HELOISE Make fireplace logs from papers

Dear Heloise: How do I make fireplace logs from newspapers?
I read your column daily and have learned many helpful hints. Keep up the good work. Kay, Houston
Newspaper fireplace logs are a great way to reuse bundles of old newspaper, lessen garbage in the landfills and cut down on the cost of buying firewood to burn during cold weather!
You'll need lots of newspaper and cans from which labels and both ends can be removed.
First, make a 1-inch stack of newspapers (do not use colored or glossy advertisements), being sure to alternate the folded sides of each newspaper section. Roll the stack tightly, then slip one of the cans around it and push the can to the middle of the roll to hold it together.
Next, wet the rolled newspaper logs with some water, then let them dry thoroughly. FYI: This is very important, since the wetting/drying process helps compress the "logs," which will help them stay together better when burning.
After the newspaper log has been burned, use caution -- let the can cool completely, or use a pair of tongs to remove it. Heloise
Dear Heloise: I have a hint for the top of a washing machine: I cut a piece of countertop and fit it to the washer. It is good for counter space. Eleanor Mergel, Albany, N.Y.
Dear Heloise: A helpful hint for senior citizens or anyone with neck problems: When I am looking for a place to park in a parking lot, I always try to find a space with an empty one in front of it. This way, I can pull straight through with the car facing outward instead of having to back out into parking-lot traffic when I leave.
I can see the traffic directly in front of me as opposed to depending on rear- and side-view mirrors and a lot of neck twisting. Carolyn McDonald, Alexandria, Va.
Dear Heloise: After a dinner party, my brother-in-law could not find the candle snuffer to extinguish the candles in his home.
After blowing one out and deciding that it was an inefficient technique, he went to the kitchen and found a turkey baster. He proceeded to finish his task by aiming the point directly at the flame and squeezing the bulb to create enough wind to extinguish the flame without splattering the liquid wax around it. Merry Davis, Fort Worth, Texas
Dear Heloise: When it takes forever to squeeze the last bit of dish detergent out of the bottle, don't give up and throw it out.
Fill the bottle with water and let it sit for a while. When you have a small cleanup job, just squeeze a bit of the detergent solution out of that bottle onto a wet sponge or onto whatever you're cleaning. Dan, Seattle
King Features Syndicate