Hints from Heloise

Fri., Feb. 10, 2006

The Spokesman-Review

Dear Heloise: How would I remove gum from my carpet? I tracked it in on my sneakers. Thank you. – Lois Williams, via e-mail

If gum isn’t removed quickly, it can become a yucky stain. So, the best thing to do is put ice in a metal pan and set this on top of the gummed area to harden it. Then carefully scrape off as much as possible with a dull knife. To remove any remaining residue, put a little dry-cleaning solvent on a clean cloth and lightly rub the stain. – Heloise

Dear Heloise: We recently painted our living room, and after removing the electrical-outlet covers, I placed them on a sheet of waxed paper to paint. No more having them stick to the newspaper after being painted. – Jake Armstrong, Cedar Springs, Mich.

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