BEETS AND PIECES
Tips and tricks for dealing with even the most confounding household conundrums
Q How would a person gather carrot and beet seeds in the fall?
A Both carrots and beets are biennials, meaning that they typically flower in their second year. Carrots grow umbel (a number of short flower stalks) and make lots of seeds. You will need to put a paper bag over the blossoms and tape it shut. Beets grow upright candelabra flower stalks and will give you a generous amount of seeds. Bag your blossoms if you wish to keep your seeds pure.
Save the seeds from more than one plant to keep genetic diversity. However, one plant should yield you more than enough seeds for an average size garden.
Q The drinking glasses in my dishwasher have a smoky film on them. How do I get that off ? A Etching on glasses may be a permanent condition depending on the depth of the etching. Begin by pouring citric acid (available at most pharmacies or health stores) into the dishwasher dispenser and running the dishwasher as usual. You can also soak the glasses in one-quarter cup citric acid and four cups water for two hours, rinse, or rub with fine steel wool or fine sandpaper and vinegar. Don’t be fooled, the etching will look like it has disappeared at first glance but may return when the glasses are dry. If etching remains, the condition is permanent.
Q We had our coffee maker under the kitchen cupboards and the steam discoloured the wood. How can I restore it to the original colour?
A It sounds as though the finish is permanently damaged and will require proper refinishing for the cupboards to match. If you opt to refinish the cupboards, secure a piece of stainless steel to the underside of the upper cabinet so neither heat nor moisture will damage the wood in the future.
FEEDBACK FROM A FABULOUS CONTRIBUTOR
Re: Discoloured bathtub due to bathtub no-slip grips
To the person wanting to clean dingy bathtub no-slip grip strips: purchase a bottle of VIM cleanser and put some on an old toothbrush and scrub. Thanks for what you do. Linda
DIRTY SECRETS ABOUT GERMS AND BACTERIA! PART 1 OF 3
TRUE or FALSE
1. The No. 1 way that germs get passed is through improper hygiene.
Answer: Sick of hearing it, but it’s true. Wash your hands thoroughly before cooking, after touching raw meat, fish, or chicken, and especially after visiting the bathroom. Most food borne illnesses are related to improper hand washing after using the toilet. If hand washing facilities are not available, wetting napkins or sanitizers will reduce the germs on your hands but won’t eliminate them.
Best way to prevent food poisoning is to eat many, many unwashed apples.
Answer: False. Raw meat and poultry, eggs, fish and unwashed fruit and vegetables can all carry germs. Thoroughly cooking food and performing scrupulous kitchen cleanup are the best ways to prevent food poisoning.
Toilet seats contain more germs than anywhere else in the home.
Answer: False. According to studies done by the University of Arizona, the following objects are the biggest collectors and spreaders of germs: telephones (especially cellphones), desktop surfaces, keyboards, mouse, photocopiers and toilet seats in that order. Cellphones are worse than desk phones because they are often kept in pockets where it is nice and warm, which is just what germs need to breed fast. Since germs are passed from our hands as we touch things, and since we continually touch the phone, cellphone, keyboard, mouse and desktop, we continually move the germs from one place to another.
Did you know? According to recent studies, cellphones have 400 times more germs than toilets?
Germs are found mainly in the homes of people who never clean.
Answer: False. Germs are found all over the world, in all kinds of places. There are four major types of germs: bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa. They can invade plants, animals, and people, and sometimes they make us sick.
Cutting boards need to be kept clean.
Answer: Please tell me that you said true. We may not need to go overboard on cleaning the entire house but, cutting boards, if not sanitized properly can pose a problem. Cutting boards harbour harmful bacteria in cracks and knife grooves, particularly after cutting meat or poultry. A good procedure for disinfecting both wood and plastic cutting boards, as well as other surfaces and utensils, is to spray them first with a mist of vinegar, then with a mist of hydrogen peroxide. This combo kills bacteria on meat, without hurting the food.
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. Reena Nerbas is a popular motivational presenter for large and small groups. Check out her website at reena.ca to ask a question or share a tip.