Renovation & Design
Renovation & Design
Clean mould and mildew with baking soda and vinegar
QUESTION: I am wondering if you might have a home remedy for removing mildew and mould in a shower stall. Also, do you have any tricks for discouraging snakes from entering your house? Thank-you so much. Darquise, Winnipeg
ANSWER: Here is a solution to remove mould and mildew in a shower stall: Make a paste by combining; baking soda together with vinegar. Apply the paste and scrub. Next into a spray bottle; combine one part tea tree oil to four parts water and spray the mildew, scrub gently. If the mildew remains, consider acquiring a special tool to remove the caulk (available at hardware stores). After the caulk is gone, clean the area once again. Dry and re-caulk. Wipe the area once a week with the baking soda and vinegar paste to avoid having to deal with mould growth around your shower. Also drying your shower is another easy tip for deterring mildew growth because mildew and mold needs moisture to grow.
When it comes to snakes, No. 1 is to find out what kind of snakes you are dealing with and whether they are poisonous or not. Most snakes are harmless and actually a benefit to the environment; but poisonous snakes require expert handling. Here are some preventative measures that you can take to make it more difficult for snakes to enter your home. Seal all cracks or crevices. Seal crawl space cracks. Clean up any clutter around the yard, making it difficult for them to hide. Cut grass often; snakes love to hide in grass and short grass is too much exposure for them. Figure out their food source and what is attracting them to your home, a pest control specialist will help diagnose the area. Some people use lava rock to landscape around the home. Lava rock is sharp and uncomfortable for snakes.
Feedback from Friendly Manitoban
Re: Joyce cleaning grout question
Hello Reena,
I enjoy your household tips, great work! A common complaint I see, hear about and often read in your article is grout stains. Traditional grout is of course cement based, thus porous until it is sealed. However, a sealer is not permanent and does not resist acids very well. Many household cleaners will in fact damage or completely strip the grout of the sealer. Grout stains when the sealer has failed and needs to be renewed.
Once grout loses its ability to resist moisture, it can deteriorate and allow moisture to penetrate behind the tiles and may lead to water leaks, water damages and even failure of the wall and flooring materials and tiles can break or loosen leading to expensive repairs.
Purchase a good quality sealer and follow safety instructions carefully. Penetrating sealers are quickly and easily absorbed through the skin, many have offensive odours and chemical off-gassing that can be hazardous to your health. Be careful and cautious. Use the correct gloves and if required a respirator. Or hire a professional.
Through my experience, in depth online review and other tile setter advice, I have found the Sealers Choice Gold, rapid curing, low VOC sold at Rona to be a superior product. And again, be sure to apply often, every two years or even more in high traffic areas.
Mapei's Flex Colour CQ premixed acrylic grout is self-sealing, low odour and easy to apply. Other manufactures offer urethane based grouts with similar properties that are slightly more difficult to work with.
There is hope, Darren Matyas, president, Sovereign Tile.
Easy ways to make your home smell fresh
Fill a jar with baking soda. Pour a few drops of your favorite essential oil(s) into the jar i.e. orange, rose, mint etc. Place jar in closet, living room or bedroom.
Fill a pot (or slow cooker) with two cups water, 1/4 cup lemon juice, two sprigs of rosemary and one tablespoon of vanilla. Simmer and add water as needed.
Make your own air freshener spray. Into a spray bottle pour one cup liquid fabric softener and four cups water. Spray the room as needed.
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.
I enjoy your questions and tips, keep them coming. Need a presenter on the topic: Effective Speaking or The Power of Words? Check out: Reena.ca
