This year marks the 50th anniversary of the newspaper column that eventually became “Hints from Heloise,” one of America’s most trusted sources of household advice.
To celebrate this milestone, Bottom Line/Personal asked the current Heloise, who has written the column since her mother’s death in 1977, to sort through a half-century of hints to select her personal favorites and the hints her readers most often request…
Clear stubborn odors from a microwave. Odors often work their way deep into the mechanisms, where no amount of scrubbing removes them. Instead, put a handful of chopped lemon or lime rind or a tablespoon of vanilla extract in a microwave-safe bowl that can hold at least four cups. Add one cup of water, then put the bowl in the microwave and heat it until the water boils. (Microwave wattage varies, so cook only as long as it takes for the water to boil.) The heated citrus or vanilla acts as an air freshener, covering the offensive odor.Caution: To avoid being scalded, let the water cool for at least 15 minutes before opening the door, then wipe out the microwave.
Bonus: The heat and moisture from the boiling water loosen any gunk stuck to the inside of the microwave, making it easier to remove.
Deodorize smelly drains. Combine one-half cup of baking soda with one-quarter cup of table salt, then pour the mixture down the drain. Pour one to two cups of white vinegar in after it — the drain will foam and bubble. Wait 15 to 30 minutes, then put the stopper in the sink and fill it with hot water. As soon as the sink is full, pull out the stopper (use tongs so that you don’t burn your hand) and let water flush the drain clean.If odor persists, pour one-half cup of hydrogen peroxide or white vinegar in the drain, let sit for 20 to 30 minutes, then fill the sink with cold water and pull the stopper to flush clean.
Eliminate ring around the collar. Squirt a small amount of inexpensive hair shampoo onto the ring, and rub it together before putting the shirt in the wash. Shampoo is designed to clean body oil and sweat from hair, and it does this just as well on shirt collars.Helpful: To avoid future rings, wipe your neck with rubbing alcohol or a baby wipe in the morning after you shower. Those with chronically sweaty necks also can apply antiperspirant on their necks before dressing.
Keep dark clothes dark. Turn dark clothes inside out before putting them in the washer to limit abrasion, slowing the fading process. Air-drying further limits fading.Avoid the clothing-care trap by reading care labels before buying garments. “Dry-clean only” clothes may not be a good deal, even when they’re on sale — they may be too expensive to clean.
Remove ballpoint-ink stains. Place the washable garment on a towel, stain-side down. Lightly dampen a cloth with rubbing alcohol (test an inconspicuous area of the garment first to make sure the fabric is alcohol-safe), and use this to dab the stain from the opposite side of the fabric — just dab, don’t rub. Don’t dab from the stain side, which can push ink further into the fabric. Continue dabbing until no more ink comes off onto the dabbing cloth or towel beneath. (Move the towel frequently so that there is always a clean area under the stain to absorb the ink.)Apply stain pretreater or liquid laundry detergent directly to the remaining ink stain, let it set for a few minutes, then wash according to the garment’s care instructions. Air-dry.
Never put any stained item into a dryer. The dryer’s heat makes any stain that remains more difficult to remove.
Remove mustard and chocolate stains. Rub a few drops of liquid glycerin (available online, in drugstores and in some grocery stores) into these stains with your fingers, then rub the stained section of the material together for a few seconds. Next, apply stain remover or laundry detergent directly to the stain. Wash in cool water, and air-dry.Get gravy stains out of a tablecloth. Spoon up as much of the spilled gravy as possible as quickly as you can. Sprinkle flour or artificial sweetener over the stained area — this should absorb much of the grease. When the flour or sweetener becomes clumpy, brush it off and lay the stained section of the tablecloth in a sink of lukewarm water. Add one teaspoon of a mild, colorless laundry detergent for each cup of water in the sink, then soak for 20 minutes. Wash according to the care instructions.Remove candle wax from carpet. Fill a metal pan with ice cubes, then set the pan on top of the wax until it freezes solid. Use a small hammer to shatter the frozen wax, then vacuum up the shards. Press pieces of tape, sticky side down, into the carpet to pick up pieces that remain. If there’s still wax residue, apply a small amount of dry-cleaning solvent/spot remover (from the laundry section of your grocery store or drugstore) to a clean terry cloth or microfiber cloth, and use this to dab the section of carpet. Let the solvent dry, then dampen a cloth with water and dab the area again.
