Hints keep fireplace and chimney clean

Dear Heloise: Lots of us are using fireplaces this winter to heat homes and save on winter energy costs. Here are a few things you can do easily to keep the fireplace looking nice.

You should have rubber gloves, newspaper and old towels on hand. Work on small areas at a time to make less mess.

To clean glass doors, the old-fashioned and no-cost hint is to use cold fireplace ashes. Take a paper towel, dip it into hot water, then into the ashes and rub the glass until it comes clean.

To clean soot from a brick fireplace (not a very old or crumbling one), use a good scrub brush and cheap vinegar, and do only one spot at a time. It may take several applications, so be prepared to use some elbow grease and wipe spills immediately!

The Chimney Safety Institute of America (www.csia.org) recommends an annual chimney checkup and cleaning as needed to prevent fires or carbon-monoxide poisoning. Heloise

P.S.: Fire damage and loss from a chimney flare-up can be prevented.

Dear Heloise: When I browse Web sites for items I’m thinking about sending to someone as a gift, I copy and paste the link for it into an e-mail I will send to myself. Then I don’t have to search for the item again — the link takes me right to it. Links from several e-mail letters can then be copied onto a master list to keep track of things. Linda in Arizona

Linda, I like your hint. This makes gift-giving easier, as you can compare prices on items easily and go back to the one you prefer. Heloise

Dear Readers: If you have an old electric blanket that doesn’t work, instead of throwing it away, recycle it into a lightweight blanket in just a few easy steps. You’ll need to make a small cut at the top and bottom of the blanket where the wires end. Reach in and carefully pull the wires and thermostat out. Sometimes the thermostat is hard to remove and you need to make another cut to get it out. Make a few stitches to close the cuts, and your lightweight blanket is ready to be used.

Dear Heloise: While cleaning our plastic storage tubs, I was struggling with a sticky residue. I filled a bowl with warm water, inserted the top, added a denture-cleaning tablet and let it soak for a while. When I removed it, the sticky residue was gone. You may need to increase the number of tablets! Jim Boeve, Midland, Mich.

Dear Heloise: The air-drying (no-heat) option on clothes dryers works very well for preventing wrinkles in items such as tablecloths and curtains (no ironing needed). It also avoids static cling in items such as fleece. Any items can be dried using this option, although some might take a long time. A Reader, via e-mail

King Features Syndicate