Hi Heather, I recently retrieved a table from my garage that was stored for about a year and it smells like there could be a mold or mildew issue. How do I clean the table to remove any traces and the odor of mold and mildew? Thanks! Must-ang Sally Heather says: If it were still…
How to Care for a Leather Couch
Dear Home Ec 101, What is the best way to care for a leather couch? I have seen several leather conditioners advertised, but do these leave a waxy finish? I have had my leather couch and love seat for four years, and they have held up well, but a few scratches are starting to show up. …
Ceiling Fan Cleaning 101
Dear Home Ec 101, How do you clean ceiling fans? I’m especially wanting to know how you manage to clean them without dust bunnies falling down onto the furniture. Signed, A fan of fans Ivy says: I suppose, theoretically, if you cleaned your ceiling fans constantly that there’d never be any little bits of dust…
Now’s The Time To Wash Your Windows
Ivy says: My mom always said there’s something very spiritual about washing your windows. Her theory on this is that the windows are the eyes of your home and by washing the windows, you’re opening up those eyes to let the sun shine in. It’s a newish year, and if you’re an American, we have…
Removing Cigarette Smoke Odor From Couches
Dear Home Ec 101, I recently purchased a sofa and loveseat from a lovely couple who listed the furniture on a popular online auction site. The set appeared to be in great shape, and I got the furniture for what appeared to be a bargain. When I got them in place in my basement rec…
Removing Poop Stains from Carpeting: Potty Training Accidents
Dear Home Ec 101, My two year old has started potty training. She’s very good at taking off her clothes and getting naked, not so good yet at actually making it to the potty on time. So, I was wondering if you had any brilliant tips for cleaning toddler poop out of carpet? I do…
Wall Dusting 101
Our fabulous commenter Bramble asked: How exactly does one dust the wall? Do you dust the entire wall with a dust cloth? Do you wash it? Ivy says: This, of course, varies depending on how big your walls are and how dirty your walls are. My preferred method is to use a wool duster with…
Spring Cleaning: Living Room / Great Room / Family Room
Ivy says: This has been a hard one for me to write, because I have a small house. My living room or family room or great room or whatever you want to call it is also my office, sewing room, dining room, etc, etc, etc. So the way I spring clean my living room wouldn’t…
Laminate Lament
Dear Home-Ec 101, Hi! I hope you lovely gals can help me… My husband and I are remodeling a house, and we installed laminate, faux wood floors. We probably did it backwards, because since installing the floors, we’ve had plumbers and tilers in…and now the floors are filthy! We need advice on how to clean…
Inky upholstery, oh noes!
Dear Home Ec 101, Hello! My three year old son decided it would be fun to draw on our car upholstery with black pen. In the past I have been able to use hairspray on crayon with wonderful success (couch and table cloth), but I have never attempted it on pen. Any tips or am I…
The Great New Year Clean-up: Books
Ivy says: If you’re anything like me (and hey, you might not be, I’m strange), you have too many books. Go on, admit it, you have more books than you really need. Go through them. Keep the ones you want to read over and over, and keep the ones you plan on reading in the…
Kitchen Grease: Not for Your Loveseat
Hello ladies! I’ve asked my mom, I’ve asked my friends, and I don’t know why I didn’t ask you two first. Here’s the skinny: we bought our first new furniture early last year; a couch and a recliner. My husband works in a kitchen, so he comes home sweaty and covered with kitchen grease and…
Dusty blinds
Dear Home Ec 101: I have several faux wood white blinds that I have stored in the garage. I want to use these now and they have -needless to say- their share of spider webs, dust and other weird things on them. What is the best way to clean them? Thanks! ~Dust in the Windows…
Magic Markings
Dear Household Goddesses, My nearly 2 year old daughter is many things. She is a clever, fearless, climbing artist who uses the world as her canvas. As hard as we try to keep any and all writing instruments away from her, she seems to have a sixth sense when it comes to finding stray pens…
Mini-blinds are my nemesis.
Dear Home-Ec101, I live in an apartment and my mini-blinds are covered with the funk of thousands of tenants. Can you please tell me the best way to clean these? Signed, Dusty Shades Ivy says: I hate mini-blinds. My cats break the ends off of them because they MUST sit in the window and they…