Q. What would you recommend for removing grease from Formica-faced kitchen cabinets? There are areas on my white cabinet doors around the stove where grease is embedded in the pores.

— BEATRICE, Boston

A. Try Windex, or a mild solution of ammonia and water. Ammonia is an excellent cutter of grease and oil. But here is a secret to getting the grease from the pores: Apply the solution and let it sit for 2 minutes or so; then scrub and rinse. Any cleaning solution should have time for it to do its work. While the solution is doing its work, add to it if it begins to dry. If this does not do a perfect job, then make a strong Spic N Span solution and wash the cabinets.

It would be nice if you could put an absorbent such as baking soda on the washed surface to pull the grease right out, but that’s not easy on vertical surfaces.

Q. A raccoon tore off some of my asphalt roof shingles. A resulting leak created a wet spot on the attic ceiling, with mold growing. The leak and the roof have been fixed, but the mold remains. How can I get rid of it? The attic’s only 10 years old. Also, are those draft caps for a trapdoor good in keeping moist air out of the attic?

— GLENN, Woburn, Mass.

A. The mold can be cleaned with a bleach solution. If you got rid of it once and it came back, it might be due to moisture condensing on the cool ceiling of the attic, growing more mold. If that’s the case, you can increase the ventilation in the attic. But a 10-year-old attic should have enough ventilation. As for those draft caps, they’re good not only to keep house air from entering the attic but also to insulate against loss of heat. They’re a good buy, but you could also build your own cover, with a box full of rigid insulation (Styrofoam or Thermax) that fits snugly over the trapdoor opening or attic stairway opening.

Q. I’ve made a sandbox for grandchildren. I’d like to know how to make a cover that will keep cats out and yet stay on in the wind. Tarps don’t work because of wind, and plywood is too heavy.

— BOB, Merrimac, Mass

A. When I built an Olympic sandbox for my kids (and the whole neighborhood) many years ago, I think I put down polyethylene plastic a foot or two bigger than the sandbox and weighed it down with stones. If you use polyethylene, try to get 6 mil which may be a little more resistant to cats’ claws.

For a better closure, cut the tarp to the proper size, big enough to overlap all sides, make grommets on the edges of the tarp for holes, and apply hooks on the sides of the box for attaching the tarp. Make the holes close enough together to discourage the cats.

Q. I plan to to glue down my deck boards, as well as using the Deckmaster, technique. What should I use for adhesive? Also, I noticed the Deckmaster strips are similar to metal corner beads, used for reinforcing plastered corners. Could I use those corner beads instead of the Deckmaster?

PETE CARON, Woburn

A. And the last shall be first: Use the Deckmaster strips. The corner beads are lighter in weight, and I don’t think will do as good a job. As for the glue, use Liquid Nails, a brand name that’s almost a generic term for construction adhesive.

Q. I’m rebuilding my front porch, which includes risers for the steps that a part of the projects. The risers are 1-by-8 pine, which has to be painted. I noticed there’s a solid vinyl board on the market (I forget the name), which promises to be long lasting and not need painting. Would that do? It’s much more expensive than wood.

R.P., Rowley

A. Yes, it will do, and it’s probably a part of our future. I’m not a big fan of vinyl siding, but this stuff called Azek shows promise. It comes in all shapes of trim board and fence pieces. I bought some balusters of the material (cellular PVC) and they look good. The material can be nailed,

sawed, cut, drilled, and everything else that is done with wood. It’s suggested that you pre-drill holes for nails, especially at ends and edges of the boards.

For your risers, use galvanized finish nails, countersink them and fill them with any wood filler. The PVC does not have to be painted, but you can paint filled nail holes with a solid latex stain or latex house paint.

The material has its detractors, and for good reason. PVC requires oil for manufacture (not renewable), and disposal can cause land fill or or burning problems. But it is my guess that PVC will be recyclable. It’s likely to be around for a long time.

Peter Hotton is available 1-6 p.m. Tuesdays to answer questions on house repair. Call 617-929-2930. Hotton also chats on line about house matters 2-3 p.m. Thursdays. To participate, go to Boston.com. Hotton’s e-mail is photton(AT)globe.com.