HELOISE: Zip ties provide peace of mind

Dear Heloise: When we travel and stay in a hotel room more than one night, I take small, plastic zip ties with me. When we leave for the day, I close up the suitcase, put a zip tie through the hole in the zippers, and it can’t be tampered with without cutting the zip tie.

I don’t know that anyone would go through our things, but now I don’t even have to give it a second thought. Remember to take a small pair of scissors or a pocket knife with you to cut the ties with.

Shirley in Caddo Mills, Texas

Shirley, I, too, travel with zip ties. If I have to check my luggage (which I seldom do), the zip ties are approved by the Transportation Security Administration to lock your luggage. However, if the TSA screeners have to open your checked bag and they cut the zip tie, they will not replace the tie and can’t be held responsible for any items that may fall out of your luggage.

Heloise

P.S.: Your belongings are probably safe in your hotel/motel room in most cases. However, if you have expensive items, play it safe.

Dear Readers: What’s the difference between petite and regular-size clothing? Here are a few hints on choosing which one to wear:

Petite clothing is for women under 5 feet 4 inches, meaning that it’s about height.

Petites can range from 00P to 14P, and there are plus-size lines.

Petite clothing is shorter in the sleeves, torso, rise and length.

Heloise

Dear Heloise: I just found another use for vinegar. Our miniature terra-cotta fountain was accumulating algae faster than we could keep up, even using a special commercial preparation. We hesitated to use bleach, as it might have been too hard on parts of the fountain. Well, we tried white vinegar — just poured a few “blubs” into the fountain water. It cleaned up the green stuff, and it lasts a long time between cleanings.

W.S. in California

Vinegar to the rescue again! Just drain out the water, pour in the vinegar, scrub and rinse.

Heloise

Dear Heloise: For years, I have used the cheap-shampoo trick for cleaning shower walls. Now the price of shampoo has gone up. Someone suggested adding lots of water to the shampoo and putting it in a spray bottle. Wow!!! It works great, and it is easier to wash down because the soap is diluted.

Ina, via e-mail

Dear Readers: Other uses for shoe boxes:

You can wrap them and use them as boxes for gifts.

Temporary storage for photos that need to be organized.

Use in craft projects for kids: Make a dollhouse or a stage for a puppet show.

Heloise

Send a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000, fax it to 210-HELOISE or e-mail it to Heloise@Heloise.com.

King Features Syndicate