Bathroom-stain hint might bowl you over

Dear Heloise: I have a dark stain inside the toilet bowl at the waterline. Any hints on removing it once and for all? Barbara, Houston

It could be mold or mildew that forms. One hint: Pour several cups of full-strength white or apple-cider vinegar into the bowl. Let stand for five to 10 minutes, then scrub and flush. Still there? Remove the water from the bowl (turn off the water valve to the tank and flush until the bowl is empty). Place toilet paper around the bowl, saturate with vinegar and let soak for a while, rewetting several times. Then, scrub with a plastic brush — not anything that will scratch.

If the stain remains, you may need to use a commercial toilet-bowl cleaner. Some have warnings to use only on white fixtures, since they can etch the colored ones. Be sure to read the labels carefully. Heloise

P.S.: Scrub the toilet daily (just brush, you don’t need a cleaning agent), to help prevent buildup. It takes less than 30 seconds.

Dear Heloise: I have come up with an idea for solar lights. Every night, I bring in three or four lights to use as night lights throughout the house. These solar lights keep us from turning on lights as we enter each room, and in the morning I simply return them to their places outside to recharge. Tyler A., Statesville, N.C.

Dear Heloise: My bathroom stays sparkling clean because I clean it daily, and it’s easy. At night when I take a bubble bath, I lay a clean washcloth by the tub to wash the surface and fixtures. After I finish my nightly routine, that same washcloth is used to clean the vanity top. The next day, after I have done my morning routine and put on my makeup, I use a microfiber cloth to clean the vanity, fixtures and mirrors. It only takes a few minutes, and my bathroom is always clean and fresh. Barbarann Mills, Manvel, Texas

Dear Heloise: To quickly identify my “same as everybody else’s” black luggage during air travel, I applied 1-inch-wide duct tape to my luggage in my own unique pattern. It was easily spotted on the carousel. Norma Bolinger, Gentry, Ark.

Dear Heloise: I just wanted to say, I love your column. I read it in The Peterborough Examiner in Canada. As a mother of three, I am always trying to save time. One helpful hint is when I am changing the baby, she often tries to toss and turn and pull at the changing-pad cover. I use a pillowcase on the changing pad and sometimes throw an old burp pad on top. Instead of changing the pillowcase, I would launder the old burp pad (or old receiving blanket). Page, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada

• 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