Home-Ec Guest Ladies, Two questions for you. First, we have a relatively new shower whose walls are cultured marble. What is the best way to give them the occasional clean to remove soap scum, etc? Second, in the same shower, we have sliding glass doors. While doing a deep clean yesterday, I discovered that there is a …
Ivy says: When you get super busy, you’ll forget something. And it’ll always be something important, like paying your auto insurance at renewal time. And you’ll only remember that you need to pay your renewal when you nearly wreck into someone. And then when you call to get that fixed, the computers at your insurance …
Hello ladies, Recently I bought a nice tote bag at an airport shop while travelling. As soon as I got it onto the plane, I realized it reeeeeeeeeeeeeeks of mothballs. How does one get rid of this smell; a smell that permeates everything it contacts? I tried Febreeze, I tried leaving it ouside overnight…still stinky. …
Dear Home-Ec 101, My husband is an engineer and sometimes likes to get dirty helping the techs repair his machine. Usually the grease spots on his jeans come out with Spray-n-Wash (sometimes I have to treat them twice) or it’s a pair of junk jeans and I don’t bother to worry about it. But he …
Ivy says: Do you get paint all over you when you’re painting your house? I sure do, and in odd places like my knees and my shins. Don’t ask. So, how to get all that paint off without resorting to mineral spirits or other things that are harsh on your skin? I use a rock. …
Dear Home-Ec 101, I need help cooking rice. I can’t do it-brown rice, white rice, minute rice, not-minute rice. I just can’t seem to get it to the right texture. Help me? Signed, Riceless in Reno Ivy says: Rice can be tough. I cannot begin to tell you how much rice I have messed up …
Ivy says: I’m picking up out of my funk I’ve been in, in case you were wondering. However, even though I’m a lot cheerier lately, I am feeling rather unmotivated and uninspired, largely. So, with that, I must ask the best readers in the world: What gets you going? What really motivates you? What, or …
Dear Home-Ec 101, It seems that the birds are talking in my neighborhood….what’s the twittering about? “There’s a neighborhood swimming hole AND buffet.” Yup, it’s true, all the little birds are coming to my house to swim, bathe, and snack in the DOGS WATER DISH! Every day I have to swab the back deck with …
Ivy says: I saw this post earlier today, and while the original poster was actually talking about something different than the rest of us thought, it did make me think. (It’s a dangerous pastime, I know) Anybody ever read Dicey’s Song? When I was younger, I strongly identified with her hatred of Home Ec. My …
Dear Home-Ec 101, My kids whine incessantly when I ask them to help clean, and they do a halfhearted job when they finally clean. How do I get them to help out? Signed, Ripping my hair out in Riverdale Ivy says: I know what that’s like. My kids still put up a fuss about cleaning, …