Dear Home Ec 101, We keep getting these pale pinkish stains on the shower curtains and at the base of the tub. Our neighbor has the same issue, and he thinks it’s metal in the Mt P. water supply. Could it be mold? Could it be mold? I’ve found a weak bleach solution or most any …
Ivy says: Now that summer is in full swing, and I usually have more time to get things done because now I have helpers who are normally in school. So, I’m doing a project a week to get my house into shape! You can follow along as I do the projects and do them with …
Dear Home Ec 101,I was baking a pecan pie for my sister-in-law when smoke suddenly started to fill the kitchen. When I looked in the oven, I noticed that some of the syrupy filling had spilled over onto the bottom of the oven, but the pie was done, so I took it out and didn’t think …
My Darling Home Ec Divas, I’m all set for Memorial Day weekend. I have family and friends coming over for a barbecue. The menu’s set, the food is bought, the house is clean (well, it’s getting there), I’m ready. Well, except for one thing. My lawn furniture is ewww and funk. Seriously, I don’t know …
Dear Home Ec 101, What is the best way to clean that black yuk that tends to grow in the corners of the shower? I have a ceramic tile shower and I have used every mixture I can think of to rid the shower of the black stuff from straight Clorox to the gimmicks from …
Ivy says: Yesterday, my mom came over because she had a little time to kill before going to work. There wasn’t any time to clean up because she called me as she turned onto my street. Thanks, mom. “Ah, Ivy,” she said, “Your home is a bastion of cleanliness.” We both laughed because, to be …
Dear Home Ec 101, How can I make my husband help around the house? Signed, Nags Head, NC Heather says: I moved out quite young and lived with an interesting variety of roommates until I married. Different people have different standards of cleanliness and tolerance. If you are the Felix of your relationship, odds are …
Dear Home Ec 101, My husband and I recently moved into a new home….one in which the previous owner clearly had never heard of cleaning the shower. I tried using “Kaboom” on the tiles and glass doors, but it seemed to have no effect. The scum on the doors is truly gross. We have relatively …
Our fabulous commenter Bramble asked: How exactly does one dust the wall? Do you dust the entire wall with a dust cloth? Do you wash it? Ivy says: This, of course, varies depending on how big your walls are and how dirty your walls are. My preferred method is to use a wool duster with …
This has been hard for me to write because I have a small house. My living room, family room, great room, or whatever you want to call it is my office, sewing room, dining room, etc. So the way I spring clean my living room wouldn’t necessarily be the same as yours. For example, I’m …