GOOD HOUSEKEEPING REPORTS Your home: Cleaning Advice

Good Housekeeping home care and textiles director Carolyn Forte answers your cleaning questions. (Studio D photo)

Our resident cleaning dynamo, home care and textiles director Carolyn Forte, shares her best tips and favorite tricks to conquer your toughest messes and trouble spots.

Q: The cycles on my new dishwasher are over two hours long! How can it be saving energy?

A: You’re right: Today’s dishwashers have longer cycles than older models did. That’s because they use much less water per cycle (about 3 to 4 gallons). When the amount of water is lower, the cycle length must be increased to ensure that dishes come out clean.

New models still are more energy-efficient, though — most of the energy a dishwasher consumes comes from what’s required to heat the water it uses, so less water to heat equals less energy use, even with longer cycles. In a hurry? The dishwasher’s Express and Speed Wash cycles take about one hour or less, but keep in mind that super-dirty items may not get totally clean and drying won’t be as thorough.

Q: How can I get rid of lingering odors after cooking fish or bacon? Basic-scented sprays don’t seem to work.

A: Here are a few of my favorite ways to eliminate those annoying smells: Vaporize with vinegar. As white vinegar evaporates, it combines with odor molecules to deactivate them. Before cooking, set out a bowl of 1 tablespoon white vinegar mixed with 2 cups water. For faster results, simmer this solution in a small saucepan.

Get the air circulating. While cooking and afterward, run your kitchen’s exhaust fan and open a nearby window, even if it’s just a crack, to draw smells outside.

Use an odor-eliminating product. Odor molecules cling to fabric items like curtains and chair cushions. To erase them, you need something that neutralizes the molecules rather than just covering up the odor. (That’s why regular scented air sprays don’t work.)

 

GH Lab Pick: The new Febreze Air and Febreze Fabric sprays ($4.50, Febreze.com) with OdorClear Technology not only trap smelly molecules, but also neutralize and deactivate them by converting them into odorless molecules and water vapor.

 

ON ANOTHER MATTER … 

Top-tested Multicooker 

This hot new kitchen tool lets you set it and forget it slow cooker-style, or use it in pressure-cooking mode to get dinner on the table fast. Here’s our top pick:

Fagor Lux 6-Quart Multicooker ($130, amazon.com): This appliance delivered superb results on every setting we tested. When you seal the lid, pressure builds up (more quickly than on the others), generating intense heat and cooking a soup or stew in just 20 minutes. Then, using quick-release mode, pressure drops in three minutes. Its Keep Warm function goes on automatically if you’re running late, and the Lux — like only a few others — also works as a yogurt maker.

Lab Lowdown: It turned out exceptionally tasty and tender pressure-cooked and slow-cooked stew, and was the only appliance that excelled at steaming rice and browning meat. It also got top ratings in our ease-of-use tests, thanks to intuitive controls and a helpful manual.

 

TABLE 

Three Surprising Stain Removers 

Need to remove a stain in a hurry? These stain-fighters can handle the job.

Rubbing Alcohol: Removes ballpoint ink from cotton. Apply to the stain with a cloth or soak the stain in a small bowl of it.

Hydrogen Peroxide: Erases coffee or wine from delicates like washable silk and wool. Soak a cotton swab and dab the stain.

Petroleum Jelly: Buffs scuffs from patent leather. Rub it on with a cloth and wipe to a shine.

 

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 

Dunkin’ Donuts Glass Tumblers, sold at Dunkin’ Donuts stores from September 2016 through November 2016 for between $13 and $15.

The glass tumblers can crack or break, posing laceration and burn hazards. Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled glass tumblers and return them to the Dunkin’ Donuts restaurant where purchased for a full refund. Consumers can contact Dunkin’Donuts at (800) 859-5339 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. EST Monday through Friday, or online at www.dunkindonuts.com and click on “Learn More” next to the safety recall alert for more information.

 

Volvo 2016-2017 XC90, S90, XC60, V60 Cross Country, V60, S60 Cross Country, S60, and S60 Inscription 

On the affected vehicles, the front passenger seat belt buckle attaching stud may loosen, allowing the buckle to separate from the seat belt bracket. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 210, “Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages,” and No. 209, “Seat Belt Assemblies.” If the seat belt buckle separates from the bracket, the front-seat passenger may not be adequately restrained in the event of a crash, increasing his or her risk of injury. Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front passenger seat belt buckle stud, replacing the seat belt buckle as needed for free. Owners may contact Volvo customer service at (800) 458-1552. Volvo’s number for this recall is R89708.

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