Using paper towels

DEAR HELOISE » I would like to encourage your readers to try to reduce the number of paper towels they use for cleaning up messes, drying hands, etc., and to instead use something that can be used over and over again, like dishcloths, dish towels, rags, etc. These fabric items can be easily rinsed out and thrown in the washer when doing a load of clothes. While paper towels are certainly handy and time-savers, let’s not forget that in order to conserve our natural resources, we should try to cut back where we can on using something only one time.

Thanks for your hints on the proper care of pets. You are doing them a great service.

— Diane in Ohio Diane, yes, paper towels are so useful for emergencies, but there are many microfiber cloths and terrycloth kitchen towels that can do the job, too. And you can repurpose old bathroom or beach towels for household duties. It’s good to see how we can help our environment.

And here’s another hint from Johnny B., via email: “I put old bath towels on the floors that connect the kitchen, bathroom and bedrooms, because they get the most traffic and I can cut down on carpet shampooing.” WINDOWS NEED CLEANING? If you notice that your windows need a bit of spiffing up, first wipe off dirt and debris, then grab a bottle of white vinegar to make them sparkle again. Here’s how: Mix ½ to 1 cup of white household vinegar with ½ gallon of water. Spray on the windows, then dry off.

Password suggestion

Dear Heloise. You recently printed a letter warning people not to use the same password for all accounts. I agree. But people have trouble remembering them. This is what I do: Come up with a solid password (example, Syperman@1776), then add one letter at the end for each account; a “v” for Visa, “a” for Amazon, etc. For example: Syperman@1776v. You only have to remember the main part and add the extra letter (or letters, if you want) to make them different. — Timothy Gray, via email

How to skin a peach

DEAR HELOISE » If you like to eat your peaches standing over the sink, with the skin on, this is not for you. But if you want beautiful slices with no waste, do this. (Note that peaches have skin, not peel, they are not a hard fruit like apples.) To easily skin a peach, bring a pot of water to a boil and fill a bowl with ice water. Drop the peach into the boiling water, turn to be sure the whole peach is covered and leave for about 30 seconds. Immediately scoop the peach into the ice water, also turning to be sure the whole peach is cooled. Have something to hold the skin and a bowl in which to slice the peach. Take the fruit from the water and, using the tip of a knife or your thumb nail, pierce the skin and peel it off! It works like magic!

— Glenna in Middletown, Ohio Glenna, thanks for this useful info on peaches. We have many peach orchards in the Hill Country in Texas. You can find more info at TexasPeaches.com