Home-Ec 101 SKILLS FOR EVERYDAY LIVING HEATHER SOLOS Home-Ec 101: Skills for Everyday Living Copyright © 2011 by Heather Solos. Manufactured in China. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means inuding information storage and retrieval systems without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review. The content of this book has been thoroughly reviewed for accuracy. However, the author and publisher disclaim any liability for any damages, losses, or injuries that may result from the use or misuse of any product or information presented herein. It is the purchaser's responsibility to read and follow all instructions and warnings on all product labels. Published by Betterway Home Books, an imprint of F+W Media, Inc., 4700 East Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, Ohio, 45236. (800) 289-0963. First Edition. Other fine Betterway Home Books are available from your local bookstore, or online, or direct from the publisher. Visit our website, www.betterwaybooks.com. 15 14 13 12 11 5 4 3 2 1 Distributed in Canada by Fraser Direct 100 Armstrong Avenue, Georgetown, Ontario, Canada L7G 5S4, Tel: (905) 877-4411 Distributed in the U.K. and Europe by F+W Media International Brunel House, Newton Abbot, Devon, TQ12 4PU, England, Tel:(+44) 1626 323200, Fax: (+44) 1626 323319, E-mail: [email protected] Distributed in Australia by Capricorn Link P.O. Box 704, S. Windsor NSW, 2756 Australia, Tel: (02) 4577-3555 Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Solos, Heather, Homeec 101 : skills for everyday living / by Heather Solos. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-1-4403-0853-6 (pbk. : alk. paper) eISBN 13: 978-1-4403-1415-5 1. Home economics. I. Title. TX145.S695 2011 640 — dc22 2010037836 Edited by Jacqueline Musser; Designed by Clare Finney; Production coordinated by Mark Griffin About the Author Heather Solos is a former chef, a blogger-turned-author, and a royal pain in the butt. Ten years in the restaurant industry gave Heather the tools she needed to found Home-Ec101.com. Her years in the kitchen inspired her love of food, and the low pay taught her more than she ever wanted to know about living on a budget. On the Internet, she is charming, witty, and can answer household questions with the greatest of ease. In public, she's a little shy and happiest at the nerd's table riffing on web tech and shiny toys over beer and nachos. At home in the Lowcountry of South Carolina, she's busy with four kids and a patient husband who doesn't seem to mind living in a test kitchen where food must be photographed before it is served. Visit her blog at www.home-ec101.com. Dedication This book is dedicated to my family, the Internet, and caffeine; without these, this book would not be possible. Acknowledgments I would like to thank the many fine people who work for the National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Their work is a valuable and underutilized resource. A sincere thank-you to my editor, Jackie, for all the hand-holding. And, of course, special thanks to my husband, who believed it would all be worth it in the end. I'm still waiting to see if he's right. Contents Introduction Section 1: Clean It 1. Getting Started: Tools, Secrets, and the Chemistry of Cleaning 2. Make It Manageable: Flexible Scheduling 3. The Lowdown: Focus on Flooring 4. Kitchen Patrol: Win the War Against Grease, Grime, and Unintentional Science Projects 5. The Great Bathroom Cleansing: Tubs, Toilets, and Rubber Gloves 6. Dining Rooms and Dusty Dens of Doom:Yes, You Do Windows 7. Bedroom Antics: Introducing Dust Mites; No One Sleeps Alone Section 2: Wash It 8. Stains: Sure You Didn't Spill It 9. Odors: Rolling Down the Window Is Not Always an Option 10. Minor Garment Repair: Beyond Dental Floss and Staples 11. Laundry: The World's Most Thankless Chore Section 3: Fix It 12. The Bare Minimum Handyman Guide 13. When Good Appliances Go Bad: Avoid Minor Meltdowns 14. Plumbing: Someone Jiggle the Handle Already 15. Throw Rugs and Posters Only Go So Far: Fixing Floors and Walls Section 4: Cook It 16. Burned Water? There's Hope Yet 17. Outfit Your Kitchen: Cookware and Small Appliances 18. Recipe Rundown: Deciphering Terms and Basic Techniques 19. Pantry Principles: Are You Ready for the Zombie Apocalypse? 20. Meal Planning: Not Just for the Control Freaks 21. Substitutions: I'll Remember to Put It on the List, Promise Appendix A: Homemade Cleaning Solutions Appendix B: Dangerous Chemical Combinations Appendix C: Emergency Preparedness Checklist Appendix D: Measurements Conversion Charts