Double-pane screen door is a pain to wipe clean

Dear Reena: I have a screen door and between the panes, I cannot get anything but liquid, as it so narrow. I cannot remove the inner pane.

What can I pour in there that would clean the inside glass? It looks terrible.

Doreen Drape a soft, high-quality microfibre cloth over a fly swatter, and use an elastic band to secure the cloth onto the fly swatter. Soak the cloth with plain water.

Wipe the window with the fly swatter. Next, fasten a dry microfibre cloth onto the fly swatter. Dry the window in the same manner.

The fly swatter is narrow and will hopefully reach between the screen and the window. If the window is extremely dirty, soak the cloth in ammonia instead of water to clean. If you absolutely cannot use anything other than a liquid spray between the screen and the window, a commercial or homemade window solution is your best option.

Dear Reena: There is a hole in the leather seat in my car, due to an acid leak from a battery. Please advise what to do and where to purchase a leather patch (cream/beige-coloured leather).

Mavis

Leather patches are available at most department and home-hardware stores, furniture retailers, car dealerships and online.

Please follow the instructions included with the kit. For a more professional repair, take your vehicle to a restoration specialist.

Dear Reena: I had a glass bistro table by my door all summer and found it very handy for putting parcels, etc. so I could open my door more easily. Now that winter is here, I am worried it might break if it gets too cold. The glass is a wavy kind of pebble finish on the underside.

Sandy

Glass tables are unstable, and even tempered glass tables sometimes break for no apparent reason — I know, because this happened to my glass table.

When you add cold temperatures, this means more stress for the surface of the glass. If you love your table, reduce the risk of breakage by moving it to a warmer area of the house.

Reader feedback

Re: Storing Asparagus

When you bring fresh asparagus home, cut about half an inch off the ends and place in a high glass, ends down and tips up. Put the glass in the fridge and the asparagus will last longer than a week and stay crispy. Peggy Fill your home with the aroma of chestnuts

• Preheat your oven to 425 F. Score each chestnut around the shell. Be very careful, as they are slippery. Put the chestnuts in a pot of water.

When the water begins to simmer, remove the chestnuts and place them on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, or until they begin to peel.

Remove them from the oven, drop them into a bowl and cover the bowl with a tea towel. Leave for 15 minutes. Some chestnuts will be easier to peel than others.

Throw away any gooey nuts. Remove the outer shell and the tough brown skin. The house should now smell delightful, and the chestnuts are ready to eat. 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.