HELOISE Thermos can be cleaned one of three ways

Dear Heloise: How can I clean and remove stains from the inside of my husband's thermos? A Reader, Via E-mail
Well, here are three ways for you to try -- one of them should have the inside of that thermos looking clean again.
UAdd a squirt of gel automatic-dishwasher detergent, fill with hot water and replace the lid. Shake well, remove the top and let sit for about 30 minutes. Rinse and wash well.
UFill with warm water and drop in a denture-cleaning tablet. Let sit for 24 hours or so, empty, and wash and rinse well.
UPut 3 to 4 tablespoons of baking soda in the thermos, then fill with hot water. Let sit overnight. Afterward, give the thermos a couple of good shakes and then pour the mixture down the drain (or garbage disposal to help deodorize). Wash and rinse well. Heloise
Dear Heloise: I have just come up with what I think is the best coffee idea ever!
I love coffee with cream, and I hate powdered creamer. I bought liquid creamer in individual cups and couldn't use it all before it went bad, so I placed the little cups in the freezer. When I pour my coffee, I take a creamer from the freezer, and it melts in my coffee. Another benefit is that it cools the coffee so I can drink it right away.
Thanks so much for all your hints. I am only 31 years old but have read your column for as long as I have been able to read! Donna Feickert, Little Rock, Ark.
Dear Heloise: While trying to find a way to stack spaghetti boxes without them falling over, I thought about the magazine files I use in my home office. I grabbed one 3 inches wide by 12 inches high and laid it on its back on the shelf -- six spaghetti boxes stack perfectly in it. I then used another one to stack boxes of foil, wax paper and plastic wrap -- again, another perfect fit. Lynne Carr, Via E-mail
Dear Heloise: I noticed that there were spots on my tile floor, but not enough to warrant using a mop.
I had an old pair of cotton socks, so I dampened them at the kitchen sink and then put them on my feet. This made for a quick job and a clean floor, as I stepped around and cleaned spots as I went.
All I have to do is throw the socks in the laundry and save them for another job. Margie Colbert, Flint, Texas
Dear Heloise: When I use baby towelettes, I notice that the ones on the bottom have acquired most of the liquid, leaving the top half comparatively dry. I solved this problem by turning the container upside down for one day -- it works great each and every time, thanks to the law of gravity. Roz Marx, Staten Island, N.Y.
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
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