DEAR READERS: It's spring, and that means it's puppy and kitten season. The animal shelters are bursting with new babies. They need donations. If you want to help, here are some items that are needed and recommended by The Humane Society.
Food-related items: training treats, canned and dry food, formula, puppy replacement milk, kitten and puppy bottles, food bowls, plastic containers and grocery bags.
For comfort and care-related items: blankets, towels, cotton balls and swabs, baby wipes, heating pads, puppy pads, rubbing alcohol, newspaper, paper towels and pet beds.
Other miscellaneous items: durable toys, hair trimmers, flea combs, crates (all sizes), litter boxes, nonclumping cat litter, litter scoopers and small collars for puppies and kittens.
This can make a great service project for a church youth group or scout pack. Cash is also a welcome gift.
DEAR HELOISE: I found a pair of really nice dress pants in a resale shop that are a little too short for my husband, so I let the hem out, leaving a very noticeable crease. How can I remove it?
-- Meredith in Florida
DEAR READER: Dampen the crease line with a cloth soaked in white vinegar. Use this as a pressing cloth and press with a moderately hot iron. Make sure the pants are clean. You don't want to "set" in a stain. Also, test an inconspicuous area first to make sure the vinegar doesn't affect the fabric.
Vinegar will remove scorch marks from most fabrics. Gently rub with a cloth dampened in white vinegar. This doesn't work with all fabrics.
DEAR HELOISE: When repotting plants, I use coffee filters in the bottom of the pot. Then I fill the pot halfway or more with wet, shredded paper, then add the soil and the plant. It's not as heavy as it would be if it was filled with only soil, and the paper will decompose.
-- A reader, via email
DEAR HELOISE: I receive ads in the mail written on stiff, shiny paper. Many are about 6 inches by 10 inches in size. I add them to my painting supplies, and they come in handy when needing a clean line at a corner or between two different surfaces.
They're easy to grab when in a hurry, and they're disposable.
-- Mary, via email
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
HomeStyle on 03/28/2020