Plain vinegar keeps dishwasher clean, fresh

DEAR HELOISE: What do you suggest for cleaning the inside of a dishwasher? -- A reader, via e-mail

DEAR READERS: To remove white spots caused by hard-water mineral buildup in your dishwasher, you can use good ol' vinegar.

When the dishwasher is empty (no dishwasher detergent), start a regular cycle. Let the dishwasher run for a few minutes (the bottom should begin filling up with water). Add 2 to 3 cups of cheap white vinegar to the bottom of the dishwasher, close the door and let the cycle finish. Stubborn stains may require another run-through.

To keep the hard-water deposits at bay, run vinegar through a complete cycle periodically. This should keep your dishwasher fresh.

Vinegar can remove hard-water deposits from chrome fixtures, decanters, drinking glasses, shower heads and many other items around your home. For a list, send $5 and a long, self-addressed, stamped (59 cents) envelope to: Heloise/Vinegar, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001. If you keep vinegar in a spray bottle right under the sink, both kitchen and bathroom, it will be handy for quick cleanups. -- Heloise

Making whiteboards white again

DEAR HELOISE: I work at a high school in Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe in Belgium. We have whiteboards in the classrooms. Some of them have been used so much or incorrectly that they are stained.

Do you have any hints on how to recondition a dry-erase/whiteboard? A colleague suggested I use hair spray. I would rather check with you before I cause more harm to the board. Any hints you could give would be truly appreciated. Thank you. -- D. Holt, via e-mail

DEAR D.: Nice to hear from you, and thanks for the vote of confidence. These boards may be stained because the wrong type of markers was used. Many times permanent markers are the culprit. So, test this first on a small area using a sturdy paper towel. Go over the stain with only a dry-erase marker and then erase the area using the towel. It may take one or two times.

We also retested using good old cheap isopropyl rubbing alcohol here in the Heloise central office, and it worked great. Just pour some on a paper towel or old terry cloth and wipe the stains away. Let the board dry completely, and it is ready for use. -- Heloise

Weed killer

DEAR HELOISE: We have weeds in the cracks of our sidewalk. What household solution do you use to kill them? I enjoy your hints. -- Audrey W., via e-mail

DEAR AUDREY: This is a great time of year for getting after those pesky weeds. Try this: Sprinkle regular table salt into the crevices and wait for it to kill those weeds. Don't get the salt on any other plants, as it will kill them as well. -- Heloise

Peel-and-stick tiles

DEAR HELOISE: We recently remodeled our kitchen and decided to put peel-and-stick tile between the cabinets and countertop. It worked and looks nice, and it was much cheaper than using ceramic tile.

P.S.: Even though it was peel-and-stick, we were told to put adhesive on it, which we did, and it has worked great. -- Carol Hurd, Capon Bridge, W.Va.

Hints from Heloise is syndicated by King Features Syndicate. Send great hints to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000; by fax, 210-HELOISE (435-6473); or by e-mail, Heloise@Heloise.com.