DEAR READERS: Today's Sound Off is about not having enough towel racks in hotels:
"Dear Heloise: In today's ecologically correct world, hotels leave notes requesting guests to please reuse towels by hanging them up. Why haven't they made this feasible by actually providing an adequate number of towel racks?
"During a recent hotel visit, our family had a lovely suite that slept six people. We used the one towel rack available and then hung the remainder of our wet towels over the shower-curtain rod.
"After daily maid service, they were all removed and replaced with clean towels. So much for saving water."
-- Glo in Colorado Springs, Colo.
I hear you. It can be confusing sometimes. The notes generally do say to please put towels you want replaced on the floor. Which, in my mind, is pretty disgusting to plop down a mess of wet towels for housekeeping to pick up. Yes, my mother taught us to never leave wet towels on the floor -- put them in the tub.
Hanging damp towels over the shower-curtain rod is what we do, especially if there are no extra towel racks. I've used a hanger and draped the towel over that.
Heloise hint? Call housekeeping early and tell them you don't need fresh towels, only the amenities, or maybe just empty the trash. Or leave a note.
P.S.: Housekeeping works very hard, so please remember to tip them a few dollars.
DEAR READERS: Here are some other uses for empty bread bags:
For cleaning cat litter boxes.
As extra packaging material when mailing packages.
To pack multiple sandwiches for beach or picnic outings.
As a doggy scoop bag when walking the dog.
To cover fan blades when painting ceilings.
DEAR HELOISE: Whenever we eat at a Chinese restaurant, I take the wooden disposable chopsticks home, where I use them to help support my indoor potted plants. They work great.
-- Chris W., via email.
DEAR READER: Chris, I love chopsticks. There are different types, too. I have some I brought home from China and Japan. Some are beautiful hand-painted ones, some purple, and there's a stunning black lacquer pair. I use them to put my hair up.
DEAR HELOISE: We're a household of five, and I hate washing socks -- washing, sorting and putting them away. I purchased a mesh laundry bag for each of my three children. When I do the laundry, I wash the bags of socks. There is no more than a week's worth at a time.
When dried, I give each child their bag for them to sort and put away. Now I don't mind washing socks.
-- Alice M., via email
DEAR HELOISE: When I make potato salad for a family gathering, I wipe some butter or cooking oil on the inside top of the pot. This seems to help prevent that awful bubbling over.
-- Mary S.,
San Marcos, Texas
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 04/25/2016