Dear Home Ec 101,
How does one remove dried milk from wood? Every low surface in my kitchen (chair legs, table legs, cabinets) is full of dried milk spots from spills that always go farther and cover more area than you can initially see. No matter how I try to clean them, I get the same result: it looks clean while it’s still wet and I think I’ve won, but as soon as it dries, the spots are still all there!
Signed,
Sobbing Suze in Toddler Town
Heather says:
Chin up chicky, the solution isn’t that difficult. Grab a bucket
, or two if you’re lazy like me and hate getting up and down from the floor. If you take the two bucket approach, you might as well grab two rags. Fill the first bucket with a healthy dollop of dish soap like something like old fashioned Dawn
the plain, dark blue, nothing fancy added dish detergent. Add just an inch or two of water. Now, swish and swish the water until you have a lot of frothy suds.
In your other bucket just use clear water.
Wet the first rag with just the soapy bubbles, don’t dip it down into the water. The world won’t end if you do, but try to get it as soapy, with the foam as possible. Now scrub off the milk spots and use a little elbow grease while you are at it. Next take your second rag, dip it in the plain water, wring it out, and wipe off the soap. Be sure to rinse this rag frequently.
When the chair legs are dry, give them a polish. I’m not huge on recommending brands, but I am a fan of the Method Wood for Good
. I mean seriously, I don’t even like perfumes and it smells fantastic. I’m sure those with nut allergies are about to send well punctuated and tactful e-mails describing my insensitivity. Y’all get a pass, you don’t have to like the scent, save your ire for when I sing the praises of peanut butter.
Send your domestic mysteries to helpme@home-ec101.com.
