HELOISE Use care with poison-ivy tainted items
Dear Readers: Here is some great information from the experts at the International Fabricare Institute. This question-and-answer is about cleaning garments that have been exposed to poison ivy.
Question: "I was asked to clean some garments that were worn by a person with poison ivy. How do I clean these garments, and what precautions should I take?"
Answer: "Both dry cleaning and laundering are acceptable cleaning methods for this type of contamination. Laundering is preferred, if possible, because of the multiple flushes used in this process. Also, it is best that gloves be worn when handling the garments before cleaning. If accidental skin contact does occur, wash the affected area with soap and water. This precaution will usually prevent a rash from appearing.
"Garments must contain sap from the plant to transmit these chemical contaminants, and not all people are sensitive to them."
Many thanks to our friends at the IFI for their great information and for letting us share it. Heloise
Dear Heloise: Rather than throw away those small prescription containers, I use them for storing different sizes of fishhooks, fish weights and line swivels. This is much more convenient than leaving them in the packages they come in. When I look in my fishing-tackle box, I can readily see what is in each container. On a label, I show the size hook, weight or swivel.
Be sure to remove the prescription label. Alex Orr, Tyler, Texas
Dear Heloise: When sewing by hand, it is sometimes necessary to change thread. A lot of times, the needle is held in the mouth while the person is getting the new thread. This is a dangerous thing to do. The best place to store the needle during this time is on a magnetic business card. These can be picked up at a lot of different places. Deana Madden, Dallas
Dear Heloise: I was reading your column about how to remove musty odors from furniture. I found an easy and inexpensive way. I had a desk in my basement, and one drawer was filled with old, musty-smelling books. It smelled awful.
Vinegar to the rescue! I placed three mugs of vinegar in the drawer, closed it up for a few days, and the smell is gone. I use this desk every day at work now, and there's no musty odor whatsoever. Beverly Wood, Columbus
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