Dear Heloise: I saw a letter from Kelly T. in your column about washing greens. You mentioned submerging them in a bowl of cold water. Adding 1/2 cup of vinegar to 1 cup of water and soaking them for 3 minutes helps to remove bacteria. Just rinse and pat dry. — Deborah Graham, in Curwensville, Pennsylvania

READER COMMENTS

Dear Heloise: A lot of newspapers have discontinued their print publications and are online only, so comics aren’t an option for gift wrapping in our area.

Good old-fashioned clip binders are great for opened bags of chips/pretzels, etc. Also, plastic covers from prepared foods are great for flowerpot drip trays.

And you can make your own air fryer inserts by cutting out parchment paper. Works great! Thanks. — Trudy Dillon, via email

LITTER BOXES

Dear Heloise: Litter boxes stink because they are plastic and should not be allowed to dry between uses. I use metal lasagna-sized baking pans and have two in rotation so that they can dry in between uses. I also lightly sprinkle baking soda on the bottom of the clean one to help with any wet areas.

Since they don’t get scratched like plastic, they last for much longer and don’t smell. Because they are shallow, I do have them set in taller plastic tubs that also have litter in them to catch any misses. They need to be changed daily. This helps monitor their health.

Cats don’t like going in a messy box, so make sure to clean it after each use. — Ann’s Thoughts, in Rolla, Missouri

SHORT PEOPLE PROBLEMS

Dear Heloise: I am a short woman. When I go shopping and cannot reach something, I wait for a taller person to come by and ask if they could please reach up and get the item for me. Then I look them in the eye, and with a smile, I say, “Thank you. You have done your good deed for the day!” It always brings a smile and a look of pride. — Barb Clark, in New Jersey

SWEATY CLOTHES SMELL

Dear Heloise: I had a problem with my sweaty yard clothes having a musty smell, even after washing them. My service tech told me to add in white vinegar with the fabric softener. Now I have fresh-smelling clothes and a tub that shines like new. It’s a simple solution that works without any expensive chemicals. — Stan M., in Lafayette, Louisiana

LAUNDRY QUESTION

Dear Heloise: I’ve wondered about this for years, and it came up again this morning: Is it alright to wash dish towels with underwear? The water is hot, and we use good detergent and dry the clothes in a dryer on the “hot” setting. Someone wrote to a TV person and asked this question, and the person said, “If it’s washed, it’s washed.” What do you think? — Hollie, in Ohio

Hollie, I have to agree with what the person on TV said. Most people wash all their lights together and all their darks together, no matter what the item happens to be. You’re washing items to get them clean, not to sterilize them, so go ahead and wash those items together. Or you can include your dish towels in the load with your bath towels. — Heloise

Send a money-saving or time-saving hint to Heloise@Heloise.com. I can’t answer your letter personally but will use the best hints received in my column.