Reena Nerbas
Dear Reena: I have a huge invasion of tiny ants in my pantry. Help!
Janice Remove all food from the pantry. Throw away any open containers or packages. Spray the pantry with ant killer, looking for a product with a two-week residual. After two weeks, wipe shelves, the floor and walls. Return all food to the pantry, making sure that all products are stored in airtight containers.
Dear Reena: Any suggestions for removing dog drool from cloth vehicle seats?
Merv Wet a cloth with water and heavy-duty laundry detergent. Wipe the areas well and rinse with water. Finish with a whitevinegar rinse, to guard against watermarks on the upholstery.
Dear Reena: My door gaskets seem to be rubber and they are soiled and dirty. I have used every cleaning item in the house and they are still dirty.
Carol Pour several drops of tea-tree oil onto the rubber. Use a damp, green scrubby pad to gently wash the soiled areas. Tea-tree oil can be found in health-food stores and grocery stores, in the pharmacy department. Some people have also experienced great results using the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser for this project.
Dear Reena: Do you have an easy apple-butter recipe for me? I have tons of apples in my yard and I need something to do with them.
Betty This recipe is easy and you can make it in a slow cooker. Peel, core and chop 5 1/2 lbs of apples. Place the apples in your slow cooker. In a separate bowl, combine: 4 cups white sugar, 2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground cloves and 1/2 tsp salt. Mix contents with apples. Cook on high for one hour. Reduce heat to low and cook for 10 hours or until mixture is dark brown and thick (stir occasionally). Uncover and cook for one more hour. Pour into sterile jars and store in fridge or freezer. Feedback from a reader: Re: Keeping wasps away You missed an opportunity to educate people on the benefits of wasps and stop the cruel witch hunt! Google “ecological benefits of wasps” and you will find lots of information. All creatures, great and small, are here with a purpose. And the human species has got to stop thinking they are the best and the most important. Jean
Tip of the week:
Dear Reena: We have an older home with older plumbing. The bathtub faucet has dripped for years, leaving an unsightly water stain around the drain. Unfortunately, the plumbing is inside a tiled wall, and I can’t get at it to change the washers, or whatever is causing it to drip. Solution: We soaked the water stain (for quite some time) with vinegar-soaked paper towels, and finally got it cleaned right up.
Then, from the hardware store, I sourced an 18-inch length of white plastic flexible hose, the right diameter to fit over the faucet. Now the dripdrip-drip is directed directly down the drain.
Another solution that works just as well (if you don’t have the kind of faucet that a hose will fit over or in) is to use a length of plastic rod, like those used on venetian blinds (a “tilt wand” as they’re called). Cut it to the suitable length and place one end in the faucet and the other end in the drain.
The water will run down the rod, and not get on the surface of the tub. Dave
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.