Hints from Heloise: Tips on keeping ants out of pet food bowls, storing zucchini bread and more

REPLACING THE LIDS ON TOOTHPASTE

Dear Heloise: I recently read about the woman who does not like the flip-top lids on toothpaste. I, too, dislike the flip-top lids on toothpaste, and I find them very messy. However, I have taken the screw-top lid from my travel-sized toothpaste and found that it fits the large toothpaste tubes of several brands. I now throw the flip-top lids from the toothpaste into the garbage and replace it with a screw-top from a used, travel-sized toothpaste tube.

Thanks for all your great hints. I love reading your columns. — Nancy Barrett, Sweet Valley, Pennsylvania

SHEET ORGANIZATION

Dear Heloise: After spreading a new sheet on a bed, I use a permanent marker to place a dot on the four corners where the mattress edge aligns. This saves my having to do the back-and-forth eye-balling to make sure that the linen edges are even. It is particularly helpful when teaching kids how to make their own beds. Just place the dots on the corners!

It works on blankets and spreads that are not patterned as well. A flower or star could be embroidered or drawn on top of the dots. Two dots could even designate the foot or the bottom of the sheets. — Grace Stanton, Grand Haven, Michigan

ANTS IN PET FOOD BOWLS

Dear Heloise: Use baby oil to keep ants out of pet food bowls. Spray or rub it only on the outside of the bowl and the ground around the feeding area. It works on most ants. — A Reader, via email

STORING ZUCCHINI BREAD

Dear Heloise: Zucchini season is here! I love zucchini nut bread, but I can’t eat it all. So, I freeze a loaf or two, dividing them into individual slices with parchment paper. I can take one slice at a time and nuke it for 30 seconds, and it’ll taste like it’s freshly out of the oven. — Peggy Ann Berry, Dayton, Ohio

SANITARY PRACTICES

Dear Heloise: I just read a recent column of yours and wanted to comment on the woman who washes her hands before and after putting away her groceries. While this is a good practice to do, putting grocery bags on the counter is not. Those bags come into contact with the dirtiest of places, like the conveyor belt area at the store, the trunk of the car, and other areas. Just saying. — Irene, in New York

SHALLOTS VERSUS ONIONS

Dear Heloise: I work as a chef at a restaurant, and while trying to train a new chef on how to prepare certain dishes, he said he didn’t know that there was a difference between shallots and white, yellow or red onions. If a recipe calls for shallots, it’s best to use them instead of substituting them for another type of onion. While it’s true that shallots are a member of the onion family, they have a flavor somewhere between onion and garlic.

Also, if you cook shallots for too long, they can taste bitter, so never overcook them. Instead, cook them just until they’re brown. No more! — E.H., in Florida

CHECK IN ON ELDERS

Dear Heloise: Here’s something to add to your reminder list in this oppressive, unrelenting heat: How about reminding those who have the time to check in on their elderly neighbors and long-distant parents? — J., in Houston

Send a money-saving or time-saving hint to [email protected]. I can’t answer your letter personally but will use the best hints received in my column.

SEND A GREAT HINT TO: [email protected]

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