DEAR READERS: Today's Sound Off is about mattresses:
DEAR HELOISE: Why are mattresses in this age of technology not made stain- and water-repellent? Why aren't mattresses made in colors that don't show the dirt, and why aren't there handles on the sides of mattresses to make flipping them much easier? There's a lot of room for improvement.
-- Janice M.,
Waterbury, Conn.
DEAR JANICE: I'm with you on this. Yes, they do sell mattress protectors, which you buy, then cover the mattress and zip to close. Here is the Heloise Hint: Buy a fabric/leather protector spray and use this on your mattress. It's best to do several light coats, rather than one heavy.
The handles are supposed to be used when placing the mattress on the box spring, not really to "flip" the mattress. However, most of us do use them to flip or rotate the mattress. Also, today most new mattresses have "pillow" tops, and unless the pillow is on both top and bottom, you can't flip it. Do some research to find "flippable" mattress sets.
DEAR READERS: Uses for leftover wallpaper:
• Coordinate frame mats with room decor.
• Line shelves in the kitchen.
• Use as wrapping paper.
• Cut to fit for a border trim for walls.
DEAR HELOISE: Here is how I make a marker for the seeds I've planted: I go to the dollar store and buy inexpensive wooden spoons with long handles. Then I paint the front and back of the bowl part of the spoon, plus 2 or 3 inches down the handle from the bowl. When it dries, I write the name of the seeds I'm planting with a waterproof marker on the front of the spoon.
-- Joyce M.,
Cape Coral, Fla.
DEAR READERS: "If you sweep dust out the door after dark, it will bring a handsome stranger to visit."
Really? How about a handsome stranger with lots of money?
DEAR HELOISE: When it's time to clean out the garage, I put an ice chest filled with soft drinks, water and some bagged fruit and vegetables out there. No excuse to leave!
-- Tired But Happy,
via email
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 04/24/2017