Dear Home Ec 101, Should I be cleaning my floor broom? Can I clean my broom, if I use it on something really disgusting? Currently, I have a synthetic fiber broom, but I suppose the question is relevant for any types. And then how? Nasty things I may have to sweep up include: sticky foods …
Dear Home Ec 101, There are stacks of paper all over my house. Do you have any suggestions on how I can better organize this mess? Signed, Precarious Piles Heather says: I am completely guilty of this avoidance behavior. Living in a mess of paper clutter is a sure sign that someone in the home is …
Dear Home Ec 101, I just got some new stainless steel appliances–and they streak–and have blotchy places on them. Any ideas? Signed, The Streak Heather says: You aren’t the first homeowner to fall for the gleaming lure of stainless. It’s so pretty there in the show room. What you don’t see are the legions of …
Heather says: While double checking my research I was stunned by how many frugal websites recommend a homemade cleaning agent with both bleach and vinegar in the recipe. NO. Never mix bleach and vinegar, bleach and ammonia, bleach and toilet bowl cleaners, or even different brands of toilet bowl cleaners (some are bleach based while …
Dear Home Ec 101,Here’s a question for those of us in Nashville who are conserving water due to the flood, what’s the best way to conserve water while washing dishes? I know the dishwasher is out. Should we wash dishes individually, or do the whole fill-up-the-sink-with-water thing? Does that really get dishes clean? It always …
Dear Overwhelmed, Many new parents go through a period like this. Rest assured, you are not alone. Some of these have been covered elsewhere on the site. Get comfortable. This answer is going to take a while. Home Eccers, you’ve probably heard me say a lot of it before. Feel free to give Overwhelmed your …
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, 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 …
The following is a guest post by Dr. Alice of Feet First. Dr. Alice says: “Cleanliness is next to godliness” is a well-known saying, but my recent experiences have changed my mind: It would be more accurate to say that cleanliness is next to survival. Granted, many readers might not go quite that far, but …
Heather says: Remember last week’s Put Your Crap Away? It’s about as close to a magic pill as a person can find. If you work outside the home, it won’t be as intensive a process. Get ready to go a few minutes early. Then just before you leave, take a walk through the main living area. …