QUESTION — A friend discovered that plastic parts of a kettle melted onto the enamel part of her stove. She can chip pieces off a bit but she is afraid of damaging the enamel. What can she do? Joy, Winnipeg
ANSWER -- Begin by heating the area with a blow dryer, leave it in place for three minutes and then gently scrape the residue off with a plastic putty knife. If the plastic remains, spray the stove with WD-40 wait for 10 minutes and then wipe. Caution should be taken when using WD-40 around a heated surface. However, we are tackling the outside and not the inside of the oven. After the plastic is gone forever, clean the stove with dish soap and water. I think that your friend will be smiling!
QUESTION -- I was told that you can clean a toilet with Kool-Aid or Tang. Is this true? Carol, Winnipeg
ANSWER -- Absolutely! Kool-Aid, just like Tang orange crystals, contains high amounts of citric acid. Citric acid is a powerful cleaner derived from fruit such as lemons, grapefruits and oranges. The added benefit to using Kool-Aid as a cleaner is that it is safe for homes where pets drink from the toilet and it is non-toxic for the air in your home.
QUESTION -- I look forward to your column in the newspaper each week. Your solutions are great! Here is my question; how do I get freezer smell out of ice cube trays? Best wishes and thank you, Liz, Grunthal
ANSWER -- When making ice cubes let's begin with the water supply. If you have hard water, with lots of minerals in it, you're best off to use distilled water. Whether starting with tap water or distilled water, boil the water to get some of the air out of it. If you're pouring the water into plastic trays, let the water cool somewhat before making ice cubes. Chances are that the odour is coming from food that has gotten into the insulation system of your freezer. Put one tbsp. vanilla extract on a small plate and set in the freezer, repeat three times. Or purchase activated charcoal from a pet store. Place in freezer to remove smell. Lastly, clean the ice cube trays periodically with a mixture of baking soda and water.
Reena Nerbas is the author of the national bestsellers, Household Solutions 1 with Substitutions, Household Solutions 2 with Kitchen Secrets and the soon-to-be-released book Household Solutions 3 with Green Alternatives available online and in stores across Canada.
