HELOISE: With some work, indents in carpet can be remod.

Dear Heloise: Here is my question: We recently moved our den furniture, and now the carpet has large indentations that won’t disappear. Is there any way to remove these indentations in our carpet? Thank you. B.T.P., via e-mail

There are several hints to try to remove what we call “fur-dents.” Fill a spray bottle with hot tap water and spritz on the dents till they are pretty damp. Use your hair dryer to blow hot air over the area, and fluff with your fingers. It may take several times. You also can place an ice cube in the spot and let it slowly melt. Fluff with your fingers every so often. A clothes steamer or steam iron may loosen up the fibers, but DO NOT touch the iron to the carpet! Hope these hints help. Heloise

Dear Heloise: The sheet for our king-size bed always seemed a bit narrow, or my husband hogged too much of it. After we moved to a townhouse, I had a good supply of twin sheets. So I sewed two of them together after cutting 10-12 inches off each. The center seam doesn’t bother us, and now the sheet hangs over each side in an ample amount. B. Palm, via e-mail

Dear Heloise: Do you have dried spatters inside your microwave? Boil half a cup of water in a microwave-safe bowl for a few minutes inside the microwave. Let stand (until cool — Heloise). Wipe the interior with a damp paper towel. The job is done easily and quickly. Best wishes. Ruthann Irving, Mattoon, Ill.

Ruthann, great green hint! No harsh chemicals. Just be careful when handling the bowl, because the water will be HOT. Heloise

Dear Heloise: I use the plastic (zipper) bags that bedsheets come in to pack my spillable items when traveling — such things as liquid soap, alcohol, shaving cream, shampoo and conditioner.

I also pack medicine and other toiletry items in these bags, because they are easy to locate. Annie Allen, Town Creek, Ala.

Dear Heloise: I had an old seam ripper that had lost its sharpness and couldn’t be used for my sewing projects anymore. Instead of tossing it, I put it in my kitchen. The seam ripper works great for removing labels from cans and containers that go into the recycling bin for weekly pickup. It’s also a lot safer to use the seam ripper than a pair of scissors or a sharp knife. Robin in Nebraska

Dear Heloise: I cut out Heloise hints and recipes from the paper, and I glue them into a cheap spiral notebook. I don’t lose them, and I know where to look when I’m ready to use them. If they’re a “keeper,” then I can add them to my favorite cookbook. Karen in Mississippi

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