Dear Reena:What鈥檚 the best way to clean dust from computers and TV screens?
Carol
Wipe the screen with a very soft dusting brush or cloth. Then gently wipe the screen with a fabric softener sheet to repel dust.
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Dear Reena:I read with interest your article about fruit flies. You indicated they could come from the potting soil of plants brought inside for the winter. I have some of those flies and am not sure if they are coming from one of my plants or from the tomatoes I picked. What is the best way to get rid of them from the soil?
Jacki
First, set out a bowl of vinegar to determine if the bugs are fruit flies or fungus gnats. Fruit flies are attracted to vinegar but gnats are not. To reduce the chance of either hatching in plants, spread a layer of course sand on top of the soil. Doing this makes it difficult for flies and gnats to lay eggs. Also, standing water creates a perfect breeding environment for fruit flies, so make sure you don鈥檛 overwater the plants. A great way to get rid of pests in geraniums is to spray them with a homemade insecticide before carrying them inside.
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Homemade Pesticide
2 Tbsp dish soap
1 Tbsp rubbing alcohol
鈥� dash of Tabasco sauce
1 Tbsp canola oil
Water
In a four-litre jug, combine the dish soap, rubbing alcohol, Tabasco sauce and canola oil. Fill the jug with water. Pour mixture into spray bottle and apply as needed. Another option is to steep cigarette tobacco in water. Leave for two days and spray plants.
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Dear Reena:We have a brand new upholstered fabric headboard that smells musty. How can we get rid of the odour?
Faye
Assuming the headboard fabric is washable, clean it with one of the following solutions. Into a clean container pour 10 drops of tea tree oil and one tsp dish soap. Fill the bucket with warm water. Wipe well and rinse with clean water. Or spray the headboard with shaving cream, scrub with a cloth and rinse with water. Dry with a warm hair dryer. The smell may be coming from the chemicals used in manufacturing the headboard and should disappear over time.
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Tips of the Week
To dust my ceiling fan, I cover the blades with a pillowcase, hold the pillowcase closed and pull it toward me. The dust stays inside instead of flying around the room. Genie
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When I鈥檓 in a hurry, I make individual meatloaf servings. Use a retractable scoop to fill a听muffin tin with the ground-meat mixture. Press each portion with a spoon. Bake the little meatloafs for about听20 minutes. Freeze the leftovers. Marty
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Note: Every user assumes all听risks of injury or damage resulting from the implementation of any suggestions in this column. Test all products on an inconspicuous area first.
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Check Reena鈥檚 website, reena.ca, to send tips and questions or to find missed columns.
