DEAR HELOISE: I have black appliances, and when I clean them there is a cloudy film on the surface.
What is the best product to use when cleaning a black dishwasher, microwave, stove? I like my appliances shiny.
-- Shirley T. in Florida
DEAR READER: A microfiber cloth is your friend in this case. Grab a damp towel and an ammonia-based cleaner or even vinegar. Wipe away fingerprints and greasy smears. Buff with a dry microfiber towel.
DEAR HELOISE: I have some brass hardware on a designer handbag that has turned dingy. What's the best way to clean it?
-- Christine M., San Antonio
DEAR READER: First try a cloth infused with a brass cleaner, which is readily available. My second answer may surprise you, but head into the kitchen and grab the ketchup.
Ketchup's No. 2 ingredient is vinegar. The acid in vinegar will clean the darkened brass. Squirt a small amount onto a dry towel and buff the hardware lightly. Then remove the ketchup with a damp towel. Avoid any leather trim.
Vinegar is a workhorse around the house. In my nearly 40 years of helping harried homemakers, I've recommended grabbing vinegar many, many times. One cup of white vinegar in the rinse water will help remove detergent buildup from laundry.
DEAR READERS: If your washer or dryer eats a sock, thus rendering a "pair" an impossibility, don't fret. Here are hints for the remaining sock:
• Drop your phone into the sock for extra protection in your handbag.
• Scoop fresh, dry coffee grounds into the sock, and hang in the clothes closet to help remove musty odors. You also can pop it into the fridge.
• Slip the sock over a furniture leg when moving.
• Slide a damp sock over your hand, and detail-dust and clean hard-to-reach areas of your home.
• Use the ribbed top of a crew sock as a hot-coffee sleeve. You can decorate it with buttons and exaggerated stitching for fun.
DEAR HELOISE: I use a coffee filter to cover drinks outdoors. I place one upside down over each glass, and even cans. It's inexpensive and does the job.
-- Lee H., Indiana
DEAR READER: Indeed, protects from nosy bugs and falling leaves!
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 07/28/2016