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Dear Reena: A jar of pickles spilled onto the dining-room table, which is solid teak. TheÌýpickle juice sat there for aÌýfew hours before being discovered. IÌýtried putting baking soda directly on the damp stain and covered it with a towel for 24Ìýhours. Little result. I did notice some stain in the baking soda but there is still a very dark, almost black, stain on the table. Not sure if this matters, but we have treated the wood with teak oil once a year for about eight years. Is there something else we can try?

Rick

It sounds as though the acid inÌýthe pickle juice stripped theÌýfinish off the table. Place aÌýtea towel onto the area and press the mark with a warm iron. Observe whether the stain is gone. Next, smear mayonnaise over the spot, leave for one hour and wipe. If the stain remains, sand and oil the table.

Ìý

Dear Reena: My daughter hasÌýgum in her hair. Is there anything that I can do, otherÌýthan breaking out the scissors? Bernice

Step away from those scissors. Reach for smooth, creamy peanut butter. Smother the gum with a good amount of peanut butter and gently pull the gum towards the ends. After the gum is gone, soak the area with dish soap and water and wash well before shampooing.

Ìý

Dear Reena: Do you have a solution for getting makeup/lipstick out of clothing? Jodie

Your best bet is to dab the area with glycerin and water. When the stain is gone, smear the spot with Dawn dish soap and water. Rinse until clean and then wash the clothing as usual. White non-gel toothpaste is another great way to get lipstick out of fabrics. Rinse with water.

Ìý

Dear Reena: I have two questions. I own a pair of boots with Velcro closures. After a year orÌýso, the Velcro lost its hold. IÌýcleaned out the lint that was caught in the hook surface, butÌýit did not help. Is there anyÌýway to revive Velcro? TheÌýboots are still in very goodÌýcondition.

Also, When I take off a certain jacket, my hair gets all staticky. This doesn’t happen with other jackets. What do you suggest I do to eliminate the static without resorting to chemical sprays? Allan

Here are a few options: Heat the Velcro with a hairdryer and comb it with a pet brush to rejuvenate and clean it. Or stitch a new piece of Velcro on top of the current Velcro. Some people recommend gluing a new piece of Velcro onto the boot, but in my experience, this does not hold. Worst-case scenario, bring the boots to a shoe-repair store.

So that your hair does not fly away on you when you remove your jacket, consider keeping aÌýfabric-softener sheet in your pocket. Whenever you remove your jacket, wipe your hair with the sheet. Having a humidifier in your home also reduces static electricity and when washing your hair, use thick conditioner. Last but not least, aÌýlittle hand cream or water smoothed over your hair works well in a pinch.

Ìý

Household hints:

• After using chopsticks the next time you visit a Chinese restaurant, bring them home. They come in handy as stakes for plants.

• Stop clothes with thin straps from falling off hangers by sticking small felt furniture pads onto the hanger just beyond where the straps sit.

• To keep spiders or any other nasty surprises out of the shoes you store outside — i.e. gardening shoes or work boots — place old stockings over top of them. Make sure the stockings don’t have holes in them, and if they don’t fit snugly over the top, use an elastic band to secure them.

Ìý

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.