Hints From Heloise

Dear Heloise: My husband loves to cook and sometimes leaves me with a messy stove to clean, but he is a sweetheart and does the dishes when he’s done. One day I emptied the dishwater before I cleaned my stove. I took a paper towel, ran it under hot water and applied dishwashing detergent directly to it. My stove cleaned up like magic. Then I took another paper towel and rinsed. This method worked so well, now I use it when cleaning things like the sandwich maker, waffle iron, cookie sheets and other things that you cannot immerse in water. It also works great on greasy griddles on which bacon or hamburgers have been fried. - Sheryl L. Gast, Grand Rapids, Mich.

Your super cleaning hint is sure to help others. Thanks for writing. - Heloise

Dear Heloise: I am a conservationist at heart. I recently had a bad leak in my showerhead. It was two weeks before I could arrange for a plumber. I placed a small plastic pail directly under the drip. With the water collected, my houseplants were watered and my humidifier filled twice while waiting for a plumber. Try it when you have a drip in the sink or tub. I was surprised at how fast those drips accumulated! - Carolyn Kerr, Canisteo, N.Y.