HELPFUL HINTS

DEAR HELOISE: It’s tempting to bring along the family dog when visiting family and friends, because boarding a pet can get expensive.

Hints for visiting with your pet:

■ Is your dog thoroughly housebroken? Food-aggressive or shy? Does your pet need to be crated if you go out?

■ Make sure your pet is welcome. HELOISE

■ You are responsible for messes your pet makes.

■ Have copies of your pet’s vet records.

■ Make sure your pet is microchipped.

■ Bring your pet’s food with you.

— Peggy H. in San Antonio DEAR READER: It’s a great time for a weekend getaway, when the leaves are turning. Bring your pets, if it will work for all, for fall.

DEAR HELOISE: I discovered a cloudy haze on the inside of my car windshield. I tried commercial glass cleaner, only to smear the haze!

I thought, “I know what Heloise would suggest — vinegar!” I used white vinegar with a microfiber cloth and then wiped the windshield again with plain water. It worked perfectly — the haze was gone.

— Janene M., via email DEAR READER: Isn’t vinegar a dream? It’s cheap, available, nontoxic and safe, and I’ve used it throughout my career. You’re right on track with the microfiber cloth — no lint left behind!

DEAR HELOISE: To your readers: Please think about what size an outdoor plant will become, and plant accordingly.

■ That little tree will become a 50-foot giant that will cover your neighbor’s roof.

■ The vine will find its way to your neighbor’s eaves.

■ The creeping ground cover will creep its way over to your neighbor’s yard.

■ Anything deciduous will shed its leaves.

I write this out of personal experience and frustration.

— A Reader, via email

DEAR HELOISE: I am a trash collector for my planet. A common thing found on our beach: cigarette butts.

As I walk my dogs, I use their doggie bags to pick up cigarette butts. I’m planning to get tin buckets to fill with sand, and I’ll attach a laminated sign: “Put your butts here — save the planet.”

— Marilyn A., Santa Monica, Calif.