Dear Readers: To remove road tar from your vehicles, purchase an oil-based, prewash spray made specifically for the surfaces of automobiles. Spritz this onto the tar spots and let it work for several minutes. Then scrub with a plastic scrubber. Rinse completely and buff the areas with a microfiber cloth. — Heloise

KIDS AT PLAY

Dear Heloise: I have a round lawn sprinkler that shoots water straight up in the air. Last year, I bought a child’s wading pool that was big enough for two small children and filled it with water. Then I placed the round water sprinkler in it and let my grandkids play inside. They had a blast, and on a very hot day, it was a good form of entertainment. They were wearing the sprinkler like a crown, pretending they were part of a fountain and having a ball.

Entertaining children does not have to be expensive. When my new refrigerator arrived, the grandkids played with the box it came in for hours. Another day, I bought some cheap sidewalk chalk, and they loved drawing on my paved driveway with it. When it rained, we made paper kites out of tissue paper and rags for a tale.

We started to grow an avocado in a jar of water back in October, and now that it’s sprouting roots, we’re off to plant it this coming weekend. They named the tree “Oscar,” and he’ll be planted in my backyard.

All it takes is a little imagination! — J.D., in California

HOME IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS

Dear Readers: Whenever you are working on home improvement projects, make certain that you pick up everything when you are done, including nails, blades, staples, solvents and paints. Have a designated area where all of these items can be placed when you are finished. And double-check everything is in its place before walking away. — Heloise

FLEAS AND TICKS

Dear Heloise: It won’t be long before flea and tick season gets here. In some parts of the country, it’s already here. So, please tell your readers to ask their veterinarians what they recommend to keep their pets free from these pests. There’s flea shampoo and combing that helps, but a vet may know of newer, more effective remedies. — J.F., in Arizona

SMELLY CAR TRUNK

Dear Readers: If there is a bad odor coming from the trunk, open it up and try to find the source. Take out everything and do a sniff test. Remove any items that have a musty odor. Vacuum the trunk and wipe down everything else with a clean microfiber cloth. — Heloise

LABELING MEDS

Dear Heloise: Getting up at night for over-the-counter pain relief or sleeping aids can be tricky because the directions on the pill bottle are so tiny that it’s hard to read. So, I took a small permanent marker and wrote how many pills to take and the time frame to take them on the cap. For example, “1 x 6” means one pill every six hours.

If the bottle cap is not smooth, you could put a piece of masking tape over it and write on that instead. Thanks for all you do to make our lives easier! — A Reader, in California

FIRE SAFETY DRILLS

Dear Readers: Hold fire safety drills in your home to show your family members how to handle emergencies. Run them through a drill every six months so that they know which routes to take to get out of the house safely. — 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.