Dear Readers: After years of washing dirty, grimy clothes, has your washing machine developed a bad odor? That stale, rotten smell is often caused by a buildup of soap residue and other gunk right under the rim.
To get rid of this, first try running a full-level hot wash with 1/2 gallon of vinegar and no detergent. If that doesn't do the trick, pull out the bleach.
To use the bleach method, first set the washing machine on a normal wash cycle with hot water and at the highest water level, and let the tub fill up with hot water. Now use a bucket to add more hot water, until the washing machine is almost full (you don't want to overfill — just add enough water to raise the water level up to the top inner rim of the drum, where the yuck accumulates).
When the water level is right, pour in 2 to 4 cups of household bleach, close the lid and start the wash cycle. A few minutes later, stop the wash cycle and leave the lid closed so that the bleach/water can sit for about 1 hour. Afterward, let the cycle finish, then open the lid, and you should now have a clean-smelling washing machine. — Heloise
P.S. Always leave the lid of the washing machine open to air out in between uses!
Dear Heloise: I love your column. I am an artist and travel many weeks during the year to exhibit my work at craft shows and art shows.
I often stay in hotels, and at least twice during the past year, a fire alarm went off during the night. Fortunately, each time was a false alarm, but nonetheless it required me to be outside for safety ... "just in case."
I have hated being caught unaware in my pajamas with a coat thrown over me, so I have found a solution. Instead of changing into pajamas or a nightgown, I wear a lightweight warm-up suit with a T-shirt while sleeping. When a fire alarm sounds, I can just put on my warm-up jacket, slip into slippers and go outside. Wearing this combination is also handy if I need ice or forget something in my car. I do not need to get dressed — I already am. —C.H., Winchester, Va.
Dear Heloise: We live in an area with lots of trees and uncleared land, and the grandkids are in and out, so mosquitoes and other insects travel with them. I use the rechargeable hand-held vacuum to catch these insects. On one occasion, we had about 75 mosquitoes in the house, and I turned off all the lights except for a lamp. I slowly moved the hand vacuum toward them, and they were sucked up easily. Also, if it crawls, the hand vac can be used for those bugs as well. If you don't want to smash bugs on the carpet or floor, this works great. You can go outside and empty it afterward. —Mike S. in Texas
Send a great hint to: Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000; fax: 210-435-6473; e-mail: Heloise@Heloise.com. © King Features Syndicate Inc.