HELOISE Remove unsightly yellow from fingernails

Dear Heloise: I understand that you are an expert when it comes to household hints. I was wondering if you know of a way to get rid of the unsightly, embarrassing yellowing of fingernails caused by nail polish. If you can't help, maybe you could point me in the right direction. Keep up the good work, and thank you for your time. Cynthia T. Fox, via fax
First, to keep this from happening, you must put a base coat on your nails before applying color.
There are a couple of different ways to try to remove that pesky yellowing. Here's one: Make a solution of plain white toothpaste and a little bit of baking soda. Gently rub it over your nails and leave it on for about five minutes or so. Then wash and rinse.
Or, cut either a lime or a lemon in half and dip your fingernails in it for a minute or two. Scrub gently with a soft brush and then rinse well.
P.S. If the yellow persists and is not from nail polish or household chemicals, you should check with your doctor. Heloise
Dear Heloise: I check my credit-card charges online several times a month. That way, if my credit-card info were to be stolen, I would see something amiss in the charges listed online. I could notify the company immediately instead of waiting until the statement arrives in the mail, which might be several weeks later. Kay Auger, Escanaba, Mich.
Dear Heloise: When slitting an envelope to put something in after it is already sealed, if the side is slit where the stamp is and then resealed after the additional contents are inserted, the tape will not only be mostly unnoticeable, but the receiver can also still easily slit the top without running against the tape! Dianne Fleck, Jasper, Ind.
Dear Heloise: My mother-in-law recently passed away. Our daughter is studying abroad this semester and was unable to come home for her grandma's funeral.
I am drying the floral arrangements we were given and am making a sachet from the petals for my daughter. I am using some of my deceased mom's old damask napkins for the fabric of the sachet. That way, our daughter will have a remembrance from both of her grandmothers. Michele Mitteness Westlund, Brooklyn Park, Minn.
Dear Heloise: I love your useful hints! Here is one that I hope your readers will like. A quick tip for when you are in a hurry while getting dressed: I always keep a sewing needle threaded with black thread and one with white thread in my sewing kit. It seems as though a button always pops off when you are rushing to go out, and having the needle and thread ready is a great timesaver for tired eyes. Barbara Luria, Potomac, Md.
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.
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