TITLE: WINE CORKS HELP PREVENT NICKS
Dear Heloise: I keep my fondue forks and other sharp objects in one large drawer. After years of getting cut and nicked by sharp things in there, I started placing wine corks over those sharp things. It may look odd when someone sees a fondue fork with the prongs pushed into a wine cork, but it’s kept me and my family from adding more cuts to our hands and fingers. -- Helen S., Hattiesburg, Mississippi
MASCARA HINT
Dear Heloise: Before I apply my mascara, I take a clean toothbrush and give my eyelashes a couple of strokes upward to separate the individual hairs. Then I apply the mascara. This keeps the lashes from clumping together.
It also makes my lashes look longer and more natural, since my mascara is not “gunked up.” -- Madison A., Schenectady, New York
WHERE ARE MY KEYS?
Dear Heloise: With five kids, it seems like I’m always carrying someone or something to the car, or from the car into the house. Then I’d have to set everything down and dig through things in my purse to find my house or car keys. Finally, I put both keys on a ponytail holder, which I wear around my wrist while I shop or when I need to open either the house or car doors. Life is a little easier now! -- Judy L., Texarkana, Arkansas
ORIENTAL RUG
Dear Heloise: My husband just bought me an oriental rug that I’ve wanted for ages! I want it to look good for a long time, but how do I take care of it? -- Bonnie E., in Dallas
Bonnie, oriental rugs are beautiful, and it’s not uncommon for a rug to be handed down in a family. Here are some hints on how to care for an oriental rug:
- Lightly vacuum the rug with a vacuum that uses only suction. Don’t use a beater bar vacuum. New rugs usually shed a little at first.
- Place the rug out of direct sunlight to reduce fading.
- Rotate your oriental rug every 6-12 months to even out the wear on the rug.
- Clean any spills by blotting them with a clean towel.
- Have the rug professionally cleaned every few years. -- Heloise
DRYER LINT CAUSES FIRE
Dear Heloise: I cannot stress enough how important cleaning the dryer screen happens to be. I use a battery-powered toothbrush to scrub my dryer lint screen, but my neighbor does not. Her dryer caught fire last week and caused about $30,000 worth of damage to their home. While that’s not good, it still could have been worse. Just a reminder to take care of that lint in your dryer. -- Susan C., Jacksonville, Florida
THE LAST STRAW
Dear Heloise: My dad needed a plastic straw to drink from a glass, but I needed to find a way to clean the straw besides running it under the faucet. After trying a number of things, a friend at work suggested a pipe cleaner, and this worked perfectly. -- Wendy K., Green Bay, Wisconsin
HINT FOR TEA
Dear Heloise: I take a mug of chamomile tea with me when I go to bed. I find it helps me get to sleep. Usually, I drink most of it before I fall asleep, so I would always end up craving another sip. I started taking a thermos of hot water to add to the mug. It is hot enough to make more tea. -- C.M., via email
(c)2024 by King Features Syndicate Inc.
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(c) 2024 by King Features Syndicate Inc.
