Caution: Glow sticks
Dear Heloise: A word of caution for anyone who gives away or receives glow sticks for Halloween. (HELOISE HERE: Or use them yourself.) Someone gave some to my 4-year-old granddaughter. As she was putting some together, the end opened on one and squirted the solution into her eyes. She screamed, it burned so bad.
I rushed her to the bathroom and washed her eyes out with water. They were red, but eventually her eyes were fine. Who knows what these could do to others?
Please warn people that glow sticks should be used only with adult supervision, and as a caution, break the tubes away from you. — Neda M. in California
Neda, glad your granddaughter is OK. The liquid in most glow sticks is NOT poisonous, but it can be irritating, especially to the eyes or mouth. You did the right thing by rinsing her eyes (do so for at least 10 minutes, and use room-temperature water) and monitoring her condition.
However, to play it safe, please call the Poison Control hotline (800-222-1222) to double-check. If possible, have the glow stick with you. Please don’t take a chance with vision — you only have two eyes, and they are precious! From one who knows. — Heloise
WEARING SHIRT ONCE
Dear Heloise: I have a hint for when I have worn clothing for only a short time and want to wear it again: I put the hanger on the closet rod backward or the other way so I know that it has been worn once, yet is not quite ready for the laundry. This saves washing clothing that is really not dirty. — Lou in West Milton, Ohio
Lou, this is a hint many readers use, but here’s a little addition: Let the shirt “air out” before putting it back in the closet to prevent odor transfers to other clothes. Plus, it will help odors dissipate, and the shirt will smell fresh when you put it on next time. — Heloise
BOX TOPS
Dear Readers: It’s that time again! School is on, and Box Tops for Education is in full force! For every “Top” turned in, the school gets 10 cents, and that can add up quickly. A lot of products on grocery shelves now have the little coupons.
Here are some hints to consider when saving Box Tops:
1. They expire, so get them to schools in time to be used.
2. They can be anywhere on the product. Some places prevent them from being cut out while on the shelf.
Save them even if you don’t have school-age children. Go to www.boxtops4education.com to find schools in your area. — Heloise
SALAD-DRESSING TOP
Dear Heloise: We buy salad dressing, and some do not have the little plastic insert top. You have a hard time measuring how much you should pour out.
We save the tops from other bottles, wash them and put them on the ones that do not have the tops. Works great. Most bottles we found have the same-size openings. — Joe C., The Villages, Fla.
Send a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000, or you can fax it to 1-210-HELOISE or email it to Heloise@Heloise.com. I can’t answer your letter personally but will use the best hints received in my column.