Tips for removing glue from glass, cleaning smartphones
Dear Reena: Can you please tell me how to remove the glue that was used to adhere the seal on the woodstove’s glass door?
Chris Apply one of the following to the glass: cooking spray, Goo Gone or WD-40. Leave 10 minutes and wipe. Clean the glass well, so that no product remains. Dear Reena: I bought a large container of cream cheese and put one third in a smaller container. Should I freeze the rest, or is it better kept in the fridge? It would take me over a month to use the small container.
Shirley I am often amazed at how long cream cheese lasts; check the expiry date before taking any further steps. If the expiration date allows you to keep the cheese in the fridge, it should be fine. Foil-wrapped cream cheese should last three to four weeks in the fridge.
You can freeze cream cheese, but only do so if you have no plans to use the cheese for baked goods such as cheesecake, because the cheese consistency changes after freezing. If you use cream cheese for spreading on toast, then freezing the cheese is no problem. Feedback from readers Re: Storing Christmas decorations Dear Reena: To store Christmas decorations properly, I use the dividers found in wine boxes from the liquor store. I put the dividers in my plastic boxes. The nutcrackers are safe standing up in the larger boxes. I cut the dividers to fit inside smaller boxes for small items. Pauline Re: Preserving photos
Dear Reena: Just a couple of observations regarding your advice to one of your readers regarding images and albums. Asking many individuals to scan in copies of their print or film images might be equivalent to asking me to tune up the space shuttle.
Making high-quality scans is very much a combination of the right equipment and a knowledge base involving both film and the digital world. Printing copies is a whole other topic! Hence, I do like your suggestions of enrolling in courses and asking other companies for advice. An added tip is to protect the original prints and, if they were kept, the negatives.
In the long run, the old analogue images might have more archival potential than the electronic copies. People should also make sure they are using 100 per cent acid-free components, both in the albums and attachment method. Wayne Re: Cleaning grout
Dear Reena: I think that Barbara’s question about cleaning grout is about the actual tile in her shower, not discoloured grout. I had black tile and it looked awful, with hard-water splotches. I used a vinegar (or lemon juice) solution to make the tiles shine again. It’s important to squeegee the tiles dry after every shower, so there won’t be any more spots.
Jeanie Cellphone maintenance • Maintain your phone while working over a soft surface. • Remove the phone from the phone case. • Maintenance of the phone case depends on the material makeup of the case. • Wipe the phone with 60 per cent water and 40 per cent rubbing alcohol, and a soft cloth. • Use a cotton swab to clean outer crevices and sides. • Do not use ammonia or ammonia products (eg. Windex) or abrasive products. • Invest in a stylus pen if you prefer to reduce the frequency of finger contact with your phone. 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.