HINTS FROM HELOISE

PRACTICAL, DEPENDABLE TIPS FOR TODAY’S BUSY CONSUMERS

Dear Readers: With all of the holiday activities, our homes are probably messier than usual this time of year. Use these basic cleaning hints to get back to sparkling clean.

■ Before you decide to use a commercial cleaning product, first read the label. Cleaners are different, and you might need to dilute or mix the product with another ingredient.

■ Get the area to be cleaned ready by getting rid of food, dirt and loose substances. You can use a dry duster, broom or vacuum to do this.

■ Figure out exactly what the dirt is so you can use the right cleaner to do the job. If you think the cleaner could harm the surface, test it in a hidden spot first before you apply it.

■ Apply enough of the cleaner to cover the surface, and allow enough time for it to work. Never wipe it off too fast.

■ Remove the cleaner with a sponge, cloth or squeegee to get up the mixture and dirt. Rub stubborn areas. Rinse, if necessary, and wipe up all liquid. Dry with an absorbent cloth or air-dry, if instructions recommend it.

— Heloise

Dear Readers: If a family member or relative has brought a hot pizza box and placed on your wooden dining table and it left white spots, use this hint to remove them.

If the table has a coat of furniture polish or wax on it, here’s what to do.

Put white toothpaste on a fingertip or cloth and rub with the grain of the wood until it becomes warm.

Wipe it with a lightly damp (water only) cloth and then dry well.

You might have to repeat this several times to get through the polish buildup. If the spots are deep, keep trying — one layer at time — until gone. Then polish again. No hot pizza boxes or takeout food on wood! — Heloise

Dear Readers: When you take your drinking glasses out of the dishwasher and notice they are cloudy even though they are clean, here’s how to check to see if the cloudiness is etched in or can be removed.

Heat full-strength vinegar and soak glasses in it.

If they are delicate or fine crystal, use only warm vinegar. Rub the glasses with a plastic scrubber, rinse and dry well by hand.

Examine the glasses to see if the cloudiness has gone.

If it is, the cause could be because of hard water or because of using too much or too little dishwasher detergent.

If the cloudiness remains, the glasses could be scratched permanently.

— Heloise