Reader solutions

Dear Hammer: I’m responding to the reader who has gummy residue stuck on the clear plastic lid of a record player. Here is another solution: Go to your nearest craft store that sells scrapbook supplies and by a product called Un-Du. It is used to remove any self-adhesive type sticker or label and can be used to remove any gummy substance left behind from one as well. It is safe for old photos and works on mirrors, plastics and even cleans gummy scissors. I have not yet found a product it does harm to. Once the removed sticker dries it can even be reused! It is truly a fabulous product! — Kelly B., via e-mail

Dear Kelly: Fantastic advice! I hadn’t thought of craft stores, and this product sounds like just what is needed to remove the sticker residue without damaging the surface. Un-Du Adhesive Remover can be found in the scrapbooking supply section of most craft stores.

***

Dear Hammer: I had a problem like the one in your column about new shingles looking too new for view. The roofer took off some shingles on a less conspicuous place on the side of my roof, put the older shingles where they would be seen from the street and put the new ones in the less conspicuous place where it did not matter what they looked like. — Ina G., via e-mail

Dear Ina: I hadn’t thought about that option, but it sounds like a good one! If a professional roofer is making the repairs, ask him if he can do this, or otherwise camouflage the shingles so that they blend in with the rest of the roof. Do-it-yourselfers can also do this, of course — just remove the old shingles very carefully so they aren’t damaged.

Home Tip: To safely remove a broken bulb from a light socket, cut a raw potato in half, jam the sliced end onto the jagged edges of the bulb, and twist it out. A bar of soap will also work.