Dear Home Ec 101: Help! I have ants milling around my cats’ water bowl. We can’t figure out where they are coming from, but a few more appear each day. They seem to be mostly interested in the water dish, since we tend to keep the rest of the food put away except for meal …
Heather says: I spent the weekend digging through the nearly 1400 posts here on Home Ec 101, tagging, sorting, and doing other fun maintenance. While doing so, I stumbled on a post from 2008 asking readers for their best cleaning tips. I thought it would fun to share their knowledge in a conveniently packaged formatt. …
Heather says: It dawned on me last night -because even in my head the clock is off- that after nearly three years of posting I have never described the difference between: clean, organized, sanitary, and sterile. Well… hang on because it isn’t that difficult. I’ve got lots more easy to understand and very practical information …
Dear Home-Ec 101, One of my darling monsters spilled acrylic paint on my laminate counters. Then, being the smart little cookie he is, he placed one of my cookbooks over the stain to hide the mess. I don’t know when this happened, but it was long enough to let the paint dry. I don’t care …
Dear Home-Ec 101: We just moved into an older house and I don’t think anyone has cleaned the windows in years. We had it pressure washed and used Windex but the windows still look covered in grime. Are there any other solutions I can use that will get off the tough dirt. Signed, Let The …
Dear Home-Ec 101: Help, our dog peed on the couch! We did check our warranty info and contacted the manufacturer, who suggested that we spot clean the urine-stained area with diluted dish soap. The soap got out the visible pee stain, but we can still smell urine. I’ve also unsuccessfully tried some pet cleaner and …
Dear Home-Ec 101, I’m hoping you or your readers can help me with this household problem. Our bathroom has a plastic-inserted bathtub, and it seems as if no matter how much I clean and scrub away at it, the tub still has this scummy ring around it that won’t go away. I’ve tried several commercial …
Dear Home Ec 101, My spouse, it’s not me, no never me, has a bad habit of leaving his dirty plastic containers in the back of his car. I have to tell you, they are FUNKY. How do I remove the bad odor? Signed, Smelly in Smyrna Heather says: I feel your pain. First let’s …
Dear Home Ec 101, I am in the market for a new vacuum, and would love feedback on what everyone has and likes. I know you have a Dyson and love it, but not sure if my budget is Dyson or not. I read Consumer Reports, and they seemed to favor the Hoovers. Mine just …
Dear Home Ec 101, Settle this for me, please. My mother says you dust after you vacuum, my mother-in-law says you dust then vacuum. I’d rather knit sweaters for my cat from the dust bunnies, but could you settle the debate? Signed, Dust in the Wind Heather says: <sidestep>To be truthful I usually don’t dust …