Dear Readers: Dust in our homes is a never-ending problem — it seems that we've just dusted and it's back! Here are some hints to help control dust — we will never conquer it.
Don't just move dust around — using a dry cloth or feather duster simply rearranges dust and pushes it into the air, where it then falls and returns to another surface.
Depending on what you are dusting, you'll need to use a furniture polish, multipurpose spray cleaner or a slightly damp cloth to pick up and hold the dust. Hint: I like to put clean, old socks over my hands and spray them with furniture polish to dust.
Microfiber cloths also do a great job of removing dust from furniture, computer screens and even pets! These are a must in my household.
In between dustings, stand in the middle of each room and look at all surfaces: the dining-room table, coffee table, side tables and nightstands, etc. If they appear dusty before you have the time to do a thorough cleaning, do a five-minute quick dust to help keep dust from building up.
I hope these help you keep the upper hand on those dust bunnies that visit everyone's home! —Heloise
P.S.: Here's my ode to dust:
Dust, dust, go away
Don't come back till doomsday!
If you do I'll get my vac
That's all I have to say about that.
Dear Heloise: I found two other uses for vinegar. In a recent purchase from a nursery, I found an ant farm in the dirt of the plant. After planting, I poured a solution of 1/2 vinegar and 1/2 water on it, and the next day the ants were dead. Oh, and it also kept the rabbits from eating the newly planted plant. —Cindy Kurtz, Mohnton, Pa.
I knew about vinegar for ant prevention, but to keep rabbits from nibbling? I wonder if it would work as well with deer? If it does, it would be a miracle! And while we're at it, vinegar will kill grass in between sidewalks or steppingstones, as well as moss. I could go on and on about the many ways vinegar can be used inside and outside, but I don't have the space, so send for my vinegar pamphlet. Please include a long, self-addressed, stamped (60 cents) envelope and $4, and mail it to: Heloise/Vinegar, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001. You'll find tons of uses that you've probably never thought of and that will save you lots of money. Why buy expensive commercial products that are full of chemicals when good ol' inexpensive vinegar is all you need? —Heloise
Dear Heloise:I was getting ready for work recently and needed to take some medication along with me. I did not have a pillbox, so, while searching for a container to hold two pills, I came across one of many contact-lens cases I had in the cabinet. This worked great, and with the screw lids, I did not have to worry about the pills falling out. —Kim Pinneke, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
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