A reader was wondering about a brown stain buildup in the dishwasher.

Reader Sharon Garcia, of St. Davids, Pa., dealt with the same problem:

“I had this problem for many years, and discovered that the only thing that would make the brown go away was Tang drink mix in the soap dispenser. It will have to probably run a few times if it has a lot of buildup.

“I always ran it on hot without dishes when the buildup got bad. I also would open it during the rinse cycle and add some more.

“A cheaper solution, I later discovered, was any inexpensive instant lemonade powder. Just check the label and make sure the ingredients are the same, or similar to Tang. It must have something to do with the acidic component of citrus that breaks down the deposits on the walls.

“I no longer have this problem. When the dishwasher finally died, I replaced it with one that has a stainless steel interior. Got tired of dealing with it.”

Efficient cooling

Yes, it’s hot. Although most houses built in recent years have central air-conditioning and many older houses have been retrofitted, there are a lot of people out there sweltering in the summer heat.

From the folks at Emerson, here are some energy-efficient approaches to cooling.

• Check the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating (SEER) of the unit. The higher the number, the more efficient the system — resulting in lower monthly energy bills. A SEER rating over 16 is great.

• Check your refrigerant. If the label on your outside air conditioner says R-22, you’re going to need to upgrade. R-22 is ozone depleting and has been phased out in favor of environmentally friendlier R-410A.

• Is your outside compressor unit free of debris? Many times, leaves and grass clippings can get stuck on the coils and restrict airflow. This causes the unit to work harder and ends up costing you more money.