Hints | Hints from Heloise

Cleaning Hacks & Organizing Tips

Woman cleaning her dishwasher. Photography by Cottonbro @Pexels.

Join Heloise’s world for cleaning hacks and organizing tips to revolutionize your household maintenance approach. Our comprehensive guide skillfully combines cleaning hacks with organizing tips, effectively covering all home challenges. Discover clutter-cutting cleaning hacks and room-harmonizing organizing tips. Each carefully curated segment offers targeted cleaning hacks and organizing tips, ensuring a cleaner, more organized home. Embrace and enjoy these hacks and tips for a completely transformed living space.

Cleaning Hacks for Household Odors

Dishwasher cleaning hacks

Firstly, clean your dishwasher with vinegar or citric acid powder. Begin by pouring a gallon of vinegar, letting it sit, and then running a complete cycle. Additionally, citric acid powder effectively removes hard-water buildup. Add a half-cup and run the dishwasher. Subsequently, check the drain hose and bottom for odors. If solid smells persist, it’s advisable to consult a plumber for potential issues.

Cleaning hacks for removing mothball odors

To eliminate strong odors in furniture or clothing, focus on air circulation. Start by hanging clothing outside to air out. Moreover, wash items with washing or baking soda. Further, air out drawers, sand them lightly, and vacuum up the shavings. Conclude by stuffing the drawers with newspapers and wiping the inside with vinegar.

Smoke odor removal

For smoke odor removal, begin by airing out smoky clothing. Utilize fabric-odor sprays, particularly effective on winter items. Regular laundering also helps in odor removal. In severe smoke damage, seek out a dry cleaner equipped with an ozone cleaner.

Foot odor remedies: effective cleaning hacks and daily care tips

To address non-medical foot odor, follow these steps: Firstly, wash and thoroughly dry your feet. Before wearing socks, apply deodorant to your feet. Additionally, consider nightly vinegar soaks and sprinkle baking soda in your shoes to neutralize odors.

Woman is pre-treating her clothing stains. Photography by Rodnae Productions @Pexels.

Cleaning Hacks for Tackling Tough Stains: From Perspiration to Lipstick and More

Cleaning Hacks for Perspiration Stains: Prevention and Treatment Tips

Initially, prevention is critical. Ensure that antiperspirant or deodorant dries entirely before dressing. Subsequently, pre-treat the underarm area of the garment with liquid laundry detergent to wash away the buildup. Furthermore, if the stain is old, apply white or apple cider vinegar to the area to help dissolve the perspiration. Finally, wash in hot water at least every third or fourth to remove the buildup.

Lipstick Stain Removal Hacks

Generally, you can remove lipstick from washable clothing using isopropyl rubbing alcohol. Start by placing one hand towel and the lipstick-stained garment face down. Then, dab the back of the stain with another towel dipped in alcohol. Continue repeating this process until the stain disappears. Additionally, if any residue remains, use a pre-spotter or stain remover before laundering.

Effective Cleaning Hacks for Blood Stains: Soaking and Tenderizer Techniques

For launderable clothes, begin by soaking the bloodstained garment in cold water for about 30 minutes. This will usually remove the stain. However, if the stain persists, mix a bit of water with an unseasoned meat tenderizer and apply it to the area. Moreover, if the garment cannot be laundered at home, promptly take it to a dry cleaner and point out the stain to let professionals handle it.

Crayon on Walls: Cleaning Hacks

If your artistic child has decorated the walls or wallpaper, use this hack: Apply dry cleaning solvent from drug or shoe stores on a terry cloth towel. This method safely removes crayons from almost any surface except antique wallpaper.

Mystery Stains: Solving the Unseen

Occasionally, you may notice a stain that seems mysterious. Often, these stains are from a light-colored liquid, like soft drinks or white wine. If typical spot-and-stain removers fail, try a different approach: Dab the paint with three percent hydrogen peroxide for white or light-colored garments. Allow it to sit for a few hours, as it is a gentler, slower bleaching agent.

Scrubbing bathroom with cleaning gloves. Photography by Karolina Grabowska @Pexels.

Essential Bathroom Cleaning Hacks: From Tubs to Toilets and Beyond

Tubs

Clean tubs with shampoo and a brush. Use vinegar, but not on marble. Maintain shiny toilets with regular scrubbing. Prevent hard-water buildup. Clean under the seat, lid, and base.

Cleaning Hacks for Maintaining Newer Models and Preventing Hard-Water Buildup

Newer-model toilets with a shiny finish are easy to maintain by scrubbing with the toilet brush several times a week (for a minute) rather than only once a week. This maintenance will prevent a hard-water buildup. Use a disinfecting cleaner for regular cleaning, and don’t forget to clean under the seat, the lid, and around the base.

Shower Curtain Maintenance: Cleaning Hacks for Longevity

Wash shower curtains and liners in the machine. Add towels for scrubbing. Dry briefly or hang. Cut bottom seams to prevent mildew.

Cleaning Hacks for Sterling Silver: Proper Care and Dishwashing Tips

Handwash or dishwasher-clean sterling silver and stainless steel. Keep silver separate from stainless steel. Remove before drying. Use silver cream or polish for regular care.

Woman selecting or organizing footwear on shelves.

Organizing Tips: Creative Uses of a Hanging Shoe Organizer for Home Storage

Organizing Tips: Innovative Storage Solutions with a Shoe Organizer

Repurpose a shoe organizer for storage. Hang it on doors. Store cleaning supplies, toiletries, and more. This saves space and reduces clutter.

Middle-aged woman standing in her home kitchen pantry, smiling while organizing and arranging items on shelves.

Organizing tips: Label and Sort Kitchen Pantry Items for Easy Access

Commencing with labeling and sorting, transform your kitchen pantry with this fantastic organizing tip. Begin by using clear containers for storing grains, pasta, snacks, and baking ingredients. Then, meticulously label each container for clarity. Strategically arrange them based on categories such as breakfast items, cooking essentials, and snacks. Consequently, this method not only simplifies finding what you need but also assists in keeping track of your inventory. This ensures that your kitchen staples are always well-stocked. Furthermore, this organizing approach imparts a neat, streamlined look to your pantry, greatly enhancing the efficiency and enjoyment of meal preparation.

More Household Hints

September 17th
How to Cleanup After a Hurricane
October 19th
Heloise Offers Vegetarian Lifestyle Hints
February 17th
10 Household Uses for Vinegar
June 15th
The Best Uses for Microfiber Cloths

HeloiseJune 19th|Hints|

How to Cleanup After a Hurricane

After hurricane damage volunteers clean the ground.

After a Hurricane has hit, you may find minimal damage or total destruction in your area. I would like to pass on a few important hints that I hope will help ease the difficulty of weather-related damage or to better plan for the future possibility of storms.

Outdoor

If your property has been damaged, contact your insurance agency as soon as possible to begin the claims process. Many agencies will have emergency disaster teams on the way to help handle these claims. Be sure to make a list of destroyed household contents and supplies you have to buy. If possible, take photos of all the damage to your house and property.
Don’t go near any loose or dangling power lines. If you see downed wires, report the damage to the police or utility company.

Indoor

Flashlights should be used to examine your home damages–do not use matches, candles, or lanterns—because of the possibility of gas leaks or spilled flammables.
New batteries for flashlights and radios will last the longest. But, if you only have older ones that are still working but growing weak, try switching their positions. This often will give added energy and the batteries may last a little longer. Another trick with old batteries is to rub the contact points with an emery board or fine sandpaper; this just may buy you a little more time.
If you smell gas, leave your house immediately and notify the utility company or fire department.
Light candles only if the authorities have approved their use in your area. Make sure authorities say there’s no danger of gas leaks!. A small sturdy glass will make a good emergency candle holder. Leave at least a one-half inch space between the candle and the glass. Cut the candlewick short to prevent dripping.
Even though power may be off, be cautious around electrical appliances, they can still hold enough of an electrical charge to set off an explosion—if there’s a gas leak. To be safe, disconnect all electrical appliances.

Kitchen

Do not open refrigerators or freezers. The foods inside will not spoil as fast if the cold air is not allowed to escape. After 24 hours of no power, if you can obtain dry ice, place a block in the refrigerator and one in the freezer section. (ten pounds of dry ice will last for 24 to 30 hours.)
If all you can get is regular bagged ice, take the food out of the refrigerator. Put ice and food into an ice chest. Some homes may have gas stoves instead of electricity. If your gas lines are unaffected, you can cook those foods that would otherwise spoil in a non-operating refrigerator.
Picnic supplies and paper plates will come in handy, so there won’t be any dishes/utensils stacking up. Camping equipment can also be used (propane stoves or lanterns—if there is no gas leak in your home).

Water Conservation

Water most likely will be a precious resource at this time, so conserve what you have. Use any freshwater you have for drinking and cooking only.
Keep a bucket or other container handy for any leftover water from rinsing or cooking food to use for the toilet.
Do not eat fresh food that has come in contact with floodwaters and does not drink any tap water unless it has been tested and okayed by health authorities.
If you cannot flush the toilets, reduce odors by sprinkling baking soda in the bowl after each use and by keeping the lid closed.
Instead of using water for bathing, try rubbing alcohol to stay clean. Soak a washcloth or sponge with rubbing alcohol and sponge off with this.
If you must, you can brush your teeth and rinse with canned or bottled soda.
For quick cleanups, cut a roll of sturdy paper towels in half with a serrated knife and place half of the roll in a resealable plastic bag. Squirt with a mixture of water and liquid soap until paper towels or damp.

Glass

For cracked panes of glass, a temporary way to weatherproof is to use quick-drying glue or clear shellac. Apply one or two coats with the end of a toothpick along the crack lines—inside and out.
After removing adhesive tape from windows, you may find it leaves glue residue on the glass and wood frame. Remove this by spraying the residue liberally with a petroleum-based pre-wash spray, let sit and then scrub with nylon net.
If any windows have been broken, be careful when picking up broken pieces of glass. Wear protective gloves and pick up smaller pieces of glass by using a wad of masking tape, wet paper towels, or wet newspaper. Do not vacuum up broken glass, it can shred vacuum hoses and become lodged in the vacuum.

Water Damage

For water damage, pull up wet carpeting, padding, and rugs. Place furniture on cinder blocks or bricks to help aid in the drying process.
When the weather is clear, open windows for good air circulation. When electricity is restored, use fans to speed the drying process.

Woman cleaning refrigerator after hurricane damage.

Refrigerator & Freezer

If you lost electricity and the food in your freezer probably spoiled, here’s what to do.
Wash the freezer with a strong solution of baking soda and water (5 to 6 tablespoons per quart of warm water) or use baking soda directly on a damp sponge. Allow to air out with the door open for a while.
For lingering odor, try placing cat box filler or activated charcoal (the kind used in aquariums) in a small open box (a shoebox is perfect) in the freezer. Close the freezer and let it sit for a couple of days before removing it.
If any odor is still hanging around, as a last-ditch effort, you might want to consider using a dry-chemical fire extinguisher. Simply spray it into the freezer, close the door and wait a few days. Clean the freezer and let it air out for a while before refilling.

Windows

Need some help getting those dirty windows clean? Make a special window cleaning formula, mix 1 cup of vinegar in 1/2 gallon of hot water.

Now to get started, wipe the windows to remove any dust. Remember that wet dust will become mud. Spray the window with the cleaning formula you prepared. Now wipe the windows down with a squeegee or crumpled newspaper.

When doing exterior windows, a garden hose and mop can be invaluable. Rinse first, then use a mop to wash using the window-cleaning formula. For a final rinse, simply hose the windows off. For best results, don’t wash a window when the sun is shining on it or during the hottest part of the day, because this can cause streaking.

Good luck with all your cleanup efforts, and be sure to send me any questions you have that I didn’t answer to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, Texas 78279. Due to the large quantities of mail my office receives, I can’t answer all your letters personally but will try to answer as many as possible in my newspaper column.

More Info from the CDC

Take steps to protect yourself and your loved ones during your cleanup after a hurricane, flood, or other natural disasters. Follow our cleanup tips and monitor your radio or television for up-to-date emergency information.

NEXT: Products to help clean up

HeloiseSeptember 17th|Hints, Press|

Heloise Offers Vegetarian Lifestyle Hints

Heloise has been a vegetarian since the 1970s. For a story on her vegetarian lifestyle–what she eats at home and at restaurants, etc, photographed at Central Market on Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2012. Helen L. Montoya/San Antonio Express-News.

| By Jessica Belasco updated 10:20 pm CST, Tuesday, February 21, 2012 | Photos: Helen L. Montoya | MySanAntonio.com

When I asked Heloise to talk with me about her vegetarian lifestyle, I assume she’ll want to meet at one of San Antonio’s few vegetarian restaurants or at least at a veggie-friendly place.

Instead, she suggests lunch at a downtown steakhouse.

There she could share hints about eating meat-free in the center of the barbecue and Tex-Mex universe.

“People say, ‘You live in Texas, what do you eat?’” she tells me. “I say, ‘Do I look like I’m starving?’”

Before carving meat from her diet in 1973 — not long before she took over her mother’s “Hints From Heloise” column, providing creative uses for baking soda and vinegar — Heloise would have dived into the meaty entrées on the menu at the Bar at Bohanan’s on Houston Street.

“I was a Texas girl,” says Heloise, 60, who was born in Waco and has lived in San Antonio since 1966. “Give me a 16-ounce steak, a baked potato with sour cream and forget the salad.”

Now, Heloise, whose full name is Poncé Kiah Marchelle Heloise Cruse Evans, bypasses the Frito pie and short ribs on the menu. Instead, she chooses a salad and half a Caprese sandwich made with Roma tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, and extra-virgin olive oil. She adds an order of fries to share.

I figure the Reuben and BLT are off-limits, but she points out she could order them without the meat.

Making the change

While she was attending Southwest Texas State University (now Texas State University) in San Marcos, she and her father took a trip to several communist bloc countries, where she encountered her share of mystery meat.

“I’m sure I ate horse,” she says.

Trying to avoid that sort of thing, she ended up subsisting on cucumbers, potatoes, bread, cheese, cabbage, and caviar.

When she got back home, she found herself gradually eating less meat.

“It wasn’t intentional at the beginning,” she says. “I didn’t order the steak. I ate a few hamburgers and it just didn’t sit right.”

She began reading about vegetarianism in Frances Moore Lappé’s 1971 bestseller “Diet for a Small Planet.”

“My mother was Heloise,” she says. “If you’re going to do something, you do the research.”

Truly her mother’s daughter, she found creative ways to problem-solve.

“I can eat anywhere and eat healthily,” she says.

She began ordering the famous burger at the now-defunct Little Hipps sans burger. At first, she was greeted with raised eyebrows, but over time the staff got used to it.

She learned to quiz waiters on possible substitutions and swaps: Can I get charro beans instead of refried? Can I get this entrée with that side?

“If it’s a good restaurant, they don’t blink an eye,” she says. “Most restaurants will do their best to make the customer happy.”

She also orders two or three appetizers or sides instead of an entrée.

“Many times appetizers alone are delicious and, depending on your diet, they’re enough, portion-wise,” she says.

Another hint: Don’t be afraid to go off-menu. Many Chinese restaurants often have tofu available even if it’s not listed.

More choices

It’s easier to be a vegetarian now than it was 30 years ago, Heloise says. Restaurants offer more options for non-carnivores. Many burger places serve veggie patties. Vegetarian meals are available on airplanes. Even airports have more varied options.

For someone who travels as extensively as Heloise, that’s a big deal.

“Twenty years ago, getting food in an airport was like going on a safari,” she says. “There basically was no healthy food. Now in almost every major airport, you can get a fresh salad, you can get a veggie sandwich, they have fruit cups, portable food you can take with you.”

She sticks to a mostly vegetarian diet — she’ll eat some seafood — partly out of habit, partly to keep her weight down and partly for health reasons: Her mother died at 58 of heart disease.

A lover of Mexican food, Heloise indulges in cheese enchiladas and nachos occasionally, but in general, she finds ways to keep calories and fat down without sacrificing taste. At Mexican restaurants, she suggests, ask for corn tortillas to tear up and eat with salsa instead of chips.

At home, she likes to make a snack she learned about in Mexico: a plate of chilled raw cucumber, carrots, celery, and jicama sprinkled with fresh lime juice and pico de gallo con límon.

She also likes seasoning cucumbers with salt, lots of pepper and — you guessed it — vinegar, either red wine or malt.

Heloise’s hints for fruits and vegetables

DO’s

Store potatoes in a cool, dry place, not in the refrigerator. Keep out of the light as it causes green discoloration. Plastic perforated or paper bags are best for storage.

Freeze avocados if you have too many. Puree them before freezing. Frozen avocados can be stored for up to six months.

Purchase fruit in various stages of ripeness, to always have fresh fruit on hand. For example, purchase a few bananas that are ready to eat and a few green bananas that will ripen in a few days.

DONT’s

Don’t store peaches in the refrigerator until they are completely ripened, because refrigeration stops the ripening process. Once ripened, store them away from vegetables in the fridge. Store them in a bowl lined with paper towels or on the counter with stems up.

Don’t store tomatoes in the fridge, which can change the texture and taste and stop the ripening process. Keep tomatoes out of direct sunlight unless you want them to ripen quickly.

Don’t wash fruits or vegetables with soap or bleach. They can absorb any “washing” solution. Wash with only cool water while gently rubbing with your hands or gently scrubbing with a veggie brush as recommended by the Food and Drug Administration.

HeloiseOctober 19th|Hints, Press|

10 Household Uses for Vinegar

Naturally clean, remove odors, stains, and more.

1. To contain awful cooking odors (especially cabbage and fish), boil a cup of water in a pan on the stove and add 1 to 2 tablespoons of vinegar.

To create a love home aromatherapy smell, add some cinnamon or orange or lemon peels to a pan of water and vinegar, let boil. It will fill your home with a lovely scent.

2. To create a love home aromatherapy smell, add some cinnamon or orange or lemon peels to a pan of water and vinegar, let boil. It will fill your home with a lovely scent.

To freshen a sink drain, pour 1/2 cup of baking soda down the drain and follow with 1 to 2 cups of vinegar. Let it bubble 5 minutes. Flush with plenty of water.

3. To freshen a sink drain, pour 1/2 cup of baking soda down the drain and follow with 1 to 2 cups of vinegar. Let it bubble 5 minutes. Flush with plenty of water.

4. To clean a sink aerator, drop heated vinegar into it to flush out hard- water deposits.

To clean the coffeemaker, run full-strength white vinegar through a normal brew cycle, run again, stop halfway through and let sit 15 minutes, then run several cycles with plain water.

5. To clean the coffeemaker, run full-strength white vinegar through a normal brew cycle, run again, stop halfway through and let sit 15 minutes, then run several cycles with plain water.

6. To remove fish or onion odor on hands, rinse them with apple cider vinegar.

7. To make your own window cleaner, add 1/2 to 1 cup of vinegar to 1 gallon of water.

8. To remove while salt rings from clay pots, wipe undiluted white vinegar over the affected areas.

9. To kill unwanted grass on sidewalks and driveways, pour full strength vinegar directly on the areas.

10. To remove hard-water stains from your dog’s water bowl, pour heated vinegar inside it.

HeloiseFebruary 17th|Hints|

The Best Uses for Microfiber Cloths

To help make cleaning easier, manufacturers have introduced wonderful new cleaning products and equipment. I love microfiber cloths because they are so handy and do a great cleaning job. Try these hints for using them around the house:

AUTO

Keep several microfiber cloths underneath the front seat of your vehicle. Use them to dust off the dashboard, radio and steering wheel.

BATHROOM & KITCHEN

Store a couple of microfiber cloths in these locations because they will clean and shine the chrome, spiff up mirrors and are great for wiping off the sink. When the cloths become dirty, toss them into the washing machine.

PETS

Freshen up your dog by lightly dampening a microfiber cloth with water and wiping over its fur. If your cat or dog needs to get the gunk out of its eyes, a microfiber cloth will do the job nicely. And if your pet, like Cabbie, my miniature schnauzer, gets a dirty beard after eating, the cloth will remove that food crud.

PLANTS

To take dust off live or artificial leaves, lightly dampen a microfiber cloth and wipe over the leaves. This will also add a bit of moisture to the real plants too.

To take the dust off live or artificial leaves, lightly dampen a microfiber cloth and wipe over the leaves. This will also add a bit of moisture to the real plants too.

COMPUTER

Pet hair, dust, ashes from smoking can migrate into your computer and clog the open holes. Use the hose attachment of your vacuum to remove pet hair and dust from the back of your computer. Clean the monitor case with a slightly damp microfiber cloth. Be sure to also dust the power cords, floor, and the area around the computer, printer and fax machine too.

CELLPHONE

Wipe the handset surface with a dampened microfiber cloth to eliminate fingerprints and dust. But if it’s still sticky, mix one cup of water with one drop of mild detergent to wipe off and then rinse area (not the screen) with a clean dampened cloth. Don’t spray anything into the handset or keys.

DIGITAL CAMERA

To remove dust, grime and fingerprints, wipe the outside with a microfiber cloth and then carefully swipe over the lens. For a thorough cleaning, take to a professional or use commercial wipes.

MUSIC PLAYERS

Wipe the outside with a slightly damp microfiber cloth to clean, but don’t let moisture seep into openings. Do not use alcohol or solvents on this equipment.

TV SCREENS

First, unplug the power cord. Lift off fingerprints or dust by wiping screen with a microfiber cloth. Use it to clean the remote control too. NEVER apply any solvent on the screen. Lightly vacuum the vents on the rear panel occasionally.

First, unplug the power cord. Lift off fingerprints or dust by wiping the screen with a microfiber cloth. Use it to clean the remote control too. NEVER apply any solvent on the screen. Lightly vacuum the vents on the rear panel occasionally.

HeloiseJune 15th|Hints|

How to Cleanup After a Flood

After a flood, your family must be cautious of any and all items the floodwaters swept over. You will want to begin to clean up immediately, but your safety comes first. The experts at www.floodsmart.gov recommend that you wear gloves and boots to clean and disinfect.

Wet items need to be cleaned with a disinfectant and allowed to dry out. Look for mold or mildew. Sometimes vinegar will clean items and kill mildew. It just depends on how damaged the item is.

You want to remove as much moisture in your home as you can to prevent mold. All items that got soaked and are still damp, such as carpets, bedding, and furniture must be removed and taken outside to dry out, if possible. Pull up the carpet, the padding, and put it outside. All surfaces, such as walls, floors, doors, etc., must be dried and disinfected.

If there is mold on a large area of the carpet, you are better off tossing it. If it’s a small area, less then 10-feet square, you can spray it with vinegar, let dry to see if that takes care of the problem. If you still notice mold or smell it, it must be cleaned and disinfected.

Check your home owner’s policy to find out if renting or buying dehumidifiers is covered. If your electricity is up and running, turn the air conditioning (not the heat) to pull humidity from the air and help speed up the drying time. Also, portable box fans will help circulate the air and turn on any overhead fans.

If the walls are damaged, depending on how high the water came into your home, remove the baseboards if you can, and poke some holes into the wall (I’ve used a screwdriver) at the bottom to help get fresh air in there. For more information on after flood care and cleanup, visit: www.ready.gov/floods. Stay informed and stay safe.

Products to Help Clean Up After a Flood

Here is a list of must-have products to help you clean up. Keep this mind also, if you have a water leak in your house. There are good all-around cleaning agents to use. If you are trying to clean up yourself, do yourself a favor and buy the largest size or get two of each to have on hand.

Chlorine Bleach

(Sodium hypochlorite) – Also disinfects. Be sure to follow label directions. More or a stronger solution is not better! According to the EPA, do NOT use chlorine bleach to remove mold as a general guideline.

Oxygen Bleach

(Sodium perborate/Sodium percarbonate) – May sometimes be combined with bleach. Use this to wash colored clothing or linens that have come in contact with floodwaters. Or use your regular detergent and add oxygen bleach.

Hydrogen Peroxide

A colorless liquid that has strong oxidizing properties. It can be diluted and added to bleaches and other disinfectants. It kills many molds and mildew. For example, it will kill mildew on grout and cement steps.

Sudsy ammonia versus non-sudsy ammonia

The major difference between the clear (non-sudsy) and sudsy ammonia is simply the added detergent. While both are suitable for the same cleaning tasks, one might be recommended over the other.

White Distilled Vinegar

Made from the fermentation of diluted, distilled alcohol.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Created from apples.

Vinegar

In the U.S., this is typically diluted to 5% acidity, but vinegar with higher acidity levels (9%) can sometimes be found. The higher the acidity level, the stronger the vinegar. I use the 9%, also called pickling vinegar, for dealing with musty smelling drains, killing mildew on the driveway (pour it on full strength and scrub with a broom), and even soaking plastic hairbrushes and combs to get them clean.

Baking Soda

A must-have for every household. Use to scrub surfaces without scratching, deodorize carpets, furniture, and beds. Sprinkle on, let sit for 30 minutes or so, and just vacuum up. Pour ½ cup down a stinky drain, add 1 cup cheap vinegar and watch it foam up! Let set or 10-15 minutes then run about 30 seconds of hot water to flush it through the pipes.

Cleaning Solutions You Can Make: How to Mix

Combine the solutions in a clean jug or bottle with a pump nozzle for easy spritzing and spraying (MUST label the bottle clearly). For larger solutions, mix in a clean bucket.

What not to mix

Always check the ingredients before combining them. Never mix products containing ammonia with those containing bleach. The result could be deadly. Remember, even mild ingredients when combined together can be toxic, so follow these formulas exactly and that includes ALWAYS checking the label before combining ingredients!

Formula One

Combine ½ cup of non-sudsing ammonia, ½ cup rubbing alcohol, and 1 teaspoon dishwashing liquid with enough water to make 1 gallon of cleaner.

Formula Two

Put hydrogen peroxide (3%) in an opaque spray bottle. Spray on areas with mold. If there’s mold or mildew on the floor of the shower or tub, pour the mixture directly from the bottle, let it dry. See note below about storage*

Formula Three

Mix the juice from ½ lemon, 1 tablespoon household bleach, and a cup of water. Carefully pour it into a spray bottle and spray the solution on the mildewed area. Let the solution stand until dry.

Hint

Hydrogen peroxide and chlorine bleaches are heat and light-sensitive. Formulas made with these ingredients should be used within a day. Both formulas should be stored in clearly marked, opaque containers.

Simple Sanitizing Spray

Some of the sanitizing sprays you buy are basically a little bleach and water. Use the following formula to make: Mix 1 tablespoon of household bleach with 1 quart of water (.01 bleach to 99.9% water). NOTE: This mixture isn’t shelf-stable, meaning it’ll lose its cleaning power when exposed to light or heat for too long, so mix just enough to use for the cleaning tasks at hand each day or so.

Sponges

Sponges (and cleaning towels) can harbor all sorts of yucky stuff, so wash them well each time you use them. Sanitize sponges by soaking them in a gallon of hot water and ¾ bleach for about 5 minutes. Remember, the sponges are cheap! Replace them every few months or more often.

Note

If you have special items (books, paperwork, etc.) that have gotten wet, try this hint that I have used many times. Put the item in a large plastic bag (leave open), and place it in the freezer. This will STOP mold and mildew from growing any more and will dry the paper out. It may take a week or longer, but it’s sure worth trying.

HeloiseSeptember 7th|Hints|

Hints for Mother’s Day

Give her a gift that’ll help her relax and unwind.

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Heloise gift ideas for Mother's Day can include a spa treatment day

For Mother’s Day this year, create a customized, one-of-a-kind, just-for-mom basket filled with luscious lotions, aromatic essential oils, cologne or scents that she may not normally buy or try. To save money and fit any budget, you can pick up things at a drug store, dollar store or discount beauty supply. You can add Heloise Bath Salts for a relaxing and soothing soak.

HELOISE BATH SALTS

Pour 3 cups of Epsom salts into a glass bowl; add 1 tablespoon of glycerin, several drops of food coloring and a bit of perfume or a few drops of lavender, eucalyptus oil, or rosemary. Slowly pour into the salts and mix well. Put into a pretty container and wrap with a bow. Include directions to add one cup into bath water, as the tap is running, for a heavenly treat.

HINTS FOR TIRED MUSCLES

Buy several pretty hand towels, include the above Heloise Bath Salts, or put the towels together with essential oils of lavender (calming and relaxing) or eucalyptus (relaxes muscles and clears a stuffy head) or only a drop or two of rosemary to calm and soothe. While bathing, to help relax sore or tight neck and shoulder muscles, dip the hand towel into hot water, drape it around the neck and upper shoulders and settle in for a relaxing soak. In winter when many of us get a little stuffy, try my favorite hint I use especially when traveling. I take a fresh face cloth, dip it into the hot water, ring it out, then hold it to my nose and slowly inhale several times. This seems to add much-needed moisture to my bone-dry nose and is a calming, relaxing scent that just seems to melt away the tension. My favorite is lavender which I travel with and use all of the time.

OTHER GIFT IDEAS

You can purchase some of these services or you can offer to provide them yourself.

Massage and spa treatments.
Manicures and pedicures.
Movie tickets for the occasional escape.
Babysitting services to allow for a night out on the town.
Grocery shopping so there’s one less thing to do on her list.
House cleaning or a few hours or half the day.
A week of dinners, home cooked and delivered or cooked at her home, cleanups included.
Other gift ideas can include yard work, home repairs, pet care and car maintenance appointments.

HeloiseApril 20th|Hints|

Heloise Tackles Holiday Stains

Your tablecloth can take a beating from the drips, spills, and stains of the holidays.

Sharing her holiday stain hints on ABC’s The View in a past segment hosted by Barbara Walters, Joy Behar and Meredith Viera, she showed how to remove some of the most common stains that always seem to happen when you are entertaining—candle wax drippings, gravy, cranberry, red wine, and coffee stains. Here are removal solutions for the most common party-related stains:

COFFEE

To remove coffee (or tea) stains, rinse area with cold water immediately. Rub in a couple of drops of a mild, white dishwashing liquid and rinse well. Then treat with a mixture of one-part white household vinegar and three-parts water. Rinse again and launder as you normally do. Note: If cream was used in the coffee, you may have to sponge the stain with dry-cleaning fluid.

CRANBERRY

To eliminate cranberry stains, scoop up as much of the sauce as you can—as quickly as you can—and then rinse with cold water. Pretreat the stained area and then wash—as the care label for the fabric indicates.

CANDLE WAX

To get rid of candle wax from the tablecloth, let the wax harden—a quick way is to put it in the freezer. Then scrape it off the tablecloth with a dull knife. Place paper towels on both sides of the stain and set the iron on the warm setting, then iron (no steam) over the stained area. Change the towels often to absorb all of the wax. Launder as usual.

GRAVY

To clean up gravy, spoon it up as fast as you can. Sprinkle artificial sweetener or flour over the stained area to absorb the grease. Put the tablecloth into a sink and soak in a mixture of one teaspoon of a mild, colorless detergent with each cup of lukewarm water for at least 20 minutes. Then wash as usual and let air dry—don’t put in the dryer.

RED WINE

To remove red-wine stains, pour a big dose of salt on top of the stain to absorb the liquid. Put the tablecloth into cold water and try to rub out the stain. Use an enzyme detergent in the hottest water safe for the fabric, soak for 30 minutes and launder.

HeloiseDecember 23rd|Hints|