Heloise

Dear Heloise: Plastic bags are so hard to open at grocery stores, and I don’t like licking my fingers to open bags either. What I do is use water from where they spray the produce, then open the bags. It works every time! — Pamela W., via email

WASH THEM YOURSELF!

Dear Heloise: Mrs. W., in New Milford, Connecticut, asked how often bath towels should be laundered, as her husband didn’t think that once a week was often enough. At the end of your reply, you indicated that the husband should grab a fresh towel and put the other one in the laundry basket.

A much better solution would be for the husband to do the laundry himself. I learned far too late in my marriage that this was the perfect solution! — Mary H., in Richmond, Virginia

Mary, very true! There really is no set time or amount of usage that is written in stone for washing your towels. It all depends on what the person likes, how fresh they want their towels to be, and whether the towels always seem to be damp. Most people like a fresh towel, but some just don’t care as long as the towel doesn’t have any visible dirt or makeup on it.

Personally, beautiful, soft and clean linens are a weakness of mine. I’m forever washing and folding towels. — Heloise

THIN HAND TOWELS

Dear Heloise: If you wash your bath towels frequently, consider using a thin hand towel instead. You really aren’t so wet that you need a big fluffy towel. Plus you can get more thin hand towels done in a load of laundry. They are cheaper, take up less room in the line closet, and dry faster afterward. Frequently washing towels is a new idea to me.– Karen McV., via email

MAKEUP REMOVER TOWELETTES

Dear Heloise: Andi wrote about storing baby wipes upside down to keep them moist. I do the same thing with makeup remover towelettes. I read your column in the Houston Chronicle. — Patricia R., in Bellaire, Texas

SKIM MILK HINT

Dear Heloise: I live alone. (My children were launched from home long ago.) I’ve only used skim milk for years. I buy fresh skim milk each time I go to the grocery store, which may only be a couple of times per month. In between grocery store trips, I keep dry skim milk in my cupboard. I now prefer it in hot cereals.

I never liked the outcome of frozen milk. Dry milk is always superior. — A Reader, via email

PET PAL

Dear Heloise: Here’s me and Rylee. Rylee is an 8-year-old Chihuahua/ Pomeranian mix. I was trying to take a nap, and she was having none of it. She kept bothering me, so I decided to snap this picture. — Carol Julien, via email

Readers, to see Rylee 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 time-saving hint to Heloise@Heloise.com. I can’t answer your letter personally but will use the best hints received in my column.