DEAR HELOISE: Frugal plumber here! Everyone likes to make fun of plumbers when they bend over, but I do not have that problem. I stretch cotton materials before I put them in the dryer or hang them to dry. Doing this makes some quite a bit longer; it adds more than four inches to my shirts, even after the dryer. I also do this with my young kid's clothes. Pants and shirts will last months and are longer for length.
-- Allen Pederson, via email
DEAR HELOISE: I wanted to write in regarding the tip from Susan I., in Yuma, Ariz., about drinking more water. Ladies, please realize that eight glasses of water is only a recommendation for what might be considered the weight of an "average" woman. I had followed this guideline at one time and was shocked when my physician informed me that my body did not have enough sodium, since I am very thin. I was in danger of having my brain shrink!
I learned that there is a formula to follow: Take your body weight in pounds, then divide it in half. The result is how many ounces of water you should consume in a day. In other words, if you weigh 128 pounds and divide it in half, you would drink 64 ounces (eight cups) a day. Adjust your intake up or down according to your weight. Of course, if you are out in the heat or doing vigorous exercise, you would then have to increase your intake.
-- Annie R.,
The Villages, Fla.
DEAR HELOISE: I use clear office tape to cover the printed numbers on transit passes, gift cards, work-access fobs, badges, etc. These codes easily rub off often, and the tape provides the right amount of protection to keep the numbers legible for years!
-- Jeremy Baird,
Ballston Spa, N.Y.
DEAR HELOISE: I ordered books from a secondary seller on Amazon. They arrived with a very moldy smell, but didn't have any visible mold. I had about half of a bucket of scented, clumping cat litter. I laid a paper towel in the bucket on top of the litter, then stood the books fanned out inside of the bucket. I closed the lid and left them in there for two days. All the books came out smelling great, and the cat litter was still usable.
-- J.W., in California
DEAR HELOISE: If you don't have any vinegar on hand, soapy water will work just fine for ants on your countertops. I use about ¼ cup dish soap to ½ cup water. It kills the ants and is safe.
-- M.S., in California
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