Dear Readers: Has mildew invaded your rubberized bathmat? I'll tell you an easy way to get rid of it and keep it from coming back.
Have you taken a look at the underside of your bathmat lately? If it looks slimy or has patches of black or brown mystery grime, welcome to the world of mildew. To get rid of it, toss the bathmat in the washing machine with hot, soapy water and some bleach. Toss in a couple of bleach-safe towels to add some scrubbing action. Run the washer through its normal cycles, then pull out the bathmat and let it drip-dry.
To keep mildew from coming back, pull up the bathmat after every bath and let it drip-dry. Hang it over a towel rod, or let it drip-dry on the wall. Gently press the mat onto the wall so the suction cups grab hold. The water will drip down into the tub, and your bathmat will stay mildew-free. —Heloise
Dear Heloise: I recently discovered that elastic cords are great for hanging my outdoor hanging baskets. They come in various lengths and colors. They work great hanging from trees, balconies, plant hooks, etc. —Carolyn in Marble Falls, Texas
Dear Heloise: Here's a hint that makes pouring and storing paint a breeze: Save all your liquid-laundry-detergent jugs. Wash them out, and you won't find a better way to store paint. No more rusty, nonoperable lids, paint splatters from tapping the lids closed, dried-out paint or runs down the side of the can when filling paint trays. The spout works great for dispensing paint. Use a funnel to fill the jugs, and you're good to go. —Craig, via e-mail
Dear Heloise: When I accidentally spill small pills, beads or any other small objects — which are difficult for any of us to pick up, let alone for those with arthritis or small motor-skill problems — I simply use a kitchen tool.
The metal pancake flipper slides under the dropped items, and I cup my other hand around or over the items and simply drop them back into the container. If necessary, I place a small funnel in the container first. Saves a lot of time. —C. Porter Stone, Harrisonburg, Va.
Dear Heloise: I use the broken shards from clay pots in the bottoms of pots for drainage. Because the pieces usually have some curvature, they work well over the hole in the bottom to prevent the potting soil from plugging the drain hole, and they allow for better drainage. —Dianne Clark, Houston
Dear Heloise: I am shocked by how many people worry about books being returned. I buy many books and pass them on to friends and family, who in turn pass them along to others. I believe books are meant to be read and shared versus collecting dust on shelves.—Darlene, via e-mail
Send a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000, or you can fax it to 1-210-435-6473 or e-mail it to Heloise@Heloise.com. I can't answer your letter personally but will use the best hints received in my column. © King Features Syndicate Inc.