Dear Readers: Have you ever wondered what makes a LARGE EGG LARGE? Let’s look at how eggs are sized.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (www.usda.gov) has designated six sizes of eggs, and their weights: one Jumbo egg is a minimum of 63 grams; an Extra Large egg is a minimum of 56 grams; Large is at least 50 grams; Medium is at least 44 grams; Small is a minimum of 38 grams; and a Peewee egg is around 35 grams.

The takeaway? The size of the egg is determined by its weight, not its dimensions. The most popular size of egg is Large; you may notice many, if not most, recipes call for Large eggs.

— Heloise

UGLY BLACK JUNK

Dear Heloise: I read your column in The Dallas Morning News. My problem is my toilet bowl. I have ugly black junk under the lip of my toilet — really bad! I’ve tried a number of commercial cleaners on the market, but nothing helps.

— Raymond R.,

Waxahachie, Texas

Raymond, thanks for writing in! Let’s get you some help. That “black junk” is probably mold or mineral deposits, and we’re going to tackle them with vinegar. Label a spray bottle with full-strength vinegar, and spray the vinegar thoroughly under the lip of the toilet. Close the lid, and let the vinegar work for an hour. Come back with a stiff brush or textured sponge, don a mask, go over the area and flush. The acid in the vinegar should break down the black junk.

Vinegar is a workhorse in the home. Cheap, safe and readily available, it’s been in my pantry for over 40 years. I’ve compiled into a handy pamphlet a collection of my favorite uses, recipes and cleaning solutions using vinegar. Would you like to receive one? It’s easy! Visit www.Heloise.com to order, or send a stamped (71 cents), long, self-addressed envelope, together with $5, to: Heloise/Vinegar, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001. Look for cleaning vinegar (it’s more acidic — around 9 percent) in the laundry aisle.

— Heloise

AN EASIER SQUEEZE

Dear Heloise: Ever notice how it takes a death grip to get jelly out of a squeeze bottle? I have a hint:

I take the jelly out of the bottle and put it in a bowl, then use a potato masher to soften it. I use a funnel to put it back into the squeeze bottle.

Now I buy jelly in the large jars (a lot cheaper), then mash the jelly and refill the squeeze bottle as needed. Works great.

— Roger S.,

Littlefield, Texas

BOX THAT YARN!

Dear Heloise: Another use for empty tissue boxes, especially the smaller cubes, is to hold balls of yarn while you’re knitting. You can buy yarn bowls to do so, but the tissue boxes are free.

— Donna T., via email

LETTER OF

LAUGHTER

Dear Heloise: If you safety-pin your socks together, you won’t lose one in the laundry — you’ll lose them both!

— A Reader, via email