Author: Gateway Gazette Contributor

By Reena Nerbas Tropical Holiday Causes Musty Suitcases Hi Reena, Is there a way of getting rid of musty tropical smells from suitcases? We came back from the Dominican Republic at Christmas and the smell is still lingering. I am afraid to put anything in the suitcases and travel elsewhere with them. I placed scented…

By Reena Nerbas Staining on Marble Floor Dear Reena, We moved into a house that has stains on the marble flooring in the bathroom. I’ve tried everything I can think of including professional products but nothing seems to work. Do you have any suggestions?  Thanks, Susan Dear Susan, There is a chance that the stains…

By Reena Nerbas Repairing Damage to Hardwood Floors Dear Reena, We have hardwood floors on the main level of our condo; they are approximately 19 years old. Is there any way to fix the pit holes and gauges in the floor? Thanks for your help, Lorne Dear Lorne, The following are three options ranked in…

By Reena Nerbas How the Cornbread Crumbles Dear Reena, I made cornbread and it was very crumbly. What did I do wrong I used one egg should I use two next time? Carolyn Dear Carolyn, Here are a few hints for making delicious cornbread: Use buttermilk instead of milk and/or water. While you do not…

By Reena Nerbas Cleaning the Ceiling Fan Dear Reena, It is time to clean our kitchen ceiling fan and previously you had mentioned putting some oil on it to prevent attracting dust, could you please remind us what type of oil you recommended for this? Thanks. Joan Dear Joan, For regular ceiling fan cleaning jobs,…

By Reena Nerbas There are many stories about how and where rice came from. Most believe the roots of rice come from 3000 BC India, where natives discovered the plant growing in the wild and began to experiment with it. Rice is great for cooking and so much more… Make your own homemade glue using…

By Reena Nerbas Restoring Lustre to Baking Pans Dear Reena, Years of use have left my aluminum baking pans (even top quality ones) unsightly and horrible. Can anything restore them? Thank-you, Margaret Dear Margaret, Here is a very easy solution to clean unsightly aluminum baking sheets. Sprinkle a generous amount of good ‘ol fashioned baking…

By Reena Nerbas Bloodstain Dear Reena, Do you have any suggestions on how to remove blood spots from a pillowcase? Thank-you, Paul Hi Paul, Scrub the stains with Head & Shoulders Dandruff Shampoo, rinse with water until stains are gone. Keeping Garden Herbs Fresh Dear Reena, How can I keep my garden grown herbs fresh?…

By Reena Nerbas Prepping Shells for Stain Dear Reena, I would like to know how to clean a shell and how to apply stain on it? Can you please share your ideas with me? Thank-you, Jamal Dear Jamal, Place the shell into room temperature 50/50 bleach/water inside of a pot (or use plain water). Boil…