Dear Donny

Q Our dining room windowsill needs freshening up. It is half UPVC and half wood. Is there a paint I can use? Sandy Ayers, by email

A You need a plastic primer. Rust Oleum does one as an aerosol, or try Zinsser. Prime the UPVC, prepare the wood and apply a top coat of your choice, like gloss or satinwood.

Q I have a UPVC back door with a wood effect finish but the thin layer of veneer on it is lifting off. Can I glue it? Elfed Huges, by email

A You can get solvent cement and other UPVC glues, but super glue will do. Use a clamp to stick the surfaces together until the glue cures.

Q I’ve a couple of water marks on my Corian worktop. Any ideas on how to clean them, without sanding? John Potter, by email

A Bar Keepers Friend Stain Remover is a powder and you add a small amount of water to make a paste. Apply it over the stain and leave to dry then wipe with a dry cloth. You can get specific Corian cleans too. Queen Clean manufactures some.

DONNY’S TOP TIP

When the temperatures turn freezing during these months, remember that frost ruins paint. Once water-based paints freeze, they go off and stink.

Q My metal garage door is covered in slime. Is there a way to clean it? Sarah Jones, by email

A Use sugar soap! Wet the door or wait until it is raining then dilute sugar soap to the strength you require and use a sponge – the type you’d use to wash a car. It will melt the slime instantly, then rinse with water.

Q Can I paint over damp spots on our bathroom ceiling? Jackie Picton, by email A

A The cold air from the window is making the ceiling cold, and when you have a shower, steam condensates on the cold part, causing mould. Yours isn’t a plasterboard ceiling but a UPVC panel ceiling. Try Polycell 3-1 Mould Killer. You need to get heat under the ceiling to stop the problem – can you put a radiator under the window?