HELOISE Vinegar: consider the infinite possibilities

Dear Heloise: Here's another use for vinegar. I am an asthmatic and use a nebulizer for breathing treatments. I use white vinegar to clean and sanitize my equipment.
I love your column, which I read in the Bristol Herald-Courier. Cynthia Canter, Bristol, Tenn.
Isn't it amazing that something that has been around for thousands of years can still be so useful in this day and age?
Vinegar is an all-natural antiseptic that can kill many bacteria that might be on items in the kitchen, appliances and plastic pet toys. And not only are you cleaning, but you're also deodorizing! In fact, there are so many uses for vinegar around the house that I have put together a pamphlet you can have by sending $4 and a self-addressed, stamped (60 cents), long envelope to: Heloise/Vinegar, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001. Why spend tons of money on commercial products when vinegar is all you need? You'll even find a few recipes in this pamphlet that are some of my favorites. Heloise
Dear Heloise: When you upgrade your cell phone for a newer model, don't discard the old one or the charger.
Should you lose or misplace your cell phone (and who hasn't?), notify your provider, and it will reactivate your old phone once you have recharged it. If you are lucky enough to find your new phone, the provider will reverse the process. Estelle Jacobs, Bethesda, Md.
After talking with two major cell phone companies, we found that once you have purchased a phone, it is yours and can indeed be reactivated in the future in case you lose a newer model! So thank you for bringing this to our attention -- even though we usually donate old phones, hanging on to an extra one is a smart move.
Since there are so many cell phone companies, be sure to check with your provider to make sure this will work for you! Heloise
Dear Readers: The following are from Ed Bailey of Conway, Ark.:
UType up a list of emergency contacts and put that info in the glove box with your motor-vehicle registration. List children, friends, a pastor or someone who should be contacted in case of a serious injury in an accident.
UTake empty milk jugs, wash well and fill with water. Place in the garage or anywhere you can store a few gallons. In case of a water-main break, there will be enough to wash your hands, fill up the toilet and, by boiling, to make whatever you want that requires water. You'd be surprised how far 10 gallons of water will go!
Dear Heloise: I have found a way to freshen my kitchen trash can. I use a car deodorizer that looks like a tree. I place it in the bottom of the trash can and then put the trash bag in. Every time I open the trash can, freshness is what I smell. Dell Sidbury, Washington, D.C.
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