To Degrease a Kitchen Wall, Turn to Products You've Already Got

Q: A great deal of grease has accumulated on the ceramic-tile walls and wood cabinets near our kitchen stove. I have tried several household cleaners, but with poor results. Can you help? -- K. Ward

A: There are a number of cleaners called degreasers that should cut through grease accumulation. They are sold at supermarkets, home centers and auto parts stores. Look for the word "degreaser" on the label.

However, you may already have two excellent grease cleaners -- ammonia and mineral spirits (paint thinner). Both have strong odors and should be used only in well-ventilated areas.

If you want to try ammonia on the tiles, mix a cup of it in a gallon of hot water and add a few tablespoons of dishwashing detergent. (Caution: Do not mix any detergent or cleaner containing chlorine bleach with ammonia; doing so will form a toxic gas.) Soak a clean cloth in the solution and scrub the tiles, changing cloths frequently.

Paint thinner is flammable and the odor can linger, but it is a fine grease cleaner for finished wood such as cabinets. A little paint thinner on a rag will easily remove the greasy smudges that often accumulate around cabinet handles. Extinguish any open flames in the cleaning area before starting and be sure to avoid smoking or causing any sparks. To clean the wood, moisten a clean cloth with paint thinner and scrub gently with the grain of the wood, again changing cloths frequently. When you have removed the grease, restore a shine to the wood with a cleaner-polish such as Pledge.

Once you have the grease removed, periodic cleaning of the tiles with household cleaners or a wood cleaner-polish on the cabinets should keep the grease away. Also, a range hood or vent fan can expel some of the greasy fumes.

Q: We have a favorite room in our house with many older windows. It is heated almost all winter by the sun, and cooled in summer just by opening the windows. We would like to get new energy-efficient windows in the room and take advantage of the federal tax credit for new windows, but have learned that eligible windows would actually block much of the sun's heat. Any suggestions? -- S. Jakuba

A: Energy-efficient windows that meet the federal standards for tax credits have coatings that do reduce solar heat gain (technically called Solar Heat Gain Coefficient, or SHGC) but also reduce heat loss through the windows. The overall effect of new windows should be that while you pick up less solar heat (improving cooling efficiency), what heat you do get will stay in the room longer, improving heating efficiency.

Windows approved for the federal tax credit (30 percent of the cost to a maximum of $1,500) must have an SHGC of 0.30 or less.

If you choose certified windows near the allowed limit, you will still get some solar heat gain and also get all the other good features of energy-efficient windows, including less heat loss, easy cleaning and low maintenance.

I think it is a personal choice that boils down to this: If you are happy with the existing windows, keep them. If you want the advantages of energy efficiency and can afford 70 percent of the cost, go for new windows. You can find more information on qualifying windows and the tax credit at http://www.energystar.gov.

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QUICK TIP: Some do-it-yourselfers have chosen acrylic over silicone caulk because acrylic can be painted to match existing colors, and the paint can help ward off dirt and mildew. GE has solved that problem with its new Silicone II white caulk, which can be painted 30 minutes after application.

I tried the new caulk around a large window and painted it about an hour later, and got good results. Silicone is sticky and doesn't smooth as nicely or clean up with water as easily as acrylic. (I recommend mineral spirits.)

Silicones also cost about $1 more per 10-ounce cartridge than most acrylics. The shortcomings, however, may be outweighed by the fact that silicone caulk is long-lasting and waterproof, retains flexibility, and resists cracking and crumbling.

The GE paintable caulk has the image of a paintbrush on the container and the words Waterproof Paintable Silicone.

Questions and comments should be sent to Gene Austin, 1730 Blue Bell Pike, Blue Bell, Pa. 19422. Send e-mail to doit861@aol.com. Questions cannot be answered personally.