Readers offer handy tips

Rough it up. Instead of spending time and money to replace and install new wiper blades, renew them. Pinch a piece of sandpaper between your thumb and forefinger. Run the sandpaper along the edge of the rubber blade, first on one side and then the other. This will renew the surface so it efficiently wipes the windshield. You can do this two or three times before a blade requires replacement. — Walter Conditioner for shaving. I always have too much hair conditioner because I use very little compared to my shampoo. That means half-full or mostly empty conditioner bottles accumulate in the bathroom. Add to that, I don’t like using soap (too drying) or shaving foam (too expensive) to shave my legs. I discovered that using conditioner works great as a shaving lotion. It makes for very smooth shaving. — Mary B. Where odors hide .I remove the rubber gasket above the garbage disposal on a regular basis so I can clean its underside. That’s where particles of food accumulate and contribute to garbage disposal odor. Keeping it clean helps eliminate those odors. — Fran Hairspray overspray. If your bathroom mirror, countertop, wall, woodwork or floor get covered with hairspray like mine do, spray the surface with ordinary rubbing alcohol, and then follow with a damp cloth to wipe it away. That will remove the hairspray overspray — even a stubborn accumulation — and leave the areas sparkling clean. — Justine