Caution required with use of wheat-filled heat bags

Dear Reena: I own a wheat-filled heating pad that was scorched in a new microwave — obviously it had a quicker heating time. It now smells just when sitting and more so when reheated. The fabric — material unknown — is also discoloured.

My questions are: If I hand-wash this small item (about five by 18 centimetres for wrist and ankles), will it remove the smell from the material/seed and clean the brown spot on the cloth?

How will I know when it is thoroughly dry — just wait for three days or something? Will the wheat mould, even if it has been thoroughly dried?

If I reheat it before it’s completely dry, will the wheat be compromised?

Marie Use caution when resorting to wheat bags. There have been numerous recorded incidents of bags becoming too hot, smouldering and catching fire after microwave heating.

If the bag is damaged in any way, your safest bet is to toss it out.

Dear Reena: My friend has a cottage at a lake and has noxious weeds in her garden and lawn.

She has tried Weed and Feed, and Roundup to eradicate them, but the former doesn’t work at all on these weeds, and the latter only works after repeated applications, killing the grass in the process.

Do you have any ideas on how these weeds can be completely removed?

Joan When it comes to noxious weeds, determination and persistence are key.

Option 1: Use commercial weed killer, with a long residual period to lengthen time between applications.

Option 2: Make your own weed killer: In a spray bottle, combine half a litre of pickling vinegar, 1 tsp of dish soap and

1⁄2 cup of salt. Spray weeds, keeping in mind that this solution will kill anything green. Reapply the next day.

Option 3: Smother the weeds with a tarp or carpet and then cover the area with mulch.

Of course, this method will depend on where the weeds are located and the size of the weeds.

The most effective solution for getting rid of weeds is to extract the root regularly. However, this is not always an option.

Dear Reena: The anti-slip strips in my bathtub have become discoloured. Can you suggest a way to clean them without harming the tub?

Rennie Several people achieved great results by scrubbing the areas with a green scrubby pad (a wash cloth won’t do it) and either toilet-bowl cleaner or equal parts borax, dish soap and three per cent hydrogen peroxide. Scrub and rinse!

Feedback from a reader

Re: Changing furnace filter As far as fibreglass filters being changed monthly, that is a bit excessive, since they trap very little but the largest of particles. I change the microfilters once in December and once in March. Of course, that is without air-conditioning in the summer. As a side note, back in the early 1970s, long before the microfilters came out, I asked a clerk in the hardware section of a department store whether they had a spray to apply to the filters. She looked at me in shock and said: “But that would plug them up!” My response: “That’s exactly what I wanted.” That made her look even more shocked. Alan

Tips of the week

• I often found spiders sitting in the same area of my screened room. I decided to soak a few cotton balls with peppermint essential oil, which is different from peppermint extract. I have noticed fewer spiders ever since. Tyler • If you notice that your dryer takes longer to dry your clothing, remove the screen filter and clean. Scrub both sides with a soft brush, dish soap and water. Dry well and return to the dryer. Alishia

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.