One of the most common questions I am asked is, "Where did
you find this out?" Or, "How did you know how to do this?"
Well, I started in the Do It Yourself business at a rather
young age. My grandfather, Murray Krinsky (of blessed
memory), introduced me to painting at the age of 6. He was a
master painter, and at the time was hired to paint the Museum
of Natural History in New York. It was not just to paint the
walls; he painted some of the exhibits as well. I don't know
how much of the paint I applied actually stuck to the bottom
of the giant whale that we worked on or the dinosaur feet,
but I still have fond memories of working with him.
We moved from New York before my bar mitzvah to the relative
countryside of Delaware. There my new friends and I built
tree forts, and even started a log cabin with a concrete
floor. Before we attempted these projects we spent hours in
the Talley Junior High School library researching and
nudnicking our shop teacher, Mr. Driesbach. So we
really had proper knowledge before we attempted building.
Later, I became an addict of our local Radio Shack: always
listening to and watching the technician in the back room;
meeting and talking (even tagging along) with telephone,
alarm, and electronic contractors. In my late teen years I
worked for one of America's foremost window companies, and
always I watched and learned.
I attended the University of Delaware and was to be the first
"white collar" worker in the family and did, for some time,
program computers (not PC's, but mainframes). After moving to
Israel and attending the Radin Yeshiva in Netanya, I
volunteered to work on maintenance of the campus during the
bein hazmanim. After marrying, I joined the office
staff; then joined the office staff of another institution.
However, I not only found myself not enjoying "office work"
but having trouble making ends meet. I discussed this with
HaRav Pinchas Markovitz who recommended that I start
"Handyman Services," my first venture as a private
contractor.
For three years I was the guy that was called to fix the
triss, the toilet, the electric outlet, the washing
machine, and more. I later rediscovered my love of house
painting, especially the faux finishes I had learned in my
youth. I founded Walls R Us and remain there to this day. I
still repaired all those items from my previous clientele and
now had regular callers asking, "How to. . ." And now you
have it, my "Do It Yourself" history.
Mr. Haller in Jerusalem asks, "I've been told that to clean
crayon off walls, you spray WD-40 on the crayon and it wipes
off, is this correct?"
If your walls were properly painted with a quality undercoat
and an acrylic topcoat, this can be done. Spray the WD-40 on
a rag and wipe the crayon off, then clean the WD-40 off the
wall with soap and water. Beware that this only works on
properly painted walls and if they have not been painted
properly, you will cause a bigger mess than you have now and
the only option would be to repaint.
Mrs. Rivka Epstein from Jerusalem asks, "In light of our
water shortage [in Israel], is it possible to use the
following for potted plants: dishwater with soap suds, bath
water with soap and shampoo, and water from cleaning the
floors?"
I asked Landscape designer and ornamental horticulturist
Rabbi Shmuel Silinsky and he said that for potted plants do
not use such water ("gray water") as those plants are very
sensitive to alkali and salts. However a lawn can be watered
with bath and dishwater and clothes washing machine water,
with no bleach after the second rinse.
Mr. Levin asks, "I have been told by various painters that
only lime wash (sid in Israel) should be applied to
the walls of a bathroom. Is this correct?"
If you asked me this question 20 years ago I would have said
yes, but since then many bathroom paints have become
available. My favorite, Zinnser's PermaWhite, can be applied
directly to any clean wall (2 coats required) and it will not
peel or turn black from mildew. Guaranteed by Good
Housekeeping for 5 years. I have used this product in
hundreds of homes and only once had a problem of mildew
returning (which is an excellent track record). Another
option would be to apply a quality undercoat, then apply an
acrylic or latex paint with fungicide protection. I have used
common latex with adding M-1, Mildewcheck, Mold Stuff, and
other fungicide additive packets and have had excellent
results. When a specific mixed color from a chart is
required, this is the best method.
Mr. Samson from Afula asks, "I have heard that there are
special bathrooms which can be used below ground and a
special pump removes the waste to the sewage level. Is there
any problem with using such on Shabbos?"
Such a question should be taken with the plans to your local
rabbi. I have heard that there are many such items on the
market in Israel and have been informed by one expert in
Jerusalem that only one model and installation technique has
been approved by The Institute of Science and Halacha.
Today's Do It Yourself Hint: When your water kettle or
Shabbos kettle fill with lime deposits, they can be cleaned
with a 1 part vinegar to 4 parts water solution left inside
for a day. Some kettles may require more time. After the lime
has dissolved rinse the kettle very well with water.
Yosef Krinsky, a third generation craftsman, is the CEO of
Walls R Us - House Painting, Inc., Jerusalem Division. He can
be reached at (02) 585-9559; common mail: POB 27355,
Jerusalem, Israel; email at wallsrus@hotmail.com, and soon
his WWW web site. Homeowners (renters, too) are invited to
email their questions for a somewhat quick replay. He will
publish names of individuals who ask for advice unless they
explicitly request to remain anonymous. The whale he painted
in New York is still there.
