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Help a Home-Ec Reader Find the Right Vacuum: A Friday Ask the Audience

Dear Home-Ec 101,
Target has a gift card promotion this week with the Dysons. I’ve been thinking about purchasing one but the only thing holding me back is the fact that my house isn’t covered in carpet except for the basement which isn’t a very large space. Can anyone recommend a vacuum cleaner that would be comparable to Dyson but cost less? I can’t see myself spending so much for such a little space.
Thanks!

Bagless in Baltimore

Heather says:

This is a fantastic question for the Home-Ec 101 Readers and an excellent opportunity for me to introduce you to my friend Dave Taylor. Dave runs AskDaveTaylor.com where he answers all kinds of tech questions. A recent question How to Research a Tech Product Before I Buy It translates beautifully to your question “Which vacuum cleaner should I purchase for a small space?”

Personally, I use a Roomba i530 on the main level of our home, which is all hard flooring, with very few rugs because I can’t make a decorating commitment of that magnitude, apparently. . . If you would like, here is my personal review of the iR0bot 530, with a lot of feedback from Home-Eccers. And, I just ordered an upgrade for my Roomba as it’s time to replace the brushes after some abuse from the other minions -the kind on two and four legs. I used Dave’s advice when I checked out the reviews of the iRobot 500 Series Upgrade (I have the white, but the black upgrade had more reviews).

Upstairs on the carpet, I use a factory reconditioned Dyson. Do you know what factory reconditioned means? Factory reconditioning is a process by which a returned product is checked, by the manufacturer, before being resold. By law a product returned to a store cannot be sold as new. Not every product is returned because of an actual defect, some people simply return an item because it doesn’t fit their needs or maybe there was a slight defect that was repaired. Factory reconditioned products are significantly cheaper than new. Occasionally factory reconditioned items have a couple cosmetic blemishes. In this case, it’s a vacuum, last I checked we didn’t spend weekends going to vacuum shows, showing off vintage models. Your vacuum is going to receive abuse, so why pay a premium? Now you have a way to purchase an actual Dyson vacuum cleaner without spending as much on a new Dyson vacuum.

Let’s do a quick comparison:

Over on Target.com we see the Dyson DC41 Animal Upright for $599. (eek!) Now, let’s head over to Amazon and put in Dyson Animal Reconditioned: (You aren’t going to get the LATEST model, but again with the, it’s a frigging vacuum). Look at that, the most expensive one is $309, which also has free shipping if you’re an Amazon Prime Member -I am simply for this and the streaming video perks- that’s down to nearly half the cost. Now, if that is still out of your intended budget (which I completely understand, we have carpeting in the upstairs bedroom and my office, and with our I-shed-all-the-time-basset-hound, I still feel justified having a the vacuum I do, but that’s a personal decision, judge away, if you must)

I have also tested a Bissell Pro-Lite Multi-Cyclonic Upright Vacuum and also found the Bissell performed well. This vacuum rings in at $119 brand spanking new. I did a quick search, but didn’t see a factory reconditioned option. You can certainly look on e-Bay and other sites to see if they are out there as an option.

Since I’m only one person and have only one house and have limited consumer product testing time and facilities, I’m opening this reader question up to the Home-Ec 101 audience.  What vacuum would YOU recommend, based on your experience, for a reader with a fairly small carpeted area?

Ready? Go!

Submit your questions to helpme@home-ec101.com.

Bar Keepers Friend, Acrylic, and a Clarification

Heather says:

So I’ve been caught. I gave conflicting advice. I’m sorry.

*gasp* goes the readership

In one post I suggest using Bar Keepers Friend on acrylic surfaces and in a more recent post I suggest only following your manufacturer’s advice at the risk of etching / scratching an acrylic surface.

So which is it, Heather, which is it?

Well, both. It depends on your manufacturer. That’s a big CMA*, I know.

*I didn’t say the word, am I still in trouble? Are you pursing your lips and shaking your head in a disappointed fashion at me?

Let’s talk about acrylic:

When we’re in the bathroom -metaphorically, I’m not going to be standing outside the water closet and harassing you while you do your business- and we say “acrylic” we actually mean “acrylic resin.”

So what’s acrylic resin?

a glassy thermoplastic made by polymerizing acrylic acid or methacrylic acid or a derivative of either and used for cast and molded parts or as coatings and adhesives

Ooh, look at that, it’s not that specific, is it? Polymerizing is the process by which you turn monomers (the basic molecule) into a polymer (a chain of the basic molecule).

If all acrylic resins were made of the same polymer you’d get a specific chemical formula for that answer. Since we don’t have one chemical formula and if I’m not mistaken, each manufacturer is going to have a proprietary formula. Some will be more impervious than others. The good news is many manufacturers have a list of approved cleaning products on their websites or are happy to help when you call their consumer hotlines.

So my answer is as follows:

When used properly, Bar Keepers Friend SHOULD be safe for your acrylic surfaces. However, you must follow the directions for use completely, up to and including rinsing thoroughly when finished. Additionally, before using Barkeepers Friend on your acrylic fixtures, check with your manufacturer’s recommendations to prevent damaging the surface.

And here is another point to consider:

Do not scrub the dry BKF into your acrylic surface.

Wait, wait, what?! I thought that’s what it was for?

No!

When using BKF on surfaces, such as acrylic, you want to make sure the surface is already wet. Apply the BKF. Now give the BKF a little time to dissolve into solution -oh my word, will she stop with the chemistry already?- Once the oxalic acid is in solution it can get to work.  When you are removing things like soap scum from the surface of your tub, you really want the chemical energy to do the work for you. Remember when we’re cleaning we use several kinds of energy to accomplish our goal:

  • chemical energy,
  • thermal (heat) energy
  • and physical energy

Remember, with great power, comes great responsibility.

Each of these energies brings with it the potential to damage your surface, so proceed with caution. If you sprinkled dry Bar Keepers Friend onto your surface and attacked it with a sponge or rag, you have the potential to scratch the ever loving snot out of your tub (yes, that is the technical term). If you applied the Bar Keepers Friend to a damp acrylic surface and forgot about it completely, there is a chance, albeit small, that the acid reaction could do more than remove soap scum. Heat really isn’t an issue in our bathtub scenario, unless you break out a propane torch, but that seems a little excessive, no?

Good luck and I hope this helped!

Submit your questions to helpme@home-ec101.com.

Can I Use Bechamel in a Slow Cooker, Crock Pot, or Oven

Dear Home-Ec 101,
I was wondering if I would be able to use Bechamel sauce in the Crock Pot, for an extended period of time, without it seperating or breaking down? I am wanting to do a pork loin with a creamy mustard sauce, and instead of using condensed soup and what not, I was going to do a bechamel sauce, add some sour cream and some dijon, as well as maybe some horseradish, and there you have it! I was just curious, as I couldn’t find anything on the world wide interweb, and have no one around to ask.
Signed,
Breaking in Bristol
Heather says:

The short answer is: absolutely.

The longer answer? Well, here you go:

Bechamel is one of the five mother sauces and is a cornerstone of classical chef training. The mother sauces are:

Veloute – a light stock (made with bones that haven’t been roasted) thickened with roux
Bechamel – milk thickened with roux
Tomato – umm, do I have to explain this one?
Espagnole – a brown sauce, made with roux, veal stock, roasted veal bones and mire poix
Hollandaise -gently heated egg yolk and clarified butter and this is also my personal favorite

Foodies will argue all day long about whether or not aioli/mayo is now one of the six mother sauces, even if it’s not exactly a sauce. Here at Home-Ec 101 we’re going to keep it as simple as possible. I’m not including it for now, but I will certainly, at some point in the future teach how to make each of these sauces, including the hotly debated aioli/mayo.

On to your actual question:

A roux is a mixture of fat and flour cooked over heat long enough to get over that pasty raw flour taste. There are several kinds of roux, but bechamel calls for blonde, which simply means it has been cooked just long enough to get rid of the raw taste, but not so long as to develop the nutty, toasted flavors that show up in peanut butter, chocolate, and brick varieties.

In bechamel, the roux is thinned with milk and flavored with a little nutmeg (that I never add, I’m not a nutmeg fan, remember that if I invite you over for dinner). Roux is a miracle, but it is not magic. If the bechamel is heated to boiling, the sauce will break and separate into its components. Remember oil and water do not mix, after all. The wheat flour keeps the whole sauce in a suspension (fancy chemistry term). If it’s heated too much this suspension cannot be sustained and that’s when you end up with funny textures and oil sitting on top of a dish.

That said, you can certainly bake and slow cook with bechamel, where you would have used a can of cream of something previously, but you cannot let it get too hot. This is probably going to involve a little trial and error. Additionally, remember when using a slow cooker, you use about 50% less liquid than in a recipe that suggests cooking in an open pan in the oven or on the stove.

By the way, your idea for a pork loin with bechamel based sauce sounds wonderful, but for the most dependable results, I’d probably season and cook the pork loin in the slow cooker and then, instead of going the traditional bechamel route, why not cut loose and use the same technique with the drippings from the pork loin?

You’ll need a fat separator or a careful hand to spoon the fat off of the liquid. Use the normal ratio of fat to flour to liquid. ( Typically 2 TBSP fat, 2 TBSP flour, 1 cup liquid) and simply add butter and milk to fill in any gaps. So if you have 1 TBSP of fat from the drippings, use 1 TBSP of butter, only have 3/4 cup of liquid from the loin? No problem, just add enough milk to make it 1 cup. Now, make your roux, add the liquid, then go ahead and add your sour cream and mustard if you’d like. Pour this over your cooked loin and enjoy! By using this method you’re taking advantage of the complementary flavors already in the dish instead of the more bland, but still delicious milk and butter.

Definitely related posts:

Good luck!

Submit your questions to helpme@home-ec101.com.

How to Choose and Clean a Mop

Dear Home-Ec 101,

I have read your post on ‘How to Mop‘ but I have a question for you about the type of mop to use.

I have a string mop and one of those flat mops with a removable cloth that can go through the washer after it is used. I think the string mop is easier to use – gets in corners easier, I can get up on the baseboards, and I feel like it’s faster, but it also feels dirty to me. It feels unsanitary and like I’m just spreading the dirt around my house and then re-spreading the next time I get it out to use.

Is it? I have tile floors and wood floors. What is the best type of mop to use?

Signed,
Mopping Makes Me Go “Meh”
Heather says:

The key to keeping a cotton string mop from being disgusting, is to clean it THOROUGHLY after each use. As you have noted cotton string mops have some distinct advantages over their sponge mop counterparts.

Wash the mop thoroughly after each use under HOT running water until the water runs clear, wring it thoroughly, and allow it to dry completely.  Some cotton string mop heads can even be thrown into your clothes washer, if it makes you feel better. (Just be sure you remove the metal part of the head or you’ll scratch up the inside of your washing machine which may lead to rust stains on your clothes.

Never leave a cotton mop soaking in dirty mop water, or you’re right, you will be spreading nasty things all over your home. And using a mop bucket with a wringer will make your life easier.

Sponge mops may be a little easier to clean, but they do need to be replaced more often and are not a good choice for textured flooring. Well, not a good choice unless you find shredded mop bits an attractive decorative addition.

Finally, here’s something to remember. We may joke about floors being clean enough to eat off of, but that’s not what floors are for. The only time you really need to worry about the floors is if you have infants who are crawling around. By all means, sweep and vacuum up the dust bunnies and grit (which will harm both your carpet and your hard flooring) and always spot mop anything sticky or greasy -we’re not out to invite unwanted guests here, either, but really try not to stress out too much about germs on the floor.

We wash our hands properly before preparing food and eating for a reason, as humans we do come into contact with germs. It’s normal, unless our immune systems are compromised, we’re built to withstand a little bit of exposure. In fact there is some evidence that we evolved in such a way that NOT being exposed to germs may actually do more harm than good.

Not every surface in our home has to be sanitary. That said, always mop the kitchen first and the bathroom last, just like in the shower or tub, where you wash your face before you wash your butt…

And regarding your hardwood floors, you shouldn’t be mopping often and when you do, it’s a DAMP mop, not a wet mop (that’s where the wringer really comes in). Try to stick to using a dust mop and then spot mopping only when necessary. Tile can take more frequent mopping and thanks to the grout, a string mop is a better choice.

Good luck!

Submit your questions to helpme@home-ec101.com.

Don’t Let the Bed Bugs Bite

Dear Home-Ec 101,

I recently moved to the NYC area…and as of yet, I haven’t had any problem with bed bugs, but I was wondering if there is a good method of prevention I should be following? I’ve noticed a few condemned apartment buildings around my area that were condemned due to bed bugs, so I think about it a lot!

Thanks!
Bugged in Brooklyn

Heather says:

Bleh, bed bugs are certainly a growing problem, especially in areas with high population density, and the obnoxious part is that it’s starting to require stronger and stronger pesticides to control them.

This time I’m not going to reinvent the wheel to answer your question about bed bugs. The University of Minnesota has two great factsheets that clearly explain how to prevent and treat bed bug infestations.

Preventing Bed Bugs from Hitchhiking to Your Home

Prevention and Control of Bed Bugs in Residences

Now I’m all itchy and going to shower (again). Thanks for that!

Good luck and I hope you never have to deal with the nightmare of treating your home for bed bugs.

Send your questions to helpme@home-ec101.com

Getting Rid of Mildew Odor in Towels

Dear Home Ec 101,

I’m not always great about making sure my towels get dried the same day they are washed. This leads to them smelling like mildew. Will the smell go away? Can I do anything to make it go away? Or did I just ruin all my towels?

Signed,
Mildewed in Minneapolis

Heather says:

*READER WARNING* I don’t think I’ve stopped sneezing because of my allergies since my eyes popped open this morning. I have a kleenex shoved up my nose (hawt! I know) so I can type without getting anything disgusting on the keyboard, and having to write a post on that is not on my list of things I want to do. . . ever. All that is to say I’m in a fairly REALLY foul mood and if I accidentally over-snark, I’m sorry.

Your mildewed towels are not ruined. In fact, towels with mildew odor are a frequent topic here on Home-Ec101.com, so don’t feel too alone in your habit of not drying the towels.

First of all, preventing mildew in towels by drying them promptly and thoroughly is the best tactic; but seeing as how it’s too late for that, we’ll work on remedying the mildew situation.

Check out this post on stripping detergent and fabric softener from your towels. You see, mildew can get trapped by the sticky residue left behind by using too much detergent, or ANY fabric softener. (You do know that using fabric softener on towels reduces their absorbency, right). If you consistently have a problem with detergent build up, go ahead and read this post on whether or not to wash clothes in cold water.

If there are mildew stains, use oxygen bleach or sunlight to get rid of the mildew spots.  Just be aware that strong sunlight and the overuse of oxygen bleach (or lemon juice or vinegar) can all weaken the cotton fibers in your towels. They can also fade the dye, if your towels are dark colored. Remember weak fibers = more lint; and who needs lint in their laundry? No one, that’s who! Have a problem with lint? Read How to Reduce Lint in the Laundry Room.

Finally, if you consistently leave your laundry in the washer, and you have a front loader; then you may need to read how to get rid of mildew in a front loading washer.

These tips should help you both prevent and solve your mildewed towel problems.

Good luck!

Send your questions to helpme@home-ec101.com.

Baby Bottle Cleaning -Ask the Audience

Dear Home-Ec 101,

Help! I’m a new mom cleaning baby bottles. I breastfeed my baby, and she takes breast milk in a bottle when I’m at work.

I should know the answer to this question, as I’m a pharmacist and took years of chemistry. I’m so embarrassed!

Hot, soapy water does not remove stubborn milk residue from the insides of my baby’s bottles. Breast milk has a high fat content. It’s also hard to mechanically remove the residue since my hand can’t fit in the bottle, my fingers aren’t long enough, and bottle brushes just leave streaks of milk behind!

I’m looking for a solvent. I know that alcohol dissolves lipids, but simply swishing the alcohol doesn’t work. Do I warm it up first?

Signed,
Bottle it up

Heather says:

I would not want to use any kind of solvent in your infant’s bottles, unless they are glass, and even then I’d be hesitant.

 You all know I’m not scared of  the broad term “chemicals.” I also don’t believe that natural means safe.

That said there are specific instances in which I am extra careful about what cleaners I choose, an infant’s bottle is definitely one of those cases. I think of it this way, if you’re going to the trouble of breastfeeding then don’t undo your efforts and expose your child to chemicals like pthalates (there are no pthalates in the rubbing alcohol you mentioned, but rubbing alcohol can weaken some plastics.)

Use a mild detergent*, HOT water, and PHYSICAL energy to clean out those bottles. I never bothered with bottle brushes and instead just shoved the dishcloth way down inside and twisted the heck out of it. In particularly stubborn cases I would take a chopstick and use it (inside the cloth) to get down into that stupid ridge at the bottom of the bottle. (Yes, I was also frustrated by the fat left behind.)

Very hot water and plenty of detergent (just like when we talked about how washing machines clean clothes) are what is needed to get rid of that fatty residue. My pal Amy Tucker added a squirt of soap to the bottle, a little hot water, and shook the snot out of it.

Maybe a fellow Home Eccer has stumbled upon an easier way to clean baby bottles? (Feel free to chime in, in the comments!) If not, well, just remember this is a very short period of time. You’ll only have to deal with these bottles until cup weaning which is recommended (by many pediatricians, mine included) at one year. So really, you’re going to get through this.

Hang in there.

*This is absolutely not a sponsored post, but it is an honest plug for Method which you can find at Target, Amazon, Lowes, and Soap.com. (Home Eccers you can feel free to chime in with your favorite gentle dish detergents, too.)

Submit your questions to helpme@home-ec101.com.

Ribs: Beef, Pork, Country-Style, Baby back, Spare, or Short

Dear Home Ec 101,

You mentioned ribs and I want to try to make some, but I get overwhelmed at the butcher shop. What ribs are best for what cooking style? Can you explain different types of ribs?

Signed,

New Age Girl

Heather says:

Absolutely, beef or pork depends solely on your preference, just keep in mind that beef ribs are larger and meatier-here’s where you say, “Duh, Heather cows are bigger than pigs.” To which I counter with, “You should see what people Google to land on Home-Ec 101,” I’m learning you cannot over-explain anything. Humor me.

Now here’s a handy chart that will help you visualize what I’m trying to explain:

Picture describing pork cuts as they relate to their locations on the pig.

Country style ribs may or may not contain bones and are cut from the blade end of the pork loin and personally I find the amount of fat makes these difficult to eat. I don’t advise serving these for a fancy occasion. Have plenty of napkins on hand, but do know that the fat helps keep the meat tender and moist. Country style ribs are most often braised.

Baby back ribs are cut from the center and blade portion of the pork loin and are quite lean. Generally you want to remember the idea of low and slow with baby back ribs for the most tender results. These ribs generally have a lot of connective tissue and heating too quickly will cause those proteins to denature and become tough, but slow heating can circumvents that process. Smoking or slow roasting baby back ribs is the way to go,  follow this up with a quick finish on the grill or under the broiler make these some of my favorites.

Spare ribs owe their name to how they used to be prepared, on a stick or spear, and over time and translations this became spare. Some people counter that theory with the idea that the name references the spare or extra meat on the belly side of the ribs. Do we care that much? I don’t. Spare ribs are cut from the lower portion of the ribs, just above the belly. Generally there is a little more fat on spare ribs which can yield more tender results.  Stick with the same preparation style as baby back ribs.

Here’s my favorite method: Memphis Style Dry Rubbed Pork Spareribs.

Rib tips are usually contain only cartilage (and meat) rather than bone and are cut from -wait for it- the tips of the ribs.

Short ribs are always beef ribs and generally a couple of inches thick, sometimes the meat is cut into chunks with only one rib per piece. Here’s a recipe for beer braised short ribs, it’s a little different from your usual tomato based bbq sauce. If that’s what you’re after, this is my favorite tomato based bbq sauce for beef ribs.

Finally, you may be saying, but everyone says I should boil my ribs.

Questions?

Send your questions to helpme@home-ec101.com.

 

 

Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, and Poison Sumac, It’s All About the Urushiol

From Facebook:

How do you deal with poison oak, sumac, and ivy in general?

Scratchy in Santa Fe

Heather says:

If you come into contact with poison ivy, oak, or sumac the most effective “treatment” is to immediately and thoroughly wash the affected area thoroughly with soap and water. All three of these plants (and interestingly their distant cousin the mango) have the same allergenic oil, urushiol. Interestingly, not everyone is allergic to urushiol. While I’m allergic to everything else Mother Nature throws at me, I’ve never had a case of poison ivy despite my years and years of rambling in the woods, but enough about me.

So the structure of urushiol looks a bit like this, with alkyl chain at the R in the image. An alkyl chain is simply a bunch of carbon atoms with hydrogen attached kind of like this C/C\C/C\CH3 (That’s about the best I can do in a standard text editor, just pretend you get it). That alkyl chain makes the urushiol molecule difficult to dissolve in water.

However your skin has oils and urushiol will gladly hang out in those oils, having a party, raising blisters and an ugly rash.

The urushiol can be spread through contact, if you have some on your arm and you scratch, you may get the urushiol under your finger nails which will then be spread to your face or wherever you decide to touch before you wash. (And gentlemen, I’ve heard plenty of embarrassing stories about men not washing their hands thoroughly and -how do we put this delicately- spreading the fun to less public body parts and later assuming they have other issues that require a visit to the county health department.)

Despite the persistent old wives tale, you cannot spread poison ivy from the rash itself, UNLESS, that rash never got washed and still has urushiol. Got it?

If you don’t wash the oil promptly your skin may absorb the urushiol; which, as you can imagine may intensify your reaction. Some people even have systemic (whole body) reactions to poison ivy and will break out in rashes, even in places that have not had contact with the irritant.

Keep in mind that animals that have come in contact with poison ivy, oak, or sumac may spread the urushiol on their fur. If you’re especially sensitive, try to keep animals off of the furniture (especially beds) and bathe them thoroughly.

When removing poison ivy, sumac, or oak from your property, your best defense is to wear long pants, long sleeves, and gloves. Take this clothing and immediately place it in the washer – check out How to Remove Poison Ivy from Clothing, and wash your hands thoroughly. That’s it. There’s no magic trick. Sure there are plenty of products out there that claim to work especially well, but that’s mostly marketing. Wash the area with plain old soap or dish detergent (for hand washing, not the stuff you put in your dishwasher) and then treat the rash itself with your favorite OTC topical ointment.

Oh and a very important side note: Never burn poison ivy. That rash you get on your skin? It’s nothing compared to a potential reaction in the lungs.

Send your questions to helpme@home-ec101.com.

How to Remove Poison Ivy from Clothing

Dear Home Ec 101,

After doing yard work this weekend, my dear husband has poison ivy. What is the best way to launder his clothes and keep the resin from spreading through the laundry?

Signed,
Trying to Contain the Irritant

Heather says:

You’re in luck!  Removing poison ivy from clothing isn’t that difficult, you just need to remember that the irritant in poison ivy is a resin called urushiol.

Try to keep all items that have come into contact with poison ivy separate from other items. Poison ivy is quite easy to spread from one item to another. If you can’t wash the clothing immediately, store it in a plastic garbage bag until you have time to deal with it.

To decontaminate clothing that has come into contact with poison ivy, all you need to do is wash the clothing in the hottest water possible, with your favorite detergent, for the longest cycle, and, if possible, on the largest load setting.

Why?

It’s all about laundry chemistry, my friends.

Urushiol is oily and not easily water soluble – yes, yes we’re back to the old oil and water don’t mix concept.

There needs to be enough detergent in your wash water to surround the molecules / globules of urushiol and bring it into solution (that’s your washwater). Remember effective laundering happens with the right combination of thermal energy, physical energy, and chemical energy1. The thermal energy is provided by the heat of the water, the physical energy is the agitation created by your washing machine, and the chemical energy is provided by the detergent. Using the largest load setting may sound wasteful, but you must remember that even with detergent, oils aren’t very soluble and having lots of solution -the wash water- is the most efficient way to remove as much urushiol as possible.

It’s more resource conscious to wash one large load than to run the same clothing through the entire wash cycle several times. 

The longest cycle helps give the detergent time to work and ensuring there is plenty of rinse water will help prevent the oily urushiol molecules from redepositing on your clothing in the rinse cycle.

See, it’s not that difficult to remove poison ivy from contaminated clothing.

Good luck!

Send your questions to helpme@home-ec101.com

1You know how when you look at a word too long it begins to looks weird? That.