DEAR READERS: With all the talk and concern about health care and the coronavirus, scammers will play on your fear through texts, calls or emails with offers of pills and potions they guarantee will flush out toxins from your body or keep you safe from the coronavirus. Please don't fall for these scams. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, we don't yet have a vaccine, and the current speculation is that we're at least one year away from having anything to combat this disease. Also, do your homework when it comes to donations. Go to
coronavirus.gov for the latest information. Stay safe to stay healthy.
DEAR HELOISE: Since the pandemic hit, we're seeing a lot of panic about running out of supplies like toilet paper, toothpaste and other necessities. This has made me take a good look at how I may have been over-using some of these products.
For example, a pea-size amount of toothpaste will do just as good a job as a brush full. I've found that most of the time half the amount of toilet paper I've been using is plenty. Instead of grabbing a full paper towel to do a small job, use a half sheet. If a paper plate isn't soiled after having chips or pretzels on it, save it for having a snack later. Now I'm on a mission to find other ways to cut excess, and I will never go back to the way I was using things before.
-- Bob in New Hampshire
DEAR HELOISE: Since my husband has passed, I find that I'm not using my dishwasher as often, and I'm noticing a bad smell coming from it. What's the best way to eliminate the odor?
-- Flo in Montana
DEAR READER: It's vinegar to the rescue! Put a cup or bowl filled with vinegar on the bottom rack (brace it so it doesn't fall over). Run the dishwasher, stopping it when it gets to the rinse cycle. Let it sit for an hour with the door closed. The vinegar will kill any mold or mildew that might be causing the bad odor. Then complete the rinse cycle. When the cycle ends, leave the door open to let it dry thoroughly.
To help prevent future odors, sprinkle some baking soda in the bottom of the dishwasher between loads (be sure the dishwasher is not wet inside). It's OK to leave it in there when you run your dishwasher again.
Send a money- or time-saving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000; fax to (210) 435-6473; or email
Heloise@Heloise.com
MovieStyle on 05/15/2020