Donate to animal shelters
Dear Readers: It’s spring, and that means it’s puppy and kitten season. The animal shelters are bursting with new babies. They need donations, pronto! If you want to help, here are some items that are very much needed and recommended by The Humane Society.
Food-related items: training treats, canned and dry food, formula, puppy replacement milk, kitten and puppy bottles, food bowls, plastic containers and grocery bags.
For comfort and carerelated items: blankets, towels, cotton balls and swabs, baby wipes, heating pads, puppy pads, rubbing alcohol, newspaper, paper towels and pet beds.
Other miscellaneous items: durable toys, hair trimmers, flea combs, crates (all sizes), litter boxes, nonclumping cat litter, litter scoopers and small collars for puppies and kittens.
This can make a great service project for a church youth group or scout pack. Cash is also a welcome gift. — Heloise
PET PAL
Dear Readers: Here’s Buddy, hiding in his favorite box on top of the refrig- erator. Sandy D. sent in his picture. To see Buddy and our other Pet Pals, visit www.Heloise.com and click on “Pet of the Week.”
Do you have a funny and furry friend you’d like to share? Email a picture and description to: Heloise@ Heloise.com! — Heloise
DECREASE THE CREASE
Dear Heloise: I found a pair of really nice dress pants in a resale shop that are a little too short for my husband, so I let the hem out, leaving a very noticeable crease. How can I remove it? — Meredith in Florida
Meredith, dampen the crease line with a cloth soaked in white vinegar. Use this as a pressing cloth and press with a moderately hot iron. Make sure the pants are clean. You don’t want to “set” in a stain. Also, test an inconspicuous area first to make sure the vinegar doesn’t affect the fab- ric. For more hints using vinegar, order my sixpage pamphlet by visiting www.Heloise.com, or send $5 and a long, selfaddressed, stamped (70 cents) envelope to:
Heloise/Vinegar, PO Box 795001, San Antonio, TX, 78279-5001.
FYI: Vinegar will also remove scorch marks from most fabrics. Just gently rub with a cloth dampened in white vinegar. Unfortunately, this doesn’t work with all fabrics. — Heloise
PLANT PAPERING
Dear Heloise: When repotting plants, I use coffee filters in the bottom of the pot. Then I fill the pot halfway or more with wet, shredded paper, then add the soil and the plant. It’s not as heavy as it would be if it was filled with only soil, and the paper will decompose. Recycling and repurposing. — A reader, via email
Send a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000, or you can fax it to 1-210-HELOISE or email it to Heloise@Heloise.com. I can’t answer your letter personally but will use the best hints received in my column.