids for the next 24hours or so and they don't want you doing any heavy lifting (I broke both rules-- was the day before a hurricane and I had to lift cases of water). If the bleeding doesn't stop in 24hours cram a bag of tea up in the socket. I used English breakfast tea. LOL. Glad you got it done and hope you heal quickly.

Stomach felt awful this morning but is doing a little better now. I got a little dizzy while cleaning in the kitchen so I had to sit down.

 

[Supervisor42]

Another thing on tooth extraction that is not always easy is you're not supposed to poke the extraction area with your tongue. I found that to be the hardest part--and I did poke a little. Felt kind of like jelly was in the hole for awhile. It was kind of neat actually, but I had to be careful not to poke too hard. They want you to be on liquids for the next 24hours or so and they don't want you doing any heavy lifting (I broke both rules-- was the day before a hurricane and I had to lift cases of water). If the bleeding doesn't stop in 24hours cram a bag of tea up in the socket. I used English breakfast tea. LOL. Glad you got it done and hope you heal quickly.

They actually included a teabag in my go-home kit . I have hbp so I have plenty to spare. But I could kick myself for not skipping my 81mg aspirin this morning. (anti-clot stuff)
That was stupid.

 

[joel]

This African American Comedians was saying that his people do not eat pumpkin pie, they eat sweet potato pie. He acted as if that was a big thing. I am white & eat both, never saw it as a thing, I lived in the South all my life, how could I missed this. Or is he pulling my leg, just for a laugh.

 

[zannej]

Comedians often exaggerate for comedic effect. I prefer pumpkin pie but I think I've had sweet potato pie once or twice.

Supervisor, I hope you're feeling better and not too sore. My dentist is Dr. Honey and she lives up to the name. She gave me a gallon of water to take home with me since she knew I would lose power and water. She prescribed narcotics since she was worried I'd be in pain but I didn't even fill it. For one I didn't have time and two narcos don't work on me. Plus it wasn't bad enough to need them. Compared to the tooth pain before the procedure it was nothing. Only some mild soreness.

This damn sink is vexing me. It's cast iron coated in porcelain and it was stained around the drain when we first moved here (the 80s). Managed to get it clean and when we were overseas they never cleaned it so it was stained worse when we got back (2001). It got worse while it was sitting for about a decade waiting for me to fix the bathroom. Some pennies fell in and corroded so there's green. There's also some rust-red stuff that sticks up and has a texture. I've managed to scrape some of it off with a plastic tool. I've been scrubbing like crazy but have to take breaks for my hands. I'm on my 2nd coat of the vinegar and baking soda. Power went out when I was about to go scrub it off and it stayed out for 2 hours. I fell asleep. So, it sat for a good 3 hours before I went in. I had limited success. The stuff at the front of the bowl is easier to clean and I got crud off from around the overflow but I'm struggling to get the stuff more toward the back where it is harder to apply pressure and it's more vertical. Also having trouble getting the stuff from around the faucet (handles get in the way). I'm going to remove that stuff last this time because I have to turn the lever on and run water in the sink to reach some of the stuff.
I have a sponge with soft surface on one side and rough on the other. Also have some sort of plastic loofah like dish scrubbing thing. I'm sorely tempted to go at it with sandpaper but I don't want to ruin the finish. (Reminds me, my mom got me some sort of dish scrubber that looks just like a sandpaper block and I mistakenly took it down to the workshop thinking it *was* sandpaper). I wish I had a scrubbing attachment that wouldn't damage the finish that I can slap on my power drill. LOL. Drill probably wouldn't spin fast enough anyway. Probably need a dremel tool.

Would a pumice stone damage porcelain? I don't care if the chrome drain thing gets scuffed, it's going to get replaced.

At least some of the crud came off but it hasn't been easy. It's frustrating trying to get the vertical part at the back of the sink. At least the faucet head can pivot out of the way.

Edit: Current picture of the sink (with the cleaning paste still in it). Used flash because its too dark in there so it might make it look lighter than it is.

The caulk around it is just ugly but the porcelain doesn't even go all the way over the rim so the black cast iron shows through. I want to remove the caulk and get some cleaner caulk in there with smoother lines and figure out how to de-uglify the edges.

 

[ClemKadiddlehopper]

Coat the metal parts with thick Vaseline. Get a rag really wet with CLR and lay it in there for a while. Use CLR wet rag to scrub stain.

Stop using abrasives unless you plan to refinish the sink. The little bit of CLR that could end up in the septic won't hurt anything.

 

[zannej]

Thanks, Clem. I plan to replace the metal parts but I can still cover them. I am seriously considering refinishing-- especially since there is a chip in the bowl. I hope I can just pull that crappy plastic stopper out. It doesn't even go down all the way and just gets in the way.
This is the current look of the sink:

Now I need to find some rags-- I wonder if shop towels will work.

 

[angie_nrs]

This stuff is fantastic for getting rust out. You squirt it on and just let it sit and rust will disappear, many times right before your eyes as you squirt it on. It just works for rust though, not lime.

 

[ClemKadiddlehopper]

Shop towels will be fine. Any old rag will do. Put it in a zip lock when done and use it to wipe out the sink once or twice a week.

 

[Pearl]

This stuff is fantastic for getting rust out. You squirt it on and just let it sit and rust will disappear, many times right before your eyes as you squirt it on. It just works for rust though, not lime.
View attachment 94756

That is an excellent product!! I keep it handy!!

 

[zannej]

I saw the Rust Stain Remover in a youtube video. Seemed to work ok. Its not available locally so I'm checking to see if one of the big box stores has it... Apparently they don't.
I think if I soak a rag with CLR or even vinegar and let it sit I'll see how it works. I saw a video where a guy soaked rusty tools in vinegar and CLR and the vinegar cleaned better.

I may get a pumice stone and very lightly rub in some obscure areas.

 

[angie_nrs]

It's on the shelf at our local WM, but you can order it online at WM, Amazon, Ebay, etc. It's not that hard to find.
They make a calcuim lime cleaner too, but I don't know how effective it is b/c I haven't tried that one. Amazon reviews seem favorable though.

 

[SheepDog]

The only time that porcelain looks good is when it is new. The glazing on porcelain will wear, scratch, and etch with any acid. Red wine will etch and stain it; cleansing powder will wear it and scratches come from all manner of cookware. Once the glazing is gone anything used to clean it will make future cleaning more difficult and be more destructive to the porcelain.
Stainless steel is, in my opinion, a better material for sinks and tubs. About the only thing that will injure it is chlorine. It can be cleaned with a stainless steel scrubber or a week acid and cloth. If it has a brushed surface it can be renewed with a 3M buffer and look brand new.

 

[Pearl]

The only time that porcelain looks good is when it is new. The glazing on porcelain will wear, scratch, and etch with any acid. Red wine will etch and stain it; cleansing powder will wear it and scratches come from all manner of cookware. Once the glazing is gone anything used to clean it will make future cleaning more difficult and be more destructive to the porcelain.
Stainless steel is, in my opinion, a better material for sinks and tubs. About the only thing that will injure it is chlorine. It can be cleaned with a stainless steel scrubber or a week acid and cloth. If it has a brushed surface it can be renewed with a 3M buffer and look brand new.

Once the porcelain becomes porous that it! Outdoor Windex is your best bet!

 

[Wingnut]

I'm just glad I have dual stainless steel sinks in my kitchen... the only way to go, as far as this bachelor is concerned, lol. My bathroom sinks are the cheap fiberglass kind made for manufactured homes, but they're not as critical as the galley sink, aye? I like stainless steel in the kitchen, the old dual porcelain sinks we had in our Coronado kitchen did NOT hold up well over time compared to stainless steel. If I were to build a cabin or adobe dwelling, I'd want stainless steel in the kitchen... the bathroom sinks wouldn't matter as much. Just my $.02 on the subject, lol... Cheers!!!

 

[SheepDog]

Wingnut, I'll take it a step or two further than just the kitchen sink.The home I am designing now has stainless sinks, toilets and tubs. Not sure about showers but so far stainless is on top.

 

[Wingnut]

Haha, I hear ya, SheepDog, you probably have more money than I do... I'll swap out those ugly fiberglass sinks in my two bathrooms with fiberglass replacements from the Rehab Store (or ReStore, whatever they call it).

 

[Magus]

You can have a decent stainless plate shower stall fabricated for around 500$ here.

 

[Pearl]

Wingnut, I'll take it a step or two further than just the kitchen sink.The home I am designing now has stainless sinks, toilets and tubs. Not sure about showers but so far stainless is on top.

I hear they have stainless steel toilets in prisons!

 

[Grimm]

Comedians often exaggerate for comedic effect. I prefer pumpkin pie but I think I've had sweet potato pie once or twice.

Supervisor, I hope you're feeling better and not too sore. My dentist is Dr. Honey and she lives up to the name. She gave me a gallon of water to take home with me since she knew I would lose power and water. She prescribed narcotics since she was worried I'd be in pain but I didn't even fill it. For one I didn't have time and two narcos don't work on me. Plus it wasn't bad enough to need them. Compared to the tooth pain before the procedure it was nothing. Only some mild soreness.

This damn sink is vexing me. It's cast iron coated in porcelain and it was stained around the drain when we first moved here (the 80s). Managed to get it clean and when we were overseas they never cleaned it so it was stained worse when we got back (2001). It got worse while it was sitting for about a decade waiting for me to fix the bathroom. Some pennies fell in and corroded so there's green. There's also some rust-red stuff that sticks up and has a texture. I've managed to scrape some of it off with a plastic tool. I've been scrubbing like crazy but have to take breaks for my hands. I'm on my 2nd coat of the vinegar and baking soda. Power went out when I was about to go scrub it off and it stayed out for 2 hours. I fell asleep. So, it sat for a good 3 hours before I went in. I had limited success. The stuff at the front of the bowl is easier to clean and I got crud off from around the overflow but I'm struggling to get the stuff more toward the back where it is harder to apply pressure and it's more vertical. Also having trouble getting the stuff from around the faucet (handles get in the way). I'm going to remove that stuff last this time because I have to turn the lever on and run water in the sink to reach some of the stuff.
I have a sponge with soft surface on one side and rough on the other. Also have some sort of plastic loofah like dish scrubbing thing. I'm sorely tempted to go at it with sandpaper but I don't want to ruin the finish. (Reminds me, my mom got me some sort of dish scrubber that looks just like a sandpaper block and I mistakenly took it down to the workshop thinking it *was* sandpaper). I wish I had a scrubbing attachment that wouldn't damage the finish that I can slap on my power drill. LOL. Drill probably wouldn't spin fast enough anyway. Probably need a dremel tool.

Would a pumice stone damage porcelain? I don't care if the chrome drain thing gets scuffed, it's going to get replaced.

At least some of the crud came off but it hasn't been easy. It's frustrating trying to get the vertical part at the back of the sink. At least the faucet head can pivot out of the way.

Edit: Current picture of the sink (with the cleaning paste still in it). Used flash because its too dark in there so it might make it look lighter than it is.
View attachment 94743
The caulk around it is just ugly but the porcelain doesn't even go all the way over the rim so the black cast iron shows through. I want to remove the caulk and get some cleaner caulk in there with smoother lines and figure out how to de-uglify the edges.

White vinegar has helped us clean the gunk around the drain in 90% of the places we have rented. Most still have decades of crap there when we move in and a little vinegar soak gets it pretty clean.

Since the sink is cast iron look in to getting it reglazed. You can remove it and take it to them and it will cost you less than having them come out to do it. You want it reglazed for cast iron not epoxyed or recoated. Most companies will use the cheap bath epoxy to coat it and after a few years the epoxy will peel or stain. Our current rental has all the tubs epoxyed and the master bath is peeling hardcore!

 

[Grimm]

Anyone else notice more and more people are just plain angry and violent?!

Today we had some errands to do in the morning and on our way home from finishing them K made a wrong turn. Some jerk behind us didn't like that we were going slower than he liked and honked at us and tried to pass. No big deal, right? WRONG! He pulled up next to us and started yelling and cussing. We ignored him and kept going. He chased us! One the freeway. Off the freeway. K drove on the left shoulder on the freeway going a hundred to lose him to no luck! He kept pulling next to us and screaming. Tried cutting us off more than a handful of times. It took us a good 30+ minutes before he gave up. I think he only did that because I started calling 911 when he would pull up on the passenger side (my side) to yell and hang half out of his truck. We drove for another 30+ minutes to make sure he wasn't following us home.

It royally scared the piss out of Roo and Juju who were with us. Now Roo is scared to leave the house.

K thinks he was trying to start a fight and the more we stayed around the police department the less he wanted to get in trouble and left us alone.

 

[Bacpacker]

Anyone else notice more and more people are just plain angry and violent?!

Today we had some errands to do in the morning and on our way home from finishing them K made a wrong turn. Some jerk behind us didn't like that we were going slower than he liked and honked at us and tried to pass. No big deal, right? WRONG! He pulled up next to us and started yelling and cussing. We ignored him and kept going. He chased us! One the freeway. Off the freeway. K drove on the left shoulder on the freeway going a hundred to lose him to no luck! He kept pulling next to us and screaming. Tried cutting us off more than a handful of times. It took us a good 30+ minutes before he gave up. I think he only did that because I started calling 911 when he would pull up on the passenger side (my side) to yell and hang half out of his truck. We drove for another 30+ minutes to make sure he wasn't following us home.

It royally scared the piss out of Roo and Juju who were with us. Now Roo is scared to leave the house.

K thinks he was trying to start a fight and the more we stayed around the police department the less he wanted to get in trouble and left us alone.

There was just a road rage incident last weekend near here. One dead, one in the hospital, one in jail. No one ever left their cars. I never have heard what all caused it

 

[joel]

I hear they have stainless steel toilets in prisons!

yes & I was told they are always cold. But easy to clean.
My kitchen sink is SS.

 

[zannej]

Grimm, I get being angry at someone and flipping them off or even honking of swearing, but following them and risking accidents is over the top and those people need some anger management. Best thing to do is to have a passenger start filming them and head to the nearest police station (if possible). I experienced a little road rage on my way to Walmart today.

Backpacker, that is very sad. There was a local girl killed here a few years back. She was 16 and was driving with an adult as her passenger. She apparently hit a puddle when passing a truck parked on the shoulder of the road. Owner was enraged, hopped in his truck, gave chase, pulled out a gun and was shooting out an open window taking pot shots at her but missed, got along side her in a no passing area (still taking pot shots) and ran her off the bridge. She fell into the river below and died. Her passenger survived to tell the tale.

First was I was driving down the somewhat paved road (it's really crappily paved, has rough edges, and doesn't have any lines painted on it). I was coming around a corner and some a-hole in a sports car was driving down the very middle. I moved over as far as I could to the right without going in a ditch-- what does this clown do? Veers into my lane even more before finally moving back over to the other side. I had to hit my brakes to avoid a head-on collision. Then in the Walmart parking lot, I'm driving on the right side of the lane and this other clown in a truck is running down the middle coming at me head on and I had to veer off into empty parking spaces to avoid a head-on collision. Dude had plenty of room to get over but just felt like being a road hog. I flipped both parties off. On the sports car one, I rolled my window down to flip the person off so if there was any chance they looked in the mirror they would see it.

My local Walmart doesn't have the Whink Rust Stain Remover. I don't like to have stuff like that mailed bc I've had liquid stuff leak out during shipping and had things arrive empty or almost empty. There are no reglazing services in my area. I'm in somewhat of a "no man's land" for services. I got an apology from HomeAdvisor for not being able to find stuff in my area. I told them they can't find stuff that doesn't exist so its not their fault. We don't even have a glass/window repair/replacement service anymore.

Still need to figure out best way to wrap up Mom's laptop and send it back to CyberpowerPC to have the screen fixed/replaced. Backed up her data to a portable drive. Deleted any financial stuff so they can't access it. Put a temporary password on it.

All of the HfH Restores in my area have shut down. I think there are only 2 remaining in my state and they are on the other side of the state from me. The one in Alexandria shut down a few years ago and the Lake Charles location must have closed more recently. I checked the site and it said "permanently closed". :-(