QUESTION: I have a cigarette burn on my carpet. Is there an easy way to fix this without leaving a big space? Help please! Val, Winnipeg
ANSWER: Since the carpet fibres have actually been singed away you basically have two options. Either call a professional carpet care service. Or trim the entire cigarette burnt parts away with small scissors. Using leftover carpet remnants, trim several pieces of fibre. Superglue the fibres into the burnt area. Check the repaired area in a day and add more snipped pieces if needed.
QUESTION: How do you clean the coffee stains in a coffee maker? Even though I use a filter in the filter basket, the "mesh" basket remains stained. The same problem applies to the cover of the carafe; nothing seems to clean it. I do enjoy the cleaning hints in your column. Aurise, Winnipeg
ANSWER: Begin with the easiest solution first: run a cycle of vinegar through the coffee maker. Let the vinegar soak for 30 minutes before pouring the contents out. Follow that step with a thorough water rinse. If the stains remain, clean the entire carafe with a product called Iron Out. Ventilate well and allow the carafe to soak for a few hours in hot water and Iron Out.
QUESTION: I have an interesting dilemma to solve. On the inside of my clothes dryer there is a blue tint on the door, back wall and drum. I've tried paint thinner, Lysol spray cleaner, rubbing alcohol, plain soap and water and lighter fluid, but nothing EXCEPT Circa 1850's 'Super DeGooper' can remove this bluish tint off the white enamel. I have to apply the Circa product to a small area on a rag and then rub the blue off. The Circa product is overpowering and noxious to use, especially when a person has their head inside the dryer trying to access the back wall of the dryer or the drum itself! The white enamel is still intact after this two to three-hour cleaning ordeal, but the blue tint starts to come back (drying of T-shirts, blue jeans, etc.) in a few weeks. Have you run into this before and how can it be solved without using noxious fumes and expensive chemicals? Thanks! Sharon (Birtle)
ANSWER: Dye transfer from blue jeans to dryer interiors is a very common occurrence. You are right; only strong solvents will have the power to zap this stain and, because it is an ongoing challenge, it is probably not worth your time or health to clean. Some people have had good results with the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser but again this is not a quick fix and requires hours of elbow grease. If you decide to continue with strong solvents, let the dryer stand for several hours with the door open before using, to be sure all the solvent vapours from the cleaner have evaporated into the air, as these are flammable.
QUESTION: I read your columns with great interest and have got many goods ideas from them. Now I really need another. I have linoleum floor covering in my entry and right at the basement stairwell I spilt some type of lubricant that is very slippery regardless of any footwear or bare feet. I have never felt anything that slippery.
Because of the location, it is very dangerous, as you can imagine. I live alone and often wonder what would happen to me, being 61 years old, should I slip and fall down the stairs. I have tried a liquid household cleaner to no avail, and a household steam floor cleaner, which seems to have succeeded only in spreading the size of the slippery area. Any ideas? Brian, Winnipeg
ANSWER: People often call vinyl flooring linoleum, but unless the flooring is more than 50 years old, it is likely vinyl. In any case, clean the slippery area with one-quarter cup ammonia and two cups water. Or, strip the floor with professional vinyl/linoleum floor stripper, seal and apply polish (optional) and clean with pH neutral cleaner. Take care to rinse the floor after cleaning. Although these are sold in cleaning aisles, the best are sold at janitorial supply stores. The floor can then be sealed with vinyl floor sealer.
Fabulous tip of the week:
A great idea for a child's bedroom wall is to paint a chalkboard there. This is easy to do and fun for the child. Chalkboard paint is widely available at paint and hardware stores and comes in green or black, spray paint or canned. A few coats of this paint will create a fun chalkboard surface on the wall that children can write on with chalk and will wash off easily. If you affix a wood frame around it, you have a great looking instant chalkboard. Plus, the chalk can be stored on the ridge around the frame.
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.
