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Q. I would love to know why all washing detergents turn my new nylon lingerie gray. No matter what water temperature I wash in, the results are the same. Store brand detergents seem to be worse than name brands, but I’m spending a fortune trying to have nice lingerie. Can anyone tell me a detergent/soap that will keep my whites white and colors original?

— Jan Seamon, Greensboro

A. We went straight to the experts with your lingerie problem — and managed to stump the managers at both Victoria’s Secret and Soma. After speculating that it could be your water (too much iron?) or your detergent (too harsh for delicates?), both confessed they’d never heard of such a problem.

They did, however, offer advice that might be of help. First, washing and drying lingerie in machines is a definite no-no. Wash it by hand, with a mild detergent, and dry it the old-fashioned way. This will increase the life of your lingerie considerably. Both stores sell a detergent designed for delicate fabrics. It’s pricey — $8 to $12 a bottle — but you may find it’s worth the investment.

We poked around on the Internet and found a few more tips:

Wash whites, darks and medium colors separately. Separate man-made fibers (such as nylon) from natural fibers (such as cotton). Avoid hot water. Soak lingerie for about three minutes and agitate gently rather than rubbing fabrics together. Never twist or wring lingerie. Drip-dry delicates.

And a hint for all you men out there: ’Tis the season to remember that special lady in your life. Clip this out, slip it in the gift box before wrapping, and she’ll know just how to take care of it.

Q. I was wondering if you could find out who is over the Guilford County Estate Office. Someone else was appointed to oversee my dear aunt’s estate and she died back in Feb. 2004 and the estate still has not been settled.

I cannot seem to get any feedback from the person who is over it. I have made several e-mail requests to the person and have not gotten any response. I have also sent several letters down to the courthouse and again have gotten no response.

Are there not rules and guidelines that people are suppose to follow when settling an estate? And does this apply to everyone or just some people?

— Margaret Lawson, Kernersville

A. “The short answer to your question is me,” said David Churchill, Guilford County’s Clerk of Superior Court.

He oversees the estates department, which does not provide information about estate matters via phone or mail.

“We maintain the records, and maintain them accurately, but it is not our responsibility to convey what information is or is not in the file,” Churchill explained.

“We don’t do that because we don’t have the resources to do that. Secondly, we don’t do it because of the possibility of claims of miscommunication, which happens a lot.”

Estate files are public record, however, and anyone can review files at the county courthouses in Greensboro or High Point during normal business hours (8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays).

There could be many reasons why your aunt’s estate remains unsettled — even six years after her death, Churchill said. Two common causes for delay: prolonged litigation or the need to sell real estate to create assets to pay claims against the estate.

“I don’t know that there is a normal time frame,” he said. “You have to take it on a case-by-case basis. I know we’ve got cases that are still open going back to 1990.”

And sometimes a personal representative (executor or administrator) isn’t doing his job properly. There are laws that govern the administration of an estate, and a representative can be removed if he fails to follow those laws, Churchill noted.

— Betsi Robinson