Dear Ben, Rent or purchase an ozone machine. Use it according to the directions when you are
not home. This little machine is what they use in smoke damaged buildings and hospitals. It is
not a good idea to use it often, but you should only need it once.

Dear Reena, At a workshop I attended, you demonstrated how to make your own microwave popcorn. Can you please share
the quantities again? — Melissa

Dear Melissa, Just like store-bought popcorn, not every kernel will pop, but this method
is cheap, easy and, best of all, tasty. Into a brown paper bag mix a half cup of un-popped popcorn and 1 tbsp. vegetable oil. Add a sprinkle of salt. Fold bag over two or three times to firmly seal and set upright in the microwave. Microwave two and a half to three minutes or until pops slowdown. Carefully open bag and eat. Butter may be added as desired.
Warning: Stay near the microwave while popcorn is popping.

Extra Popcorn Treat: In a stainless-steel pot, combine three quarters of a cup cornstarch, one quarter cup butter or margarine, 2 tsp. water, half a cup of icing sugar and one cup marshmallows. Stir and heat until marshmallows melt. Pour contents over 20 cups popped popcorn and form into popcorn balls. Cover with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature. Extra Tip: Grease or wet hands before forming balls to reduce stickiness.

Dear Reena, I hope you can help me with a problem I have. I bought white dishes at IKEA. Unfortunately, over the years they have ended up with grey marks from cutlery on them. Do you have any tips on how to remove these marks? — Garry

Dear Garry, Although the scratches are permanent, I have found great results with non-gel whitening toothpaste. Leave for 15 minutes and rub the surface with an S.O.S pad to lighten the grey marks.

Dear Reena, Is there a way to take black scuff marks off painted ceramic without taking the paint off? Also, I have a large area of melted red wax crayon on the back seat of my car. It is not possible to scrape any of it off as it has soaked into the fabric. Do you have a solution? — Buzz

Dear Buzz, To remove scuff marks on ceramic pieces, rub with an art eraser and wipe with a damp cloth. To remove wax on upholstery, heat the wax using a hair dryer and scrape as much of the wax as possible. Spray WD-40 onto the area, leave for 10 minutes and wipe. Scrub the area with Head and Shoulders dandruff shampoo and water. Rinse with water and let air dry. (Test all products on an inconspicuous area first).

Dear Reena, How can I remove chewing gum that has been ground into our carpet? I looked on your website but couldn’t find the answer. — Cameron

Dear Cameron, Spread smooth peanut butter over the gum; work it around all of the mess. The gum will become oily and easy to remove. After it is gone, clean the carpet with dish soap and water.

Dear Reena, Can leftover cereal crumbs be substituted for breadcrumbs? — Matt

Dear Matt, Cereal is expensive and you want to get a bang for your buck. Use cereal crumbs as a substitute for breadcrumbs and casserole, salad and yogurt toppings.

Frugal Hint:

Now, if I haven’t convinced you of how cheap I am, save the plastic bag from cereal boxes. Use the bag as a substitute for wax paper; it’s great for freezing homemade bread, pies, dough or seeds.

• Place cut up cereal bag squares between
hamburger patties prior to freezing.
• Put an empty cereal bag on the bottom of
garbage cans to guard against the bins becoming soiled

-Reena Nerbas