HELOISE: Washing soda boosts detergent

Dear Heloise: What exactly is washing soda?

Virginia, via e-mail

Virginia, washing soda (also known as sodium carbonate, soda ash or soda crystals) can be added to laundry along with regular detergent to help boost the power of the detergent as well as help to freshen the clothes. Washing soda also can be used around the house to clean and eliminate odors. It makes cleaning easier, and freshens as it goes along. You can find it in the laundry aisle. It is not baking soda, and you should wear gloves when handling it.

Heloise

Dear Heloise: I’d like to offer this handy hint: When recycling newspapers for a twice-monthly pickup, I used to put them in a plastic bag, but found that they were too heavy to handle. I bought a plastic garbage can on wheels and put the bags inside. Now I roll them out to the curb, remove the bags and roll the empty can back to the garage. No longer is it a dreaded chore, and no more huffing and puffing.

S.G. in New Jersey

Dear Heloise: Used wine corks also make good bobbers for fishing and can be used to store hooks and flies. You also can slice and glue them to the bottom of a dish that you want to use on a table you don’t want to scratch.

Richard in North Carolina

Dear Heloise: You had a reader who was complaining about the lights in hotels. (That also was my complaint. — Heloise) I have a couple of hints and suggestions:

Several years ago, I started carrying a small flashlight in my bathroom bag. It goes on the bedside table as soon as I unpack. If you are staying in an area that is prone to blackouts, it is nice to have.

Also, some of the hotels have night lights on the bottom of hair dryers.

You can get a very inexpensive night light in the bulb department of most stores. I have seen them from 99 cents to $2.99.

Donna Brocchini, North Highlands, Calif.

Dear Heloise: I have a hint that has been helpful to me. So that I don’t forget my cell phone if it is charging, I always put my purse very close to the plug where I am charging my phone, and I lay the phone on top of my purse. I never leave home without my purse, so I never forget my cell. Thank you for all your wonderful hints and interesting topics.

Dolly, via e-mail

Dear Heloise: We receive many address labels from organizations we’ve donated to, and some we haven’t. Since I can never use all those labels, I cut off the decorative pictures and designs (some of them are depictions of holidays) and mark the special days on our calendar. It makes the calendar pretty and interesting, and it’s recycling, too.

Carolyn, Omaha, Neb.

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