Who Ya Gonna Call?

Are you wondering if the salad that sat out for two hours is safe to eat? Do you want to know why there’s mold growing on the bathroom wall? Maybe the ink pen that got in the load of wash and is now all over your clothes? When Mom’s not available, ISU Extension’s Families Answer Line is your source for answering the real world’s pesky problems.  

• Call or email the Families Answer Line at 1-800-262-3804 or answer@iastate.edu

Families Extension Answer Line is a program of Iowa State University Extension, providing information and resources for Iowa consumers with home and family questions.

Professional home economists answer questions in the areas of child development, cleaning, consumer management, food preparation, food preservation, food safety, home environment, household equipment, nutrition, textiles and laundry.

For more than 25 years, questions have been answered through a toll-free phone service. Through frequently asked questions, Iowans can now access information on the Web, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Search by keyword, browse our keyword index, or select a topic area to find an answer to your questions.

The toll-free number, 1-800-262-3804 (in Iowa) or 1-800-854-1678 (in Minnesota), is answered Monday through Friday, 9:00 am - 12:00 noon and 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm. A Relay Iowa line (phone linkage for deaf and hard of hearing individuals) is available at 1-800-735-2942.