Dear Heloise: I receive a big stack of notepads, 30-40 calendars, and stacks of greeting cards, including those that are blank inside to write notes. I take them to assisted living homes for their patients, as well as hospice organizations and domestic violence resale shops. I sort the cards depending on their greetings.

These people have restricted incomes and can’t afford to buy these items. If you want to donate money, a stamp on the envelopes is really appreciated. — June F., in Arkansas

GLUE TRAPS

Dear Heloise: I love your column and really appreciate your advocacy for natural, nontoxic products, but I wish you wouldn’t suggest that people use glue or sticky traps. I think they are cruel, even for insects. — A Reader, in Montana

Reader, I’ve never liked glue traps. Small pets, such as kittens, puppies and more, get stuck on them, too. Even if a mouse or rat is caught, you can often hear them crying for help, and I find it very distressing.

I don’t like glue traps, but when my neighbor had a problem with black widow spiders in her house, she used glue traps. With a 3-month-old baby at home, I can see her reason for using them. — Heloise

BATHROOM CLEANING

Dear Heloise: My company does a lot of bath and kitchen remodeling, so I have some suggestions and answers to questions I get all the time from others:

— To get rid of stuck-on decals, use hot vinegar. First, soak a sponge in the hot vinegar and press it against the decal. You may also need a plastic scraper to help work the decal lose. Get the vinegar behind the decal and keep working at it. This also works for price tags and those plastic stick-on-the-wall hooks that won’t come off.

— If you have fixtures that have a coating of soap film that just doesn’t seem to come off, dip an old rag or a washcloth in hot vinegar and wrap it around the the faucet and handles.  Leave it on for about 3 minutes. Afterward, you can usually wipe away the soapy film.

— Keep a spray bottle of bleach and water (about 50/50 of each) in your shower. After using the shower, spray the mixture on the glass shower door. If you have a squeegee (and the time), simply start at the top of the glass shower door, then scrape off the mixture with downward strokes.

— Sprinkle a little baking soda on the bathtub walls and the bottom of the tub. Use a soft sponge in circular motions to clean the bathtub. It’s cheaper and safer than any other product on the market.

— Occasionally, pour some bleach in your toilet and let the germ-killing bleach work for you. It also keeps your bowl white and stain-free. — Kurt D., in San Francisco

HANGER HACK

Dear Heloise: I like to use plastic coated wire hangers for my casual knit shirts, but I had problems with shirts sliding off the hangers. So, I bent the top arms of the hangers down a little, about 3 inches from each end. This made the ends flatter, and now my shirts no longer fall off. A simple solution to a frequent aggravation! — C.F., in Arkansas

AN ICY REMINDER

Dear Readers: Instead of using salt on your streets and sidewalks to break up ice during the winter, try using sand. It’s less corrosive to bikes and cars. — Heloise

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Hints from Heloise run occasionally in Lifestyles. Readers may send a hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000, fax it to 210-HELOISE, or email: Heloise@Heloise.com. Letters won’t be answered personally.