HELPFUL HINTS
DEAR HELOISE: I glued a piece of rough indoor/outdoor OPINION carpet and put it face down underneath our coffee table. My two beagles, Poppy and Ruby, love to go underneath the table and scratch their backs to their heart’s content.
— Angelo Summa, Mission Viejo, Calif. DEAR READERS: Tiny knife cuts are natural wear and tear for chopping block countertops because they are designed to be cutting surfaces. So, the countertops must be scrubbed with soap and water. Small crevices can harbor bacteria, so make sure to occasionally disinfect the counter or chopping block with a mild bleach solution (2-3 tablespoons of bleach to 1 quart of water).
Always rinse well, then rejuvenate the surface with a thin coat of mineral oil. Let soak for 30 minutes, then buff.
DEAR HELOISE: I’ve read you and your mom’s columns since I can remember. My husband and I never miss it. I wanted to write in about something that I never read about in your column.
As in any city, we have problems with erratic and dangerous drivers — and too few police officers. So, I adopted a new policy several years back. When I see a company vehicle driving in this manner, I commit to never calling them for service. This includes plumbers, trash pickup companies, food delivery services and others. It’s irresponsible to drive this way, and you would think companies would crack down on it. But I see a lot of people in management doing it, too.
This is my way of contributing to stop the problem, and my hope is others will also do the same. Thank you for all you do!
— Frannie, Colorado Springs, Colo. DEAR READERS: Always apply a decal on sliding glass doors at eye level so that no one will mistake a closed door for an open one. And you can even apply one down at eye level for your dog.
DEAR HELOISE: It seems that every time I crack an egg open, I lose a tiny piece of shell. I hate to say it, but nine times out of 10, I will lose that little piece and someone will find it when they chew their scrambled eggs or bite into their muffin.
Finally, I decided to break the eggs in a small glass bowl, where I could easily see if there was a small piece of shell floating in the egg whites and fish it out. No more crunchy eggs!
— Ellen F., Fresno, Calif.