Solutions and Substitutions with Reena

Reena Nerbas

Dear Reena,

The dishes washed in my 7 year old dishwasher no longer look or feel clean. The machine seems to be working properly but the dishes end up with gritty film on the outside, I end up having to rewash the dishes by hand. Any ideas? Thanks, Seline


Dear Seline,

Imagine a person who ate three meals a day plus snacks without ever brushing their teeth. Rinsing with water would not remove the plaque and build-up. The same is true for a dishwasher that requires regular check-up and cleaning appointments. Maintain the machine; by carefully scrubbing the interior, especially where the base of the dishwasher door and floor meet. As well, the filter needs to be taken apart and cleaned from time to time. It’s amazing what gets caught in there: straws, cherry pits, tea bags, bones, pieces of glass, stickers etc. Experiment with a few dishwasher detergents and increase the hot water temperature according to your manual. The next step is to purchase a product called, Iron Out. Run it through your empty dishwasher, it will clean the dishwasher from head to toe including the basin, hoses, racks etc. If poor results continue, contact a professional because the dishwasher will need to be thoroughly examined for damaged parts or incorrect hook-up.

Dear Reena,

How many seats should I make available for an average size living room? Cheers, Bill

Dear Bill,

With endless designs, layouts and room sizes there is not one suggested rule of thumb. The criteria of seating should depend on the function of the room and the group size of your personal family and guests. However, designers recommend 48-100 inches space between the couch and chairs. Adjust space depending on your family needs but you should not need to turn sideways to walk between furniture. In an ideal setting; you are able to hold a comfortable conversation in the room, eat or play a game around a table and be able to see the television.

Dear Reena,

Every time I make deviled eggs (which I love), the eggs fall apart as I peel them and the filling is chunky unlike restaurants where the filling is smooth. What am I missing? Sam

Dear Sam,

Here are a few tricks to ensure perfect deviled eggs every time! Place the eggs into a pot and fill with enough cold water to cover the eggs. Sometimes people add cold eggs to boiling water which causes them to crack. Bring to a boil and cook for 8-12 mins. (varies depending on the stove). Do not overcook because the yolks will become dry, grey and crumbly. When cooking is complete, submerse the eggs in ice cold water for 5 mins. (trying to peel hot eggs will result in a mess). Peel eggs, and cut in half. Scoop yolks and any broken egg whites into a food processor (do not use a fork) and add your favorite ingredients i.e. mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish, onion, cheese, mustard, salt and/or pepper. Blend until smooth. Add filling into a sealable bag, cut the corner of the bag and pipe egg yolks into egg whites. Garnish with paprika, bacon and/or chives.

Feedback from Reader Who Cares

Re: Car Freshener
Dear Reena,

Your column mentioned using scents to mask the smell of smoke in a car. Changing the cabin air filter may be a permanent fix, instead of masking the smell. We bought a used car apparently owned by a heavy smoker. Changing these filters solved the problem for us permanently for the years that we owned the vehicle. Louis

Dear Reena,

I would like to share an experience that I had. My brand new dishwasher stopped working during a regular cleaning cycle. So I opened the door and scooped out the water, I began the dishwasher again and it started working. The next day the same thing happened, the dishwasher stopped in the middle of the cycle, this time I called the plumber. The plumber informed me that the water pipes were frozen. He insulated the pipes and the machine has worked properly ever since. Thanks, Ruth

Dear Reena,

We have two red leather chairs; the one I sit on has a whitish or a discoloration on the area where my head rests. I did try leather cleaner but it started to take the red off and left a rough spot on top of the discolored area. I phoned the store where we bought it (at the time it was only a year old) and they said it was probably the chemicals I put in my hair. I will admit I get highlights done, but we have had other leather chairs and have never had this problem. Anyway it has gone on for 4 years now and I wonder if you or any of your readers have a solution for this as I have a towel over it now because the mark is embarrassing. Thanks for any help you can give me. Elaine

Dear Elaine,

It is quite common for leather to discolor around where head and arms rest, this is a result of products that we use and body oils combined with abrasion. Discoloration is most prevalent on dark colors. Leather repair kits are available on-line or in stores, although coloring matching is very difficult and can often accent the area instead of hiding it. Leather recoloring balm is a great option for you because you don’t need an exact color match. Rub balm onto the entire surface, the leather becomes softer and all colors blend together well. Leather protective products help prevent this challenge from occurring in the future.

Dear Reena,

The grout on my shower wall is crumbling. I pride myself in being a bit of a handyman. What steps can I take to repair this? Thanks, Ernie

Hi Ernie,

You will need to purchase new grout, make sure to choose grout that offers color matching caulk. Use a utility knife to cut out the old caulk. While wearing safety goggles, scratch out at least the top layer of old grout. Mix a small amount of new grout with water (according to the directions on the package) a paint mixing paddle does a great job. Mixing together small batches of grout as needed will give you lots of time to work. Smear grout onto the wall and smooth off excess with a sponge pad. Finish by caulking corners and tub/tile joints.

Dear Reena,

I am experimenting with chocolate chip cookie recipes. Now I have heard that you absolutely love chocolate and so I thought you would be the perfect person to ask for some advice. What is the difference between white and brown sugar and butter vs. margarine in a chocolate cookie recipe? Thanks Tina

Dear Tina,

If I were stranded on an island I would definitely be happier with a bag of chocolate chips! Brown sugar gives you a softer, chewier cookie; white sugar bakes into crispier cookies. Using butter in cookies results in flatter cookies compared with cookies baked with margarine which are higher.

Feedback from Reader Who Cares
Re: Freezing Cheese

Hi Reena,

I freeze all my blocks of cheddar cheese in smaller pieces as I buy the huge store name blocks of cheese. I wrap them in paper towels before freezing to avoid moisture when thawing. My tip: Leave the block of frozen cheese to thaw naturally on your counter and the cheese stays firm and doesn’t crumble. Thawing in the fridge causes it to stay too cold and to adhere together. Sincerely; Dorothy

Handy Tips of the Week:

Clean plate trick; when frosting a cake, place the cake on the serving plate. Put strips of wax paper around the cake. Frost and decorate cake and then remove wax paper strips. Submitted By: Marcel

When the visor of your hockey helmet fogs up; spray it with Pledge furniture polish. Wipe off excess and the visor stays clear. Submitted By: Austin

Mandarin oranges taste the best at room temperature but when left too long they become hard and tasteless. Increase the shelf life of mandarin oranges. Store them in the original green paper in the refrigerator crisper. Place a few at a time into fruit bowl. Better get them before they’re gone!

I enjoy your questions and tips, keep them coming. Need a Corporate Presenter on the topic: Harness the Power of Words? Check out my website reena.ca.