Dear Donny

QA few years ago we got a new washing machine, but when we removed the old one water sprayed onto a wall. The plaster started decaying, and when we replaced the kitchen 18 months ago, we had the plasterwork redone. Now this plaster is bubbling. Any advice? Stef, Wallsend, Tyne and Wear

When a wall gets plastered, before the plaster sets it gets polished. If there is residual damp from the washing machine, the plaster won’t polish properly and the paint will peel. Sand the wall and apply a stabilising solution, leave to dry, then paint.

AQYears ago we had to repair our lounge ceiling with plasterboard. We papered it over and joins in plasterboard were taped over. These have started to lift and crack through the paper. How can we resolve this without repapering the whole ceiling? Jenny Woolf, via email

Strip the paper. Fix the cracks and repaper the patch, hopefully it won’t be noticeable. Ideally, I would get a plasterer to replaster the ceiling and paint it. If you strip the paper, I would expect to pay about

£150 to have the job done.

AIf you have a sticky door try rubbing a candle over the edge of it to lubricate where the wood is rubbing.

Q

I have a PVC white garden bench and chairs. The bench is very marked and dirty. I’ve tried everything but I can’t get it clean. Noreen Orme, via email

A

Use sugar soap. Buy the powder and mix it to your own strength – you don’t need much. Once clean, you may find it is sun-bleached, but the sugar soap will remove all the gunk. Q

How can I make homemade weedkiller that is safe for pets and wildlife?

Jenny Conway, via email

A

I either pull weeds out, pour boiling water over them, or use a Long Arm Gas Torch. Or put a mat over the weeds to block out sunlight.

SEND YOUR QUESTIONS TO: diy.donny@trinitymirror.com

Caulk King Manufactured by a company called Wallrock, this is probably the best caulk I have used. Most decorating centres and independent builders’ merchants sell it.