HELOISE Remove dishwasher stains with powdered drink

Dear Heloise: How do you get stains out of your dishwasher? Jean Lee, via e-mail
It seems silly to think that a dishwasher needs to be cleaned, but here's what to do: Put 3 to 4 ounces of powdered orange- or lemon-drink crystals in the soap dispenser (Do not add dishwasher detergent). Then run the dishwasher through a regular cycle. This might remove the stains.
If you still have stains, the dishwasher might have a mineral buildup that you can try removing using household white vinegar. Note: Be sure to check your owner's manual to make sure using vinegar is OK.
Start the dishwasher empty, on a regular cycle, using no detergent. After a few minutes, open the dishwasher door to see if the dishwasher floor has begun filling with water. If so, add 2 to 3 cups of white vinegar and close the door.
When the dishwasher has run through the cycle, check to see if the inside has come clean. You can repeat the vinegar process if necessary. Heloise
Dear Heloise: My friend and I travel quite often and have more than once found a need for duct tape. To solve this, I took an old department-store gift card that I no longer needed and wrapped a length of duct tape around it. When packing, I throw this in the suitcase so that when the need arises, I have it. Joan N., New York
I love this hint, and when my friend John Duff told me about it, I said "Bingo!" I now have several "duct-tape cards" in my travel bag. Heloise
Dear Heloise: I have a wonderful hint for candles I can no longer burn because they are almost at the end of their wicks.
Instead of throwing them away, I put them in my cupboards. When I open the cupboard, the scent of the candle fills the air. Cinnamon candles are great in the kitchen cupboards. Sharron Fisherman, Houston
Dear Heloise: Some people can't afford a security system, but they want one. I have a solution: If you can't buy a security system, make your own.
My hint is to put bells on your doorknobs or, if you have a tile floor, put a tin can in front of the door. Make sure you have a phone in your bedroom. If someone comes in while you're sleeping, you will be woken either by the sound of bells ringing or the tin can scraping the floor. Then you can use the phone to call the police. Chelsea D., Grade 7, Tamarac Middle School, Troy, N.Y.
Dear Heloise: My mother is in a wheelchair, and transferring her from the wheelchair to the car has been a challenge.
I now put a large, plastic garbage sack over the cloth car seat. This allows her to slide onto the seat and position herself without sticking to the cloth upholstery. Tracy H., via e-mail
XSend a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000, or you can fax it to (210) HELOISE or e-mail it to Heloise@Heloise.com. I can't answer your letter personally but will use the best hints received in my column.
King Features Syndicate