Another Sticky Situation

Dear Home Ec 101,

How do you get stuck on hairspray off walls and a cheap linoleum bathroom floor?

Signed,

Tacky in Texas

Heather says:

Oh it’s the dreaded hairspray overspray!

The answer is deceptively simple.  You’ll need hot water and elbow grease.  Use an old rag and water as hot as you can stand it. This should work for semi-gloss paint and your linoleum.  If you have flat pain, wipe carefully.

If you have wallpaper, use cool water and sponge gently.

If there is a heavy build up of hairspray make a past of baking soda and water, gently rub that into the stains and then wipe off.  Follow this with clear water.  As always, please test this in an inconspicuous spot.  A last resort to try is diluted fabric softener, again test please.   Dilute 1 part fabric softener with 2 parts water.  Spray and then wipe.  Never use this method on wallpaper, as it is probably one of the most effective wall paper removers I’ve ever used.

I

What Is Growing in My Shower?

Dear Home Ec 101,

We keep getting these pale pinkish stains on the shower curtains and at the base of the tub…
Our neighbor has the same issue, and he thinks it’s metal in the Mt P. water supply.
Could it be mold?

I’ve found a weak bleach solution or most any bath cleaner completely fades the stains without much scrubbing - but the spots will return in less than a week if I don’t spray on a near-daily basis.

Signed,
~Pretty in Pink

Heather says:

You are right on target cleaning with a weak bleach solution.  The microorganism behind your bathroom cleaning quandary is Serratia marcescens and it loves damp environments.  The bacteria was once used for experimentation due to its coloration (it made it easy to track growth, even without a microscope).  However it has been found to cause urinary tract infections and rarely pneumonia.

Chlorine is an effective preventative and will wipe it out temporarily.  Unfortunately chlorine evaporates more quickly than water and eventually the airborne bacteria will reproduce in sufficient numbers to create the pink stain in showers, and in toilets that are used infrequently.  Remember to periodically clean your showerhead if you notice the telltale pink discoloration.

Cleaning granite, Janet!

(from our message boards)

Dear Home-Ec 101,

Can someone tell me why one of the hardest substances on earth is so picky about what it’s cleaned with? Seriously, new house, new coutertops, new to granite. How do you clean AND disinfect safely on granite?

Signed,

Samantha

Ivy says:

Well, Samantha, I’d like to know how you turned my font blue, but we don’t always get what we want, do we? Just kidding, I’ll answer your post post-haste.

Granite is a very hard surface (nearly as hard as my head!), but it is a very porous surface. Don’t ask me why, I failed molecular biology. Fortunately, there is a good (and cheap) way to clean and disinfect your granite surface.

Get yourself a spray bottle and fill it up with a 50/50 mix of rubbing alcohol and water. Use this to clean your fab granite countertops. Once a month, use a specially formulated granite polish on your countertops and they should look fabulous and be nice and disinfected.

Granite is so sexy, and it doesn’t have to be hard to clean!

Bathtub funk is fun!

Dear Home- Ec 101,

My bathtub is so funky, it makes James Brown look stodgy. Especially since he’s dead. But I digress. The yuck in my tub is so nasty, I’m afraid to take a shower, and my co-workers are starting to complain. Help me, Luke Skywalker Home-Ec 101, you’re my only hope!

Signed,

Princess Leia

Ivy says:

It just so happens that I was reading a blog post about this very issue today. TipNut tells us you can easily clean your bathtub with laundry detergent. The way to do this is by filling your tub with hot water, then adding 2-3 cups of a powdered laundry detergent that has enzymes. (to break down body oils, which is what is making your tub so heinous)

Soak that puppy overnight, then drain it and wipe it down in the morning. Head over to TipNut if soaking your tub in laundry detergent doesn’t work. She has a “Bathtub Miracle Paste” that just might fit the bill.

Oh, and Princess? Take a shower, already, your email smelled like pimentos and old feet. Ewww.

Where to Start

Dear Home-Ec 101,

My house is a wreck. I’m scared to open the fridge, I swear something growled at me the last time I grabbed a soda. I think a dust bunny ate the baby.

Help Me!

Signed,

Don’t Know Where to Start.

Heather Says:

I begin with the kitchen sink, it’s a small area and it can be conquered!

Empty your sink of all dishes, fill it with hot water and a little bleach.

Come back and read for a few minutes or empty the dishwasher, if you’d prefer.

After the hot water has had time to loosen the crud, drain the sink, and use a non-abrasive cleaner to scrub it. Don’t be afraid to use a little elbow grease! Now, if you have a sink like mine, you may have to use a mild abrasive like Bar Keeper’s Friend, or in a pinch, baking soda.

Finish by shining the faucet with a little window cleaner and wipe with a paper towel or soft cloth.

It’s a lot easier to face the day when you don’t have to shovel dishes out the way to brew a pot of coffee.

Now go find that baby!