1. HOW DO YOU REMOVE MOULD FROM A BATHROOM CEILING?
While wearing rubber gloves, apply Plascon Anti-fungal solution as directed or mix 4 litres of hot water with ½ cup chlorine-based bleach and 1/3 cup laundry detergent in a bucket using a flat paddle. Soak a sponge that has an abrasive side in the solution, squeeze out the excess, then scrub the area. Repeat the process often until the mildew is gone. Rinse with clean water and allow the ceiling to dry properly. Paint the area with Plascon Kitchens & Bathrooms, which contains Microshield™ to inhibit the growth of micro-organisms.
2. WHAT KIND OF PAINT SHOULD YOU USE OVER ROUGH AND UNEVEN PLASTERWORK, IF YOU CAN’T HAVE THE WALLS RESKIMMED?
If you use a matt-finish paint such as Plascon Cashmere, there is little or no reflection and the imperfections will not be highlighted as much, in effect hiding them. You could also use a textured coating, which will not only hide some of the flaws but will add its own texture to the wall, providing a new effect and hiding the imperfections.
3. HOW DO YOU STRIP THE PAINT FROM A PIECE OF WOODEN FURNITURE, AND WHAT SHOULD YOU USE TO SEAL IT AFTERWARDS?
Liberally apply Plascon Woodcare Coating Remover for Wood, a water-based, fully-biodegradable paint remover, to the painted wood and leave for the time indicated. Then, using either a rectangular or triangular scraper, remove the paint layers until you get to the bare wood. Once you have removed all the paint, wash down the wood with fresh water to remove any residue. Finally, before you apply Plascon varnish to the woodwork, remember to sand it with 100-grit sandpaper. The scraper “flattens” the wood and, by sanding it, you “open” it again. Seal the wood with three coats of Plascon Woodcare Ultra Varnish in your choice of gloss or suede finish.
4. MY STOEP IS PAINTED IN RED STOEP ENAMEL, BUT IT GETS VERY SLIPPERY WHEN IT RAINS. IS THERE ANYTHING I CAN DO?
Buy some mineral silica sand at your local hardware store. The sand comes in different grades of coarseness, so choose the type of texture you’d prefer on your stoep floor. Ensure that the surface of your stoep is clean and dry, then apply one coat of Plascon enamel stoep paint and, while the paint is still wet, sprinkle the silica sand onto the wet coating. Allow the silica-sprinkled surface to dry. Apply a final coating of stoep paint and you will have a non-slip floor.
5. HOW DO I GIVE MY PINE TABLE A WEATHERED VINTAGE FRENCH LOOK?
Use sandpaper to sand down the paint, paying particular attention to the parts of the table that would naturally get scuffed the most, such as the corners and edges. Sand these areas until some of the wood shows through, then sand other areas so the paint appears scratched and worn. Another alternative is to sand off all the table’s existing varnish or paint using medium-grade sandpaper before applying candle wax to the edges of the table and other areas where natural scuffing would occur. Then paint with two to three coats of Plascon paint in the colour of your choice. The wax will resist the paint and create a distressed look once dry
6. WHAT IS THE EASIEST WAY TO KEEP WALLS CLEAN IN HIGH TRAFFIC AREAS, WHERE THEY ARE CONSTANTLY BEING DIRTIED BY FINGER MARKS AND HANDPRINTS?
Ideally, you should use paint such as Plascon Wall & All or Double Velvet on walls, as it is easy to wipe clean with a damp cloth. If your walls are painted in a lesser-grade paint, however, you can use either Polycell sugar soap or warm water and dishwashing liquid. This should remove most of the greasy hand marks and dirt. Never use an ammonia-based product or an abrasive cloth or sponge to clean your walls.
