DEAR READERS: This week's Sound Off is about too-short sheets:
"I am frustrated about bed sheet manufacturers selling top-of-the-line linens. They made accommodations for thicker mattresses. For that I am grateful. However, they have not added inches to the top sheet to make it long enough to tuck under the mattress at the foot of the bed.
"I use a satin pillowcase, so I have resorted to cutting up the pillowcases that come with the sheets and sewing them to the bottom of the top sheet. We want longer top sheets!"
-- E.S., via email
Stop! Don't cut up a perfectly good pillowcase. I've done the same, but I just use an "odd" sheet. No one sees the bottom part except me. This is a good hint, too, for folks who are extra-tall and want more sheet.
DEAR HELOISE: I have a number of houseplants, and I have a problem with gnats. I think they are coming from the plants. I have tried to cut back the amount of water I put on the plants, but the gnats seem to persist. Do you know of anything I could put in the water to discourage these pesky creatures?
-- Margaret A.,
Marlin, Texas
DEAR READER: Gnats do like damp, moist soil, so even if you are cutting back on watering, if the soil is still moist, the gnats will stay. Quick fix: Let the top inch or two of the soil dry in between waterings, if you can.
Remove 2-3 inches of soil (just the top) and replace with new potting soil.
To kill the gnats that are there, use a cup of tap water and mix in a drop or two of liquid dish soap. Pour over the soil like you are watering it, until it's saturated. Let it sit overnight, then flush with fresh, clean water. They should be gone.
DEAR HELOISE: I read your Sound Off about not donating useless or trashed items. I agree.
As an avid thrift shopper, I asked a volunteer about this, and her comment was that many people purchase this type of item for yard art and craft projects. I worry about children picking up these items and getting scratched or cut. I ask thrift stores to have a separate area for those items (and possibly reduced prices for damaged items).
-- Deb in Springfield, Ohio
DEAR READER: Deb, thanks for the reminder. The old saying "One man's trash is another's treasure" really does ring true. They see a broken clay pot, I see pieces for the bottom of the next plant I am repotting.
Send a money- or time-saving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000; fax to (210) 435-6473; or email
Heloise@Heloise.com
ActiveStyle on 04/20/2015