HELOISE: Vinegar keeps the washer clean

Dear Heloise: Is there some way to clean the inside of the dishwasher without using the pricey cleaners available at the grocery store? Thank you.

Kathy Logsdon, via e-mail

Kathy, yes, there is, and it includes my favorite must-have in every household: vinegar! Here are the steps:

Turn on the dishwasher when it is empty; don’t use any dishwasher detergent.

Let the bottom of the washer fill with water, stop the cycle, then pour in 2 to 3 cups of plain white or apple-cider vinegar. Let the dishwasher finish the cycle. You might need to repeat if you have extremely stubborn hard-water stains inside.

Do this periodically to keep the dishwasher clean and fresh. Did you know that vinegar is a workhorse around your home? It can remove hard-water deposits from bathroom fixtures, drinking glasses and even the washing machine (same procedure as the dishwasher, but use more vinegar, 1/2 to 1 gallon, and the hottest water possible). I have compiled a list of my favorite uses for vinegar. To receive it, send $5 and a long, self-addressed, stamped (61 cents) envelope to: Heloise/Vinegar, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001.

Keep a labeled spray bottle of vinegar under the kitchen sink, and you’ll be ready to keep your home sparkling and clean!

Heloise

Dear Heloise: I have used rubber gloves to wash dishes, and I put a sticky clip inside the cabinet door to keep them at hand. But the drippy mess irritated me.

I finally figured out to dry my gloves while they are on my hands! No more drippy mess.

Karon, via e-mail

Dear Heloise: I was just canning tomatoes. When I went to take water out of canner after it cooled, I used my turkey baster until I could take the jars out.

Wanda Waid, Interlaken, N.Y.

What a fantastic idea! You also can use the baster to remove any excess juice that is in the jars before sealing them.

Heloise

Dear Heloise: When I purchased onions recently at the farmers market, I asked the best way to store them. The onion grower told me that a paper sack is the best way to keep onions — it works for several weeks.

Tommie in Tyler, Texas

Our favorite way of storing onions? In a pantyhose leg! Wash and dry a pair of nylons, and drop one onion in, then tie a knot and continue. Store in a cool, dry place!

Heloise

Dear Heloise: When I boil chicken, I save the broth. I let it cool and skim off the fat. I have good broth with no salt. I put it in the freezer (in freezer bags or containers), and it is good for a fairly long time. It is also good to use as a liquid in mashed potatoes.

Bill in Louisiana

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