Heather Solos 
Hi, Home-Ec 101, I just read your article on Hydrogen Peroxide. I just love your website! I was wondering what you use to disinfect/sanitize your kitchen counters. I am trying to find something natural and have a hard time finding information on what actually kills bacteria, germs, etc. I read one way to kill bacteria/germs …
Today’s topic has several meanings. First, know your literal, next-door neighbors. Know their names and phone numbers. Yes, this means you might have to introduce yourself after having lived in your neighborhood or apartment complex for several years. (If your neighbors are a little weird, maybe use a Google Voice number so you don’t have …
Two things before we start this basic how to evacuate safely discussion. Please note that this is a beginner look at emergency preparedness. It’s for those who are just beginning to think about how they or they and their families will handle an emergency and isn’t the place to show off how awesomely prepared you …
Dear Home Ec 101: I live in Hurricane Country and there are often boiling water advisories after a storm. How long am I supposed to boil the water before it is safe to drink? ~Avoiding the Runs in Ravenel Heather says: Boil water advisories are much more common than you may think. Advisories can be …
I live in a part of the country where our usual emergency preparedness includes being ready for hurricanes from June until the end of November, small tornadoes in the spring, and extremely rare earthquakes. 2020, of course, threw in plague and civil unrest. Your home may have other risks, including some that you didn’t expect—looking …
I had a hard time coming up with the name for this shawarma-inspired chicken dish. Why? I don’t want to be culturally appropriative as this is not at all authentic. The flavors, however, remind me of chicken shawarma I have had in the past and hope to have again someday. (I miss traveling so much.) …
What’s your favorite comfort food? Our family’s recent go-to is baked spaghetti, I belong to a group on Facebook for food lovers that also enjoy True Crime. It has the absolute best name (it’s for fans of My Favorite Murder) Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Crime. Isn’t that just the best? Anyhow, one of the more …
Hi Home-Ec 101I had a candle burning under the edge of my cabinet, and it got hot enough to burn it. Some of it is light, and some a pretty dark burn. I have attached pictures. I tried baking soda and water, didn’t work. The furniture markers and crayons did not work. I’ve read about a super fine 0000 steel wool …
Dear Home-Ec 101,My furniture has become very sticky after years of polishing it. Sticky to the point of having to give it a little pull to lift it off the furniture. Googling for a solution, I have used a mixture of water and vinegar. It helped a little but not much. What next?Signed,Sticky in Stockton I …
Look, it’s January. We may have turned the page to the new year, but the pandemic isn’t done with us yet, and some of us may need some good old-fashioned comfort food before this is over. So, let’s start with the most basic. Gravy, it sounds so simple, yet it vexes so many home cooks. …