Controlling Dust
Hints From Heloise
By Heloise Thursday, June 14, 2007; 12:00 AM
Controlling Dust
Dear Readers: DUST is a fact of life, and no matter how thoroughly we clean, it doesn't take long for a fine layer to reappear! But don't get discouraged. Control dust -- don't let it control you.
A dry cloth or feather duster just pushes dust into the air! Microfiber cloths are the best thing to come along in a while! They are wonderful for removing dust from just about everything, including pets. I keep one handy in the glove compartment of my car. And once they've put in a good day's work, you can throw them in the wash (alone, not with anything that gives off lint) and they're ready for the next cleaning chore.
Do a five-minute "quick dust" of just the tops of the most visible surfaces as often as possible to help keep dust from building up.
P.S.: Visit www.Heloise.com for more hints using microfiber cloths.
HANDY ADDRESS
Dear Heloise: When I receive a letter from a good friend and I do not want to search all over for the address, I tape the return address to a blank postcard. Doing this, the address is there when I need to write back! -- Anna Victoria Reich, Stafford, Va.
EASY PUZZLE ID
Dear Heloise: I have an easy way to keep children's jigsaw-puzzle pieces separated. After a puzzle has been worked, I carefully turn it over and mark the back side of the pieces with colored markers, or x's and o's, etc.
Then I put the pieces in a zipper-top bag to keep them together. You would be surprised at how simple this is, and the puzzles can be worked over and over without losing any of the pieces. -- Jean, via e-mail
FURNITURE FOOTPRINTS
Dear Heloise: A reader offered the terrific hint of using furniture footprints to figure out which pieces will fit where in a new home. This helps you decide what to take and saves time because the movers can see where to put each piece.
However, instead of making the tracings out of newspapers cutouts, it's better to use paper that has no print on it. I buy a cheap roll of craft paper. Newspaper could leave traces of the newsprint on your carpeting or other flooring. -- Lee in Laguna Woods Village, Calif.
SEWING NEEDLES
Dear Heloise: I used to lose a lot of sewing needles before I found that the little plastic containers in which mechanical pencil lead comes work fantastically. They're just the right size for standard needles, and I haven't lost a needle since! -- D.N. from Minnesota
APPLIANCE CORDS
Dear Heloise: Rather than using twist-ties to shorten electrical cords on appliances, I use ponytail bands -- the kind with a ball on either end. I tie one ball on the cord and wrap the other around the folded cord like it's a ponytail. I make the cord just long enough to reach the plug. -- Kaye Hagman, Farmington, N.M.
(c)2007 by King Features Syndicate Inc.
44By Heloise Thursday, June 14, 2007; 12:00 AM
Controlling Dust
Dear Readers: DUST is a fact of life, and no matter how thoroughly we clean, it doesn't take long for a fine layer to reappear! But don't get discouraged. Control dust -- don't let it control you.
A dry cloth or feather duster just pushes dust into the air! Microfiber cloths are the best thing to come along in a while! They are wonderful for removing dust from just about everything, including pets. I keep one handy in the glove compartment of my car. And once they've put in a good day's work, you can throw them in the wash (alone, not with anything that gives off lint) and they're ready for the next cleaning chore.
Do a five-minute "quick dust" of just the tops of the most visible surfaces as often as possible to help keep dust from building up.
P.S.: Visit www.Heloise.com for more hints using microfiber cloths.
HANDY ADDRESS
Dear Heloise: When I receive a letter from a good friend and I do not want to search all over for the address, I tape the return address to a blank postcard. Doing this, the address is there when I need to write back! -- Anna Victoria Reich, Stafford, Va.
EASY PUZZLE ID
Dear Heloise: I have an easy way to keep children's jigsaw-puzzle pieces separated. After a puzzle has been worked, I carefully turn it over and mark the back side of the pieces with colored markers, or x's and o's, etc.
Then I put the pieces in a zipper-top bag to keep them together. You would be surprised at how simple this is, and the puzzles can be worked over and over without losing any of the pieces. -- Jean, via e-mail
FURNITURE FOOTPRINTS
Dear Heloise: A reader offered the terrific hint of using furniture footprints to figure out which pieces will fit where in a new home. This helps you decide what to take and saves time because the movers can see where to put each piece.
However, instead of making the tracings out of newspapers cutouts, it's better to use paper that has no print on it. I buy a cheap roll of craft paper. Newspaper could leave traces of the newsprint on your carpeting or other flooring. -- Lee in Laguna Woods Village, Calif.
SEWING NEEDLES
Dear Heloise: I used to lose a lot of sewing needles before I found that the little plastic containers in which mechanical pencil lead comes work fantastically. They're just the right size for standard needles, and I haven't lost a needle since! -- D.N. from Minnesota
APPLIANCE CORDS
Dear Heloise: Rather than using twist-ties to shorten electrical cords on appliances, I use ponytail bands -- the kind with a ball on either end. I tie one ball on the cord and wrap the other around the folded cord like it's a ponytail. I make the cord just long enough to reach the plug. -- Kaye Hagman, Farmington, N.M.
(c)2007 by King Features Syndicate Inc.
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