DEAR READERS: Do you know the difference between dishwashing liquid and dishwasher gel? Dish soap and dishwashing detergent?
It's important to know the difference because you will be very unhappy if you use the wrong one in the dishwasher!
So, be sure to follow the directions carefully and use mild dishwashing liquid to make my homemade, money-saving, all-purpose cleaner. This works great on grease and grime. Simply mix ½ cup nonsudsing ammonia, ½ cup rubbing alcohol and 1 teaspoon mild, regular dishwashing liquid (if you use concentrated or ultra, use ¼ to ½ teaspoon) with enough water to make 1 gallon of cleaner.
You can also make a tile grout cleaner by mixing up ¼ cup borax, ½ cup baking soda and enough hot water to form a paste. Leave this on the grout for 15 to 20 minutes, scrub with an old toothbrush, then rinse it off, and your grout will look great!
– Heloise
DEAR HELOISE: I hated throwing away those large, plastic coffee cans, so I use them in the kitchen. Instead of going to the trash can every time I peel an onion or have something to dispose of, I line a can with a plastic bag from the produce department (another recycled item). When I'm done, I take the bag out, line with a fresh bag and I'm ready for the next meal. Also, I leave a bit of ground coffee in the bottom of the can to block any odors.
– Thelma, via e-mail
DEAR HELOISE: I'm an avid gardener. Before putting on my gardener's gloves, I spray my entire hands (especially the cuticles, nail surface and beneath the nails) with nonstick vegetable spray. If any mud or dirt creeps through, cleaning my hands is a breeze. A bonus is that my hands also feel really soft after this treatment.
– Susan D.,
a Hondo, Texas, fan
DEAR HELOISE: When I purchase tall kitchen bags for my household trash baskets, I take them all out of the package and place in the bottom of the can. When I empty the trash, I can grab another bag to line the can, and I always know where they are.
– Kathie Dollinger,
via e-mail
DEAR HELOISE: Fragrant dryer sheets will help the inside odor of a closed trunk. I also add the moisture absorbers from pill bottles, shoe boxes and food containers to absorb moisture. I change the dryer sheets once a year at the holidays, when I open the trunk to get my decorations out.
– Jean, via e-mail
Send a great hint to: Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000, or fax it to (210) HELOISE.
