Renovation & Design
Renovation & Design
Pumice stone will take stains out of grout
Question: Can you please suggest an effective way to clean bathroom grout? Best, Lu
Answer: Purchase a handy little piece of pumice stone. Pour some dish soap onto the pumice stone and wet it, then lightly scrub the grout; looks wonderful. Next spray isopropyl alcohol onto the grout to prevent mildew from growing and discolouring the grout (keep away from small children). Another option is to make a paste of borax and water, scrub grout with an old toothbrush.
Question: My driveway always looks messy because the gravel shifts and moves onto the grass. What can I do to make my driveway look properly manicured? Keith
Answer: Consider the look of a resin driveway where a base layer is placed on the driveway, and then a layer of resin is applied, with the gravel and stones simply laid over the resin, so that they stick to it. Once the resin has dried, any loose stones and gravel can be swept away and cleared, the driveway will be easy to maintain, and looks great.
Question: I read in your column about the person asking about separating eggs for meringue. I baked ameringue pie last week, and it was a flop. The crust was wet and tasted like crystalized sugar, it was not edible. Where did I go wrong? Linda
Answer: I’ve been in your shoes before, and so I can say with confidence that the pie was underbaked. Therefore, too much liquid remained in the meringue, which caused the foam to collapse and the excess liquid to seep out. Make sure that the meringue is completely baked, it should look smooth, shiny, partially brown, and crisp.
Honing Halloween
If you plan to carve your pumpkin two or three days before Halloween, lightly smear petroleum jelly on the cut edges.
To lengthen the life of your carved pumpkin, spray with water and wrap in plastic wrap, store in fridge when not in use.
Create the smell of Halloween spice. On the bottom of the pumpkin lid sprinkle a half-teaspoon of each of the following: cinnamon, nutmeg, and pumpkin spice. Once the pumpkin is lit, it will create a wonderful seasonal scent.
Get creative! Illuminate your jack-o-lantern with a multicolour, changing battery-powered LED bulb.
Spooky seeds
Pumpkin seeds are necessary at this time of year. Hollow out a pumpkin, remove and clean about two cups of seeds. Toss seeds in one quarter cup melted butter, half a teaspoon of garlic salt and one quarter teaspoon Worcestershire sauce. Spread onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 250 F for about 45 minutes or until lightly browned. Store in an airtight container. — Jaclyn
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 to reenanerbas@outlook.com
Renovation & Design
Air purifier likely required to remove cannabis odours
Question: I was scrolling the internet to get a solution to the marijuana smell problem in my semi-detached house. The neighbour tenant lady smokes weed and I can notice it coming in my kitchen area, which shares a common wall with her. It is coming from an electrical outlet that is very near the common wall, but is on a wall perpendicular to the common wall. I tried putting a foam barrier inside, but still has no effect on stopping it. Whenever my air conditioner runs, the smell comes from the gas fireplace, via the air coming next to the gas supply line space. The fireplace is not on the common wall side. I am not sure how it travels that far. I have a basement in my house and never noticed a smell in the basement.
Please advise what might be the possible cause of this at these two places. I would be really indebted to you.
A. Grewal, Southern Ontario
Answer: Stopping smoke odours from entering your semi-detached home may be tricky, unless you invest in an expensive air purifier system. A better approach may be to discuss the issue with the offending neighbour, who may be willing to change their habits and smoke outside or in a well vented room away from your dwelling.
For decades, lingering odours from cigarette, pipe, and cigar smoking entering attached dwellings has been a constant struggle for non-smokers. With the recent legalization of cannabis, that can now be compounded with strong smells from smoking marijuana, which can be equally or more offensive. There has been significant research into the harmful effects of second hand tobacco smoke, which can be used to justify a request for behavioural changes from neighbours. As far as I know, that is not the case with cannabis, at least not yet. To compound the issue, in several Provinces it is illegal to smoke cannabis products outside of one’s property, potentially making your problem worse.
I am not sure of the effectiveness of the small, stand-alone air purifiers available for retail purchase, but that may be a wise place to start. Placing it in an area where you are smelling the skunky smoke biproducts may help reduce the intensity of the odours. Buying a model with a good filter, possibly a replaceable charcoal type, should help negate the problem. If that does not work, investigation into a more commercial-grade model may be the next step, but that could get costly. Some units may be installed inside your heating ducts, or near the furnace, which would also require hiring an HVAC technician.
A better approach may be to employ a social rather than mechanical solution. Politely talk to the neighbour, explain the dilemma, and see if a more equitable solution may be found that will not overly inconvenience either party. It is likely that the neighbour has no idea that this is an issue for you, and may be willing to help minimize the impact on your home. An easy solution may be for the woman to smoke outside the building, where the odours will quickly be dissipated before entering your house. If your homes have patios or balconies, that could be a simple, yet effective, solution. If that is not possible, asking her to smoke in a room as far away as possible from your dwelling, preferably with the window open, may yield some relief. Also, if she turns on her kitchen range hood and/or bathroom exhaust fans before she sparks up, that should lower the air pressure in her home and help redirect a considerable amount of the smoke particles and odours outside of the building.
Try to avoid a confrontational or accusatory tone when starting this task. Perhaps an invitation to your home for coffee would be an ideal premise to start the conversation. Or an occasion to offer assistance or a favour when you meet outside the building. Help her carry in groceries, shovel her sidewalk, sweep snow of her car windshield, or any of a host of other common courtesies may help you broach the difficult subject of her annoying habit. You may be surprised by her willingness to help, but caution should be taken to avoid the opposite reaction. Insisting that she acquiesce to your demands to immediately change her behaviour can be met with a stubborn rejection, which may be difficult to reverse once initiated.
If the neighbour does take a completely contrary approach to your situation, despite your most benign request attempts, there may be little you can do. There are many people who believe that their home is their castle and that they live there in isolation, despite being directly attached to your home. Hopefully, that will not be the situation in your case, but no guarantees of success are given.
Trying to seal up your home from offensive cannabis smoke odours from your next-door neighbour may be somewhat fruitless, unless you invest in a costly air purification system. Otherwise, a polite conversational approach may be your best bet for relief from the problem, which will require a willing behavioural change from her to smoke in a location that will not draw the odours into your home.
Ari Marantz is the owner of Trained Eye Home Inspection Ltd. and a Registered Home Inspector (RHI)(cahpi.ca). Questions can be emailed to the address below. Ari can be reached at 204-291-5358 or check out his website at trainedeye.ca.
trainedeye@iname.com
Renovation & Design
Terra-cotta will keep that brown suag moist
Question: Does leaving a ceramic disk in the brown sugar container, actually make a difference? Robert
Answer: I always store a piece of terra-cotta in my brown sugar container. Soak the disk in water for about five minutes. Because the clay is porous, it absorbs moisture, and keeps sugar loose for about three months.
Question: Why is it so difficult to separate an egg? Whenever, I prepare to make a meringue pie, I take all my ingredients out, one hour ahead of time, and organize it on the counter to prepare to make the pie. When I separate the egg, yolk always seeps into the white and the meringue won’t whip. Allison
Answer: While it is true that you want the eggs at room temperature before whipping, it is also true that separating eggs at room temperature is more challenging than when they are cold. Remove eggs from the fridge and separate them immediately into two bowls before allowing them to warm up, you will find this much easier. Dollar stores often sell egg separators that will also increase your success rate.
Question: My son was sweeping up the berries on our sidewalk from the mayday and Schubert chokecherry trees and somehow got ground in stains from these all over his grey sweatpants. I tried boiling water, vinegar, lemon juice but the stains are still there. Any other suggestions? Teresa
Answer: What makes fruit stains difficult to remove is that berries dye textiles. Pouring water through a berry stain is the best first step in increasing your chances of removing the stain, but vinegar and lemon juice may have set the stain. You are better off scrubbing the area with dish soap and water and then spraying with Shout. Use the dish soap and Shout technique several times before the stain disappears.
Stuffing 101
Make your own simple and delicious stuffing. Slice one loaf of dry bread into cubes. In a pot sauté one chopped onion and four sticks chopped celery. Add one teaspoon poultry seasoning. Add bread and season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour in one cup chicken broth. Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or heat in slow cooker on low for one hour.
Lint me your ears
My dryer vent leads right onto my back patio and spews the fluff from the dryer all over the patio and into the garden. Rather than a stocking or pantyhose, which could end up being a fire hazard, perhaps consider what we did, which was build a small rectangular-shape box with chicken wire. This sits up against the outside area around the vent outlet. We did this primarily to keep local mice from climbing into the vent, as it is fairly close to the ground, but it also ended up being a good lint catcher. Easy to clean out, and lots of air circulation, so no heat builds-up. — Judy
I had a problem with dryer lint messing up my outdoor patio space. To solve it, I placed a one-gallon black plastic plant pot (with drainage holes) under the dryer vent and put a two-inch layer of coarse gravel in the bottom of the pot. The lint gets trapped by the gravel and can be picked off, or just disposed of and replaced with fresh gravel. — Linda
Have a great suggestion or tip? Please send an email. Reena Nerbas is a popular motivational presenter for large and small groups; check out her website: reena.ca.
info@reena.ca
Renovation & Design
You can safely turn water heater off when away
Question: If I turn off my water heater while on an extended vacation in the winter, is there a chance my pipes can burst? I know the water is drained from the pipes, but can something happen? Also, would there be a savings on my electric bill? Thanks, Joe S.
Answer: Shutting down a water heater for a long time when it is not in use should not have any negative affects on the water supply piping. In fact, turning it off, or reducing the temperature to the lowest possible point, will save a small amount of electricity and slightly lower your Hydro bill, and is definitely recommended.
Your electric water heater is a very simple mechanical device used to heat a significant amount of water, held in a large tank, with electric elements inside the water. The desired temperature of the water can be adjusted by one or more thermostats, typically located behind the access covers for the elements. These are pre-set at the factory and may not need to be accessed or adjusted unless there is a failure or defect. Once the tank is filled and the circuit breaker turned on to energize the unit, there may be little to no maintenance required for proper operation for over a decade. Hot water will be available on demand at the house faucets, which are connected to the heater through the water supply piping in the home.
Since the water heater is directly connected to the water supply pipes, whether they are metal or plastic, the entire system is under pressure. For a municipal water system the pressure may be quite regular, but will be more variable for a well and pump arrangement in some areas and rural or vacation homes. Turning the power off to your water heater will have absolutely no negative consequences for the supply pipes. The hot water will remain inside the tank, and not in any pipes, unless a faucet is opened. There are two main ways that leakage can occur in this system, firstly from a pipe or joint that opens up, or from the thawing of frozen pipes.
For your home, you suggest that the water will be drained from the pipes during your extended winter holiday. If you have municipal water, that will be accomplished simply by shutting off your main valve and opening several faucets to drain the majority of the water. That will eliminate the pressure inside the pipes and ensure that any leaks that may occur while you are away will not cause a serious flood or even an extended flow of water. To be extra diligent, the faucet at the lowest point in the home should be left open, and other higher ones all opened after shutting the main valve. This will ensure there is very little water left in the entire system, except the water heater, and will prevent damage if there is a power failure and the heat shuts off. If you have a pump and well system, the entire system should be drained, including the water heater.
The main way that there can be a major issue is if the system is still pressurized, either by municipal water or a pump, and the power goes out, allowing the home and the pipes to freeze. Water inside the full pipes will expand as they freeze, possibly causing the pipes or the joints to crack or open. When the weather warms, or the heat is restored, the breached pipes will leak and will not stop until the water is shut off, or the pressure drops near zero from the pump. If you are in an area where there may be regular power outages, and frozen pipes are more likely, draining everything prior to leaving home is the way to go.
If you are in a town or city where you have reliable municipal water supply, extended-leave preparedness should be the simplest. First, shut off the power to your water heater. This is critical to do before the next step, as you never want the level inside the water heater tank to drop below an energized element. This will cause the element to burn out almost instantaneously, requiring an immediate repair. After that is done, turn off the water supply in the entire home at the main valve. If you are not concerned about an extended power outage, you may now leave your home fairly confident of a non-issue. To be even safer, you could open several of the faucets in the home, draining the water from the system and dropping the pressure almost to zero, preventing any water issues even from a previously undetected leak. Just make sure that the pipes are completely filled upon return before re-energizing the water heater elements, to prevent a burn-out.
The final benefit of turning off the breaker to your water heater while away is both environmentally and wallet friendly. There is no need to heat a large tank of water for several weeks, or months, when not in use. While the tank is insulated and will keep the water hot for some time when the faucets are not opened, it will eventually cool and cause the elements to turn on and reheat its contents. This is a needless waste of precious energy and money, which is easily avoided.
Turning off the power to your electric water heater will have absolutely no negative outcomes on the water supply pipes in your home. With a few simple precautions, doing so will be the wise choice for both economic and energy conservation reasons.
Ari Marantz is the owner of Trained Eye Home Inspection Ltd. and a Registered Home Inspector (RHI). Questions can be emailed to the address below. Ari can be reached at 204-291-5358 or check out his website at trainedeye.ca.
trainedeye@iname.com
Renovation & Design
Heat is your friend when removing decals
Question: How can I remove a decal on a painted Gyproc wall? It looks like it’s been there a while, and someone tried to remove it previously. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks. D.M.
Answer: Your best chance of success requires heat. Begin by wetting the decal with dish soap and water. Hold a low setting hair dryer, towards the wall, so that the glue softens. Gently pick up one edge and hold the heat under the sticker, slowly peel the sticker. Rubbing alcohol applied under the sticker will also help release the glue. Some damage may occur; work slowly so that the paint stays intact.
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. Flo
Answer: Reduce drywall dust during a sanding project by covering up as much furniture, floor and wall as possible with plastic sheets. Secure a drywall sanding attachment to a shop vacuum. The vacuum sucks up much of the dust, which reduces it from spreading around your home. If you do not have access to an industrial vacuum, 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: Can you please provide me with a recipe for an easy homemade Caesar salad dressing? Delores
Answer: Into a bowl combine two minced garlic cloves, 5 ml (1 tsp) anchovy paste (optional), 30 ml (two tbsp) lemon juice, 5 ml (one tsp) Dijon mustard, 5 ml (one tsp) Worcestershire sauce, 240 ml (one cup) mayonnaise, 64 g (1/2 cup) grated parmesan cheese, 1.25 ml (1/4 tsp.) each of salt, and pepper. Add more salt to taste. Store in fridge for up to two weeks.
Sticky Situations
Re: Stuck Jar Lid
A colleague passed along this tip, which has rarely failed me. Place a wide rubber band (the kind mail carriers use or the ones that hold veggies such as asparagus in bundles) around the lid, then try to unscrew it. Works almost every time. Brian
Re: Rice Sticking to the Pot
One way to prevent rice from sticking to the pot is to cook it in the microwave. For one cup of rice, add two cups of water. Season and cook in the microwave on HIGH for 15 minutes, or until water is absorbed, with no sticky mess. If you prefer to cook rice on the stove, rinse the rice before you boil it (until the water becomes fairly clear). Add a little oil or butter to the pot. For 210 grams (one uncooked cup) of rice, add 710ml (three cups) of water, simmer for 15 minutes. You’ll get perfect rice every time. Sandra
Tips of the Week
Add a few dashes of white or cider vinegar to the water in which you boil ham. It will draw out some of the salty taste and improve the flavour.
Soak fish in vinegar and water before cooking. You will end up with whiter, less “fishy” tasting fish. Use 30ml (two tbsp) of white vinegar per 946 ml (one quart) of water and allow fish fillets to soak for 20 mins. before cooking.
Add 5 ml (one tsp) white vinegar to pie dough to reduce sugary sweetness and bring out the flavour in desserts such as pecan pie.
If homemade soup is too salty, add 5 ml (one tsp) each white vinegar and sugar and reheat.
Have a great suggestion or tip? Please send an email. Reena Nerbas is a popular motivational presenter for large and small groups; check out her website: reena.ca.
info@reena.ca