HELPFUL HINTS

DEAR HELOISE: When you take an elderly person to a beauty salon or barbershop, don’t just drop them off. Stick around to help them up and down, to assure everyone understands everything, and to assure they are well taken care of. Hairdressers and barbers can’t be lifting people all day long. Be on time for appointments, if not 5 minutes early, so that everyone gets the best care. Have the correct cost ready, plus tip. If the person in your care cannot make an appointment, call the shop to cancel. Many hairdressers and barbers care about their customers and wonder what happened when they just disappear.

— Nancy Gusher, via email

DEAR HELOISE: My father had a gardening and landscaping business for about 40 years. His remedy for dealing with snails and slugs was coffee grounds. The snails and slugs don’t like coffee grounds. Plus, the grounds won’t hurt the plants.

— Ed Beadle, via email

DEAR HELOISE: My husband was reading about a new scam: If you see a young child on the street crying and holding a piece of paper with an address, do not take the child to the address on the paper. Instead, take the child to a police station. There are a group of gang members at the address waiting. You could be assaulted and your ID taken. Be and stay safe!

— Mary, Chino Hills, Calif.

DEAR HELOISE: I keep reading people’s suggestions for using an official “microwave food cover” to prevent splatters from soiling the microwave. Even better, in my opinion, is to buy the very cheapest, thin, uncoated paper plates and put that over your food. When you’re done, just toss it! There was no time spent cleaning, which was worth the few cents per paper plate in my book.

— Barbara Oliver, via email

DEAR HELOISE: I put several nail holes in a wall looking for a stud. I wanted to cover up the holes, but didn’t have any suitable materials or the time to go get them. On my desk was white cover-up tape. I made a small, roughly circular dot from it and put it on a nail hole. It held nicely and blended in with my white walls. Instant success!

— Mercy Grace, via email