DEAR HELOISE:In a doctor's waiting room, I was reading your article concerning the cleaning of a bathtub. Before finishing the article, I was called in for my appointment and was unable to gain the information I was interested in.
Would you be so kind as to reprint the recipe for the action? It contained dishwasher detergent and something else. Thank you. — William Cornwell, via e-mail
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William, I believe you are talking about the article on cleaning a spa tub.
Here's the info: Fill the tub with enough hot water to cover the jets by at least several inches. Depending on the tub's size, add 1 to 2 cups of household chlorine bleach and 1/4 to 1/2 cup of powdered dishwasher detergent. Run the spa for at least 20 minutes; allow the water to sit for 20 to 30 minutes, then drain. Refill with cold water and turn on the jets for several minutes, then drain. Be sure to have good ventilation, and keep kids and pets away during the process. — Heloise
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DEAR HELOISE:I have a pop-up hamper that I flatten and put in my suitcase. When we get to a hotel or Grandma's house, I unpop it, and we use it for all of our dirty laundry. It sure helps avoid piles of dirty laundry everywhere. — Nicole in Washington
DEAR HELOISE:Thank you for printing the hint about using magnet-backed business cards to capture pulled staples. No matter how careful one is, those sneaky staples always manage to fall into the carpet. Using the magnet keeps them all together until I can throw them away. My co-workers just loved this one. — Jill Kight, Connelly Springs, N.C.
DEAR HELOISE:I'm trying to keep some hummingbirds around, but I have a feeder that can be difficult to clean. Today I tried something new: I put about 2 or 3 ounces of water in, added a small handful of pea gravel, swirled for a minute or two, and voila — sparkling-clean. — Tom in California
DEAR HELOISE:The vase on my mother's tombstone perfectly holds a plastic drink bottle -- lightweight and not breakable. I just cut off the narrower neck part. It drops in, and you can be cut to height. With the bottle, I can either wash it or replace it. — Patricia in Minnesota
