Heloise: Cleaning hard tile floors

DEAR HELOISE: We recently had hard tile floors installed in the kitchen and dining areas of our home, and after it was installed, we were told to never use bleach or vinegar on the tiles. So, what should I use to keep our new tile clean?

— Joan F., Suffolk, Virginia

Joan, the best thing to use on hard tile floors is sudsy ammonia. The difference between non-sudsy and sudsy ammonia is the detergent. Be sure to wear gloves when working with ammonia of any kind. You can mix one cup of sudsy ammonia in a gallon of water to clean the floor, but since your tile is brand new, be sure to give the grout at least a week or more to set firmly.

— Heloise

DEAR HELOISE: I have four boys all under the age of 10, and it seems no matter where we go, someone is always getting hurt. A sliver in a finger, a scraped knee or a bruised elbow are everyday events around here. So, I cleaned out a tall potato chip can and stuffed it with all kinds of first-aid items that I now carry in my car.

My sister loved the idea so much that she did the same thing and even used another can as a sewing kit.

— Colleen N.,

Independence, Missouri

DEAR HELOISE: My father is very independent, but when he developed arthritis in his hands, he had trouble buttoning his shirts. So, I took his shirts and sewed self-gripping fabric tape on the underside of the buttons and over the button holes. Now he can wear his shirts closed, but they appear to be buttoned up. It’s made it much easier for him to get dressed in the mornings and remove his shirt at night.

— Cynthia E.,

Ponca City, Oklahoma

DEAR HELOISE: I used to have stacks of craft magazines that collected dust and made my home begin to look like a hoarder’s heaven! Finally I bought a two-drawer filing cabinet. I cut out the craft projects that I’d like to do someday and file them alphabetically.

As I went through those stacks of magazines, I couldn’t remember why I’d kept them. There was nothing in them I wanted! Now my home looks and feels much cleaner and organized.

— Linda R., Elkhorn, Wisconsin

DEAR READERS: Just a reminder that in some states, school will be starting again in August. Always be careful driving around school zones for the safety of the children — and to avoid a very expensive fine.

— Heloise

.

Send hints to Heloise, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001 or email [email protected].

Letters may be up to 250 words. Longer opinions can be sent to [email protected].