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Dear Heloise: This is a word of caution to never put things in the dryer and leave the house. Maybe you've done it in the past without problems, but I did and nearly burned my house down. A neighbor saw smoke coming from my home and called the fire department. The kitchen was damaged where the washer and dryer were located, but thankfully, the rest of the house was OK. It was due to a problem with the wiring.
The thought of losing my whole house with all the things inside makes me want to cry. I made a foolish error. Don't make my mistake. -- Terry B., in Kansas
FADED LAUNDRY
Dear Heloise: My mother always hung her sheets and towels outside on a clothesline, and they smelled wonderful for days. We always got such a nice breeze because our house was on a hill out in the country. Now that I'm married, I've been hanging up my clothes and sheets outside on sunny days, but I think the sun is bleaching them. My dark blue towels look terrible, as do my black jeans and dark blue sheets. Is it the sun or due to washing dark items in detergent? -- Casey D., in Amarillo, Texas
Casey, it's more than likely the sun. You might want to try moving your clothesline to an area of the yard where there isn't direct sunlight and hang them outside every so often, instead of every time you do the laundry. -- Heloise
STAINED PATIO FURNITURE
Dear Heloise: My white patio furniture was expensive, but I plan on keeping it for a long time. Recently, I noticed some darker areas on the furniture that my hose can't seem to get out. How do I get my patio furniture clean? -- Linda A., in Madison, Indiana
Linda, you can mix a solution of a 1/4 cup of bleach and 1 tablespoon of liquid dishwashing soap in a gallon of water. Be sure to put on rubber gloves to protect your hands. First, try a little on a test spot to see if the solution works. If it does -- and it should -- use a sponge and wipe down your patio furniture.
Let it sit for a few moments while the bleach works on your furniture, then rinse with a hose. If you have a battery scrubber, you might want to use it on your furniture. -- Heloise
PRINTER CHEAT SHEET
Dear Heloise: My printer can do so many things, but it's impossible for me to remember all the steps that I need for each task, like printing labels, sending a message, copying a photo, scanning a document, etc. So, every time someone helped me, I made a cheat sheet of instructions and have it posted on my bulletin board. It's saved me hours of frustration and a few tears! -- Lori R., in Pearl City, Hawaii
ADIOS, JUNK!
Dear Heloise: We're moving across the country from California to North Carolina because of my husband's job. I went through this house of ours and realized that I had tons of junk I would never use again. I'd keep it, thinking, "Someday I might need this," or "It's too pretty to toss out."
If you haven't worn it in a year, you probably never will. It's surprising how little we really need. We took two truckloads to Goodwill and two to a church charity shop -- and I'm not done! I'm so happy to have less. It just feels good to lighten the house and my possessions.
I absolutely love your column. -- Harriet M., A Happy Camper in California
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