Heather Solos's Blog, page 18

How Can I Remove a Hard Water Stain on Enameled Cast Iron?

This question is from the comments on How to Clean Stained Enameled Cast Iron

Q: I just used my Tramontina dutch oven for the first time to attempt to cook some peas. Steam from the simmering beans condensed and ran down the outside of the pot and left what looks like hard water stains. No amount of scrubbing will remove them. Any advice on what to do would be highly appreciated.

The inside was another story. It cleaned up beautifully. Bar Keepers Friend was used on the inside and outside.

A: I would have tried Bar Keeper’s Friend first, too. Did you use the same technique on the outside as the inside? I only ask because it’s an easy thing to miss. Did the outside get cleaned with the BKF for the same amount of time or did you spend the majority of the time working on the inside where it’s easier to clean/soak?

If not, give it one more chance, but be sure to rinse it thoroughly.

If a little more effort didn’t make a difference, it’s time to change tactics. Since an acid didn’t work to remove the stain on your dutch oven, your next step is to try a base that is probably hanging out in your cupboards. 

Make a paste of baking soda and water, apply it to the stain and then use a nylon scrubber or a scrubby sponge to remove the paste. Rinse well.

You’ll often see it recommended to make a paste of vinegar and baking soda. That’s more of a fun science project than useful trick. Adding vinegar to the baking soda creates a reaction that makes a neutral salt. If you use a lot of vinegar, you’re still using an acid and if you use a little, you’re just using a weaker base. 

If the stain is still there, it’s time to call the manufacturer for further advice. 

Best of luck!

Send your questions to helpme@home-ec101.com.

The post appeared first on Home Ec 101.

              

How to Dry a Damp Mattress

Dear Home-Ec101,

We have had our pillow top mattress for two years.


I tried a new spot cleaning vacuum on the surface, however, the mattress only absorbed the mixture of water and chemical cleaner. Consequently, the vacuum was unable to suck up any moisture. Now I am concerned the moisture and chemical is stuck in the pillow top, and I desperately want to pull that chemical out before we start sleeping on it.

Any suggestions?

Signed,


Damp in Dameron

Dear Damp,

First, let’s take a deep breath and remember that chemical does not mean bad just like natural doesn’t necessarily mean good. Water is a chemical, salt is a chemical. Poison ivy is definitely natural, as are black widows. 

Next how much water and solution did you use? If the mattress is sodden, you’re going to need help to dry it fully before mold and mildew start growing. Pillow top mattresses can be expensive, take action quickly. (If it’s the middle of the night, you don’t need to make an emergency service call, but don’t put it off for a week, either).

Additionally, if you are referencing dry cleaning solvent, I strongly recommend contacting a professional. There are companies that clean only mattresses, but if there isn’t one in your area, give your local carpet cleaner a call, they should be able to help. In the meantime, keep the room well ventilated.

If, as it sounds like, you are referencing something like Bissell’s Cleaning Solution. This is something you can take care of, on your own. I don’t recommend pouring yourself a glass and serving it for tea, but this isn’t going to give your unborn children horns and a tail.  

Grab some old, absorbent towels and some heavy books. (It’s only in situations like this that I miss the yellow pages, but cookbooks work well). Place the towel folded over several times directly over the spot you were cleaning and place the heavy books on top of the towel. The weight is important. Give the moisture some time to wick into the towel and then replace it with a dry towel. Keep doing this until you can’t pull any more liquid from the mattress. 

Next, remove everything from the mattress and set up a fan in the room. You’ll want to direct the fan toward the damp area. Keep the air circulating until the mattress is fully dry. 

We’ve talked about mattress cleaning in the past, but the best practice is prevention. Protect your investment with a good quality mattress pad.

Send your questions to helpme@home-ec101.com.

The post How to Dry a Damp Mattress appeared first on Home Ec 101.

               
CommentsIf you own or can borrow a powerful wet/dry shop vac, that’s ... by Bobbie Laughman  

Why Is My Chicken Stock Greasy?

This question comes from the comments on Why does my chicken stock taste like water?

Q: Why is my chicken stock always greasy and watery?

When making chicken stock, it is perfectly normal for there to be fat and grease in the stock. To remove this, cool the stock completely in your refrigerator. Because chicken stock is water based, the oils will separate and you can skim or scrape the solidified fat from the top. 

Additionally, before making your stock, if you take the time to trim the bones of fat, you’ll have less in your stock.  Be sure to leave the cartilage and connective tissue, as the collagen this contains is very good for you and gives your stock a richer mouthfeel. This is why making stock from chicken feet works so well (if you can get past the whole chicken feet thing).

Roasting the scraps you use for your stock will change the flavor, but a lot of the fat will melt during this step. If you drain the scraps on a paper towel before starting your stock, you’ll have less grease. That said, you may be leaving flavor behind with this option.

Which technique should you use?

If you are willing to put some extra time into it, you may find the Asian method for making chicken stock a better fit for your preferences. It’s not required to use chicken feet when using this method, any chicken scraps like backs, necks, wing tips, will do.

If you only want to bring things to a simmer once, the French route is the way to go. Just remember you’ll need to skim it if you want clear stock. During the first 30 – 60 minutes of cooking, skim and discard the foam from the top. This foam is made up of coagulated proteins, if they aren’t removed, they will later mostly dissolve back into the stock leaving you with a cloudy product. If you are trying to graduate from culinary school, this is important to deal with.If you are cooking at home and not trying to make a fancy recipe that calls for clear stock, your cloudy stock isn’t disastrous and doesn’t mean the stock is greasy. It’s not going to ruin your chicken soup. 

Don’t forget to strain your stock before refrigerating. If you make stock regularly, you may find a chinois to be a great addition to your kitchen. Personally, I hate dealing with (and paying for) cheesecloth. I still need to keep cheesecloth on hand for some purposes, but I go through a lot less. 

Is the chicken stock watery or is it just bland?

I have the feeling when you are tasting your stock you are expecting soup.  Chicken stock isn’t there to be the star of your culinary production. It is not supposed to have an overpowering flavor. Yes, stock is supposed to have a chicken taste, but it isn’t supposed to bowl you over with it. Chicken stock is an ingredient, not the finished product.  

I hope this helps! Best of luck in your stock making endeavors.

Send your questions to helpme@home-ec101.com.

The post Why Is My Chicken Stock Greasy? appeared first on Home Ec 101.

                

How to Clean Hardwood After a Toilet Overflow

Q: How do I clean up my hardwood floors after a toilet overflows.

This question appeared as a comment on How to Clean Up After a Toilet Overflows

The difference between cleaning up toilet water on your typical bathroom flooring e.g. vinyl or tile and cleaning up hardwood is the hardwood is porous. 

 The advice in this post is for toilet overflows, not sewage backups. It also assumes that you are taking action quickly. If the water has been standing, has gone to the drywall, or seeped to a lower floor, more drastic measures should be taken.

While a toilet overflowing is certainly gross, it’s not the end of the world and as long as it is caught early, you may be able to prevent permanent damage. 

The first step is to stop the influx of water.

Next, remove all of the water from the surface. Use old towels then a wet dry vac. Continue to use the vacuum even after you don’t see water on the surface, it’s still pulling some of the water from the wood. 

The third step is to clean the wood flooring. Your bathroom flooring should not be a food contact surface, if it is, you should rethink your habits, for your sake and everyone else*. Use the cleaner recommended by your flooring’s manufacturer. If you cannot find that, something like Mr. Clean will do. Clean the floors and then damp mop or wipe with rags dipped in clean water with the excess squeezed out. 

Run the cleaned wet vac over the floors again.

Finally, and this is the most critical step, dry the flooring thoroughly. If you have access to an industrial fan run this, pointed at the flooring until it is fully dry. This will take longer than you think as the moisture isn’t just at the surface. 

Additional actions that can help with drying the flooring:

If you have central air, run it. Air conditioning removes some of the humidity from your house.
Do not run heat to this room until fully dry. If the floor was wet more than the surface, this can cause the boards to warp and encourage mold and mildew.
Use a dehumidifier

But what about the bleach you ask? Using bleach to disinfect runs the risk of damaging your flooring further. Contact your manufacturer for advice.

*Please wash your hands thoroughly before doing anything else after cleaning up this mess. I shouldn’t have to say this, but. . .

Send your questions to helpme@home-ec101.com

The post How to Clean Hardwood After a Toilet Overflow appeared first on Home Ec 101.

                

Digging In to Dig Out

Dear Home-Ec 101,


Well, I am probably the worst person when it comes to checking out-I did that literally for 2 years when my husband left me 3 years ago for almost a year. The result has been devastating I am constantly consumed by guilt and serious insomnia. I wasted two years of life and worst of all our autistic sons’ life as he did not get therapy to help him.

[Redacted by Heather, as its personal]

Now we both struggle with profound depression and I still can’t eat or sleep well. Additionally, my mental clarity, ability, and memory have been compromised. (Took me hours to write this, not kidding).

I just wish I would have realized years ago that I have a good husband and wonderful children who deserved so much better… and I could have gotten our youngest into ABA therapy years ago making a critical difference in his life/social skills and work ability.

I have not been able to clean our house effectively from all the clutter and it’s extremely dusty and showing signs of neglect everywhere. I absolutely cannot stand living like this but every time I want to start cleaning I am overwhelmed by the complete mess. No exaggeration to say that every counter, closet, cupboard, drawer, shelf, window, the surface seems uncleanable. The dust is so bad it is everywhere and I can clearly see particles floating in the air when it’s sunny. I have let the house go so badly that when I do want to clean it I don’t know how to start. I know it’s truly horrible. Every time I dust it ends up looking like I just need to dust. Literally just trying to dust our tv stand and end tables is awful. I am embarrassed but any suggestions on how to approach?

Signed,


Dusty, dirty and daunted

Dear Dusty,

You are in a tough place. 

You cannot go back, but you can move forward. Spending time ruminating on the what ifs steals from the present and future. If you have not been to a licensed professional to deal with the vicious circle that is insomnia and depression or anxiety, please make that your first step. Obviously, each person is different, but I know when my anxiety begins to take hold, I can’t sleep. The lack of sleep makes me ineffective in my day-to-day life which increases my anxiety which makes it harder to sleep. It’s a horrible, nightmare carousel, run by my inner demons (self-doubt, fear, self-loathing). I hate that anyone deals with anything similar.

Just as an aside, dust is part of life and seeing dust motes in the air is not a sign that you’re a terrible housekeeper. And even if you are or were, it doesn’t make you a terrible person.  

So where to start after making sure you and your family are safe and fed?

My usual advice is to start in the kitchen and more specifically the sink. Yes, I learned this from FLYlady a long time ago.

Why? It’s manageable and as you work to clean the rest of the house is a point you’ll return to many times over. Having this little oasis of clean gives you a sense of control and a sense of accomplishment, which is needed when there is just too much. 

For you, I want to add a couple of other small tasks. Please note that neither of these assignments prevents you from starting, they’ll just help make your ongoing cleaning efforts more effective over time with regard to the dust that bothers you so much.

First, if you have central air/heat replace your air filter and get on a schedule to replace them regularly. Don’t buy the most expensive one, go cheaper until you are through the worst of your cleaning project. Second, if you have a bagless vacuum, don’t just empty the bin, clean or replace the filter. If you have a bagged vacuum replace the bag. If you’re not up to leaving the house, you can order them. 

Please know that if you keep your windows open, dust will enter your home. If you live in your home, you create dust simply by existing. It’s a neverending battle and some homes are just dustier than others, so please don’t make dust the hill you choose to die on. Yes, you can and will make progress against it, but in the grand scheme of things, you’ve got bigger battles to fight. Save your energy.

Now that you have your little oasis of clean to come back to (your sink in case I lost you on these tangents), you can begin tackling the bigger project. Do not try to “clean the house” as one project in one day. You don’t have that kind of time or energy and you’ll just get discouraged. Begin with today on the weekly chore schedule. If, as you say, each room of your house is full of clutter make your goal to focus on that area for 15 minutes. There are daily upkeep chores on the list, too. Again, as you are starting you are not expected to do everything start to finish, just do what you can: sweep or vacuum the middles, make a dent in the dishes, wipe what you can in the bathroom. As you work your way through the house over the next several weeks, you’ll find these daily upkeep chores get more done every time. 

I have also created a weekly organizational challenge. Each Sunday morning a challenge will land in your inbox for you to work on over the week. In six months, you’ll have made a lot of progress on the clutter front.

Where you are stinks. I’m sorry. You’ll move this mountain one stone at a time.  

Send your questions to helpme@home-ec101.com.

The post Digging In to Dig Out appeared first on Home Ec 101.

               
CommentsThat is an excellent resource, thank you for sharing it. by Heather SolosI think anyone who deals with anxiety or depression would ... by Debi  

It’s May Day, and We’re Doing Fine

Life goes on, as it always does and things are settling back into a routine, an exhaustive set of tasks, but a routine nonetheless. Of course, school will soon be out for the summer and we’ll have to find our next new normal. I started back to work full-time this week. I’ve been working toward that, but now I’m back to the 9 – 5. 

Amelia has been colicky, but since we’re treating her reflux, it’s ever so much more manageable than when I had my oldest. Back then, I didn’t know how to stand up to pediatricians and say, no something isn’t right. A note to new parents: it’s ok to push back with your doctor if your gut says to. It’s better to be a little embarrassed about being naive than to suffer for an unnecessary length of time. Document what you’ve tried, when, and for how long, so it stands out from the usual sleep-deprivation misery that all parents go through. Our little peanut is putting on weight and sleeping for longer stretches, oh happy day!

Site admin stuff:

I’m participating in a challenge to get myself back into the routine of working on this site before work. Don’t worry, you will not receive an email every day. After today I’m setting the mailing schedule to weekly (Fridays at 10:30 am Eastern). Tomorrow I’ll be pulling a question from the abyss that is my inbox and starting fresh. I’m hoping to figure out the best place to take pictures in our new home. The kitchen is dark, but the porch holds promise. When you have a lot of kids and a house with enough bedrooms shows up in your budget, lighting for cooking is a very low priority. In the meantime, I’ll be focusing on reader questions, cleaning, fixing, and laundry. 

There is a lot of talk about privacy and a thing called GDPR which goes into effect later this month. I’ll be giving a quick talk about it at our local WordPress Users Group (WordPress is what I use to run the website). While most of you are in the US, I have to ensure we formally meet all the guidelines, in practice, I already abide by them. I just have to check some boxes. You may see an email or two related to what’s happening on that front. As difficult as the process is, I hope the USA follows suit and introduces a similar policy, just with the same requirements, not new hoops to jump through. 

I have seen a couple of emails regarding ads on the site, they are staying. ♬I got bills to pay, I got mouths to feed, ain’t nothing in this world for free. ♬ (Does anyone else remember this song from prior to 2008? I tried Googling, but ended up down a rabbit hole on the Mandela Effect. Interesting stuff.) I work with a service that is supposed to keep bad ads out, but since everything is done by algorithm these days, sometimes the jerks get through the filters. If that happens, please copy the URL of where it leads, send it to me and I’ll make sure it gets removed. 

Onward and upward! 

Send your questions to helpme@home-ec101.com

The post It’s May Day, and We’re Doing Fine appeared first on Home Ec 101.

               
CommentsThank you! It'll be great to see you. As long as it's not a ... by Heather SolosI like that! It's not it though, I swear I've been hearing the ... by Heather SolosLunchMoney Lewis – “Bills” maybe? by phillipSo happy to have you back! Renovations are in full swing and ... by Groovy Goldendoodles  

Touching Base

It’s been a while and I hope you are well.

Amelia Katelyn was born on March 2 at 10:35 am. There was some serious concern that the gestational diabetes I developed was inhibiting her growth, so I was induced three weeks early. She’s tiny, currently at 5.5 lbs, but healthy and absolutely the center of attention. 

Back in November, when I shared the news that our family would be growing, I also mentioned that we were considering a move in the spring. I know spring doesn’t start for a couple weeks, but we did it. The original plan was to have the baby, put the house on the market, and then find a home to fit our family. We found the home (it was on my walking route), put in an offer on contingency (which if you aren’t a real estate buff means that we could back out if our home didn’t sell) and the sellers accepted. We scrambled, put our home on the market, and signed a contract.

The plan was then to move, then have the baby.

Life doesn’t like plans. 

I would like to thank my husband’s crossfit gym, Sacred Pine, for all of their help over the last few days. The owners and members knew we needed help due to Amelia’s early arrival and stepped up in a big way. We truly appreciate this. 

The last few months have been rough and I knew conceptually that having a community was important, experiencing it has been incredible. It’s hard to accept help, especially when you prefer to be the one to give (or as my therapist would probably point out rescue), but life gets easier when you do. 

We’re sleep deprived and surrounded by boxes, but that will get beter, one nap, one box and one day at a time. I’m currently on maternity leave from my day job. My plan, haha, is to begin playing catch up here.

Many thanks to Margo for this picture of our baby.

 

The post Touching Base appeared first on Home Ec 101.

                

How to Care for Fleece to Prevent and Reduce Pilling and Matting

Dear Home-Ec 101,

I’ve read different thoughts on this, but none that I would consider authoritative.  So I’m hoping you can help.  I have a brand new fleece that I actually dropped some decent coin on (read: not Old Navy). Actually, it’s not all that new, truth be told.  I just haven’t washed it at all since I bought it *mumble mumble* months ago because I hate how fleeces look as soon as they start to get pilled up.  So ideally what I actually need is to spot it for stains, then wash it, and it somehow (magically) comes out clean and as soft as the day I bought it. Is this possible?  It is black, so I’m much more concern about it staying soft than I am about some already difficult to detect stains.


Signed,


Finicky Fuzzies

Heather says:

Great question! First let’s look at what fleece is, as that helps explain how to care for the material.

Fleece is a man-made fabric that acts like wool in many ways but only has a fraction of the weight. Like wool, fleece is a great insulator, which is why it was originally called polar fleece when it was first created. Fleece is made from synthetic materials, sometimes from recycled plastics, which I find pretty neat.

During manufacturing the fleece is first woven on a loom, the vertical or warp yarns form the foundation of the material and the horizontally run yarns form the weft. To keep warp and weft straight in your head, remember that weft rhymes with left.

With fleece, the loops are very small and tightly knitted to the warp threads on one side and loose on the other. After the material has been dyed, the side of the fabric with the loops is run over brushes designed to pull the loops apart in a process called napping. This is what gives fleece it’s characteristic soft and fuzzy feel.

All those tiny, tiny synthetic fibers are also what make fleece a bear to care for.

Heat and friction are your enemies.

Both heat and friction will change the feel of fleece by melting or matting those tiny fibers.

Wash your fleece in cold water on the delicate or hand wash cycle and then tumble dry on LOW or simply air dry.

Click the picture for more tips!

Do I have to tell you that ironing is a bad idea? Also, avoid bleach and fabric softener.

Keep in mind that some fleece, hopefully not in your case, is especially prone to pilling and that the friction generated by everyday wear and tear may be enough to create pilling.

Unfortunately, once the fibers melt and matt the fabric has undergone a change that can be irreversible. You can try to restore some of the texture by using a razor to remove the pilling and by using a wire pet brush and a lot of patience to restore the nap. You’ll want to start in one corner of the item and work in small sections brushing gently to loosen the matting and separating the fibers.

Good luck!

Submit your questions to helpme@home-ec101.com.

 

The post How to Care for Fleece to Prevent and Reduce Pilling and Matting appeared first on Home Ec 101.

               
CommentsTHANKS! I am putting up a sign over my washing machine : FLEECE ... by sarah jjHi Jason, I updated the post to give an answer to your ... by Heather SolosBut what if it's already matted down? Should I brush it and use ... by jason volkI was under the impression that fleece was a knit, hence its ... by JamieI feel compelled to confess.. I was once dumb enough to attempt ... by ChasAnonLove this – as I am another one who adores the feel of fleece ... by Michelle  

The Home-Ec101.com Family Is Growing

Our blended family is going to get a bit bigger.

Remember how I mentioned that I was recovering from mono and taking some time to rest? Well, I went straight from mono to morning sickness. Consequently, productivity has not been at an all-time high around here. Throw in a couple of hurricanes to monitor, a broken HVAC—if you’re a homeowner anywhere in the south and you have a unit that runs on R-22 start saving for a replacement today—, work travel, and other adventures of adulthood and time has flown.

 

We’ve been working on a side project…

A post shared by Ray Bergman (@theraybergman) on Aug 4, 2017 at 4:48pm PDT

So, here we are and it’s already November. I’m feeling much, much better and this morning we had the big 20-week ultrasound and ::drumroll please:: we are having a baby.

Even if I had wanted to know what we were having, and I didn’t, the baby was having none of it. Everyone will just have to wait until March to find out. Ellie, the only girl, is campaigning hard for a sister, but she thinks she can deal with another boy if she has to. The boys don’t care one way or the other as long as they don’t have to share a room or change a diaper. 

Things have changed a bit in the last ten years, the list of things you aren’t allowed to have has gotten much longer, but other than that it all feels pretty familiar.

Don’t worry, we won’t be talking all baby all the time, but we also won’t be doing Countdown to Turkey Day this year. Our own plans for the holiday aren’t set and may just be a quiet staycation. Time will tell. We are considering relocating within the school district, in the spring so there may be some posts about getting ready to sell a home or the process of buying a home.  

I hope all of you are well and I’d like to hear any good news you have to share. 

The post The Home-Ec101.com Family Is Growing appeared first on Home Ec 101.

               
CommentsCongratulations! I was just thinking of you today and wondering ... by MaryWishing you and your growing family all the best!!! by MarthaCongratulations! by Nancy  

Bad Disaster Advice

I’ve been paying a lot of attention to the information being spread with regard to how to prepare for a disaster, like a hurricane. 

Bad Advice I’ve Seen Circulating

Hotels must take your pets in due to a law passed after Hurricane Katrina.

No. This is patently false. Hotels and motels are private businesses and not obligated to do so. The law that was passed is related to publicly funded shelters. 

In 2006, the federal Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards (PETS) Act (42 U.S.C.A. § 5196a-d (2006)) was passed. PETS directs the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to develop emergency preparedness plans and ensure that state and local emergency plans take into account the needs of individuals with pets and service animals during a major disaster or emergency. FEMA may also make financial contributions to state and local authorities for animal emergency preparedness purposes. PETS has been criticized because it does not require any specific action be taken.

Store your important documents and precious photos in your dishwasher.

NO. Your dishwasher has a drain that is attached to your sewer lines. These sewer lines can and do back up during flooding and fill your dishwasher. 

To protect your family documents, you must store them in a waterproof container. Place that container high in your home and hope for the best or better, take them with you, if you evacuate. You will want your insurance paperwork, birth certificates etc if your home becomes severely damaged or you have to prove your identity. 

Leave some windows cracked to equalize pressure

No. Close your windows and all interior doors.

Tape Your Windows

Taping windows doesn’t prevent windows from breaking and is a massive pain to remove. Additionally, there is the chance that the tape can create larger shards of glass. To protect your windows use storm shutters or plywood, not particle board which will swell quickly with exposure to water.

The Zello App -it’s like a walkie-talkie sorta

On Facebook, I’ve seen hundreds of people sharing that Zello can be relied on in an emergency because it doesn’t require cellular data. It can use as little as 2G, but without either some data or wifi connectivity, the app cannot function. Please do not rely on it for communication in an emergency. 

How much water?

If sheltering in place the rule of thumb is to store two gallons of water per day for each individual for 14 days. The pamphlets circulating only say three days. This advice is for those who are evacuating and may be stranded on the side of the road or in severe traffic jams. (The traffic jams can be so bad that, yes, you should bring toilet paper, biodegradable is preferable, but when needs must. Just try to clean up after yourselves). I wish the pamphlets were clearer on the amount of water, but there is only so much space.

I will update this article as necessary.

These I feel I should mention not because I hear advice to do these things, but because there are almost always news stories about someone who did these things anyway.

Do not run a portable generator inside your home. Do not run the generator directly under an open window. The combustion of gasoline produces carbon monoxide, an odorless and deadly gas. 

Do not grill inside your home or garage. I feel it’s very obvious why you shouldn’t use a charcoal grill. A propane grill doesn’t have the same amount of smoke, but it also produces carbon monoxide like a charcoal grill. Do NOT use grills in enclosed areas.

Listen to your local government officials, they aren’t trying to make your life harder, they are trying to save it.

Stay safe. 

The post Bad Disaster Advice appeared first on Home Ec 101.

               
Commentsthank you for sharing! by Martha