HINTS FROM HELOISE

DEAR

HELOISE: I recently went into a public restroom, washed my hands and grabbed some paper towels to dry off. I also used those towels to grab the handle of the restroom door as I exited, but noticed there was no trash bin near the door, so I threw the towels on the floor and left.

I hate doing a thing like that, but I refuse to touch the handle, knowing how many germs might be on the handle, especially now that COVID is such a problem. I’ve spoken to other women who do the same thing because we don’t want to touch a bathroom handle in a public place. What would be the point of washing our hands and then touching a filthy, germ-covered door handle?

If businesses want women to use their establishment, they need to provide clean restrooms and a bin by the door where women can toss away paper towels.

— Kathleen R., San Antonio, Texas

KATHLEEN, I GET LETTERS along this line every week. I hope businesses understand that women are aware of the bacteria on public items, such as door handles. If they want a cleaner restroom, they might do well to have a wastebasket of some kind where women can throw away used paper towels just before or after they exit the restroom.

— Heloise. Some ladder safety rules to remember:

● Always read any warning label on a ladder for weight and height limits.

● Use both hands to climb a ladder.

● Use a ladder on a firm, solid surface.

● Never overextend your reach. Instead, move the ladder.

● When working with electricity, never use a metal ladder.

DEAR READERS: With the coming of nice weather, people will be going in and out of the house, often through a sliding glass door. All too often children and birds walk/fly into a glass door and injure themselves. To avoid accidents (and save the sliding glass door), use a few bathmat appliques or peel-off decals on the glass at eye level. Glass film is another option and can often be applied by the homeowner. Stay safe this summer.

— Heloise

Dear Heloise: I taught home health and hygiene in high school for more years than I care to remember. Family and friends would often ask me what type of gift I recommended for people who were moving or who had bought a new home. I always recommended a furniture dolly.

No one ever seems to think about a dolly, but it is one of the most useful and back-saving tools you can own. It can help haul heavy items into the house such as large plants, furniture, boxes of books and other items. Most dollies are fairly inexpensive, last for years, don’t take up much room in a shed or the garage and help save your back muscles from strain.

— Helen M., Hazleton, Pennsylvania

HELEN, I HAVE TWO DOLLIES, and I don’t know what I’d do without them. Not only is a dolly a useful gift, but one that they will remember you for having given them, instead of another vase.

— Heloise