Dear Home Ec 101, Is there such a thing as a weed killer that will not affect my dogs? In addition to the two greyhounds that live in the house, I have multiple neighbors who think the leash law does not apply to them, plus several feral cats that like to hang in my window …
Dear Home Ec 101, Every year my home is filled with ladybugs. Well, I’m not really sure if they are even ladybugs, but they sure look like them. Could they be ladybirds? Whatever they are, I want them out of my house. How do I get rid of the infestation? Signed, Crawling in Crawford Heather …
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: If your faucet’s water pressure has been slowly falling there may be a simple fix. Did you know you have to clean the aerator? I can hear some of you now, what is she talking about? The aerator increases pressure by forcing the water into many tiny streams. Over time mineral deposits from …
Heather says: Learn from me -Unless you have one of those clog free gutter systems like they advertise on the radio. all. the. time. – add “clean out the gutters” to your list of semi-annual maintenance. Why? Gutters collect leaves and twigs. These leaves, twigs, and ahem, saplings prevent the the flow of water. …
Dear Home Ec 101, How in the WORLD do you clean off the reflectors on the stove top after you’ve successfully made them the most horribly dirty items in your house? I am down to one burner that I can use without setting my fire alarms off! Signed, ~Smells Like Smoke in Smallville Heather says: …
Dear Home Ec 101,An old roommate of mine borrowed a dresser from me and used it while we lived together. After she gave it back, the drawers had a musty smell that I couldn’t get rid of. If I put any clothes in the drawers, they come out smelling funky and musty too. What should …
Dear Home Ec 101, My daughter spilled finger nail polish remover on her dresser. What can I do to repair it? Thanks. Signed, Acetone ACK! Heather says: There are a few options to make the best of the situation. First, we have the “disguise it and pretend it didn’t happen approach.” With this method, you …
Dear Home Ec 101,I admit I wanted one of those – a bagless vacuum cleaner! What an amazing idea! No thought was given to what I was going to do with the container full of dust and debris. I’ve figured out that dumping out the junk is fairly easy – although many people including myself …
Dear Home Ec 101, My husband nearly burnt our house down recently because he turned the oven on and forgot to take our plastic strainer out of it. The plastic is everywhere, now hard and stuck. I’m not exactly kitchen-smart, especially when it comes to the stove. (I’ve been known to mess up cup-a-soups by forgetting …