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Dear Heloise: As a person over 70, I’m committed to only adopting older pets (cats in my case) and making sure that they’ll have someone to take care of them if something happens to me. This is because one of my two cats originally belonged to a friend who died unexpectedly, and nobody in his family could take her.
Another option is fostering. Many rescue organizations need good foster homes for the pets they take in. The only caveat is that you need to be willing to give them up when they find their forever home. — Kate, in Portland
Kate, thank you for your kindness and tender care of older pets. So many people think that older cats and dogs aren’t a lot of fun, but this isn’t true. An older animal is usually housebroken and calmer, and they want little more than a place to sleep, eat and be loved. — Heloise
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DEATH BY SOAP
Dear Heloise: Please, please, please stop publishing hints with ways to use an old bar of soap. The scraps are full of germs and should be tossed. This is no way to save a few pennies each month. A better use of your column is to promote the use of liquid soap, which is very economical and avoids the risk of spreading more germs through the use of old, mushy bar soap. — Richard B., via email
Richard, yes, a sliver of bar soap may have bacteria on it, especially if it becomes slimy, discolored or contimanted. But usually, it’s unlikely to transfer harmful amounts of bacteria, so there are people who insist on keeping slivers and practicing frugality.
Since we preach cost savings here at Heloise Central, I can’t really fault anyone who finds new uses for a little sliver of soap. And as far as I know, no one’s obituary ever said: “Death by soap slivers.” Still, you’re correct about a pump on a closed soap container being a cleaner choice. — Heloise
AN UNPLEASANT SMELL
Dear Heloise: I bought a sweater jacket online that came with a strong, unpleasant chemical smell. The fabric content is made of polyester, cotton and acetate. The jacket is quilted, and the sleeves and collar are made of fibers. I believe that the lining is what’s made of acetate. It’s cute and a perfect fit, so I don’t want to send it back.
I’ve hung it outdoors in the sun, but the smell is just as strong. It’s washable in cold water, and I wonder if my laundry soap would help. Do you have any advice? I read your column in the Denver Gazette. — Pat T., in Westminster, Colorado
Pat, if it’s washable, then I think it should be washed and hung outside to dry. There are various products to add to the washer water to help drive an unpleasant odor away from a garment. It may have been stored in a place where there were chemicals nearby, and it ended up abosrbing the odor. You can also use a commercial spray on the fabric — one that’s designed to neutralize odors — to see if this helps. — Heloise
A FIRE GIFT
Dear Heloise: The gift that my husband gave me one Christmas wasn’t so much strange, but just a huge fail. He gave me a lovely fire extinguisher! Was I delighted? Absolutely not! He never made this mistake again. Now he prefers gifting headlamps or knives! — Robin J., in Bakersfield, California