Stuck photos require the hand of a professional

Dear Heloise: I have a number of 8-by-10-inch slick photos that are stuck together. They were probably printed in 1987, but they are World War II photos from the South Pacific. We have tried steaming them apart and soaking them in water, to no avail. Got any suggestions? Sam, San Antonio

This can be a bit tricky! Since the soaking and steaming didn’t work, I’m sorry to say that I don’t have a home remedy for you to try.

Since the main thing is to not damage the photos, I would suggest taking them to a professional photograph-restoration company. Someone there should be able to help you! You can find one in the phone book or by checking online. Be sure to check on cost before leaving the photos, as the restoration may be quite expensive. Heloise

Fast Facts

Dear Heloise: Here are some handy uses for vinegar:

•Mix a tablespoon of vinegar in a cup of water to use as a hair rinse.

•Rub into deodorant stains in shirts before washing.

•Wrap cheese in a paper towel dampened with vinegar when storing to prevent mold.

•For fluffier rice, add 1 teaspoon of vinegar to the water while cooking. Heloise

Dear Heloise: I read with interest all the hints for cleaning out dryer filters. The best one I discovered is an old clothes brush. It cleans the filter and brushes away the dryer-sheet residue at the same time. No hurt fingers, and no buildup on the filter.

Another invaluable hint is keeping a stapler, a roll of tape, a bag of rubber bands and a pair of scissors in the kitchen. When I open a frozen food package and use a small amount, I reclose it with the stapler and tape. If I am closing a bag, I use a rubber band and wrap it around several times. I also use rubber bands to close open bags of chips, crackers, etc. Much less expensive than the bag closers, and they work just as well. If you put your chips in the refrigerator, they will last three times as long and still be crunchy! Anne Sasser, Conyers, Ga.

Dear Heloise: When sending cards to a person in a nursing home (short-term stay), put the recipient’s return address on the envelope instead of your own. If the recipient has been released or if it is otherwise undeliverable, the card will be returned to the recipient, not to the sender. Alice, via e-mail

Speaking of greeting cards, here’s a Sound Off from Barbara Rouk-Warwick of New York: “I send a greeting card and it’s not returned, and I never hear from that person or his or her family. Please tell people that when someone dies, they should send a card letting their out-of-town friends know of the passing. Their friends will be very grateful.” Heloise

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