Musty towels

Help! A few of our towels have a musty smell (including my favorite). Despite repeated washings, it won’t go away. What can I do?

— Tim, Omaha, Nebraska

Tim, sometimes odors linger even after washing, but here’s something you can try: Be sure to wash only a few towels at a time (don’t overstuff). Towels need to move around. Wash as usual, then add ½ cup of baking soda to the rinse cycle. This should help eliminate the musty odor. Avoid using fabric softener sheets. They will coat the towels and make them less absorbent.

Baking soda is a workhorse in the home. Nontoxic, safe, cheap and readily available, I keep boxes on hand. I’ve compiled a collection of my favorite baking soda hints, recipes and helps into a handy pamphlet. Would you like to receive one? It’s easy. Visit www

FYI: To keep most white, bleachable clothes a little whiter and brighter, add ½ cup of baking soda along with the regular amount of chlorine bleach.

Do you have suggestions for how to dispose of or where to recycle used books? These are a mix of textbooks and general fiction/nonfiction. I want to avoid sending them to a landfill.

— Jennifer, via email

Jennifer, you can donate to a women’s shelter, daycare centers, doctor’s and dentist’s offices, theater groups, schools, scouting organizations, senior care centers and libraries, or you can recycle paperback books. Readers, any other suggestions?

A friend of mine gave me this hint, which she has used for years. To keep celery fresh for weeks, do not wash, but carefully wrap it in foil. I place it back in the original plastic bag to protect the foil from tearing in the veggie drawer.

My other hint is to wrap parsley (again, do not wash) in a paper towel and place in a plastic zip-top bag. It has lasted for at least two weeks. It works for other herbs like thyme as well.

Hope these hints are helpful.

— Edie in Connecticut

FIRST IN, FIRST OUT

In a recent column, a reader wrote that she just tossed from her pantry many expired foods. I solved that issue by using a bold marker and writing the expiration date (i.e., 1½2) where visible before putting into the pantry.

When I hit another good sale on foods we like or staples for recipes, I rotate the just purchased ones to the back and the older ones forward. The date marker also helps me use those foods before expiration. Love your column for such practical, money- and timesaving ideas!

— Nancy C. in California

Nancy, I call this “first in, first out,” and it’s a good way rotate products to make sure everything stays fresh in your kitchen.

Write to Heloise at P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000; Fax 210-HELOISE; or email Heloise@ Heloise.com.