How to care for vinyl tiles

Making Potpourri And Compost Work

Q. Hello, Molly! Is there any chance that you know a potpourri recipe? I prefer those with ingredients that are available here in the Philippines. What can I make from what I already have? I have rose petals, orange peels, cinnamon (powder), oregano, parsley flakes. I’m especially interested to know more of what I can do with rose petals and orange peel. I also want to know how I can make "homemade compost" from kitchen waste and (excuse me) pigeon droppings. I live in a small apartment and I don’t have a garden. Thanks in advance. - Maria Theresa Limon, Matahimik Street, Teacher’s Village Quezon City

A. Rose petals make a nice potpourri bouquet as is. Just put them in a pretty bowl or tightly woven basket and set it down anywhere inside your home. You can add some things that will "heighten" their deep, powerful scent like cinnamon twigs (powder is difficult to work with because it may just get scattered around), lavender, cloves, and star anise. Adding dried orange peel will give it a citrus-y scent, which may not be such a bad idea. If you prefer them separately, keep the orange peels in a separate container and add dried rosemary, thyme and lemongrass.

Homemade compost is a good way to get rid of your food waste by putting it to good use. Since you don’t have an outdoor garden or any soil to which your compost will add minerals and nutrients, I imagine that you will be using your compost heap to fertilize indoor potted plants. Just add fruit peel, vegetable cuttings, shrimp peel, newsprint paper, and carton bits to a hard plastic or ceramic container. Every so often, turn over your compost heap to "air" it. Avoid adding any animal waste or fat strips as this will only attract pests and will supply no positive benefit to your compost heap. It will take a few months for the compost to combine thoroughly and darken before it can be used as a fertilizing agent for plants.

* * * Getting All Hot And Sweaty

Q. Hi! Good day! My niece has a problem with regard to her personal hygiene. Every time she perspires, her underarms get very sweaty. She is embarrassed and disgusted by this. She has tried tawas as deodorant to cure it but it doesn’t work. I hope you can help her by giving some tips on how to prevent this. We badly need your help. Thank you and more power. - Ms. Aunt

Q. Hi! I have a big problem with pimples. Do you have any tips to get rid of them? Thanks. - Deathmaster, Globexplore

A. Keeping (your face and bodies) clean and keeping dry are the simple recommendations that we can make for your problems. It is natural for perspiration to produce sweaty underarms, so perhaps your niece could try a commercial anti-perspirant that has stronger ingredients to help maintain dryness. Since she may be active, it is best to keep the roll-on or solid stick handy in case she needs to apply it several times during the day or whenever she feels her arms getting sticky. As for facial care (you didn’t mention whether you have overactive, oily skin or dry, parched skin) and pimples, following a daily regimen of washing your face in the morning upon waking, during the middle of the day when work and stress may reach a peak level, when you arrive home after a commute (where the environment is filled with dirt and dust), and before you go to bed. Since frequent washing may strip your skin of its natural oils, it is best to use a light moisturizer to keep its hydration level balanced. Consult a dermatologist if your problems persist.

* * * How To Care For Vinyl Tiles

Q. How do I get rid of the scratches on my floor tiles in the dining room? I can’t change my dining chairs since they are new, nor can I afford to buy new carpeting. Please give me some tips. Another question is regarding my vinyl tiles where some objects stick on the surface. What solutions/chemicals do I use to remove these unwanted objects? We tried to use paint thinner but it failed to remove some of that adhesive residue. It’s hard to remove that sticky adhesive, which was used to install the vinyl tiles. Somebody is recommending that we use lacquer flow. Is this a good alternative? By the way, my plaster cement cracks. How do I repair cracks on my plaster cement? I also observed that most buildings do have cement plaster that is cracking. What causes cement plaster cracking? Thank you and best regards. - Donapastoril, Davao City

A. Depending on what is stuck to the surface of your vinyl tiles, try some paint thinner. It has a solvent element that helps to "dissolve" dirt, tar, and sticky residue. Since you mention that the sticky adhesives are tough to remove, maybe you should try a line of products that are environmentally friendly but get the tough jobs done with great ease. They smell good, too! Ask your friendly hardware store of supermarket if they carry SprayWay line of cleaning products. Choose from any of the following possible solutions to your flooring problem: Vinyl Application Spray (20 oz., P139), Chewing Gum Remover (12 oz., P219), Multi Purpose Adhesive Remover (18 oz., P272), Bug & Tar Remover (16 oz., P152), Plastic Cleaner (20 oz., P149), Crazy Clean All-Purpose Cleaner (20 oz., P146). Intense heat and moisture changes may be the reason behind the cracking of cement plaster. The only remedy would be to re-cast the plaster and patch up the cracked areas, which a mason should be able to help you with.

* * * More Help For Ants And Roaches

Q. I can’t seem to find a solution for preventing baby roaches from showing up on our dining table. I just don’t know where they are hiding. The big ones are mostly found in the kitchen. Is there a way besides calling a pest control service? Your website is totally cool.

Q. How can you get rid of cockroaches and ants using only what’s around your house? More power to you, God bless and thanks! - Kirin Christopher J. Juanon

A. Please check out the tips on our website under Home Gardening at www. whollymollytips.com/tips.htm. We have a few suggestions for keeping those ants and roaches away. Eradicating the cockroach attack with household paraphernalia can be done with laundry borax (a natural mineral) or baking soda and confectioner’s sugar. Mix the two ingredients in a shallow bowl. Leave it out where you think the cockroaches will appear. They will feed on the sugar, but will be poisoned by the baking soda. For the ants, hang dried mint leaves or dust chili powder along the ant trail.

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Cool home tips @ http://www.whollymollytips.com/tips.htm. Easy recipes @ http://www.whollymollytips.com/Recipe_Cache.htm. E-mail your queries to ask@whollymollytips.com.