How to repair the pull chain on a lamp -

Q: I have a floor lamp that is at least 50 years old. The last time I turned it on, or at least when I last tried to turn it on, the pull chain broke off. Is this something I can repair myself or should I look for a professional? Also, do you recommend getting a new chain, as this one may be too old to trust again?

Silver Spring

A: Assuming the cord is still in good shape, you should be able to repair your lamp yourself using a single tool: a screwdriver. Or for $5 plus the parts you'd need to buy anyway, you can take it to Strosniders Hardware, which has a store in Silver Spring (301-565-9150; www.strosniders.com), and they'll do it for you.

If you’re game for doing it yourself: Unplug the lamp and remove the bulb, shade and harp (if the lamp has this curved part that holds up the shade). Then take apart the existing socket. You’ll see that it consists of a top part, usually with a crimped edge, stuffed into a lower part. Squeeze the top part and gently rock it back and forth until you can slip it up and out. If there is a cardboard insulating tube, remove it, too. With a screwdriver, loosen the screws that hold the lamp wires. That should free the lower part of the socket interior, leaving a metal base still screwed to a center rod on the lamp. Leave the base in place unless you can’t find replacement parts for just the sections you removed or plan to replace the cord.

A new socket interior costs around $5; a full socket, with the base piece, is a few dollars more. If you buy the full socket, make sure the threaded part of the base fits your lamp. And if your lamp has a three-way bulb, be sure to buy a replacement socket of the same style. Don't worry about buying a new chain: It comes as part of any new pull-chain socket.

To install the new socket, do everything in reverse. But check first that you see a knot in the wires where they rise in the socket base. If there is no knot, pull enough of the cord into the socket base so you can add this knot, which keeps the wires from pulling loose from the screws. Search on the Web for “underwriter’s knot” and you will find instructions. Basically you just form each wire into a loop and thread the opposite wire through it. (If you’re installing a full socket, untie the knot so you can remove the old base; it unscrews but there may be a screw on the outside that you need to loosen first. Screw on the new base, then retie the wires.)

If the lamp cord is frayed, replace it before the new socket goes in. You can do this yourself, too, but it means disassembling the lamp and then getting everything back in reverse order. It seems simple, but it’s easy to mess up. To avoid having a wobbly lamp, if you need a new cord, you might want to skip the DIY approach and just have a pro fix everything. Strosniders can install a new cord and switch for $15-$20 plus parts.

We have an oak dining table in the kitchen. After 50 years of use and likely hundreds of cleaning products, the table has a very sticky finish. I read on the Internet to try Murphy’s Oil Soap diluted in warm water, but that didn’t work. I also tried Goo Gone, but it didn’t work, either. I also tried applying a wood wax product. The table is still sticky.

I am at the point where I am tempted to sand off the finish, but I hate to ruin the table. Are there any other products I could try?

Springfield

It’s highly likely that the original finish, whatever it was, has worn away over the years and been replaced with layers and layers of oily residue. So rather than just trying to clean the finish, what you really need to do is get rid of it. The gentlest way to do that while preserving the patina of the wood is with super-fine steel wool (No. 0000). Mineral spirits works well as a lubricant, and it will also help dissolve any oily or greasy grime.

If using steel wool sounds too aggressive, there’s one other thing you can try first. You’ve already tried a water-based cleaner — Murphy’s Oil Soap is that, designed for cleaning water-soluble grime from surface finishes. But it’s not clear whether you have already tried a solvent-based cleaner. Goo Gone’s original formula and the brand’s Pro Power products are solvent-based, but the company also makes products, such as Goo Gone Kitchen Degreaser, that are water-based. So if you haven’t already used a solvent-based cleaner, you might want to start by trying that. The simplest cleaner in this category is mineral spirits, also known as paint thinner. Wearing gloves, moisten a white cloth and rub. If that lifts the sticky stuff, keep going. Otherwise, switch to using the steel wool.

Once you get the goo off, try waxing the table with paste wax. If that ever turns sticky, it should strip off easily with paint thinner and you can start over.

Have a problem in your home? Send questions to localliving@washpost.com . Put "How To" in the subject line, tell us where you live and try to include a photo.

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