The power of white iodine

h o u s e h o l d a d V i C e

The power of white iodine

Dear Heloise: I’ve heard that WHITE IODINE helps

to strengthen fingernails. Is

that true? If so, what is the

procedure? Thank you.

— Linda S., Eastland, Texas

Yes, Linda, white (decolorized or clear, also known as yodo blanco) iodine is one way to help strengthen fingernails. Pharmacists

everywhere are probably going to be muttering my name under their breath, but here goes: Use a cotton swab or clean nail-polish brush to coat JUST THE TIP and the underside of your clean nail. If you wear polish, put the white iodine on

the underside.

Do this daily for only one

week, then just once a week.

Don’t go overboard — it will

make nails more brittle. Too often, too much makes it worse.

Do avoid contact with hydrogen peroxide; nails will

turn yellow/orange. Do wear

rubber gloves when cleaning, which is better for your nails

and hands anyway.

Where can you get white iodine? Call your pharmacy

first. In some states, it may be kept behind the counter. Also,

it’s for sale online and is pretty cheap ($3-$10) for how long it

will last.

— Heloise

P.S.: Weak nails (ruling out

environmental causes) may be

age- and diet-related. Ask your

health-care professional about

taking biotin as a supplement.

CLEAN BACKPACK

Dear Readers: Yuck — kids’ backpacks! Have kids remove all wrappers, tissues and food weekly! To clean, turn the backpack upside down and shake. Brush or wipe off any

crud, then scrub using a damp

sponge with baking soda. Baking soda is a workhorse,

it’s cheap and is a staple in my cleaning arsenal!

— Heloise

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