HELOISE Question about dirty glasses asked often

Dear Heloise: Our glasses and some dishes seem to come out of the dishwasher with a dirty film on them. We don't have a water softener.
Is there a way to get rid of this film so I can have clear glasses once again? K.B., San Antonio
Let me tell you, this is one of the most-often-asked questions that come into Heloise central. What the film is will determine if it can be removed or not. Hard-water stains and/or soap film can usually be removed by soaking the drinking glasses in warm to hot (not boiling) vinegar for about an hour or so. Then scrub with a brush or plastic scrubbie.
If the film remains, then the glasses probably have tiny little scratches that are permanent and are called etching. Etching is sometimes caused by softened water and dishwasher detergents' abrasive cleaning action. If glasses must be washed in the dishwasher, use a little less detergent if you have softened water and remove the glasses before the high-heat drying cycle. Also, use either a low- or no-phosphate detergent (it is listed on the package).
To keep glasses from etching, wash them by hand to protect them for a lifetime. Heloise
Dear Heloise: After my husband had surgery, my being in another part of the apartment became a problem, as I wasn't able to be with him constantly. I bought a "portable" doorbell, left the button part with him (it can be moved to wherever someone is) and brought the bell part with me. This kept us in constant touch, since it is so mobile! Dena, Via E-mail
Dear Heloise: I remember reading about a solution made with milk of magnesia that is used to keep newspapers from turning yellow.
Would you please reprint it? I have several newspaper articles that I'd like to put in my daughter's scrapbook. Sarah in Sacramento, Calif.
You can preserve newspaper using milk of magnesia and club soda. You must use the liquid, because the tablets will not dissolve in the club soda. Mix 32 ounces of club soda with 2 tablespoons of milk of magnesia.
Place the mixture in the refrigerator for eight hours. This step cannot be skipped.
Then pour it into a shallow pan that will hold the clippings. Place only one clipping at a time in the mixture, and let each one soak for an hour. Then carefully remove the clipping and place it between several layers of white paper towels (don't use colored paper towels or those with designs on them) on a flat surface to dry.
This was an original hint from my mother's column in the 1960s. So you might want to keep in mind that newspapers are made with different paper types (some even recycled), and your results might vary. Good luck! Heloise
Dear Heloise: At the beginning of the new year, I purchase a new calendar, then mark all the family birthdays and anniversaries with a yellow highlighting pen as reminders for the events. Chuck Sweeney, Canfield
XSend a great hint to: Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000, Fax: (210) HELOISE or E-mail: Heloise@Heloise.com.
King Features Syndicate