Substitute and Solve: Removing stains from marble

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 04/05/2017 (3258 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Dear Reena,

We moved into a house that has stains on the marble flooring in the bathroom. I’ve tried everything I can think of including professional products but nothing seems to work. Do you have any suggestions? Thanks, Susan

Dear Susan,

There is a chance that the stains are permanent, and you may wish to contact a professional marble expert to grind the marble and restore it. The easiest DIY solutions is to make a thick paste of baking soda and water. Cover the stains with plastic wrap. Tape the edges of the plastic with masking tape. Leave for 12 hours and wipe. Or purchase an etching remover/marble restoration kit at your local hardware store.

Dear Reena,

I would like to make chocolate decorations for cupcakes to serve at my daughter’s wedding. I am worried that the chocolate pieces may break after I shape them; how can I prevent this? Theresa

Dear Theresa,

Congratulations! What an exciting time for both you and your daughter. To make chocolate designs, use a pencil to draw outline shapes on a sheet of parchment paper or print them with the help of your computer. Popular shapes include: flowers, leaves, vines, hearts, initials, lattice type shapes, stick figures, etc. After you complete the designs, melt chocolate in a double boiler and then pour it into a piping bag or a sealable bag. Using a pair of scissors, cut a very tiny hole in the corner of the bag. Squeeze gently to release the chocolate. Trace your designs with the warm chocolate then let them harden at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Carefully peel the chocolate design off of the parchment paper. Once you become proficient at this technique, try laying the parchment over a rolling pin or other cylindrical shape to form a curved design, which adds another dimension to your decorations.

Dear Reena,

I cooked a large amount of spaghetti in a pot and just before I served it, I noticed that it had turned into one big heap of pasta. What can I do to stop the noodles from clumping together? Megan

Dear Megan,

Always cook pasta in a large pot so that each noodle has room to move and groove. Once the noodles are cooked, pour hot water over them as you are straining them. This is very important because water washes away gluten and keeps your noodles loose as a goose. When you pour noodles into a serving boil, add a few drops of oil and mix, this is another helpful technique.

Dear Reena,

Part of my grocery bill each week is spent on premium orange juice. So, I want to confirm that 100 per cent orange juice is made with oranges alone because the carton says “never any water or sugar added”. Is there anything at all added to the oranges? Simone

Dear Simone,

While many orange juice cartons/bottles claim to be 100% Pure Premium Orange Juice; manufacturers often add a chemical flavoring compound known as Ethyl butyrate to orange juice to enhance the flavor of the drink. The easiest observation of this may be done with your own simple experiment. Squeeze enough oranges into a cup to give yourself a few sips. Next pour yourself a cup of your favorite store bought orange juice. Smell the difference? When flavor packs are added to “fresh” orange juice, it gives consumers the illusion that the oranges are freshly squeezed.When compared side by side, most people notice a difference between fresh and store bought juice.

FEEDBACK

Regarding the homeowner who wants to clean stipple in their home; I advise that they test the ceiling stipple for asbestos first, then remove it using hazardous waste protocols. Contact a professional or do it yourself (I have tested my own ceiling) Thanks, Robert

Read the concern Karen had about her negative experience cleaning her oven. I stumbled upon the perfect oven cleaner when turkey juice burned onto my oven. I used Dawn Ultra Platinum dish soap. I mixed one fourth cup of Dawn with 1 cup hot water, stirred it up and poured it onto the bottom of my oven, and let it set for about 30 minutes with the oven door closed. After 30 minutes, I took a plastic scrubber to it and the yuck came off like magic. I then mopped up the rest of the soapy water in my oven, wiped it down with a clean damp dish cloth to remove the soap residue. Environmentally friendly and doesn’t stink up the house. Sandra

I read your tips in previous years for combatting icy porch steps. The following is a recipe that I use each year (multiple times) to prevent my steps from becoming dangerous slabs of ice. Into a gallon jug I add: one tbsp. rubbing alcohol, one tsp. Dawn dish soap and half gallon hot water. Pour the concoction onto cement. Within a few hours, ice turns to slush making the area safer for walking. Ruby

Choke out weeds by laying newspaper between garden rows. Cover with garden mulch or cedar wood chips. Caleb

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.

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Reena Nerbas is a rural Manitoba home economist in a lab coat — and she’s not afraid to use it. Keep your questions coming: » householdsolutions@mts.net

(204) 320-2757