DEAR HELOISE: What's the best way to clean the litter box?
-- A Reader, via email
DEAR READER: Cats are extremely sensitive to strong odors, so scrub the empty box with an unscented, mild detergent. Using ammonia or other strong-smelling products could cause the cat to stay away. Rinse well to remove all the soap, then dry. Empty and clean it at least once per week.
DEAR HELOISE: It's still chilly here in the East. I make homemade "breeze blockers":
Method one, for doors inside the house: You'll need a full leg of old nylon pantyhose and two cardboard cores from gift wrap. Insert the cores into the hose and tie off the end. Slip this under the door so that one tube is on one side of the door and the other is on the other side.
Method two, better to use for doors to the outside: Fill a knee-high knit sock with uncooked rice. Tie it off and wedge it against the bottom of the closed door.
-- Don J. in Philadelphia
DEAR HELOISE: Some prescription drugs come in a bottle with a childproof cap that can be turned over and used as a screw-on cap. Who knew?
-- Margaret H., Florida
DEAR HELOISE: I've been a larger-sized person my whole life, and I used to feel ashamed. I'd compare myself to everyone else, and I would hide under baggy clothes. This is bad on so many levels, and I finally realized it. Wearing clothes that are too big for me makes me look even bigger than I am.
And a curvy hip or tummy is nothing to be ashamed of. I eat healthfully and get exercise; some people are just bigger than other people, and that's OK. It's time for women to stop apologizing for who they are and to just be.
-- Holly I. in San Antonio
DEAR HELOISE: I buy my bananas in varying degrees of ripeness, to last throughout the week.
-- Deborah in New York
DEAR HELOISE: On our ranch, we use a homemade solution of warm water and salt to rid our dog of fleas. We slowly pour the salt water over our dog and massage it into the dog's fur, then rinse with clean water. This is the best and cheapest flea killer there is.
-- Tanner H., Texas
Send a money- or time-saving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000; fax to (210) 435-6473; or email
Heloise@Heloise.com
HomeStyle on 02/22/2020