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Dear Heloise: Someone recently wrote in to say that they leave their car keys on the dashboard of the car while it is in the garage so that there aren’t any issues with losing the keys in the morning.
Some modern key fobs communicate continuously with the car if they are within range of the vehicle. (This range varies according to the make and model of the car.) This communication drains both the car battery and the key fob battery, and it could result in a dead battery.
Your readers can contact their car dealership for advice on how far they need to keep the key fob from the vehicle to stop the comunication that drains the battery. Or you could test the key fob at various distances by locking or unlocking the doors. If you can’t unlock the doors, the key fob is far enough away to preserve its battery life. — Claudine Zender, Spokane, Washington
DRYER SHEET HINT
Dear Heloise: I have a household hint that might be of use to your column. After using my dryer sheets, I place them in my shoes to keep them smelling sweet and fresh. — J.T., in Ohio
LAYING PARCHMENT PAPER
Dear Heloise: I have read several comments about keeping parchment paper flat, so I wanted to share my hint. This seems counterintuitive, but take the sheet of parchment paper and ball it up in your hands. Then lay it down and spread it out. It won’t roll up this way. It took me years to learn this trick. — Sandra Mohr, Oxford, Ohio
WORKERS’ COMPENSATION
Dear Heloise: I want to send in an addition to Catherine W.’s advice about hiring work to be done in or around your home. Workers’ compensation should cover all of the workers. The employer or contractor should also have other insurance, which covers people who are walking or standing near the work site.
As you can tell, this is very important to have. Thanks for your help. — Ruth D., Colorado Springs, Colorado
HAIR CARE HINT
Dear Readers: Here’s a hint that could have come from your grandmother! Rinse your hair with 1 tablespoon of white vinegar added to 1 cup of water. This will remove soapy film and leave your hair clean, fluffy and shiny.
I have a six-page pamphlet called “Heloise’s Fantabulous Vinegar Hints and More!” with so many great hints on how to use vinegar around the house. To order a copy, go to www.Heloise.com. — Heloise
CO2 BUILDUP
Dear Heloise: CO2 buildup in vehicle cabins is becoming a safety issue contributing to sleepiness. My brother recently warned me about the danger of leaving the recirculating air control on to speed up cooling or heating for more than a few minutes.
It can take as little as 15 minutes for a couple of people to generate enough carbon dioxide to cause an oxygen shortage from just breathing in a closed car with the recirculating air feature on. I realized it was, in fact, making me overwhelmingly sleepy on road trips.
Here’s more helpful information about the problem of CO2 buildup: www.sae.org/news/2017/04/co2-buildup-in-vehicle-cabins-becoming-a-safety-issue. — A.J.A., via email
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Hints from Heloise run occasionally in Lifestyles. Readers may send a hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000, fax it to 210-HELOISE, or email: [email protected]. Letters won’t be answered personally.