THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, February 12, 1995 TAG: 9502100095
SECTION: HOME PAGE: G1 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: AROUND THE HOUSE
SOURCE: BY MARY FLACHSENHAAR, SPECIAL TO HOME & GARDEN
LENGTH: Medium: 89 lines
VALENTINE'S DAY can last for days if you follow these tips from the current ``Good Housekeeping'' magazine on how to lengthen the life of cut flowers. Depending on the type of flower, your arrangement could last from four to 10 days. (Ideally, the relationship the flowers celebrate will last longer.)
Soon after you get them home, loose, bunched flowers should be recut while underwater so the stems will draw water not air.
Right after cutting, place flowers in a clean vase or container full of warm water.
Pull off leaves below the waterline.
If water becomes cloudy, replace it.
When flowers are arranged in floral foam, add enough warm water so that the foam sits in a pool of water.
Keep flowers in a cool place, away from appliances, direct sunlight or heating or cooling vents.
If roses wilt, recut stems underwater and submerge flowers in a sink of warm water for about 45 minutes.
Use floral preservative, five grams to every pint of water. It is often included with the flowers. SNEAKY FIDO GETS SNEAKIER
The disadvantage of a new pet product called ``Quiet Down!'' is that with it, Fido can noiselessly creep up behind you and swipe the ham sandwich out from under your nose.
The advantage is that when Fido is wandering through the house in the middle of the night, you might not hear him if his ID tags are covered with a material that muffles the rattle.
Four 1 1/2-inch pieces of transparent shrink tubing are sold in a cellophane pack for $3.90 (add 58 cents for postage). To use, slip a piece of tubing over the tag and then melt it in place with a flame. Not only will one of life's annoying background noises disappear, the tags will be protected, claims the manufacturer, Adams Precision Design Inc., of San Francisco.
For more information or to place an order, call the manufacturer, at (800) 600-3643.
Now somebody needs to come up with a product to muffle Fido's bark. GET INTO THE RECYCLING HABIT
Once you get in the recycling habit, it becomes nearly impossible to toss anything with potential for a second life.
Getting started is the challenge.
Kathleen Parrott, a housing specialist with Virginia Cooperative Extension, gives this advice on how to begin a home recycling system:
Get a second kitchen wastebasket to stand next to the original and toss all recyclables in it. When you let glass, plastic and newspapers pile up on counter tops, it becomes easy to get discouraged and toss everything out with the trash.
Pick the recyclable that's most abundant in your household and start with it. After recycling that item becomes second nature, add another product, then another.
Settle on a system that is easy to make a habit. HOW TO BE A SKINFLINT
Tips on how to save money, time and the environment are the specialty of a no-frills newsletter called Skinflint News. Produced by Melodie and Ron Moore, a thrifty husband-and-wife team from Florida, the publication runneth over with advice, some wise, some way-out, on how to streamline a household.
A sampling of tips from recent issues follows. If these appeal to you, you may request a free copy of the newsletter by sending a self-addressed, stamped business envelope to Skinflint News Inc., P.O. Box 818, Palm Harbor, FL 34682. A subscription costs $12 a year.
Outdated phone books can be recycled right at home. Use the pages for soaking up small spills, picking up messy trash or pet accidents. Or use them as place mats for sloppy items such as paint cans.
Another phone book trick: When you move, take your phone book with you. You'll save on directory assistance when you call old friends from your new home.
To mend a leaky plastic bucket, heat an old knife with a match and press to the spot. The hot knife will melt the bucket and seal it.
Rubber gloves will last longer if you buy them one size larger than you need. Place a cotton ball in each fingertip to protect the gloves from your nails.
When you think a shampoo bottle is empty, fill it one-third full with water. You'll be amazed at how many more shampoos you'll get. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
RICHARD L. DUNSTON/Staff
by CNB