Helpful Hints

DEAR HELOISE: For cat's litter boxes, I use clumping cat litter. When scooping/cleaning the litter box, I had used plastic grocery store bags, but I found this wasteful and environmentally unfriendly. Now, I use the bags from food items (tortillas, bread, frozen vegetables, cereal, etc.). These are bags I have readily available, and reusing them seems less wasteful than just throwing them away.

-- Kelly Fontaine,

Claremont, N.H.

DEAR HELOISE: Will you please tell your many readers who may not have central air conditioning and depend on portable fans, such as box fans, about this old-fashioned trick? To maximize the cooling effects of the fan, wet and wring out a large towel and hang it in front of the fan. The air will be much cooler as it blows through the towel.

-- Louisa Steel

DEAR HELOISE: For baby shower gifts, I rarely ever get anything off the gift registry list. Instead, I go to the local dollar store and pick up a small plastic tub (any shape), or I'll get a non-collapsible step stool and turn it upside down.

I start out outlining the tub/step stool with diapers, then fill it with practical items such as socks, bags for disposing dirty diapers when traveling, washcloths, teethers, safety pins, and a foldable potty seat (chain stores have these) to place on top of a toilet seat when the child is older so they don't fall in.

This potty seat is great for traveling, when kids have to use a public restroom, or when visiting friends and relatives who don't own potty-training chairs.

Once you know whatever theme the baby's room will be, include a stuffed animal or toy to go along with that theme, such as a deer if the baby's room is a camouflage theme. You can also include a small book to start their home library.

These are just a few of my favorites. The possibilities are endless. I often pick up items when I find them on sale and have them ready in advance for when needed.

-- Ruth C.,

Salado, Texas

DEAR HELOISE: I save plastic lids that are usually thrown out from deli containers, cottage cheese containers, dips, etc., and use them on the side of the stove to rest cooking utensils on. They can be cleaned and reused, or just thrown out when you are done.

-- Grandma

Send a money- or time-saving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000; fax to (210) 435-6473; or email

[email protected]

Print Headline: Helpful Hints

This document may not be reprinted without the express written permission of Northwest Arkansas Newspapers LLC. Please read our Terms of Use or contact us.

Material from the Associated Press is Copyright © 2023, Associated Press and may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. Neither these AP materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and noncommercial use. The AP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing. All rights reserved.

Riverside police attempting to identify burglar breaking into businesses by entering through ceiling

Multi