HELOISE: Sanitizer, disinfectant are not the same
Dear Readers: Do you know the difference between a disinfectant and a sanitizer?
Well, a disinfectant must completely destroy the organisms listed on the label; a sanitizer, on the other hand, must reduce the amount of microorganisms on a surface by at least 99.9 percent, but not necessarily eliminate them.
To make a simple sanitizing spray, mix 1 tablespoon of bleach with 1 quart of water. This mixture can’t sit on the shelf because it is sensitive to light and heat — make just enough for the cleaning tasks at hand. Want to learn more of my favorite cleaning solutions? To receive my handy Homemade Cleaning Solutions pamphlet, send $5 and a long, self-addressed, stamped (61 cents) envelope to: Heloise/Cleaning Solutions, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001. For spot-cleaning, sprinkle baking soda on a damp sponge or nylon scrubber, scrub gently, then rinse.
Heloise
Dear Readers: Here are some reuses for plastic takeout containers:
Organize and store arts-and-crafts supplies.
Share a meal with a friend or neighbor.
Place under a plant to catch water.
Use for water and food when traveling with pets.
Heloise
Dear Heloise: To avoid worrying about cut hands, if you have anything such as broken glass, put it in a paper or plastic bag and tie the top. No more worries.
Maggie L. in Church Hill, Tenn.
Readers, please don’t put broken glass directly into the trash. Put it in newspapers or a small bag to prevent mishaps.
Heloise
Dear Heloise: Looking at tissue shreds all over your just-washed, dark-colored laundry load? Try 30 minutes (or slightly longer) on no-heat air fluff before turning on a heated dryer cycle. Usually works effortlessly.
B. Bieberbach in San Antonio
Dear Heloise: To separate coffee filters, not many know of the simple chemist’s trick based on the Bernoulli effect: Blow gently at the edge of a stack, and they will lift off separately. This also works with newspapers and magazines. The important trick is to blow gently.
I read your column in The (Baton Rouge, La.) Advocate.
Marsha R., Baton Rouge, La.
SOUND OFF
Dear Heloise: I use coupons to save money. It is very irritating to go to a company’s website, view its information, and when I print out a coupon, a bunch of other advertising stuff also prints out. This makes me want to not buy the products at all. Sometimes two pages are printed, with just one small portion being the actual coupon.
Connie D., via e-mail
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