Sodium percarbonate? What is it again?

Dear Home Ec 101:Where can I get sodium percarbonate?Thanks,Short and Sweet Heather says: For those not in the know, sodium percarbonate is the generic name for the active ingredient oxygen bleach products like Oxo-Brite, OxiClean, or Clorox Multi-Purpose Stain Remover. The short answer is you can find sodium percarbonate on the laundry aisle in almost every grocery …

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I scream, you scream

Hey ladies! Do you have any tips or advice on how to make an homemade ice cream cake? That is other than telling me I’m stark raving mad and just head on over to my local DQ? Thanks y’all! ~Wild as a mink but sweet as soda pop, Malia is. Heather says: Well here we …

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Feeling flat?

Dear Home Ec 101, The last couple times I’ve made drop biscuits they’ve been flat as a pancake. I have not altered the recipe. Can you tell me why? ~Consternated in Conyers Heather says: I am willing to bet the culprit is your baking powder. This pantry staple has a relatively short shelf life and …

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Another quick look at laundry

what is permanent press clothing?

Dear Home Ec 101, Your recent post about sorting laundry brought up a question I’ve been meaning to ask someone for years. What, exactly, is permanent press? Thanks! ~Baffled in Beaufort Heather says: We love the questions that find their way into our email inboxes. I never knew exactly what permanent press was, either. I’m …

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How To Get Sweat Stains Out Of Clothes

get sweat stains out of clothes

Dear Home-Ec folk, Okay, here’s the thing. I’m sick and tired of replacing work shirts every year when the only thing wrong with them is they’ve gone a bit wiffy from being in contact with smelly armpits too often. How do you get that deep-seated, almost died-in-the-wool B.O. out of clothes so that they can again …

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To sort, or not to sort, that is the question

do I have to separate the laundry

Dear Home-Ec 101, I’m a guy so I’m sure this sounds like a dumb question. I don’t do separate loads of whites and colors because my laundry consists of whites for underwear and work out clothes. It seems such a waste to use that much water for so few whites. Yea, I’d like the whites to be bright …

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Taming the housework beast

Dear Home-Ec 101, How do you guys “encourage” your husband to help out around the house? I know some guys just help out, but mine is not one of them. Do you have any tips? I promise I will not tell him where they came from. 😉 Signed, Nagging doesn’t work Ivy says: I started …

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My mom rolls fitted sheets up in a ball, too.

Dear Home-Ec 101, Now that our teen is helping with the laundry, I would like to show him to fold a fitted bedsheet. I usually just roll it up into a ball. (bad, I know) Signed, Life Skills Teacher to Growing Son Ivy says: The person who actually showed me how to fold a fitted …

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Ironing out a plan.

Dear Home-Ec 101, I’m a guy, and like most guys my age, I have quite a collection of polo/collared shirts. Most of them have developed some sort of collar disease–some are flipped, some are curly, and some seem to have permanent folds. Is there some sort of laundry technique I can use to save these …

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Potluck etiquette (I know, snappy title, eh?)

Dear Home-Ec 101, Here’s one for ya. With the summer party season coming up, I was hoping you could explain to me (and the Monster in Law) the proper ways to handle dishes and leftovers that a guest brings to your gathering. Signed, Party at my house! Ivy says: Cool, I’ve been looking for a …

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