DEAR HELOISE: I have three hints that will make your kitchen healthier and safer:
• Keep on hand two cutting boards, one for meat (colored red) and one for fruits and veggies (colored green).
• Hang a solid-colored towel in the kitchen for drying hands, and a patterned one for drying dishes.
• When putting fresh eggs in your egg tray, put a small dot with a marker on any older eggs so you will use them first.
-- LAF, Temple, Texas
DEAR READER: At first I thought the reader was making a funny comment with "her" name, but indeed, "L.A.F." are her initials! One note: If using an egg tray, be sure to place it in the coldest part of the refrigerator -- on a shelf, not in the door.
DEAR HELOISE: What we can use to clean our kitchen cabinets. Do you know what kind of cleaner we can buy or mix together to clean them?
-- Reader from Nebraska
DEAR READER: Grease and kitchen grime build up over the years. I have an easy way to get rid of the grease, and it involves vinegar.
Mix one part vinegar (apple cider or white) with two parts water. Dip a clean towel or microfiber cloth (really works well) into the solution, wring out excess and wipe the surfaces of the cabinets, doing one small area at a time.
Dry and polish with a fresh cloth. This may take several attempts. I have put together my favorite homemade cleaning solutions in a pamphlet. You also can use a teaspoon of household ammonia to 1 quart of water. This helps remove oily, greasy buildup. Wipe with fresh water and buff dry.
DEAR READERS: How do you know which shade of blush is right for you? Here are some guidelines:
Fair skin with pink undertones looks pretty with pink blush with a bluish or lilac undertone.
Olive and darker-toned skin glows with brownish, peach and taupe shades.
The old hint of testing the color on the back of your hand works if the skin tones are the same. The new hint: Test a little on your chin line.
DEAR HELOISE: I've asked my family that when they have a stain on a garment, they need to safety-pin a note where the stain is and tell me what it is. I can't keep track of all of their messes.
-- Lara G., Tampa, Fla.
Send a money- or time-saving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000; fax to (210) 435-6473; or email
Weekend on 03/30/2017