We have a problem with mold growing on our bathroom ceiling, directly over the tub/shower. We have sanded and repainted it four times and scrub it every three months with scouring powder, but it keeps coming back. Is there an anti-fungus paint of some kind that I can use?
A solution of one part chlorine laundry bleach to three parts water will do as good a job as anything of killing the mold and removing the mildew stain. But nothing will keep the mold from growing again if the ceiling is constantly damp with condensation from the hot baths. (Mold spores are in the air everywhere.)
Ventilation is the only answer, and you obviously do not have enough. A bigger, stronger, better fan is the best remedy.
Strongly fungicidal paints are available only for special industrial uses, and you can no longer buy a fungicide that you can add to paint yourself. Hazardous product laws now prohibit the sale of such chemicals. But exterior house paints do contain a small amount of fungicide, and using an exterior white trim paint on your bathroom ceiling would do some good.
A paint chemist has suggested adding a tablespoon (15ml) of Dettol, a common antiseptic, to a litre of paint to increase its resistance to mildew. Even this will not keep mildew from growing there eventually if the constant dampness continues, however.
Toilet tank thumps
We had a new ballcock valve installed in our toilet tank a few months ago, and since then there has been a thump or bang just as the tank becomes full again. If I run the cold water tap while the tank is filling, this noise is not heard.
A small click or thump is normal when the ballcock valve in the tank snaps shut, but a louder noise may be due to the water pressure being a bit too high for the new valve. You can reduce the water pressure coming into the toilet tank simply by turning the supply valve under the tank clockwise. A quarter turn may be enough; try it and see.
Refinishing sink
The finish on the sink in our bathroom has worn away competely in some spots and is rough in others. Is there any way we can refinish it ourselves?
A 2-part epoxy paint is the only finish that will survive very long in this situation. But it is difficult to find, tricky to work with, and is available in a limited color range. You would also have to remove all the fittings from the sink to do a good job, and if you are going to do that you might just as well install a new sink.
Table top is dull
The top of our kitchen table is covered with a plastic laminate like the material used on the countertops. When new it had a shiny finish, but it has become dull in places through years of use. Is there any way I can restore the gloss?
Some improvement can be achieved by applying one of the clear acrylic polishes widely used on vinyl floors, Such as Future, Klear, Bravo, Mop ‘n’ Glo, liquid Aerowax, etc. The acrylic coating is not nearly as durable as the hard melamine surface of Arborite and Formica, however, and this will have to be re-applied when it begins to look worn again.
