Hints from Heloise

Dear Heloise: My trick for preventing mold in kitchen sponges is, after wringing them dry, to place them on an edge of the sink so that one corner is hanging off the edge. The corner hanging down allows the sponge to continue draining and to dry without mildew. – Jeanie, Houston

And, speaking of sponges, here are a couple of comments. From Diane Sulpizio of Houston: “I prefer to use sponges in my kitchen and wanted to make sure that they are always fresh and clean. I purchased seven sponges. I use a new one each day. At the end of the day, I toss the sponge of the day into the washing machine to be washed with the rest of my weekly laundry and start the rotation over again.” And, from Dorothy Wojcik of New Monmouth, N.J.: “I used sponges for many years and did not have a problem with ‘grungy’ sponges. But I finally got smart when I realized how much money they cost – I bought dishcloths. Easier to keep clean, not smelly and last a long time.”