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Dear Heloise: Regarding the person who complained about their toothbrush only vibrating instead of spinning, the fault isn’t with the toothbrush. I had the same thing happen to me, and I have a very well-known brand of toothbrush. The problem is with the brush head. I changed mine, and it works fine now. — Jan P., via email
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Heloise@Heloise.com
SLIDERS TO THE RESCUE!
Dear Heloise: I had some baskets that I used for extra storage under a bench at the end of my bed. They were great, but they were heavy and hard to pull out because they were on carpet. I got some of the sliders that you can use to move furniture (which come in several sizes) and placed one under each corner of the baskets. Now when I need to pull them out, they slide out easily. — Bonnie D., in Houston
RESETTING A TOOTHBRUSH
Dear Heloise: Your column about fake electric toothbrush heads got my attention. My toothbrush stopped spinning months ago, so after reading your column, I thought I must have a fake brush head. I ordered new heads from just to be sure that they were genuine, but the brush still didn’t spin.
I read online that you can do a motor reset. I did this, and the toothbrush started spinning again! To do this, place the brush on the charger while it’s turned off, and press and hold the on/off button for 15 seconds. Don’t check it for at least 30 minutes. At first, I didn’t think that it had worked, but later that night, it started spinning again.
Hope this helps someone else. Thanks for your helpful column! — Laura W., via email
REMOVE PRODUCT BUILDUP
Dear Heloise: In response to the subject of product buildup in hair, my hairdresser advised me to shampoo my hair with dishwashing liquid. At first, I thought it might be a bit harsh on my hair, but it really worked great. After using my normal conditioner, my hair was back to normal. It was quick, easy, and a very inexpensive remedy. — Linda, in Santa Ana, California
NO MORE SPELLING CLASSES
Dear Heloise: I heard from a friend of mine in Cody, Wyoming, that their public schools are no longer teaching spelling. They’re depending on AI to tell them how to spell a word, and all they have to do is put the word in “as it sounds.”
I wonder where their governor lives — in the capital or capitol? Did they have a carat for lunch? Do they get board while drawing on a bored? Is their brother a kernel in the navy? Are they going to have moose for dessert? Do they live in the dessert or the desert?
When AI puts the answer up there, how do they know which one to choose? This kind of thing is what I call the “dumbing down of America.” — Dorothy C., via email
Dorothy, oh no! (Or is it know?) Please say it isn’t so! (Or sew?) I looked it up, and sure enough, I read that many schools have stopped implementing weekly spelling tests and the memorization of lists of words. Now schools seem to favor broader phonics and word patterns — that is, understanding word parts and the root of the word. — Heloise