THROWING LIP BALM IN THE LAUNDRY
To Heloise,I adore your column and all of the insightful tips I come across every day. I washed and dried a tiny tube of lip balm in a bunch of my colorful garments by mistake. Two T-shirts and a pair of knit leggings are covered in spots. I need assistance removing the stains. I’ve made a few unsuccessful attempts. Any recommendations would be very valued. In Greenwell Springs, Louisiana, Helen S.
Please try this, Helen:
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If there is any lip balm left on the fabric, try scraping it off with the edge of a spoon.
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Next, mix together dishwashing soap, baking soda and laundry detergent, then treat the stain with this mixture and leave it on for about 1 hour. This is to help lift out the stain.
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Finally, launder as you normally would.
You can use oxygenated laundry detergent, which is available at any grocery shop, to wash a white T-shirt. Heloise
ELEGANT BUTTONS
To Heloise,The buttons on my new blouse are not plain, despite the top itself being plain. In actuality, the buttons give the blouse a stunning and pricey appearance. Could you please give me some advice on how to prevent the buttons from coming off when it is dry cleaned? I’m afraid I could lose one. In Charleston, West Virginia, Sherry G.
Don’t take out the original thread, Sherry; instead, sew the buttons on using dental floss. Although dental floss is far more durable than thread, it must be unwaxed. Use a permanent marker on the floss, wait an hour or so for it to dry, and then begin sewing if the thread needs to match the fabric. Heloise
BOARDS FOR CUTTING
To Heloise,I’m concerned because I constantly hearing about microplastics in our meals. I believed that a cutting board made of plastic would be safer than one made of wood. Given that both surfaces are contaminated, it appears that none is a suitable cutting surface. What should we do now? — In Hot Springs, Arkansas, Jody C.
Jody Indeed, microplastic from plastic cutting boards and our food sources is a serious problem. Additionally, any wounds or scratches on the cutting surface will hold some bacteria. But these days, individuals are using metal cutting boards, which are often composed of titanium or steel. No microplastics, no scratches! You can buy them in stores or online. Heloise
TRAUMATIC CARROTS
To Heloise,We recently relocated to a rural area and adore it. My family likes carrots, so I planted a lot last year, but the ones that grew were the saddest carrots I’ve ever seen. Small, frail, and thin! So what happened when I fertilized the soil? In Bend, Oregon, Anna V.
It’s possible that your soil crusts over, Anna, which will keep the immature seeds from sprouting. Cover the seeds with a mixture of peat or vermiculite and a small amount of sawdust.
Along with the carrots, you can also plant some radishes. The radishes will tear up the dirt as they sprout. However, after the radishes are mature, remove them to avoid crowding the carrots. Heloise
GREEN TOMATOES
To Heloise,My husband and I have been growing tomatoes for years. I place an apple between every second tomato, but occasionally we bring in the green ones and let them mature on a bright windowsill in the kitchen. Ethylene gas, which is released by both apples and tomatoes, speeds up the ripening process. The tomatoes simply get a tiny push from the additional ethylene gas from the apples. In Michigan, Veronica P.
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