HINTS FROM HELOISE

DEAR

HELOISE:

Regarding the tips on resumes, specifically about printing it on high-quality paper — the reader left out an important tip. We who work in human resources don’t want you sending in or handing us a piece of paper. Be prepared to email it instead so that it can be forwarded to others. That means save it as a PDF, since a Word document’s format can come out funky and a PDF will make it look how it’s supposed to. Have a few copies printed for when you go on an interview, but in most cases, the interviewer will have a copy of it right in front of them.

— G.K., via email

DEAR HELOISE: I recently saw a product on TV that solidifies cooking grease so that it can be put into regular trash. I’ve saved vegetable cans, poured grease into them and stored it in the fridge until I tossed the whole can in the trash. But this product made me rethink that process.

Now, when the can is full, I put it in a sink of warm water long enough to loosen the grease (you may have to run a knife around the edge) and dump it from the can directly into the trash. Now, I can just reuse the same grease can over and over and recycle the rest.

— Joyce, North Little Rock, Arkansas

DEAR HELOISE: Hello, just thought I would share how handy inexpensive nylon-bristle paintbrushes are for other tasks. Think about the task at hand and buy the size of brush that will work best, whether it’s 1 inch, 2 inches, etc.

We keep one just for cleaning the vents and the tight dash/ console areas inside our vehicles. The brush quickly dislodges dust particles without scratching. I like to use a brush to clean out the window tracks on our house windows. All kinds of pollen and particles get stuck in there. Again, it’s quick to loosen the grit and grime without the worry of scratching.

As for cleaning the window screens, you need to be careful, as they can be damaged easily. A long-handled, soft-bristled car-washing brush can quickly clean a water-sprayed screen. Don’t forget to clean both sides and glide those soft bristles where the frame meets the screening. Just remember to make sure you buy a soft-bristle type. They can be found at any store that sells auto supplies.

— Mary Anderson, Vancouver, Washington

DEAR READERS: To remove burned food stuck on a cooking pot, grab some baking soda and add 3 tablespoons of it in enough water to cover the bottom of the pan. Then, just simmer this until the crud is beginning to lift, and scrub to remove any remaining residue. Rinse and clean the pot as you usually do.

You can find more cleaning and deodorizing hints using baking soda in my six-page pamphlet “Heloise’s Baking Soda Hints and Recipes.” Get this useful pamphlet by sending $5 and a long, self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Heloise/Baking Soda, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001.

FYI: Sprinkle baking soda onto a damp sponge to clean kitchen counters, drains, sinks and the refrigerator.