HELPFUL HINTS

By HELOISE

Posted: September 10, 2009 at 4:30 a.m.

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LITTLE ROCK — DEAR HELOISE: I'm using cloth diapers to help save money. Do you have any hints for cleaning them?

- Andrea Z., Union, N.J.

DEAR READER: Many young mothers are going back to basics and using cloth diapers. You even can get a diaper cleaning service to pick up soiled ones once a week. Check the prices versus doing them yourself.

Here are hints:

Don't put more than 30 diapers in a load (check your washer's capacity), or they won't wash or rinse properly. Also, try a second rinse.

To deodorize dirty diapers between washings: Remove solid waste and soak diapers in a presoak solution. You can make one by mixing 1 gallon of water with a few drops of liquid laundry detergent and 1 tablespoon of household bleach.

When you are ready to launder, just dump the solution and all the items into the washing machine and set it on a spin cycle. This is much easier than taking each diaper from the pail and wringing it out by hand.

Don't let dirty diapers or liners sit unwashed for more than three days. A week is too long, and stains will set in.

Invest in a tightly sealed diaper pail. Some of the new ones are fantastic and have odor filters in the lid.

DEAR HELOISE: While at the beach or pool, I keep my hearing aid dry and protected by placing it in a pill container. I label it and tuck it into my beach bag. A hearing aid is quite expensive, so this is a good way to protect it.

- Betty Ruger, Ballston Spa, N.Y.

DEAR HELOISE: In humid weather, try using a few unpopped popcorn kernels in a salt shaker instead of rice.Rice can clog the holes or break up and get on food.

- Joan deGarmo, Haymarket, Va. Send a money- or time-saving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000; fax to (210) 435-6473; or e-mail

HELOISE@CompuServe.com

Weekend, Pages 36 on 09/10/2009

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