Baking soda a useful tool at campsites

When the campsites open back up and you get all your gear ready for a camping trip, one essential product you should pack is a box of baking soda. It will be so versatile and useful.

Here are some of the ways it can be used:

■ To help put out a dying campfire, throw a handful of baking soda on the base of the fire.

■ To soothe a bee sting, make a paste of baking soda and water, and apply to the affected spot.

■ To freshen your sleeping bag, pour a good amount inside it to help absorb stinky odors.

■ To prevent a musty odor in your cooler, wash it and let dry. Sprinkle baking inside and let it stay until you use it again. Then just rinse out and it will be fresh and ready to use.

If your plants have outgrown their pots, get some new, larger, pretty ones to make your plants thrive. Use these hints:

First, pour out all the dirt and then clean the pot completely. This is important because you do not want to spread plant disease. Combine one or two squirts of dishwashing detergent with hot water and mix. Use this to clean the pot. Then soak them for a couple of hours in a mixture of one part chlorine bleach to eight parts water.

Rinse completely and dry well before adding dirt and plants.

Do not panic or get upset when you notice white stains from hot mugs or wet glasses on top of a favorite piece of furniture. Act right away and take these steps:

Make a mixture of half non-gel toothpaste and half baking soda until it forms a paste. Put some of this onto a damp, cotton cloth and then gently rub the white rings until the marks disappear (and they will). Buff with a dry, cotton cloth.

I have several bouquets of plastic flowers in my house. They have gotten dusty and look dull. What’s the best way to clean them?

— Martha in Texas

Try this quick and easy way to spiff them up. Add a drop of liquid detergent into the center of each flower. Then place them in the bathtub and turn on the shower. They will be washed quickly and rinsed easily. And they will look much better.

Roasting or toasting nuts will improve the flavor. So when you add them to a pastry, salad, cookies or main course, the flavor will be nuttier. Spread nuts on a cooking sheet and bake at 325 degrees F for about 8 minutes. Watch carefully; they will be darker and have an, enhanced flavor.

To share a hint, write to P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000.