Dear Reena: I am wondering if you have any tips for removing discolouration on the rubber liner just inside the door of a front-loading washing machine. I inherited my parents鈥� washer, and it came with this discolouration. I would like to clean it up if I can.
Laurie
While wearing gloves, combine one gallon warm water with one cup of liquid bleach. Apply to the seal; wait five minutes. Scrub with an old toothbrush. Rinse with water.
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Dear Reena: I am wondering whether you might have a solution for my problem. When we moved into our place, we didn鈥檛 like the way the kitchen cupboards looked, so we applied Mactac in the drawers and on the shelves. Now the time has come to remove the Mactac and I am dreading what might be left on the shelves and in the drawers. Do you have a suggestion as to how to remove glue off painted wood? It鈥檚 been almost 16 years and it may be stuck on there forever.
Leonore
Use a green scrubby cloth and the product Goo Gone to remove adhesive on cupboards. Goo Gone is sold in department and hardware stores and carries a citrus fragrance. Scrub and leave to dry; repeat the process and the adhesive should become a distant memory.
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Dear Reena: What is the best way to keep fried foods crispy for a long time?
Jameson
After frying foods, place them on a cooling rack. This method prevents food from resting on a surface and becoming soggy because the oil has a chance to drip out, and as air circulates under the food, it remains crisp. If your goal is to transport fried food, cool the food on a rack. Place in brown paper bags and reheat on a baking听sheet lined with a wire rack before serving.
Extra tip: This method works for homemade waffles as well to prevent them from becoming soggy.
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Feedback from experienced reader
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Dear Reena: I have worked at a high-end hotel for years. In order to properly clean mirrors, we use the following technique: Use a good-quality, damp micro-fibre cloth. Dry with a micro-fibre drying cloth (no commercial cleaners needed). Priscilla
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Tip for picture hanging on panelling: Hanging items on panelling where there is a stud behind is easy because a screw, nail or hanger can be secured. In between the studs, where the wall is hollow, is a bigger problem. The panelling may be as thin as one-eighth of an inch, which doesn鈥檛 give you a secure mount for anything with weight.
Using sticky tape hangers is not a good solution, since the tape eventually fails and the object falls to the floor. Also, removing the remaining tape from the panelling will remove the panel finish, even with just a wet rag.
Years ago, I discovered that you can use S-shaped curtain hooks to hang things that have significant weight without making large holes in the panelling that you would get with store-bought hollow wall anchors.
They also come in different sizes. Use a sharp pointy tool such as an ice pick and make a very small hole in the panelling. Slide the pointy end (the narrow side) of the S-hook into the hole and push it down till it locks in at the top. You now have an inch or two of support behind the wall.
The open side of the S-hook where you hang your item/picture can be bent with two pliers and trimmed off with wire cutters to suit your needs.
Try to anticipate your need and complete the bending before you mount the hook; this makes the job easier. The S-hooks are strong, so they can鈥檛 fall. If you decide to remove the S-hook, you only have a tiny hole in your panelling that is barely noticeable.
Michael
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Note: Every user assumes all risks of injury or damage resulting from the implementation of any suggestions in this column. Test all products on an inconspicuous area first.
