Easing out a tight bulb
Dear Heloise: My wife said she has seen your suggestions for how to UNSCREW A STUBBORN LIGHT BULB from a very tight fixture cover.
Any suggestions you can give will be a blessing! — John Crowley, via email
John, happy to help! Safety is the main concern. You must turn off the power from the main circuit box (or, when dealing with a lamp, unplug it).
Wearing gloves and eye protection, carefully wiggle the bulb, trying to loosen it from the base. In your case, you should place a heavy cloth over the light bulb and carefully break it off from its base.
Next, using a rubber-style jar opener, slowly reach in, twisting and wiggling back and forth gently to remove the base that is left behind.
Remember to completely clean the empty socket before replacing the light bulb to be sure there is no glass left.
You can use a clean, dry cloth or a vacuum-cleaner attachment.
Heloise Update: A raw potato was once suggested for removing the base, but the moisture from the potato actually could cause a short. So don’t! — Heloise
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Heloise
P.O. Box 795000
San Antonio, TX 78279-5000
Fax: 1-210-HELOISE
Email: Heloise@Heloise.com
Dear Heloise: Each year, we schedule a getaway for the first weekend of December.
Hotels and resorts usually offer money-saving packages during the lull immediately after Thanksgiving and before Christmas. The airports also seem to be less crowded.
Many destinations not only dazzle with holiday decorations, but also offer special activities. It’s an ideal time to save on travel as well as get into the holiday spirit. — Shelly and Bob M., San Antonio
A super-saver hint, and one I’d never thought of! Glad you sent it in. — Heloise
Dear Readers: Do you know the correct way to dispose of “sharps” (needles, syringes or lancets)?
Placing them in a plastic bag and in the trash is a no-no.
What are the alternatives?
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (www.epa.gov), the following disposal methods are OK: a mail-back program for a fee, a drop box at your doctor or pharmacy, or call your public health department for guidance.
You also can place it in a puncture-resistant plastic bottle with a screw-on lid and tape the lid closed, then place in the garbage can. — Heloise
Dear Heloise: Small paper shopping bags with handles are, well, handy! I found these uses for them:
n Trash bag in the car.
n Lunch bag for the office.
n An extra bag for daytime supplies.
n Thrift stores and resale shops can use them.
n Store craft supplies in them.
— A Reader in Indiana
Dear Heloise: I use two sink mats at a time — one in the sink, and the other on the front edge of the sink.
When I put dishes in the sink and accidentally bump the edge, they don’t crack or break.
Older “dishwashers,” like me, don’t have the “lift” that young dishwashers do! — Edward in San Antonio
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