Brush up on cleaning your hairbrush

Dear Readers: You probably use a hairbrush every day, but how often do you clean it? Hair gel, mousse, hair spray, even plain old dirt -- all of it builds up over time in a hairbrush. But when was the last time you gave yours a really good cleaning? I'll help you brush up on cleaning it:
To keep your brush clean and in good condition, you really should "dry" clean it every day, which simply means remove any accumulated hair from the bristles.
About once a month or more often, you should "wet" clean it. Fill a bathroom sink with warm -- not hot -- water and about a teaspoon of shampoo. No harsh chemicals, just shampoo. Don't immerse the entire brush, especially if it's wood. Instead, dip only the bristles into the sudsy solution for about 30 seconds, scrub with a comb or other brush, then rinse with lukewarm water and let the brush air-dry.
If you use a lot of hair products in your hair, your brush might need a deep cleansing every two weeks. Heloise
Dear Heloise: I bought some soap that has a high glycerin content. It is very moisturizing, but I noticed that there are beads of moisture that accumulate on the bar. What are these beads from? Is the soap losing its moisture? Kathy R. in Texas
Here's the dish on soap: Glycerin is a humectant. This means that when soap has a high glycerin content, it will develop those beads, because it absorbs water from the air. A soap that is high in glycerin softens the skin, as it attracts moisture to the skin. This also means that the soap will dissolve more quickly in water. Heloise
Dear Heloise: I read a suggestion about what to do for a senior citizen on a special birthday. My mother-in-law celebrated her 90th birthday while in a nursing home. She had no use for knickknacks, clothing or food items. I purchased some nice vases and requested that everyone bring one flower to create a special bouquet for her. We had everything from special roses to gladioluses grown in her grandson's garden. She loved it, and everyone felt included. Gail Salmen, Hot Springs Village, Ark.
Dear Heloise: This is in reference to the letter from a reader about putting knitting patterns in sheer paper protectors. I make a copy of the pattern on a copy machine. I can mark up the copy and keep the original pattern clean. Emily Lynch, Eatontown, N.J.
Dear Heloise: I save calendars that I have marked up with activities and appointments, and keep them as diaries. I use them as references when looking up events that have occurred. Pretty calendar photo pages make great gift wrapping or can be donated to schools to decorate classroom walls. Magic Meryle Cohen, Oceanside, Calif.
Send 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