A new look at securing rings

hoUsehold adviCe

A new look at securing rings

Dear Readers: In a recent column, Jo T. wrote about LOSING HER RINGS when she took them off to apply lotion to her hands. Here are some reader hints: Barbara in Mission Viejo, Calif., wrote: “When I wash my hands in a public restroom, I take off my rings and glasses, place the rings on one arm of my glasses, then put my glasses back on. The rings jiggle and remind you that they are with you. When you dry your hands, simply take your rings off the glasses, and they are always safe.”

Sandra M., via email, said: “I work at an office building, and

someone found a set of rings in the parking lot and turned them in at one of the desks. No one has claimed them! Please have Jo call every place she went during that time. Maybe someone turned them in.”

Both good hints, and I’d love to print more!

— Heloise

PAINT ON CARPET Dear Heloise: I spilled paint on gray carpet. Water to the rescue! I poured a good amount of water on the paint. The best way to absorb the water is a wet/dry vac, but I used a sponge. I set the sponge on top. Don’t press, because it pushes the paint into the carpet. Let the sponge absorb the water, and then wring it out. Repeat until the paint is gone. Set a fan on the wet spot to dry it out completely. Might as well try it, because the carpet will be a total loss anyway.

— Pam, via mail

Readers, please READ THIS before attempting Pam’s hint: Pam, you are lucky that this worked. For most paint stains, pouring “a good amount” of water on them is going to SPREAD the paint more. Far better to scrape up or soak up the paint with paper towels first, then proceed. Generally, in

carpet stain removal, it’s soak up the stain, blot and ONLY then use water or a carpet cleaner. Pam, if you saw this on the Internet, did they say what type of paint?

— Heloise HIDDEN WIRES Dear Heloise: I have a built-in desk and got weary of looking at the jumble of wires in the back. I bought a large wastebasket the color of the wall, draped all the wires inside it and pushed it against the wall.

— Peggy C., Cypress, Texas

Hints from Heloise

heloise