Dear Home-Ec 101, I came across your blog via Stumbleupon… I thought you would be the right person to ask this question… In a lot of homemade cleaning products people use vinegar as a component. I get only the synthetic vinegar here in India. I do get apple cider vinegar but its far too expensive … Read more
Dear Home-Ec 101, I have been puzzled by this mysterious pink / red stains on my khaki shorts for years. Whenever I get new khaki shorts, it will get these red / pink stains on them whenever I wash them. I don’t use bleach or fabric softener. I only use powdered detergent, cold/warm water and … Read more
Dear Home Ec 101, Can one substitute vinegar -lots of it- for the bleach when cleaning and disinfecting? I can’t be around bleach, it triggers SEVERE migraines. Signed, Pickled in Pickens Heather says: There are certain times where I am reluctant to give a hard answer. In our litigious climate, I’m sure you can understand my … Read more
Dear Home-Ec 101, I have been using my new front load washer for over a year now and now all of my towels are ruined. It doesn’t matter what color they are or were, they now all have large spots that look like I used chlorine bleach on them. Can you help? I have not … Read more
Heather says: While double checking my research I was stunned by how many frugal websites recommend a homemade cleaning agent with both bleach and vinegar in the recipe. NO. Never mix bleach and vinegar, bleach and ammonia, bleach and toilet bowl cleaners, or even different brands of toilet bowl cleaners (some are bleach based while … Read more