Natural solutions to unclog a drain
Dear Reena: Can you please tell me the best natural solution for unclogging a slow kitchen drain? I’m in a condo, on the third of four floors, and the drain often gurgles. Someone on my strata council suggested using Liquid Plumber, but I would prefer something more natural. I would appreciate any suggestion you may have.
Catherine In a jar, combine 2 Tbsp. cream of tartar, cup baking soda and 1 tsp salt. Drop in the drain, chase with boiling water. Repeat as necessary. Or pour
cup salt down the drain, followed by boiling water or vinegar. Extra tip: Don’t toss flat cola into the garbage; instead pour it into drains to keep them fresh. If this is not effective, consider having the pipes under the sink taken apart and thoroughly cleaned. Dear Reena: I am an elderly woman and wear Tena panty pads because I leak so heavily. I also wear vinyl pull-on panties over them. Instructions say to wash and dry; they are soft when they come out of the dryer, but within five minutes, they become stiff and crackle when I walk. Would you or your readers know how to treat the vinyl without the fabric becoming stiff?
Mary Unfortunately, many others have commented that the vinyl cannot be softened and regularly stiffens after drying. However, try the following: fill a tub less than half full with lukewarm water. Add two drops of a mild liquid dishwashing detergent such as Ivory, and mix. Turn the pants right side out with the waist hanging down. Slide them into the water until they are completely covered. Swirl the pants in the water for a few seconds (not minutes) and remove. The entire process should take less than 30 seconds. Hang the pants to dry. Dear Reena: I do hope you can help me. I was treating my arthritic hands in a paraffin wax bath and accidentally splashed some on one of my beige suede dining-room chairs. I was able to scrape some of it off, but there is still a dark spot remaining. Do you have any solution for removing the stain?
Marlene You want to be careful when cleaning the area not to scorch it. Place a single layer of brown paper on the wax area and move a warm iron over the wax. Move the paper around to soak up all wax. Next, sprinkle baking soda onto the wax stain and brush the area with a damp stiff brush to restore the nap.
Handy life hacks:
• I use a piece of Silly Putty to clean the keyboard of my computer. While the computer is turned off, press Silly Putty onto the keys. The dust and grime sticks to the putty and lifts it out.
Kristi • I found a way to encourage my five-year-old to eat her peas. Start by softening a container of frozen yogurt or ice cream by placing it on the counter at room temperature for 15 minutes. Stir in a few chocolate chips and a few handfuls of frozen peas. Re-freeze the yogurt and eat.
Lawrence • My facial skin seems much softer now that I use a banana mask once a week. Mash up a banana and spread it on your face. Leave for 10 minutes and rinse. Mandy
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.