QUESTION: Our wood stove smells even when not in use. We have cleaned it but on cool days it tends to carry the same odour as it does after a fire. Any suggestions? Lucash (Winnipeg)
ANSWER: As long as you are sure that your stove and pipe are clean and that there is no creosote buildup, I have one easy solution to try. Open the doors and sprinkle a liberal amount of kitty litter on the surface. Close the doors and the smell will quickly disappear. Remove kitty litter before use.
Feedback from Lucash:
I have had kitty litter in my wood stove for two weeks and the smell is gone. Thank you.
QUESTION: Let me start by giving you an update on my last problem: The bleach and TSP solution worked on my egg-stained stucco. I had to scrub and rinse a couple of times, but the stain is barely visible. Thanks so much.
I have another question. My son recently moved into an apartment with older, wooden kitchen cupboards. Some of these have quite a strong odour. For example, the cupboard where he keeps his glasses smells strongly of some spice. Not really offensive, but not what he wants to smell when he gets his juice in the morning. When he moved in, we washed the cupboards with a cleaner, hoping to remove the smell, but it is still very noticeable. Do you have any suggestions? Thanks, Kate (Rosenort, Man.)
ANSWER: There are several options for cleaning cupboards, both inside and out. Begin with the easiest and work your way up to more aggressive solutions. Regular cleaning is key.
Combine Dawn dish soap and water, then use an abrasive cloth to scrub wood along the grain. Or clean cupboards with Murphy's Oil Soap, scrub and rinse. Or use the following 'Mother Hubbard's Cupboard Cleaner' recipe: Combine one to two cups vinegar, one cup ammonia (optional), half-cup baking soda and two gallons water. Cover hands with rubber gloves and draw a small amount onto a sponge, wipe each cupboard (along the grain to prevent streaking).
Apply olive oil once a month to protect wood. Apply car wax every six months, let dry and buff. Or clean cupboards with T.S.P. (trisodium phosphate), rinse well. Test all solutions on an inconspicuous area first.
If the smell persists, lightly sand and then clean with 'Mother Hubbard's Cupboard Cleaner' recipe. More serious options are to paint or stain inside cupboards or apply Mactac as shelf liners, but you will likely not need to resort to these.
QUESTION: Somewhere I read that there is a way to stabilize whipping cream so that there is no separation if it isn't all used at the same time. I thought it was in your Household Solutions 1 with Substitutions book but I have not been able to locate it. Help? Thank you. Your books make great gifts. Edna (Winnipeg)
ANSWER: The following are tricks that you can use at home to stabilize whipped cream.
Trick 1: Add two teaspoons non-fat dry milk powder for each cup of cream before you whip it.
Trick 2: Add gelatin to whipped cream. Soften the gelatin by sprinkling it on cold water and waiting a bit. Next heat the mixture enough to get it to dissolve (keep it below boiling point). Allow it to cool to roughly body temperature, and then incorporate it into the whipped cream. If you allow the gelatin to cool too much, it will set into one large glump (that's my new word) the moment you stir it into the whipped cream. If it is the right point, you will be able to incorporate some amount of it into the whipped cream without causing the cream to deflate. Gelatin gives whipping cream a firm, mousse-like texture and because gelatin stabilizes the whipped cream, it does not weep.
FABULOUS BAG LUNCH TIPS:
* Keep yogurt tubes in the freezer for a healthy treat. Popping a frozen yogurt tube into a lunchbox keeps things cool till the lunch bell rings, and the yogurt's ready to eat by then, too. You can do the same with container yogurts; it's almost like eating a slushy.
* If taco salad is a favourite, you can pack the meat mixture tossed with the shredded cheese, tomatoes, and chopped romaine lettuce in a plastic container. At lunchtime, your child can add crunchy, reduced-fat tortilla chips and a little light dressing.
* Make a refreshing dipping sauce for baby carrots, red bell pepper slices, broccoli crowns or celery sticks. Stir one quarter of a shredded cucumber into plain yogurt. Add chopped, fresh dill, then salt and pepper to taste. Pack the dip in an air-tight, sealable plastic container.
I enjoy your questions and tips, keep them coming.
Reena Nerbas is the author of the national bestselling Household Solutions series. Her website is www.householdsolutions.org. You can contact her at Box 429, Blumenort, MB, ROA 0C0.
