A Great to hear from you again Beverley. Believe me, you are not alone; I receive hundreds of letters from people A Great with "The Stinky Drain Challenge!" The overnight baking soda, hot water and vinegar solution is a powerful way to freshen drains, and using this method once a month has no disadvantages. However, if your sink continues to smell, you may have a clog in your pipes, which will need to be cleaned out. Other causes of smelly drains are poor ventilation or old grease sitting in pipes for a long period and becoming rancid. Instead of vinegar, pour one cup household non-sudsing ammonia down the drain and chase with one cup baking soda. Plug drain and leave overnight. In the morning, remove plug and pour boiling water down the drain. If the smell remains, call in a licensed plumber to check out the system and vent lines. The plumber should also check valves.
A Dear Mrs. B., Dandruff is the shedding of the skin on the scalp, and a little dandruff is normal for everyone. If you have an oily scalp, the Mayo Clinic recommends shampooing often to prevent dandruff. Another solution is to clean hair with shampoos containing tea tree oil. Use only a few drops and stop using it if your scalp becomes irritated. If you're desperate, visit a dermatologist and he/she can prescribe medicated shampoo.
Reena Nerbas is the author of Household Solutions 1 with Substitutions, Household Solutions 2 with Kitchen Secrets, and Household Solutions 3 with Green Alternatives.
To submit a question, visit www.householdsolutions.org.
Hi Reena,
You helped me before with the removal of odour from spille milk in my car. I'm now trying to remove a constant odour coming from our kitchen drain. We tried baking soda and hot water, but were not successful. We don't have a garburator, but try to collect debris in the drain strainers. However, I know bits and pieces slip through. Suggestions please Thank you so much.
Beverley
Dear Reena,
I have horrible dandruff! I shampoo my hair with dandruff shampoo but it doesn't make a difference. Do you have any advice for me?
Mrs. B.
