On these pages you will find hints for cleaning & doing things around the house, first aide & many other tips.
If you need help with a specific item, check back...
You never know when it might be added.
ADHESIVE BANDAGE:
To remove without pain... Soak a cottonball with baby oil & dampen the sides of the bandage. In about 10 minutes, the adhesive will be softened & the bandage will lift off painlessly.
ICE PACK:
Homemade... Mix 1 part rubbing alcohol with 2 parts water & freeze in a zipper baggie. It will be pliable enough to conform to an elbow or knee & can be refrozen after each use. Be sure you put a damp cloth between the skin & the icepack to prevent frostbite.
SORE THROAT:
1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in 8 oz. of warm water is a great gargle for sore throats.
SPLINTER REMOVAL:
Apply a thin layer of white glue over the splinter, spreading it around the area. Let dry. Peel off the glue & out comes the splinter.
SUNBURNED SCALP:
Rinse hair with cool green tea. It's anti-inflammatory and astringent properties will help relieve an irritated scalp.
SWEET PAIN RELIEF:
Eating roughly 20 sour cherries - the kind in pie fillings and fruit juice - has been said to have the same pain relieving effect as aspirin or ibuprofen.
ANT REPELLANT:
Leave cucumber peelings on the counter overnight.
APPLIANCE BOOKLETS:
When they are lost... Dial 1-800-555-1212 to get the manufacturer's customer service number. Most companies have 800 numbers, but if there is none, you can call your public library's business information number & get the address to write for a new booklet.
APPLIANCES:
Touch Up, Quick Fix... You can cover small scratches on white appliances with white typewriter correction fluid or white nail polish.
AQUARIUM:
Cleaning...
1. Soaps & detergents may leave harmful residue. Scrub an empty aquarium with salt (non-iodinized) and a heavy-duty plastic pot scrubber. (Without soap.)
2. To bleach green algae stains from shells, rocks, coral & other decorations, soak in a mild chlorine bleach solution until white. Rinse well under running water & then soak at least 24 hours with enough water to completely cover decorations & about 1 small bottle of aquarium water chlorine remover.
BABY BOTTLES:
Identifying... Sand an area on the bottle with fine sandpaper & then write your child's name on the roughened spot with a permanent marker. Cover with clear nail polish. It will last for months.
BAGS:
Storing Plastic Grocery Bags... Cut a hole about the size of your fist in the side of a clean plastic milk jug & stuff the bags inside. It holds more than you think & you can pull them out 1 at a time.
BAGS FOR PRODUCE:
Put your hand into the bag as if it were a glove. Then with your "bagged" hand, grasp the bottom end of the lettuce & invert the bag over the head.
BAKING SODA:
Baking soda safely cleans many things around the house. Sprinkle on baking soda, wipe with a damp sponge or rag & rinse well. Make your sinks, countertops & many other things sparkle. Keep baking soda in a plastic or glass sprinkle bottle, like one that spices come in for quick easy access.
BATH MAT:
To Remove Mildew... Toss in the washer with hot, soapy water & bleach. Add a couple of bleach safe towels for scrubbing action.
BATHROOM MIRROR:
To De-Fog... Without smears. Blow the mirror dry with a hair dryer.
BATHTUB:
Cleaning Without Bending... Put a few inches of soapy bleach water in the tub. Scrub tub & walls with a sponge mop. After the tiles are clean, mop the tub with clear water.
BATHTUB/SHOWER DRAIN:
Cleaning Hair From Drain... Wipe it clean with a cotton ball or a cotton swab. You never touch the "gunky" hair!
BATHTUB OR SINK STAINS:
Removing... Scrub with a paste made from cream of tartar & hydrogen peroxide.
BLENDER:
Washing... Fill the blender about halfway with water. Add a couple of drops of liquid dishwashing detergent & put the lid on. Blend for a few minutes, rinse & dry.
BLINDS:
1. To Dust... Put old sox on your hands (inside out terrycloth is good) & spray them with dust attracting spray. Dust each slat separately.
2. To Wash... Put old sox on your hands & spray them with window cleaner. Close the blinds & starting at the top, go over them side to side. Then do the backside.
BOOKMARKERS:
Recycling... Cut strips from the fronts of cards you may have received for birthdays, Christmas or others. They make pretty bookmarkers & gives you a reminder of your loved ones as you use them.
BOOTS:
Drying, Storing... Stuff boots with newspaper to hold their shape. They also obsorb odors.
BUGS:
To keep bugs off of you, you can use VANILLA EXTRACT!
BUTTONS:
Quick Fix & Preventing Pop-offs... Put a small dab of white glue on each button.
CANDLES:
Freeze candles to store them. It helps retain their scent & also makes them burn longer.
CLEAN HANDS:
Mix equal parts of cornmeal and powdered laundry detergent together. Wet hands and sprinkle mixture on. Rub together. Rinse. Does well on any type of grease and oils.
HAND SANITIZER:
Makes 4 oz.
1/4 cup aloe vera gel
1/4 cup alcohol (100 proof vodka will also work)
10 drops of fragrance oil (opt.)
1 drop food coloring (opt.)
Combine ingredients & stir.
Store in a spray pump bottle.
Will last indefinitely.
INK:
Hair spray is good for removing ink.
LINEN:
If you have age spots on linen which has been stored away for a long time, sponge the spots with full strength peroxide, then rinse with cold water & wash as usual.
More than one application of peroxide may be necessary for very stubborn spots.
LIQUID HAND SOAP:
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#1. 1 bar of hand soap or slivers to equal 1 bar.
grater & a blender
1 cup boiling water
Grate soap & mix on lowest speed of blender till melter.
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#2. soap slivers equal to 1 bar or 1 bar of soap
grater & a large microwavable bowl
3 cups of water
container with pump
Shred the soap slivers or bar of soap.
Place in the bowl & add the water.
Microwave on high for 6 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes.
Cool. Then fill container.
PANTYHOSE:
Put your new pantyhose in the freezer. This makes them resist runs.
POTPOURRI:
Microwave... To make your house smell like baking pumpkin pie, add 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice to 1 cup of water in a micro-safe dish. Microwave on high until it boils, then cook for 3 minutes more.
ROOM DEODERIZER:
Vacuuming... Put a scented fabric softener sheet between the inner & outer vacuum bags or into the bag of an upright vacuum cleaner to release a pleasant scent into the room you vacuum. The sheet can be used several weeks.
Other things you can add are a few whole cloves, baking soda, a cotton ball sprayed with perfume or dabbed with peppermint oil.
RUBBER GLOVES TREATMENT:
Lather your hands with lotion or oil before putting them into rubber gloves for washing dishes or other cleaning. The gloves will slide on & off easily & your hands will get a good moisturizing treatment, especially working in hot water.
SCUFF MARKS ON SHOES:
If you use hairspray & a damp cloth, it should remove all of the scuff marks.
WINDOW CLEANER:
In a one gallon jug, mix 1 pint rubbing alcohol, 2 tablespoons non-sudsy ammonia, 1 teaspoon dishwashing liquid.
Add 4 drops of blue food coloring & fill the jug with water.
TOBACCO SMOKE:
Stale Room Odor... Pour about a capful of ammonia into a bowl of water & leave it out overnight, out of the reach of children & pets. In the morning the odor will be gone.
AQUARIUM WATER:
Fertilizer... When you clean out your aquarium (NOT salt water tank) water your plants with this natural fertilizer solution.
AVOCADO:
Rooting From Pit...
1. The usual way is to poke toothpicks in the sides & let the fatter end rest in water till roots form & the plant is about 4"tall. Then plant in dirt.
2. Remove the outer brown skin & put it in a zipper baggie with 2 tablespoons of water. Put bag in warm place. After about a week, the seed will split. After about 2 weeks, there will be root growth. After about a month, there should be enough root to plant in soil.
3. Plant the seed with the pointed end up in a pot of dirt. Place in a sunny spot with no direct sunlight & keep moist.
Hint: When the plant grows to about 6" tall, cut it in half & it will branch out with new growth. Avocado trees can grow 10 to 12 feet tall.
