Think inside the box when spray painting
Dear Readers: Does a household project involve spray painting? Even though spray painting is quick and there are no brushes to clean, if you're not careful, you could wind up with a worse mess to clean up! For a fast, clean and easy spray-painting project, try the following:
When spray-painting a small object, place it in a large cardboard box. Spray-painting in a box will help to eliminate ugly spots on the grass or concrete, and it will keep the paint mist off clothes and shoes.
Don't spend extra money on paint tarps. Old plastic tablecloths, plastic shower curtains and even old heavy draperies make good substitute paint tarps. Fabric works great for small spray-painting projects.
And, for those who have allergies or are bothered by paint fumes, wearing a surgical mask will help to keep the fumes and mist out of your nose and lungs. Heloise
Dear Heloise: When I have so much luggage that I have to check a bag, I take a photo of it and store the photo in my carry-on. If the checked bag is misplaced, I can attach the picture to the form I fill out for the airline. Peggy, via e-mail
Dear Heloise: I recently wanted to install a ceiling-light fixture in my walk-in closet on the second floor. I live in an older townhouse with the circuit-breaker box located outside on the ground floor. Instead of having to go upstairs to see if I had pulled the correct circuit breaker, I opened the master-bedroom window and plugged my vacuum cleaner into the bedroom outlet and turned it on. I knew I had the right breaker when the sound of the vacuum stopped. Barbara Blesch, Phoenix
Dear Heloise: I read a very interesting hint in your column. It involved taping a spare car key behind a license plate. I wanted to pass along a caution.
There are any number of car thieves out there who would be delighted when they steal your license plate to find the key to your car as a bonus. If you need to hide a key, put it in a place that is seldom looked at, and use one of those magnetic key devices. Thanks. Paul Shultz from Maryland
Dear Heloise: Here's how I avoid soap scum and hard-water buildup on my shower door. After each shower, I use a large squeegee. It takes less than a minute to clear all the water off the door, and it always looks as if the door was just installed! R. Wurtzel, Boynton Beach, Fla.
King Features Syndicate