Reader’s best

Reader Ruth Stanton of Durham offers this tip for removing blood from laundry. “Keep a salt shaker in the laundry area and rub salt on the stain. I usually moisten the blood spot (when I notice it) and shake the salt and rub.”

Best in homes

This weekend marks the kickoff of Wake County’s annual Parade of Homes. More than 200 homes featuring the latest and greatest in design, colors, technology and decor and will be on display throughout the county. Builders use the parade to showcase their best features and woo potential buyers.

So grab a friend and some comfortable shoes (slip-ons, preferred, as you’ll have to remove them at the homes) and see what’s new in housing amenities.

The parade is free and runs from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sept. 30; Oct. 5-7 and Oct. 12-14. You can see a list of homes at http://tinyurl.com/9956gny. Books with floor layouts, addresses and prices are usually available at houses along the route.

Best for curtains

The welcometoheardmont blog offers a quick and economical way to make decorative curtains from bed sheets. Here is an edited step-by-step:

You’ll need:

• 1 decorative or plain flat sheet, full size

• Scissors

• Iron

• Sewing machine and thread (or an iron and hem tape)

• Glue gun

• 2-inch wide white ribbon

How to:

• Fold flat sheet in half lengthwise, and cut along the fold to create two panels, each as long as the original sheet. (If your panel is long enough, you can fold over the edge to make a pocket for your curtain rod.)

• Iron both panels. Then, fold over cut edge two times and iron flat. This is the edge you will sew to prevent fraying. (For a no-sew version, you could also iron this hem down with hem tape.)

• Sew your hem.

• Cut six strips from your ribbon, about 3.5-inches long, and lay them evenly across the top of your panel. (These will be the tabs for the back of your curtain. You may need more or less depending on how wide your curtain is. You can also make your ribbon strips longer, depending on how thick your curtain rod is.)

• Hot glue the top and bottom of the ribbon strips to the inside of the panel. (I decided to glue the bottom of mine 3 inches from the top of the strip to make them a little more “loopy.”)

You can see a step-by-step tutorial of the process at http://tinyurl.com/82yunum

Best for fruits and veggies

Did you know that the best way to store carrots is to cut the tops off, wrap them in a damp towel and place them in a closed container in the fridge? Or that tomatoes should never be refrigerated?

The My Thirty Spot blog has developed a list of the best ways to store dozens of fruits and vegetables to extend their shelf lives. Find the list at http://tinyurl.com/cfuxnwh

Best of the tube

On HGTV

Grand kitchen: Mark and Erica are renovating a brownstone home. Their dream makeover includes a grand redesign of the kitchen that will meet the growing needs of their two children and another on the way. Designer Genevieve Gorder’s plans include a marble kitchen island inspired by Middle Eastern and/Norwegian influences that will tie together the floor and the ceiling in a brand-new way. “Dear Genevieve” airs at 2 p.m. Saturday.

Let there be light: Everything is perfect for newlyweds Joe and Ana except the dark room overlooking a romantic setting of lush foliage in the yard. They want to put the sun back in their sunroom. They have no idea how to go about it, but Carter Oosterhouse does, with beautiful plants, a fountain, and comfortable seating that suits these lovebirds. “Carter Can” airs at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.

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