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A number of business complaints

3 min read

Dear Readers: Today’s SOUND OFF is about poorly marked locations:

Dear Heloise: It is maddening to drive along looking for a business and you can’t find the address numbers. It should be required to have the numbers large enough to see from the road. Not everyone who wants to use your services can drive straight to your location if they can’t find your address.” — Sherry D., via e-mail

How right you are, and most of my readers agree! Business owners: Pretend you DON’T know where your business is, and try to find the address! I’ve had to park, get out of the car and walk up to the door or window to be able to read the address and hours of operation. Readers? Business owners? Let me hear from you! — Heloise

SEND A GREAT HINT TO:

Heloise

P.O. Box 795000

San Antonio, TX 78279-5000

Fax: 1-210-HELOISE

Email: Heloise@Heloise.com

FAST FACTS

Dear Readers: Don’t toss out those empty baby-food jars or containers. Use them for:

n Storing small treats for pets while at the park or in an auto.

n Holding buttons.

n Storing leftover paint for touch-ups.

n Keeping small items organized in a “junk drawer.”

— Heloise

FREEZING BROWN SUGAR

Dear Heloise: I’ve read your suggestions for freezing brown sugar. I do a lot of baking, especially at Christmas, so I buy a 2-pound bag of brown sugar, using it mostly for cookies and cakes. When I have some left over, I reseal the bag and narrow it down using rubber bands to make a smaller package in my freezer. (HELOISE HERE: You might want to put it in a freezer-safe sealable bag.) Believe me, it is soft and pliable the moment I take it out of the freezer, and I can use my brown sugar all year long. — Margaret in Lancaster, Calif.

REMOVING A MUSTY SMELL

Dear Heloise: My daughter bought an old mahogany dresser for her first apartment. The musty smell is awful, and she can’t put her clothes in it. It also looks like there might be a little mold inside the drawers. How do we get rid of the smell/mold? — Sharon W., via email

What a find! Here are a few hints to try:

n Move drawers to a well-ventilated site. Spritz the inside of each drawer with undiluted vinegar, then scrub the inside with a cloth and let dry.

n Sprinkle the drawers with some baking soda and let it sit overnight, then vacuum.

n Set the drawers outside in the bright sunshine for an hour or so to let Mother Nature do her thing!

— Heloise

SALT REDUCTION IN FOOD

Dear Heloise: I enjoy your column in The (Baton Rouge, La.) Advocate. Now I have a hint for you:

When using a packaged pasta mix, I have found that I can use only half of the seasoning packet with no noticeable change in the flavor, and in doing this, I can eliminate half of the sodium. This makes it more adaptable to a low-salt diet. — A Reader, via email

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