Lesson learned
Dear Heloise: I am writing about the information you had about dryer fires. A good friend was a firefighter, and he also said to never leave the house with the dryer on. Also, never go to bed with a dryer on. My sister and her family got really lucky with a dryer fire. Her son’s bedroom just happens to be right above the laundry room. They went to bed with a load of towels in the dryer. Thank heavens their son woke up because smoke was coming up through the register vent. He was able to wake everyone up, and they all got out of the house.
Just thought you might want to pass this info on to your readers. — Susan E., Fort Wayne, Ind.
Susan, thanks for passing along that valuable information. Another Heloise Hint: Always have a fire extinguisher in your laundry room and kitchen. You never know when you might need it. — Heloise
PIE MAKER
Dear Heloise: I love to make pies. I usually use the premade pie crusts of chocolate cookies or graham crackers, and one day I noticed that the plastic inverted top can actually be used after the pie is made to cover the top of the pie. Needless to say, that top part needs to be washed in warm soapy water before it’s placed on the pie. If I’m taking a pie to some type of event, this helps keep the pie fresh. — Rebecca A., Portland, Maine
MOLDY PROBLEM
Dear Heloise: I’ve got black mold growing on a rubber bath mat I use. It’s disgusting, but I don’t know what will kill this mold and make it go away. —Mae K., Montgomery, Miss.
Mae, put your rubber bath- mat in the washing machine with regular detergent and about 1 cup of household bleach. Let the bathmat dry outside on a sunny day. This should do the trick! — Hel
Household Hints
WRINKLES BE GONE
Dear Heloise: Mornings are always a hassle around my house, so I seldom have time to iron anything before I leave for work. However, I found that if a garment is slightly wrinkled, I can throw it in the dryer with a wet microfiber cloth. While it’s in the dryer, I put on my makeup, and then it comes out looking good and wrin- kle-free. I found this works on some sweaters as well. — Wendy O., Springdale, Ark.
Dear Heloise: I recently had my fourth garage sale. I learned from experience that people think nothing of breaking an item and walk- ing off as though it wasn’t important. I finally posted a few signs on the garage walls that read:
Lovely to look at, Delightful to hold,
But if you break it, Consider it sold.
No one broke anything at this last garage sale! — Grace
L., Tyler, Texas
GOOD-BYE YUCKY MESS
Dear Heloise: I have a cold nearly every winter. To spare myself and others the mess of tissues filling up a basket, I take an empty tis- sue box and stuff used tis- sues inside. This not only looks better than all those used tissues in a basket, it is less likely to spread the nasty cold germs to others. — Nora S., Elk River, Minn.