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"Hard water" is a term used to describe water that has a high mineral content. These minerals won't harm you but sure can do a number on your appliances.

When water is heated, especially, the minerals will separate out and become lodged in smaller areas inside toilets, dishwashers, faucets and lots of other places.

A shower head, over time, can become so clogged that it is more of a trickle than a real shower of water. If you can get the shower head off, you can clean it with warm vinegar. If you have trouble removing it, just fill a plastic bag with vinegar and place it over the faucet so that the shower head sits in the bag.

You can tie the bag to the pipe coming from the wall in order to secure it over the shower head, then let it sit for an hour or so. This will allow the vinegar to work its way into the shower head and dissolve the minerals that have built up inside. We bet you'll see an instant improvement in the flow of the shower head!

Dear Carrells: My car antenna is motorized and goes up and down when the car radio is turned off and on. I had noticed that it had begun to drag and squeak, so I decided to lubricate it.

I wasn't sure what to use, but tried rubbing a piece of waxed paper on it. It was handy and really has worked. It wasn't greasy, like some of the lubes might be, and it wasn't messy to use. No grease got on my car either, which was another bonus.

-- L.D.

A SUPER HINT -- Some spray lubricants come with applicators or tubes to help you get them into just the right spots.

If you slip a rubber band around the bottle or can, then you can stick the applicators under that to keep track of them when they are not being used. You won't lose them with this method.

Dear Al: I created a small herb garden in my son's old sandbox. He had stopped playing in it and I wasn't sure what to do, but after some thought, I mixed some potting soil into the sand and started planting herbs.

The garden looks great now, and I have fresh herbs for cooking whenever I need them. They have grown so well that you can't see the original plastic sides of the sandbox either. Plus, I can move it if I need to when the weather turns colder in the fall.

-- T.J.

Q: My bathroom counter is made from real marble. What can I do to clean it and shine it up? How can I protect it, also?

-- B.C.

A: Stains can be removed from light shades of marble by making a compress of folded paper towels soaked in peroxide bleach. Lay the paper towel over the stain to lift it out.

To shine it back up, use very fine abrasive powder made for marble and a buffer. There are also some good store-bought cleaners and polishers available through marble dealers.

A Tip From the Super HandyMom -- I've always liked the idea of attaching jar lids to the underside of shelves to hold hardware. The jars screw into the lids, and the hardware is right at your fingertips and doesn't take up any shelf space. This is also a great way to store things around the house, boat and travel trailer.

Attach jar lids to the underside of shelves to store spices, bait and tons of other things you might need. They still leave your shelves free for other items, and aren't going to tip over with movement.

SHOPTALK -- Alson's Fluidics spray technology saves water without decreasing your showering experience. The patented system is a high-performance spray with a low-flow usage of water.

The thermal technology produces a larger spray, which stays warmer longer and feels super. It's easy to install on most showers just by switching heads, and is available in a variety of styles. To find a dealer or to learn more about the shower heads, visit the company online at www.alsons.com.

* Got a question or a handy tip? Visit our Web site at www.thesuperhandyman.com. Those of general interest will be used in future columns.