Reena’s Beauty Tips of the Week:

Shiny hair is possible with a bit of coconut oil. Rub oil onto your scalp once a week. Wash hair in the morning.

For smooth skin, use a version of the secret recipe that Cleopatra used: Into your bath water, drop two cups of powdered milk.

All solutions are to be used at the risk of the user.

Reena Nerbas is the author of the two National Best Sellers, “Household Solutions 1 with Substitutions & Household Solutions 2 with Kitchen Secrets,” available in stores across Canada. Reena is a columnist and Home Economist in a lab coat (and she’s not afraid to use it). She can be heard on CBC radio programs across Canada.

To learn more about Reena, click here.

Reena’s Tip of the Week:

My absolute favourite method for cleaning stainless steel small and large appliances is by using olive oil. I pour it onto a soft cloth and then run it along the grain of whatever I am cleaning.

Olive oil does not have a tendency to attract dust and leaves everything sparkling and shiny (and non-toxic). I always remove all excess oil and then stand back and enjoy my kitchen!

All solutions are to be used at the risk of the user.

Reena Nerbas is the author of the two National Best Sellers, “Household Solutions 1 with Substitutions & Household Solutions 2 with Kitchen Secrets,” available in stores across Canada. Reena is a columnist and Home Economist in a lab coat (and she’s not afraid to use it). She can be heard on CBC radio programs across Canada.

To learn more about Reena, click here.

From the Mailbox:

When I came to my son’s home, I brought the children some gel window decorations. My granddaughter placed the gels on an alder coffee table which is stained dark. The sun shining on the gels caused some of the colour from the gels to stain the table. Do you have any suggestions so that I may be able to rectify this for my family?
Thanks! Rose

From Reena:

You sound like a very loving grandmother with great intentions, Rose. Accidents happen to everyone.

To fix this problem, begin by wiping the area with dish soap and water. Follow up with a baking soda and water paste. Leave for 10 minutes and then wipe clean. You can also try WD-40, non-gel toothpaste, rubbing alcohol, or possibly baby wipes.

With so many woods and finishes on the market, you must always test everything on an inconspicuous area first to ensure that it does not damage the finish because what works on one piece of wood will not necessarily work on another.

As a last resort, use acetone. This typically removes dye, but is so strong that the finish can become permanently stripped away as well. If all else fails, you may have no choice but to refinish the table.

Lastly, I have been told that Acne Gel containing benzyl peroxide or hydrogen peroxide is fantastic at bleaching out dye stains on wood. Apply, then leave for a day and wipe.

Keep us posted!

All solutions are to be used at the risk of the user.

Reena Nerbas is the author of the two National Best Sellers, “Household Solutions 1 with Substitutions & Household Solutions 2 with Kitchen Secrets,” available in stores across Canada. Reena is a columnist and Home Economist in a lab coat (and she’s not afraid to use it). She can be heard on CBC radio programs across Canada.

To learn more about Reena, click here.

Reena’s Tip of the Week:

I don’t know about you, but I can’t seem to finish a loaf of bread before it goes stale. I usually freeze what’s left and thaw it out before going to the park so I can feed it to the squirrels and ducks but if you’ve got one too many leftover half loaves or just don’t want to make any more croutons, Reena’s got an unusual way of keeping bread fresh longer:

Celery! I know, I never would have guessed it myself but apparently, just placing a rib of celery in the bread bag keeps each slice soft and moist until the very end.

All solutions are to be used at the risk of the user.

Reena Nerbas is the author of the two National Best Sellers, “Household Solutions 1 with Substitutions & Household Solutions 2 with Kitchen Secrets,” available in stores across Canada. Reena is a columnist and Home Economist in a lab coat (and she’s not afraid to use it). She can be heard on CBC radio programs across Canada.

To learn more about Reena, click here.

Reena’s Tip of the Week:

Everyone hates that ring around the collar, but here is a simple solution:

Dirty neck rings on shirts can be cleaned using shampoo which is made with surfactants specifically created to clean away body oils. Apply shampoo to collar and scrub, rubbing gently as you would wash your hair; launder as usual.

All solutions are to be used at the risk of the user.

Reena Nerbas is the author of the two National Best Sellers, “Household Solutions 1 with Substitutions & Household Solutions 2 with Kitchen Secrets (from where the above solution is derived),” available in stores across Canada. Reena is a columnist and Home Economist in a lab coat (and she’s not afraid to use it). She can be heard on CBC radio programs across Canada.

To learn more about Reena, click here.

From the Mailbox:

I often dye black clothes with RIT clothing dye. I find it very hard to rinse out as it has to be rinsed again and again. Also, it doesn’t last long and I need to do them again after half a dozen washes. Is there a better dye and with the dye I am using, can I use something in the cold rinse water to hold the dye longer? Please let me know.

Thanks, Glynnis

For Reena’s solution, please read on! Read the rest of this entry »

From the Mailbox:

A while back you had an answer in our paper as to how to get rid of fruit flies. I cut it out and have since looked high and low for your answer. Could you please tell me what it was or what to do?

Joan

For Reena’s solution, please read on! Read the rest of this entry »

This week, Reena’s tip addresses a viewer question:

Original Email:

My sister-in-law has a driveway made with paving stones and ants are becoming a real problem. She has a small dog and children visit often so chemicals are not an option [Do you have a suggestion?].

Thanks, Pat

Solution: Chop 1 1/2 kg rhubarb leaves and simmer in 3 1/2 L water for half an hour. Grate half a cake of pure soap into 5 L of boiling water, stir and dissolve. When cool, mix with the rhubarb. Strain and bottle, then store in the fridge.

This solution will naturally kill aphids, woolly aphids, bugs, caterpillars, whitefly, mildew and leaf-miner adult ants.

Thank you for your question Pat!

All solutions are to be used at the risk of the user.

Reena Nerbas is the author of the two National Best Sellers, “Household Solutions 1 with Substitutions & Household Solutions 2 with Kitchen Secrets,” available in stores across Canada. Reena is a columnist and Home Economist in a lab coat (and she’s not afraid to use it). She can be heard on CBC radio programs across Canada.

To learn more about Reena, click here.

Reena’s Tip of the Week:

If you can’t eat grapes fast enough after purchasing them, freeze them.

First wash and air dry (not you, the grapes), lay them neatly on a cookie sheet and place the tray in the freezer. Don’t worry too much if they touch. Even if they freeze together, they’re fairly easy to part.

When the grapes are frozen, transfer them to a freezer bag or airtight container. Store in the freezer and just take out what you need. Eat them as is, or add them to things such as yogurt, smoothies and ice cream.

All solutions are to be used at the risk of the user.

Reena Nerbas is the author of the two National Best Sellers, “Household Solutions 1 with Substitutions & Household Solutions 2 with Kitchen Secrets,” available in stores across Canada. Reena is a columnist and Home Economist in a lab coat (and she’s not afraid to use it). She can be heard on CBC radio programs across Canada.

To learn more about Reena, click here.

Reena’s Italian Tip of the Week:

If you find that homemade pizzas are runny when you add tomato slices before baking, cut the tomatoes in half and squeeze the juices and seeds out over the sink. If you want to avoid the wrinkling that results, use a finger instead and just scoop them out. Slice the tomatoes and dress the pizza as usual.

All solutions are to be used at the risk of the user.

Reena Nerbas is the author of the two National Best Sellers, “Household Solutions 1 with Substitutions & Household Solutions 2 with Kitchen Secrets,” available in stores across Canada. Reena is a columnist and Home Economist in a lab coat (and she’s not afraid to use it). She can be heard on CBC radio programs across Canada.

To learn more about Reena, click here.