Heloise

Dear Heloise: If you use a laundromat, always use the bottom dryers. They are not used as often as the top dryers; therefore, there will be less lint in the filter, so your clothes will dry quicker.

When drying clothes at home, clean the filter halfway through the drying process so your clothes will dry faster. And always clean the filter after each load so it will be ready to go for the next load. A clean filter saves on electricity and speeds up the drying time. — P. A. Almquist, Marshall, Texas

LONGTIME READER WRITES IN

Dear Heloise: My 101-year-old mother reads your column every day and often shares it. (By the way, we love your olive nut dip.) Anyway, I live with her and am her caregiver, and she was very sad to read the letter about the residents in facilities.

Keep up the great advice and tips. — Trudy Eaton, via email

BEST WAY TO DUST

Dear Readers: Dust in our homes seems to be never-ending. But here’s a hint: When you dust, don’t just move it around. Instead, remove it. Using a dry cloth just rearranges it. So, depending on the surface that needs to be cleaned, you should use a furniture polish, multipurpose spray cleaner or a lightly damp cloth to pick up, hold the dust and then remove it! — Heloise

CLEANING BLINDS

Dear Readers: Grab those used fabric softener sheets to clean blinds, because they pull away the dirt and dust.

They also make great dust cloths, and the leftover fragrance leaves a nice scent. — Heloise

GET YOUR SLEEPING BAG READY

Dear Readers: With summer comes camping for lots of families, whether you love getting out to enjoy the outdoors, cooking over a campfire or hiking. But with camping also comes the problem of getting our sleeping bags clean. Here’s the best way to do so:

First, look for directions on the label attached to your sleeping bag and follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. Most bags can be washed, and if your sleeping bag is one of those, use warm water on a gentle cycle. You will probably have to use the spin cycle twice to get all of the excess water out.

One of the best ways to dry your sleeping bag is to unzip it, spread it out on the patio or clothesline and let it dry in the sun. Have fun camping! — Heloise

PET PAL

Dear Heloise: Our Dusty was left as a tiny helpless kitten on my daughter’s porch, and of course, she took him in and gave him a good home. Just before she passed away, she gifted him to us, and now he is all we have of her. We adore him very much. — Pat & Bud R., via email

Readers, to see Dusty and our other Pet Pals, go to Heloise.com and click on “Pet of the Week.”

Do you have a furry friend to share with our readers? Send a photo and a brief description to Heloise@Heloise.com. — Heloise

Send a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001, 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.