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By Compiled by JUDY STARK, Homes Editor

© St. Petersburg Times, published April 29, 2000

Do you wash before you wash?

Some of you folks need to find a more profitable way to spend your time. A survey commissioned by Procter & Gamble on the topic of dishwasher use shows that 41 percent of 622 users briefly rinse their dirty dishes under water before loading the dishwasher. Twelve percent wipe the dishes clean with water first; 13 percent use both soap and water to wash the dishes before they load them in the dishwasher. Twenty-six percent scrape off the dishes, load 'em and let the dishwasher do what dishwashers do: Wash the dishes.

Assuming you have the counter space ...

Once you've determined your dishwashing style . . . here's a problem-solver for people in small houses, mobile homes and apartments: the Equator Mini-Maid dishwasher, a portable countertop appliance. The dishwasher, 193/4 inches on each side, can also be mounted in a cabinet. The PLS 602 S (about $370) has four wash-cycle settings and may hold as many as eight full place settings. The PLS 600 (just introduced at $300), is a party giver's dream: it is designed for glassware, especially martini glasses. Both appliances can be hard to find in stores. Information is available from Equator at (800) 935-1955 or from the company's Web site, http://www.equatorappl.com.

Yes, you can still travel by Airstream

Yes, they still make 'em: Airstream travel trailers. Following up on our story last week on a new book about the silver bullets of the roadways, we direct you to http://www.airstream.com, where you can see the latest models. The flagship model, the Limited, offers a slide-out lounge and an optional fireplace! Other models can be easily towed by today's mini-vans or sport utility vehicles, the Web site tells us. And yes, there are still caravans of Airstreams; check the calendar for this year's expeditions to the Panama Canal or Newfoundland, or get your kicks on Route 66 with other Airstream aficionados.

Summerware comes in acrylic

Frosty colors of blue, green, white and purple are the color palette for Summer Up!, a collection for outdoor fun this summer at Kmart: acrylic servingware, plates, glasses, and picnicware, table linens and beach towels. If this is your season to fire up the barbecue or relax by the pool, here's a stylish way to do it. The Summer Up! line should be in Kmarts in May.

Advice from the designer

Interior designer and author Mary Gilliatt will offer a seminar, "The Easy Way to Become a Decorator," at 2 and 7 p.m. Thursday at the Ramada Airport Inn and Conference Center, 5303 W Kennedy Blvd., Tampa. Gilliatt is the host of the 13-part PBS series "Decorating with Mary Gilliatt." Her appearance is sponsored by Decor & You, a home-decor business. Bring a photo of a room in your home for on-the-spot advice. Information: (800) 371-6074.

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