Dear Mary: Our water pressure is very high, which has created rust-colored stains in our fiberglass bathtub. I tried scrubbing with Comet, but that did nothing. How can I remove these terrible stains? — MaryAnne

Dear MaryAnne: I'm going to assume you've also already tried using a paste made of baking soda and white vinegar. If neither solution worked, I have two options for you, starting with a product you may already own, but have never dreamed you'd use in a bathtub: Lysol Toilet Bowl Cleaner. Seriously, it's the best thing for fiberglass, acrylic and porcelain tubs. Cover the stains with it and let it sit for an hour or so. You may need to scrub with a Scotch-Brite or similar scrubber. I am reasonably confident this will remove the rust stains.

However, if your stains are really stubborn, or if you don't already own the Lysol cleaner, I'd skip the Lysol and go straight to the big gun of rust removers: Iron Out. I love this product because it contains no harsh or abrasive chemicals, unlike other rust removers. But even so, it is power stuff!

Dear Mary: Could you suggest another product for cleaning a front-loading washing machine besides Tide Washing Machine Cleaner? When my husband uses it our whole house smells like chemicals for a week. Do you have a homemade recipe? — Robyn

Dear Robyn: Before I tell you, promise me you will weigh it against the owner's manual that came with your washer. I don't want you to do anything that might invalidate your warranty.

I have a fairly new GE Front Loader. It has a "Basket Clean" setting, which I am supposed to run monthly. The instructions say to pour a gallon of liquid chlorine bleach into the drum (while empty), close the door and turn on the Basket Clean cycle. Do you see where I'm going here? I believe bleach is the answer. I'm not saying it isn't smelly, but the smell dissipates quickly, usually by the time the cleaning cycle is finished.

The reason front-loaders need to be cleaned is to kill any bacteria or mold that might be growing in the tight gaskets and seals that are unique to front-loaders. Bleach is a powerful foe of bacteria.

Dear Mary: If my memory is correct, I believe you have discussed the idea of buying a prepaid mobile phone service at a highly discounted rate of about $150 to $200 per year. As I recall there is no contract required. I thought I'd saved that column, but now I can't find it. Can you refresh my memory? Thank you. — Eugenie

Dear Eugenie: I'm pretty sure you are referring to the TracFone service and a tip I received from one of your fellow EC readers, Julie. Here's what she said:

"I have been using TracFone for more than 13 years without any kind of contract, bills or credit checks. I highly recommend this company. I bought a $49.99 smartphone from TracFone.com that takes pictures and videos and can talk and text.

"I always purchase the 365-day plan for $99 prepaid. (It works out to be $8.25 per month.) When I get to the checkout they sweeten the deal by asking if I'd like to purchase an additional year for an extra $50. What a deal! At $149 total, that's only $6.21 per month for 24 months.

"The phone is very simple to use. I will probably be with TracFone for the rest of my life. You can purchase online (which I do) or in stores like Sears and Kmart."

In the future, if you want to search something from a previous column, you can go to EverydayCheapskate.com and type a keyword into the search box in the upper right-hand corner. Give the site a few moments to search. I think you'll be really happy with the results.

Mary invites questions, comments and tips at [email protected], or c/o Everyday Cheapskate, 12340 Seal Beach Blvd., Suite B-416, Seal Beach, CA 90740. This column will answer questions of general interest, but letters cannot be answered individually. Mary Hunt is the founder of www.DebtProofLiving.com, a personal finance member website and the author of "Debt-Proof Living," released in 2014. To find out more about Mary and read her past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.