HELPFUL HINTS

DEAR HELOISE: How do I clean my waffle iron? — Cindy C., Arlington, Va.

DEAR READER: The first thing to do is read the manual or visit the manufacturer’s website. That said, here is the hint, and I just did this! If it’s a greasy buildup, all you need is a little ammonia and paper towels. Put the towel on the grid ( unplug the iron), then pour on about a teaspoon of ammonia and let sit a few hours. Keep away from pets and children. Use a plastic brush or scrubbie with a drop of dish soap and scrub away.

Do not spray oil on a hot waffle iron! Use only while the iron is cool, so it will heat up as the iron heats up. This prevents the sticky residue from building up on the iron.

DEAR HELOISE: With a queen- or king-sized bed, I have a hard time figuring out which way to put a fitted sheet on the bed without having to keep turning it (which way is top to bottom, or side to side). I took a permanent marking pen and put a mark on the two top corner seams. Now, before putting on the fitted sheet, I look for the two marks and put these corners at the top. No more twisting and turning!

— Faith H., Florida

DEAR HELOISE: We all know the frustration of keeping gift wrap from unrolling. Repurpose paper-towel and toilet-paper rolls to prevent this problem. Cut the cardboard roll longways and open it to fasten around the gift-wrap roll. Place a rubber band or piece of tape on the toilet-paper roll where the slit is. When it’s time to wrap gifts, just remove the band or cut the tape and reuse the recycled roll again.

— A Reader, via email

DEAR READERS: I am always jotting down quick notes for a zillion things! Here’s a green hint: Cut several sticky notes in half or thirds, vertically. If you don’t need to write a lot, this cuts down on wasting a whole note. It’s also great for the office or just for little reminders throughout the day.

P.S.: I also use the “slim” sticky as bookmarks for things I want to go back to while I’m reading. I may even note on the paper what the idea or information is.

DEAR HELOISE: Use wooden chopsticks to insert in the paper roll on a hanger that gets bent. This can stabilize it again.

— M.T., California

HELOISE