Dear Heloise: You read a lot about coconut oil being good for hair, for washing your face, etc. Does it harm the plumbing when you rinse it off?-Lorna in Universal City, Texas
Lorna, a very good question! It is the newish "hot" trend that a lot of people are using. It is "oil," but one that becomes solid in cool temperatures, below 74-76 degrees. It could cause problems if you use a lot that eventually goes down the drain. If you do use it for cooking and/or beauty hints, wipe off the oil with a tissue or paper towel before rinsing or washing. It's better to toss the tissue than stop up the pipes!-Heloise
P.S.: I've used coconut oil for years, way before it became the "in" thing of the moment. It's so multiuse: beauty, cooking, even pets! Safe to have around, eco-friendly and cheap at twice the price!
CLEAN COFFEE MACHINE
Dear Heloise: I received a single-serve coffee machine for Christmas. It's the kind that you also can use your own coffee in reusable filters. Is there a way to use the old tried-and-true vinegar cleaning on this type of machine?-Candy M., Camden, Ohio
Absolutely, you can use vinegar to clean it, just like you would with any coffee maker. Pour vinegar into the water reservoir (no pod), then brew. Put a coffee cup to catch the vinegar, and pour it back in to "re-vinegarize" the coffee maker. -Heloise
LINT TRAP
Dear Heloise: Recently, I became a widower and had to start doing my own cleaning, washing, etc. One of the small chores that bothered me was cleaning the lint trap in the dryer; I would have a hard time trying to scrape the dust balls off with my fingernails. Imagine a light bulb above my head: anti-static sheets! Why not use the old sheet to remove the lint?-Frank M., San Clemente, Calif.
BETTER BOOKMARK
Dear Heloise: I have a hint for your column: I use a sticky note as a bookmark. It never falls out, and lasts for the duration of reading even a long book.-Dorothy M., via email
King Features Syndicate