Question: My son's house burned, and he has a dishpan of money (silver and pennies). Is there any solution that would clean them? - Anonymous, Olive Branch, Miss.
Answer: Separate the copper from the silver. The pennies can be cleaned with a mild detergent and a cloth.
If there are too many pennies to clean by hand, take them to a gunsmith and have them placed in a brass tumbler. A brass tumbler is used on empty shell casings to clean the brass prior to reloading.
The silver can be cleaned with a silver dip available at hardware and jewelry stores. Be careful with the dip as it is acidic, and you should always use caution when working with household chemicals.
Question: I need advice on how to clean and restore the shine on brass kick plates on outside doors. I have tried Brasso, lemon and salt, buffing and sanding. Buffing and sanding brings back the shine but only temporarily. - E.K., Memphis.
Answer: The surface becomes dull due to oxidizing. You need to protect the polished surface from the air.
First, use a brass polish such as Brass Renew ($14.95 from Home Trends) to clean and restore the finish. The polish removes a thin layer of the surface, exposing clean brass.
Seal the brass from the air after polishing with Stay Bright Brass lacquer ($13.95, Home Trends). Call (716) 254-6520 for information.
READERS: Here's a response from a Troy, Mich., reader to an earlier column on a question over problems with flying insects:
"I receive calls concerning flying insects fitting the description in the paper. However, they are not fruit flies. They are fungus gnats. These small black flies lay their eggs in damp potting soil where the young hatch and feed on mold and other organic matter in the damp soil.
"Since watering houseplants brings on the problem, allowing the soil to dry between waterings cures it." - S.M., Troy, Mich.
Question: I'm writing about a problem that I haven't read about. Our basem*nt has cracks in the floor and I wondered if this is normal. What can I do to seal them? Is there a product I can use? - J.C., Lapier, Mich.
Answer: Along with death and taxes, cracks in concrete are guaranteed in life.
For concrete to dry, water has to evaporate from the mix. The reduction in volume means the concrete shrinks, cracking the concrete. Use a good grade of clear silicone caulk, forced into the cracks with a heavy putty knife.
If water is coming up through the cracks, consider having the basem*nt waterproofed by a professional contractor. Caulking and water sealers will not hold back the pressures of water coming through the floor. Seal the concrete floor with concrete paint or an epoxy sealer after all work has been completed.
C. Dwight Barnett, a member of the American Society of Home Inspectors and a former contractor, was selected Great Lakes Chapter Inspector of the Year for 1991. Questions may be addressed to him c/o The Evansville Courier, P.O. Box 268, Evansville, IN 47702. Questions will only be answered through this column.
