HELOISE: Bathtub cleaning article reprinted

Dear Heloise: In a doctor’s waiting room, I was reading your article concerning the cleaning of a bathtub. Before finishing the article, I was called in for my appointment and was unable to gain the information I was interested in.

Would you be so kind as to reprint the recipe for the action? It contained dishwasher detergent and something else. Thank you!

William Cornwell, via e-mail

William, I believe you are talking about the article on cleaning a spa tub that ran in my Good Housekeeping magazine column, “Ask Heloise,” last year.

Here’s the info: Fill the tub with enough hot water to cover the jets by at least several inches. Depending on the tub’s size, add 1 to 2 cups of household chlorine bleach and 1/4 to 1/2 cup of powdered dishwasher detergent. Run the spa for at least 20 minutes; allow the water to sit for 20 to 30 minutes, then drain. Refill with cold water and turn on the jets for several minutes, then drain. Be sure to have good ventilation, and keep kids and pets away during the process.

Heloise

Dear Heloise: I have a pop-up hamper that I flatten and put in my suitcase. When we get to a hotel or Grandma’s house, I unpop it, and we use it for all of our dirty laundry. It sure helps avoid piles of dirty laundry everywhere.

Nicole in Washington

Dear Heloise: Thank you for printing the hint about using magnet-backed business cards to capture pulled staples. No matter how careful one is, those sneaky staples always manage to fall into the carpet. Using the magnet keeps them all together until I can throw them away. My co-workers just loved this one!

Jill Kight, Connelly Springs, N.C.

Dear Heloise: I’m trying to keep some hummingbirds around, but I have a feeder that can be difficult to clean. Today I tried something new: I put about 2 or 3 ounces of water in, added a small handful of pea gravel, swirled for a minute or two, and voil • -sparkling-clean!

Tom in California

Love it! Keeping the feeders clean is a must for the health of these adorable buzz bombers!

Heloise

Dear Heloise: For those of us who live in hurricane-prone areas, have your evacuation list available before you need it. Include everything from your insurance papers and medications to pet supplies and an address book. Either pre-pack what you can or have it all in one easily accessible place.

One very important item to have is a small notebook with all of your online account passwords and login identification.

Anne in Florida

King Features Syndicate Inc.