Dear Reena: I was given a set of glass spice bottles that haven't been used for a while. The tops are cork, and I don't know how to get the smell out of them. Some are pretty strong.
Donna
Dear Donna: Squeeze toothpaste into each bottle and fill with water. Replace the corks and shake well. Leave for one or two days and then pour out and rinse. Air dry; this solution should take care of the smell.
Dear Reena: I have a walnut-colour wooden floor. I clean it with half vinegar/half water. Still, the foot-steps look misty (dusty) and the shine is gone. The floor is only a couple of years old.
Damu
Dear Damu: We always want to choose a cleaner that does not leave residue behind, because several years of wax build-up from certain cleaners will prevent proper application of polyurethane in future years.
It is a good idea to mop with vinegar and water once in a while, but don't be afraid to switch from one solution to another.
Here is one of my favourite formulas for hardwood floors using tea. While it might seem strange to use tea as a cleaner, this homemade floor cleaner has been around for years. The tannic acid in tea provides a great shine to wood floors.
Brew a pot of tea with three tea bags. Allow to cool and add to a bucket of water and one quarter teaspoon dish soap. Dampen mop and scrub.
In my opinion, the key to a great looking floor is to clean well and dry immediately. You can use a sponge mop, Norwex microfibre mop or Rubbermaid Spray and mop - or anything else along those lines.
There are many helpful commercial products on the market as well such as: Bona Kemi Pacific Floor cleaner or Mini Wax for hardwood floors.
Dear Reena: I've heard you on the radio and would like to buy one of your books. I'd like to choose the one that has the answer to my most irritating problem at the moment. We have a trampoline in the backyard and had to move it to one side of the yard while we were doing some construction. I just noticed that, because it has been under a pine tree, the entire mat (the part the kids jump on) is now covered in blobs of sap. This sap is hard to get off the pad and the kids' feet, socks and the seats of their pants.
I'm looking for something that can dissolve these blobs and clean the mat without damaging it. Can you tell me which of your books might have the answer to this question?
Dorothy
Dear Dorothy: Your best bet is to dab sticky fabric areas and feet with mayonnaise. Leave for about 10 minutes and wipe. Next, blot with water and dish soap.
The easiest solution for cleaning the mat is to spray it with WD-40 and leave it for 10-15 minutes. Wipe and wash with dish soap and water.
Books 1 and 2 have many of the answers to stickiness, odours, pests, cooking, baking and stains.
Book 3 is devoted to making your own non-toxic cleaners and spa products, and has lots of green hints.
Dear Reena: Do you have any hints for slowing down the deterioration of tarnish on my silver cutlery and silver jewelry?
Maria
Dear Maria: Don't wait for Aunt Mildred to come over for Christmas once a year before you pull out your fancy cutlery. The more you use silver cutlery, the less likely it is to tarnish. Store chalk with silver. Chalk is made from limestone and acts as a moisture absorber whenever you store the two together.
Some people tuck their silver jewelry inside lidded glass jars with a piece of chalk to cut down on tarnish.
Dear Reena: I have a mouse problem. I have heard that I can keep mice away by soaking cotton balls with peppermint extract and placing them near where the mice may visit. My home setup does not easily allow me to dig up and seal all entry points. I am going through a massive amount of poison at this time and I am unable to control the entrance area to my crawl space. I would like to repel these rodents to another space but if I am unable, I will continue to try to kill them.
Paul
Dear Paul: While some people resort to glue boards, mouse traps and poisons, other people are repulsed by the thought of hurting little animals.
Health Canada recommends that when all else fails, control mice with pesticide in tamper-proof bait stations filled with rodenticide. This poison used to control rodent populations must be kept away from food, children and pets. Read the label directions and take safety precautions such as wearing gloves whenever handling rodenticide.
It is also important to note that a mouse can have up to 16 babies at a time and therefore, if the problem is not controlled, you will quickly have hundreds of mice running around your place. Unless there is a way to seal off all entrances to your home with items such as expandable foam or steel wool, the problem will continue to grow.
Your best bet is to call in an expert in pest control to help you control the mice.
Fancy cake tips:
? Save and clean empty ketchup and mustard squeeze bottles. These are wonderful for decorating cookies, cupcakes, brownies and cakes.
? Create a fancy design on the top of an icing-free cake. Put a paper doily on the cake and sprinkle with icing sugar to make a geometric pattern.
? Ice cream cakes can be expensive to purchase. Making your own customized ice cream dream cake is a snap. Soften your favourite ice cream by leaving it on the counter for a while.
Grease the bottom of a 9x13 inch rectangular baking pan. Mix together half a cup softened margarine/butter and 2 cups Graham wafer or chocolate Oreo cookie crumbs. Press crumb mixture into pan.
Whip softened ice cream using your mixer. Pour and spread ice cream over crumb bottom. Decorate the top by squeezing chocolate or caramel syrup over ice cream or sprinkle with chocolate cookie crumbs. Freeze. Remove from freezer 10 minutes before serving. For the peanut butter lovers in your family, mix peanut butter with vanilla ice cream. Sprinkle the top of cake with chopped peanuts.
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