Dear Heloise: As the chief cook and bottle washer in this home, I have developed some techniques that I wanted to share with your readers:

Food waste that can’t be put in the disposal, such as bones, should be put in the small plastic meat bags that you get at grocery stores. Tie a knot in the top to minimize odors from the trash can.

Put a plastic tie bag in the trash can, and when you take it outside, be sure to pull the cords tight, double the top down, and tie it to the main bag, with the plastic cords tied three times tightly to starve ants and flies.

Don’t send fats or butter down the disposal where they can stick to the pipes and clog them. Instead, wipe up fats with a paper towel and put it in the small plastic meat bag.

My final hint is to put some bleach on your toothbrush once a month to give it a good cleaning and whiten it up. — John Phillip Jaeger, Irvine, California

CLEANING

HAIR TOOLS

Dear Heloise: After reading someone’s hint to wash your hairbrushes and combs in the washing machine or dishwasher, I wanted to tell you my hint on how I clean mine:

I fill a large glass or bowl with warm water and add a couple of tablespoons of powdered dishwasher detergent. I put my brushes and combs in this mixture and let it sit overnight. The next morning, I just rinse them off. No scrubbing. Plus, it saves electricity, water, and the wear and tear on the washing machine or dishwasher! — Kathi Hawken, Orange County, California

REUSING PLASTIC PUDDING CUPS

Dear Heloise: I read your column in the Tribune Chronicle in Warren, Ohio. I just read the hint about using plastic pudding cups as measuring cups in canisters. As I was making cookies yesterday and using my “pudding cup” measures, I thought, “I should send Heloise a hint about this.” I have also been using them for my husband’s medications, as his dexterity is compromised, so he has trouble getting the pills out of the daily pill containers.

Thanks again for all your great tips and a chuckle to start my day. — Kathy, in Ohio

ID TAGS

Dear Heloise: In regards to the hint you received suggesting that you put your business card in the ID tag, also put some sort of ID inside of your checked luggage. I’m a retired airline employee, and if the tag comes off during transit, there’s no way to find the owner. — Beverly Tolomei, Bakersfield, California