Question: Have you ever heard of this problem? Whenever I bake raspberry cupcakes, the berries drop to the bottom of the cups and won’t distribute evenly in the cupcake. Any ideas of how to avoid this?— Louise
Answer: Roll the berries in flour before adding them to cupcake batter. This trick works with nuts as well.
Question: Can you tell me an easy trick for cleaning gutters? I haven’t cleaned them in a few years and my wife is bugging me. — Will
Answer: Clogged rain gutters prevent water from dripping away from the foundation of your home. They should be cleaned twice each year.
When soil around homes becomes wet, serious challenges can result.
The easiest tools for cleaning rain gutters are scaffolding and work gloves. If scaffolding is unavailable, a sturdy ladder will do the trick. After leaves and debris are scooped away using work gloves, slimy brown goo remains.
While this may not obstruct water, it will smell. Wash gutters using a garden hose or pressure washer.
An alternative is to find a local tradesman who has the equipment and the expertise to do the job quickly and efficiently. It shouldn’t take long and shouldn’t be very expensive. It’s cheaper to get the gutters cleaned than to pay to repair the damage from clogged gutters.
Question: Why do some people add milk to meatloaf? I saw this on a cooking show and thought it was strange. — Candace
Answer: When people add milk to meatloaf, they use a recipe that also calls for bread. The bread soaks up the milk, creating fluffy bread and a moist meatloaf texture.
Question: How can I remove tomato skins in a hurry? — Ben
Answer: To remove tomato skins, put tomatoes in boiling water for 45 seconds. Plunge tomatoes into ice water and the peel will slide right off.
Question: I dislike strong-smelling detergents. Can you please give me a recipe for homemade laundry detergent using products that are easy to locate? — Macey
Answer: Grate three bars of Ivory Soap (Fels Naptha is an alternative). Combine four pounds each of borax, washing soda and baking soda.
Add grated soap and mix well. Pour two tablespoons of detergent directly into wash drum with every load. Caution: check manufacturer’s warnings before using in your machine.
Question: How can I stop my furniture — easy chairs and sofas — from sliding on the floor so that they don’t leave marks on the wall when someone sits down? — Sheena
Answer: The easiest solution is to cut a piece of non-slip shelf or drawer liner the same size as the furniture feet.
For furniture that remains in place, cut the shape and simply slide the shelf liner underneath each foot.
For furniture that is made to move, such as kitchen-table chairs, you will require adhesive to hold the liner in place.
Use one drop of Super Glue or wood glue depending on the furniture material.
There are sticky pads available. However, they don’t always hold and often collect dust and hair.
Other ideas are to install chair rails or pieces of Plexiglas onto walls so that chairs have no direct contact with the wall.
You can also cut small sections of carpet tiles and apply them to the corners of chair backs using double-sided tape.
Handy Heroes of the Week
Prevent your cutting board from sliding on the counter. Place a wet tea towel underneath the board to hold it in place. — Candace
Many people have one foot slightly larger than the other and their shoes never quite fit. To prevent your foot from sliding around in your shoe, spray hairspray onto the bottom of your foot to hold it in place, so your foot doesn’t escape from your shoe. — Day
Note: Every user assumes all risks of injury or damage resulting from the implementation of any suggestions in this column. Test all products on an inconspicuous area first.
Reena Nerbas is a popular motivational presenter for large and small groups; check out her website: reena.ca. Ask a question or share a tip at reena.ca.
