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This page
is intended to make life a bit easier. However, I have not tried most of the Helpful Tips on this page,
so I cannot vouch for the accuracy, veracity or usefulness of the claims made on this page. If you have helpful
tips you would like to share, please e-mail themitchman@myway.com
RELATED
LINKS:
Go here: http://firstgov.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml ..to
find the phone numbers, fax numbers, mailing addresses and email addresses of the elected officials for your state.
You'll find the information you need to contact your US Senators, Representatives, Legislators, Governors, and even the
President - then address your concerns to them.
Go here: http://firstgov.gov/Agencies/State_and_Territories.shtml ..to find your state's
web site where you can locate the contact information for your attorney general and express your concerns to
him or her. Feel like
doing more? E-mail, write, fax or phone here: National Association of Consumer
Advocates 1730 Rhode Island NW, Ste 710 Washington, DC 20036 Telephone: (202) 452-1989 voice Fax:
(202) 452-0099 Email: info@naca.net
AIR FRESHENER FOR YOUR CAR
Squeeze a small amount
of toothpaste onto a the center of a paper towel. Roll or fold the towel up. Place under the seat. When the car is left in
the warm sunshine it will heat up and the toothpaste will release a nice soft mint smell into your car. Replace as needed. ALUMINUM FOIL Aluminum foil can be used as an animal repellant. Animals don't
like aluminum foil. It can be placed on furniture and used to keep birds out of fruit trees. You can't go wrong with warding
off animals in an eco-friendly way.
ANTS If you have ants and are afraid
to use a spray or poison due to little hands that are everywhere, try a slice of lemon. Place it where the ants are seen and
PRESTO! No more ants! Replace the slice with a fresh one when it dries out. Bay leaves or cinnamon also work. Sprinkle baby bowder in cracks, along a window sill, or under doors
where ants enter. Ants will not walk through baby powder.
Put small piles of cornmeal where you see
ants. They eat it, take it"home," can't digest it so it kills them. It may take a week or so,especially if it
rains, but it works and you don't have the worry about pets or small children being harmed!
APPLES Apples
peel easier if laid in boiling water for 1 minute. APPLE CIDER VINEGAR
Apple Cider Vinegar can be used as a dandruff-stopper. Rinsing your hair with apple
cider vinegar can help keep dandruff away.
ATHLETE'S FOOT
To relieve the itch that often comes with athlete's foot rub onion juice on the affected area. AUTO GREASE Remove auto grease from hands with baking soda and water. This works as well as any product on
the market, and is a lot cheaper.
BABY WIPES Baby wipes are miracle-workers on carpet stains, from motor oil to blood, they remove almost anything!
BACON To
keep bacon from curling, dip it in cold water before putting it in the fry pan.
Bacon won't curl up when dipped
in boiling water before you fry it. BAKING
SODA Add some to a damp cloth to remove crayon and marker from walls and furniture.
Pour a little down a drain with some vinegar, leave 5-10 minutes and wash
down with warm to hot water to unclog the drains. Doing this once a week will keep drains runningsmoothly.
Mix with your favorite facial cleanser to turn it intoa facial exfoliator.
You can fight blemishes with baking soda instead of acne
creams. Add enough water to the baking soda to make a paste and apply to blemishes at bedtime to dry up pimples fast. Also eases the pain of bee stings. Use 1/4 cup on a damp food burned pan. Leave for 5-10 minutes and see how much easier it cleans up.
Remove auto grease from hands with baking soda and water. This works as well as
any product on the market, and is a lot cheaper.
If you happen to run out of toothpaste check your cabinets for baking soda.
It cleans and polishes just like toothpaste.
Sprinkle baking soda onto your regular toothpaste to create a whitening toothpaste.
To relieve the stinging from a mild burn or sunburn mix a paste of water and Baking Soda and apply to the area.
You can also add baking soda to a cool bath and that will soothe the sunburn too.
Baking Soda can be used for many jobs
around the house, scrubbing sinks, bath tub, stove, refrigerator and laundry. It leaves everything smelling nice and cleans
just as good as any cleanser without scratching enamel. One of the more important uses for baking soda: Keep a box of baking soda
near the stove. In case of a grease fire, you can sprinkle baking soda on the fire to extinguish the flames. This will
not damage counter tops or the pans. It is safe for use on electrical fires.
Work a baking soda and water paste
onto stains prior to washing to help remove them from the fabric.
Half a cup of baking soda added to a full load
of washing will help brighten your wash and remove odors.
Baking
soda can be thrown on stove fires to extinguish the flames. The carbon dioxide generated when the powder burns starves the
fire of oxygen. BAKED POTATOES Potatoes soaked in salt water
for 20 minutes will bake more rapidly.
BALL-POINT PENS
If you have an expensive ball-point pen, or even an inexpensive one that stops writing even though there is still
ink in it, dip the pen in very hot water for a minute or so. This will get the ink flowing again. BANANAS Blood
Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat high blood
pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims
for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.
Take your bananas apart when
you get home from the store. If you leave them connected at the stem, they ripen faster.
If your bananas
aren't going to be eaten right away and you want to keep them from ripening too fast, wrap them in foil and store them
in the fridge.
Peel a banana from the bottom
and you won't have to Pick the little "stringy things" off of it. That's how the primates do it.
Take your bananas apart when you get home from the store. If you leave them connected at the stem, they ripen faster.
BATTERIES Don't throw away your old AA batteries when your walkman or diskman begins
to sound rough. There's still enough power in them to run a clock for six months, clock chimes for even longer and doorbells
for a couple of years.
BATTERY
TERMINALS If battery terminals are heavily corroded, the quickest and easiest way to clean them is to
pour carbonated soft drink over them. It will eat the corrosion away. Baking soda mixed with water will also do the trick.
To prevent corrosion on your battery posts, apply some vaseline to them. Make sure that your car engine is cold before
attempting this. BEE STINGS
If you have been stung
by a bee or mosquito, cut an onion in half and hold it on the sting. It will take the pain away, and cool the sting. BICYCLES If you purchase a new bike for your child, place their picture inside the handle bar before placing the grips on.
If the bike is stolen and later recovered, remove the grip and there is your proof who owns the bike.
BLACK
PEPPER
Stop colors from running by adding
a teaspoon of black pepper with the detergent to the first wash cycle when you are washing cottons. BLEACH Make
your own bleach by using vinegar and bicarbonate of soda.
BLEMISHES
You can fight blemishes with baking soda instead of acne creams. Add enough water
to the baking soda to make a paste and apply to blemishes at bedtime to dry up pimples fast.
BLINDS / WINDOW SHADES
If you plan to install
new shades or blinds to help keep your home warm in the winter and cool in the summer, consider mounting them outside the
frames. If they're installed inside window frames, air can leak along the edges. Outside mountings help reduce the
flow of cold air in the winter and hot air in the summer into the room. BOLTS/SCREWS
If a screw or bolt has become rusted in woodwork and is difficult to remove –
put a few drops of cooking oil on top and leave for a while. BUBBLE GUM If you get gum on your clothing, or
your child learned how to blow a bubble with gum and hermetically sealed themselves and their hair with it, apply peanut butter
liberally to the gum and gently work it out. Launder the clothing afterwards.
To remove bubble gum or any type of gum from hair,
simply spread peanut butter on the area and wash! It comes out like magic because of the oil! BUGS ON PLANTS A tablespoon of Dawn liquid dish soap to a gallon of water, sprayed on plants will kill bugs on plants and not harm the
plant. You can use this for indoor plants also.
BUGS ON WINDSHIELD Clean all
those dead bugs off your windshield by sprinkling baking soda onto a damp cloth and wipe down the glass. The abrasive baking
soda whisks away insects easily without damaging your windshield. BURNED COFFEE
Don't ruin the carafe by scrubbing with harsh cleansers, add a few teaspoons
of salt and some crushed ice. Let it sit for a minute, then swirl the mixture. Most of the burnt coffee should come
off, the rest will be loosened so that it will wipe out fairly easily.
BUTTER STAINS Butter is considered one of the most difficult stains to remove. All you will need is a soft sponge, warm water,
shampoo, and some grease solvent. Apply a small amount of grease solvent to the stain and let dry. It won't take long
for this to happen. Then take the sponge, apply some warm water and a bit of shampoo and gently lift the stain.
CAKED-ON FOOD
To remove caked-on food from a dirty pan, place
a fresh dryer sheet in the bottom and fill with lukewarm tap water. Let sit overnight and watch the stain just lift off in
the morning. CAKES If a cake sticks to
the pan after baking, simply set the pan over a pot of boiling water for a minute or two. It will pop out of the pan nice
and neat!
CANDLES
If you want drip-free, long-burning candles, put
them in the freezer overnight before burning them. Also, If you keep your candles in the freezer they will last longer and
drip less. Prevent
your candles from dripping by soaking them in salted water for a half hour. Use about two tablespoons of salt for each candle
and just enough water to cover the candle. CANTALOUPE
Pick one with
rough skin. It will be as sweet as sugar. CAR AIR FRESHENERS
Instead of using expensive air freshners in the car stick a dryer sheet or two under the seats. They are very cheap
and you probably have them in your home already. This will disguise and diminish even the nastiest odors and I find the scent
much more pleasant than the sugary vanillas or strong pine or lemon scents often sold for car air fresheners.
CARPETS
Remove furniture dents by running a key
or coin over the indentation. The carpet will fluff up again! CARPET STAINS Stains on carpets are always a challenge. Treating as soon as possible is always the best idea,
but sometimes the stain isn't found right away. Using shaving cream can lift up the stain, old and new ones. Just load
on the shaving cream and push it down into the carpet fibers.The foaming action will lift up the stains. Blot up with a dry
paper towel or cloth.
To clean spots on rugs
and carpets, use window cleaner. It works as well as the spray-on carpet cleaners. CARVING A TURKEY
A turkey should never be carved until it has been out of the oven at least 30 minutes.
This permits the inner cooking to subside and the internal meat juices to stop running. Once the meat sets, it's easier
to carve clean, neat slices.
CELLOPHANE TAPE Don't struggle to find
the ends of a cellophane tape. Just place the roll in the fridge for 10 minutes.
CHEESE Store your opened chunks of cheese in aluminum foil. It will stay fresh much longer
and not mold!
CHEWING GUM
Chewing Gum in Coat - For gum stuck just on top of the coat, use ice cubes to freeze it first, then you can either
break it off, or lift it off gently. If the gum has been rubbed right in, a good solvent will remove it better than
anything. Peanut butter works for this rather well. CITRIC FRUIT RINDS
Citric fruit rinds will remove grease spots from oven tops. CLEAN HANDS
Clean grease from hands, by rubbing shaving cream between your hands and it will
dissolve grime without water. CLEANER LAUNDRY If you want to improve the cleaning
abilities of any laundry detergent you currently use, give it a boost by adding 1/2 cup baking soda along with your laundry
detergent. Baking soda is a cleaning agent and will not only get your clothes extra-clean, but deodorize them also.
CLEANING THE BATHTUB Mr. Clean Magic Erasers are not only good for removing marks and writing from
surfaces; they work amazingly in the bathtub! With little effort, you can remove every trace of soap scum and buildup without
using harsh chemicals and cleaners. Simply wet the tub down and wipe it down with the eraser and rinse! And you don't
even have to buy the name brand ones; give the ones at the dollar stores a try! They will give you the same results
for less.
CLEANING COPPER BOTTOMS OF POTS & PANS
To
clean tarnished copper bottoms of pots and pans, spread a little ketchup onto the ottom. Let it sit for about one minute.
Wipe it clean and rinse. CLEANING COPPER AND BRASS
Lemon and salt can shine copper
and brass. To shine in a pinch, grab a half a lemon dipped in salt and rub over the candle sticks or any other copper or brass
item then polish with a soft cloth dipped in water.
CLEANING COMPACT
DISCS
Repairing A Damaged Compact Disc. Use
toothpaste to repair a damaged compact disc. Just dip a corner of a soft cloth in water and place a dab of plain white toothpaste
on the corner. Gently rub the toothpaste across the disc, and it will remove the scratches. Rinse with warm water and dry
thoroughly. CLEANING DRAINS
Store-brand
denture cleaning tablets work like a charm to remove stains from the bottom of vases, but they also work great to remove grease
build-up from kitchen drains. Just drop a couple denture cleaning tablets down the kitchen drain, along with a cup of hot
water.
Grease clogs can also be removed by pouring one cup of salt and one cup of baking soda into the drain followed
by a pot of boiling water! CLEANING FINGERPRINTS
Erase finger prints from woodwork by Gently rubbing with an eraser.
CLEANING MICROWAVE OVENS Microwaving
is a speedy, great invention for those who use one. Odors in the microwave aren't so wonderful and seem tobe impossible
to remove once an odor is in there. Easy Off makes a microwave cleaner that may help remove the odor while cleaning it. If
you want an easy solution to use to clean and remove odors, (such as burned popcorn etc.) Get a microwave-safe bowl that will
hold at least 4 cups of liquid. Pour one cup water, 1/4 cup white vinegar and a cut up lemon or line, (cut it in small pieces).
Microwave on high until it boils and continue "Cooking" the mixture for 5 more minutes after boiling. Leave the
bowl in the microwave after the time runs out and allow the steam from the mixture to fill up the microwave. Wait until it
cools to remove the bowl. When cooled, remove the bowl and wipe with a cloth. Leave the microwave door open for at least 30
minutes after cleaning to "air it out." This should remove the odor and can be repeated if the odor is extremely
bad. Impossible stains on the inside of your microwave? Dissolve two tablespoons of baking soda in one cup water
in a small microwave-safe bowl. Let the solution boil in the microwave for a few minutes so that the steam condenses on the
walls. Then wipe clean with a damp sponge. You probably want to put something like a toothpick in the water when boiling
in the microwave to prevent explosive boiling.
CLEANING MIRRORS Use air-freshener to clean mirrors:
It does a good job and better still, leave a lovely smell to the shine.
CLEANING OVENS If you have either run out of oven cleaner, don't like to use them because of the fumes, or need to clean a self-cleaning
oven inbetween the deep cleanings, look in your cabinet for the cheaper and safer alternative...Baking soda! It's cheap,
safe and is abrasive enough to do the job. Wipe the inside of a cold oven with a wet rag. Generously sprinkle baking soda
all over the inside of the oven. Leave it sit overnight and in the morning, just wipe the grease and "stuff" away.
CLEANING SCUFF MARKS
Removing scuff marks
from floors can be an easy task, simply use an eraser. CLEANING THERMOS BOTTLES Clean a thermos bottle.
Fill the bottle with water, drop in four Alka-Seltzer tablets, and let soak for an hour (or longer, if necessary).
CLEANING TOILET BOWL If you don't want to use strong chemicals to clean your toilet bowl, drop 2 Alka
Seltzer tablets or two denture cleaning tablets in the toilet and leave for 20 minutes or overnight and just brush afterwards.
Putting an Efferdent
tablet (denture cleaner) in the toilet overnight will remove stains and hard water deposits. CLEANING WALLPAPER To dust papered walls, tie a dustcloth over your broom and work from the top down.
To remove pencil
marks and other non-greasy spots from non-washable papers, use an art-gum eraser or a slice of fresh rye bread.
To remove greasy
spots, crayon marks and food stains, apply a paste of cornstarch and water. Let dry and brush off. Repeat the treatment
until the spot is gone.
Wipe off fingerprints with a damp cloth, then sprinkle the moist area with cornstarch.
Let it dry and then brush it off.
To prevent splash marks when you're washing baseboards or other woodwork, mask
wallpaper with a wide ruler, venetian blind-slat or a piece of rigid plastic.
When you save scraps of wallpaper for patching,
tack them to a wall in the attic or closet. When you use them for repairs, they won't look so brand new.
CLEANING
WALLS Crayon on The Wall: Brush it with Colgate
Toothpaste than wipe clean.
CLEANING WASHING MACHINE Even your washer needs
to be washed once in a while. Run the machine on hot water, normal cycle, and add a bottle of vinegar to clean the soap film
and scum that's built up inside. This will help save on repair bills.
CLEANING WINDOWS A Bounce fabric sheet will clean windows without the use of window cleaner. Rub the sheet over your windows, then wipe with
a soft cloth. A dryer sheet will also polish chrome and for T.V. or computer monitors, they're great at cleaning them
and keeping static at bay.
To clean windows you don’t need expensive sprays. Wet some newspaper and
clean the window with them – the spirit in the ink does the trick – use the old newspapers and it cost nothing.
CLEANING WINDSHIELDS Instead of using a cloth or your hand to remove fog on your windshield, buy yourself
a chalkboard eraser and keep it in your glove box. When the windows fog up, use the eraser. It does a much better job than
a cloth or your hand.
CLEAR NAIL POLISH Always keep a bottle of this in your purse along with the bobby pins. This is not only great for our nails,
but it is also good for stopping those holes in our stockings from running. Also if you have a tiny little leak in your umbrella
and your hair is getting wet, cover the hole with nail polish and Vola! no more leak. Nail polish is also good as emergency
glue, like when your eyeglasses or sunglasses break, or you loose the tiny screw from the arm, paint on the polish and it
will hold until you can get them properly repaired.
CLOGGED SALT & PEPPER SHAKERS If
your salt or pepper shakers keep clogging up, add a few grains of uncooked rice to them. The rice will absorb the moisture
that causes the salt and pepper to clump. Dried peas will work just the same. If you have shakers that aren't see-through,
having the peas or rice in the shakers will alert you when it's getting near the time to refill. They will start to rattle.
CLUB SODA Water plants with club soda. Boost the mineral content in the soil by giving
your plants a big gulp of club soda every week or so. Stow a spray bottle
of club soda with your car cleaning supplies. Use it on the windshield to cut through bird droppings or greasy stains.
COCA-COLA Gum
in your Hair!: Just take the gum coated hair and dip in a small bowl that has some Coca Cola in it. Let sit for just a few
minutes and the gum will wipe right off.
Someone told me to use Coca Cola when I could not get a tan. I rubbed it all over,
laid out for a while, and when I got up, I had the best tan ever. And it lasted for about 6-7 months. Now I even use
the coke in the tanning machines and it really works.
Coke can also be used to relieve the sting from
Jelly Fish. All you have to do is pour the Coke over the sting.
COFFEE GROUNDS Coffee
grounds make great rose or evergreen fertilizer. Save the grounds arfter you brew them and put them around your rose bushes
or evergreen trees.
COLD SORES Use
a q-tip to dab red wine directly to the sore, leave on overnight and repeat every 4 hours the next day. Reservatrol in the
wine blocks the cold-sore virus from replicating.
COLORING YOUR OWN HAIR If
you are one that colors your own hair at home and you get haircolor on your skin, just rub the area with a dot of toothpaste
on the stain and wipe off.
COOKIES Prevent
cookies from drying up by placing a piece of bread in the same storage container as the cookies. The cookies will suck the
moisture out of the bread and remain moist for over a week! And if that doesn't work put a slice of an apple in with them
- wrap in a paper towel - will also work to soften bread.
CORN ON THE COB When
boiling corn on the cob, add a pinch of sugar to help bring out the corns natural sweetness.
CRAYON
MARKS The next time your little one goes wild writing
on your walls, pull out WD-40. This household product, that you usually use to stop squeaky hinges, also works brilliantly
in removing crayon marks from most surfaces. Simple spray and wipe crayon right off. You may also want to wipe surface with
a soapy rag to remove any oil residue.
CRAYON MARKS ON THE WALL Brush it with Colgate Toothpaste than wipe clean.
CUTS / BURNS Did you
know that dabbing honey on a cut or burn before bandaging it is more effective than antibiotic ointments? Honey has
properties that reduce infection and speed healing. Honey can destroy almost 100% of the bacteria that cause wound infections,
reduce pain, stimulate new cell growth and cut the risk of scarring. When choosing honey, choose one that is un-pasteurized.
Pasteurization destroys the antibiotics and enzymes needed for wound healing..
DAFFODILS Don't mix cut daffodils in with other cut flowers as the daffodils produce a toxin that
kills off the other flowers.
DANDRUFF To get rid of dandruff within a few days, pour apple
cider vinegar into the hair, massaging the scalp with it. Leave on a few minutes, then shampoo. Repeat this daily until the
dandruff is gone. (usually within a few days)
DENIM
JEANS
When drying denim jeans, cut down
on the amount of energy And drying time by throwing 2 or 3 dry bath towels in with The jeans. The towels will absorb some
of the moisture from The jeans and cut down the drying time
DOLLAR RULE Use a dollar bill to measure.
Every piece of US paper money in your wallet/purse is 6" long. Folded in half, and you have a 3" measuring stick,
and so on. I can't tell you the number of times I've used this trick at Home Depot to get a rough idea of the size
of something.
EGG WHITES Leftover
egg whites? Use them for a facial mask, or put them in a meatloaf. They break down the 'gum' in chewing gum so that
it's easily removed from fabrics and hair, too.
EMERGENCIES Make it
easy to get help. Place an envelope in your glove compartment marked "In Case Of Accident" that contains the name
and phone number of a person to notify in case of emergency, doctor's name, blood type, and allergies.
FABRIC SOFTENER SHEETS Eliminates
static electricity from your television screen. Since Bounce or even a generic brand is designed to help eliminate static
cling, wipe your television screen with a used sheet of Bounce to keep dust from resettling.
Use fabric softener sheets to clean bathtub rings and to shine faucets and other
chrome fixtures. Makes them really sparkle!
FACIALS Take
the cool wet coffee grounds from your morning coffee and apply to your clean, dry face. Let set for five minutes and rinse
off with cool water. The caffeine in the coffee has a "lifting" effect.
Take one ripe banana and smash well with a fork.
You can puree with a mixer if you like. now simply apply to your clean face and let set for ten minutes. Rinse with warm Water
and pat dry. This is a super mask for dry skin!
Give yourself a facial with mayo...yes, you read it correctly,
with mayo!! Smooth 2 tbs mayo on your face, leave on for 10 minutest and rinse. The spread contains vitamin A, which exfoliates
dead surface cells, while its fats and proteins hydrate and smooth skin.
FINGERPRINTS Erase finger prints from woodwork by Gently rubbing with an eraser.
FIZZY
DRINKS How to stop that fizzy drink from bubbling over the glass as you pour. Press the fleshy part of your
thumb on the outside of the glass and pour the liquid slowly onto inner glass surface where your thumb touches the glass.
Fizzy drinks – no cap to seal the bottle simply grab a balloon and place on bottle opening. Even a coin rested
on top of the bottle will stop it from going flat for a while.
FIREPLACE ALERT Do not burn colored newspaper or magazines in your fireplace! They contain lead and when burned will give out dangerous
levels of the lead. This can be extremely harmful especially to children!
FLEAS Fleas hate mint.
Placing mint under pet mattress, mats & carpets helps keep the fleas away. Replace often. FOOD
STAINS Potatoes will take food stains off your fingers. Just slice and rub raw potato on the stains and rinse
with water.
FOOT ODOR Got foot odor problems? No sweat! Just make some tea! Boil a quart or so of water, add 4 or 5 tea bags, let steep
for 5 to 10 minutes, and then let cool. Pour the tea into a pan and soak your feet in it for about half an hour. Dry your
feet off without rinsing, and you've just given your tootsies an effective deodorant treatment! Foot odor is caused by
bacteria; the tea contains tannin which acts as an astringent, which helps to close your pores, dry your feet and prevent
further perspiration! FRESH CELERY Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator-it will keep for weeks.
FRESH EGGS To determine whether an egg
is fresh, put it in a pan of cool,salted water. If the egg sinks, it is fresh. If the egg floats to the top, get rid of it,
it's not fresh.
FRESH
FRUIT If you want to keep apples, pears and other fruits from becoming overripe, keep them away from bananas
which give off gases that ripen themselves as well as other fruit. On the other hand, if you have some fruit you
need ripened, place them near bananas...
FRESH
LEMONADE If you like to make fresh lemonade, freeze your lemons first. Let them thaw and make your lemonade,
the lemons will be juicier with a fuller flavor....
FURNITURE
SCRATCHES Scratches on furniture can be made less noticeable or hidden completely by using paste shoe polish.
Find a matching color and apply enough to fill the scratch. Let dry, then buff to a shine....
GARBAGE DISPOSAL Clean
the blades of your garbage disposal by grinding a handful of ice cues.
GARDENING Place a clove
of garlic in plant soil to eliminate bugs. The garlic keeps the nasty bugs away and will also grow along with your plants.
When planting vegetables, such as radishes, carrots, onions etc.,
try sprinkling some coffee grounds in the soil first and then plant your seeds. This should keep the worms away and is also
a good fertilizer.
GARLIC Garlic camouflages your body's scent, so mosquitoes can't track you down. Simply
add 2 crushed garlic cloves to a pint of water, let sit overnight, strain and spritz around outdoor areas. Add garlic immediately to a recipe if you want a light taste of garlicand at the end of
the recipe if your want a stronger taste of garlic.
GLUE AND STICKY RESIDUE To remove sticky residue/glue, try one of
these: mayonnaise, peanut butter, nail polish emover, "Goo Gone", or any oil.
GRAPES/RAISINS Another little known toxin to dogs and cats is actually grapes and of course, raisins.
It was only discovered/decided a couple of years ago that they can actually cause anemia in these animals. Of course, some
dogs will eat grapes every day and never have a problem, but it's impossible to tell which animals are the most sensitive
to grapes and raisins, and so it is better not to feed them any at all.
GREASE STAINS Get those tough grease stains off of your clothes by applying salt to the area. Let sit for 5 minutes, then throw
it in the laundry as usual. Sodium cuts through the oils, so the spot will disappear when you wash it! If you get a grease stain while eating out, grab the artificial sweetner packets
and pour a liberal amount on the stain. Leave it as long as possible and the grease will be absorbed by the sweetener.Clean grease from hands, by rubbing shaving cream between your hands and it will
dissolve grime without water.
GREASE
STAINS ON CARPET Shake some cornstarch over the
grease stain and let set there overnight or at least 8 hours. Vacuum.
GROUND BEEF Add a teaspoon of water when frying ground beef. It will help pull the grease away
from the meat while cooking.
GUM
REMOVAL If you can't get gum out of clothing, try this...Brush egg whites (no yolks) onto the gum with a
toothbrush. Leave it for 15 minutes and launder as usual.
GUM IN YOUR HAIR Just take the gum coated hair and dip in a small bowl that has some Coca Cola in
it. Let sit for just a few minutes and the gum will wipe right off.
HAIR
If you have
static-y hair you can temporarily fix it by rubbing a dryer sheet over it, starting from your part and going downward of course.
And it smells good too! Or try different conditioners, your hair could just be rebeling against a certain kind. To remove the daily build up of products from your hair - once a week ad a pinch or two of baking
soda to your shampoo. It will get you squeaky clean hair in no time!
HAIR CONDITIONER Next time you have to rip off a band-aid try rubbing a little bit of hair conditioner
around the edges before removing. It will peel away painlessly.
HAMBURGERS - BETTER HAMBURGERS
Juicier burgers - add one stiffly beaten egg white to each pound of hamburger. You could also make patties with
one tablespoon of cottage cheese in the center
HARDBOILED
EGGS To prevent egg shells from cracking, add a pinch of salt to the water before hard-boiling.
Have you ever boiled eggs and had them crack while boiling? Try this how to and helpful
hint for around the house. While boiling eggs and they become cracked, add 1 teaspoon
of salt to the water. The salt will close the crack in the shells.
HARDWOOD FLOORS
Here's
a different way to clean hardwood floors...Put 2 tea bags in a quart of boiling water and let it cool. Dampen a cloth with
the tea and use it to wash the floor. The tannic acid in tea makes wood shine beautifully.
HEADACHES If you have a headache, cut a lime in half and rub it on your forehead, the throbbing will go away. Next time you
feel a headache coming on, go to that trusty cabinet again and pull out the powdered ginger. Stir one teaspoon Ginger in a
cup of boiling water (like tea), steep for five minutes, (like tea) and sweeten to taste, (like tea). Another sidebar to this
mixture is....regular drinking of this "ginger tea" can actually prevent headaches before they are about to start.
Do you have a terrible headache that won't seem to go away? Try liquid children's ibuprofen. Two teaspoons
of this liquid equals one 200 mg ibuprofen tablet. Four teaspoons is the nonprescription dose and up to eight teaspoons would
be a prescription dose (800 mg). This is a secret that many Emergency Room nurses use daily. It is much more effective and
fast acting than the tablets and provides a higher degree of pain relief.
HOT LIQUIDS Put a metal spoon into a glass before pouring in any hot liquid - this will
prevent the glass from cracking.
HOUSE PLANTS If you use tap water, let it stand in a bucket for a few days before watering your plants. This will allow the water
to warm to room temperature and most of the harmful chemicals will settle to the bottom of the bucket.
Use the water
from boiling eggs or unpeeled potatoes to water your houseplants. saves water and gives the plants extra nutrients.
ICE CREAM DRIPS If you or your kids
love ice cream in cones yet hate the drippy mess that inevitably happens, place a large marshmallow in the bottom of the cone
before placing the ice cream in. If you are using a pointed sugar cone, use a miniature marshmallow. This will prevent the
ice cream from dripping through.
ICE
CUBES Want crystal, clear ice cubes? – Boil water and let it cool before you pour it into your ice trays.
Boiling takes all the oxygen out of the water – leaves no bubbles always crystal clear.
IMPORTANT PAPERS When cleaning your filing cabinet keep these things in mind: Tax Returns should be kept for 7 years. Bank
Statements for 3 years Credit Card Statements and pay stubs for 1 year
INK STAINS Spray a mixture of 1 part rubbing alcohol to 2 parts of water on the article that has the ink. Saturate the item
and launder as usual.
Hairpsray...Spray hairpsray on the ink spot, as the ink starts to dissolve, rinse
and reapply the hairspray if needed.
Milk...Apply milk to the ink spot and gently rub with a clean cloth. Reapply the
milk until the stain is gone. Make sure ou use a clean part of the cloth each time you rub the milk in.
Table salt will
absorb ink when it is spilled - pour salt on the wet ink and continue to add salt until there is no more "wet ink".
Then vacuum or wash. Other types of ink can be removed using rubbing alcohol.
For removing ink stains on
shirt or jeans pockets just soak in milk overnight and wash as normal the next day! -- Lana Kelly
INSECT BITES Hint to relieve the pain from insect bites: Meat tenderizer can be used to relieve
the pain and itching from insect bites - just dissolve 1/4 teaspoon of tenderizer in water and apply to bite, or dissolve two Alka-Seltzer tablets in a glass of water, dip a cloth into the solution, and place the cloth on the
bite for twenty minutes.
IRONING If you put aluminum foil underneath your ironing
board cover, the foil will conduct the heat and cut your ironing time in half.
For those of you who still iron; to remove that
burnt stuff on the Iron: Rub iron with aluminum foil to remove burnt on starch, etc.
If you don't have time to iron a garment, pop it in the dryer along with a damp towel (fabric shoftner sheet
will work too) for a few minutes and this should take care of the wrinkles.
JAMMED ZIPPERS Olive oil can help unjam zippers - use a cotton ball to apply.
LAUNDRY Stop colors from running by adding a teaspoon of black pepper with the detergent to the first wash cycle when you
are washing cottons.
To remove grass stains, try rubbing the stain with Karo Syrup, then wash as usual. When
washing dark clothes for the first time use cold water and put salt in the water. The salt helps set the color. To brighten
dark clothes after they have been washed several times, repeat the procedure.
Always measure laundry detergent using more doesn’t clean better
but can leave a residue in clothes and have a greater residual effect in the washing machine.
Get some safety pins and keep them by the washing machine for your socks .Pin the toes of
the socks together so you save time matching them up after the laundry process.
LAUNDRY
DETERGENT Tooooo Much Suds.... Too much soap
in your washing machine and it's overflowing? Pour in a capful of fabric softener to eliminate the suds.
LEATHER/VINYL If you have some spots on anything leather or vinyl,
use baby wipes to clean them. They have the needed moisturizers in them that helps prevent leather and vinyl from drying out.
They also leave a nice fresh scent behind.
Give your dull leather furniture a little pick me up. You can brighten it
up by rubbing with half a lemon or stale beer. Polish with a dry cloth.
Leather
jackets - Instead of buying expensive oil to tread your leather jackets, just pour some olive oil on a soft cloth or cotton
wool, and brush off your jacket with that.
Wash leather seats with a little bit of milk, you will be surprised at how new your
leather furniture looks again.
LEMON JUICE A
small amount of lemon juice pour onto minor wounds can help stop bleeding and disinfect the injury (it will sting a bit).
Lemon juice applied to itches, poison ivy rashes and wasp stings is said to relieve discomfort.
A teaspoon of
lemon juice added to your dishwashing detergent can help boost grease cutting power LINT REMOVAL A
piece of fine-grain sandpaper will remove lint from your clothes as good or even better than a lint brush.
LISTERINE
In addition to a mouthwash, use Listerine to repel mosquitoes.
MAGIC MARKER INK Hair spray
will remove magic-marker ink from surfaces.
MAYONNAISE Mayonnaise
on a cloth will remove black scuffmarks from a linoleum floor with little effort.
Give yourself a facial with
mayo...yes, you read it correctly, with mayo!! Smooth 2 tbs mayo on your face, leave on for 10 minutest and rinse. The spread
contains vitamin A, which exfoliates dead surface cells, while its fats and proteins hydrate and smooth skin. Spread
a layer of mayo over those sticky black clumps of tar on your car and let sit for 5 mintues. The oil in the mayo will losen
the tar, allowing you to wipe it away with a clean cloth.
MEAT Cooking Meat To slice meat into thin strips, as for Chinese dishes, partially freeze and it will slice easily. A roast with
the bone in will cook faster than a boneless roast. The bone carries the heat to the inside of the roast more quickly.
A fork should never be stuck in meat while frying or grilling as it punctures the meat and lets the juices out. Use
tongs.
To help stop meatloaf from sticking to the pan, put one or two strips of bacon in the pan before the meatloaf.
MICE &
RATS Soak cotton balls with a mixture of bleach
and WD-40, leave them in cupboards; or just spray your baseboards with the WD-40, it repels all kinds of pests without poisoning
you, your kids or pets. Outdoors as well, spray around your window sills and door jambs; the red straw attached to the
nozzle gets the juice right where you want it.
Put mothballs between the outside and inside walls. The camphor in the mothballs
drives them away. They also breathe in the aroma from the mothballs and it goes to their brain, giving them paralysis
and ultimate death, or they might try eating them and, being poisoned, they would pass it on to their offspring.
From Sandy - The best thing I have ever found to get rid of rats and mice is sugar bread. You take just a small piece
roll it in sugar and put it in your trap. They come after that almost instantly.
MILK Did you know you can
freeze milk? Next time it is on sale, pick up several gallons and freeze it! Don't feed your cat cows' milk.
It will give your cat a case of the runs! you can give kitties either half and half or canned evaporated milk without problem.
Neither of them contain lactose which is what gives kitties the runs. Either choice is far more economical than the "kitty
milk" now offered!
MINERAL OIL
Use mineral oil to lubricate blenders, eggbeaters
and any other kitchen appliances with movable parts. Salad oil may corrode the metal, but mineral oil is noncorrosive and
is just as safe for food as it is for salad oil.
MOSQUITO BITES To get rid of itch from mosquito bite:
try applying soap on the area for instant relief. Place a dryer sheet in your pocket. It will keep the mosquitoes away.
MOUTHWASH When you need to clean out a
small cut or wound, use an alcohol-based mouthwash to Disinfect your skin. Remember that before it became a mouthwash, it
was successfully used as an antiseptic to prevent surgical infections.
Regular deodorants mask unpleasant underarm odors
with a heavy perfume smell but do little to attack the cause of the problem. To get rid of the bacteria that cause perspiration
odor, dampen a cotton ball with a sugarless, alcohol-based mouthwash and swab your armpits. If you've just shaved your
armpits, it's best to wait for another day to try this.
Substitute mouthwash for glass cleaner
in a pinch. Clean the glass screens on computer monitors and television by applying mouthwash with a soft cloth, and then
buff dry.
Treat a mild case of athlete's foot with sugarless mouthwash. Place a cotton ball soaked in the mouthwash on
the affected areas several times a day for five days.
Wash gym socks with mouthwash to get rid of bacteria and
fungi. Add 1 cup of sugarless, alcohol-based mouthwash to the wash cycle.
NAILS & SCREWS Lubricate nails and screws. Both will go into wood more easily when rubbed with
lip balm.
NEW TIRES When you need new tires for your car, try and find some that are marked as blemished.
They are considerably cheaper. They are just as safe as new ones, and usually carry the same warranty. You can even do this
with appliances. Sometimes you can't even see the flaw.
NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS Preserving a newspaper clipping - large bottle of club soda and 1/2 cup of milk
of magnesia, soak for 20 minutes and let dry, will last for many years!
OLIVE OIL Olive
oil has benefits for hair. Comb a bit of the stuff through dry or frizzy hair to help tame
and moisturize your locks, especially in winter or on humid days.
Olive oil can also provide some relief for damaged
hair. In the book Clean Body, Michael de Jong suggests treating your tresses by kneading a few tablespoons of olive oil into
your scalp and hair. "Swathe your oiled-up curls with a shower cap and take a 30-minute breather ... snooze, toss back
a latté, whatever. Then just shampoo as usual to reveal a refurbished mane that even Fabio would envy," he
writes.
Olive oil can soothe chapped lips. Make your own balm by mixing olive oil and melted beeswax
in a 1:1 ratio (add an essential oil if you want a nice fragrance).
ONIONS Onions can provide many benefits naturally. Here are just a few... Bee sting or mosquito bite...Cut an onion in half and hold it on the sting or bite. This will cool the sting and
take the pain away...
Earaches...Slice an onion in half and place it over the ear hole. Leave for a half
hour at a time or until the pain subsides. ( If the earache persists over a long period of time, see a doctor.)
Onions are a
natural decongestant. An onion "juice" can be made by cutting an onion up, placeing it in a cup, add 1-2 tablespoons
sugar in the cup with the onion. Leave sit for 30 minutes until a juice forms. Drink the juice by the spoonful, (not as terrible
as it seems.) You can reuse the onions a few times for more "juicing." This tip is wonderful for pregnant
women who have colds and can't take medicine for the symptoms.
The smell of onions on your hands can be removed
by wetting hands then sprinkling with Baking Powder and rubbing the paste all over – then wash in cold water.
Once used and cut in half, rub the leftover side with butter. This way it will keep fresh longer.
OUTDOOR FURNITURE See a rain shower coming
on? Run out and spray the outdoor furniture with cleaner, then run back inside and watch the rain do the cleaning.
PACKING SUITCASES When packing clothes in a suitcase, don't lay them flat, roll them instead. they take up less space and should
be wrinkle free.
PAINTING
TIPS To get rid of paint odor, put a pail of water in the freshly painted room and the odor should diminish
considerably.
PAINTING A ROOM When deciding to paint a room, after
color choice, the second question most people have is deciding how much paint they will need for the project. There is a basic
formula that generally will help you buy the right amount.
The basic formula is Height X Width= Area Measure each wall and the ceiling. An example would be a 10X10 room with 8
foot ceilings... 8X10=80 80X4 walls=320 10x10=100 for the ceiling You have 420 square feet that needs
covered
You can subtract door and window openings, but this equasion will give you a good idea on how much paint to buy.
1 gallon of paint covers up to 400 square feet. If the walls have a rough texture, add 20 % more paint. A better
quality paint goes further than a lower quality paint because the coverage is usually better and you don't have to waste
paint. The one coat coverage paints may cost you a bit more, but the time you save is usually well worth the cost.
PANCAKES/WAFFLES If you are one
who makes pancakes and waffles regularly, you will improve the flavor of them enormously by simply mixing in one tablespoonful
of maple syrup into the batter before making them. You'll notice the difference and so will your family!
PEANUT BUTTER Peanut
butter will remove ink from the face of dolls.
Bait a mouse or rat trap with peanut butter. Mice actually
prefer peanut butter over cheese.
PEPPERS Peppers with 3
bumps on the bottom are sweeter and better for eating. Peppers with 4 bumps on the bottom are firmer and better for cooking.
PLANTS If
you use tap water, let it stand in a bucket for a few days before watering your plants. This will allow the water to warm
to room temperature and most most of the harmful chemicals will settle to the bottom of the bucket.
Cooled water
from which eggs have been boiled is a great source of minerals for your plants. A lot of water that goes down the drain can be
used to water plants. Water that you use to steam vegetables, cook potatoes or boil eggs can be reused to water your plants.
Also, when you clean out your aquarium you can use that water to water your plants. Great for the soil.
PLASTIC
WRAP Put plastic wrap (Seran wrap, Glad Wrap etc.) in the freezer. It will roll
off just perfect every time. Then slide it along the cutter and there you have it...no sticking together, no tangles, no waste
and no frustrations. When your done just remember to put it back in the freezer for next time.Works Great!
POISON IVY Avoid any contact with poison ivy. It's the oil in this plant that causes some
people to develop a blister like rash which can be extremely itchy. This three leaf plant can be found growing on the ground
or growing up trees and rocks. If you have been exposed to poison ivy, wash up immediately with soap and cool water. There
are special soaps and cleansers that help remove and minimize the spread of the oil. There are also many ointments to help
dry up the rash and relieve the itching and discomfort associated with poison ivy. Learn to identify this plant and,
if at all possible, avoid contact. Also avoid contact with contaminated clothes until properly laundered. The oil is still
present and can again exposes you to this unwanted itch.
POLISHING JEWELRY Polish jewelry. Drop two Alka-Seltzer
tablets into a glass of water and immerse the jewelry for two minutes.
POPCORN Whether you use microwave popcorn or regular popcorn, more
kernels will pop if your popcorn is fresh. Store the kernels or the packages in an airtight container in your fridge.
POTATOES Potatoes
will take food stains off your fingers. Just slice and rub raw potato on the stains and rinse with water.
PRESERVING POTATOES Speaking of spuds...If you want
to keep your potatoes from budding, place an apple in the bag. This will extend the life of your spuds.
PRICE
STICKERS ON DRINKING GLASSES Coax a stubborn
price sticker off of a drinking glass by placing the glass in the freezer overnight. The glue will freeze, making it easy
to remove the sticker.
RASH
FROM WRISTWATCH If you get a rash from the back of a wrist watch, brush the back of the watch with clear nail
polish. When it wears off repeat. Sometimes rashes develope if you have too much acid in your body.
REHEATING COOKED FOOD Always reheat
cooked food on half power in the microwave – that’s what the reheat setting does. This reheats food evenly without
frying the edges while leaving the centre cold.
REOPENING ENVELOPE If you seal an envelope and then
realize you forgot to include something inside, Just place your sealed envelope in the freezer for an hour or two. Viola!
It unseals easily
RICE To
cook rice in the microwave place 2 cups of rice and 4 cups of boiling water in a microwave container and zap on high for 12
minutes. The rice is beautiful – no smells in the kitchen, no water boiling over on the stove.
If you
burn a pot of rice, place a slice of white or "light" bread on the top of the rice. Let it sit for a few minutes
(5-10). The burnt taste will be gone but be sure NOT to scrape the bottom of the pan. Just use as much as you can without
touching the bottom.
RING AROUND THE COLLAR Ring around the collar is caused
by oil, dirt and grime that gathers around the neck. Shampoo is made to remove body oils and will work on an item that is
made from those same body oils. Apply your regular shampoo to the neck area of the garment, gently scrub, then launder as
usual.
ROACHES To
get rid of roaches, place Bay leaves all around in your cuboards and floor's! You won't see any the next day, or for
years to come!!
If you are having a roach problem try this: Combine equal parts of boric acid (can be found in hardware stores or
drugstores in a powder) and sugar. Make sure you mix well. Put the powder in jar lids and place them behind your fridge and
under sinks. **keep mixture away from your children and pets** RUST One of the main problems with cast iron pot and pans is that they rust easily.
To stop cast iron pans or skillets from rusting protect them by storing them with a paper coffee filter inside. The coffee
filter will absorb remaining moisture and help prevent the rust. Or if you stack smaller iron pots within larger ones, leave
wax paper between them. The wax paper leaves a thin coat of wax on the pan and prevents air from interacting with the
metal and any moisture.
RUST STAINS If you have rust stains on your clothing, you can do one of two things...Apply undiluted
lemon juice on the stain, then sprinkle with salt and let sit for an hour. Launder as usual afterwards...OR...Apply undiluted
lemon juice on the rust stain and put the item out in the sun. The rust stain will go away for good.
If rust marks
on cement are a problem, wet the cement and sprinkle with lemon "Kool-Aid," or any lemon flavored drink mix in a
package. Cover with plastic and soak for 15 minutes. Scrub with a brush after removing the plastic and rinse well.
A piece of chalk or charcoal in your toolbox will attract moisture and keep from rusting.
RUSTY
BOLTS Loosen a rusty bolt by pouring a little club
soda over it. Let the bubbles go to work stripping the rust away.
RUSTY KNIVES To
clean rusty knives and blades stick them into an onion and leave them for some time.
SAFE HOME After installing a window lock, drip some solder onto the screw heads. That will
stop a burglar from unscrewing the lock after cutting a small hole in the window pane.
SALAD
If you want to keep any salad fresh for the evening party, first
chill the bowl or tray in which you intend to serve your salad.
SALAD DRESSING This is a great tip to keep your oil-based salad dressings from going to
the bottom of the bowl and keeping it on your greens! Take your dressing and heat it in the microwave for ten seconds before
using.
SALT We've all had this problem at
one time or another...Accidentally adding too much salt while we're cooking. Rather than throw out your food, peel a potato
and put it in the pan or pot you are cooking in. The potato will absorb the excess salt and save the meal!
Apples, pears and potatoes dropped in cold, lightly salted water as they are peeled
will retain their color.
Sprinkle on grease and
stains on pans and dishware before washing to remove them.
Clean a sticky iron plate by sprinkling salt on a piece of paper and moving a hot iron over the paper. 'Sprinkle on beestings to ease the pain.
Sprinkle generously to put out a grease fire. Salt tossed on a grease fire
on the stove or in the oven will smother flames. NEVER use water; it will only spatter the burning grease.
Keeping windows frost-free - Rub the inside of windows with a sponge dipped in
a saltwater solution and rub dry; the windows will not frost up in sub-freezing weather. Rubbing a small cloth bag containing
salt that has been moistened on your car's windshield will keep snow and ice from collecting.
SALT
& PEPPER SHAKERS Salt & Pepper shakers
clogging up? Keep them dry by adding a few grains of uncooked rice to them. The dry rice will absorb any moisture present.
Dried peas work as well ! Also when they start rattling excessively it's a good indicator that they need topping up before
they run out.
SCISSORS To sharpen scissors use sandpaper - when blades are dull just
snip a piece of sandpaper a few times and the scissors should then be able to cut paper again!
To really make scrambled eggs or omelets rich add a couple of Spoonfulsof sour
cream, cream cheese, or heavy cream in and then beat them up.
SCUFF
MARKS Mayonaisse on a cloth will remove black scuff marks from a linoleum floor with little effort.
SCUFFED SHOES On your
way into a meeting and noticed your scuffed shoes, try pulling out a tiny bottle of hand lotion and quickly rub on your shoes.
Not only does it work especially well on the tips of pointy shoes, but you can make your shoes last longer by keeping the
leather soft and supple.
SEALED ENVELOPES If you seal an envelope and then realize you forgot to include something inside, just place
your sealed envelope in the freezer for an hour or two. Voila! It unseals easily.
SEWING If you're having a problem threading the eye of a needle, spray the end with hairspray. It will glide through easily...
If you have
a problem keeping your spools of thread neat and tidy, try gluing golf tees to the bottom of a drawer or a thin piece of wood
that will fit in the drawer. Just slip the spool of thread on the tee to keep them neat and secure. You can store the
bobbins the same way.
Before starting to sew
a tough material like denim or canvas, stick the needle into a bar of soap. The coating will help the needle slide more easily
through the fabric. This works like a charm!
SCRATCHED CDs You can recover them by
polishing its plastic surface. If, after carrying out the above cleansing, the CD persists in giving reading errors, just
polish the CD with toothpaste. That's right, toothpaste. It works wonders, and you won't spend a fortune buying Professional
cleaning kits.
SCRATCHES ON LIGHT COLORED WOOD To conceal a scratch on furniture that is made of light-colored wood, rub the meat of a
peanut, pecan, Brazil nut or walnut into the scratch to make it disappear .
SHAVING Shave
with baby oil instead of shave gel. It helps soften dry skin, and keeps skin moisturized longer than lotion.
SHAVING CUTS Ouch! You
just cut yourself shaving and you've no time to spare. Just dab a bit of lip balm directly onto the nick and the bleeding
from most shaving cuts will quickly stop.
SILVERWARE Care
for your silver.. boil potatoes and set aside. Let the cooked water cool. Immerse silverware and let soak for one hour. Rinse
for a tarnish free shine.
SKID MARKS ON LINOLEUM FLORS To remove skid marks on linoleum rub the spot with toothpaste before washing the floor.
SLOW RUNNING DRAINS If you have a slow-running drain,
pour 1 cup baking soda and 1 cup salt down your drain. Pour two quarts boiling water down the drain and leave it alone for
30 minutes. Flush with cooler water... To prevent a slow-running
drain, once a month, pour 1/2 cup baking soda, followed by 1/2 cup white vinegar. Don't be alarmed when it starts to foam.
Cover the drain and allow it to work for 30 minutes, then flush with cool water. This will keep those pipes running smoothly
and save you grief down the road.
SMELLY
SHOES Simply fill a tube sock with kitty litter,
baking soda, or tea leaves; tie the end closed; and place the filled socks in the shoes when you're not wearing them.
These sachets can be used over and over in any kind of shoe. Works great especially in gym shoes.
SOAP
SCUM REMOVAL Are your tubs and showers filled with soap scum? Remove it quickly and easily with a laundry stain
treatment such as Spray n Wash. Spray on and wipe scum off. Works like a charm!
SORE THROAT To get relief from a sore throat, gargle with one tsp.
salt in 3/4 cup warm water.
SPLINTERS When you get a splinter, reach for the scotch tape before resorting to tweezers or a needle. Simply put the scotch tape
over the splinter, then pull it off. Scotch tape removes most splinters painlessly and easily. For a deep splinter or thorn,
put bacon on it over night and voila! it will be out in the morning.
SPLIT ENDS Try using hand cream to seal split ends. It works as well
as expensive deep conditioning treatments and split end mending products. Use on dry hair only.
SPOONS Put a metal spoon into a glass before pouring in any hot liquid - this will prevent
the glass from cracking This is great when making Jello in a glass bowl....
STAINS When battling a tough stain like "Code Red Mountain Dew"
wet the stain with plain water and lay a clean terry cloth towel over it then take a regular household iron turn it all the
way up and iron the cloth this will cause the steam to bring the stain to the surface and absorb into the cloth. (apply a
clean cloth and additional water as needed)"
STAMPS If stamps have stuck together,
put them in the freezer for a while. They will come apart easily without damaging the glue. SUNBURN Hint to relieve the sting from mild sunburn: To relieve
the stinging from a mild burn or sunburn mix a paste of water and Baking Soda and apply to the area. You can also add baking
soda to a cool bath and that will soothe the sunburn too. SUPER
GLUE To remove super glue from your hands, hold a remover-soaked cotton ball or cloth on the area until the
glue disappears. Don't try to peel off the glue. SUPERMARKET SALES FLYERS More often than
not, the best sales are on the front and back of your supermarket flyer.
TANNING Someone told me to use Coca Cola when I could not get a tan. I rubbed it
all over, laid out for a while, and when I got up, I had the best tan ever. And it lasted for about 6-7 months. Now
I even use the coke in the tanning machines and it really works.
TAPE MEASURE If you need to measure something small and don't have a measuring tape handy,
grab a dollar bill. A dollar bill is exactly six inches long and just a "tad" short of being three inches wide
TARNISH REMOVAL If
you run out of copper or brass polish, or don't like using the chemicals made to shine them, dip a cloth in etchup and
wipe...The tarnish will be removed and leave your item clean and shiny.
THREADING A NEEDLE Spray a bit of hair spray on your finger and apply it to the end of a thread.
The thread will harden just enough to ease it into the eye of the needle.
THRIFT STORES Don't be embarrassed about second hand shops - it is well worth looking around
the ones in your area. You will soon begin to find out where the better clothes are and can sometimes pick up new or nearly
new items for a fraction of the normal price.
TIGHT SCREWS Loosen tight screws in wood
by dripping a little vinegar on their heads. When the vinegar penetrates the threaded section they will be easier to unscrew.
TOILET Putting an Efferdent tablet
(denture cleaner) in the toilet overnight will remove stains and hard water deposits.
TOMATOES It's
not the light of the sun that ripens tomatoes, it's the warmth. So, you don't have to have a sunny kitchen window
to ripen them. Find a warm spot near the stove or dishwasher where they can get a little heat.
TOMATO PLANTS Protect your tomato
plants in the garden by hanging red Christmas tree bulbs on them just before they begin to ripen. Birds will peck the hard
balls leaving the later-ripening tomatoes alone.
TOMATO SAUCE For tastier tomato sauce, add a pinch of sugar. It will immediately lose the acidity and mellow out.
TOOTHPASTE Sprinkle baking soda onto your
regular toothpaste to create a whitening toothpaste.
Ugly
nail holes showing? Just a little white toothpaste will fill in the hole instantly. Let it dry and you can paint over it.
Squeeze a small amount of toothpaste onto a the center of a paper towel. Roll or fold the towel up. Place under the
seat. When the car is left in the warm sunshine it will heat up and the toothpaste will release a nice soft mint
smell into your car.
TURKEY Purchase one pound of turkey per person to be served. This formula allows for the
Holiday meal plus a little left over for the prized turkey sandwich. The rich flavor of dark turkey meat is especially valued in soup andstew recipes.
Dark meat holds up better than white meat in richmarinades.
UNCLOGGING DRAINS Unclog a drain. Clear
the sink drain by dropping three Alka-Seltzer tablets down the drain followed by a cup of Heinz White Vinegar wait a few minutes,
then run the hot water. VANILLA Use half vanilla (has to be pure vanilla) and half water and for a mosquito
and tick repellent.
VASELINE Put
vaseline on your battery terminals to avoid corrosion.
VEGETABLES Cook vegetables without water in the microwave. Vegetables are
approx. 70% water and do not need any added water. Better yet, steam them if you can. VINEGAR A wonderful cleanser is a mixture of four cups water and one cup white vinegar. To neutralize the harsh smell, take
some lemon peels, twist several times, then add directly to the solution. The smell is fresh and invigorating.
Have you ever washed a load of clothes and forgotten to dry them?
I have. A pile of wet clothes sitting in a closed, dark place for eight or twelve hours will lead to one thing...mold. But there is a simple way to get rid of that musty, moldy odor...put a cup of white vinegar in the hottest water you can
use with maybe a few drops of laundry soap and run the load through the washing machine. Works like a charm to
get rid of the funky smell.
Keep a bottle of vinegar within easy reach. When your stove, counter tops, walls
or anything else becomes spattered with grease, spray and wipe with a clean dry rag. Vinegar cuts the grease and
leaves a nice shine.
VITAMAN C
An environmentally friendly toilet cleaner is vitamin C. Depending on how bad the stains in your toilet are,
simply place 2 or 3 tablets in the water. Let stand for 2 or 3 hours, and flush.
WALLPAPER If you have wallpaper that
has some spots of dirt on it, wipe the dirt off with a plain piece of bread. This will take the dirt right off!
WASHING CLOTHES Stop colors from running by adding a teaspoon of black pepper with the detergent to the first wash cycle when you
are washing cottons.
To remove grass stains, try rubbing the stain with Karo Syrup, then wash as usual. A teaspoon of
lemon juice thrown into your wash can also help your clothes to smell fresher. WASHING COTTONS
Stop colors from running by adding a teaspoon of black pepper with the detergent
to the first wash cycle when you are washing cottons. WASHING DARK CLOTHES
When
washing dark clothes for the first time use cold water and put salt in the water. The salt helps set the color. To brighten
dark clothes after they have been washed several times, repeat the procedure.
WASHING RED CLOTHES My
Grandmother told me this- to keep brand new red clothes from bleeding all over your other laundry, soak it in vinegar before
the first washing. Works like a charm!! -- Mindy Ralston
WASHING SOCKS
Keep
your socks together in the wash and dry process. Get some safety pins and keep them by the washing machine for your socks
.Pin the toes of the socks together so you save time matching them up after the laundry process. -- Tammy Dixon
WASHING DISHES To
prevent grease from sticking to pots, pans and dishes while cleaning in the sink, add about 1/2 cup of vinegar to the wash
water. It will do the job.
WASHING WINDOWS Use crumpled
up black and white newspaper dipped in vinegar to wash windows. Dip paper in vinegar and wipe the glass until almost dry,
then shine with dry newspaper or cloth.
WASHING MACHINES
To keep your washing
machine new, every few months fill the machine with warm water and a pint of vinegar. This will clean out the hoses and stop
clogging.
WASHING YOUR CAR
Next time you wash your car try adding a teaspoon of vegetable oil to the bucket
before adding your soap and water. This will help the soap carry away the dirt from your car's paint during the washing
process. WD-40 ** 'Water Displacement #40'
The product began from a search for a rust preventative solvent and degreaser to protect missile parts. WD-40 was created
in 1953 by three technicians at the San Diego Rocket Chemical Company. Its name comes from the project that was to find
a 'water displacement' compound. They were successful with the fortieth formulation, thus WD-40. The Convair
Company bought it in bulk to protect their atlas missile parts.
Ken East (one of the original founders) says there
is nothing in WD-40 that would hurt you. When you read the 'shower door' part, try it. It's the first
thing that has ever cleaned that spotty shower door. If yours is plastic, it works just as well as glass . It's
a miracle! Then try it on your stove top .. Voila! It's now shinier than it's ever been. You'll be
amazed.
Removes crayon
marks from walls, countertops and tables; removes the adhesive left behind when a price tage or some kind of label is removed
from an item; dissolves grease splatters in the kitchen;gets Silly Putty out of carpets; can be used for "de-squaking"
doors.
Soak cotton balls with a mixture of bleach and WD-40, leave them in cupboards; or just spray your baseboards with
the WD-40, it repels all kinds of pests without poisoning you, your kids or pets. Outdoors as well, spray around your
window sills and door jambs; the red straw attached to the nozzle gets the juice right where you want it. WHITE DISTILLED VINEGAR
Next time you have weeds or grass growing in unwanted places, like crevices or cracks in the driveway, try pouring
white distilled vinegar on them.
Spill soda or food on the driveway and don't want those nasty ants to hord
the area? Pour vinegar over the area to avoid the ants from congregating.
Have a garden and tired of the rabbits coming
in and biting your veggies? Soak a cotton ball in white distilled vinegar and place it in a 35mm film container. Poke
a hole in the top and place in your garden. No more bunnies! WHIPPED CREAM
Removing makeup: Wet face
with warm water, spread a handful of whipped cream on your face, rinse clean with warm water, and blot dry.
Apply ½ cup whipped cream to your dry hair once a week as a conditioner. Leave on for thirty minutes, then
rinse a few times before shampooing thoroughly. WHITE SOX
If your family walks around the house in their white socks and you can never get them clean, dissolve a dishwasher
cube or two depending how many socks you have in a bucket of water and let them sit overnight. The next day, wash as a small
load. You won't lose any socks and your white socks will be bright white from the clorox in the dishwasher soap. WINDOWS Keeping windows frost-free - Rub the inside of windows with a sponge dipped
in a Saltwater solution and rub dry; the windows will not frost up in sub-freezing weather. Rubbing a small cloth bag containing
salt that has been moistened on your car's windshield will keep snow and ice from collecting.
WINDOW SCREENS
Small holes in window screens can be repaired by dabbing the hole with successive
layers of clear nail polish. WINDSHIELD WIPERS
If wipers are beginning to wear down, you can make them last longer by rubbing them briskly with sandpaper.
WOODEN DOORS If a wooden door is sticking in its frame, fix it with a bar of soap. Rub it
along the edges of the door to give it a thin coating. Move the door back and forth to distribute the soap evenly, and it
will operate with ease.
WORMS If worms are a problem around your yard, place matchsticks in the soil upside down.
The sulphur in the matches repel hem.
**Additional
Uses for WD-40
Here are some other uses: 1. Protects silver from tarnishing. 2. Removes road tar and grime from cars. 3. Cleans and lubricates guitar strings. 4. Gives floors that 'just-waxed'
sheen without making them slippery. 5. Keeps flies off cows. 6. Restores and cleans chalkboards. 7. Removes
lipstick stains. 8. Loosens stubborn zippers. 9. Untangles jewelry chains. 10. Removes stains from stainless
steel sinks. 11. Removes dirt and grime from the barbecue grill. 12. Keeps ceramic/terra cotta garden pots from
oxidizing. 13. Removes tomato stains from clothing. 14. Keeps glass shower doors free of water spots. 15. Camouflages
scratches in ceramic and marble floors. 16. Keeps scissors working smoothly. 17. Lubricates noisy door hinges on
vehicles and doors in homes. 18. It removes black scuff marks from the kitchen floor! Use WD-40 for those nasty
tar and scuff marks on flooring. It doesn't seem to harm the finish and you won't have to scrub nearly as hard
to get them off. Just remember to open some windows if you have a lot of marks. 19. Bug guts will eat away the
finish on your car if not removed quickly! Use WD-40! 20. Gives a children's playground gym slide a shine for a super
fast slide. 21. Lubricates gear shift and mower deck lever for ease of handling on riding mowers. 22. Rids kids
rocking chairs and swings of squeaky noises. 23. Lubricates tracks in sticking home windows and makes them easier to
open. 24. Spraying an umbrella stem makes it easier to open and close. 25. Restores and cleans padded leather dashboards
in vehicles, as well as vinyl bumpers. 26. Restores and cleans roof racks on vehicles. 27. Lubricates and stops
squeaks in electric fans. 28.. Lubricates wheel sprockets on tricycles, wagons, and bicycles for easy handling. 29.
Lubricates fan belts on washers and dryers and keeps them running smoothly. 30. Keeps rust from forming on saws and saw
blades, and other tools. 31. Removes splattered grease on stove. 32. Keeps bathroom mirror from fogging. 33.
Lubricates prosthetic limbs. 34. Keeps pigeons off the balcony (they hate the smell). 35. Removes all traces of
duct tape. 36. Folks even spray it on their arms, hands, and knees to relieve arthritis pain. 37. Florida's
favorite use is: 'cleans and removes love bugs from grills and bumpers. 38. The favorite use in the state of New
York, WD-40 protects the Statue of Liberty from the elements. 39. WD-40 attracts fish. Spray a little on live bait or
lures and you will be catching the big one in no time. Also, it's a lot cheaper than the chemical attractants that
are made for just that purpose. Keep in mind though, using some chemical laced baits or lures for fishing are not allowed
in some states. 40. Use it for fire ant bites. It takes the sting away immediately and stops the itch. 41. WD-40
is great for removing crayon from walls. Spray on the mark and wipe with a clean rag. 42. Also, if you've discovered
that your teenage daughter has washed and dried a tube of lipstick with a load of laundry, saturate the lipstick spots with
WD-40 and rewash. Presto! The lipstick is gone! 43. If you sprayed WD-40 on the distributor cap, it would displace the
moisture and allow the car to start.
P. S. The basic ingredient is FISH OIL.
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