Dear Heloise: For several years, I modeled hosiery for magazines and learned some great tricks on how to keep my legs looking good and how to remove hair. It was especially important when we were shooting a close-up where our legs needed to look flawless and toned. Here are some hints:

— Always shave your legs in the morning when your legs aren’t puffy from walking and standing all day.

— Rinse your legs under a hot shower before you shave to allow the follicles to open up before you start shaving.

— I always used hair conditioner rather than soap. This gave me a smoother shave.

— After you shave, rinse your legs in cold water so your pores can close.

— Many models use coffee grounds containing caffeine on cellulite, and in a circular motion, they massage it on the affected area. Then they just let it sit for 10 minutes and rinse with cold water.

— For darker knees and heels, take half of a lemon and rub it on the darker area in a circular motion. Let it set for about 15 minutes, then rinse.

— Always apply lotion to your legs after you shave. This softens and protects your legs. — Kathy W., Anaheim, California

PLANT TRICKS

Dear Heloise: I love my indoor plants. They make a room look fresh and also help clean the air. To keep my plants looking good and thriving, I do a few things to keep them healthy besides using fertilizer on their soil.

First, take warm beer and polish the leaves of your plant. This will help the plant by cleaning its leaves and killing any bugs that are attracted to them.

If your indoor plants seem to be struggling or aren’t blooming, try a mixture of 1 cap of white vinegar and a few ounces of beer mixed together in a spray bottle. Spray it on your plants about once a day. Do not drown the plant; just give it a few squirts of this mixture.

If you have a problem with pill bugs or a few other insects pestering your plants, fill a sprayer with 1 can of beer, 5 teaspoons of shampoo, and 2 tablespoons of commercial fertilizer. Fill the rest of the sprayer bottle with water, then spray your plants and lawn. Your plants will look great, and the bugs will die. — Wade H., Monroe, Louisiana

CONVERTING A DOOR TO A DESK

Dear Heloise: When we were doing some remodeling in the house we just bought, my husband replaced the hollow door on our closet to a solid one. But as he was about to haul the old door to the city dump, I got an idea. I wanted a home office, so I decided to make a desk out of the old door.

It was flat, and the hold where the doorknob used to be was perfect for running cords through. My husband painted two sawhorses red, and we refinished the door in a natural stain. It is a perfect desk, cost us almost nothing, and looks great in my new home office. — Tammy C., in Ohio

TIN CAN STORAGE

Dear Heloise: I was always told never to store open cans and their contents directly in the fridge because some of the can’s coating can get corroded by the food. This can make it taste bad, especially with high-acidic foods like tomatoes. Also, leaving their contents exposed to the air can make it spoil quicker, which might put you at risk of food poisoning.

Always place food contents into an airtight container or jar. — L.A., in Florida

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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.