Helpful Hints, Home Remedies ~ From the Texas Gardening Forum at The Garden Web
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November 2012 Tips & Helpful Hints Thread ~ at the KT |
Posted by joann_fla (My Page) on Tue, Aug 17, 10 at 9:24
Use top-quality typewriter correction fluid to cover nicks, chips, and scratches on enameled ranges and refrigerators, porcelain tiles, and sinks. Works like a charm and it comes in a variety of colors. For perfect hard-cooked eggs, cover the eggs with cold water and bring to a boil. Then turn off the heat and let the eggs sit on the burner for 10-15 minutes. (I put a lid on the pot) Place bay leaves in kitchen drawers and in flour and sugar sacks to keep crawling insects away. For more effective dishwashing, add a few tablespoons of vinegar along with the dishwashing detergent when washing dishes. The vinegar cuts the grease and leaves dishes sparkling.
Thaw meat Turn over a cast Iron skillet and thaw your meat right on the bottom of the skillet, It does it quickly. ---------------* Posted by nicole__ (My Page) on Tue, Aug 17, 10 at 9:53For humid climates, put white rice granules in your salt shakers. For brown sugar that's gone hard, put apple slices in with it and leave over night. Remove the slices in the morning. After cleaning your granite counter tops, use orange oil or lemon pledge to give it that shine. Note: not to be used on slate, labrador or other oil asorbant granites. Use a tsp of epsom salts to a gallon of water to give your house plants or deck pots a boost. ---------------
* Posted by jasdip (My Page) on Tue, Aug 17, 10 at 10:22
When using a recipe that is a single page, slip it inside a clear sheet protector and pin a clothespin on the top.
Lay the clothespin inside the cupboard and close the door.
This keeps the recipe at eye-level and clean.
Use vinegar in place of fabric softener in the rinse water.
This is a safety tip.
Use your laptop on a plastic cutting board on your lap(what I do), or on a hard level surface. It won't block the vents and create a fire-hazard as when it's on something soft like your bed or a pillow.
Put baking soda and salt in a little shaker and use to clean your stainless steel sinks. The sink sparkles and it won't scratch.
Use a serrated knife to cut tomatoes.
---------------
* Posted by cheryl_ok (My Page) on Tue, Aug 17, 10 at 10:46
Towel rack tip- Replace the bottom screws of towel racks with cup hooks. Small towels and washcloths may be hung from them
Screen repair- Use clear cement glue to repair a small hole in wire screening
Cleaning shower doors- Rub glass shower doors with a white vinegar-dampened sponge to remove soap residue
Veggies:
By lining the crisper section of your refrigerator with newspaper and wrapping vegetables with it, moisture will be absorbed and your veggies will stay fresher longer.
A fresh egg will sink and a stale one will float
To make quick-diced eggs, use your potato masher
To remove corn silk, dampen a paper towel or terry cloth and brush downward on the cob of corn. Every stand should come off
To prevent boil-overs, add a lump of butter or a few teaspoons of cooking oil to the water. Rice, noodles or spaghetti will not boil over or stick together To clean your cutting boards, bleach it clean with lemon juice
Glassware:
Never put a delicate glass in hot water bottom side first; it will crack from sudden expansion. It will be safe if it is slipped in edgewise. When one glass is tucked inside another; do not force them apart. Fill the top glass with cold water and dip the lower one in hot water. They will easily come apart Oven spills: Following a spill, sprinkle with salt immediately. When oven is cool, brush off burnt food and wipe with a damp sponge.
Stainless steel
Use a cloth dampened with rubbing alcohol to remove water spots
Spots on SS can also be removed with white vinegar
Club Soda will shine up stainless steel sinks in a jiffy Club Soda is also great for polishing your formica to a sparkle Popcorn: Keep your popcorn in the freezer, not only will it stay fresh, but freezing helps eliminate "old-maids"
Candle drippings- For spilled wax on carpets. use a brown paper bag as a blotter and run a hot iron over it, which will absorb the wax
Animal stains- Blot up excess moisture with paper towels. Pour club soda on the spot and continue blotting. Lay a towel over the spot and set a heavy object on top in order to absorb all the moisture
Liven up your carpet- Give your carpet a new lease on life, sprinkle some table salt on it right before you vacuum. The rug will be much brighter!
Ballpoint Ink marks- Saturate the spots with hairspray. Allow to dry. Brush lightly with a solution of water and vinegar
Glue- can be loosened by saturating the spot with a cloth soaked in vinegar
Heel Marks on floors- Just take a pencil eraser and wipe them off
Unmarred floors- When moving heavy furniture, put thick socks over the legs.
---------------
* Posted by liz_ga (My Page) on Tue, Aug 17, 10 at 10:58
keep a few garbages bags at the bottom of the can...pull the full one out and a new one is ready for use.
Wax your shower stall and doors with car wax or better yet..GEL GLOSS (found at home depot..lowes..)..the water beads right off and keeps your shower and doors shiny and new looking!
--------------
When using a recipe that is a single page, slip it inside a clear sheet protector and pin a clothespin on the top.
Lay the clothespin inside the cupboard and close the door.
This keeps the recipe at eye-level and clean.
Use vinegar in place of fabric softener in the rinse water.
This is a safety tip.
Use your laptop on a plastic cutting board on your lap(what I do), or on a hard level surface. It won't block the vents and create a fire-hazard as when it's on something soft like your bed or a pillow.
Put baking soda and salt in a little shaker and use to clean your stainless steel sinks. The sink sparkles and it won't scratch.
Use a serrated knife to cut tomatoes.
---------------
* Posted by cheryl_ok (My Page) on Tue, Aug 17, 10 at 10:46
Towel rack tip- Replace the bottom screws of towel racks with cup hooks. Small towels and washcloths may be hung from them
Screen repair- Use clear cement glue to repair a small hole in wire screening
Cleaning shower doors- Rub glass shower doors with a white vinegar-dampened sponge to remove soap residue
Veggies:
By lining the crisper section of your refrigerator with newspaper and wrapping vegetables with it, moisture will be absorbed and your veggies will stay fresher longer.
A fresh egg will sink and a stale one will float
To make quick-diced eggs, use your potato masher
To remove corn silk, dampen a paper towel or terry cloth and brush downward on the cob of corn. Every stand should come off
To prevent boil-overs, add a lump of butter or a few teaspoons of cooking oil to the water. Rice, noodles or spaghetti will not boil over or stick together To clean your cutting boards, bleach it clean with lemon juice
Glassware:
Never put a delicate glass in hot water bottom side first; it will crack from sudden expansion. It will be safe if it is slipped in edgewise. When one glass is tucked inside another; do not force them apart. Fill the top glass with cold water and dip the lower one in hot water. They will easily come apart Oven spills: Following a spill, sprinkle with salt immediately. When oven is cool, brush off burnt food and wipe with a damp sponge.
Stainless steel
Use a cloth dampened with rubbing alcohol to remove water spots
Spots on SS can also be removed with white vinegar
Club Soda will shine up stainless steel sinks in a jiffy Club Soda is also great for polishing your formica to a sparkle Popcorn: Keep your popcorn in the freezer, not only will it stay fresh, but freezing helps eliminate "old-maids"
Candle drippings- For spilled wax on carpets. use a brown paper bag as a blotter and run a hot iron over it, which will absorb the wax
Animal stains- Blot up excess moisture with paper towels. Pour club soda on the spot and continue blotting. Lay a towel over the spot and set a heavy object on top in order to absorb all the moisture
Liven up your carpet- Give your carpet a new lease on life, sprinkle some table salt on it right before you vacuum. The rug will be much brighter!
Ballpoint Ink marks- Saturate the spots with hairspray. Allow to dry. Brush lightly with a solution of water and vinegar
Glue- can be loosened by saturating the spot with a cloth soaked in vinegar
Heel Marks on floors- Just take a pencil eraser and wipe them off
Unmarred floors- When moving heavy furniture, put thick socks over the legs.
---------------
* Posted by liz_ga (My Page) on Tue, Aug 17, 10 at 10:58
keep a few garbages bags at the bottom of the can...pull the full one out and a new one is ready for use.
Wax your shower stall and doors with car wax or better yet..GEL GLOSS (found at home depot..lowes..)..the water beads right off and keeps your shower and doors shiny and new looking!
--------------
* Posted by country_bumpkin_al (My Page) on Tue, Aug 17, 10 at 11:33
Funny you asked this today. I get the Farmer's Almanac email and they're also on my Facebook. Today they posted "Timely Tips & Tricks" and I came here to post one of them and see if anyone else knew this! I didn't!
Boil water now or later? Timely Vegetable Tip
Ever wonder if you should boil the water before or after you add vegetables to the pot. Here’s a simple way to remember:
Vegetables that grow underground (beets, carrots, potatoes) should start off in cold water.
Vegetables that grow aboveground (corn, peas, greens) should be placed in boiling water.
I may think of some of my own later to post.
---------------
* Posted by jasdip (My Page) on Tue, Aug 17, 10 at 11:35
I didn't know those CB! Except potatoes, they should start in cold water, so they cook evenly. Obviously that holds true with beets and carrots.
Potatoes are the only thing I boil, I microwave all my veggies.
---------------
Funny you asked this today. I get the Farmer's Almanac email and they're also on my Facebook. Today they posted "Timely Tips & Tricks" and I came here to post one of them and see if anyone else knew this! I didn't!
Boil water now or later? Timely Vegetable Tip
Ever wonder if you should boil the water before or after you add vegetables to the pot. Here’s a simple way to remember:
Vegetables that grow underground (beets, carrots, potatoes) should start off in cold water.
Vegetables that grow aboveground (corn, peas, greens) should be placed in boiling water.
I may think of some of my own later to post.
---------------
* Posted by jasdip (My Page) on Tue, Aug 17, 10 at 11:35
I didn't know those CB! Except potatoes, they should start in cold water, so they cook evenly. Obviously that holds true with beets and carrots.
Potatoes are the only thing I boil, I microwave all my veggies.
---------------
* Posted by jak1 (My Page) on Tue, Aug 17, 10 at 11:50
The tablets that are used to clean dentures can be dropped in the toilet bowl and left overnight for cleaning. You can also soak your fingers or toes in warm water with one of these tabs to clean up after a day of grubby gardening.
---------------
* Posted by threejs (My Page) on Tue, Aug 17, 10 at 11:50
Pull out that kitchen drawer and place a big cookie sheet over it...push back in to stablilize it. A large extra space that you can put prep foods on while baking or just use for extra cupboard space.
When washing a large amount of dishes in the sink, use a dishpan over another one that is inverted. Anyone with back problems will appreciate not leaning into the sink ..and your back will love you. I guess if you are short it might be too high though.
You can take away that "tinny" taste from any tomato based meal that has canned tomato or tomato paste in it by adding a tbsp. of brown sugar after putting them in the pot. ie spagetti or chili sauces etc.
----------------
* Posted by kittywhiskers (My Page) on Tue, Aug 17, 10 at 11:51
To keep your brown sugar from getting hard as a rock, keep it in your freezer. I have kept mine there for years and it never gets hard anymore and only takes a few minutes to get soft enough to spoon into a measuring cup.
Kittywhiskers
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* Posted by des_arc_ya_ya (My Page) on Tue, Aug 17, 10 at 11:58
Not so much a household tip as a caregiver tip - we're using a wireless doorbell as a "call" for my mom to use. The button is velcroed to the side of her nightstand and whatever room we're in - we take the "box" part with us.
(Can't take credit, it was Twinkie's brilliant plan and it's working!)
---------------
The tablets that are used to clean dentures can be dropped in the toilet bowl and left overnight for cleaning. You can also soak your fingers or toes in warm water with one of these tabs to clean up after a day of grubby gardening.
---------------
* Posted by threejs (My Page) on Tue, Aug 17, 10 at 11:50
Pull out that kitchen drawer and place a big cookie sheet over it...push back in to stablilize it. A large extra space that you can put prep foods on while baking or just use for extra cupboard space.
When washing a large amount of dishes in the sink, use a dishpan over another one that is inverted. Anyone with back problems will appreciate not leaning into the sink ..and your back will love you. I guess if you are short it might be too high though.
You can take away that "tinny" taste from any tomato based meal that has canned tomato or tomato paste in it by adding a tbsp. of brown sugar after putting them in the pot. ie spagetti or chili sauces etc.
----------------
* Posted by kittywhiskers (My Page) on Tue, Aug 17, 10 at 11:51
To keep your brown sugar from getting hard as a rock, keep it in your freezer. I have kept mine there for years and it never gets hard anymore and only takes a few minutes to get soft enough to spoon into a measuring cup.
Kittywhiskers
---------------
* Posted by des_arc_ya_ya (My Page) on Tue, Aug 17, 10 at 11:58
Not so much a household tip as a caregiver tip - we're using a wireless doorbell as a "call" for my mom to use. The button is velcroed to the side of her nightstand and whatever room we're in - we take the "box" part with us.
(Can't take credit, it was Twinkie's brilliant plan and it's working!)
---------------
* Posted by jodi_in_so_calif (My Page) on Tue, Aug 17, 10 at 12:13
I love Scrubbing Bubbles for the bathroom chores but it is also a great spot carpet cleaner.
I second Liz's Gel Gloss recommendation. It comes in a dark pink rectangular can which makes it kind of easy to find on the store shelf.
Jodi-
---------------
* Posted by azzalea (My Page) on Tue, Aug 17, 10 at 12:56
Rubbing alcohol often will remove ball point pen, but with a new piece of furniture I wouldn't do ANYTHING without contacting the manufacturer first. See what they recommend before using any tips you may hear or read.
Baking soda is not just good for stainless steel--it takes stains out of formica, removes the little brown cooked on speckles on the bottom of your skillets, and in your oven. It freshens, disinfects, is non-toxic. It's a great, non-abrasive scouring powder for the bathroom fixtures. It's the first cleaner I reach for for most jobs (and I rarely have to try a second)--I use so much baking soda, I buy it in 5 pound bags.
Go the the restaurant/bar supply store to buy a lot of your kitchen needs. An industrial roll of film or foil will last you for many, many years (and just think of all the little boxes you won't be sending to the landfills). Deli containers work great for leftovers and freezing (you have to be sure to get the heavier ones, of course). They come in 1 cup, 1 pint and 1 quart sizes, stack for easy storage, the same lids fit all the sizes--and they only cost about 25 cents each. They're reusable, but at that price, you don't mind occasionally tossing one if you find it in the back of the fridge with a 'science experiment growing in it'. Supply stores are a great place for picking up heavy-duty kitchen items like whisks, scrapers, etc. And for inexpensive containers to use when giving away food (or taking it to pot lucks, etc).
A bench scraper is the best utensil to use for cutting brownies, pizza, pies, etc. Just press straight down, then pull straight up--nothing gives a cleaner cut in my experience.
---------------
* Posted by sheilajoyce (My Page) on Tue, Aug 17, 10 at 13:51
Make your china teapot look like new. Pour a teaspoon of clorox liquid bleach into the pot, fill with water and let sit for an hour or so.
Badly burned pans with the food still stuck in the bottom seems to clean up easiest if you soak it with a tablespoon of electric dishwasher detergent and hot water for a few hours.
Windows, granite, mirrors, tile countertops all clean up nicely with a spritz of a combination of half water and half rubbing alcohol. I use an old Windex bottle. The windows won't streak as you clean them like they do with Windex.
---------------
* Posted by marita40 (My Page) on Tue, Aug 17, 10 at 14:00
Ditto the dishwasher detergent for stained coffee pots. Put a tablespoon in, fill with boiling hot water, and let sit for a couple of hours. Cleans up like new!
If you have soapstone countertops, a black sharpie quickly fills in small dings or scratches. Out of sight, out of mind.
Barkeeper's Friend is the BEST cleaner and quite cheap. Cleans rust or grime stains off things no other expensive formula will and doesn't scratch.
Microfiber cloths are fabulous for getting things like mirrors or countertops or the stovetop streak free. Buy them cheaply in packs from Target or Walmart automotive section; while thinner than the more expensive ones you can toss them when they start to wear out. In fact, they do last a long time and wash up beautifully.
---------------
* Posted by kayjones (My Page) on Tue, Aug 17, 10 at 14:11
"One only needs two tools in life: WD-40 to make things go, and duct tape to make them stop."
Duct Tape is the binder of all things flat - there is no limit to what Duct Tape can do. Remember, this tape will leave a gooy and hard-to-remove residue on your surface. It can be removed with most oils, but do a test first! It is also known to remove paint and varnish off surfaces - use caution when considering using Duct Tape!
WD-40 removes adhesive, cleans bike parts, stops squeaks, loosens rusted bolts and it has a few more unusual applications: Police once used it to remove a naked burglar stuck in an a/c vent!
I will add a third necessity to handy hints: the Miracle Eraser - it will clean almost anything! Always test any new method of cleaning on an inconspicous area to assure you don't mar the surface of your object. The M.E. will even clean dirty hands after working in the garage or garden.
Here is a 4th - liquid dishwasher soap will remove MANY stains - again, test a small area before using on a visable surface!
----------------
* Posted by jodi_in_so_calif (My Page) on Tue, Aug 17, 10 at 14:35
I use old credit cards as scrappers. I removed paint drops, fish tank algae, tub scum, tough food stuck on plates and floors. Very handy.
WD-40 shines my stainless steel appliances like nothing else. Spray a tiny bit on a fiber cloth and wipe. You'll be amazed.
Jodi-
--------------
I love Scrubbing Bubbles for the bathroom chores but it is also a great spot carpet cleaner.
I second Liz's Gel Gloss recommendation. It comes in a dark pink rectangular can which makes it kind of easy to find on the store shelf.
Jodi-
---------------
* Posted by azzalea (My Page) on Tue, Aug 17, 10 at 12:56
Rubbing alcohol often will remove ball point pen, but with a new piece of furniture I wouldn't do ANYTHING without contacting the manufacturer first. See what they recommend before using any tips you may hear or read.
Baking soda is not just good for stainless steel--it takes stains out of formica, removes the little brown cooked on speckles on the bottom of your skillets, and in your oven. It freshens, disinfects, is non-toxic. It's a great, non-abrasive scouring powder for the bathroom fixtures. It's the first cleaner I reach for for most jobs (and I rarely have to try a second)--I use so much baking soda, I buy it in 5 pound bags.
Go the the restaurant/bar supply store to buy a lot of your kitchen needs. An industrial roll of film or foil will last you for many, many years (and just think of all the little boxes you won't be sending to the landfills). Deli containers work great for leftovers and freezing (you have to be sure to get the heavier ones, of course). They come in 1 cup, 1 pint and 1 quart sizes, stack for easy storage, the same lids fit all the sizes--and they only cost about 25 cents each. They're reusable, but at that price, you don't mind occasionally tossing one if you find it in the back of the fridge with a 'science experiment growing in it'. Supply stores are a great place for picking up heavy-duty kitchen items like whisks, scrapers, etc. And for inexpensive containers to use when giving away food (or taking it to pot lucks, etc).
A bench scraper is the best utensil to use for cutting brownies, pizza, pies, etc. Just press straight down, then pull straight up--nothing gives a cleaner cut in my experience.
---------------
* Posted by sheilajoyce (My Page) on Tue, Aug 17, 10 at 13:51
Make your china teapot look like new. Pour a teaspoon of clorox liquid bleach into the pot, fill with water and let sit for an hour or so.
Badly burned pans with the food still stuck in the bottom seems to clean up easiest if you soak it with a tablespoon of electric dishwasher detergent and hot water for a few hours.
Windows, granite, mirrors, tile countertops all clean up nicely with a spritz of a combination of half water and half rubbing alcohol. I use an old Windex bottle. The windows won't streak as you clean them like they do with Windex.
---------------
* Posted by marita40 (My Page) on Tue, Aug 17, 10 at 14:00
Ditto the dishwasher detergent for stained coffee pots. Put a tablespoon in, fill with boiling hot water, and let sit for a couple of hours. Cleans up like new!
If you have soapstone countertops, a black sharpie quickly fills in small dings or scratches. Out of sight, out of mind.
Barkeeper's Friend is the BEST cleaner and quite cheap. Cleans rust or grime stains off things no other expensive formula will and doesn't scratch.
Microfiber cloths are fabulous for getting things like mirrors or countertops or the stovetop streak free. Buy them cheaply in packs from Target or Walmart automotive section; while thinner than the more expensive ones you can toss them when they start to wear out. In fact, they do last a long time and wash up beautifully.
---------------
* Posted by kayjones (My Page) on Tue, Aug 17, 10 at 14:11
"One only needs two tools in life: WD-40 to make things go, and duct tape to make them stop."
Duct Tape is the binder of all things flat - there is no limit to what Duct Tape can do. Remember, this tape will leave a gooy and hard-to-remove residue on your surface. It can be removed with most oils, but do a test first! It is also known to remove paint and varnish off surfaces - use caution when considering using Duct Tape!
WD-40 removes adhesive, cleans bike parts, stops squeaks, loosens rusted bolts and it has a few more unusual applications: Police once used it to remove a naked burglar stuck in an a/c vent!
I will add a third necessity to handy hints: the Miracle Eraser - it will clean almost anything! Always test any new method of cleaning on an inconspicous area to assure you don't mar the surface of your object. The M.E. will even clean dirty hands after working in the garage or garden.
Here is a 4th - liquid dishwasher soap will remove MANY stains - again, test a small area before using on a visable surface!
----------------
* Posted by jodi_in_so_calif (My Page) on Tue, Aug 17, 10 at 14:35
I use old credit cards as scrappers. I removed paint drops, fish tank algae, tub scum, tough food stuck on plates and floors. Very handy.
WD-40 shines my stainless steel appliances like nothing else. Spray a tiny bit on a fiber cloth and wipe. You'll be amazed.
Jodi-
--------------
* Posted by marcy345 (My Page) on Tue, Aug 17, 10 at 15:07
I save the smaller meat trays when I buy meat. When I buy family packs of meat(cheaper) I break it down into servings for 2 people, then package it in the smaller trays.
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* Posted by angelaid (My Page) on Tue, Aug 17, 10 at 15:14
Great tips! I tried the denture tablets in the toilet. That didn't work.
Damp kitchen gloves wipe pet hair off furniture miraculously.
I use scrubbing bubbles for stains in the laundry.
Peroxide to remove blood stains.
I save the smaller meat trays when I buy meat. When I buy family packs of meat(cheaper) I break it down into servings for 2 people, then package it in the smaller trays.
---------------
* Posted by angelaid (My Page) on Tue, Aug 17, 10 at 15:14
Great tips! I tried the denture tablets in the toilet. That didn't work.
Damp kitchen gloves wipe pet hair off furniture miraculously.
I use scrubbing bubbles for stains in the laundry.
Peroxide to remove blood stains.
* Posted by trinitytx (My Page) on Tue, Aug 17, 10 at 16:18
I use the plastic wrapper the newpaper comes in to cover ceiling fan blades while painting. They also double for the paint brushes you use, just put them in and store them in the freezer til the next day. They work great!
To get that ballpoint pen out of the microfiber couch, I had the same problem. Give it a shot of cheap hairspray, wait about 15 minutes, then use sudsy warm water on a cloth to remove it. I use resolve carpet cleaner on my micro couch also, especially where my DH puts his sweaty head.....need I say more?
I also use a rolled up towel secured with a rubber band like a doughnut at my computer. If I am on it a lot, I put my elbow on the towel to prevent a sore elbow.
When company comes over, I try not to sweat it like I used to.....just clean the bath and pick up the kitchen and livingroom, close the doors to the rest of the house and call it good.
If my kitchen floors need sweeping, I let the dogs in. if my tub needs cleaning, I close the shower curtain.
I am an Erma Bombeck cleaner. If it can't be seen, it isn't there.
Trin
---------------
* Posted by glenda_al (My Page) on Tue, Aug 17, 10 at 16:55
after bathing/showering, sprinkle oxiclean in the bathtub, let it sit overnite and rinse off before the next bathtime.
Nice clean tub
----------------
I use the plastic wrapper the newpaper comes in to cover ceiling fan blades while painting. They also double for the paint brushes you use, just put them in and store them in the freezer til the next day. They work great!
To get that ballpoint pen out of the microfiber couch, I had the same problem. Give it a shot of cheap hairspray, wait about 15 minutes, then use sudsy warm water on a cloth to remove it. I use resolve carpet cleaner on my micro couch also, especially where my DH puts his sweaty head.....need I say more?
I also use a rolled up towel secured with a rubber band like a doughnut at my computer. If I am on it a lot, I put my elbow on the towel to prevent a sore elbow.
When company comes over, I try not to sweat it like I used to.....just clean the bath and pick up the kitchen and livingroom, close the doors to the rest of the house and call it good.
If my kitchen floors need sweeping, I let the dogs in. if my tub needs cleaning, I close the shower curtain.
I am an Erma Bombeck cleaner. If it can't be seen, it isn't there.
Trin
---------------
* Posted by glenda_al (My Page) on Tue, Aug 17, 10 at 16:55
after bathing/showering, sprinkle oxiclean in the bathtub, let it sit overnite and rinse off before the next bathtime.
Nice clean tub
----------------
* Posted by ratherbegardening (My Page) on Thu, Aug 19, 10 at 15:42
Put bananas in the refrigerator when they reach the ripeness that you like, and they will stay fresh for about a week. The skin may turn dark, but the banana is fine.
If you have trouble swallowing a pill.....put the pill in your mouth, take a swig of water, and then turn your head to either side like you're looking over your shoulder. The pill will go right down! Wish I'd known this trick years ago.
---------------
* Posted by jasdip (My Page) on Thu, Aug 19, 10 at 15:54
I've been using a box grater to cut the butter into the flour for my biscuits. Works like a charm!
--------------
* Posted by soxxxx (My Page) on Thu, Aug 19, 10 at 16:55
Jodi
I love that comment about the (eye) glasses.
When I was newly married I thought my elderly mother-in- law was a not so good housekeeper.
Now that I am nearing the age that she was then, I realize that she just could not see the dust on furniture and spots on the dishes without glasses.
---------------
* Posted by mush (My Page) on Tue, Aug 17, 10 at 17:46
Mix one part Listerine mouth wash with one part water for an effective insect repellent.
Acetic acid (at least 15%) is great for killing weeds in driveways, patios etc.
Scrub your deck with a mixture of powdered Oxy clean and Hot water. It cleans and brightens up an old deck so it looks like new!
If you find Static Guard too expensive visit your local sanitation supply company. They sell anti-static products for carpet cleaners that are far less expensive and work like a charm mixed with water in a spray bottle.
---------------
* Posted by jasdip (My Page) on Tue, Aug 17, 10 at 18:49
As Mush mentioned the yellow mouthwash, with water and a few drops of dishwashing liquid makes a great bug killer on my houseplants.
I've used it for scale and spider mites.
---------------
Put bananas in the refrigerator when they reach the ripeness that you like, and they will stay fresh for about a week. The skin may turn dark, but the banana is fine.
If you have trouble swallowing a pill.....put the pill in your mouth, take a swig of water, and then turn your head to either side like you're looking over your shoulder. The pill will go right down! Wish I'd known this trick years ago.
---------------
* Posted by jasdip (My Page) on Thu, Aug 19, 10 at 15:54
I've been using a box grater to cut the butter into the flour for my biscuits. Works like a charm!
--------------
* Posted by soxxxx (My Page) on Thu, Aug 19, 10 at 16:55
Jodi
I love that comment about the (eye) glasses.
When I was newly married I thought my elderly mother-in- law was a not so good housekeeper.
Now that I am nearing the age that she was then, I realize that she just could not see the dust on furniture and spots on the dishes without glasses.
---------------
* Posted by mush (My Page) on Tue, Aug 17, 10 at 17:46
Mix one part Listerine mouth wash with one part water for an effective insect repellent.
Acetic acid (at least 15%) is great for killing weeds in driveways, patios etc.
Scrub your deck with a mixture of powdered Oxy clean and Hot water. It cleans and brightens up an old deck so it looks like new!
If you find Static Guard too expensive visit your local sanitation supply company. They sell anti-static products for carpet cleaners that are far less expensive and work like a charm mixed with water in a spray bottle.
---------------
* Posted by jasdip (My Page) on Tue, Aug 17, 10 at 18:49
As Mush mentioned the yellow mouthwash, with water and a few drops of dishwashing liquid makes a great bug killer on my houseplants.
I've used it for scale and spider mites.
---------------
* Posted by joyfulguy (My Page) on Thu, Aug 19, 10 at 17:20
Use a safety pin to fasten a washloth around your uninsulated mug filled with ice water on a really warm day, to forestall most of the drippage.
On such a day, soak the rag around an uninsulated mug filled with room temperature water to chill it a bit.
I like to store peanuts, cashews, etc. in frozen juice tubes, kept on my desk, by the computer, etc. for occasional snacking ... but I've had some trouble with small brown moths leaving eggs behind, that turn into larvae that just love them (and leave webs and residue behind).
I use round individual-serving yogurt tubs to slip into the top of those tubes that do a first-class job of keeping those bugs out.
By the way ... I can leave processed cereals out in a dish for a week and those bugs won't touch them ... I guess even those critters are smarter than humans, in some ways!
If you're old and have one of those push-button warning systems that use your phone to alert a central office, which then phones a couple of friends to notify them to check you ...
... make sure that you either have a house key securely hidden near your place (easy here, where there's a garage, sheds and a barn), and they know its location, or that each of them has a key ...
... or expect to have your door or window smashed, if you press the button (maybe by mistake).
Thanks for this message, OP - forty-four heads're better than one ... even if they are cabbage.
ole joyful
---------------
Use a safety pin to fasten a washloth around your uninsulated mug filled with ice water on a really warm day, to forestall most of the drippage.
On such a day, soak the rag around an uninsulated mug filled with room temperature water to chill it a bit.
I like to store peanuts, cashews, etc. in frozen juice tubes, kept on my desk, by the computer, etc. for occasional snacking ... but I've had some trouble with small brown moths leaving eggs behind, that turn into larvae that just love them (and leave webs and residue behind).
I use round individual-serving yogurt tubs to slip into the top of those tubes that do a first-class job of keeping those bugs out.
By the way ... I can leave processed cereals out in a dish for a week and those bugs won't touch them ... I guess even those critters are smarter than humans, in some ways!
If you're old and have one of those push-button warning systems that use your phone to alert a central office, which then phones a couple of friends to notify them to check you ...
... make sure that you either have a house key securely hidden near your place (easy here, where there's a garage, sheds and a barn), and they know its location, or that each of them has a key ...
... or expect to have your door or window smashed, if you press the button (maybe by mistake).
Thanks for this message, OP - forty-four heads're better than one ... even if they are cabbage.
ole joyful
---------------
* Posted by wildchild (My Page) on Thu, Aug 19, 10 at 17:55
A couple of denture cleaning tablets do a great job of cleaning and freshening coffee carafes,commuter mugs and thermos bottles.
-----------------
* Posted by joann_fla (My Page) on Fri, Aug 20, 10 at 14:43
a few more here:
For attractive individual butter servings, squeeze butter through a pastry bag or plastic beg onto a cookie sheet, set in refrigerator to harden.
Pickle juice should be saved and used for making coleslaw, potato salad, etc.
Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator and it will keep for weeks
---------------
A couple of denture cleaning tablets do a great job of cleaning and freshening coffee carafes,commuter mugs and thermos bottles.
-----------------
* Posted by joann_fla (My Page) on Fri, Aug 20, 10 at 14:43
a few more here:
For attractive individual butter servings, squeeze butter through a pastry bag or plastic beg onto a cookie sheet, set in refrigerator to harden.
Pickle juice should be saved and used for making coleslaw, potato salad, etc.
Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator and it will keep for weeks
---------------
* Posted by two.25acres (My Page) on Mon, Aug 23, 10 at 20:23
For those of you with pets, we have 11 cats. Borax and baking soda on your carpets. I leave it over night and vacuum the next day. By all means, let people walk on it. Never have a flea problem and my turquoise carpets look as good today as they did 5 years ago when we moved in. Keeps them smelling fresh and cleaner. I use baking soda in the pool as well, keeps my chemical usage down. Walmart sells the 7 pound bags.
---------------
* Posted by bluejeans4ever (My Page) on Mon, Aug 23, 10 at 20:41
Oooooooooh! I love the Borax and baking soda tip on the carpets for pets!!! I am going to try that tonight!! Thank you Two.25acres!
More uses for baking soda:
- in your bath water, makes the water silky and your bubbles are twice as big! Big bonus: The tub is getting cleanned while you bathe, just rinse!
- I use a squirt of dishwashing liquid along with the baking soda in the bath water. I love Ultra Sunlight Advance Hand Replenish with silk protein. Better than any expensive bubble bath, any day.
- To clean your corning wear dishes and glass dishes (and pots / pans) soak them in baking soda and hot water, the baked on goop will come right off - sometimes you will have to scrub a little, but most of the time it will clean up in a jiff.
- Baking soda with your dishwaster detergent. Use half the the amount of dw detergent you normal use and you will get cleaner dishes.
- I soak my dish cloths every night in a little bit of Tide and some baking soda in the kitchen sink. The result is clean dish cloths and a sparkling clean stainless sink.
I heart baking soda. :-)
BJ
----------------
* Posted by jasdip (My Page) on Mon, Aug 23, 10 at 21:06
In my kitchen cupboards I have a shelf on the upper third.
To increase usefulness of my cupboard I put a wooden shoe shelf on top of the cupboard shelf.
Similar to the picture shown, but without the top shelf.
I have pots and pans under the shelf, and shallower items on the top, depending on the depth of your cupboard. I have my large roasting pan on the top.
--------------
* Posted by luckygardnr (My Page) on Tue, Aug 24, 10 at 2:52
TrinityTX, I used clear hand sanitizer and a cotton face cloth on those ballpoint pen stains on my microfiber sofa and they came right up with hardly any effort! You can't even tell there were marks there!
Thanks
---------------
*Posted by maymo (My Page) on Mon, Aug 23, 10 at 22:31
Put a long piece of wax paper on top of your upper kitchen cabinets to catch all the dust/grease. Change it out once/twice a year.
--------------
* Posted by joann23456 (My Page) on Mon, Aug 23, 10 at 23:57
Rubbing alcohol makes chrome shine.
Baby wipes are amazing spot removers. (One friend once dropped a full cup of tea on the off-white sofa I used to have. Another friend grabbed a couple of baby wipes from his daughter's diaper bag and completely removed every trace of tea.)
I second the peroxide for blood stains tip, too.
---------------
For those of you with pets, we have 11 cats. Borax and baking soda on your carpets. I leave it over night and vacuum the next day. By all means, let people walk on it. Never have a flea problem and my turquoise carpets look as good today as they did 5 years ago when we moved in. Keeps them smelling fresh and cleaner. I use baking soda in the pool as well, keeps my chemical usage down. Walmart sells the 7 pound bags.
---------------
* Posted by bluejeans4ever (My Page) on Mon, Aug 23, 10 at 20:41
Oooooooooh! I love the Borax and baking soda tip on the carpets for pets!!! I am going to try that tonight!! Thank you Two.25acres!
More uses for baking soda:
- in your bath water, makes the water silky and your bubbles are twice as big! Big bonus: The tub is getting cleanned while you bathe, just rinse!
- I use a squirt of dishwashing liquid along with the baking soda in the bath water. I love Ultra Sunlight Advance Hand Replenish with silk protein. Better than any expensive bubble bath, any day.
- To clean your corning wear dishes and glass dishes (and pots / pans) soak them in baking soda and hot water, the baked on goop will come right off - sometimes you will have to scrub a little, but most of the time it will clean up in a jiff.
- Baking soda with your dishwaster detergent. Use half the the amount of dw detergent you normal use and you will get cleaner dishes.
- I soak my dish cloths every night in a little bit of Tide and some baking soda in the kitchen sink. The result is clean dish cloths and a sparkling clean stainless sink.
I heart baking soda. :-)
BJ
----------------
* Posted by jasdip (My Page) on Mon, Aug 23, 10 at 21:06
In my kitchen cupboards I have a shelf on the upper third.
To increase usefulness of my cupboard I put a wooden shoe shelf on top of the cupboard shelf.
Similar to the picture shown, but without the top shelf.
I have pots and pans under the shelf, and shallower items on the top, depending on the depth of your cupboard. I have my large roasting pan on the top.
--------------
* Posted by luckygardnr (My Page) on Tue, Aug 24, 10 at 2:52
TrinityTX, I used clear hand sanitizer and a cotton face cloth on those ballpoint pen stains on my microfiber sofa and they came right up with hardly any effort! You can't even tell there were marks there!
Thanks
---------------
*Posted by maymo (My Page) on Mon, Aug 23, 10 at 22:31
Put a long piece of wax paper on top of your upper kitchen cabinets to catch all the dust/grease. Change it out once/twice a year.
--------------
* Posted by joann23456 (My Page) on Mon, Aug 23, 10 at 23:57
Rubbing alcohol makes chrome shine.
Baby wipes are amazing spot removers. (One friend once dropped a full cup of tea on the off-white sofa I used to have. Another friend grabbed a couple of baby wipes from his daughter's diaper bag and completely removed every trace of tea.)
I second the peroxide for blood stains tip, too.
---------------
* Posted by nicole__ (My Page) on Wed, Aug 25, 10 at 8:52
For nicks in the enamel of your dryers drum, it could put rust on your clothes. Use the tiny little model plane paint sold @ Hobby Lobby, cost about $1! Just like new!
---------------
* Posted by jasdip (My Page) on Wed, Aug 25, 10 at 10:03
Save the scraps from your pie dough. Roll them and twist them and sprinkle sugar and cinnamon and bake.
---------------
* Posted by kathi_mdgd (My Page) on Thu, Aug 26, 10 at 3:37
Simple green works very good for removing blood stains,and chocolate from clothing etc. Spray it on, scrub between your hands and throw in the washer, it all comes out.
I use a denture brush(from dollar stores) to clean the tracks of my windows when i wash the windows.
I also use vinegar for tons of things, like the weeds growing in the cracks of the driveway, etc.
I use newspaper on the tops of my kitchen cabinets, it's recycling, and i change it out no more than twice a year (now that i'm older) LOL No one sees it,it catches the dust and i just pick it up and throw it away and add some new ones.
Every home and car should have duct tape and WD40. I knocked one of my cacti on my arm one day and the first thing that came to mind was duct tape. Grabbed it and kept putting and pulling strips of it on my arm til i got the cactus out, then washed my arm with warm soapy water and put antibiotic cream on it.
Kathi
--------------
* Posted by mrsmarv (My Page) on Thu, Aug 26, 10 at 6:47
I use aluminum foil to wrap meat for freezing. When I'm ready to defrost the meat and I want the foil to come off easily, I run the wrapped package under cold running water first. The aluminum foil comes off in one piece in a snap. No more struggling with trying to peel the foil off in bits and pieces or having to wait for the meat to defrost for easy removal.
For nicks in the enamel of your dryers drum, it could put rust on your clothes. Use the tiny little model plane paint sold @ Hobby Lobby, cost about $1! Just like new!
---------------
* Posted by jasdip (My Page) on Wed, Aug 25, 10 at 10:03
Save the scraps from your pie dough. Roll them and twist them and sprinkle sugar and cinnamon and bake.
---------------
* Posted by kathi_mdgd (My Page) on Thu, Aug 26, 10 at 3:37
Simple green works very good for removing blood stains,and chocolate from clothing etc. Spray it on, scrub between your hands and throw in the washer, it all comes out.
I use a denture brush(from dollar stores) to clean the tracks of my windows when i wash the windows.
I also use vinegar for tons of things, like the weeds growing in the cracks of the driveway, etc.
I use newspaper on the tops of my kitchen cabinets, it's recycling, and i change it out no more than twice a year (now that i'm older) LOL No one sees it,it catches the dust and i just pick it up and throw it away and add some new ones.
Every home and car should have duct tape and WD40. I knocked one of my cacti on my arm one day and the first thing that came to mind was duct tape. Grabbed it and kept putting and pulling strips of it on my arm til i got the cactus out, then washed my arm with warm soapy water and put antibiotic cream on it.
Kathi
--------------
* Posted by mrsmarv (My Page) on Thu, Aug 26, 10 at 6:47
I use aluminum foil to wrap meat for freezing. When I'm ready to defrost the meat and I want the foil to come off easily, I run the wrapped package under cold running water first. The aluminum foil comes off in one piece in a snap. No more struggling with trying to peel the foil off in bits and pieces or having to wait for the meat to defrost for easy removal.
* Posted by jasdip (My Page) on Sat, Aug 28, 10 at 17:29
Clean brass with ketchup and a bit of lemon juice. I read this tip and mentioned it to hubby. He immediately cleaned his drum cymbals with it and said they came cleaner than the brasso cleaner he used to buy. They smell good too!
* Posted by two.25acres (My Page) on Sat, Aug 28, 10 at 18:59
For copper, especially the copper sinks. Clean with toothpaste. I use Arm and Hammer with baking soda and peroxide. No gel toothpaste.
* joann_fla Aug 31, 2010
Use the free grocery shopping bags instead of paper towels when peeling potatoes.
Clean brass with ketchup and a bit of lemon juice. I read this tip and mentioned it to hubby. He immediately cleaned his drum cymbals with it and said they came cleaner than the brasso cleaner he used to buy. They smell good too!
* Posted by two.25acres (My Page) on Sat, Aug 28, 10 at 18:59
For copper, especially the copper sinks. Clean with toothpaste. I use Arm and Hammer with baking soda and peroxide. No gel toothpaste.
* joann_fla Aug 31, 2010
Use the free grocery shopping bags instead of paper towels when peeling potatoes.
* Posted by joyfulguy (My Page) on Thu, Sep 2, 10 at 19:50
1. If you like to save margarine or other plastic containers with lids to store things, here's a handy storage for the lids, which tend ordinarily to slide all over and make a mess.
We get our milk in square boxes, just under 3" square, about 9" high, with top folded like a roof, squeezing open part of the roof to pour it.
I pull open the rest of the roof, measure the width of the largest lid that you want to store up from the bottom, then cut from there down the middle of one side of the box, then fold each cut side down and staple. Then cut down each corner of the box to just a bit above the space needed, then fold the four sides over one another, cutting off extra material if there is any, and staple.
To make the sides a bit stiffer, after you cut down the side of the box, slip a yardstick at the fold of each of the flaps and fold the flap down over the yardstick, to make an edge about 1/16 - 1/8" just before the flap turns down. If you do that, it helps if you lay the box on a board just wide enough to fill the hole in the side of the box and staple into it from the outside, rather than using the bottom of the stapler, which will push down the folded edge of the wall that you want to make.
That will hold your lids in one place, in order, on edge, taking up only a small space in the cupboard, drawer, etc.
1a. Cut to a different length, they make handy storage containers for letters, as well. Slip two together, top to top, then staple to make a box for business-sized envelopes. You'll soon learn that you'd like to use the fold-over-the-yardstick system for the outside one of them, to make the sliding easier and to add strength to the sides, even though there may be two of them for most of the distance, I think.
2. Use frozen orange, etc. juice containers when empty to hold pens, pencils, etc. on your desk.
I use them to hold nuts, candy, etc., as well ... but have had some trouble with Indian grain moths, whose larvae love nuts, cookies, etc. and whole wheat (but not white) flour. We have individual yogurt containers with sloping sides that fit just nicely into the tops of those juice containers, to foil the larvae and the webs that they spin (in addition to the residue from their behind that they leave behind).
I can leave the various processed breakfast cereals out in a dish on the table for a week and those critters won't touch them - smarter than we are, I guess.
ole joyful
1. If you like to save margarine or other plastic containers with lids to store things, here's a handy storage for the lids, which tend ordinarily to slide all over and make a mess.
We get our milk in square boxes, just under 3" square, about 9" high, with top folded like a roof, squeezing open part of the roof to pour it.
I pull open the rest of the roof, measure the width of the largest lid that you want to store up from the bottom, then cut from there down the middle of one side of the box, then fold each cut side down and staple. Then cut down each corner of the box to just a bit above the space needed, then fold the four sides over one another, cutting off extra material if there is any, and staple.
To make the sides a bit stiffer, after you cut down the side of the box, slip a yardstick at the fold of each of the flaps and fold the flap down over the yardstick, to make an edge about 1/16 - 1/8" just before the flap turns down. If you do that, it helps if you lay the box on a board just wide enough to fill the hole in the side of the box and staple into it from the outside, rather than using the bottom of the stapler, which will push down the folded edge of the wall that you want to make.
That will hold your lids in one place, in order, on edge, taking up only a small space in the cupboard, drawer, etc.
1a. Cut to a different length, they make handy storage containers for letters, as well. Slip two together, top to top, then staple to make a box for business-sized envelopes. You'll soon learn that you'd like to use the fold-over-the-yardstick system for the outside one of them, to make the sliding easier and to add strength to the sides, even though there may be two of them for most of the distance, I think.
2. Use frozen orange, etc. juice containers when empty to hold pens, pencils, etc. on your desk.
I use them to hold nuts, candy, etc., as well ... but have had some trouble with Indian grain moths, whose larvae love nuts, cookies, etc. and whole wheat (but not white) flour. We have individual yogurt containers with sloping sides that fit just nicely into the tops of those juice containers, to foil the larvae and the webs that they spin (in addition to the residue from their behind that they leave behind).
I can leave the various processed breakfast cereals out in a dish on the table for a week and those critters won't touch them - smarter than we are, I guess.
ole joyful
Posted by jasdip (My Page) on Sun, Oct 3, 10 at 7:24
After chopping garlic, run your fingers along the knife blade under running water. The stainless blade eradicates the smell of garlic on your hands. Works every time.
I haven't done this one myself, so let me know if it works.
For proofing bread dough, heat a large bowl of water in the microwave until it's hot and steamy. Remove the water, and put the covered bowl of dough in the microwave and let rise.
Posted by nicole__ (My Page) on Sun, Oct 3, 10 at 9:27
Hi jasdip......yes they both work. I put a pan of water, not boiling into the oven and put the covered dough on the upper rack. Just the water being in the oven is enough to give the dough the humidity it needs for a GREAT rise!
The stainless steel trick is well known. Kitchen speciality stores actually sell a piece of brushed stainless steel, shaped like an egg and sorta flat....yes I bought one. :0) It lessens the smell. Rubbing knife blades just seemed....dangerous....I'm sort of a clutz.
Other tips:
I also have the round piece of 1/4" thick glass to put in boiling water to keep the pot from boiling over. It works too! and leather pot holders to keep from catching them on fire......I used to do that a LOT with cloth pot holders. And if you have hard water a stainless steel tea kettle won't get mineral deposits in the bottom when you leave water sitting in it.
----------------------------------------------------
Posted by carla35 (My Page) on Sun, Oct 3, 10 at 9:46
For the Garlic (and it works for Onions too) thing... I just use my faucet spout...it's stainless, not dangerous, and it's already there when I'm washing my hands! Seems to work fine.
--------------------------------------------------------
Posted by nicole__ (My Page) on Sun, Oct 3, 10 at 12:10
This is the stainless steel doo-dad that Kitchen specility stores sell. It has a little end for cleaning under your fingernails too! :0)
I prefer not to cross contaminate my kitchen by rubbing my dirty hands on my faucet or my refrigerator......or... any other SS fixtures in my kitchen.
--------------------------------------------------------
Posted by cynic (My Page) on Sun, Oct 3, 10 at 12:48
Or just wash some of your stainless steel flatware by hand instead of putting them in the dishwasher. I don't have that option so I automatically de-stink my hands. I've seen the little blocks for sale. Although Dawn & Joy dish liquids generally remove any smell as does lemon juice or vinegar when they're used.
I've often put the pan of hot water in the oven to make an imitation "proofer". Preheat the oven just a touch to get the walls and racks warmed to about the temp you want, then it won't lose the heat as quickly. A warm, moist proofer makes for great big fluffy rolls, breads and the like.
The only tip I can think of off hand to add is to avoid cutting yourself while chopping vegetables have someone else hold them while you chop away. Jasdip, can you stop over for a while?
Although baking soda has thousands of uses, my favorite is to get rid of coffee and tea stains in mugs. For some reason my preferred mugs stain quite easily and they don't wash out. I take a parmesan or romano can, fill it with baking soda and have an instant shaker can next to the sink, then just sprinkle some baking soda into the mug, add a drop or two of water so it's a paste and the stain instantly wipes out. Can take the paste to the next mug and use it there too until it's gone.
There, a "2-4-1", two tips in one.
The best storage container for a raw onion after it is cut is a airtight screw top glass jar. A cut onion can be refrigerated this way for up to a week. A salsa jar is nice and wide and short enough to fit many onion sizes without being too tall.
Here's another 2-4-1 tip: Remove dirty or greasy fingerprints from painted walls or non-washable wallpaper by rubbing the area with a slice of white bread. It's probably the kids' jelly stains anyway so just save the bread and you have the rugrat's lunch for the next day already made up. Often this "home schools" the kid too. They might learn to wash their grubby paws next time! (So is that a 3-4-1?)
I keep a supply of cheap disposeable food handling/serving gloves in the kitchen for the sloppy jobs like mixing meatloaf by hand, cleaning poultry, even cleaning the gunky stuff or if you have had it and must kill the neighbor, cut up the body and put it down the garbage disposal or into the wood chipper. The gloves are inexpensive and keep the hands clean and basically smell-free but with the lightweight plastic they can be difficult to put on. No problem, grab a little flour or cornstarch and coat your fingertips. They'll slide on easily.
--------------------------------------------------------
Posted by socks12345 (My Page) on Sun, Oct 3, 10 at 14:14
I like that idea about the onion in a jar. I guess I never reuse those jars because I didn't think they'd be tight enough. If you always use the jar, you don't have to be fishing around the refrig for whatever container you last put the onion in. You know it's in the clear jar.
I have a package of the gloves. Occasionally they do come in handy when doing an icky job. I have used them when putting "special treats" out for the rats which hang around my house.
--------------------------------------------------------
Posted by carla35 (My Page) on Sun, Oct 3, 10 at 15:48 nicole,
I don't rub my totally dirty hands on the faucet. I wash them first and them rub the "smell" off by rubbing them on the faucet and sometimes rinse or wash again. It's very quick, easy, and probably less of a chance of cross contamination than using a separate stone. It's become a habit that sometimes I'm not even aware I'm doing.
------------------------------------------
Posted by sheilajoyce (My Page) on Sun, Oct 3, 10 at 16:18
I keep a quart container of Clorox bleach under my kitchen sink to clean teapots and teacups. Just dribble less than a teaspoon of Clorox in a teapot and fill with water. It will beleach out the stains within a short time. Then pour that bleach water into any stained mugs or teacups.
If you salt your homemade soup too much, just chop up a potato and cook it into the soup. Potatoes always need salt and adding one will balance out the soup. If you are making broth for soup, put the broth into the refrigerator to chill. The fat will float to the top, solidify, and be easy to remove.
Ice cream too hard to scoop? Put it in the microwave for a few seconds.
Hi jasdip......yes they both work. I put a pan of water, not boiling into the oven and put the covered dough on the upper rack. Just the water being in the oven is enough to give the dough the humidity it needs for a GREAT rise!
The stainless steel trick is well known. Kitchen speciality stores actually sell a piece of brushed stainless steel, shaped like an egg and sorta flat....yes I bought one. :0) It lessens the smell. Rubbing knife blades just seemed....dangerous....I'm sort of a clutz.
Other tips:
I also have the round piece of 1/4" thick glass to put in boiling water to keep the pot from boiling over. It works too! and leather pot holders to keep from catching them on fire......I used to do that a LOT with cloth pot holders. And if you have hard water a stainless steel tea kettle won't get mineral deposits in the bottom when you leave water sitting in it.
----------------------------------------------------
Posted by carla35 (My Page) on Sun, Oct 3, 10 at 9:46
For the Garlic (and it works for Onions too) thing... I just use my faucet spout...it's stainless, not dangerous, and it's already there when I'm washing my hands! Seems to work fine.
--------------------------------------------------------
Posted by nicole__ (My Page) on Sun, Oct 3, 10 at 12:10
This is the stainless steel doo-dad that Kitchen specility stores sell. It has a little end for cleaning under your fingernails too! :0)
I prefer not to cross contaminate my kitchen by rubbing my dirty hands on my faucet or my refrigerator......or... any other SS fixtures in my kitchen.
--------------------------------------------------------
Posted by cynic (My Page) on Sun, Oct 3, 10 at 12:48
Or just wash some of your stainless steel flatware by hand instead of putting them in the dishwasher. I don't have that option so I automatically de-stink my hands. I've seen the little blocks for sale. Although Dawn & Joy dish liquids generally remove any smell as does lemon juice or vinegar when they're used.
I've often put the pan of hot water in the oven to make an imitation "proofer". Preheat the oven just a touch to get the walls and racks warmed to about the temp you want, then it won't lose the heat as quickly. A warm, moist proofer makes for great big fluffy rolls, breads and the like.
The only tip I can think of off hand to add is to avoid cutting yourself while chopping vegetables have someone else hold them while you chop away. Jasdip, can you stop over for a while?
Although baking soda has thousands of uses, my favorite is to get rid of coffee and tea stains in mugs. For some reason my preferred mugs stain quite easily and they don't wash out. I take a parmesan or romano can, fill it with baking soda and have an instant shaker can next to the sink, then just sprinkle some baking soda into the mug, add a drop or two of water so it's a paste and the stain instantly wipes out. Can take the paste to the next mug and use it there too until it's gone.
There, a "2-4-1", two tips in one.
The best storage container for a raw onion after it is cut is a airtight screw top glass jar. A cut onion can be refrigerated this way for up to a week. A salsa jar is nice and wide and short enough to fit many onion sizes without being too tall.
Here's another 2-4-1 tip: Remove dirty or greasy fingerprints from painted walls or non-washable wallpaper by rubbing the area with a slice of white bread. It's probably the kids' jelly stains anyway so just save the bread and you have the rugrat's lunch for the next day already made up. Often this "home schools" the kid too. They might learn to wash their grubby paws next time! (So is that a 3-4-1?)
I keep a supply of cheap disposeable food handling/serving gloves in the kitchen for the sloppy jobs like mixing meatloaf by hand, cleaning poultry, even cleaning the gunky stuff or if you have had it and must kill the neighbor, cut up the body and put it down the garbage disposal or into the wood chipper. The gloves are inexpensive and keep the hands clean and basically smell-free but with the lightweight plastic they can be difficult to put on. No problem, grab a little flour or cornstarch and coat your fingertips. They'll slide on easily.
--------------------------------------------------------
Posted by socks12345 (My Page) on Sun, Oct 3, 10 at 14:14
I like that idea about the onion in a jar. I guess I never reuse those jars because I didn't think they'd be tight enough. If you always use the jar, you don't have to be fishing around the refrig for whatever container you last put the onion in. You know it's in the clear jar.
I have a package of the gloves. Occasionally they do come in handy when doing an icky job. I have used them when putting "special treats" out for the rats which hang around my house.
--------------------------------------------------------
Posted by carla35 (My Page) on Sun, Oct 3, 10 at 15:48 nicole,
I don't rub my totally dirty hands on the faucet. I wash them first and them rub the "smell" off by rubbing them on the faucet and sometimes rinse or wash again. It's very quick, easy, and probably less of a chance of cross contamination than using a separate stone. It's become a habit that sometimes I'm not even aware I'm doing.
------------------------------------------
Posted by sheilajoyce (My Page) on Sun, Oct 3, 10 at 16:18
I keep a quart container of Clorox bleach under my kitchen sink to clean teapots and teacups. Just dribble less than a teaspoon of Clorox in a teapot and fill with water. It will beleach out the stains within a short time. Then pour that bleach water into any stained mugs or teacups.
If you salt your homemade soup too much, just chop up a potato and cook it into the soup. Potatoes always need salt and adding one will balance out the soup. If you are making broth for soup, put the broth into the refrigerator to chill. The fat will float to the top, solidify, and be easy to remove.
Ice cream too hard to scoop? Put it in the microwave for a few seconds.
Posted by phyllis__mn (My Page) on Sun, Oct 3, 10 at 17:33
Now this is a kind of silly one. When opening a package of ice cream cones, open from the bottom and you won't have a those broken tops. Oh, I know, it's not a world-shaking tip, but I like my cones unbroken!
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Posted by pplantlady (My Page) on Sun, Oct 3, 10 at 17:38
I have a tip for cleaning the inside of a dirty microwave of dried on spills. (my roommate can make a mess of it when I'm gone out of town for a week or so)
I take a dish towel and get it wet and wring it out. Fold it into a size that will fit easily into the microwave and then nuke it for a minute or so to make it hot and steamy. Then you just wipe up the spills..... they come right off with no scrubbing.
Some really good tips here. Thanks!
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Posted by blitzyblond_protege (My Page) on Sun, Oct 3, 10 at 18:17
Putting a measure of fresh coffee grounds in a small open-topped container and placing it in a closed area will take even the worst odors out of the refrig, closet, car, trashcan, ... Tie fresh coffee grounds in the toe of an old stocking and push it into smelly shoes.
Many truckers have used this trick for years. The whole can of coffee and a couple hours of driving and no one can smell anything in the trailer. Just sweep it out when you get where you're going. it's cheaper and easier then getting the trailer power washed. When I worked in a convenience store sometimes someone would break a bottle of alcohol inside the cold box, I just set a couple of coffee filters out with fresh coffee in them and in a little while--fresh air.
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Posted by dollydolots (My Page) on Sun, Oct 3, 10 at 18:46
Here's a tip I have used for years.
Put your new SOS pads in an airtight container.
When you use an SOS pad and it is still usable
put it in the container with the rest. I will never rust.
Dolly
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Posted by blitzyblond_protege (My Page) on Tue, Oct 5, 10 at 0:11
Rub the white inside of a banana peel on Eczema to help minimize certain types of outbreaks.
Drink 8 oz milk when you eat garlic to help keep the smell from coming through your skin-pores.
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Now this is a kind of silly one. When opening a package of ice cream cones, open from the bottom and you won't have a those broken tops. Oh, I know, it's not a world-shaking tip, but I like my cones unbroken!
----------------------------------------------
Posted by pplantlady (My Page) on Sun, Oct 3, 10 at 17:38
I have a tip for cleaning the inside of a dirty microwave of dried on spills. (my roommate can make a mess of it when I'm gone out of town for a week or so)
I take a dish towel and get it wet and wring it out. Fold it into a size that will fit easily into the microwave and then nuke it for a minute or so to make it hot and steamy. Then you just wipe up the spills..... they come right off with no scrubbing.
Some really good tips here. Thanks!
------------------------------------------------
Posted by blitzyblond_protege (My Page) on Sun, Oct 3, 10 at 18:17
Putting a measure of fresh coffee grounds in a small open-topped container and placing it in a closed area will take even the worst odors out of the refrig, closet, car, trashcan, ... Tie fresh coffee grounds in the toe of an old stocking and push it into smelly shoes.
Many truckers have used this trick for years. The whole can of coffee and a couple hours of driving and no one can smell anything in the trailer. Just sweep it out when you get where you're going. it's cheaper and easier then getting the trailer power washed. When I worked in a convenience store sometimes someone would break a bottle of alcohol inside the cold box, I just set a couple of coffee filters out with fresh coffee in them and in a little while--fresh air.
--------------------------------------------
Posted by dollydolots (My Page) on Sun, Oct 3, 10 at 18:46
Here's a tip I have used for years.
Put your new SOS pads in an airtight container.
When you use an SOS pad and it is still usable
put it in the container with the rest. I will never rust.
Dolly
-----------------------------------------------
Posted by blitzyblond_protege (My Page) on Tue, Oct 5, 10 at 0:11
Rub the white inside of a banana peel on Eczema to help minimize certain types of outbreaks.
Drink 8 oz milk when you eat garlic to help keep the smell from coming through your skin-pores.
-----------------------------------------------
Posted by jasdip (My Page) on Tue, Oct 5, 10 at 14:28
Before you chop chili peppers, rub a little vegetable oil into your hands and your skin won't absorb the spicy chili oil.
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Posted by joyfulguy (My Page) on Tue, Oct 5, 10 at 15:04
I'm keeping the two needles a day (pointy end {which is covered with a plastic sleeve that slides up over it and locks down toward the metal at the bottom) that I've used for a week in a frozen orange juice can...
... and now that I'm finished, I can tape a cardboard cap on it, label it and return it to the ER, or a Pharmacy, etc. for appropriate disposition.
ole joyful
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Posted by dotmom (My Page) on Thu, Oct 7, 10 at 13:40
I use Chicken stock a lot in cooking, so I buy a large carton of it. When I use what I need after opening the carton, I freeze the rest in ice cube trays and when frozen, I put them in zip-lock bags and next time I need some I just grab however many stock-cubes I need.
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Posted by vala55 (My Page) on Sun, Oct 24, 10 at 17:07
Sliding Grocerys in SUV
My groceries are always sliding around when I put them in the back of my SUV. I saw the plastic boxes at Target that look like old milk crates for $2 each and got 4 of them. I use them for groceries or other small purchases. The boxes don't slide because they are rough on the bottom. When I buy something like mulch you can put one inside the other and if that is not enough room they are easy to put in the back seat.
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Posted by jasdip (My Page) on Sun, Oct 24, 10 at 17:51
One of those clear, flexible cutting mats under your stand mixer is invaluable for moving it around with ease.
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Posted by country_bumpkin_al (My Page) on Tue, Oct 26, 10 at 0:22
Here's a few I got in an email earlier today.
Add salt to a teaspoon of baby or olive oil to exfoliate hands or feet.
If an electric plug fits too tight and is difficult to pull out, rub its prongs with a soft lead pencil.
Need to peel a bunch of oranges for a salad? Just soak the oranges in boiling water for five minutes then peel as usual. As a bonus, the "white" part of the peel will come off along with the peel to give an awesome look to your salad.
Keeping your dressing on the lettuce: 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.
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Posted by joann_fla on Wed, Nov 10, 10 at 9:13
To keep gnats away, Rub a thin film of baby oil on all exposed skin before heading outside if gnats are active. The oil forms a barrier against gnat bites
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Posted by janine_in_bc (My Page) on Wed, Nov 10, 10 at 10:25
Some great ideas here!
I have a Swiffer Wet Jet (two kids, two cats and a dog make it somewhat of a necessity) and hate buying the refills (and can't figure out how to take the cap off without ruining it) so I kept an empty bottle, cut a little hole in the bottom - a bit smaller than a wine cork, used a lighter to make the hole nice and round and use the cork to plug it. I can refill it with a mixture of water/cleaner. I made cloths for it also, instead of using the throw-away pads - stitched together a folded facecloth and added two straps of elastic to hold it on, can just throw them in the wash!
I can be a little thrifty at times :o)
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Posted by dollydolots (My Page) on Wed, Nov 10, 10 at 11:59
Place bowls of horse chessnuts in areas around the house.
Spiders will dissapear. They don't like the odor.
Dolly
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Posted by joyfulguy (My Page) on Wed, Nov 10, 10 at 15:20
Regarding the idea above about using a (water) bottle to seal a plastic bag by cutting off the bottom of the bottle, then threading the top of the bag out though the neck and folding down over, then putting on the cap ...
... it'd usually be easy to put the top of the bottle to your mouth and suck out almost all of the air.
That should help things that deteriorate in the presence of air to stay fresh/last longer.
ole joyful
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Posted by jannie (My Page) on Wed, Nov 10, 10 at 21:11
When I want to dish out ice cream, I run hot water, pour it in a cup, then let my metal scoop sit in the hot water a minute. The heated scoop glides thru tough frozen ice cream.
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Posted by lilliepad (My Page) on Thu, Nov 11, 10 at 1:45
Need extra counter space for serving that holiday dinner? I keep one of those laminated shelves about 14 in wide and 2 feet long on top of my microwave.When I need a little extra counter space I open a drawer,slide the shelf on top of the drawer and close it against the board so the board is snug.I have 3 top drawers on the side of my cabinets where I put dishes of food when serving buffet style meals.I have a long leaf from an old table that I slide on top of the three pulled out drawers.Makes about 3 feet of extra counter space.
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Posted by monica_pa (My Page) on Fri, Nov 12, 10 at 14:40
For Odors
White vinegar is the best, cheapest (and safest) odor absorbent in the world
Before you chop chili peppers, rub a little vegetable oil into your hands and your skin won't absorb the spicy chili oil.
-------------------------------------------------
Posted by joyfulguy (My Page) on Tue, Oct 5, 10 at 15:04
I'm keeping the two needles a day (pointy end {which is covered with a plastic sleeve that slides up over it and locks down toward the metal at the bottom) that I've used for a week in a frozen orange juice can...
... and now that I'm finished, I can tape a cardboard cap on it, label it and return it to the ER, or a Pharmacy, etc. for appropriate disposition.
ole joyful
-------------------------------------------------
Posted by dotmom (My Page) on Thu, Oct 7, 10 at 13:40
I use Chicken stock a lot in cooking, so I buy a large carton of it. When I use what I need after opening the carton, I freeze the rest in ice cube trays and when frozen, I put them in zip-lock bags and next time I need some I just grab however many stock-cubes I need.
--------------------------------------------------
Posted by vala55 (My Page) on Sun, Oct 24, 10 at 17:07
Sliding Grocerys in SUV
My groceries are always sliding around when I put them in the back of my SUV. I saw the plastic boxes at Target that look like old milk crates for $2 each and got 4 of them. I use them for groceries or other small purchases. The boxes don't slide because they are rough on the bottom. When I buy something like mulch you can put one inside the other and if that is not enough room they are easy to put in the back seat.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted by jasdip (My Page) on Sun, Oct 24, 10 at 17:51
One of those clear, flexible cutting mats under your stand mixer is invaluable for moving it around with ease.
-------------------------------------------------------
Posted by country_bumpkin_al (My Page) on Tue, Oct 26, 10 at 0:22
Here's a few I got in an email earlier today.
Add salt to a teaspoon of baby or olive oil to exfoliate hands or feet.
If an electric plug fits too tight and is difficult to pull out, rub its prongs with a soft lead pencil.
Need to peel a bunch of oranges for a salad? Just soak the oranges in boiling water for five minutes then peel as usual. As a bonus, the "white" part of the peel will come off along with the peel to give an awesome look to your salad.
Keeping your dressing on the lettuce: 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.
------------------------------------------------------
Posted by joann_fla on Wed, Nov 10, 10 at 9:13
To keep gnats away, Rub a thin film of baby oil on all exposed skin before heading outside if gnats are active. The oil forms a barrier against gnat bites
-----------------------------------------------------
Posted by janine_in_bc (My Page) on Wed, Nov 10, 10 at 10:25
Some great ideas here!
I have a Swiffer Wet Jet (two kids, two cats and a dog make it somewhat of a necessity) and hate buying the refills (and can't figure out how to take the cap off without ruining it) so I kept an empty bottle, cut a little hole in the bottom - a bit smaller than a wine cork, used a lighter to make the hole nice and round and use the cork to plug it. I can refill it with a mixture of water/cleaner. I made cloths for it also, instead of using the throw-away pads - stitched together a folded facecloth and added two straps of elastic to hold it on, can just throw them in the wash!
I can be a little thrifty at times :o)
-----------------------------------------------------
Posted by dollydolots (My Page) on Wed, Nov 10, 10 at 11:59
Place bowls of horse chessnuts in areas around the house.
Spiders will dissapear. They don't like the odor.
Dolly
-------------------------------------------------
Posted by joyfulguy (My Page) on Wed, Nov 10, 10 at 15:20
Regarding the idea above about using a (water) bottle to seal a plastic bag by cutting off the bottom of the bottle, then threading the top of the bag out though the neck and folding down over, then putting on the cap ...
... it'd usually be easy to put the top of the bottle to your mouth and suck out almost all of the air.
That should help things that deteriorate in the presence of air to stay fresh/last longer.
ole joyful
-------------------------------------------------
Posted by jannie (My Page) on Wed, Nov 10, 10 at 21:11
When I want to dish out ice cream, I run hot water, pour it in a cup, then let my metal scoop sit in the hot water a minute. The heated scoop glides thru tough frozen ice cream.
-------------------------------------------------
Posted by lilliepad (My Page) on Thu, Nov 11, 10 at 1:45
Need extra counter space for serving that holiday dinner? I keep one of those laminated shelves about 14 in wide and 2 feet long on top of my microwave.When I need a little extra counter space I open a drawer,slide the shelf on top of the drawer and close it against the board so the board is snug.I have 3 top drawers on the side of my cabinets where I put dishes of food when serving buffet style meals.I have a long leaf from an old table that I slide on top of the three pulled out drawers.Makes about 3 feet of extra counter space.
---------------------------------------------
Posted by monica_pa (My Page) on Fri, Nov 12, 10 at 14:40
For Odors
White vinegar is the best, cheapest (and safest) odor absorbent in the world
Useful info on Household Products
1. Budweiser beer conditions the hair
2. Pam cooking spray will dry finger nail polish
3. Cool whip will condition your hair in 15 minutes
4. Mayonnaise will KILL LICE, it will also condition your hair
5. Elmer's Glue - paint on your face, allow it to dry, peel off and see the dead skin and blackheads if any
6. Shiny Hair - use brewed Lipton Tea
7. Sunburn - empty a large jar of Nestea into your bath water
8. Minor burn - Colgate or Crest toothpaste
9. Burn your tongue? Put sugar on it!
10. Arthritis? WD-40 Spray and rub in, kill insect stings too
11 Bee stings - meat tenderizer
12. Chigger bite - Preparation H
13. Puffy eyes - Preparation H
14. Paper cut - crazy glue or chap stick (glue is used instead of sutures at most hospitals)
15. Stinky feet - Jello !
16. Athletes feet - cornstarch
17. Fungus on toenails or fingernails - Vicks vapor rub
18. Kool aid to clean dishwasher pipes. Just put in the detergent section and run a cycle, it will also clean a toilet. (Wow, and we drink this stuff)
19. Kool Aid can be used as a dye in paint also Kool Aid in Dannon plain yogurt as a finger paint! , your kids will love it and it won't hurt them if they eat it!
20. Peanut butter - will get scratches out of CD's! Wipe off with a coffee filter paper
21. Sticking bicycle chain - Pam no-stick cooking spray
22. Pam will also remove paint, and grease from your hands! Keep a can in your garage for your hubby
23. Peanut butter will remove ink from the face of dolls
24. When the doll clothes are hard to put on, sprinkle with corn starch and watch them slide on
25. Heavy dandruff - pour on the vinegar !
26. Body paint - Crisco mixed with food coloring. Heat the Crisco in the microwave, pour in to an empty film container and mix with the food color of your choice!
27 Tie Dye T-shirt - mix a solution of Kool Aid in a container, tie a rubber band around a section of the T-shirt and soak
28. Preserving a newspaper clipping - large bottle of club soda and cup of milk of magnesia , soak for 20 min. and let dry, will last for many years!
29. A Slinky will hold toast and CD's!
30. To keep goggles and glasses from fogging, coat with Colgate toothpaste
31. Wine stains, pour on the Morton salt and watch it absorb into the salt.
32. To remove wax - Take a paper towel and iron it over the wax stain, it will absorb into the towel.
33. Remove labels off glassware etc. rub with Peanut butter !
34. Baked on food - fill container with water, get a Bounce paper softener and the static from the Bounce towel will cause the baked on food to adhere to it. Soak overnight. Also; you can use 2 Efferdent tablets, soak overnight!
35. Crayon on the wall - Colgate toothpaste and brush it!
36. Dirty grout - Listerine
37. Stains on clothes - Colgate
38. Grass stains - Karo Syrup
39. Grease Stains - Coca Cola , it will also remove grease stains from the driveway overnight. We know it will take corrosion from car batteries!
40. Fleas in your carpet? 20 Mule Team Borax - sprinkle and let stand for 24 hours. Maybe this will work if you get them back again.
41. To keep FRESH FLOWERS longer Add a little Clorox , or 2 Bayer aspirin, or just use 7-up instead of water.
42. When you go to buy bread in the grocery store, have you ever wondered which is the freshest, so you "squeeze" for freshness or softness? Did you know that bread is delivered fresh to the stores five days a week? Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Each day has a different color twist tie. They are: Monday = Blue, Tuesday = Green, Thursday = Red, Friday = White and Saturday = Yellow . So if today was Thursday, you would want red twist tie; not white which is Fridays (almost a week old)! The colors go alphabetically by color Blue - Green - Red - White - Yellow , Monday through Saturday. Very easy to remember. I thought this was interesting. I looked in the grocery store and the bread wrappers DO have different twist tie! s, and even the ones with the plastic clips have different colors. You learn something new everyday! Enjoy fresh bread when you buy bread with the right color on the day you are shopping.
2. Pam cooking spray will dry finger nail polish
3. Cool whip will condition your hair in 15 minutes
4. Mayonnaise will KILL LICE, it will also condition your hair
5. Elmer's Glue - paint on your face, allow it to dry, peel off and see the dead skin and blackheads if any
6. Shiny Hair - use brewed Lipton Tea
7. Sunburn - empty a large jar of Nestea into your bath water
8. Minor burn - Colgate or Crest toothpaste
9. Burn your tongue? Put sugar on it!
10. Arthritis? WD-40 Spray and rub in, kill insect stings too
11 Bee stings - meat tenderizer
12. Chigger bite - Preparation H
13. Puffy eyes - Preparation H
14. Paper cut - crazy glue or chap stick (glue is used instead of sutures at most hospitals)
15. Stinky feet - Jello !
16. Athletes feet - cornstarch
17. Fungus on toenails or fingernails - Vicks vapor rub
18. Kool aid to clean dishwasher pipes. Just put in the detergent section and run a cycle, it will also clean a toilet. (Wow, and we drink this stuff)
19. Kool Aid can be used as a dye in paint also Kool Aid in Dannon plain yogurt as a finger paint! , your kids will love it and it won't hurt them if they eat it!
20. Peanut butter - will get scratches out of CD's! Wipe off with a coffee filter paper
21. Sticking bicycle chain - Pam no-stick cooking spray
22. Pam will also remove paint, and grease from your hands! Keep a can in your garage for your hubby
23. Peanut butter will remove ink from the face of dolls
24. When the doll clothes are hard to put on, sprinkle with corn starch and watch them slide on
25. Heavy dandruff - pour on the vinegar !
26. Body paint - Crisco mixed with food coloring. Heat the Crisco in the microwave, pour in to an empty film container and mix with the food color of your choice!
27 Tie Dye T-shirt - mix a solution of Kool Aid in a container, tie a rubber band around a section of the T-shirt and soak
28. Preserving a newspaper clipping - large bottle of club soda and cup of milk of magnesia , soak for 20 min. and let dry, will last for many years!
29. A Slinky will hold toast and CD's!
30. To keep goggles and glasses from fogging, coat with Colgate toothpaste
31. Wine stains, pour on the Morton salt and watch it absorb into the salt.
32. To remove wax - Take a paper towel and iron it over the wax stain, it will absorb into the towel.
33. Remove labels off glassware etc. rub with Peanut butter !
34. Baked on food - fill container with water, get a Bounce paper softener and the static from the Bounce towel will cause the baked on food to adhere to it. Soak overnight. Also; you can use 2 Efferdent tablets, soak overnight!
35. Crayon on the wall - Colgate toothpaste and brush it!
36. Dirty grout - Listerine
37. Stains on clothes - Colgate
38. Grass stains - Karo Syrup
39. Grease Stains - Coca Cola , it will also remove grease stains from the driveway overnight. We know it will take corrosion from car batteries!
40. Fleas in your carpet? 20 Mule Team Borax - sprinkle and let stand for 24 hours. Maybe this will work if you get them back again.
41. To keep FRESH FLOWERS longer Add a little Clorox , or 2 Bayer aspirin, or just use 7-up instead of water.
42. When you go to buy bread in the grocery store, have you ever wondered which is the freshest, so you "squeeze" for freshness or softness? Did you know that bread is delivered fresh to the stores five days a week? Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Each day has a different color twist tie. They are: Monday = Blue, Tuesday = Green, Thursday = Red, Friday = White and Saturday = Yellow . So if today was Thursday, you would want red twist tie; not white which is Fridays (almost a week old)! The colors go alphabetically by color Blue - Green - Red - White - Yellow , Monday through Saturday. Very easy to remember. I thought this was interesting. I looked in the grocery store and the bread wrappers DO have different twist tie! s, and even the ones with the plastic clips have different colors. You learn something new everyday! Enjoy fresh bread when you buy bread with the right color on the day you are shopping.
More Tip's & Tricks
"Some people grin and bear it.
Others smile and change it."
Others smile and change it."