Dear Home Ec 101:My husband and I both grew up in homes where the father worked, and the mother largely stayed home and attended to all of the household duties. We both work and sometimes have a hard time agreeing on who should be doing which chores, how often, and how well. I tend to …
Dear Home-Ec 101, I clean houses part time to bring in some additional income. . My newest client has severe allergies, no strong chemicals can be used in her home. Currently I’m using soap and water or a vinegar mix for most of the jobs, but her tub and shower combo are quite grungy, (not …
Dear Home-Ec 101, My kids whine incessantly when I ask them to help clean, and they do a halfhearted job when they finally clean. How do I get them to help out? Signed, Ripping my hair out in Riverdale Ivy says: I know what that’s like. My kids still put up a fuss about cleaning, …
Dear Home-Ec 101, What’s the best plan of attack if I need to make the house *look* clean for visiting parents or (especially) in-laws, but I don’t necessarily have the time or desire to do it up right? In other words, what spots do I absolutely have to hit to make it look like cleanly, …
Ivy says: Kathy T over at Where’s the Mute Button asked us some questions. We at Home-Ec 101 are here to help, so here’s where I answer those questions. Kathy’s questions are in bold: 1. How to clean up *shart-stains. In case anyone was unaware, shart stains are those brown stains that mysteriously appear in …
Dear Home-Ec 101, My house is a wreck. I’m scared to open the fridge, and 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. Dear Don’t Know Where to Start, When I’ve gotten off track, I …