HELOISE A sandwich bag protects from projectile pills

Dear Heloise: Sometimes, you only need half of a pill rather than the full dose. To keep from having flying pills banging against the walls when you cut them, try putting the pills in a sandwich bag, and cut them with a sharp knife as usual. The knife does its thing, the pill is in two pieces, and the bag keeps them from becoming projectiles. Donald Beech, Folsom, Calif.
Good advice, Donald, since many people do this to save on prescription drugs. However, please note that many pills can be safely "split," but others cannot. You should ask your physician or pharmacist about the particular medication, as a "split" pill might not work the way a whole one does. Heloise
Dear Heloise: Someone recently asked about economically making attractive covers for schoolbooks. Make the covers out of wallpaper. Most wallpaper is now plastic-coated; therefore, it is washable. You can buy wallpaper on sale at interior-decorating stores or outlet stores. Sometimes you can even find partial rolls at garage sales. There is a wide variety of designs for males or females. I often use leftover wallpaper for gift wrap. A.B. in Nebraska
And don't forget good ol' sturdy, brown grocery bags, which can be decorated with stickers! Heloise
Dear Heloise: I use a small leather clutch bag (purse) for a cosmetics bag. It holds a lot, fits inside my large handbag and is much more attractive and durable than the fabric cosmetics bags. Patty in Minnesota
Dear Heloise: My husband had trouble getting old cleats out of a pair of golf shoes when he got a new set of cleats to replace them. A golf pro told him that this is especially true for soft-soled golf shoes. He suggested a dab of petroleum jelly on the cleat screw before you screw it in so that it is easier to take out later; sure seems to work! Jan from Virginia
Dear Heloise: I never thought to look under the rubber protector that keeps stuff from splashing up out of the disposal. But for some reason I lifted up on the sides, and yuck! -- a buildup of gunk from nine years in this house!
I am not the cleanest or the dirtiest person on this planet, so I wonder if there are others who have never looked under this black rubber piece.
Since it is nonremovable, I sprayed a wet sponge with a bleach cleaner and scrubbed underneath it. There was an unpleasant odor, but after rinsing the underside it is clean and smell-free. I will not wait another nine years to clean it again! Betty K., Jacksonville, Ill.
Dear Heloise: I have a laundry chute. I always tie socks together before throwing them down the chute. That way, I always have an even number, and no searching for lost ones. K. Leo, Rochester, N.Y.
XSend a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000, or you can fax it to (210) HELOISE or e-mail it to Heloise@Heloise.com.
King Features Syndicate