I have an old linoleum floor in my kitchen. This house was built in '73 and the linoleum is the same stufff I grew up with in a house built in 68. Anyway, it is developing spots that don't want tto come nice and clean. I guess it's a wax floor, i don't know and I never remember to ask my Mom about stuff. What can I do to get the floor to all be the same mottled pattern again?

Next, window cleaning. I like everything to be clean, darn it. My windows won't stay that way. Can you use rainX on house windows? It works really well on my truck, and it seems to repel those little spots that always pop up after a less than satisfactory shower. Opinions?

Then onto painting! I have a bunch of dogs and they mostly sleep in the kitchen as it serves as my mud barrier to the rest of the house. The only thing is that I have a kind of Euro/Japanese mix taste in decor and the places where they lie against the walls have become permanently discolored. It's time to re paint. And I want something that doesn't show as much dirt as this off white does. I am thinking of painting in that textured roller method, but I can't remember what it's called! I was thinking of med grey baseboards with two shades of light grey underneath an over coat of off white again. Kind of marbelized looking. Does anyone know what the term is for that kind of painting? Have any of you done it? Thanks!!!!

-- Doreen (animalwaitress@yahoo.com), July 29, 2001

Answers

Can only offer advice on the old linoleum flooring, the bigger hardware stores carry a refinishing type liquid that is to restore the original finish to the floor, I have used it, and it is holding up real well so far, brought the shine back quite nicely!

-- Annie Miller in SE OH (annie@1st.net), July 29, 2001.

Dorren: For the windows: vinegar.

For the walls that the dogs lie against: (Same problem. Lots of scrubbing with 409 and doesn't get it all). I've been threatening to get some sheets of plexiglass and some tastefull clips to hold them against the wall. They could even come off when company is coming.

Linoleum: Scraper and new flooring. The finish may be worn through after all these years.

-- Skip in Western WA (sundaycreek@gnrac.net), July 29, 2001.

Say Annie, do you recall the name of the stuff? I don't think it's worn out as the place was only used for an occasional weekend until I moved in and made it permanent. The ad called it a camp house, but it would be a pretty swanky camp!

I clean the windows with vunegar and water, but it's pretty dusty here in the summer and when it does the spitting type of rain it just does a number on the windows. I have screens on all of them on the outside as that's how they are designed, so I was kind of hoping to get something that I could just turn the hose on and have them come up clean without taking apart the window...I have screen guards, too.

Thanks for your suggestions!

-- Doreen (bisquit@here.com), July 30, 2001.

I did the two color painting in a room that had really poor walls. I started with an off white base coat then used pink and grey in the divided tray using a textured split roller. The effect is a "marblized" look that hides a lot of the flaws in the walls. The paint roll kit is called "Wall Magic" and was purchased in the paint section of the hardware store for about $15. The pink/grey combination really looks great.

-- Trevilians (aka Dianne in Mass) (Trevilians@mediaone.net), July 30, 2001.

yeah!! Thanks for the name, Diane! The walls are in good shape, but I hope to minimize the doggie factor and don't want to resort to lining the place with flashing. Cool.

-- Doreen (bisquit@here.com), July 30, 2001.

Hi, I've been reading on this forum for a few days now and it seems like a nice forum with mature people so I hope its ok if I jump in and participate. I lived in one old house with really rough walls and stumbled on a way to do that 2 tone painting without buying any expensive equipment. Paint a base coat of your darker color and let it dry good. Then get you one of those fake sponge like things that come with shower gel. (What do you call those?) It's not a sponge or a loofah, its like a scrubby made out of plastic netting. Anyway, dip it into your other color of paint and squeeze out the excess and then stamp the wall like you would if you were sponge painting. Just pounce don't rub and you end up with a nice look. I did my walls gray with white over top of it. It looks like lace. Hope I made sense of what I was trying to describe!!! I'm glad I found another forum about country life and self reliant living. I recognize Hoot from Countryside forum, and some other names too. I'll never post there again because I got blasted over there once and that was enough for me. Good luck painting!!

-- Kathy Linger (kack@countrylife.net), August 02, 2001.

Hi Kathy! Of course it's alright for you to jump on in. Welcome to you! I don't know if I am mature, but I'm trying!

You explained the technique just fine to me....I was thinking more of a marbelized type of an effect, but that seems like it would be a great idea to have in the arsenal. Thanks!

-- Doreen (bisquit@here.com), August 02, 2001.