Montreal Gazette

EXTRA CARE REQUIRED WHEN MAINTAININ­G GLASS KITCHEN TABLE

Also: Try blowing dry air into your smartphone to fix soaked speakers

- REENA NERBAS Solutions & Substituti­ons

Q I ordered a glass kitchen table. It will be delivered soon, but I am now having second thoughts. Do you have any advice on how to take care of a glass table? We will be using it as our everyday table, not as an occasional dining room table.

A Glass tables are timeless and often help to create the illusion of a larger room. However, they do require extra attention. Use placemats and coasters whenever possible. Clean with a soft cloth and 50/50 vinegar and water. For stuck-on grime, use a non-scratching pad and baking soda and vinegar to clean. Buff the surface with a soft, dry cloth or newspaper.

Q Guests were arriving at my house and I was busy making my famous Chocolate Lasagna supper. In that moment, I wondered if there is one food that encompasse­s all four food groups. I couldn’t think of a single answer. Any ideas? Tami

A Chocolate Lasagna sounds like a yummy supper! Many foods carrying all four food groups come to mind (depending on how they are prepared): pizza, lasagna, soup, salads, casseroles and omelettes. Great question!

Q I grated some lemon and orange rind on the fine side of my grater, and I am having difficulty cleaning it. I’ve tried scraping it and using a toothpick to pick out pieces, to no avail. Can you can help me out with this? A Here are a few suggestion­s for cleaning your grater. Grate a

raw potato or apple — this helps unplug the holes on the grater. Use a nylon brush, dish scrubber and scrub the inside of the grater. The rind should come out of the holes with ease. Anytime you decide to grate cheese (instead of fruit), spray non-stick cooking spray on the grater before you start grating. This helps clean the cheese out quickly, just a few dunks in warm, soapy water and the cheese should pop out. The next time you want to grate fruit, freeze the grater before and after use. The dishwasher should also help clean the grater.

Q I left my iPhone on the kitchen counter and spilled a bottle of olive oil nearby. The phone was drenched with oil. The phone still works except for the sound; the speakers are very quiet. Any advice?

A I am not a technology expert; however, a similar situation happened with my phone. The solution was to blow dry air into the speaker. Regarding my phone, it only took a moment of blowing dry air and the sound worked.

INTERESTIN­G IDEAS

If you are a glasses wearer and have difficulty tweezing eyebrows because you can’t see them, wear your glasses upside down while tweezing.

Submitted by: Kay

Remove pilling balls on fabrics by wiping the areas with a pumice stone (available at dollar and beauty stores). Submitted by: Pam

Reena Nerbas is a popular motivation­al presenter for large and small groups; check out her website — reena.ca — to ask a question or share a tip.

Disclaimer: 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.

 ?? GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOT­O ?? To keep a glass table clean, use a soft cloth and a 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water. Placemats will help, too.
GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOT­O To keep a glass table clean, use a soft cloth and a 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water. Placemats will help, too.
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