QUESTION: I have a couple of scratched CDs that no longer play music without skipping. I am wondering how to fix them. Secondly, I would like to know a recipe for making my own icing sugar. Bernice (Steinbach, MB)
ANSWER: Get rid of scratches on a compact disk by spreading the CD with either smooth peanut butter, car wax, non-gel toothpaste or Brasso and wipe with a paper coffee filter or soft cloth to remove any excess product. Success will occur as long as the CD foil is not damaged.
Icing sugar (confectioners) can be made by blending together 1 cup (250 mL) white sugar and 1 tbsp. (15 mL) cornstarch. Blend at high speed for 5 minutes (makes 1 cup). Taken from Household Solutions 1 with Substitutions.
QUESTION: The grout on the floor of my home entrance looks terrible. It is crumbling and impossible to clean. Is it possible to grout overtop of the existing grout or should I remove the tile and start over? Lamberda (Emerson, MB)
ANSWER: Although it is not necessary to remove each tile in order to repair grout, you cannot re-grout overtop of existing grout. The damaged grout must be removed by using a small electric grinder. Keep in mind that the remaining grout may crumble as the damaged grout is being removed. If you do not own a carbide tipped scraper tool (specifically designed for grout removal) you can use a fine tipped screwdriver and hammer to remove the grout. Note: Whichever method you choose, be careful not to scratch floor tiles in the process.
QUESTION: How do I treat a water stain on an oak table? Thank you. Tracey (Winnipeg)
ANSWER: Watermarks on wood are often tricky to remove (at least I thought they were) until I learned to apply mayonnaise with a bit of ashes from a wood stove or fireplace. Leave for about 10 minutes and wipe. Non-gel, non-bleach toothpaste works well too. If the watermark persists, the wood will need to be stripped and refinished.
QUESTION: I'm hoping you can help me get rid of black markings that are covering one of the elements on my glass topped stove. I happened to be making homemade sweet pepper jelly when the mixture boiled over the pot and blackened my stovetop element in spots. Now I don't know how to get rid of the residue left. I'm not sure whether the vinegar/sugar mixture did or did not penetrate the glass top itself. I scraped off as much as I could, used the commercial cleaner supplied with the range to no avail. I tried baking soda in a paste, leaving it on before taking it off and a non- abrasive cleanser using a plastic type scouring pad. I need your help! Any ideas? Lorraine (Winnipeg)
ANSWER: Before trying anything else and with the oven turned off, heat the area with a blow dryer to soften the mess. Scrape the area using a sharp blade designed for glass stovetops. This razorblade scraper held at a low angle is exceptionally good at getting rid of residue stuck on glass top ranges. Additionally, fine (000) steel wool will finish the job nicely. You may want to apply cooking oil or peanut butter to the area (before scraping) to soften the delicious sweet pepper jelly. Hopefully, the residue has not penetrated into the glass.
QUESTION: I read your column faithfully. I am purchasing all new appliances and would like to have stainless steel. I understand they are hard to keep clean of grease and fingerprints. Do you have a solution or tip for cleaning them? Thank you so much in advance. Susan (Winnipeg)
ANSWER: Stainless steel appliances do require added care, as fingerprints are more noticeable than they are on painted fridges. However, the answer is hopefully behind your very own cupboard doors. Using a soft cloth apply a small amount of olive oil (enough to dampen the cloth). Swipe the fridge along the steel grain. Remove all of the excess and put on your sunglasses because the fridge will once again shine!
QUESTION: I have a rubber-back rug in my bathroom and it has left the linoleum discoloured. Everything I have used to clean it has been unsuccessful. Would you by any chance have a solution for removing the discolouring on the linoleum? Anne (Pinawa, MB)
ANSWER: The sulphur in your mat has left you with a yellow stain which is very often permanent. With so many vinyl and linoleum products on the market, it seems that what works on one does not necessarily work on another. If the floor is more than 50 years old it is most likely linoleum, in this case the linseed that makes up linoleum has discoloured. In order to bring back the colour the floor would need to be stripped and refinished. Doing this may or may not remove yellowing.
Or perhaps, the floor is actually vinyl. Many people have found pouring three per cent hydrogen peroxide onto the floor everyday for three days is helpful. Other people have had great success by combining one quarter cup OxyClean with one gallon boiling water and pouring the solution onto the area. Another solution is Clorox but some say that this application removes the floors finish and shine. Lastly, mineral spirits is another treatment that people have told me worked for them.
It is too bad that so many floors have a tendency to yellow and discolour, most often from a rubber backed rug or some other weight being left on one specific area.
I enjoy your questions and tips, keep them coming! Check out my website! www.householdsolutions.org
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.
