Jul 11, 2011 3 min read

FROM KING FEATURES SYNDICATE, 300 W. 57TH STREET, 15TH FLOOR, NEW YORK, NY 10019

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FOR RELEASE MONDAY, JULY 11, 2011

HINTS FROM HELOISE

BY HELOISE

A Permanent Mark?

Dear Heloise: Would you please tell me if there is anything that will REMOVE PERMANENT MARKER from my clothes? — Irene C. in Hamilton, Ohio

Well, permanent marker is … supposed to be permanent! Irene, this can be tricky, but here’s a Heloise hint to try:

Put a couple of white paper towels under the stain. Then, using a clear, nonfragranced, acetone-free nail-polish remover on another paper towel, begin to gently dab the stained area. Check the paper towels frequently to see if the color transfers onto the towels. Do not rub or use too much of the remover, because it might spread the stain. When you have removed as much as possible, put laundry detergent on the spot, gently rub it in and then launder. Let air-dry, and re-treat if necessary. — Heloise

SEND A GREAT HINT TO:

Heloise

P.O. Box 795000

San Antonio, TX 78279-5000

Fax: 1-210-HELOISE

Email: Heloise(at)Heloise.com

FAST FACTS

Dear Readers: Here are some uses for cotton swabs:

* Clean the hard-to-get places on a waffle iron.

* Clean spills around a stovetop and other edges in the kitchen.

* Get the last lipstick or lotion out of a container.

* Clean around computer keys with some alcohol.

* Dust the crevices on figurines and knickknacks.

— Heloise

FIRST-AID HINT

Dear Heloise: My daughter had her wisdom teeth out. The doctor’s order of placing ice packs on her cheeks for swelling was an important part of her care. Traditional ice packs were too hard, so we found that a bag of frozen peas was the perfect fit for her face! — Mom from Maryland

TRAVELING WITH KIDS

Dear Heloise: My kids are like most when traveling: bored easily and always asking, “Are we there yet?” This year, I tried something new. I bought the kids maps and highlighted the route we would be taking. I found some interesting sights that we would be passing by and where we likely would be eating lunch. I printed off information for each kid. They loved looking for the sights and coloring pictures of things they saw on the way. — Louise in Oklahoma

SHOPPING ABROAD

Dear Heloise: This hint makes traveling abroad easier, especially when shopping:

I make a table on my computer that has round-number denominations of the currency of the place I’m traveling to in the first column, and the U.S.-dollar equivalents in the second column. I print it out in a size that fits on a business card and cover it with clear tape. It goes in my wallet, and when I travel, I only have to open my wallet to look up the price for something. — Danna, via email

SOUND OFF

Dear Heloise: One of my pet peeves is rebates. Some stores are notorious for this practice and advertise products at a lower cost after rebate. I absolutely refuse to purchase these products, because the rebate is negligible after postage is paid. Furthermore, it takes six to 10 weeks to see a check for 80 cents or less. Ridiculous! — Brigitte in Tucson, Ariz.

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