photo by rkimpeljr
DEAR SARA: In your opinion, what are some of the least useful baby items you received? — Jilly, New Jersey

DEAR JILLY: Parents are different in what they think are practical. I didn’t have much use for a changing table, Diaper Genie, newborn shoes, stuffed animals and toys, baby lotion and powder, pacifier covers, diaper bag (most are too small) and umbrella stroller. (I’m tall, so it was awkward to push.)

DEAR SARA:
I have some shirts that just feel heavy. It’s as if all the soap didn’t get rinsed out. I would like to do something to freshen them up. I’ll admit, they are older. One is almost 10 years old! I just don’t see any reason to get rid of them if I can fix them. When I do laundry, I use very little soap, and I only fluff-dry my shirts and pants for 10 minutes in the dryer and then hang them. — Katy, forums

DEAR KATY: Add white vinegar to your rinse cycle instead of using fabric softener. Also, hang-dry your clothes until almost dry and then put them in the dryer. Basically, reverse how you’re currently drying your clothes.

DEAR SARA: Blue crayon on flat paint? Is there any hope? We just moved into a new place, and my 2-year-old found a blue crayon and made a pretty picture behind his door. Trying to wipe it off smeared it. Any ideas? — Jaime, Arizona

DEAR JAIME: Try toothpaste and a damp cloth. You can also use WD-40.

DEAR SARA: How to get a white kitchen sink clean? I’ve got it mostly white. I’ve scoured away and used bleach. My stainless-steel pots have left what looks like pencil marks on my sink. I can’t get them off! — Paula, California

DEAR PAULA: Use Bar Keeper’s Friend or Bon Ami. You can use a Mr. Clean magic eraser or good old Comet, too.

DEAR SARA: I have a Polartec fleece coat that got some candle wax dripped on it, which has hardened now. Is there a way to remove the wax from the fleece? — Eofelis, e-mail

DEAR EOFELIS: Scrape what you can off. You can use your iron on a low setting and paper towels. The heat will melt the wax, and the paper towels will absorb it. Keep moving the paper towels and using fresh towels when necessary so the wax doesn’t redeposit.

DEAR SARA: My husband cut himself at work and got blood on a nice shirt. Any idea how to remove it? — Chris, e-mail

DEAR CHRIS: Rinse the shirt in cold water. Warm and hot water will set the stain. You can soak it in cold water, laundry detergent with enzymes, such as Wisk or Era, and about 1/4 cup of hydrogen peroxide. Then launder as usual. Test a small area before soaking the shirt to check for color change. If the stain lightens but remains, don’t place the shirt in the dryer, or that will set the stain. You can air-dry the shirt and then you can try the stain-removal process again. If you prefer not to use hydrogen peroxide, try Dawn dish liquid or vinegar and a cold-water soak.

What baby items do you think are useless?

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