How to better clean your walls
Dear Readers: Make sure to dust your walls before cleaning them. Wash from the bottom up so that the drips won’t make their marks. Clean small areas at a time, then rinse and dry before moving on to another area. -- Heloise
DOES COFFEE STUNT GROWTH?
Dear Heloise: You had a letter about cutting the crusts off of bread and other cooking practices. Growing up, I was told that eating bread crusts would make my hair curly. It never did, but I still love to eat them. I was also told that if I drank coffee, I wouldn’t grow. My parents (being Swedes) were great coffee drinkers, so the coffeepot was always going. As a child, I was given a cup with a bit of coffee, but it was mostly milk or cream. I grew up to be 5 feet, 6 inches tall anyway. I read your column each day in the Republican-american, which is published in Waterbury, Connecticut. -- Carolyn Mcdonough, Canaan, Connecticut
LAZY SUSAN SALAD DRESSING SHAKER
Dear Heloise: We like fresh salad dressing made with garlic- and rosemary-infused extra virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar. I have found that the perfect vessel for this dressing is an emptied spice shaker jar. It’s easy to make just enough for three or four servings, and the jar shakes up very easily. The holed inner liner lets each person spread it around and get out only as much as they want. -- J.M. Michaels, Temple City, California Dear Heloise: I cannot take credit for this great idea, but while visiting a friend, I noticed that she had a wonderful lazy Susan in her cupboard. She told me that when she sees a disposed microwave, she takes the round plate and rotator and repurposes them for this purpose. -- J.S., via
EYEGLASS CLEANER
Dear Heloise: Another Heloise reader suggested hand sanitizer for cleaning eyeglasses, but this is not a good idea. Sanitizer is primarily alcohol-based, and using it long-term isn’t good for today’s lens coatings. Also, some frames have warnings that specifically discourage alcohol for cleaning. This comes from someone who knows. -- Tad, Retired Optician
CLEANING UNDER THE SINK
Dear Heloise: Years ago, I reached the age where cleaning under the kitchen sink (where my wastebasket is) became difficult. So, I began putting aluminum oven liners under there, and it works like a charm. Once they are too beat up, I just put in a new one! I’m a dedicated reader who has followed your mother’s column from Washington, California and now in Texas. -- B.J.D., via email
PET PAL
Dear Heloise: My puppy, Tatum, is 7 months old and enjoys the snow here in Dover, Delaware. She loves everyone and the pets she sees. She loves to give kisses. But here she is catching snowflakes on her tongue. She is my baby. -- Susan Fellows, via email Readers, to see Tatum and our other Pet Pals, go to Heloise.com and click on “Pet of the Week.” Do you have a furry friend to share with our readers? Send a photo and a brief description to Heloise@heloise.com. -- Heloise Send a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise@heloise.com. I can’t answer your letter personally but will use the best hints received in my column.