Tips, Tips, and More Tips from January 2010

Keep your books and paper collectibles free of hazards like mildew, paper mites and bookworms. Be sure you provide good air circulation with ceiling fans or blowers. Don’t pack books tightly on the shelf and leave room behind the books. They need to breathe. Don’t keep books on shelves behind doors. Vacuum books and the rooms they’re in regularly.

If cane or rush chair seats seem dry, spray them with water using a mister. A cane or rush seat that’s used lasts only about 10-12 years. Keeping it from drying out extends its life.

Be careful loading your dishwasher. Metal utensils that touch ceramic dishes may leave marks on the dishes. China can also show black marks if rubbed against a stainless steel sink. The marks can be removed with a wet sponge and a bit of silver polish or other mild abrasive.

To remove stains from a glass vase, fill it with warm water and drop in a denture-cleaning tablet.