Question: Where is the best place to plant hydrangeas to promote growth? Lynda
Answer: Those gorgeous flowers are best planted in areas of full morning sun, and shade in the afternoon. Make sure that the soil does not dry out, and that the flowers have enough moisture. Fertilize in the spring. When taking flowers inside, keep them moist, with plenty of sunlight, avoid overwatering.
Question: How often do you think a person should clean their bathroom? Also, do you have any tips for cleaning a ceiling fan? Annie
Answer: Cleaning the bathroom depends on how often the room is used. Wipe the faucet and counter after each use, but for the remainder of the washroom, usually once a week is standard practice. The following is a list of areas to clean, some are needed more often than others: bathmat, shower curtain/door, toilet, toilet lever, counter, bathtub/shower, light switches, doorknob, ceiling and floor vent covers, faucet, towels, toothbrush and soap holders, mirror, medicine cabinet, bathroom scale, floor and walls.
To clean a ceiling fan, dampen a pillowcase, slide each blade, one at a time, into the pillowcase and pull. After each blade is clean, toss the pillowcase into the washing machine and wash as usual.
Question: I was trying to ice a cake for my daughter’s birthday. I made buttercream icing, but the icing was full of bubbles which made it impossible for me to create a smooth finish. What went wrong? Joyce
Answer: Sounds like you overwhipped the ingredients — but the good news is that you can still save the icing. Fill a bowl with hot water and dip a metal spatula into the water. Wipe off the spatula and smooth the icing. The heat from the water will help those bubble disappear.
Pro tips: Make sure all ingredients are room temperature before mixing. For really white icing, use vegetable shortening. A bench scraper will give you the cleanest finish.
Feedback from caring contributors
Instead of pouring pasta into a strainer to drain the water, I reverse the process and put the strainer inside the pot, hold it in place. While leaving the pasta in the pot, I pour the water out through the holes. — Vanessa
I never knew where to store my sink sponge without it looking messy. I purchased a sponge holder with suction cups that I secured inside the sink to hold my sponge. The air circulates to dry the sponge, and my kitchen looks tidier. — Vanessa
Real vanilla (not imitation) is great for keeping ticks and mosquitoes away. Wipe vanilla onto skin and let dry. Mosquitoes will not bother you and your skin will smell sweet.— Elliot
Before cleaning the bathroom, put a washcloth mitten on your hand. Dampen the mitten and wipe the toilet, tank and the floor around the toilet; you will notice a bunch of dirt on the mitten. This step will make cleaning easier and more effective. — Lori
Flatten the roll of your toilet paper before placing it onto the holder so that the roll is difficult to spin. In my experience family members will use less toilet paper, which saves me money. — Lori
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.
Have a great suggestion or tip? Please send an email at: info@reena.ca.
