This week’s handy helpers

“ “I line my veggie and fruit drawers with plain paper towels to avoid messes in the refrigerator.” — A Reader, via e-mail

“ “For grease stains on fabric, I don’t reach any farther than my kitchen sink. I saturate it with dishwashing liquid and throw it in the washer. It works better than any stain stick.” — W.D. in Pennsylvania

“ “Everyone knows probably five uses for pantyhose with runs in them. Here’s one I heard from a friend that I had never heard before. Scrunch one leg up and use it like a dusting mitt on upholstered furniture to get rid of cat hair. I guess it would work for all pet hair, but I do this every day now, and it’s so easy.” — G.T. in Washington

“ If you have a stinky sink problem, check your garbage disposal. The plastic insert in the drain will usually pull out to give you a better look. Sometimes, all that is needed is to clean the plastic insert — it can collect a nasty food slime on the disposal-facing side. You can also try running it for a few minutes with ice cubes, citrus peels, baking soda or vinegar.

“ “We have a ton of books, and to keep them relatively free of dust I use a hair dryer to blow them off. Work from the top down, then vacuum up the floor.” — P.D. in Michigan