Today’s Sound On is for those on the front lines and those behind the scenes:

Dear Heloise: We all admire the doctors and nurses who have been on the front lines of this coronavirus, as well as the paramedics, police and firefighters. Their service and dedication are beyond praiseworthy.

However, there are also many unsung heroes among us who selflessly help others. The delivery people who bring medicine and groceries to our homes, the check-out person at the grocery store, the neighbor who checks in on an elderly person to make sure they’re OK or phone a friend to make certain they aren’t feeling lonely and cut off during isolation. The folks who sit at sewing machines and make facial masks for others and those who share their food and supplies with neighbors and friends and ask nothing in return. They all play an important role. There are so many who have stepped up to the plate to ensure the rest of us survive and even thrive during this terrible time.

The virus will be gone in time, but those unsung heroes will remain in our hearts forever. They’ve made this dangerous crisis more bearable. Thank you a million times over. — Elizabeth in Michigan

FAST FACTS

Here are some things you can do online while staying at home:

* Learn some new exercise routines.

* Sign up for an online class.

* Learn to knit or do needlepoint.

* Visit virtual museum tours.

MAKE A MASK

Dear Heloise: You don’t need to know how to operate a sewing machine to make a mask. You can use iron-on tape or hand-sew a mask. Chances are you already have the materials at home.

Old T-shirts, bandanas, handkerchiefs or cloth napkins can be used. You can sew in rubber bands on the ends to go around the ears to hold the mask in place, or a shoelace can be used. Cut the material into a 10-inch-by-6-inch rectangle for each mask. If you search for “mask-making instructions” online, you’ll find tutorials on how to make a mask. You’ll also find “no-sew” tutorials.

You still will need to follow social distancing, but making a mask of some kind is better than none. — Sarah in New York

SUDSY AMMONIA

Dear Heloise: I owned a tile company for 42 years, and there isn’t much about the care of tile and grout that I don’t know. My advice for cleaning a tile floor or wall that is dirty or has mildew on it is to use sudsy ammonia. Most grout will appear dark or even black because of the oil in the soaps used in tile cleaners and from cooking oil that is walked on and tracked to different areas of the floor. The oil attracts dirt. When you clean with ammonia you remove the oil and dirt without damaging the tile and grout. Be sure to rinse the tile thoroughly after cleaning. Never allow the ammonia to dry on the floor before the final rinsing. — Albert N., Montgomery, Ala.

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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.