HELOISE Leaving home with dryer running is unsafe

Dear Readers: Drying clothes in a clothes dryer is something almost everyone does without giving it a thought. Drop them in, turn the dryer on, then off you go to do something else.
How many of you turn the dryer on and even leave home for a while? This practice can be very dangerous!
Research by the National Fire Protection Association found that between the years of 1994 and 1998, clothes dryers accounted for the most appliance fires. Clothes-dryer fires caused an average of 14,800 home fires, more than 300 injuries and 16 deaths per year. Property damage in 1998 alone was estimated at about $67.7 million.
The following safety tips should be helpful in the care and maintenance of a clothes dryer:
U A professional should be called to install and service a dryer, and gas-powered dryers should be inspected regularly to make sure the connection and gas line are intact.
U Don't leave home with the dryer on. Don't do it ever!
U Don't connect a dryer to an outlet that is not suitable for the dryer. Overloading electrical outlets can trip circuit breakers and blow fuses.
U Dryers must be maintained. Remove lint after every drying cycle. Also remove it from around the drum. It is very important to have the lint filter in place -- never operate the dryer without it.
U Make sure the dryer vent is not restricted (crimped), and that airflow easily passes through.
It doesn't take much to keep your dryer in working order and safe. A home fire can be devastating, and this type can be prevented if you just take time to check your appliances. Heloise
Dear Heloise: I found my daughter's favorite shirt wadded up with a wet washcloth. The shirt now has mildew on it. Is there any way to remove the mildew stains? Janet L., Via E-mail
Yes, as long as the fabric is bleach-safe. If it is a dark color, bleach might damage it, but if it is white or very light, soak the blouse in a mild solution of 1 ounce chlorine bleach to 1 gallon cool water, then rinse well and launder as usual. For my eight-page pamphlet filled with lots of helpful hints on removing stains from clothing, please send $3 and a legal-size, self-addressed, stamped (60 cents) envelope to: Heloise/Clothing Stains, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, Texas 78279. Hint: When using a spray-type laundry stain remover, turn the fabric inside out, then spray on the wrong side. Heloise
Dear Heloise: Keep different sizes of flashlights in every room to have ready during power outages. I also have one in a kitchen cabinet to use to make reading numbers on the oven thermometer easier.
Use rubber gloves when peeling or paring fruit and vegetables with a sharp knife -- it prevents getting cuts. They are also good when using a grater. Dorothy Knorr, Laurel, Md.
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