Team U.S.A. Has Its Back to the Wall

Clever sports posters called Wall Stars debuted last week at the Olympic basketball qualifying tournament in Portland, during which America’s Dream Team rolled up a 51.5-point average margin of victory over teams from six other nations.

The stick-up likenesses of U.S.A. team members should be a sure-fire hit with sports fans of any age. There are full-color action photos of Magic and the Mailman, Jordan and Bird, Scottie Pippen, David Robinson, Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, Chris Mullen and John Stockton, who probably won’t go to Barcelona because of a broken leg suffered during the tournament. The vinyl figures range from 19 to 25 inches in height.

Wall Stars sets also include other graphics--Olympic and team logos, the American flag, scoreboards, balls, hoops--so you can create an entire action scene. The stickers can be detached and reused, but be careful to peel them slowly so they don’t tear. They are not recommended for fabric wall coverings or on some vinyl ones.

Wall Stars are made by the Upper Deck Co. of Carlsbad, a manufacturer of animation-style sports trading cards. Sets featuring NBA players and National Football League stars will be out in the fall. Baseball and hockey stars are scheduled for release in 1993.

Wall Stars are available as two-player sets on one poster ($9.95) or as five-player sets on three posters ($19.95). You can find them at CostCo, K mart, Target, Toys R Us, and selected independent toy stores and hobby shops, or call Upper Deck at (800) 873-7332.

Mineral’s a Natural at Odor Removal

Lots of room deodorizers make your home smell like flowers or pine needles but only mask the real odors. Natura odor remover products don’t have fragrances, but they do get rid of smoke, mildew, pet and other odors.

Natura’s odor removers are made from zeolite, a natural mineral composed of hydrated alumina silicate. The odor removers, according to company representatives Richard Girard and George LaFlamme, are 100% natural with no chemicals or fragrances. They’re biodegradable, non-flammable, nontoxic and last about two months.

Natura Brand Products, the manufacturer, recently incorporated in California after being founded in British Columbia, where the odor removers have been distributed since 1989.

Natura comes in four sizes: small pouches to be used in cars or sports lockers ($4.95); 1 1/2-pound boxes of granules to remove pet odors ($7.75); 20-ounce box of carpet and room odor remover, which is sprinkled on rugs, then vacuumed ($7.75), and standing boxes for room areas or RVs ($14.95).

In Southern California, Natura odor removers are available at Camping World stores in Santa Ana, Anaheim, San Bernardino, Valencia and El Cajon; Trailer Coach Equipment and Koch Bros. in Long Beach; Snell’s in El Monte; La Mesa RV Center in Duarte; Altman’s RV Center in Baldwin Park; West Coast RV in Irvine; Midway Mobile Home and Classic Wheels in Anaheim; Deluxe Trailer Supply in Paramount; Mike Thompson RV in Santa Fe Springs, and Phil’s Alignment in Redlands.

If you can’t find them in your area, contact Natura Brand Products, 26041 Pala, Mission Viejo, Calif. 92691; (800) 582-8442.

An Easy Solution for Contact Wearers

People who wear soft contact lenses can put away the chemistry set of solutions they usually need to maintain their contacts while traveling: Bausch & Lomb--the Rochester, N.Y., firm that leads the world in the manufacture of contacts and lens-care solutions--has introduced a a 4-ounce version of its ReNew Multi-Purpose soft contact lens solution.

The all-in-one solution allows travelers to clean, rinse and disinfect lenses with one product instead of the usual big bottles of multiple solutions.

The new ReNew size ($2.99) is available at Wal-Mart, CVS, K mart, Target and Revco stores, and at selected pharmacies nationwide. If you can’t find it in your area, call Bausch & Lomb at (800) 552-7388.