Some Questions and the Aswers sent in by our readers

Question: Wedding Dress I recently purchased a wedding gown for my daughters wedding in October of 2001. I must store in my home until it is time for the alterations, which is 3 months prior to the wedding. Do you have any suggestions on how to keep the dress, bead work and lace from yellowing? The dress is made of 100% polyester. Also, there are smokers in the house, and how do we prevent any smoke odors from absorbing into the gown? Thank you, Devittph@aol.com (Ref:0026)

Answer: Smoking and Wedding Dresses : Do you have a place that is pretty airtight or away from the house? Wrap the dress to airtightness w/ natural lavender or whatever for bugs & other smells (like plastic wrap), & put it in a closet that isn't close to the smoking. Send the smokers outdoors but that still won't eliminate it all. Store it at someone else's house. Store it at the store you got it from. Don't do mothballs or other chems; they'll just be worse. Hope it helps; research. -- bobbi koch Apr 21 2006

Question: Drilling Porcelain Tiles I need to drill holes into Porcelain bathroom tiles and I have been told I need a special drill bit as they are exceptionally hard. Can you advise on the best makes to use and where I might purchase them? Many thanks Scott.Jameson@dixons.co.uk (Ref:0263)

Answer : Drilling Porcelain Tiles. If you still need the solution to your question then you need http://www.365drills.com Sales at 365drills Apr 18 2006

Question: Burnt on grease I have a thick layer of burnt on grease on my black gas stove top. I have tried Brillo, scrubbing. Any suggestions? Don't want to harm the surface. Bonnie bfezekas@adwynne.com (Ref:0655)

Answer: How to Remove Burnt Grease from Stove . Mr. Clean "Magic Eraser" works the best on that kind of stuff.......You will be amazed -- Sandy Kittle Apr 3 2006

Question: Drying Flowers I would like to know how to dry flowers at home - if any one knows please!!!!!! thanks. lavender@netvision.net.il (shlomit kliger) (Ref:0530)

Answer: Drying Flowers at Home : Hang your flowers upside down in a warm dark place where you seldom go. Let hang till dried. They come out a little darker, but you will like them when the process is done. -- Sandy Kittle Apr 3 2006

Question: Drying Flowers I would like to know how to dry flowers at home - if any one knows please!!!!!! thanks. lavender@netvision.net.il (shlomit kliger) (Ref:0530)

Answer#2: Take your flowers and place a rubber band around the stem. You can use a paper clip on the end with the rubber band and hand the flower stem up-side down. Make sure the petals are formed the way you want the flower to be presented. Hang in well-vented area for approximately three weeks. I used to spray after they are completely dry with clear just to preserve better. It depends on the kind of flower. -- Bob Baisley Aug 5 2007

Pencil marks I am trying to remove pencil marks from painted walls. I discovered lines & measurements under old wallpaper in our house...any quick/easy way to remove these pencil marks.. I have tried Fantastic, Ajax, Comet and nothing is very effective. Please advise. Karen Chanady chanady financial chanady@attcanada.ca chanady@attcanada.ca (Ref:0566)

Answer: Ref:0566). Hi use magic eraser made by Mr..clean -- Souder Family' May 18 2006

Question: Storing clothes: Is there anything to use except moth balls to store clothes in a trunk? Dfrancis01@aol.com (Ref:056)

Answer: Ref:0560. Hi, we use bounty liners or cedar chips. both do a great job. -- 'Souder Family'. May 18 2006

Question: Rust stains in white cotton: What will remove rust from white cotton material? -- Lorrie Nold -- loirv@ccp.com (Ref:0712)

Answer: Rust stains in white cotton: To remove the stain, rub with lemon juice and salt. Leave it several hours. It's even more effective when placed in the sun. Wash as normal. - - Patti Seizetheday

In Australia we have a product called Rustiban available at pharmacies only. It's a tiny plastic bottle with liquid in it of which one only needs a drop or two onto the cloth which has been moistened with water. Rust spots disappear while you watch. I t works wonderfully. Only on white cotton as far as I know. Don't get it on your fingers or skin as it is corrosive --maroofnsp@globalnsp.net.au

I believe that there is also a stain Devil available for rust on fabric. Oxalic acid is sometimes suggested in old books on stain removal, however it is poisonous and should only be used with caution. -- www.qznaz.com

Answer: Stain Devils Hi, I notice in the how to remove stains section, someone recommended "Stain Devil" and implied that it was not readily available, except in the UK. If you ask your search engine to find "Westons", they are a pharmaceutical supply company that advertise on the web, and have "Stain Devils" for all manner of stains. P.J.Morant. -- 17 Jan 2003

Answer: Rust Stains : Go to your local grocery or wal-mart and purchase a bottle of "Whink". It is a copper colored bottle with white lettering. This is my Miracle stuff for all rust stains on any material. You just squirt the whink directly on the stain, and the rust spot dissapears instantly. If it doesn't, it isn't rust. I even use it on the kitchen counters when a rust stain forms from a metal can being placed for a time with moisture under it. Hope this helps. -- dbschoe October 1 2006

Question: Mildew Smell. We recently had carpet and vinyl installed in two new rooms. On day two, my husband put the washer and dryer onto the vinyl, and as luck would have it he forgot to hook up the washing machine. Our daughter then went in and started a load of clothes and before we knew it we had about an inch of water sitting on the vinyl and about two feet of our carpet was also soaked. We used a dry vac to clean up as much water as possible from the carpet, but now a week later we still have a mildew smell in the room. My question is, "How can I get that mildew smell out of the carpet?" It is driving me crazy, because now if we leave the door to the room open it affects the rest of the house! Any tips you can offer would greatly be appreciated! Thank you -- "Veronica Carreon" vcarreon@texas-city-tx.org (Ref:0397)

Answer: Mildew Smell from Carpet. Steam clean or clean with rubbing alchol (color test first). this will kill the mildew spores. follow up with Febreeze. -- Tracy Storey' Oct 12 2006

Question: Cleaning clear glass cups. A friend has given me some old clear glass coffee/tea cups. They have white spots that appear to have been caused by a dishwasher. How can I remove these spots? Thank you. -- Sharon Viar VernShar@webtv.net

Answer: Clear Glass Cups. Believe it or not, I removed white residue from glass cups with SOS pad and it didn't scratch the glass. -- JimPo Retired May 27 2006@