By Reena Nerbas
Felt Pads on Chair Feet
Dear Reena,
I use felt pads that stick on the bottom of wooden dining room and kitchen chairs. I have spent time cleaning the grit and glue off and using Goo Gone and sandpaper before I put a fresh felt pad on. Again they came off. I have tried gluing the pads using a glue gun and still they come off. I have a new tile floor in the kitchen and new laminate flooring in the dining room and I don’t want to scratch the flooring. By the way, thank you for your suggestion about preventing freezer burn in my packaged frozen food by using a straw. Nancy
Dear Nancy,
Forget the glue. The challenge of the glue not holding is a result of glue being absorbed into the felt pads; therefore strength of glue won’t make a difference. Purchase either a plastic or wooden leg protector and nail kit (the nail is hammered directly into the chair foot). Or purchase properly fitted rubber chair protectors that slide onto chair feet.
Cleaning Shower Base
Hi Reena,
I have tried your borax and baking soda mixture. Neither helped with the dirty looking sections of the shower base. It is mainly the x-like lines from the corners to the drain in the middle. I have also sprayed it with bleach but not sure yet whether that is going to work. Thank-you, June
Dear June,
Sounds like you require a tougher solution. Begin by scrubbing the area with an old toothbrush and toothpaste. If that does not do the trick, purchase Iron Out (a product found at Canadian Tire and other hardware retailers). Ventilate the area and use the product according to the directions. Your shower will shine!
Feedback from Reader Who Cares:
Re: What to do with rubber gloves that have holes.
I love this question! I am in exactly the same position as Joy, except that I, like the majority of people, am right-handed, so I have a big bag of perfectly good “lefties.” I have often thought that there may be a need for a “Rubber Glove Exchange” where people with unused lefts and rights can drop off their gloves and pick up the ones they need. Although I appreciate your suggestions about alternate uses for extra gloves, I think that the best solution is that I really need to meet someone like Joy, so we can swap! Kathy
Fabulous Tips of the Week
· I received this tip regarding cleaning older ovens from my neighbor Lynda. Instead of using harsh commercial oven cleaners, she uses Windex. Spray on, leave for 5-10 minutes, wipe. Rinse well. I tried it, with great results. Mind you, I actually used windshield wiper fluid instead. Both products work. Submitted By: The Lovely Jan Cooper
· I burnt a pot and put ice water and vinegar and scrubbed it with an S.O.S pad but the pot remained dirty. Next I put Vim cream in the pot, it worked like magic, and the pot is clean. Submitted By: Sandra
· To get rid of an infestation of fruit flies, make a trap to contain them in seconds. Take a piece of paper (form a cone); leave a small opening at the tip. Close with tape and tape a few small heavy objects, such as nails, to the outside of the cone, the weight helps create a seal between the cone and the glass. Put a small amount of fruit juice in a tall drinking glass, put your cone in the glass, and your trap is set! After I trap a dozen or so flies, I take the glass outside, lift the cone and blow into the glass freeing the flies. Michael
· This tip will not be popular with people who hate crows, but I greatly admire them for their intelligence and adaptability. Anyway, I splurge on weekends with bacon and eggs for breakfast, which leaves me with leftover grease. I put a piece of stale bread in the grease on low heat and then after a few minutes, turn it over, after turning the heat off. This effectively soaks up all the excess grease. I then throw the grease soaked bread on my garage roof, and within minutes, it is “airlifted” away by crows. Cheers, Michael
I enjoy your questions and tips, keep them coming. Need a Corporate Presenter on the topic: Harness the Power of Words? Check out my website reena.ca.