Vinegar eliminates the stink
Dear Readers: Has this happened to you? You're making corned beef and cabbage, the guests will be arriving soon, and you notice that your cooking has caused quite a stink in the house! How could this have been avoided? Very easily -- just by adding about a tablespoon of vinegar to the boiling water. This works for other odor-causing foods as well.
And for clean and fresh-smelling dishwasher hoses and drains, add several cups of vinegar to the rinse cycle every two or three months.
While you're at it, don't forget that vinegar is the best glass cleaner! You can use it full-strength or mix it with some water. Give it a try. The result -- sparkling windows! There are tons of household uses for vinegar in my six-page Fantabulous Vinegar Hints and More pamphlet. You can have one by sending $4 and a long, self-addressed, stamped (63 cents) envelope to: Heloise/Vinegar, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001. FYI: If your child brings home a stinky lunchbox, saturate a paper towel with vinegar, place it in the lunchbox and leave overnight. Wash the lunchbox in the morning, and it will smell great. Heloise
Fast facts
Dear Heloise: I have found some great ways to use plastic grocery bags. Stick a whole bunch of them in a pillowcase (the pillowcases that zip are the best) for your pets to sleep on. My cats love the crispy sound they make. You can also use the same process to make cushions to sit on. They are very comfy, and if you leave them on a plane or at a sports event, it is no great loss. Lee Staniland, Oxnard, Calif.
Dear Heloise: I thought tossing those plastic or foam egg cartons was such a waste. So, now I recycle them to start seeds in. They are the perfect size and work really well. When the plant is large enough to repot, I just pop out the dirt and seedling from the cup, and it's ready for its new pot. Give it a try! Lorene in Colorado
Sound off
Dear Heloise: My child uses a wheelchair. I transport him in a van with a side loading lift, which requires a "van accessible" handicapped parking spot. A large decal on the side of the van states: "This van requires 10 feet of clearance for lift to deploy." Oftentimes, spaces are taken by a car or truck. In this instance, I am required to park a good distance away in order to park between two spaces to deploy the lift. When I return, there is sometimes a vehicle parked next to my van in the partial parking space, prohibiting lift deployment unless I move my vehicle, which means leaving my child unattended while doing so. Monica Cheak, Sheridan, Ark.
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