Ask Me Anything: Dry Slow Cooking, Clean Grout, Home Safe, Cloudy Glassware, Not-Drying Dryer, and Lots More!
Lots of questions on so many topics from slow cooking to misbehaving clothes dryers, and stinky cars suffering from pet and gasoline odors, to plugged up dishwashers and fear of debt, too. So, grab some coffee and let’s dig in.
Contents
- Slow cooker turning out super dry results
- Best Inexpensive slow cooker?
- Which home safe is best?
- Help! The horrible chemical smell in the car
- Dishwasher leaving glassware cloudy
- Dryer gets hot but clothes not getting dry
- Do I HAVE to use HE laundry detergent?
- How to clean grout?
- Shower soap and scum remover, please!
- Help! Snow and salt residue car carpet
- Is the daughter liable for parents’ debt upon their deaths?
Q1: Why is my new slow cooker turning out super dry meals?
I am having a problem with slow-cooker cooking. I got a new cooker and now everything—even pot roast—is turning out dry! Any ideas on what I’m doing wrong?
Slow cookers cook at a much higher temperature now than they did say 20 years ago. It is due to food safety concerns, but in reality and in my opinion, that has taken the advantage of the slow cooker away—the advantage for working families to start meals before work and come home to tasty, properly cooked food even if it’s been cooking for 8 hours or longer.
All too often results are mushy, dry, and flavorless.
Things to try
- Opt for the Low setting whenever possible.
- Instead of boneless skinless chicken breasts, use bone-in chicken.
- Select cuts of meat that have more fat instead of those that are super lean.
- Reduce cooking times. Instead of 6 to 8 hours check after 2 to 3 hours.
- Use the size slow cooker called for in the recipe you’re following, if at all possible.
By the way, I’ve recently all but given up on slow cooking because I’ve fallen in love with my Instant Pot. It does have a “Slow Cook” setting but so far, I’ve used that option only a few times.
I can do in 15 minutes what it used to take 6 hours in a slow cooker. And the results? Off the charts (and never dry).
Q2: What is your Best Inexpensive slow cooker?
Can you tell me the best inexpensive slow cooker to buy? Mine finally just up and died!
Knowing how important it is to use the right size slow cooker for your needs (see above), here are my two Best Inexpensive options:
Crock-Pot 6-Quart Oval Manual Slow Cooker is perfect for 7 or more people.
Crock-Pot 3-Quart Round Manual Slow Cooker is ideal for a smaller family of 4 to 6.
Q3: Which home safe is best?
Do you have any recommendations on the Best Inexpensive home safe that’s both fire and waterproof? I need one large enough to hold small valuables, two small firearms and our important documents.
First, let me make it clear that I am not a security expert! Got it? Good. Next, take a look at SentrySafe Combination Fire-Safe. It is fireproof and also water-resistant up to 8 inches for 24 hours.
This model is hefty, weighing in at 90 lbs., and enjoys excellent reviews and ratings. It should meet youlr needs as stated both now and for many years to come.
Q4: Help! How can I get rid of the horrible smell in my car?
I have a very bad odor in my car. It’s from a gasoline spill combined with a pet accident. I remember reading about Nok-Out and that it may be the only thing that will work to fix this. Where can I purchase this product?
You can order Nok-Out (and SNiPER) direct from NokOut.com with shipping included.
If you have a really difficult odor situation, which sounds like you do, Nok-Out is likely your only reasonable option to eliminate that odor once and for all. Read the specific instructions for how to eliminate that horrible of odor, in this post.
Nok-Out isn’t cheap, but nothing compared to having to replace that car! It’s worth every penny because it works based on this simple science.
Q5: Dishwasher leaving glassware cloudy
Do you have any thoughts as to why my dishwasher isn’t getting things clean anymore? Glasses and silverware come out cloudy.
I do. Just like a car, a dishwasher needs routine maintenance. From time to time you need to get rid of limescale, soap scum, iron, and grease that build up in your dishwasher—stuff that could be causing these problems you’ve encountered.
You may be able to see stains and another crud when you look in the machine, but much of this is hidden in the hoses and other out-of-sight places. It needs a monthly “acid bath.”
You can do this with unsweetened lemonade Kool-Aid or Tang powdered drink mix if you have them in your pantry.
A product called Glisten Dishwasher Magic is excellent, as is another called Affresh. All of these products contain citric acid—which you can use as well if you have that available.
Citric acid, Dishwasher Magic, and Affresh all safely and effectively remove limescale, iron, soap scum, grease, and food stains that build up inside the dishwasher. And unlike the drink powers, also kill germs and extend the life of your dishwasher while improving its cleaning performance.
If you use Tang or citric acid, fill both detergent cups. If lemonade Kool-Aid, pour the contents of one packet into each of the detergent cups. Run the empty dishwasher through a complete cycle using the hottest setting available.
You may also need to remove the sprayer arm and clean out all of the little holes in it that have filled with a build-up of minerals. Remove the racks from the dishwasher and then following the instructions in the owner manual, you can remove that sprayer arm. A paperclip is a great little tool to dig out and clean out the holes.
Q6: My dryer still heats, but clothes are not getting dry!
Why suddenly do I have to run each load in my dryer twice to get things dry?
If the clothes dryer is heating, I’m going to guess that you have a big lint clog somewhere.
Pull the dryer out so you have access to the vent (check the owner manual for specifics) and take a look. That vent tube/hose needs to be clear and clean for the machine to operate properly.
A clothes dryer also needs to be cleaned from the inside regularly, to remove all kinds of lint that can build up around the lint trap and in various crevices.
I use this VaccuFlex vacuum attachment with my Shark vacuum cleaner to pull out all of the trapped lint and it works like a charm. Without the VaccuFlex the vacuum hose just can’t get into the tight spots.
Q7: Do I HAVE to use HE detergent?
I just got a new washer and dryer. Do I HAVE to use laundry detergent that is labeled HE like the salesman advised? Why?
Yes, if yours is indeed a high-efficiency (HE) washer. High-efficiency clothes washers use less than half the amount of water as a standard machine. Normaly sudsing detergent will clog up the machine because the amount of water it uses is not sufficient to rinse it out. That build-up can cause the machine to malfunction and eventually create an offensive odor.
HE detergent is basically non-sudsing, which makes it easier for a HE washing machine to rinse it away, with hardly any water.
Did you know you can make your own HE laundry detergent? You can! Recipe and instructions for liquid or powdered.
Q8: How should I clean grout?
I need a recipe for homemade grout cleaner. Thanks!
There are lots of recipes, strategies, methods—some that work well, and others that hardly work. Here’s a good one:
Mix hydrogen peroxide with baking soda to make a thick paste. Add a few drops of blue Dawn and mix well.
Spread onto the grout and let it sit for about an hour. Scrub the grout with the scouring side of a sponge or a stiff brush to remove the dirt. Wipe or mop away the paste then rinse well.
Q9: Soap Scum DIY recipe, please?
How do I make the Magical Tub and Shower Scum remover, again? I did it once and it is fantastic! But now I can’t recall.
You need a spray bottle, blue Dawn dishwashing liquid, and white vinegar. Pour one cup of blue Dawn into a 32-ounce spray bottle (1/2 cup Dawn if you are using a 16-ounce bottle). Fill the bottle the rest of the way with white vinegar. Apply sprayer top; shake gently to mix.
Q10: Help! Stubborn snow and salt residue on car carpet
My question has to do with the snow and salt residue I track into my car. It melts and gets on the carpeting and is very hard to get off. Do you have any suggestions about how I might be able to clean the hardened salt residue off my carpets?
Yes, and it’s easier than you might think.
First, vacuum the carpet very well to remove as much of the dried salt as possible.
Next, combine 1-quart hot water and 1 tablespoon blue Dawn in a small bucket or another container.
Dip a bristle brush into the mixture, then scrub over the carpet to scrape and remove the salt. Leave the mixture on the stained areas of the carpet for a while. This allows the detergent to work its way into the fibers, softening the salt’s hold on the carpet.
Dab at the area with a soft cloth to remove the solution and the remainder of the salt. Last, Dry the carpet with another clean cloth.
You can do this by hand, but you’ll have much better results if you can borrow or invest in a machine like my Bissell SpotClean professional portable carpet cleaner. I use mine on upholstery too, and it works fabulously, as long as I make sure that I rinse really well to remove all traces of soap and detergent.
Q11: Will my daughter be liable for my debts upon my death?
My daughter is on my checking account in case I get sick and need her to take care of things. My question is if I were to die unexpectedly and she’s on my bank account will she be responsible for my credit card debt?
I am going to answer with a guarded no, she will not be responsible personally UNLESS she is also an account holder (not an authorized user but a co-o or secondary owner of the account) on your credit card account. In that case yes she would be responsible.
However, your estate—the money and assets that remain upon your death—is responsible to pay that debt. If you die leaving money in that account on which she is an account holder, those funds most likely will be tapped to satisfy your debts before anything is distributed to your heirs, including your daughter.
That being said you would be wise to consult with an attorney who specializes in estate issues to learn more about specific legislation in your state.
Thanks, everyone, and keep those messages coming—to this address: DearMary@everydaycheapskate.com
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Several times in the past when my dryer wasn’t drying properly it was because the vent hose was kinked or the dryer had gotten pushed too far back which caused the hose to be crushed. When I pulled it out a little and improved the air flow, the dryer immediately worked better.
Hi Mary,
I have begun to see what appears to be slight mold spots on the ceiling in my shower stall. Is there a safe way to remove those from a painted surface?
I always appreciate what I read in your newsletter!
Thank you!
I have also converted to using my electric pressure cooker, but for those who need the slow cooker for all day cooking convenience: buy a crockpot/slow cooker with the digital controls that automatically turn to “warm” and you can set the time. So worth it to come home to a hot/warm meal that is not overcooked!