HELPFUL HINTS

DEAR READERS: Many of us are now wearing cloth face masks to help prevent the spread of covid-19. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, your cloth face mask should be washed after each use, either in the washing machine with your usual load using regular laundry detergent in the warmest water possible, or by hand washing in a solution of

1/3 cup bleach per gallon of room-temperature water, or 4 teaspoons of bleach per quart of water. Make sure the mask is completely dry before reusing. Let’s be smart and stay safe.

DEAR READERS: When your cellphone begins to reach its storage limit, there are several things you can check to create more space on your phone instead of purchasing an expensive new phone or memory card. Take a look at the following list to see what’s taking up the most memory on your phone, and what you might be able to pare down:

■ videos and photos

■ infrequently used apps

■ contacts

■ music

■ random downloads Make it a habit to check your phone now and then and delete those bad selfies and unused contacts, etc.

DEAR HELOISE: When we travel I drink the caffeinated coffee in the hotel room and take the decaf home. The decaf is great to use in plastic storage containers that have smells from onions, peppers or anything else!

I just drop the coffee bag in the container, seal it overnight and the smell is gone in the morning.

— Pat B., The Villages, Fla. DEAR HELOISE: A wool dryer ball may begin to loosen up after many drying cycles. Extend its life by tucking it tightly into a knee-high stocking, knot the end and continue using it that way.

— Peg, via email DEAR READER: Great hint! Readers, many consumers may prefer wool dryer balls instead of heavily perfumed liquid fabric softeners and dryer sheets. Allergies and skin sensitivities are usually not an issue with wool dryer balls, as they can be with liquids and scented sheets.

Dryer balls separate damp clumps of clothes in the dryer, allowing the hot air to work to dry the clothes more efficiently. They are great to use with towels. Traditional fabric softeners can coat the fibers of towels, limiting their effectiveness in drying!

Send a money- or time-saving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000; fax to (210) 435-6473; or email