Hi,

Our decorator put down a wet bottle of white spirit on our limestone
fireplace mantlepiece and it has left a ring stain. We assume it is
white spirit as it smells like white spirit and has not evaporated like
water.

Assuming it is white spirit, please can anyone suggest a good way to
remove the stain (other than replacing the fireplace!)? I've read about
poultices of talcum powder and peroxide for other stains, but have so
far not found any suggestions for white spirit.

Any suggestions most appreciated!

Thanks,

Pete

John Rumm wrote:
....
Any suggestions most appreciated!

Sure it was not something more oily like turps? White spirit usually
evaporates fairly quickly.


Good point John, it could be (either) - they both smell the same I think
(to my nose, anyway!)

We thought it was coffee or tea till my wife had the good idea of
actually putting her nose near it and sniffing!

If it was turps, then...

Pete

Peter Boulton wrote:
Hi,

Our decorator put down a wet bottle of white spirit on our limestone
fireplace mantlepiece and it has left a ring stain. We assume it is
white spirit as it smells like white spirit and has not evaporated like
water.

Assuming it is white spirit, please can anyone suggest a good way to
remove the stain (other than replacing the fireplace!)? I've read about
poultices of talcum powder and peroxide for other stains, but have so
far not found any suggestions for white spirit.

Any suggestions most appreciated!

Sure it was not something more oily like turps? White spirit usually
evaporates fairly quickly.

--
Cheers,

John.

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| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

Peter Boulton wrote:
John Rumm wrote:
...
Any suggestions most appreciated!

Sure it was not something more oily like turps? White spirit usually
evaporates fairly quickly.


Good point John, it could be (either) - they both smell the same I think
(to my nose, anyway!)

We thought it was coffee or tea till my wife had the good idea of
actually putting her nose near it and sniffing!

If it was turps, then...

Real turps is uncommon - most encountered is the substitute stuff which
is basically white spirit anyway. I would be inclined to leave it for a
bit and see if it fades. Failing that, you could try a sheet of blotting
paper and a little warmth (iron), and see if that picks up any.
Absorbent materials like fullers earth or even clay cat litter may also
draw some out. As a last resort, paint the rest with white spirit to
match! ;-)

--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

Peter Boulton wrote:
Hi,

Our decorator put down a wet bottle of white spirit on our limestone
fireplace mantlepiece and it has left a ring stain. We assume it is
white spirit as it smells like white spirit and has not evaporated like
water.

Assuming it is white spirit, please can anyone suggest a good way to
remove the stain (other than replacing the fireplace!)? I've read about
poultices of talcum powder and peroxide for other stains, but have so
far not found any suggestions for white spirit.

Any suggestions most appreciated!

Thanks,

Pete

If you can still smell it, it hasn't evaporated, so there's a good
chance it'll go eventually. It evaporates quickly from a sealed surface
but limestone is porous, so it could take a while.

Peter Boulton wrote:
Hi,

Our decorator put down a wet bottle of white spirit on our limestone
fireplace mantlepiece and it has left a ring stain. We assume it is
white spirit as it smells like white spirit and has not evaporated like
water.

Assuming it is white spirit, please can anyone suggest a good way to
remove the stain (other than replacing the fireplace!)? I've read about
poultices of talcum powder and peroxide for other stains, but have so
far not found any suggestions for white spirit.

Any suggestions most appreciated!

Thanks,

Pete

A priest?

--
Rod

Hypothyroidism is a seriously debilitating condition with an insidious
onset.
Although common it frequently goes undiagnosed.
www.thyromind.info www.thyroiduk.org www.altsupportthyroid.org

On Mon, 22 Jun 2009 21:06:56 +0800, Peter Boulton
had this to say:

Hi,

Our decorator put down a wet bottle of white spirit on our limestone
fireplace mantlepiece and it has left a ring stain. We assume it is
white spirit as it smells like white spirit and has not evaporated like
water.

Assuming it is white spirit, please can anyone suggest a good way to
remove the stain (other than replacing the fireplace!)? I've read about
poultices of talcum powder and peroxide for other stains, but have so
far not found any suggestions for white spirit.

Any suggestions most appreciated!

Thanks,

Make a claim against the decorator - he ought to be insured for things
like this...


Failing that, an angle-grinder might help. :-)

--
Frank Erskine

On 22 June, 21:26, John Rumm wrote:
the substitute stuff which is basically white spirit anyway.

Nope - white spirit is Stoddard solvent, originally a dry cleaning
fluid, and it _will_ evaporate.

If this stuff doesn't, then it's either turps sub or poundshop white
spirit that isn't real (to the BS standard) white spirit.

Rod wrote:

Assuming it is white spirit, please can anyone suggest a good way to
remove the stain (other than replacing the fireplace!)? I've read
about poultices of talcum powder and peroxide for other stains, but
have so far not found any suggestions for white spirit.


A priest?


Isn't that for dark spirits?

Andy

Stuart Noble wrote :


If you can still smell it, it hasn't evaporated, so there's a good chance
it'll go eventually. It evaporates quickly from a sealed surface but
limestone is porous, so it could take a while.

That's good thinking Stuart, thanks! I hope you're right. Not sure
whether it might be a little lighter now but as we tried putting
fragranced talcum powder over it we can now only smell the talcum
powder!

Pete

Stuart Noble wrote :


If you can still smell it, it hasn't evaporated, so there's a good chance
it'll go eventually. It evaporates quickly from a sealed surface but
limestone is porous, so it could take a while.

That's good thinking Stuart, thanks! I hope you're right. Not sure
whether it might be a little lighter now but as we tried putting
fragranced talcum powder over it we can now only smell the talcum
powder!

Pete

Frank Erskine wrote:
On Mon, 22 Jun 2009 21:06:56 +0800, Peter Boulton
had this to say:

Hi,

Our decorator put down a wet bottle of white spirit on our limestone
fireplace mantlepiece and it has left a ring stain. We assume it is
white spirit as it smells like white spirit and has not evaporated
like water.

Assuming it is white spirit, please can anyone suggest a good way to
remove the stain (other than replacing the fireplace!)? I've read
about poultices of talcum powder and peroxide for other stains, but
have so far not found any suggestions for white spirit.

Any suggestions most appreciated!

Thanks,

Make a claim against the decorator - he ought to be insured for things
like this...

He may well be - but he will have a policy excess of prolly £250, so its not
an open purse.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

"The Medway Handyman" wrote in message
om...


Make a claim against the decorator - he ought to be insured for things
like this...

He may well be - but he will have a policy excess of prolly £250, so its
not an open purse.

That is his problem.

If he is a really careless workman he will end up without any insurance,
that is also his problem.

On Thu, 25 Jun 2009 17:59:24 GMT, "The Medway Handyman"
had this to say:

Frank Erskine wrote:
On Mon, 22 Jun 2009 21:06:56 +0800, Peter Boulton
had this to say:

Hi,

Our decorator put down a wet bottle of white spirit on our limestone
fireplace mantlepiece and it has left a ring stain. We assume it is
white spirit as it smells like white spirit and has not evaporated
like water.

Assuming it is white spirit, please can anyone suggest a good way to
remove the stain (other than replacing the fireplace!)? I've read
about poultices of talcum powder and peroxide for other stains, but
have so far not found any suggestions for white spirit.

Any suggestions most appreciated!

Thanks,

Make a claim against the decorator - he ought to be insured for things
like this...

He may well be - but he will have a policy excess of prolly £250, so its not
an open purse.

So he'll have to pay the excess out of his own pocket....

--
Frank Erskine

dennis@home wrote:
"The Medway Handyman" wrote in
message om...


Make a claim against the decorator - he ought to be insured for
things like this...

He may well be - but he will have a policy excess of prolly £250, so
its not an open purse.

That is his problem.

If he is a really careless workman he will end up without any
insurance, that is also his problem.

Yes Dennipoo's, hanging is too good for him. Be patient, matron will be
around with your medication soon.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

Frank Erskine wrote:
On Thu, 25 Jun 2009 17:59:24 GMT, "The Medway Handyman"
had this to say:

Frank Erskine wrote:
On Mon, 22 Jun 2009 21:06:56 +0800, Peter Boulton
had this to say:

Hi,

Our decorator put down a wet bottle of white spirit on our
limestone fireplace mantlepiece and it has left a ring stain. We
assume it is white spirit as it smells like white spirit and has
not evaporated like water.

Assuming it is white spirit, please can anyone suggest a good way
to remove the stain (other than replacing the fireplace!)? I've
read about poultices of talcum powder and peroxide for other
stains, but have so far not found any suggestions for white spirit.

Any suggestions most appreciated!

Thanks,

Make a claim against the decorator - he ought to be insured for
things like this...

He may well be - but he will have a policy excess of prolly £250, so
its not an open purse.

So he'll have to pay the excess out of his own pocket....

Unlikely that the claim would be over £250, but the point I'm making is
about the 'make a claim' culture that abounds these days. What the OP
should do is to ask the decorator politely to help sort out the problem not
immediately think 'make a claim, he's insured'.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

The Medway Handyman wrote:
Frank Erskine wrote:
On Thu, 25 Jun 2009 17:59:24 GMT, "The Medway Handyman"
had this to say:

Frank Erskine wrote:
On Mon, 22 Jun 2009 21:06:56 +0800, Peter Boulton
had this to say:

Hi,

Our decorator put down a wet bottle of white spirit on our
limestone fireplace mantlepiece and it has left a ring stain. We
assume it is white spirit as it smells like white spirit and has
not evaporated like water.

Assuming it is white spirit, please can anyone suggest a good way
to remove the stain (other than replacing the fireplace!)? I've
read about poultices of talcum powder and peroxide for other
stains, but have so far not found any suggestions for white spirit.

Any suggestions most appreciated!

Thanks,

Make a claim against the decorator - he ought to be insured for
things like this...
He may well be - but he will have a policy excess of prolly £250, so
its not an open purse.
So he'll have to pay the excess out of his own pocket....

Unlikely that the claim would be over £250, but the point I'm making is
about the 'make a claim' culture that abounds these days. What the OP
should do is to ask the decorator politely to help sort out the problem not
immediately think 'make a claim, he's insured'.


There has to be some effort on the part of the home owner as well.
Anyone who has tried to work in a house with kids (or, worse still,
dogs) running around, will know what I mean. You start off with a
situation where accidents are almost inevitable.
I can remember having to wash up the breakfast things before tiling
someone's kitchen. Whose responsibility is it if I break a plate? A very
grey area I think.

Stuart Noble wrote:
The Medway Handyman wrote:
Frank Erskine wrote:
On Thu, 25 Jun 2009 17:59:24 GMT, "The Medway Handyman"
had this to say:

Frank Erskine wrote:
On Mon, 22 Jun 2009 21:06:56 +0800, Peter Boulton
had this to say:

Hi,

Our decorator put down a wet bottle of white spirit on our
limestone fireplace mantlepiece and it has left a ring stain. We
assume it is white spirit as it smells like white spirit and has
not evaporated like water.

Assuming it is white spirit, please can anyone suggest a good way
to remove the stain (other than replacing the fireplace!)? I've
read about poultices of talcum powder and peroxide for other
stains, but have so far not found any suggestions for white
spirit. Any suggestions most appreciated!

Thanks,

Make a claim against the decorator - he ought to be insured for
things like this...
He may well be - but he will have a policy excess of prolly £250,
so its not an open purse.
So he'll have to pay the excess out of his own pocket....

Unlikely that the claim would be over £250, but the point I'm making
is about the 'make a claim' culture that abounds these days. What
the OP should do is to ask the decorator politely to help sort out
the problem not immediately think 'make a claim, he's insured'.


There has to be some effort on the part of the home owner as well.
Anyone who has tried to work in a house with kids (or, worse still,
dogs) running around, will know what I mean. You start off with a
situation where accidents are almost inevitable.

I can remember having to wash up the breakfast things before tiling
someone's kitchen. Whose responsibility is it if I break a plate? A
very grey area I think.

Yup. BTDTGTTS. Fitting laminate floor & the room hadn't been cleared as
arranged, flat pack they said would be taken upstairs & wasn't - thats
happened just this week.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk