Tips, Tips and More Tips from September 2010

Don’t post the name of your alarm company on your house. Use a generic sign that says the house has an alarm system. The name of the alarm company aids the burglar who wants to disable the system.

Wrap jewelry in acid-free tissue or cotton bags to keep pieces from bumping and scratching.

To clean carnival glass, use a soft brush, room-temperature water, a sponge and a gentle detergent. Window cleaner is also OK.

A tablecloth should be wide and long enough to drape over the edge of the table so the bottom is about 4 to 6 inches above the chair seats. Then your guests can keep their legs under the table without worrying about a draped cloth. If you don’t have a big-enough cloth, layer some small ones. Put the longest cloth on the bottom, then cover any wood that is showing with the smaller ones.

Use your silver often and it will tarnish less.