Food texture can affect people's tastebuds. If only changing the texture of things we don't like were as easy as our first reader suggests.

De-string the celery. While celery might be a dieter's friend, the strings are a nuisance. My husband suggested using the vegetable peeler to remove the strings, and it worked. Not only does it vastly improve the taste and texture of the celery for snacking but it also makes chopping a breeze.

-- Carol, Oregon

Refrigerator white board. Our new refrigerator has a smooth finish, and we started using the top area as a dry-erase white board, keeping track of our shopping list and writing notes. Somehow, a permanent marker got used, but I didn't know it. I tried just about everything, but nothing worked to erase the marker stain. Finally, I grabbed the bottle of liquid Bar Keeper's Friend that we use for the glass on our wood-burning stove. It took a few applications, but it worked. We still use the fridge as a white board, but I've hidden all the permanent markers.

-- Pamela, New York

Dawn rises on stains. I discovered recently that Dawn with bleach alternative removes many stains. I spilled red wine on a new yellow top and it had dried before I was able to treat it. I put the top in a bucket of cold water with a squirt of the detergent and let it stand overnight. Voila! No more wine stain.

-- Laurel, email

Compactor bags really save. The Space Saver Bags that are advertised on TV

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are nice, but they don't last long. Within a year, the bags began to break down and tear. I found that plastic trash-compactor bags are a great replacement. I put my items in the bag (making sure nothing sharp is sticking up), wrap the opening around the vacuum hose and vacuum the air out. I twist the bag as I pull out the hose and tie the bag closed with twine. These bags are thicker, hold up longer and cost a lot less.

-- DebbiSu, West Virginia

No sticky mess. I really like coconut macaroons, but they are too sticky to work with. I spray a 1/4-cup measuring cup with Pam, pack it half full of dough, turn it upside down and tap it onto the parchment paper. Perfectly formed macaroons and no sticky mess.

-- Nancy, Wisconsin

Tide for the toilet. We have well water, and I have tried everything to clean my toilet, but nothing cleaned to my satisfaction. Out of frustration, I tossed in the solution of Tide detergent that I had left over from cleaning my deck. Imagine my surprise when the Tide left a sparkling clean bowl behind.

-- Mary, Pennsylvania

Peroxide cleans up. I use a 50/50 mixture of peroxide and water in a spray bottle to clean just about everything in my house. It works great on windows using newspaper, and it freshens my wood cutting boards. On the lip of my sink, it foamed and cleaned up what I thought was rust.

-- Carol, Illinois

Retailer's decorations for home. The theme for my daughter's recent birthday party was "Hearts." I usually make her party decorations, but in February I was in Target and just loved the in-store decorations. Knowing that stores often throw out their promotional decorations, I decided to ask the manager. He talked to the person in charge of taking them down, and she saved the decorations for me. I received so many compliments, I shared this tip with everyone.

-- Debbie, Texas

Rip off the cellophane. When trying to open a cellophane wrapper on an item, I use a seam ripper. It works better than using a pair of scissors.

-- Joy, Virginia

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