DEAR HELOISE: I have lead crystal drinking glasses that we use all the time, and I wash them in the dishwasher. They have lost some of their shine, and they are developing a film. Could you give me a hint for how to restore their beauty?
-- Edith M.,
Liberty Township, Ohio
DEAR READER: The culprit most likely is the dishwasher and the detergent you use. In the old days, we hand-washed crystal glasses and dried them with a dish towel. The problem could be a combination of: the hot-water temperature is not high enough; hard water; not enough water to rinse the detergent off; and air-drying.
Heat a few cups of vinegar -- not boiling, but very hot. Soak one or two glasses for 20-30 minutes. You should see the stuff start to bubble away and dissolve the mineral deposits. When cool, scrub with a plastic brush, rinse well and dry with a lint-free or microfiber towel. If the film is not gone, you can try again, but sadly, it might be permanent.
DEAR HELOISE: If you have a "ploop-ploop" drip in the middle of the night that you can't fix at 1 a.m., here's a hint to stop the unending noise.
Tie a piece of string to the faucet and let the string hang down into the basin or tub. Soon the water will slide down the string. The water will still drip, but the noise will be gone.
--Robert White,
Dayton, Texas
DEAR READERS: My main office is at one end of our house. My "commute" is a brisk walk down the hallway. If no one is coming to the office, or I don't need to go anywhere, I do my "works for now," 120-second makeup routine:
• Dot concealer under eyes and pat in a "V" shape
• Foundation, either a moisturizer-sunblock and tint or my "two in one" that is a 1/4-full makeup bottle to which I added high-SPF lotion. Shake, dab and blend.
• For color, a dot of cream lipstick on each cheek and blend.
• Eyes: A swipe of creamy-brown eye pencil, then brown eye shadow applied with a cotton swab.
• Eyelashes: Brush with an old cleaned mascara brush, then black waterproof mascara.
• Lipstick or gloss.
• A spritz of perfume on my wrists, then pat the sides of my neck.
I'm ready for whatever the day may bring, and around here, you never know.
DEAR HELOISE: I use brown-paste shoe polish to cover scratches and nicks on furniture. Apply, let dry and polish with a soft cloth.
-- Edna Martin,
Peterstown, W.Va.
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
Weekend on 05/07/2015