How to get back the sticky with fabric tape

Dear Heloise: While it is convenient, self-gripping fabric tape doesn't seem to last long. Less than a month after I bought my summer sandals, the stickability had disappeared, and this makes it hard to keep from walking out of the sandals. Any advice on how to extend the life of this self-gripping fabric tape? J. Kemp, via e-mail
You're not alone! Many readers have also asked the same question.
It's simple: Just clean the lint out of the fabric tape -- this is what tends to keep it from sticking to its counterpart. Use a small crochet hook or an old, stiff toothbrush to do the job!
Once clean, the fabric tape should stick again. Also, when you take the sandals off, keep the closures fastened to help prevent them from sticking to other surfaces and gathering more lint. Heloise
Dear Heloise: Anyone who sews has a button collection ... and has wasted time looking through the pile for just the right buttons! I took a small cork bulletin board, covered it with white fabric and hung it behind the sewing-room door; then I took all my buttons, fasteners, patches, buckles and other notions and pinned them to the bulletin board. Identical buttons were pinned together or looped with string. Now my sewing-table drawer is not awash in a sea of loose buttons. I can find what I need in seconds, and the button board even makes a quite pretty display! Barbara D., via e-mail
Dear Heloise: I just read a hint on cleaning the inside of a beverage container, and it reminded me of what I do after thoroughly cleaning and drying our picnic insulated cooler. We place a piece of crumpled newspaper inside before closing the lid. This way, any potential bad odors are eliminated. Before using it again, I simply rinse it out and dry. Faithful Reader in West Virginia
Dear Heloise: I love your column, and it is the first thing I turn to in the Milwaukee Post magazine. Here is my hint:
The manager of my beauty salon suggests: Divide your shampoo into two bottles, and fill the rest of each bottle with water. In this way you avoid pouring undiluted shampoo on your scalp, which is not beneficial. He further suggests that the diluted shampoo travels more easily throughout the hair and rinses off more easily. It also saves you money by making one bottle of shampoo into two. Loretta Mogilka, Cudahy, Wis.
Dear Heloise: We use a cross-blade shredder for our mail and personal papers, and we have lots of confetti. I fill plastic newspaper sleeves (some so they are firm, some soft) with the confetti and use them for cushioning fragile objects in the mail. I also use plastic grocery bags for the same purpose.
They worked extremely well when we moved, and I wrapped china and collectibles individually. Not a single piece broke or cracked! Susie in Texas
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.
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