Dear Home-Ec 101, I have an odd problem, but you seem to be pretty good at those. I recently had my bathroom flooring replaced (it’s vinyl)and in the process, the toilet’s wax ring was also replaced. There is waxy residue where the ring squished out the sides.. I’ve cleaned up the bulk of the wax, …
Dear Home-Ec 101, We have a lovely bedroom set of furniture from a big box baby store. In white. One sick child + one classic orange popsicle + one apparently cracked emesis basin + one day = one bright orange stain on the white dresser. I tried a diaper wipe thinking the mess was still …
Dear Heather, I’m so lucky to have a new refrigerator with water and ice in the door (I have arrived!). Still, in the several months since I got the fridge, the water/ice dispenser has become a little drippy. There is mildew accumulating around the gasket between the actual maker (in the fridge itself) and the …
Dear Home-Ec 101, I just read your post about scrubbing tile floors. I need to do this! I’ve swept and mopped for three years on my tile floors, and I’ve been knowing I need to do something to make the grout white again. I did the test to see if my grout had been sealed. …
Dear Home-Ec 101, My mother has wax build up on an antique secretary. It is a dark wood with a shiny surface. Over many years of waxing the wax has built up and in places the shine has dulled. Can you help? Signed, Smudged in Smyrna Heather says: Are you sure that it’s wax build …
Dear Heather,This summer, I noticed these tiny little gray bugs on my window sills in the kitchen and bathroom. They are so light and tiny. I have almost thought they were dust at times. Last week I diluted some bleach on a cloth and wiped down the window sills. That seems to have helped. I’d …
Heather says: While writing the book, I had an excuse to procrastinate every household project on the list. Clean the gutters? I can’t, I have chapters due. Trust me, I felt every bit a hypocrite, doing this too. Now that excuse is long gone, the book is safely on the shelves of bookstores. The house …
Dear Home-Ec 101: I’ve been having issues with my refrigerator & freezer recently. It is an old (circa 1995 according to the repairguy)* side by side that came with the house when I bought it in ’08. About 2 months the thing just quit. I opened up the freezer door to get some ice cream …
Dear Home-Ec 101, I / my husband / my kid didn’t check their pockets and now my dryer smells minty fresh, but is covered with with gum. How do I get the gum out of the dryer and off of the clothing? Signed, Several Home-Ec Readers this Week Heather says: Thankfully, removing gum from the dryer …
Dear Home-Ec 101,I have a rusty microwave and I’m worried. I know that there has always been some rust inside my microwave door, but recently I noticed it has become a lot of rust. I wiped it, shut the door & reopened it, and saw the rust dust was spreading. I only use my microwave …