Trending
Dear Heloise: I had a salad spinner that I never used. It had been a Christmas gift. One day, as I was hand-washing some delicate items, I wondered how I was going to get all the water out of these items. Then it came to me -- use the salad spinner! I put the items in there and pressed the button that spins everything, and it worked. I didn't have to wring my delicates by hand and damage the fibers. I hung up a couple of things and laid other items out flat. They dried in less than an hour. -- Aileen G., in Kansas
GUM ON CLOTHING
Dear Heloise: My 7-year-old daughter had a large wad of gum that got stuck to her dress. Where it came from is anyone's guess, but how can I get it off before I wash it? -- Patty J., in Lake Charles, Louisiana
Patty, put her dress in the freezer for at least 2 hours. Take it out; then with a dull knife (not a sharp knife), scrape the gum off. It should come off easily if it's frozen solid. If any gum should happen to remain, use prewash spray on the underside of the fabric and wash the item as usual. -- Heloise
REMOVING MUD STAINS
Dear Heloise: How do I get rid of mud stains on my husband's workclothes? He works out in the fields with wells and water but comes home caked in mud! Since he's been promoted to foreman, I want him to look a little better. So, how do I get the mud stains out? -- Betty-Ann, in Texas
Betty-Ann, first, try to remove as much dirt as possible by using a mild to soft bristled brush. Then use a prewashed spray that's sold in stores. You can also make your own prewash formula by mixing powdered detergent and ammonia. (This works best with powdered detergent that doesn't contain a bleaching agent, rather than liquid detergent.) Remember to test for colorfastness before using any stain-removing agent. -- Heloise
AVOID A DRYER FIRE
Dear Heloise: I recently read there are more than 15,000 household fires that are caused by dryers annually in the United States. In addition to emptying the lint trap after each load, you should also remove the built-up lint in other places. But which places? Now I'm worried. -- Ginger T., in Coos Bay, Oregon
Ginger, here are suggestions from a major manufacturer of dryers:
-- Disconnect the dryer hose from the dryer, then reach in and pull out as much lint as you can.
-- Blow out the hose with a leaf blower, or use your vacuum if it has a reverse-airflow ability. You can also use a shop vacuum. Blow air outward, gather up the lint outside, and place it in your trash bin.
-- Check the outside lint trap and remove all the lint from there.
-- Have a repairman remove the dryer drum and clean out any lint that might have collected around and underneath the drum.
-- In addition to these suggestions, I'd like to add: Never leave the house while there's a load drying, and never go to bed with the dryer running. Never operate the dryer without your lint trap being in its correct place, and wash the trap by hand every so often. -- Heloise