Dear Heloise: I have an ORMOLU-ENCASED CLOCK that has been passed down to me. What is the best way to clean this type of item? -- John A. in California
Wow! You made me look up “ormolu” again, since it is not a common question that I get. Readers, do you know? Read the whole answer to find out if you’re right!
John, your best bet is the safest method first. Just use a clean, soft brush or microfiber cloth to dust and remove fingerprints, etc. If it needs a little more, you can try using a clean cloth or cotton swab dipped in distilled water (so there is no chlorine or minerals in the water that may leave a residue or harm the finish) to gently rub the surface.
Of course, this is a family heirloom, but you might want to check with an antiques specialist to see if it’s valuable! You never know, and many folks have found out the hard way that it was worth a lot of money! -- Heloise
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P.S.: Here is the answer: Ormolu is a decorative, “fire-gilding” layering process done over brass.
FRONT LOADER
Dear Heloise: I think it was from your column that I learned to keep the door of my front-load washing machine open so that it could dry between uses. What a difference this has made in odor control! -- Debbie Y. in Illinois
This is a hint I’ve written about for some time now. Many readers do not like their front loaders for this very reason. Be sure to wipe the door gasket and leave the washer door open until the inside dries. Some readers even leave a bowl of baking soda in the machine when it’s not in use to cut down on odors. Baking soda to the rescue again! If you would like more hints on baking soda and all the jobs it can handle in your home, you can order my baking-soda pamphlet. To receive one, please send $5 and a long, self-addressed, stamped (70 cents) envelope to: Heloise/Baking Soda, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001. Did you decide to leave a bowl of baking soda in the washing machine between uses (1/2 to 1 cup)? Take this “used” baking soda and toss it in with the next load of laundry to give it an added cleaning boost! -- Heloise
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PICTURE OF CONTENTS
Share this articleShareDear Heloise: I recently cleaned out all my closets. I took a picture of my shoes (which I keep in the original boxes) and taped them to the outside of the shoe box. Makes it a lot easier to grab the right pair of shoes in a hurry! -- Emily W. in Nevada
CLEANING LAMPSHADES
Dear Heloise: I wanted to let you know a hint for cleaning lampshades: canned air! It works great on many things, including lampshades. I was surprised you did not list that as one of the methods for cleaning dusty lampshades. -- Trish A., via e-mail
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