Dear Heloise: I am 82. When we travel, I pack a suction-cup grab bar. In hotels or other places, I stick it to the shower wall and have something sturdy to hold and steady myself with. These things work well. My wife likes it, too. The hardest part is getting it unstuck before we leave, but I usually slip a credit card under the bar to loosen the suction. — Steve, in Dayton, Ohio

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Heloise@Heloise.com

CRYSTALLIZED HONEY

Dear Heloise: I still haven't determined how to reliquify crystallized honey. Even new jars have crystal that clogs the jar opening. Warming it up in the microwave tends to distort the plastic jar, and soaking it in a pot of hot water isn't much better. Any suggestions? — Kim K., via email

Kim, I checked with three different manufacturers of honey, and their recommendations were to:

— Place honey in a large container, then fill the container with water, creating a bath for the honey. Be very careful at this point that the temperature is about 47 degrees Celsius or 116 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep honey away from boiling water or direct heat. Let it sit in the water bath while constantly stirring. You may have to repeat until the hardened honey melts.

— If your honey is in a plastic container, it's recommended that you transfer the honey to a glass container. Honey in plastic containers can absorb water from the air if the plastic is made from a lower grade.

— One last method is to set the honey on a windowsill or some other sunny spot and let the sun work on the crystallized honey. Don't forget to stir the honey.

— Never soften honey in a microwave. — Heloise

A STREAK SOLUTION

Dear Heloise: I use pods in my laundry and also had white marks on clothes. I tried different things but finally came up with a solution: I put my dark clothes on the bottom when loading the washer, then I add an additional rinse. This has worked for me! — Sherry, in Lubbock, Texas

GARBAGE DISPOSAL HINT

Dear Heloise: I've seen several good hints for cleaning garbage disposals, but don't forget to remove the rubber insert that pulls out easily. I also occasionally use a long-handled brush to scrub the inside of the disposal. I am 83 years old and have gotten many good tips from your and your mother's columns over the years. — Karen F., in Colorado Springs, Colorado

GROCERY BAG USE

Dear Heloise: I use plastic grocery bags for my small trash can. I just tie them up when they are full and toss them out. I don't like to spend money on smaller bags. — Teresa C., via email

Teresa, I use grocery bags for a lot of items that I want toss out, such as peelings, dead plants, small boxes that can't be recycled, and more. — Heloise

SLIDE ON TIGHT SOCKS

Dear Heloise: Someone somewhere must need help putting on the cursed long, white, tight, surgical socks post-op. I discovered an easy way to get the sock up over my heel, which is the hardest part for me: Carefully fit the sock over the front of your foot, then pull up as much of the sock as you can onto your calf. You'll still have some of the sock in front of your heel.

Then "stack" the sock on your foot carefully, but don't let it bunch up. Using a nonslip slipper or a pad that is placed on a rug in front of you, put your heel on top of the nonslip area, push forward, and presto, the sock is pushed right up over your heel! You still have to pull it the rest of the way up, but the worst part is over! — Barb, in South Dakota

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