Dear Heloise: I just bought my first house, and I need to learn how to take care of it now. Do I still need to drain my water heater? The former owners said that the heater was four years old, and they never drained the sediment in all this time. — Ashly W., in New Castle, Pa.

Ashly, it’s a good idea to drain off the sediment and mineral deposits about once or twice a year. This helps protect the heating elements and efficiency of your water heater. By taking care of these things, you’ll also extend the life of your heater. — Heloise

Sink stains

Dear Heloise: My lovely white kitchen sink has stains that I can’t seem to get out. Do you have any hints for this annoying problem? I’ve read your column for several years in the Arizona Daily Star. Keep up the good work! — Judy E., in Tucson, Ariz.

Judy, fill your sink with warm (not hot) water. Pour in about two cups of bleach and let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes, after which you can drain the water out. If you have a stubborn stain, you may need to use full-strength bleach on a paper towel and place the paper towel on the stain for 10 minutes. Be sure to rinse the sink afterward to remove any leftover bleach. — Heloise

Storing ginger root

Dear Heloise: I use ginger root all the time in a number of dishes that I prepare for my family. Unfortunately, this slightly expensive item tends to dry out very easily. You have so many good ideas for cooking and storing food, so do you know how store ginger to keep it fresh for longer? — Courtney S., in Peoria, Ill.

Courtney, here’s my favorite method for storing ginger root: First, peel and slice the ginger root, place it in a glass jar, and cover it with sherry or mild vinegar. (Rice vinegar always works well to seal off the air from reaching the ginger.) If you can manage to slice the ginger root thin enough, you can use a spoon to remove as much as you’d like or need for your recipe. — Heloise

Refilling a water dish

Dear Heloise: I have a water dish for my furry pets, which features a big gallon-sized glass jar that sits on top of the water dish and automatically fills the dish up when it gets low. I have the dish in a location that doesn’t get a lot of light, so it was hard to see the water level in the jar.

My solution to the problem was to buy a nontoxic yellow ping-pong ball and put the ball in the jar when I fill the jar up with water. When I put the jar back on the water dish, the ball floats on top of the water, and I can see the ball from any place in the room. When I see the ball at the bottom of the jar, I know that it’s time to refill the jar so that my furry friends have enough water to drink! — Jim C., in Yucaipa, California

For birds, squirrels

Dear Heloise: I don’t understand people who fight with squirrels over birdseed. I have two 40-by-9.5-inch benches where I put two different bags of birdseed on — one containing fruit and nuts and one with sunflower seeds. I even put some seed on the bricks around the benches. Everyone eats together. I also put out some raw peanuts in their shells for blue jays. — Tim P., in Lafayette, La.

Send a great hint to: Heloise@Heloise.com. Copyright 2026 by King Features Syndicate Inc.