DEAR HELOISE: Would you please print your mother's recipe for furniture cleaner? It works so great!

– Lynne B., via email

DEAR LYNNE: You will need the following ingredients:

1/3 cup of vinegar

1/3 cup of turpentine

1/3 cup of boiled linseed oil

Mix all three ingredients together in a glass jar with a lid that is clearly labeled with the ingredients. Use a soft cloth dampened with the mixture and rub over the furniture. Afterward, polish with a clean cloth. Caution: Do not use this mixture on lacquered furniture or antique pieces.

Note: Make sure you buy linseed oil that is labeled as "boiled." Do not boil it yourself because it is highly flammable. Also, remember to label the cleaner for storage, and keep it out of reach of children and pets.

DEAR HELOISE: I have two energy-saving hints for you:

• Save money by turning the dishwasher off before the drying cycle starts. Dishes can air-dry, and you can save some on your electric bill.

• I hang laundry outside (if weather permits) or inside, until almost dry. Then I put it in the dryer to fluff and take out any stubborn wrinkles. This is especially good for towels and jeans.

– S.H. In Nikiski, Alaska

DEAR HELOISE: My problem is that the elastic on my slacks became loose and stretched out. They used to fit, but I have lost a little weight, and now they are too loose on me. Is there any way to fix the elastic or do something to the waist so that it will be tighter?

– Irene In San Antonio

DEAR IRENE: There is a fix, and it's quite simple. Start by pulling out all of the stitches that surround the waistband. Make a small slit in a side seam and remove the old elastic.

Buy new, non-roll elastic. Measure your waist, and cut a new piece of elastic approximately 2 inches shorter than your current waist measurement. Be careful not to pull on the elastic while measuring it.

With a safety pin attached to one end of the elastic, feed it through the slit around the waistband until it comes out the other end. Stitch the ends together and then sew back up the slit that you originally cut. Your pants are now ready to wear again!

DEAR HELOISE: I don't bake, so I don't know why I bought a pastry cutter. I do like egg salad and other things containing chopped eggs, and I discovered that putting the hard-cooked eggs in a bowl and chopping them up with the pastry cutter is easy.

– Jackie Stone, Spring Park, Minn.

DEAR HELOISE: I bought an inexpensive electric toothbrush but didn't like it because it seemed too harsh. Now I use it for cleaning sinks and tile grout. It's really great for getting in that narrow space between and around the bathroom faucets and the backsplash.

– Lee in Kingstowne, Va.

DEAR HELOISE: I was in the middle of making a Key lime pie and realized that the sweetened condensed milk I thought I had was actually evaporated milk. I had used the condensed milk in another recipe weeks earlier. Is it possible to make sweetened condensed milk?

– Judy Steward in Omaha, Neb.

DEAR JUDY: Yes, Judy, it is possible, and it's pretty easy to make sweetened condensed milk. You will need:

1 cup powdered milk

1/3 cup boiling water

2/3 cup granulated sugar

3 tablespoons butter

Mix all the ingredients in a blender. Start mixing on low speed for a minute or two. Increase the speed and continue to blend until smooth, with no obvious sugar granules. You can take a drop or two and rub it between your fingers to feel if there are sugar granules. This will make enough milk to equal a can, but be aware that the consistency will not be what you are used to with the store-bought version.

DEAR HELOISE: When I was young, my mother taught me to always put a small piece of paper toweling in jars, mugs, etc., or any containers before they are closed. This way, any moisture and musty smells will be absorbed by the toweling. I use this all the time, and it works just fine.

– Frances, Chino Valley, Ariz.

DEAR HELOISE: I read your column every day in the Rapid City (S.D.) Journal and appreciate the hints. I have a hint. I bake a lot of bread for my own use and for friends and neighbors, so I seldom purchase bread.

I ran out of bread bags long ago, even though I washed and rinsed them for my homemade bread. After reuse, including washing, rinsing and drying, small pinholes appear in the store-bought bread bags.

I reuse plastic freezer bags, washing and drying them also. I air-dry the bags overnight on kitchen whisks propped up on the counter. This works well for one or two food bags.

– Connie In South Dakota

DEAR CONNIE: It's nice to recycle and reuse to save money and help the environment. But please note: Experts stress that you should not wash and reuse plastic bags that have held raw meat, fish or poultry. No matter how well you wash them, if you're using them for another food item, there's a possibility of transferring bacteria.