HELPFUL HINTS

DEAR READERS: Today’s Sound Off concerns recorded messages that may lead you to believe you’re talking to a real person.

DEAR HELOISE: There seems to be something new going around. It’s a recorded message that sounds friendly, and there are pauses in the conversation, but it’s recorded. I asked the voice at the other end who she represented, but got no response. I asked her to take me off the list of phone numbers, but the sales pitch continued, and I finally hung up.

I wish companies would stop calling people with these recordings where we can’t ask them questions or they try to sell us things we don’t want. Perhaps the ones that I find especially confusing are the ones that tell me I filled out a request for their call when I know I didn’t and have no interest in their product. I only hope this method of selling stops soon.

— Tess D., Norman, Okla.

DEAR HELOISE: I dripped olive oil on my genuine leather couch. Do you have any magic formula to absorb it and get rid of the dark spot? I tried blotting, gently sponging with a mild liquid detergent, more blotting, etc., but I am left with the oil stain.

— F.P.B. in Texas DEAR READER: When an oil stain first appears on leather, immediately sprinkle baby powder or cornstarch on the spot and let it sit overnight, then brush it off with a microfiber cloth in the direction of the grain. However, since you’ve had this oil stain awhile, you might try the following:

Mix together the following ingredients to form a paste: 3/8 cup distilled water 1/8 cup sea salt 1/2 teaspoon white flour 1 tablespoon baking powder

Do a patch test first on an area that doesn’t show, and if it doesn’t lift the dye in the leather, then proceed to apply it to the stain. Use a soft cloth to apply it in dabs (be gentle, and don’t scrub). Let the area dry completely. Carefully wipe off with the grain of the leather. This may require more than one or two applications.

Another suggestion is equal parts lemon juice and cream of tartar. Dab on and gently wipe off after a couple of hours. Some of my readers have had success with this formula.

Readers, do you have a suggestion you’ve used and liked for leather stain removal?

Send a money- or time-saving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000; fax to (210) 435-6473; or email Heloise@Heloise.com