DEAR READERS: Other uses for fake credit cards:
Use to scrape food off pots and pans.
Put in an old wallet and let kids play with them.
Cut and use as collar stays.
Glue photos to them so the photos don’t bend.
Decorate and make into name tags.
DEAR HELOISE: I remember in a previous column you discussed washing soda. Could you please explain again what it is, and what it can be used for?
- Stella in Texas
DEAR READER: Washing soda is not the same as baking soda, so don’t get the two confused. Washing soda (also known as sodium carbonate, or soda ash) is a laundry booster, and also is a great all-around household cleaner. Here are just a few of the ways you can use washing soda around the house:
Remove soap scum on tubs, sinks and tile. Mix a half cup of washing soda in a gallon of warm water. Scrub area thoroughly and rinse well. (Do not use this solution on fiberglass.)
Add a half cup of washing soda to your normal laundry detergent to give your laundry a little boost.
Washing soda normally can be found on the laundry-detergent aisle. You also may be able to find it at hardware or national discount stores. If you are having trouble finding it, ask store personnel for help.
DEAR HELOISE: I have a jogging stroller that has inflatable tires. Several times I have arrived at a location in our car only to find out that the stroller tires are flat. It is embarrassing and a hassle, because I can’t use the stroller, and I end up carrying my child the whole time. I bought an inexpensive bike pump. I leave it in the stroller all the time now, and if I get somewhere and have a flat tire, I can easily fix it. It is small and doesn’t take up much room.
- Hanna, via e-mail
DEAR HELOISE: I know a lot of people like to keep fresh orange juice on hand. I like to keep frozen orange juice on hand. Frozen juice often is made from the whole fruit, which means the peel is included. There are many antioxidants and vitamins found in a fruit’s rind. When drinking fresh juice made without the peel, you lose those benefits. Not to mention, frozen juice often is much cheaper than a jug of fresh.
- A Reader in Colo.
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 [email protected]
ActiveStyle, Pages 32 on 05/27/2013