HELPFUL HINTS

DEAR READERS: Today’s Sound Off is about department store staff who ignore the customer:

DEAR HELOISE: I went shopping at a major department store, and I asked one of the sales staff if she could assist me, and she said, ‘No,’ she was busy, and just walked off. I saw a group of three giggling salespeople and asked if they could help me, and one young woman said, ‘In a minute,’ turned her back and continued her conversation. I left the store.

This isn’t the first time I’ve seen salespeople ignore a customer. The majority usually are helpful and professional, but it only takes a few bad apples to ruin the reputation of a store. Is it a lack of proper training?

— Emma Y., Scranton, Pa. Sorry to hear that, but you do have options. You can call the store manager to let him or her know of your experience, or write a letter to the corporate CEO.

DEAR READERS: If you lose your wallet:

Call the police and report that it’s lost or stolen — do this immediately.

Get a new driver’s license — this is your most commonly used form of ID.

Cancel all credit cards and, if necessary, notify your bank.

Notify utilities in case someone tries to open an account.

If you kept a spare house key in your wallet, have the locks changed.

DEAR HELOISE: I’m having problems with gnats. Do you have a solution? — Bugs in Kitchen,

via email DEAR READERS: Make certain all indoor plants are not watered for a couple of days, as gnats lay their eggs in damp soil. Remove all food or fruit bowls from the counter. Clean all surfaces with an all-purpose cleaner, including the floors and trash baskets. Cover drains with plastic and tape it down. Leave this in place overnight.

To make a gnat trap pour about a quarter cup of apple-cider vinegar into a jar or plastic container.

Take a coffee filter and place over the opening of the apple-cider container. You can use a rubber band to ensure that the filter is held in place and there is a tight seal.

Poke three holes in the coffee filter, no bigger than a quarter to a third-inch wide.

Place in an area where the gnats are, and leave it there for a day or two.