This is not as new of an idea but I think you need to be reminded about the greatest most long lasting ant and roach killer that I know of.   In fact it even takes care of scorpions or any other crawling bug dead in their tracks, with out harming pets and children.  Blast was the old name but the new name is “Shoo-Fly”.  Nothing is even a close second.  It comes in a 14oz spray can for less than $6.  Now they also make a carpenter ant and termite killer it also is in a 14oz can and sells for about $7 and like “Shoo-Fly Ant and Roach” it works every time.  Now if you have a problem with sugar ants, there is a bait station called “Max Force”.  It comes 24 stations to a bag and retails for about $30.  This is how I use it- spray first with the ant and roach, (that kills anything walking) and then put out the bait stations.  Put them in the corners of the windows and in the back of the pantry- you won’t have an ant problem after that. 

Now to the e-mail….

Question:  What is the best product to use in our septic system?  Everyone tells me of a different product. 

Answer:  The very best is called “One Flush” and you use 1 package in any commode once a month.  It has millions more, no zillions of those little bacteria eating microbes than any other one cleaner. It comes 3 to a package and cost less than $10.

Question:  I have an old piece of furniture that needs to be restored because of a fading finish and white rings left by wet glasses.  Do I have to sand down the whole table and then re- stain and then varnish?

Answer:  There is a product that is much faster and easier than doing all of that.  It’s called “Restore A Finish”.  Made by the Howard Co – the Restore A Finish comes in colors to match any furniture finish.  Clean the surface of the furniture and then apply the Restore A Finish with a soft rag.  Then to protect the surface use the companion product called “Feed and Wax”.  You can do this in less than 20 minutes, and your furniture will look great. 

Question:  Johnnie I was trying to save money and hired a man to do the tile work in my shower, and he did not leave very much space between the tile and it left very little room for grout.  Should we use the Stone Tech Sealer on the tile and grout to keep it from leaking?  Also we have a niche built in to hold shampoo and soap, will the Stone Tech work there to keep it from leaking?

Answer:  Stone Tech is a great product line and their sealers work well- I would recommend using them on your project. 

Question:  I have an older cultured marble top that doesn’t look as good as it use to.  It has hair line cracks in the bottom that collect dirt.  We don’t want to replace them right now- do you have a suggestion?

Answer:  My daughter has the same problem.  She uses a product from Stone Tech called Stone Polish.  It will not look new again, but it looks so much better than it did.  She just uses it after cleaning each week to keep a soft luster on the marble.

Question:  I have terrazzo floors in my entry way and in both baths.  I have been told that floors have to be professionally cleaned and polished.  Is that true?

Answer:  There is a cleaner made by Holloway House called “No Bucket” and it is a neutral cleaner that need no rinsing.  The greatest product to put on top of that clean floor is called “Quick Shine”.  It’s not a wax but a polymer finish that you never have to strip or buff.  Just apply the Quick Shine with the Holloway House Mop and watch the shine come back to your floors.  I put on 1 coat on a laminate floor about a year ago, and it still shines.  Trudy put 5 coats on her 22 year old parquet flooring and it looks so rich.  When ever she is having company she just quickly puts on one coat and the deep shine comes right back.  It’s one of those miracle products.

Got a question for Johnnie? Tune in to Johnnie's radio show Saturday mornings on KTSA (5500 AM) from 9-11 or call 828-8907. Reach him on the web at www.AcmeLumber.com.