Stolen credit cards

With our busy lives, our purses and wallets do get stolen or lost. And thieves are pros at using your credit cards and information to commit theft. When you realize that your purse or wallet is missing, experts say to act immediately and take these steps.

Report the theft to the police. Cancel all credit cards and request replacements. Call the fraud department of all major credit-reporting agencies to have them put a fraud alert on your account.

Contact your bank. You might need to get new checks and ATM cards. Call your state’s department of motor vehicles to report your missing driver’s license and get a replacement.

Mildew on heirloom quilts

DEAR HELOISE >> I just discovered a couple of handmade quilts that have mildew on the backing. They’ve been folded up in a closet for who knows how long. They are 50-plus years old and are handstitched and not suitable for dry cleaning. Do you have any ideas? I would like to hang these quilts as wall hangings.

— Katherine, via email. Katherine, these are family treasures and look great displayed as wall hangings. Mildew is a common problem; here’s how to eliminate it. Mix equal parts of water and white vinegar, and dampen a sponge with this mixture. Lightly press the sponge onto the affected areas to kill the mildew. When the mildew is gone, air out the quilt.

Pet’s water bowl

DEAR HELOISE >> Maybe I am the last person in the world to discover this, but some of your readers would like to know that it is a good idea to check your pet’s water bowl frequently. I always give it a glance to see if there needs to be more water added, but I don’t wash it every day. Yesterday, I picked it up to put fresh water in and noticed little wiggle tails (mosquito larvae) swimming around! We have had an unusual amount of mosquitoes this year, but I was not aware of any in the house, yet there they were. I looked it up, and it didn’t seem harmful, but who wants their pet drinking those? Love your column.

— Joyce Umfress, Bakersfield, Calif. Joyce, lesson learned. It’s a good idea to clean your pet’s water and food bowls often. Dogs are messy, and the bowls do get dirty. So clean and add fresh water daily, if needed.

Washing down pillows

If you are purchasing your first down pillows, be aware that they can be machine washed, but you should use a gentle cycle, warm water and a mild detergent.

Also use these hints. Wash only two pillows at a time. Check the ticking to be certain it’s strong and the seams sewn firmly, because you don’t want to have a washer full of feathers! Then fill the washer with water and gentle detergent, put the pillows inside and wash for four to eight minutes. Rinse in warm water two or three times to get rid of all the detergent. Dry on low heat.

Picture perfect place cards

When you are having friends over for a dinner party, make it memorable and lots of fun with this place-card hint, which will surely stimulate dinner conversation. Ask each guest to bring a baby picture. Have your children put a picture at each plate. Then have everyone look at the pictures and try to match guests with their baby photos. They can then be seated with the matching photo!