Solutions & Substitutions by Reena: Tending to Your Sore Nose


 

By Reena Nerbas

Body Odour in Clothing

Dear Reena,

I have an Under Armour athletic garment that has bad body odor smell in the armpits. I wash it after every use; however, I cannot get the foul smell out. Any suggestions? Chloe

Dear Chloe,

Soak Under Armour in 50/50 white vinegar and water for a few hours before tossing the entire contents into the washing machine. Wash with HOT water and machine dry, so that fabric dries quickly. I also contacted the Under Armour Company and they recommend; soaking the gear thoroughly for 30 – 60 minutes in a solution of half cup of baking soda mixed with 2 quarts of water.

Exercise Equipment Marking Floor

Dear Reena,

My indoor walker is leaving black marks on my carpet. Is there something I can coat the wheels with to prevent this? Marion

Dear Marion,

Tires are black due to the chemical “carbon black,” which is a combination of various forms of tar and vegetable oil. There is nothing official that removes the residual chemical. Some people have great success by wiping the wheels with either rubbing alcohol or household ammonia. Other people enlist a friend to run the walker over snow on the driveway which wears off some of the black residue (dry well). The good news is that overtime; the marks should become considerably less. Remove any marks on vinyl flooring with a rubber eraser. Clean marks on carpet with dish soap and water. If the walkers had straight legs instead of wheels, you would have the option to slit rubber or tennis balls and fit them over the feet of the walker.

Sour Cream Substitute

Dear Reena,

Do you have any ideas of a good substitute for sour cream? Ida

Dear Ida,

Combine 4 drops of lemon juice with one cup whipped cream. Let sit for 30 mins.

Stuck Phone Buttons

Dear Reena,

One of the phone buttons on our cordless phone is stuck. Is there any way to unstick it other than buying a new phone? Thanks. Vera

Dear Vera,

Your best hope is to give the phone key pad a good cleaning by using rubbing alcohol on a soft cloth. Clean the entire key pad. Next dip a cotton swab into rubbing alcohol and clean around each number. If the button remains stuck check out the warranty or contact the manufacturer.

Who Knows What Your Nose Knows?

Whenever I have a cold, I rub the bottom of my nose with lip balm so that my nose doesn’t become sore. I label that one particular lip balm with my name and the word ‘SICK’ on it. Submitted By: Betsy

My children used to waste an entire box of tissues in one day when they had a cold. Now I purchase the softest roll of toilet paper that I can find and they use one or two sheets at a time. Their nose does not become sore from rubbing, and we aren’t wasting as much. Submitted By: Manfred

I cut up an old, soft bedsheet and made it into hankies for my husband and I to use whenever we have a cold. Wash in hot water. Submitted By: Alex

Comfort Food: Homemade Chocolate Pudding!

Makes 4 Delicious Servings

In a double boiler stir together: Half cup sugar, 3 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder, one quarter cup cornstarch and a pinch of salt. Set the temperature to medium heat; stir in two and three quarter cups milk. Stir constantly and bring to a boil until mixture is thick enough to adhere to the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and add 2 tbsp. butter and one and a half tsp. vanilla. Cool and serve warm. Refrigerate to store.

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.

I enjoy your questions and tips, keep them coming. Need a Presenter on the topic: Effective Speaking or The Power of Words? Check out: Reena.ca

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