Question: I own several pets, and therefore my baseboards are constantly coated with pet hair and dust. Please share some easy cleaning tips. — Sarah
Answer: Using the dust attachment on your vacuum, clean your baseboards regularly. The second solution is to wipe baseboards with a fabric softener sheet. This cleans the baseboards and helps repel dust and fur from the boards.
Question: How do I prevent life’s little critters from feasting on my corn? — Adam
Answer: To keep birds and small animals from eating corn, secure thin, dark-coloured string or wire in a zigzag pattern across the bed. String should be about three centimetres above the ground level. Not being able to walk properly will frustrate the birds and encourage them to leave. Also, keep birds away from the garden by placing a pinwheel nearby. Or attach aluminum foil strips to a stake. If you happen to have an artificial owl lying around the yard, place it high in the garden to deter feather folk.
Question: What is the best way to clean the grout on my shower floor? Some of the grout has turned white-ish and I was wondering what the best way would be to clean it. Thanks, Peter
Answer: For regular cleaning, scrub the grout with Dawn dish soap and a pumice stone designed for cleaning grout. Rinse with water. For grout with a white mineral build-up, spray the grout with lemon juice or white vinegar. Scrub the wet grout with baking soda and a pumice stone. Rinse with water. Or use a steam cleaner to steam the grout and scrub with a stiff brush. One other solution that you can try is to wipe mineral oil in the grout. As long as the oil stays in the grout and not on the tiles, the surface should not be slippery. I had a bathroom counter with white mineral build-up and this solution worked well.
Question: At restaurants, I order ribs every chance I get, but every time I make ribs at home, they end up chewy and unpleasant to eat. What am I doing wrong? Rob
Answer: Here are a few tips to ensure the ribs are fall off the bone, ooey, gooey and delicious! Use a sharp knife to cut off the fat on the ribs. Turn the ribs over and use a sharp knife to cut off the grey/silver membrane. It should peel off, with a little help. Removing the membrane will result in a less chewy meat. Another tenderizing step is to cut a lemon in half and rub all sides with the juice of the lemon. Add your homemade or store-bought rub to the meat. Bake or use a slow cooker or grill the meat at a low temperature and for a long time. Baste the ribs with your favourite barbecue sauce and grill or broil for three minutes per side.
Feedback
Cleaning rusty toilet
I found that pouring a can of Coca-Cola into the toilet bowl at bedtime removes toilet rust. When I wake up, I scrub the toilet bowl with a toilet brush, and it’s clean. — Nelson
Cutting board solutions
After noticing that my cut watermelon had an onion taste, I finally purchased a variety of dishwasher-safe cutting boards for a variety of jobs. Here is my system: Green board for fruits and vegetables. Purple board for onions, peppers, jalapeno and garlic. Blue board for cheeses. Red board for meats. Stainless steel board for kneading dough. — Reena
Note: Every user assumes all risks of injury or damage resulting from the implementation of any suggestions in this column. Test all products on an inconspicuous area first.
Have a great suggestion or tip? Please send an email at: info@reena.ca. Reena Nerbas is a popular motivational presenter for large and small groups; check out her website: reena.ca.
info@reena.ca
