Dear Heloise: Instead of spending money on scented garbage bags, I put a scented magazine insert (men’s cologne or women’s perfume) in the bag, and it usually helps counteract the smell of garbage.

I read your column every day in the Times of Northwest Indiana. — Cynthia H., Whiting, Indiana

Cynthia, I like to use those scented inserts in my luggage, in purses I’ve stored for next season, in linen closets and among my towels. Some last a long time! — Heloise

SOUP HINTS

Dear Readers: I know it’s still warm in most places in our country, but before you know it, autumn and winter will be here, and the weather will start to cool down. That’ll be soup-making weather! So, here are some of my soup hints to make your homemade soup taste great. — Heloise

— Be sure you taste your soup before serving. Some herbs lose much of their aroma and flavor over time, while others can get a bit stronger when they cook. That’s one of the reasons why fresh herbs are so good in soups. You can grow them in the cold winter months on a windowsill or any place that gets the winter sun. But never grow them close to a heating vent.

— Adding small amounts of pureed carrots can give most soups a sweeter taste.

— If you are adding yogurt, milk or sour cream to hot soup, heat the soup slowly, and only until it’s warmed through. Don’t let your soup boil, because the dairy ingredients can, and probably will, curdle. Add it into your soup at the last minute.

— If you plan to make chicken soup, remember to use at least a quart of water for every pound of chicken.

If you love a hot, rich soup (and who doesn’t?), then you’ll want my pamphlet “Heloise’s Spectacular Soups.” There are so many recipes, as well as tasty ways to enhance homemade soup. To get a copy of this handy pamphlet, go to www.Heloise.com or send $5, along with a stamped (84 cents), self-addressed, long envelope to: Heloise/Soup, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001.

Enjoy my soup recipes, and remember, most soups and stews taste even better on the second day! — Heloise

PEANUT BUTTER

Dear Heloise: I buy natural peanut butter, but I hate it when I have to stir the oil, which always rises to the top, back into the solid part of the peanut butter.

So, I began to store it upside down, and it’s easier to stir without having oil splash all over my counter. — Judy V., Chillicothe, Missouri

Judy, here is another hint: You can also store your peanut butter jar on its side to make the oil easier to stir into the solid peanut butter. However, do not pour out the oil. If you do, your peanut butter will be so hard that you won’t be able to spread it on anything. — Heloise

OLIVE OIL

Dear Heloise: Every time I put my bottle of olive oil in the refrigerator, it gets cloudy and thick. How can I store it in the fridge without this problem? — Patty F., Whitefish, Montana

Patty, olive oil needs to be stored in a cupboard that is cool and dark, not in the fridge. The coldness of the refrigerator will always make olive oil thick and cloudy. — 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.