MAKE STUBBORN STAINS DISAPPEAR

Just a little warm water and dish soap may be the solution for marks on clothing

Q Do you have any suggestions for getting the urine smell out of a mattress?

A Into a spray bottle combine: half-cup (125 mL) water, 1 tbsp (15 mL) household ammonia, one quarter tsp (1 mL) dish soap and quarter cup (60 mL) three per cent hydrogen peroxide. Spray stain liberally and cover the area with plastic wrap. Place heavy books on top of the plastic for six hours. Blot with warm water. Leave to air dry.

Q Now that I have more time at home than I know what to do with, I am trying to remove stains from clothes. Since I don’t know what caused the stains, what is the best way to remove them?

A Avoid using hot water on unknown stains. Hot water sets protein stains such as milk, egg and blood. Also, do not iron stained fabrics; this will also set the stains. Often spot remover tips call for an enzyme presoak — a pre-treatment product used to break down proteins such as grass, blood and baby formula (most detergents contain enzymes). Product labels will advise consumers if a solution is specifically an enzyme presoak. The first product I use when trying to remove an unknown stain is dish soap and warm water. Scrub to remove the mark. The textile and fabric colour will

decide subsequent applications.

HELPFUL FEEDBACK FROM CONTRIBUTOR

Re: Homemade perogies

Just a tip about the frozen perogies sticking together. Placing them on a cookie sheet and freezing them is ideal but requires freezer space not everyone has. When I boil my freshly made perogies I toss them in a large bowl with a mixture of oil and butter to prevent them from sticking together when placed in individual plastic bags to freeze. — Donna

TIMELY TIPS

For years we had a pile of discarded seed and husks under our bird feeder in the lawn.

The birds would do a fair job of cleaning it up, but it was usually a mess. I cut a 1.5-metre square piece of fibreglass window-screen and put it on the ground underneath the feeder. The grass can breathe, and the birds can clean up much better; the husks that they leave are minimal and can be easily lifted to be put into the compost.

— Julie

I had a pot of badly burned dried apples. I put a good handful of baking soda on the bottom and covered it with vinegar. Then I left it overnight. It came off easily without elbow grease.

— Mavis

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.

Reena Nerbas is a popular motivational presenter for large and small groups; check out her website: reena. ca. Ask a question or share a tip at reena.ca