Compost the grounds
Handy tips from coffee and cookies to belts and bags
Q We have a small garden in our backyard. I have been putting coffee grounds and egg shells in it to ward off slugs. This year I planted the garden in June, but nothing grew. Not even the weeds. Is there something in the coffee grounds that caused this? Thank you.
A While coffee is said to add nitrogen to soil, it also adds acid to the soil, which sometimes inhibits the germination of seeds. The safest method for adding grounds to soil is to compost the coffee first.
Q We have a toilet that is badly stained, and we have tried everything, and nothing seems to work. Can you suggest something else we can try?
A To remove stains in a toilet, purchase a pumice stone and lubricate it with either shampoo or dish soap. Wet the stone and gently wipe the toilet rim to remove marks, being careful not to scratch the porcelain. If all else fails, ventilate the bathroom, and clean the toilet with Iron Out, which is available at most hardware stores.
Q I have a black, top grain leather belt that has some spots where the black has worn off. How can I restore the black?
A The easiest solution for repairing your black belt is to brush it with good quality black shoe polish made for leather.
Test to make sure that the polish is colourfast so that it does not damage your clothing.
Q Whenever I bake cookies, the recipe says to mix all dry ingredients together before adding them to the wet ingredients. Why can’t I just add all the ingredients together in one bowl? Also, how can I make my cookies all the same size so that they look good enough to sell at a bake sale?
A The reason why dry ingredients such as salt, baking soda and flour are mixed separately, is too avoid clumps. Imagine eating a cookie and suddenly you get a mouth full of baking soda. Yuck! Stirring — or whisking — the baking soda in with the flour breaks up the pieces and ensures evenness in your baking.
As for consistently shaped cookies, purchase a retractable ice cream scoop (they come in different sizes). Not only will each cookie end up the same size, but you will notice that your cookies don’t flatten as much because the dough is rounded, plus cookie scooping is much faster with a retractable scoop vs. two spoons. Another option is to bake cookies inside of silicone muffin pans; they will all turn out the same shape.
FEEDBACK
Re: Alternatives to Single-Use Plastic Bag
I just read in your column about Marlana who uses Ziploc, frozen vegetable or fruit bags to dispose of smelly garbage such as: bones, shells and meat waste. That garbage waste should go into the compost. The recycled bag should be used for something that doesn’t go directly into the garbage, but where it can be reused several times. Whatever can be composted should go in the composting bin, and not with plastic, please. Thanks, Gisele
Reena Nerbas is a popular motivational presenter for large and small groups; check out her website — reena.ca — to ask a question or share a tip.
Disclaimer: 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.