DEAR HELOISE: Let me just say that I have enjoyed your column, and your mother's column before that, for many years. I have gotten a lot of very good hints that I have passed on to others -- always giving credit to Heloise.
Now that I have gotten to be a senior citizen in my late 70s, I find that I sometimes wake up in the middle of the night with a terrible dry mouth, as do many of my friends, family members and acquaintances of the same age group. I am aware that it is caused by sleeping with one's mouth open while in very deep sleep. They have chin straps that keep your mouth closed to prevent one from sleeping with an open mouth; however, they are pretty uncomfortable.
My sister got the bright idea to use one of her husband's sweatbands -- the kind that men wear to keep perspiration out of their eyes while doing yard-work, playing golf, etc. It fits neatly, is easy to wash, and is so much more comfortable than those velcro chin straps. I just put it under my chin and on top of my head. Voila! No open mouth, so no dry mouth while sleeping. Thank you very much for all of your columns.
-- Ginger, Baton Rouge
DEAR HELOISE: A few weeks ago, someone wrote in wanting to know how to get rid of tea stains in a porcelain pot. I have one, and this method works great. I discovered it by accident: Pour white vinegar into the pot and add water up to the line of the stain. Boil for at least an hour, and then pour out. Add fresh water (same amount) and half of a lemon, and let boil for another hour. It'll look brand new!
I think I reversed it when I first tried it and used to get hard water spots, but when I did it the way I described above, there were no spots whatsoever.
-- J.W., via emial
DEAR READERS: Vinegar is cheap, safe and has many more household uses (cleaning, cooking, beauty). It will make your mirrors and windows sparkle. FYI: To keep ants away from invading your counters, mix half vinegar and half water, and wipe the mixture over your counter.
DEAR HELOISE: Since someone brought up the tush-cleaning subject, I'd like to add another approach. Instead of using wet wipes, with their chemicals and expense, I simply use a spot of body lotion from a pump dispenser on some toilet paper, and then throw it in the trash. Better for the bottom and the plumbing.
-- S., Torrance, Calif.
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
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