No More Laundry Stain Blues

Of all my pet peeves (yes, I do have more than a few), I put laundry stains right up at the top of the list. That’s why I was so interested to read today’s first great reader tip. Blueberry stains are one of the most challenging. But who knew they could also be one of the easiest to remove?

BLUEBERRY STAINS

My family eats a lot of blueberries and gets the juice on their clothes. I keep a spray bottle of water and vinegar mixture by my clothes washer. Whenever a blueberry stain shows up, I spray the mixture on it and the stain turns pink. I throw it in the washer with the other clothes, and it comes out perfectly. — Kristen, Washington

FREEZING PIZZA

The best way to store leftover pizza is to freeze it. Then when you want a piece, just pop it in the oven. It is almost as good as the day you bought it, and it’s not dried out. I buy the two-pizza specials on delivery pizza and freeze one. — Anonymous, email

MARY SAYS

Reheating in the oven reigns supreme. It’s the best way to achieve that perfect combination of a crispy crust and melty cheese that we all crave. Follow these simple steps to reheat your pizza to perfection: Preheat your oven to around 350 F (175 C). Place the frozen pizza directly on the oven rack or a baking sheet. Bake the pizza for approximately 10-15 minutes. Keep an eye on it to make sure it is heating evenly and doesn’t burn. Remove the pizza from the oven when it is heated through and the cheese is melted and bubbly. — MH

PUPPY STAINS

Our daughter gave us a puppy. Of course, there were accidents on the rug. My daughter told me to blot the spot with a paper towel, sprinkle one-fourth inch of baking soda on the spot and let it dry for about 24 hours. Then I just vacuum up the dried baking soda. It works great! — Marie S., Indiana

FLUFF AS YOU DRY

When I dry comforters, sheets, blankets or anything that just wads up in the dryer, I also throw in a tennis ball. It separates the sheets, blankets, etc. It only costs a few bucks for three cheap balls. The kicker is they last forever, and your linens dry much faster, saving electricity. — Patricia M., email

SINGLE CUP OF OJ

I make orange juice from concentrate, but sometimes I end up throwing half of it away because I don’t drink it fast enough. While visiting my friend, I noticed she would make a glass of orange or grape juice by scooping out a spoonful of frozen concentrate from the container in the freezer, putting it in a glass the size of the drink that she wanted, adding water and stirring. I thought this was a great technique! — Diana M., email

ANTS BEGONE

To get rid of those annoying little kitchen ants, lay out dryer fabric sheets. Put them behind your canisters, appliances and even bathroom sinks. The ants will quickly disappear. — Melissa, Tennessee

RECORD THAT NUMBER

I pay my bills online. At first, when I got the confirmation numbers, I was writing them down on scraps of paper near my computer and losing them. So now I always have my checkbook register handy, and when I deduct the amount in it, I write the confirmation number in the transaction description line. My computer is much neater now, too. — Nancy P., email