Dear Home Ec 101:So, uh, how bad is it if I add a little liquid dish detergent when I’m running out of laundry detergent? I swear my momma didn’t raise me this way.~Bubbling in Beaumont Heather says: Chances are if you have some laundry detergent to add to a load of laundry you probably have …
Ivy says: From Twitter this morning: Geriatric cat peed on relatively new couch. Cushion doesn’t feel wet to touch, but when you sit down, you get a surprise. I think it’s all soaked into the middle of the cushions. they don’t detach completely. Argh. Twitter only gives you 140 characters, so you have to be …
Dear Home Ec 101:It seems like all my colored T-shirts come out of the washer with a few faint stains on the front. It looks like I spilled a drop or two of water on me when I put them on. It’s on them all, no matter what load they went into or what they …
Heather says: Commenter Keter raises some interesting points: Formaldehyde in clothing also makes it more flammable, and can cause contact dermatitis. Washing will remove the chemical treatment. Baking soda adsorbs (yes, that’s spelled right, it is a chemical process, no a physical one) some of it, but does not neutralize it. Try soaking the clothes …
Heather says: It’s back to school time in my neck of the woods. Try to have the rugrats in bed at a decent hour, lay out clothes (including shoes!) the night before, and check those backpacks. These simple routines help cut down on the morning scramble. Over the next few weeks I’ll supply some quick …
Ivy says: I don’t know about y’all, but it’s HOT here. It got up to 110 degrees today. It’s ridiculous. My air conditioner can’t keep up. I’ve been taking about 100 showers a day (okay, I took three today), loading up on water and lemonade slushes, and sitting in front of a fan. Here’s a …
Heather says: The next time a cotton sock goes missing, take its clean mate and fill it with uncooked rice, be sure to leave some room for the grains to move. Tie or stitch the end closed. You now have a a great hot or cold compress. To use microwave for 1 minute, check for …
Dear Home-Ec 101, We have two dogs and two cats, all dark-haired. Our house is COVERED in pet hair-hardwood floors, carpeted floors, tiled floors and counters. Even the back of our television collects HUGE fur-balls. Help! How do I keep this under control without having to spend 2 hours a day sweeping, vacuuming, dusting, and washing? Our animals are taking …
Heather says: The current heatwave has done a number on my allergies and the grass pollen has wreaked havoc with my eyes. One way I cope is to use teabags as compresses. When I brew a batch of tea, I store the bags in the fridge. When the itching gets out of hand, they are …
Heather says: First, I’ll apologize to everyone with preschoolers who now has a song stuck in their heads. There is no need to wait until you have been suckered into bringing something to a pot luck or picnic to make an appetizing fruit salad. With the recent heat wave, I thought a cool fruit salad …