QUESTION -- Help! I have red candle wax on a light-coloured carpet. How can I remove this? Need your help. Thank you so much. Lorraine, Winnipeg
ANSWER -- What you need to do is place a single-layered brown paper bag over the wax and using a warm iron, press the area to lift the wax. Move the bag around so you don't push wax further into the carpet. When the wax is a distant memory, take Head and Shoulders Dandruff shampoo and water and blot it over the area to clean the rest of the mess (test on an inconspicuous area first). Rinse with water and blot.
QUESTION -- What is the difference between regular and baby shampoo? Do you have a recipe for homemade bubble bath? Wendy (Winkler)
ANSWER -- Baby shampoos use milder surfactants (substances that allow soap to break surface tension and penetrate) that clean without causing a burning sensation. Baby shampoos contain amphoteric surfactants, which foam less and have a tougher time cutting through grease. Strong lathering surfactants found in regular shampoos contain ingredients such as sodium lauryl sulfate or ammonium lauryl sulfate. Many adults, who deal with grease and dirt, prefer strong surfactants in order to achieve squeaky clean, super-smelling hair.
Here is an easy recipe for creating your own bubble bath, this is a common request from people who have allergies or people who are looking to make a gift and want to achieve a specific scent using essential oils; I call it Common Scents Bubble Bath. Combine: 4 cups distilled water, 1 cup unscented shampoo (you can use baby shampoo) or a grated bar of castile soap, 3 ounces glycerine (found in pharmacies near the bandages) and four to six drops of your favourite essential oil. You might want to experiment by combining a variety of essential oils to come up with your own unique scent i.e. vanilla and lavender or peppermint and orange or orange and cinnamon.
QUESTION -- I have cleaned out my car but it still smells old. Is there an easy car freshener that I can make that will last a long time? Brian, Winnipeg
ANSWER -- Here are a few suggestions for making your car smell fresh. Wrap Irish Spring bar soap in a cloth bag of facecloth and tuck it under the seat. Or cut out two duplicate pictures of something that you are interested in i.e. Superman. Cut a fabric softener sheet and place it between the two pictures. Staple them together and punch a hole in the top so that you can attach a string. Hang from your mirror. Or pour several drops of your favourite essential oil onto a piece of felt fabric. Tuck the fabric in your car for a long-lasting fragrance. Make your own Super Smelly Car Jar: Combine 4-serving size (84 g) package of any Jell-o flavour, three quarter cup (175 mL) boiling water, 2 tbsp. (30 mL) vodka and 20 drops of any essential oil. Pour into clean glass jar and place in bathrooms, closets, kitchens, cars, etc. (Taken from Household Solutions 2 with Kitchen Secrets).
Extra Tip: If you receive one of those cardboard tree car fresheners and don't own a car, don't despair! You can tape it to the inside of your garbage can to reduce the odour.
QUESTION -- How do I pack clothing items for a trip so that my clothes won't wrinkle? Sienna (Clear Lake)
ANSWER -- While there are hundreds of successful strategies for packing; wrinkling is caused by under and over packing, so make sure you are not jamming too many items inside your suitcase. Before packing your suitcase, fasten all zippers and buttons to hold garments together properly. Roll shirts and T-shirts, this will eliminate creases and folds. You will also be able to fit more items inside your suitcase. Layer pants and skirts one on top of the other and fold them over once. Optional: Place each set of items inside large plastic bags. Pack heaviest items, such as suits and jackets and sweaters, on the bottom. Light items such as T-shirts and dress shirts are packed next. Tuck socks inside shoes and place shoes inside plastic bags so nothing around them becomes dirty. Pajamas are packed last (but not least).
Fantastic Tips of the Week:
- Instead of purchasing expensive hair-care products to make my hair look smooth, I use a small amount of regular hand cream to pat down hair that stands up. It sounds crazy but works just as well as any of the products I have ever tried (including hairspray). Submitted by Rose
- I ruined several T-shirts by ironing the decal and melting them. I have learned the hard way, to prevent decals from melting, turn your T-shirts, inside-out before ironing. Submitted by Max
Reena Nerbas' website is www.householdsolutions.org . You can contact her at Box 429, Blumenort, Man., ROA 0C0.
