HELOISE Lemon adds new twist to classic hint

Dear Heloise: I've heard something about baking soda mixed with lemon juice to keep drains clear and clean. Do you know the amounts of each to mix? Ms. Dale Boettner, via e-mail
Well, you got me to thinking! The classic hint is baking soda and vinegar, but I went "hmmm": vinegar -- acetic acid; lemon juice -- citric acid. So I gave it a Heloise test.
I put a small amount of baking soda in a clear glass, added lemon juice and voil & aacute;! It foamed like crazy! So, if you don't like the smell of vinegar, lemon juice is the solution.
To begin, put about half a cup of baking soda down the drain and immediately follow it with a cup or two of cheap household vinegar or lemon juice. Watch the fizz! Once the fizzing has slowed, rinse the drain well using plenty of hot water, then follow a minute or so later with cold water.
Don't let it sit overnight -- you must flush the drain with water. And that's all there is to it -- a fresh-smelling and clean drain! This is a great way to keep your drain smelling fresh, but it does not remove a clog from a drain! You know, baking soda and vinegar are two of the best and cheapest cleaners to have on your pantry shelves. Not sure how to save money by using them around the house? Send for my six-page pamphlets of helpful uses and hints. To receive a copy of each pamphlet, please send $8 and a long, self-addressed, stamped (83 cents) envelope to: Heloise/V & amp;B, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5001. A nifty way to freshen a garbage disposal is to grind up some lemon rinds in it -- smells fresh in no time. Heloise
Dear Heloise: When my children were young, I would pack their outfits in plastic zipper bags when traveling.
Each bag would include shirt, shorts, socks, underpants and even hair ribbons. They would just select a bag and be dressed. This eliminated the need for discussion about what to wear each day, and they didn't spend their last vacation days wearing clashing outfits! A Reader from Wayne, Ill.
Dear Heloise: I like to change my bedspread and bed ruffles with the seasons. Currently, I have three bed ruffles on my bed, but I only use one at a time. I place the ruffle on the bed and tuck the unused ruffles between the mattress and the box spring.
When I change the bedspread, I tuck the one I was using up and pull down the matching ruffle. Any wrinkles fall out in day or two, and it sure beats wrestling with the mattress every time I want to make a change. Linda A. Nichols, Wintersville
This sounds like a good idea, and none of us likes struggling with those unwieldy dust ruffles. Heloise
Dear Heloise: My old microwave turntable just died, and I noticed that the glass turntable is made of the same material as plate-shaped candleholders, so I'm going to save it and use it to hold an assortment of large candles. Sherry Garner, Montgomery, Ala.
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