QUESTION: How can I get purple nail polish out of a white cotton blouse? Betty, Blumenort
ANSWER: The sooner you tackle this stain, the better your chance of removal. Blot the area with acetone. Rinse with water. Repeat until stains are gone. Wash as usual. Other products that have previously had positive results are: ammonia, window cleaner, Goo Gone, Banana Oil (also known as Acetate Amyl) or WD-40. Do not combine products and test all solutions on an inconspicuous area first.
QUESTION: After trying for years to lose weight I have decided to cut butter out of my diet. Can you suggest a healthier topping for the standard baked potato? Elsie, Winnipeg
ANSWER: If you want to create the illusion and texture of sour cream, consider topping your spud with plain yogurt. If on the other hand a spoonful of flavour is what you are after then pile salsa onto the potato.
QUESTION: First off, thank you for all the wonderful tips. My mom and I enjoy reading your column. I have a pink top (58 per cent nylon, 38 per cent polyester and 4 per cent silver nylon - it says not to iron) that had some blue eyebrow wax drop on it. I was able to remove some manually, but not all. Do you have any suggestions as to how I can remove the wax? Thank-you, Vera, Winnipeg
ANSWER: Consider coating the area with Head and Shoulders Dandruff Shampoo. Next place the top inside of your freezer for an hour. Scrape the wax off using a plastic putty knife. Wash the top according to the care label instructions.
QUESTION: Can you give me some idea as to how to make homemade vanilla ice cream without any special machines or equipment? In my mind, if I make it myself I will have a better idea as to how healthy it is. Robin, Kleefeld
ANSWER: Homemade ice cream without a machine requires a bit of time to make because you need to stir it a few times during the freezing process, but like you implied, when you make it yourself you have a better idea of what is going into your body. Directions for ice cream: Into a tall metal bowl mix: 2 cups heavy cream and 2 cups of 2 per cent milk, 1 cup sugar, one quarter tsp. salt and 1 tsp. vanilla extract.
Place mixture in the fridge for one hour and then into the freezer for 40 minutes. Remove and mix with an electric mixer until smooth. Doing this will break up the ice crystals that have begun to form. Freeze for 40 minutes. Remove from freezer. Mix using an electric mixer. Freeze again for 40 minutes then beat with an electric mixer. Pour into a plastic container and seal with a lid. The more you beat and freeze, the smoother the ice cream. If you use an ice cream maker, this project takes about 20 minutes and the ice cream is really smooth. Final freezing time varies from freezer to freezer.
QUESTION: Can you give me a homemade cleaner recipe that I can spray on my shower walls after each shower to prevent mildew from building up? Val, Otterburne
ANSWER: Here is an easy shower maintenance recipe using products that most people have on hand. Into a spray bottle, pour a half cup of rubbing alcohol, one tbsp. liquid laundry detergent and 3 cups of water. Spray onto shower walls after use.
Feedback from Reader Who Cares
Dear Reena,
I want to add to a tip that I read about wearing a rubber glove and using it to clean up pet fur from furniture. I found that it works even better to wet the glove before running your hand along the furniture. Thanks, Jenny
Fabulous Tips of the Week!
*Place scraps of carpet remnants under furniture legs to prevent carpet dents. Submitted by: Hilda
*I wipe away all of the finger marks off of my stainless steel appliances using baby oil and a soft cloth, works every time. Submitted by: Hilda
Editor's Note: Always keep baby oil out of reach of small children.
*When I have unsightly scratches from cutlery on my dishes, I polish them with toothpaste. Safe for my teeth and dishes. Submitted by: Elsie
I enjoy your questions and tips, keep them coming. Missed a column? Can't remember a solution? Need a speaker for an upcoming event? Check out my brand new videos/blog/website: reena.ca!
