Tips to remove wax from candleholders

Dear Martha: Do you have any tips for removing wax deposits from candleholders?

A: It's easiest to remove candle wax when it's still warm. If possible, peel off the drippings after blowing out the candles, as soon as the wax is cool enough to touch. Once it has hardened, cleaning it off requires a bit more effort.

If the candleholders are waterproof, as most glass, metal and ceramic ones are, you can soften the wax by running hot tap water over it. You should then be able to remove most of the wax.

An alternative method involves the opposite temperature extreme. Set the candlesticks in the freezer for several hours, and then break off the brittle deposits. Because wax shrinks in cold temperatures, this technique is excellent for votive candles: The hard-to-budge wax inside the holder should pop right out.

After melting or freezing the wax, any lingering residue should come off with a gentle scrubbing. If you're cleaning breakable candleholders, line the bottom of the sink with towels.

Dear Martha: What's the best way to deal with a bat that has found its way indoors?

A: These winged mammals make good neighbors, eating hundreds or even thousands of insects each night, but they are hardly good houseguests. If you discover an errant bat inside your home, don't panic. It's most likely a young one that has lost its way.

Bats will usually circle a room in search of an exit, so quietly open all windows and doors leading outside, close all interior doors, and then try to slip out of the room or stand still against a wall. If the bat eventually tires and lands, you may be able to capture it and escort it out of your home.

Wearing leather work gloves, approach the bat slowly and trap it under a coffee can or a large bowl. Slide a piece of cardboard underneath, and then release the bat when you're safely outdoors. (Although the incidence of rabies in bats is quite low, it is a threat. Contact your doctor immediately if there is a possibility that anyone has been bitten.)

Dear Martha: I had planned to buy a Bradford pear tree from a nursery, but I've learned that they can be troublesome. What can I plant instead?