Use toothbrushes for deep cleaning

Dear Heloise: I needed a small toothbrush to clean certain areas of my home. I went shopping for one and found that most were too expensive. Finally, while I was in the grocery store, I went down the toothpaste and toothbrush aisle and found what I was looking for. Now I use a stiff toothbrush on some areas of the house and a very soft baby’s toothbrush for my jewelry.

My husband uses a medium toothbrush to get into the small spots in his car’s interior and sometimes for the engine parts.

— Meghan L.

Arcadia, Fla. Meghan, I’ve used a clean toothbrush frequently to get into those tough spots, too. Thanks for your great hints.

— Heloise

Lost keys

Dear Heloise: It seemed as though I was forever losing my keys. They’d be somewhere in the house, but I could not remember where I put them. Finally, while antique shopping, I found a beautiful old bowl that I wanted to display on my entry table. Now I drop my car keys in there every time I come home. No more “key hunts.”

My brother always puts his in his briefcase when he gets home, and my best friend hangs hers on a doorknob or on a tall kitchen cabinet where her young children can’t reach them.

— Susan W. Santa Fe, NM

Kitty safe haven

Dear Heloise: I have three cats and two Yorkies. The dogs were always stealing the cat food. Finally, I came up with the idea of placing their food and water bowls on a towel inside of the bathtub in the guest bathroom. Once a week, I clean out the tub and put down a fresh kitchen towel under their bowls. The dogs are too small to jump into the bathtub, but my cats have no problem at all.

Sometimes, when the dogs want to play with a cat but the cat wants a nap, I’ll find one or two cats napping in the bathtub next to their food.

— Jeanette F. Franklin, Mich.

Chocolate curls

Dear Heloise: I love baking. In fact, I’ve won blue ribbons for my baking, but for a long time, I had trouble making chocolate curls. I tried a number of things, but the curls were usually so thin that they’d break when I tried to place them on top of a cake. Finally, I tried a potato peeler, and it produced beautiful chocolate curls that didn’t break. Now I can put chocolate curls on anything I want.

— Roger V. Chapel Hill, NC

Discount duds

Dear Heloise: Nice clothing has gotten so expensive these days that I’ve begun shopping at local thrift stores and resale shops. You can pick up some real bargains, especially in the really posh areas of town. (Yes, even wealthy people resell clothing.) However, I advise anyone who buys recycled clothing to have it dry cleaned or washed before you put the garment on, no matter where you buy it. That way, you know for certain that it’s clean and safe to wear.

— Hillary H.

Buffalo, NY

Tip for chicken breasts

Dear Heloise: When buying chicken breasts in bulk, I separate them into units of two, three and four, then place them in freezer bags. This creates a shorter thawing time for the chicken and doesn’t waste food. It’s also handy because I can stack these freezer bags in a way that takes up less space in my freezer. — J.C. Mississippi