Hung up on laundry? // If wash is getting you down, just recall the bad old days

Is that pile of family laundry putting you into a depressed state?Come along with me on a trip to the 19th century.

As a housewife of the last century, face that pile of dirtyclothes, but not before you have made the soap from lye and grease.Then you can tote the water from the well and heat it in heavy tubson the wood stove. Next, sort the clothes and boil the white pieces.Then scrub each item on a washboard. Wring, rinse, wring again andimmerse some pieces in starch water or bluing. Tired? You can't be.You must hang out the wash in the backyard.

Tomorrow will be easier. You will heat the irons on the stoveand reheat them each time they cool.

Tell me, would you like to return to the present and yourautomatic washer and dryer? OK, let's go!

Smile as you approach that pile of laundry and whisper a fewsmall prayers for those geniuses who invented the women's liberatorsof our century.

TIMELY TIPS: Keep embroidery hoops in the laundry room. Whenworking on stains, stretch the fabric in the hoops. When material isheld taut, it is much easier to remove spots.

DEAR DORSEY: Here is a hint that I have been using for years. Iuse the plastic net bag that comes with onions and oranges as adishcloth. It is particularly great to clean Teflon pots and pans.It never scratches them. I use it for all types of pans. The netrinses out easily and is ready for the next time. Best of all, itcosts nothing. ADELINE KENAR

Thanks, Adeline. There must be other uses for those net bags -let's hear!

DEAR DORSEY: After checking the prices of tiny cedar bags tohang in closets to chase moths, I came up with the reasonablesolution. I bought a 3-pound bag of cedar shavings for under $4 in apet shop. They are used for small animal cages. I packed one cupfuleach into the toes of old nylon stockings and then knotted thestockings. I tie two of these together to hang over the poles of mycloset. The shavings do not go through the nylons but the woodsyodor does. Put them in sweater drawers, too.

We have moved to Raleigh, N.C., but remain subscribers of theSun-Times and your wonderful column. If you use this letter, pleasesend the $5 to the Tree House Animal Foundation. Thank you. LOUISE CARLYLE

Thanks to you, Louise, for the woodsy tip!

Send your helpful hint and time- or money-saving idea to DorseyConnors, Chicago Sun-Times, 401 N. Wabash, Chicago 60611. If yourletter is used in this column, we will send you $5.