HELPFUL HINTS

DEAR READERS: Billie N. wrote that she was having problems with her front-load dryer. A piece of material would catch on the door, then twist all around. She said she contacted customer service (she did not say if she wrote, emailed or called). Billie, call, call and call again until you get a live person to talk with. If you don’t get the answer you want to your question, hang up, call back and speak to another representative.

DEAR HELOISE: I teach outside in a portable building. Bees are an issue, especially during the hotter months. Sometimes bees would fly into the room as students entered. Here’s how I handled it:

First, I taught my students to stay calm. Then I closed blinds that were opened, turned off the lights and left the door open. Within seconds, the few bees that entered were able to find their way out the same way they had entered. — Angie C., Schertz, Texas DEAR READER: I like your first words to the students: Stay calm; don’t start swatting, screaming or jumping up and down. Some bees, like many insects, are attracted to light. The open door and sunlight was their yellow brick road out. Good plan.

DEAR HELOISE: I like fresh lemonade but don’t like to squeeze lemons. I buy several and squeeze all at once, then put the juice in ice-cube trays and freeze. When frozen, I put them in a sandwich bag or plastic container. For me, one cube will make a 12-ounce glass of lemonade. Just add sugar, water and ice.

— Hilda R., Hamilton, Ohio

DEAR HELOISE: I (as well as my husband) have trouble opening bottles and jars. My real struggle is opening a bottle of toilet-bowl cleaner. Safety is great, but if I can’t use it because I can’t open it, what a waste.

— Carol F., Ohio DEAR READER: I have trouble with this, too. Try wearing rubber gloves, or use a damp washcloth to help you grip the bottle better. It seems to help me get a good grip to hold and turn the lid.

DEAR HELOISE: To thread a sewing-machine needle more easily, spray a dab of hair spray on your fingers. Pull the thread through two fingers, then give the thread a fresh cut with scissors. The thread will go right through.

— Helen E., Seneca, S.C.

Send a money- or time-saving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000; fax to (210) 435-6473; or email