HELOISE: Did you remember to spring forward?

Dear Readers: Since daylight-saving time started yesterday, be sure to change all of your clocks to the correct time. “Spring forward” one hour, and don’t forget the clock in your car.

Since 2007, daylight saving time starts on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November. Did you know that not all places observe daylight-saving time? Hawaii, some parts of Arizona (although the Navajo Indian Reservation does observe the time change), American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands do not recognize daylight-saving time.

Here are a few things you can check at daylight-saving time so you can remember when they were last done:

The batteries in all smoke detectors. Don’t toss the batteries; they probably still have life in them and can be used in other items, like radios, toys or even a flashlight.

Pet records, to be sure all vaccinations are up to date.

Car windshield wipers, to make sure they are still in good shape.

Heloise

Dear Readers: Many calendars have beautiful photographs. Here are hints to reuse them:

Cloth calendars:

They can be made into lovely dishtowels.

Can be used as quilt squares.

Sew together and stuff to make a throw pillow.

Paper calendars:

Cut out special days and add to your scrapbook.

Seal in plastic for a place mat.

Help a child learn months, days and numbers.

Heloise

Dear Heloise: How do you remove a blue liquid-laundry-detergent stain from clothing? It looks like a tie-dye stain. Thanks.

Kathleen Schulte, via e-mail

Hopefully, this item has not been through the dryer, which can make a stain more difficult to remove. But you can give this a try:

Our research shows that if the stain was caused by the laundry detergent, it can be removed. You need to fill the washing machine with hot water (but check the care label first for safest temperature). Add the correct amount of laundry detergent (put in and let agitate a few seconds before adding clothing). Wash, and after the spin cycle, pull the item out to check if the stain is gone. If not, then re-rinse (water only) the item. Rinsing is what is really needed to dissolve the detergent. So, you may need to rinse and re-rinse in order to completely remove it.

For other pesky-stain removal hints, just send $5 and a long, self-addressed, stamped (61 cents) envelope to: Heloise/Stain Guide, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001. Another laundry hint: Don’t stuff too many clothes into the washer. They will not have enough room to get properly cleaned, and the detergent may not get completely rinsed out of the clothing.

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