Healthier choices are getting a little more convenient
Dear Readers: When you pop into a gas station/convenience store, you might grab a hot dog, a bag of chips, a soda and a candy bar. But now, convenience store merchants are starting to offer fresh fruits and vegetables, hard boiled eggs, yogurt and granola—definitely healthier fare!
Kids benefit, too, if they visit the neighborhood store often (if it’s right down the street), especially during summertime. Experts in the industry say a large percentage of convenience stores are now offering fresh foods, and customers are happy about it. So check out the fresh food options at the convenience store!— Heloise
SPARKLING SHOWER
Dear Heloise: My shower is always sparkling-clean, and I hardly ever have to clean it. How is this possible? After I take my shower, I use a clean bath towel and dry the shower, paying special attention to fixtures, cracks and crevices, the floor and the wall.
A squeegee doesn’t work, because it can’t get the water out of the crevices where mold grows, nor does it polish the fixtures. Daily maintenance takes only a minute or two.—Sharon F., Torrance, Calif.
Great idea, Sharon! Another quick fix is to spray down the shower once a week with a oneto-one mix of white vinegar and water; vinegar has anti-microbial properties!
In fact, vinegar is a workhorse around the house. I’ve used it for my entire career! Vinegar is cheap, nontoxic and readily available. I’ve compiled a collection of my favorite vinegar hints into a handy pamphlet— would you like to receive one? It’s easy! Visit Heloise.com to order, or send a long, stamped (71 cents), self-addressed envelope, along with $5, to: Heloise/Vinegar, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001. A perfect vinegar-based cleaner: 1/2 cup white vinegar, 1 pint rubbing alcohol and 1 teaspoon dishwashing liquid. Add enough water to make a gallon, and label a squirt bottle clearly.— Heloise
LETTER OF LAUGHTER
Dear Heloise: I had to laugh at suggestions of what to wash in the dishwasher. I got home one day and my husband was looking very guilty. I caught him washing car parts in the dishwasher. It did an excellent job! I enjoy your column in the San Antonio ExpressNews.—Maria K., via email
NOT-SO-EASY SQUEEZE
Dear Heloise: I find it impossible to open some containers: caps that squeeze open, flip-top containers, etc. Is there a solution? I realize they are “childproof,” but they also are “elderly proof.”—Carol S., Huber Heights, Ohio
Carol, great point. Dexterity issues affect many people. Manufacturers, are you listening?
The pharmacy has taken strides to make easy-open bottles for homes with no children; maybe other groups can do so, too!— Heloise
Send a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000, or you can fax it to 1-210-HELOISE or email it to Heloise@Heloise.com. I can’t answer your letter personally but will use the best hints received in my column.