Dear Heloise: I just read your column on credit card security. Another step can be taken that is great. Go to your bank’s app on your phone. Then look for “alerts.” Set up an alert for anytime your card is used (a good amount to specify is .01 cents). Once it’s set up, you’ll get a text within 60 to 90 seconds that your card has been used.

If you have not used it, you can contact your bank immediately to prevent further compromised usage. — Kay in Michigan

CREDIT CARD CHARGES

Dear Heloise: You say to check your credit card statement for any inappropriate charges. Better yet, check your credit card charges online every few days before you even get your statement. Report any fraudulent transactions. I read your column in the Houston Chronicle. — Patricia Roberts, Bellaire, Texas

Kay and Patricia, thanks for the excellent suggestions on credit card security and credit card charges. — Heloise

BLACK COFFEE SPILLED ON WHITE CARPET

Dear Heloise: My husband spilled quite a bit of black coffee on our almost white carpet. I blotted it right away and then again with water. Next, I used a commercial foolproof product, but nothing worked.

We were left with a dark brown stain for a couple of days. Then I remembered vinegar. I poured it on the stain, stepped on a towel, and it took almost all the remaining stain out. Good old vinegar. — Dorothy Lambert, Fullerton, California

Dorothy, vinegar is good for so many household tasks, including cleaning, deodorizing and cooking. To learn more, check out my six-page pamphlet full of vinegar uses. Get a copy by visiting www.Heloise.com or by sending $5 and a long, self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Heloise/Vinegar, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001. FYI: After mopping a no-wax floor, add several capfuls of vinegar to the water and mop the floor once more to help remove any soap film and leave the floor clean and shiny. — Heloise

CLEANING YOUR NEW IPHONE

Dear Readers: If you received an iPhone as a gift over the holidays, it’s important to know how to take care of it, including how to safely clean your new phone.

According to Apple, here’s what to do. First, unplug the phone if it’s charging and turn it off. Use a soft, lightly dampened, lint-free cloth to clean the surface. (Never use any cleaning products that contain bleach or hydrogen peroxide.) You can use a disinfectant wipe to gently clean the exterior of the phone. Avoid getting moisture in openings. Never submerge your iPhone in any cleaning agents. — Heloise

COLD FEET

Dear Heloise: I have cold feet, so when I am going out, I heat my shoes with my hair dryer. It only takes a few seconds to heat up. — Bonnie Waterhouse, Burbank, California

Bonnie, that’s a good, toasty start indeed. When you go out, make sure you are wearing warm socks or have insulated shoes or boots to prevent your feet from getting cold.–Heloise

SEWING TRICK

Dear Heloise: Now that I have grown older, it has become harder to thread my sewing machine. So, about eight years ago, I held a piece of white paper (like the back of a business card) behind the eye of the needle on my sewing machine. It makes the hole in the needle much more visible. Since then I have kept one or two cards by my machine to help me find the eye of the needle. — Darlene B., Ontario, California