The Conair Turbo ExtremeSteam keeps clothing looking sharp. (Photo by Mike Garten)

Our resident cleaning and laundry pro, Carolyn Forte, shares her best tips and favorite tricks to conquer your toughest messes.

Q: I hosted a party, and now there’s a white ring on my table. Is there anything I can do? 

A: White rings appear when condensation from wet glasses or hot dishes gets trapped in the wood’s finish. (That’s why trivets and coasters are so great.) To remove the ring, place a thick towel on top and press with a warm, dry iron for five to 10 seconds. (Tip: To avoid further damaging the wood, make sure the steam is off, and don’t touch the wood directly with the iron.) The gentle heat will “open up” the wood’s finish ever so slightly, and the towel will absorb the moisture. Repeat until the ring disappears, then polish and buff the area. Ring? What ring?

GH Lab pick: Guardsman Anytime Clean & Polish aerosol ($5.50, guardsman.com) cleaned up in our tests!

Q: What’s the easiest way to spruce up wood furniture? 

1. Minor blemishes can make even new pieces look old. The best thing I’ve found to camouflage scrapes is a wood touch-up marker, like those in GH Seal holder Weiman Furniture Repair Kit. Select one of four shades (from blond to black), or start with the lightest and go darker until you reach a match. Just dab the markers on nicks and scratches, or try wax sticks (also included in the Weiman kit) to fill deeper holes and gouges. Wipe off excess, then polish and buff to blend.

Lab Lowdown: Scratches and dings in the wood panels we tested were virtually invisible after using this kit!

GH Lab pick: Weiman Furniture Repair Kit ($9, weiman.com).

Q: I’m not the best ironer. Is there a more effective way to remove wrinkles and freshen fine fabrics?

A: Even experts sometimes ditch their irons in favor of garment steamers, especially for delicates or other hard-to-iron fabrics (see below). Steamers are convenient and fantastic at smoothing items right on the hanger.

GH Lab pick: New GH Seal holder Conair Turbo ExtremeSteam ($60,

target.com) heats up in only 40 seconds and provides a constant flow of steam, no pumping needed. In our lab tests, it erased both deep and shallow creases from cotton, linen, polyester and silk. It’s comfortable to hold, and we loved that it didn’t spit or drip – the fabric was spot-free. It comes with a built-in creaser to set pleats, and its Turbo setting pumps out more powerful steam to erase even the most stubborn wrinkles.

ON ANOTHER MATTER … 

Five Tidy Resolutions 

These easy-to-tackle to-dos will have you feeling organized, productive and seriously on top of life in 2017

1. Create an “out” box: Toss items you no longer need or want in a bin you keep in your closet, mudroom or garage. When it’s full, donate or recycle the items and start again.
2. Tidy in 10: Dedicate 10 minutes each day to quick, high-impact cleaning – say, fluffing sofa throw pillows or straightening shoes in the entryway.
3. Pretty up your storage solutions:  Think outside the standard plastic bin. Leave the organizing aisle, and shop for decorative boxes, sea-grass baskets and glass jars to uniquely house all your stuff). They’re just as useful and infinitely prettier.
4. Have theme nights: Designate dinners like Taco Tuesday or Meatless Monday to vary meals and simplify grocery store visits.
5. Make a touch-it-once rule: Prevent mail from piling up by immediately recycling unwanted junk mail in a stylish entryway container. Items that require attention (bills, invitations, etc.) go into a file folder. Aim to empty it once a week!

Recalls Alert 

The following products and vehicles were recalled by the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Unless otherwise indicated, discontinue use of the products immediately and return them to the store where purchased for a refund. For more information about the products, call the manufacturer or CPSC’s toll-free hotline, (800) 638-2772. Only some cars or trucks recalled are affected. Contact a dealer for your model to see if it is included in the recall. The dealer will tell you what to do.

PRODUCT/VEHICLE 

PROBLEM 

Qbit strollers, sold at Babies “R” US and other retail stores nationwide and Albeebaby.com, Amazon.com, Dmartstores.com, Medbroad.com and other online retailers from May 2015 through November 2016 for about $180.

A gap in the stroller’s folding side hinge can pinch a caregiver’s hand during unfolding, posing a laceration hazard. In addition, the stroller can fold unexpectedly during use, posing an injury and fall hazard to the caregiver and child. Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled strollers and contact Aria Child for a free replacement stroller. Consumers can contact Aria Child toll-free at (888) 591-5540 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or online at www.ariachild.com. Click on “Qbit Lightweight Stroller Voluntary Recall Information” for more information.

2017 Nissan Versa  

A seam in the fabric section of the side-curtain air bags may tear during side-curtain air bag deployment, potentially affecting the performance of the air bag. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 226, “Ejection Mitigation,” and No. 214, “Side Impact Protection.” In the event of a crash necessitating side-curtain air-bag deployment, if the side curtain air bags do not deploy as intended, there would be an increased risk of injury. Nissan will notify

owners, and dealers will replace the left and right side curtain air bags for free. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at (800) 647-7261.

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