Renovation & Design
Renovation & Design
SOLUTIONS: A mint suggestion for solving mouse problem
QUESTION: We have found mice nests under the hood of our car. Can you suggest a solution apart from shaving cream on cotton balls? We would sure like to give this a try. Thanks in advance for any help you can give us. Joan (Winnipeg)
ANSWER: To prevent future infestations, seal off any openings with silicone or foam insulation because mice are able to squeeze through the tiniest openings. Some people put a few mothballs under the air cleaner cover in the engine of their car. However, be advised mothballs contain poisons and can make people sick. Mice are also repelled by the smell of mint, so hanging a mint air freshener in your vehicle may be effective. Or make your own peppermint air freshener by sprinkling peppermint essential oil onto a piece of cardboard and placing it inside your vehicle. Or shave Irish Spring bar soap and sprinkle it in your car as mice don't like that smell either.
QUESTION: I use the recipe on the back of the Chipits bag to make chocolate chip cookies. The chocolate chip cookies that I bake always come out of the oven hard and not chewy like I would like. What am I doing wrong? Steph (Grunthal)
ANSWER: The instructions on the back of the bag recommend baking cookies at 375 degrees. Turn your oven to 350 degrees and bake the cookies just until the outside edge is slightly brown. The cookies will feel soft but will set when they cool.
QUESTION: My boyfriend chews with his mouth open. It doesn't matter where we are, even at fancy restaurants. It makes me sick and I feel like gagging but I don't want to say anything to him since he isn't a little kid. Should I dump him? Carlota (Richer)
ANSWER: Whoa! If you are deciding between dumping the guy and politely asking him to close his mouth while he chews, I would choose the latter. If it bothers you now, imagine how much it will bother you in 10 years. This may be easily fixable with a few loving words.
QUESTION: I once read in the newspaper a remedy of something to put on concrete walks and steps to keep them free of ice. I would like to find out what this was as we have a big problem with ice on our front step. Thank you for your assistance. Elaine (Winnipeg)
ANSWER: When rock salt is not an option, some people pour plain Dawn dish soap onto their steps or sidewalk. The theory behind this is because of the high alcohol content, the dish soap will not freeze. I have heard both positive and negative reviews on this technique. Another option is to sprinkle non-clumping cat litter onto slippery steps to offer traction as you walk.
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 videos/blog/website: reena.ca!
Renovation & Design
Drywall-sanding attachment a sure bet to suck up the dust
QUESTION: Love your column! I would like to know how to keep the dust down when I have a small area to sand on drywall? Thank you. Florence, Winnipeg
ANSWER: The best way to reduce drywall dust during a sanding project is to cover up as much furniture, floor and wall as you can with plastic sheets and then secure a drywall sanding attachment to a shop vacuum. The vacuum sucks up much of the dust preventing it from being distributed around your home. If you do not have access to a shop vac. you might consider dampening the area with a sponge before sanding, however this requires practice and the results are not as appealing as dry sanding.
QUESTION: How do you prevent waffle batter from sticking to the inside of the maker? My waffle maker is supposed to be non-stick. Angela (Stonewall, MB)
ANSWER: Some people find it handy to spray the waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray which works great to coat the iron. I personally do not own non-stick cooking spray and instead use a pastry brush and brush the iron with butter before adding batter which also works well.
QUESTION: I would like to know how to treat water stains on the interior ceiling of my car and on the sun visors. Thanks. Jim and Sandy, Winnipeg
ANSWER: Using a few key household ingredients your car will look as good as new! Into an empty ice cream pail mix one cup white vinegar, half tsp. dish soap and one quarter cup rubbing alcohol. Fill the remainder of the bucket with warm water. Using a light-coloured cloth, scrub the dirty areas of the vehicle. No need to rinse.
QUESTION: We left a half loaf of bread in a bag in our cupboard drawer for a few weeks while gone. When we came back we disposed of the bag of moldy bread, but we cannot get rid of the strong musty smell. I have tried: Airing it outside, bleach, vinegar, baking soda, coffee grinds, newspapers, kitty litter and lastly charcoal with no results. Do you have a remedy? It was in the bottom
drawer of a row of four drawers and all are affected. The cupboards are of solid oak doors and plywood interiors. Hoping to hear from you soon. Doreen, Winnipeg
ANSWER: Well you have certainly done your homework but the battle remains because the smell has penetrated into the wood. Option 1: Wipe the entire inside of the cupboard drawers with Orange Wood Oil. Option 2: Reseal the wood.
QUESTION: Do you know where I can bring my pennies? I have collected jars upon jars of pennies and forgot all about them until recently when I was cleaning the basement for guests. Thanks. Wilma (Niverville, MB)
ANSWER: If you don't want your old pennies anymore here are a few options of what to do with them. Donate them. Many non-profit organizations would love to receive donations, and pennies are still considered Canadian currency. So if you are thinking of throwing your pennies out, call some of your favorite charities and ask them if they would appreciate a donation of pennies. Or bring them into your local bank. Banks ask that pennies are either bagged with the total amount enclosed on a paper inside the bag. Or even better, roll the pennies. Papers can be purchased at several dollar stores.
The Power of Words!
"A million dollars in pennies is still a million dollars." Antonio Bryant
The International Hamburger
Spice up regular old hamburgers by seasoning them with flavours from around the world!
*Mexican Burger: Top the burger with hot sauce, jalapeno peppers and chilies. Add guacamole or salsa instead of ketchup.
*Asian Burger: When mixing the hamburger use soy sauce, minced ginger and teriyaki sauce. Top with wasabi mayonnaise.
*Paris Burger: Add a little Dijon mustard when mixing hamburger meat. Instead of cheddar cheese, top the burger with blue cheese or goat cheese.
*Italian Burger: When mixing meat, add marinara sauce instead of ketchup. Top the burger with fresh Parmesan cheese. Serve on Ciabatta bread instead of regular hamburger buns.
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!
Renovation & Design
Sniffing out source of odour
QUESTION: I am writing to you with a question regarding an occasional strange odour in my house. It smells like sour stagnant water or rotting wet wood. It doesn't smell like mould or sewer gas and it's not coming from any drains or the sump pit. I have had some improvements done in the last few years and hoped they might also eliminate the problem, but nothing has helped.
I have had my furnace ducts thoroughly cleaned. I have had a new high-efficiency furnace installed and the cold air intake was left in place. The roof has been checked for leaks and has been re-shingled. The roof stack has also been checked to see if anything is blocking it. The neighbours do not have anything nearby that would smell.
I would think if it were any of these things, the smell would be noticeable at all times, but the odour is only noticeable when it is foggy outside or if the humidity is high and it is not windy. I have also noticed it is most prevalent in the master-bedroom heat vent, which is the room farthest from the furnace, although it is faintly noticeable in all of the rooms.
My home is a 26-year-old split-level and the lot backs onto a retention pond. The odour started quite a few years ago, and the only thing I can think of is the cold-air intake is under my deck, which is cedar, and there is no air flow when it is foggy and I am getting a stagnant smell. As soon as the wind starts to blow, the odour disappears. I'm thinking I should have this vent extended so it's above the deck surface. If so, who would do this type of work? I would greatly appreciate your opinion and advice regarding this problem.
Darlene Wojcik
ANSWER: In attempting to determine the cause of an issue in a home, especially something as subjective as a specific odour, I try to look at all the possibilities and then rule them out one at a time.
Your description of the type of the smell is the natural place to begin. While I'm quite familiar with the odours associated with rotting wood, I'm not sure what a "sour stagnant water" smell is. I'm glad you don't feel it's waste or sewer gas you're smelling, but don't be too quick to rule out mould.
While many moulds can give off what can be described as a "musty-basement" smell, wood rot is also a type of mould, so your description may indeed be fungus-related. This could be coming through the fresh-air intake under your deck if the deck is rotting or there are decomposing leaves or debris.
If the underside of the deck is accessible, locate the vent hood or screen where the fresh-air intake duct terminates. If not, you may have to remove a few deck boards. Once found, the vent hood should be cleaned with a damp cloth, brush, or other tool to remove any dust or debris blocking it. Given its location under your deck, I'd be very surprised if the screen on your vent is not partly or completely blocked. If so, the dirt and debris may be the source of the smell. This material may be slowly decomposing, but may only be noticeable on very wet days, or when there is little wind or air movement to dry it out.
Mice, stinging insects and other pests like to take refuge in areas like this, especially if they can come and go without being easily detected. If they gain access and create a nest or perish inside the ducting, rotting-type odours are likely.
If you find the fresh-air intake is not plugged or damaged and has reasonable airflow, relocating it may help prevent a return of the problem. Because your lot backs onto a retention pond, without much cover from vegetation or other buildings, your home is likely more susceptible to variations in wind and weather changes.
Your observations about the smells occurring on wet or calm days may be another clue to the source. If the odour is due to moisture damage in the deck or house framing, this may not happen on sunny and windy days, but more likely when it is rainy, calm or foggy. Another possible explanation is our olfactory system works much better when the environment is wet or damp, so the smell may always be present but only noticeable at these times.
Ari Marantz is the owner of Trained Eye Home Inspection Ltd. and the President of the Canadian Association of Home & Property Inspectors - Manitoba (www.cahpi.mb.ca). Questions can be emailed to the address below. Ari can be reached at 204-291-5358 or check out his website at www.trainedeye.ca.
trainedeye@iname.com