How to control silverfish

DEAR HELOISE » I have lived in my house for many years, and from time to time there seems to be all sorts of different sizes of silverfish. I find some in the morning on top of the stove. In the middle of the night, I find them on the floor of the bathroom. Sometimes they are in a bowl in a kitchen cupboard. I have tried packets of boric acid; however, nothing seems to work.

— Ann C., via email Ann, these tiny, silver insects are common in America and in our homes. They usually come into our houses through cracks on the ground level, and they thrive in humid, moist, dark spaces. They munch on starchy items, like paper products (cardboard, newspapers, books) and food, too. Also, they love to dig into clutter.

Here’s how to get rid of them. Eliminate clutter and vacuum upholstered furniture, floors and carpet often — be aware that silverfish lay eggs in the carpet. Then try to reduce the humidity in your house.

Keeping roses longer

Many of us receive bouquets of roses for special occasions. Red roses symbolize love, and yellow roses indicate friendship. We want the bouquets to last as long as possible. Here are the steps to take to make them last longer:

Remove the bottom of the stems and pull off any leaves that will be under the water line. Put them in a vase with 2 tablespoons of vinegar and 3 tablespoons of sugar added to a quart of warm water.

If you then want to preserve that special bouquet, take several stems and place a rubber band around them and hang upside down in a cool, dry, dark spot for two to three weeks. When the roses are completely dry, take down and wrap in tissue paper or newspaper and store in a container.

High-tech care

Our everyday lives are packed with high-tech/digital gadgets of all kinds — computers, smartphones, digital cameras, flatscreen TVs and more. Like other appliances we have, these devices need care and maintenance.

Never use abrasive cleaners, solvents or sprays, because they can damage high-tech equipment. Instead, get appropriate high-tech cleaners, which are available in many stores. You can also use microfiber cloths to remove grime and fingerprints. Clean electronic gadgets often, because an accumulation of dust or gunk can affect the performance of the device. Turn off or unplug the device before you start to clean.

Reusing an umbrella

DEAR HELOISE » From a large, wornout umbrella, the stretcher can be used to hang baskets. They are usually made from galvanized steel.

— Johnny B., via email Johnny, when an umbrella is broken, we usually just throw it out. Thanks for this good recycling hint to remove the fabric and repurpose the stretcher for another use, holding flower baskets.

RECYCLING CDs

DEAR HELOISE » Another use for old CDs. Hang them from a string in your fruit trees to keep the birds away.