Epsom salts have more uses than just as a foot soak

Dear Readers: Did you know that Epsom salts aren’t just for bath time or as a great foot soak? Here are some other uses:

• Clean bathroom grout by mixing equal parts of Epsom salts with liquid dish detergent. Apply the mixture to the grout and scrub away the grime with a brush.

•Exfoliate your skin by massaging a handful or two of Epsom salts over wet skin. It works great all over ... from your feet to your face.

•Color a picture on construction paper using crayons. Then mix equal parts Epsom salts and boiling water. Paint over the picture with the salt mixture. It’ll turn into frosty crystals when it dries. Heloise

Dear Heloise: When stacking, help keep cookware with nonstick surfaces free of scratches by placing a circle of rubber mesh, paper plates or coffee filters inside each one. Autumn, Colorado

Dear Heloise: My mother’s photo albums were in a mess, brittle paper, etc. I’m taking all the photos out, carefully cutting the paper below the identification. I bought photo boxes for them and will put plain white address labels on the back so I can write the info on the label. As I get the label filled out, I can remove what’s left of the old black paper from the back of the photo. Marjorie Lee Burnett, Smiley, Texas

Dear Heloise: Can’t seem to keep notepaper next to the phone? Use a light-colored, 10-by-10-inch ceramic tile, a dry-erase marker and an eraser for taking phone messages, because these don’t tend to walk away so easily and have come in quite handy! Ruthie, Minnesota

Dear Heloise: Yes, I, too, slipped on a loose towel going down the stairs to the washer and took a fall, bouncing down several stairs to the bottom. My husband bought a mesh collapsible laundry bag that is (now) invaluable, because it is lightweight, folds up flat and pops right out to form an easy-to-carry laundry bag for the dirty clothes. Nancee Donovan, Concord, N.H.

It is important to stay safe while doing laundry. Be sure to secure all the clothes stuffed in the basket so they don’t fall out and create a potential hazard. Thanks for the reminder. Heloise

Dear Heloise: A great substitute for a bassinet sheet is a king-size pillowcase. Just slip the bassinet mattress in the pillowcase and tuck the open end under. When baby graduates to a baby bed, you’ll have extra pillowcases to continue using instead of no-longer-needed bassinet sheets. Dee Dee, Provo, Utah

Dear Heloise: Many years ago, I took a short elastic cord and ran it through a roll of paper towel. I hung the cord inside my car trunk, and the paper towels stayed in place really well and were always at hand if I needed a quick cleanup. B.V. Neidel, Hermitage, Mo.

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