Household items can keep deck shipshape

Dear Heloise: Can you tell me what to use to clean my wooden deck? A San Antonio Reader, via e-mail

This is a great question that we get every year when it’s time to “fix up and clean up” our outdoor living spaces. I have an easy cleaning formula that’s made with items you probably have in your home. Mix 1 cup regular laundry detergent with 1 gallon hot water. If mold and mildew are a problem, just add 1 cup chlorine bleach to the mixture. Apply the cleaning solution with a soft-bristle brush or a push broom and let sit for about 20 minutes, then rinse the deck. If there are stubborn stains, you might have to scrub a bit to remove them.

If heavy mold/mildew is a problem, commercial products probably are your best bet. Heloise

Dear Heloise: I personally never put my address on luggage tags. It gives people information that they do not need and lets them know that I am not home. A phone number is all that is necessary. Linda, Mission Viejo, Calif.

Dear Heloise: Every time I get out of the shower, of course the mirrors are all fogged up. My exhaust fan doesn’t work that well, so it takes forever to clear them up. My mother told me that she thought she’d read something about this is your column. Please help! Cloudy in Virginia

Let’s see if we can help clear up some of that fog. Try rubbing either some inexpensive, white foamy shaving cream or plain hair shampoo on the mirror. Rub the cream or shampoo in and let dry. This should solve the problem. Another thing that works is to use a hair dryer to blow that fog right off. Hope things will be less cloudy for you. Heloise

Dear Heloise: Because my tile bathrooms are small, I wash my floors the old-fashioned way — on my hands and knees. I use a gardening kneeling pad for my knees and leg that works perfectly. S.A.K., Cypress, Texas

Dear Heloise: Here is my hint that makes cleaning up just a bit easier. I place an all-purpose cleaner and a roll of paper towels under the sink in both bathrooms and in the kitchen. This way, I can clean up a spill or spiff up the area quickly. I don’t have to leave the room to get cleaning supplies — they are right there waiting for me! Walter, Omaha, Neb.

Dear Heloise: It seemed I could never get my coffee filter to stay put in the basket, which resulted in coffee grounds in my coffee — ugh! Now I wet the filter basket and then put the filter in. I run my finger along the edge so the filter is stuck in place. Linda Lou, Roanoke, Va.

SBlt 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