It doesn't sound like much, I know. But this is the biggest project I have actually done inside Lyndhurst since June. I believe it was in June that I cleaned the top surfaces of all shelves, after some friends pointed out that they seemed to be the smelliest thing. That took two weekends, or perhaps 3 weekends in combination with also cleaning the baseboards and removing the smelly old canopy poles.
Then that was it, until Monday September 3, aka Labor Day, when I finally got around to cleaning the bottom of all shelves. All except the one shelf on the right side, for which I had the foresight of cleaning the bottom when I was cleaning the top (while noting the difficulty of moving the ladder back there).
Same magic cleaning solution as before, at least as I remembered, two tablespoons of Dawn and two tablespoons of baking soda in a half bucket (probably 1-2 gal). Each segment was rubbed down with a wet cloth, then dried with a large towel. When I was suspicious additional cleaning would be a good idea, I did this twice, which was about 50% of the time. However there was no visible grime, only occasional loose paint chipped off.
Now there was actually some grime on the top of the bottom row of shelves, which I had cleaned previously, possibly related to bugs. I cleaned that back nearly all the way to the back shelf, but clearly all shelves will need an additional cleaning prior to first use.
I also cleaned around the window opening. Then I realized the baking soda might not be good for the aluminum frame of the window, so I rinsed with a new cloth dampened only with water. I did that twice with new cloths, and dried each time with a new cloth, to make sure no sodium residue.
The water which had taken on some darkness got dumped behind the power transformer. All cloths were immediately washed on the 2:30 hour Sterilize cycle.
*****
Also, FWIW, on Sunday I removed the bottom door seals on the French Doors. I have long thought it would be preferable to allow ventilation through the bottom door gap than try to block it. It would be good, in fact, to have a hole about the size of that gap deliberately for ventilation and with a fan powering it.*
It might encourage less air intake under siding also. My thinking is that air coming from the southeast (prevailing wind) pushes its way under the siding around the southeast corner of Lyndhurst. If it has an alternative path, under the nearby door, it might not be forced to penetrate the foam insulation in the corner and pick up the insulation smell.
I have also been thinking that the rubber door bottom seals could have themselves picked up a lot of smell, or could even be the source of much of the smell. But I did previously try to clean them off (I think that was in April or May) and I have not smelled much smell on them, even after I removed them.
They were only stapled on each side of each door. Underneath, the french door metal has what appears to be an open seam.
(*A fan forcing air inside from the outside would be the right choice, I think. Forcing air inside would create positive pressure which would prevent air from seeping in through the building insulation where it picks up smells. Having bottom door seal removed is a cheap way of providing a similar positive pressure short circuit. It is not as good, but was easy to do.)
*****
The main work on Sunday, however, was all the mowing and weeding of the new back yard garden. And I installed one new solar lamp, uplighting the pomegranate. Unfortunately, the lamp screw broke when I tried to reposition the stake. So right now the lamp is just sitting on some weeds, but pointing in the right direction. I need to get some new screws to fit the bolt.
Thinking the trees were looking a tad overwatered, I cut the Sunday cycle to 1/2. But then I moved the Wednesday cycle up to Tuesday, thinking that made much more sense. The trees get watered Saturday AM, Tuesday AM, and twice (AM and PM) on Thursday.
The pink crepe myrtle continues not to get enough water and got some hand watering on Sunday, along with Palmie and the potted plants. Palmie got the crabgrass around it cut away, but otherwise there wasn't time or energy to mow the entire front yard this weekend. It must be done next weekend.
I spend several hours relaxing on the patio over the 3 day weekend after sunset. The back door light was kept off the entire weekend. I did not notice any mosquitoes near the patio. I did have one mosquito land on me inside Lyndhurst. I think it had been affected by Mosquito Cognito and it didn't bite.
So mosquitoes were not a problem, and I continue to believe (despite protestation from a friend) that the fluorescent light attracts bugs including mosquitoes, and it does so because of higher wavelength emissions.
Then that was it, until Monday September 3, aka Labor Day, when I finally got around to cleaning the bottom of all shelves. All except the one shelf on the right side, for which I had the foresight of cleaning the bottom when I was cleaning the top (while noting the difficulty of moving the ladder back there).
Same magic cleaning solution as before, at least as I remembered, two tablespoons of Dawn and two tablespoons of baking soda in a half bucket (probably 1-2 gal). Each segment was rubbed down with a wet cloth, then dried with a large towel. When I was suspicious additional cleaning would be a good idea, I did this twice, which was about 50% of the time. However there was no visible grime, only occasional loose paint chipped off.
Now there was actually some grime on the top of the bottom row of shelves, which I had cleaned previously, possibly related to bugs. I cleaned that back nearly all the way to the back shelf, but clearly all shelves will need an additional cleaning prior to first use.
I also cleaned around the window opening. Then I realized the baking soda might not be good for the aluminum frame of the window, so I rinsed with a new cloth dampened only with water. I did that twice with new cloths, and dried each time with a new cloth, to make sure no sodium residue.
The water which had taken on some darkness got dumped behind the power transformer. All cloths were immediately washed on the 2:30 hour Sterilize cycle.
*****
Also, FWIW, on Sunday I removed the bottom door seals on the French Doors. I have long thought it would be preferable to allow ventilation through the bottom door gap than try to block it. It would be good, in fact, to have a hole about the size of that gap deliberately for ventilation and with a fan powering it.*
It might encourage less air intake under siding also. My thinking is that air coming from the southeast (prevailing wind) pushes its way under the siding around the southeast corner of Lyndhurst. If it has an alternative path, under the nearby door, it might not be forced to penetrate the foam insulation in the corner and pick up the insulation smell.
I have also been thinking that the rubber door bottom seals could have themselves picked up a lot of smell, or could even be the source of much of the smell. But I did previously try to clean them off (I think that was in April or May) and I have not smelled much smell on them, even after I removed them.
They were only stapled on each side of each door. Underneath, the french door metal has what appears to be an open seam.
(*A fan forcing air inside from the outside would be the right choice, I think. Forcing air inside would create positive pressure which would prevent air from seeping in through the building insulation where it picks up smells. Having bottom door seal removed is a cheap way of providing a similar positive pressure short circuit. It is not as good, but was easy to do.)
*****
The main work on Sunday, however, was all the mowing and weeding of the new back yard garden. And I installed one new solar lamp, uplighting the pomegranate. Unfortunately, the lamp screw broke when I tried to reposition the stake. So right now the lamp is just sitting on some weeds, but pointing in the right direction. I need to get some new screws to fit the bolt.
Thinking the trees were looking a tad overwatered, I cut the Sunday cycle to 1/2. But then I moved the Wednesday cycle up to Tuesday, thinking that made much more sense. The trees get watered Saturday AM, Tuesday AM, and twice (AM and PM) on Thursday.
The pink crepe myrtle continues not to get enough water and got some hand watering on Sunday, along with Palmie and the potted plants. Palmie got the crabgrass around it cut away, but otherwise there wasn't time or energy to mow the entire front yard this weekend. It must be done next weekend.
I spend several hours relaxing on the patio over the 3 day weekend after sunset. The back door light was kept off the entire weekend. I did not notice any mosquitoes near the patio. I did have one mosquito land on me inside Lyndhurst. I think it had been affected by Mosquito Cognito and it didn't bite.
So mosquitoes were not a problem, and I continue to believe (despite protestation from a friend) that the fluorescent light attracts bugs including mosquitoes, and it does so because of higher wavelength emissions.
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