Make stubborn stains disappear
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
When I was newly married and preparing to decorate cakes, I often whipped cream too long and noticed after a while it turned into a lumpy mess. Not knowing that I had made butter, I threw out the mess and started again. After a few years I learned that overwhipping whip cream transforms it into a delicious bowl of homemade butter. Now when I have guests over, I love to serve homemade butter.
For anyone with the same desire to make butter from scratch, this is how: Purchase whip cream and add a pinch of salt so that it tastes less bland. Pour the cream into your food processor and let it run for a while until it thickens. It will then break into liquid buttermilk and butter. From here, you can separate the butter from the milk and use the fresh butter.
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.