HELOISE Reader seeks hints regarding tomato stains

Dear Heloise: Is there an effective way to remove tomato stains in plasticware? Christy Motes, Via E-mail
Here's a hint that I've been sharing for years! Just fill the bowl or container with water and add one tablespoon of chlorine bleach, put it aside for a few hours or overnight, then pour the solution down the drain, wash and rinse well. You can also sprinkle some baking soda on a damp sponge and use this to scrub the stains. Rinse well and dry.
In the future, you can prevent some of these stains by putting a plastic self-sealing bag in the container first if you're going to freeze sauce. Then, just pour the sauce into the bag. Once it is frozen, remove it from the container and stack in the freezer. Heloise
Dear Heloise: As a student, I rarely have the time or energy to floss my teeth before going to bed. However, every six months at my routine appointment, my dentist reminds me about the benefits of flossing and the damage that can occur from neglecting this important duty.
I thought of a trick to remind me to floss daily. I keep the floss next to my computer. While waiting for my computer to boot up or slow Web pages to load, I see the floss strategically placed on my desk, and it reminds me to use it. Jessica G., Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y.
Jessica, it is important to floss, especially before going to bed. I just hope you are doing this in the bathroom, not at the computer! Heloise
Dear Heloise: I always have trouble getting a round tablecloth centered on a round table. Sounds simple, I know, but I put it on, stand back, look and adjust, repeating this several times before I can get it where it needs to be.
I decided to fold the tablecloth in half, then in half again, so I could find the exact center. I mark it by putting a little stitch directly in the center, then I know exactly where the center of the tablecloth is. Jo Ellen Nichols, Rogersville, Ala.
Dear Heloise: I receive store magazines with samples of fragrances enclosed on a sealed paper strip. I was throwing these away until I got the idea of saving them in my car for a quick freshen-up after a long day.
I give the men's fragrances to my husband -- he loved the idea and suggested sending it to you.
You can also just open up the sample and give it a quick rub to activate, and it will freshen your car as well. Deborah Lee, Hilliard
Dear Heloise: I have a cast on my arm. I bought a vinyl cast protector from a medical-supply store, but it was difficult to get on. I used a newspaper plastic sleeve to put over my arm cast first, then the cast protector slipped on easily. Bobbie, Harrisburg, Pa.
XSend a great hint to: Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000, Fax: (210) HELOISE or E-mail: Heloise@Heloise.com.
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