Check, replace hoses on washer

Dear Heloise: My daughter and her husband were watching TV when they heard a loud noise in the basement. They investigated and found that a washing-machine hose had ruptured, and water was gushing onto the basement floor. They were so lucky to have been home, because the water could have ruined everything in the basement.

The plumber told them that to be safe, these hoses should be replaced every five or six years. —Arlene Buck, Findlay, Ohio

Arlene, your plumber gave good advice! Several sources, including major manufacturers and the Texas Department of Insurance, recommend replacing rubber-type hoses anywhere from as often as two years to as long as five or six years. Why take a chance? Also, there are metal ones that last longer. —Heloise

Dear Heloise: When we travel, we pack all our clothes (even coats) in jumbo, self-sealing bags and squeeze all the air out. They take up less room, we can pack more in a suitcase, and, if they search your bags, it is easier to get everything back in. Plus, you then have bags for dirty laundry on the return trip, and you can pack more in a smaller bag. —Janice in Houston

Dear Heloise: On garbage day, my bags of papers would blow down the road several times before the truck would come, and I got fed up with running down the road to bring them back.

Finally, I thought of driving a stick into the ground and putting the ties over the stick. Now they stay put, but I must admit I miss the exercise. —Gertie Devoe, Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada

Dear Heloise: When the seasons change, turn all of the hangers in your closet backward. When you wear a garment, replace it in the forward position. At the end of the season, the hangers that remain backward hold the garments you didn't wear. This makes editing your wardrobe much easier. —James Kunzelmann, Fayetteville, Ark.

Dear Heloise: Here's how I avoid soap scum and hard-water buildup on my shower door. After each shower, I use a large squeegee. It takes less than a minute to clear all the water off the door, and it always looks as if the door was just installed! — R. Wurtzel, Boynton Beach, Fla.

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Send a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000, or you can fax it to 210-HELOISE (435-6473) or e-mail it to Heloise@Heloise.com. I can't answer your letter personally but will use the best hints received in my column. © King Features Syndicate Inc.