'Baking soda sachet' controls hamper odors

Dear Readers: Does your dirty laundry hamper assault your sense of smell every time you pass it? Here is an easy solution that will help get rid of the odors those dirty clothes are harboring.
Fill a clean, paper coffee filter with baking soda. Fold it in half like a taco shell and staple or securely tape it shut. Place the "baking soda sachet" in the bottom of the hamper, and drop a new one in every so often, where it will absorb some of the odors and greatly reduce the "dirty clothes" smell. Be sure to replace the filter with a fresh one every few weeks.
You can also sprinkle baking soda directly into the clothes hamper for an instant odor preventer ... or try fabric-softener sheets or perfume sample strips from magazines (be careful that the sheets or strips do not come in contact with the clothing -- this could cause stains). For many more uses of baking soda, order my six-page pamphlet Heloise's Baking Soda Hints and Recipes by sending $4 and a self-addressed, stamped (63 cents), long envelope to: Heloise/Baking Soda, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001.
Hint: After working in the yard, clean those dirty hands by first wetting them, then sprinkling on some baking soda and scrubbing. Rinse and apply hand lotion to soften. Keep an empty, clean grated-cheese container with a shaker top filled with baking soda at the utility-room sink just for these occasions. Heloise
Dear Heloise: In the hot and often windy weather of southeastern New Mexico, I found that an inexpensive plastic tablecloth makes a great small pool cover. To secure it to the ground, I cut two metal clothes hangers into four V's and reinforced the corners of the tablecloth with duct tape. Then I just secured the tablecloth to the ground using the hangers. The tablecloth also makes an effective solar water heater for the pool. My 18-month-old son loves getting into the warm pool! Kimberly Key, Roswell, N.M.
Dear Heloise: I read your column religiously, but I have never seen this hint:
I have a bad back and short legs, and need a cushion when I sit for a while. When I go somewhere, since I never know if there will be something available to put behind my back, I take a cushion in a tote bag. It is easy to carry and easy to use without having to take the cushion out of the bag. Just grab your bag and you are ready to go. Travis Terry, Blackville, S.C.
An inflatable bath pillow or something similar can also travel with you easily! This is good to know when flying, as many airlines no longer supply pillows or have only a few on board. Heloise
Dear Heloise: Invariably, I get a hole in my right rubber glove, so rather than accumulating a drawer full of lefties, I buy disposable ones to use on my right hand. This way, I get at least two uses out of each one. Shirley Hayward, Rochester, Ill.
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