Is the crust a must?

DEAR HELOISE >> My granddaughter insists I CUT THE CRUSTS OFF all her sandwiches. This bothers me — is she missing out on something by not eating the crusts? — Sandy G., Holland, Mich.

DEAR SANDY G. >> Sandy, it’s probably safe to say that your granddaughter doesn’t like the texture of bread crust. Lots of people cut the crusts off for this reason, and these folks come out just fine! A sandwich tends to look fancier with the crusts cut off, too — don’t you agree?

The crust may contain a bit more fiber and antioxidants than the rest of the bread, but surely her dietary needs are being met.

P.S. Does your granddaughter have straight hair? There’s an old wives’ tale: Eating bread crusts will curl your hair!

DEAR HELOISE >> My trainer told me how to care for my workout wear:

1. Letting wet, sweaty clothes lie around in my gym bag is a bad idea. Mildew, bacteria and mold growth? No thank you!

2. Hang sweaty clothes to dry, then launder.

3. Separate colors from whites, and NO towels or fleece sweatshirts with aerobic wear. Lint city!

4. Even though the clothes are sweaty, dirty and yucky, they deserve a wash on the gentle cycle.

5. Do not use bleach or fabric softeners. These chemicals can damage the “performance fibers” in high-quality dance and aerobic gear.

6. Air-drying is best — the clothes dryer is too hot, and the tumbling action can stretch out fibers.

— Kelly Anne in St. Louis

READERS, SAVE THIS HINT!

DEAR HELOISE >> You told readers to save this hint because they would need it. Well, I didn’t save it, and I do need it! How do you clean cloudy drinking glasses and get them sparkling again? This time I will save it! — Mary Ann S., via email

DEAR MARY ANN S. >> Mary Ann, you’re entitled to a mulligan! Several issues could be causing cloudy drinking glasses:

Hard water: Soak glasses in heated vinegar, and scrub gently with a textured sponge.

Too much detergent: If you have treated (soft) water, use less detergent.

Overloaded dishwasher: Asking the washer to work when overfilled may cause the glasses to not be rinsed thoroughly.

I’ve compiled my favorite vinegar helps, hints and recipes into a handy pamphlet. Would you like to receive one? It’s easy. Visit Heloise.com to order, or send a stamped (70 cents), long, self-addressed envelope, along with $5, to: Heloise/ Vinegar, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001. If these hints don’t work and your glasses are still cloudy, they may be permanently etched, and there is nothing that can be done.

DEAR HELOISE >> Heavy rainstorms deposited lots of leaves and pine needles on my windshield. I use a back scratcher to reach the needles that collect on the windshield and under the wipers.

It reaches the middle of the windshield, and the tines collect the leaves like a little rake. — Gala M. in San Diego