DEAR HELOISE: Please save our marriage. Does one use hot water or cold water when washing/throwing things down the garbage disposal in the sink? Thank you for your counseling.
-- Rick E., via email
DEAR READER: In the interest of marital bliss, I'm happy to answer your question. You already (hopefully) pour off bacon grease, frying oils and other fats into an old can or plastic bag, freeze and put in the trash on trash day.
Even in doing so, small amounts of fats and grease will still get down the drain. A leading manufacturer of garbage disposals agrees: A thin stream of cold water is the correct choice when using your disposal, for its proper maintenance.
Hot water can encourage the grease to melt and conform to the pipes. This will, as you can imagine, eventually create a big problem in your pipes.
Cold water is the way to go.
P.S. Speaking of cold water, run a couple of pieces of ice through your disposal every now and then. Put the stopper in before running the disposal to prevent flying ice.
DEAR HELOISE: I collect plastic and paper bags of all sizes from grocery and department stores, and I take them to food pantries and nonprofit thrift stores, which are always thrilled to receive them!
Nonprofits have a difficult time making ends meet. I also save egg cartons to take to our local food pantry.
-- L.L., Hollister, Mo.
DEAR READERS: The San Antonio Food Bank has live chickens for eggs, and a big fruit and vegetable garden, too! Wonderful work for the community.
DEAR HELOISE: I have made a few beds in my time, and I have a good answer to Sharon H.'s question of why blankets are square when mattresses are rectangular. The answer is that blankets are tucked in on both sides and at the foot of the bed but not at the head.
A 90-by-90 blanket on a 60-by-80 mattress has 15 inches to wrap around and tuck in on each side. Allowing 15 inches to wrap and tuck at the foot of the bed means the blanket comes up 5 inches short at the top.
If you want the blanket to go higher, allow less than 15 inches at the bottom and count on the sides to hold it in place.
-- John W., via email
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
Weekend on 05/02/2019