Skills for everyday living.
Dear Home Ec 101:
So, uh, how bad is it if I add a little liquid dish detergent when I’m running out of laundry detergent? I swear my momma didn’t raise me this way.
~Bubbling in Beaumont
Heather says:
Chances are, if you have some laundry detergent to add to a load of laundry you probably have enough.… Keep reading...
Heather says:
Apparently we’re having an unofficial week of Laundry Lovin’, here at Home Ec 101.
Have you ever looked at the care label on your shirt only to find it covered in mysterious hieroglyphics? Well never fear, I have the Rosetta Stone for decoding those pictograms.… Keep reading...
Dear Home Ec 101:
Seems like all my colored T-shirts come out of the washer with a few faint stains on the fronts. It looks like I spilled a drop or two of water on me when I put them on.… Keep reading...
Ivy says:
So much I wanted to write about, but alas, I’ve been spending all night dealing with a crayon in the dryer disaster. Anyway, my loss is your gain, since I’m sure you’ll remember this and make sure to apply the lesson I learned: always check the pockets of every item that goes in the wash, even top pockets of shirts that belong to little boys.… Keep reading...
Dear Home-Ec 101,
Could you please tell me what that awful chemical smell is on some new jeans? How can I get rid of it? I tried adding 1 cup of vinegar to wash with soap 3 times, and they still stink.… Keep reading...
Dear Home-Ec 101,
Ok, so I’ve noticed that I continue to get a build up of either laundry soap or fabric softener on inside top of my washer, the actual drum thing..I don’t know what its called. How do I keep that to a minimum… It seems like I need to wipe it down every load…
HELP!… Keep reading...
Dear Home-ec 101,
In the course of my Grand Poobah of the Home duties, I forgot about a load of wash in the washing machine. Of course, it’s almost the entire wardrobe for both my children and the entire load *reeks* of mildew.… Keep reading...
Hello ladies,
Recently I bought a nice tote bag
at an airport shop while travelling. As soon as I got it onto the plane, I realized it reeeeeeeeeeeeeeks of mothballs. How does one get rid of this smell; a smell that permeates everything it contacts?… Keep reading...
Dear Home-Ec 101,
My husband is an engineer and sometimes likes to get dirty helping the techs repair his machine. Usually the grease spots on his jeans come out with Spray-n-Wash (sometimes I have to treat them twice) or it’s a pair of junk jeans and I don’t bother to worry about it.… Keep reading...
Heather says:
If you just cannot manage without dryer sheets, try cutting them in half.
Yes, yes, it’s earth shattering, I know.
Send your domestic questions to helpme@home-ec101.com.
Dear Home Ec 101:
Where can I get sodium percarbonate?
Thanks,
Short and Sweet
Heather says:
Sodium percarbonate is the generic name for the active ingredient oxygen bleach products like Oxo-Brite
, OxiClean,
or Clorox Multi-Purpose Stain Remover
. When dissolved in water it creates hydrogen peroxide and soda ash. … Keep reading...
Ivy says:
Folding laundry takes a lot of time, so why are you folding your underwear? Seriously, guys, when is the last time you saw wrinkly underwear? If you’re in an auto accident and they have to strip all your clothes off, do you think the paramedics are going to laugh at your wrinkly underwear?… Keep reading...
Dear Home Ec 101,
Your recent post about sorting laundry brought up a question I’ve been meaning to ask someone for years. What, exactly, is permanent press?
Thanks!
~Baffled in Beaufort
Heather says:
We love the questions that find their way into our email inboxes.… Keep reading...
Dear Home-Ec folk,
Okay, here’s the thing. I’m sick and tired of replacing work shirts every year when the only thing wrong with them is they’ve gone a bit wiffy from being in contact with smelly armpits too often. How do you get that deep-seated, almost died-in-the-wool B.O.… Keep reading...
Dear Home-Ec 101,
I’m a guy so I’m sure this sounds like a dumb question. I don’t do separate loads of whites and colors because my laundry consists of whites for underwear and work out clothes. It seems such a waste to use that much water for so few whites.… Keep reading...
