Hints From Heloise
DON’T TOSS OUT CORKS Dear Readers: Save corks from wines and other bottles, and wash them. You can then use them to cover the points of knives, kabob skewers and barbecue forks. This will protect you when you are taking out items from a kitchen drawer. -Heloise
VINEGAR HINTS
Dear Readers: To remove fingerprints from shiny kitchen appliances, mix half vinegar and half water, and dip a soft terry towel into the solution. Wipe over any fingerprints.
You can also put white vinegar into a spray bottle and spritz it on the mirrors, sinks, faucets and the toilet bowl in the bathroom for a quick cleanup. Then, just wipe it off.
Vinegar is much safer to use than other chemicals, and it has lots of household uses; not to men tion, it’s pretty cheap.
For more vinegar hints, I have put together a six-page pamphlet, “Heloise’s Fantabulous Vinegar Hints and More!” You can get this super helpful pamphlet by sending $5 and a long, self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Heloise/vinegar, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001. -- Heloise
OTHER USES FOR PLASTIC TABLECLOTHS
Dear Readers: If you have saved and stored several old plastic tablecloths with a flannel backing that you are not using much anymore, you can repurpose them, instead of throwing them out. Here are some ways that they can be repurposed:
-- Use them to make drop cloths to protect surfaces used for children’s art projects.
-- Line the bottom of a tent or the inside floor of a doghouse, flannel side up.
- Reuse them as covers for outside mowers, barbecue grills or riding toys. -- Heloise
DONATION REQUESTS
Dear Heloise: This letter is in response to Kathy, in Riverside, California, writing in about phone scams. When receiving a donation request to help support police officers, politicians, etc., I found out that it was not the police department actually calling. I was told, when I questioned them, that they are not the police department. They are a paid company seeking funds.
So, when I receive any more calls like this, I say nothing, but rather just hang up and hold onto my money. -- A Reader, via email
Send a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O.
Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001, 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.