Tips, Tips, and More Tips from August 2003

Threads in old linen or cotton sheets and tablecloths can get dry and brittle. The fabric should be soaked in clear water overnight, rinsed, then soaked again to remove dirt and leftover soap. The soaking process restores some flexibility to the threads.

If the batteries in a toy have corroded, remove them and rub an emery board or 0000 steel wool on the contact points inside the toy. Then put new batteries in the toy. It should work.

Mildew in your old trunk? New cure: ZeoCrystals. They are volcanic rocks that attract and absorb odors.

Flags have been made of many different fabrics, so cleaning requires testing. A wool flag should be tested with a drop of water and blotting paper. If no color is removed, you can wash it in warm water with a wool washing product. It can be dry cleaned with care. Store a wool flag in an insect-proof container.