Heloise Says 3-4 Cups of Coffee a Day Are Safe, Offers 6 Grocery Rules

Q: Could your go-to fabric softener actually be the hidden culprit behind those stubbornly smelly bathroom towels?

Yes. Fabric softener is often a hidden cause of stubborn towel odor. The reason is buildup. Softeners and dryer sheets coat towel fibers to make them feel smooth, but that coating also reduces absorbency and traps body oils, detergent residue, hard-water minerals, moisture, and bacteria. Over time, towels can come out of the wash smelling musty even when they look clean. That fits with the broader advice around Heloise’s towel fix. She recommended washing fewer towels at a time in hot water with regular detergent and adding baking soda, then drying them immediately so they do not sit damp. Supporting cleaning guidance goes a step further: when towels are already smelly, many experts recommend skipping fabric softener and dryer sheets altogether because they can worsen residue problems. If odor is the issue, the practical reset is to wash towels in the hottest water allowed by the care label, avoid overloading the machine, use the right amount of detergent, add baking soda as Heloise suggested, and dry the towels completely right away. Hanging towels open between uses and running the bathroom vent can also help prevent smells from returning. If the odor persists, buildup may be heavy enough that a deeper treatment such as a vinegar rinse, washing soda, borax, or a stripping method may help, especially in hard water. A dirty washer can also transfer odors back onto towels, so cleaning the machine matters too.

1 articles · Updated · The Union Leader · Aug 3

3-4 cups of coffee a day — about 400 mg of caffeine — generally do not harm most people, Heloise wrote, citing studies of thousands and noting links to lower risks of premature death, Type 2 diabetes and heart failure.
Excess coffee can still cause sleep disruption, anxiety and acid reflux, making moderation the key point of her response to a reader whose husband wanted her to switch to tea.
6 grocery-store etiquette rules from a worker's letter urged shoppers to keep children out of aisles and back rooms, avoid cart collisions, obey 15-item limits, return frozen goods to freezers and stop using expired coupons.
1/2 cup of baking soda in hot-water washes — or 3/4 cup for hard water — was Heloise's fix for sour-smelling towels, along with drying them immediately and reducing bathroom humidity after use.