How many of these did YOU know about?
A sealed envelope:
Put in the freezer for a few hours, and then slide a knife under the flap. The
envelope can then be resealed. (Hmmm...)
Use an empty toilet paper roll to store appliance cords. It
keeps them neat and you can write on the roll what appliance it belongs to.
For icy door steps in freezing temperatures, get warm water
and put Dawn dish washing liquid in it. Pour it all over the steps. They won't
refreeze.
To remove old wax from a glass candle holder, put it in the
freezer for a few hours. Then take the candle holder out and turn it upside
down. The wax will fall out.
For crayon marks on walls, use a damp rag dipped in baking
soda. Comes off with a little elbow grease.
To remove permanent marker on appliances or counter tops,
use rubbing alcohol on paper towel. (Also works for ink transferred from store
receipts!)
Whenever you purchase a box of S.O.S. pads, immediately take
a pair of scissors and cut each pad in half. It is more economical. A box of
S.O.S. pads will last indefinitely, and the scissors get "sharpened'' that way!
For blood stains on clothes, pour a little hydrogen peroxide
on a cloth and proceed to wipe off every drop of blood. (Now, where to put the
body?)
Use vertical strokes when washing windows outside and
horizontal for inside windows. Then you can tell which side has the streaks.
Straight vinegar will get outside windows really clean, but don't wash windows
on a sunny day. They will dry too quickly and will probably streak.
Spray a bit of perfume on the light bulb in any room to
create a lovely light scent in each room when the light is turned on.
Place fabric softener sheets in dresser drawers, and your
clothes will smell freshly washed for weeks to come. You can also do this with
towels and linen.
Candles will last a lot longer if placed in the freezer for
at least 3 hours prior to burning.
To clean artificial flowers, pour some salt into a paper bag
and then add the flowers. Shake vigorously. The salt will absorb all the dust
and dirt and leave your artificial flowers looking like new!
To easily remove burnt on food from your skillet, add a drop
or two of dish soap and enough water to cover bottom of pan. Bring to a boil on
stove top.
Spray your plastic storage containers with nonstick cooking
spray before pouring in tomato based sauces. No stains.
Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting in the
refrigerator and it will keep for weeks.
When boiling corn on the cob, add a pinch of sugar to help
bring out the corn's natural sweetness.
Cure for headaches:
Take a lime, cut it in half, and rub it on your forehead. The throbbing will go
away.
Don't throw out all that leftover wine! Freeze it into ice
cubes for future use in casseroles and sauces. (Left over wine... what's that?)
To get rid of the itch from mosquito bites, try applying
soap on the area and you will experience instant relief.
Ants, ants, ants everywhere! Well, they are said to never
cross a chalk line. So, get out your chalk and draw a line on the floor or
wherever ants tend to march. See for yourself.
Use air-freshener to clean mirrors. It does a good job and
better still, leaves a lovely smell to the shine.
When you get a splinter, reach for the scotch tape before
resorting to tweezers or a needle. Simply put the scotch tape over the
splinters painlessly and easily.
Burn your fingers? Pour soy sauce over it and the burning
sensation will immediately stop (and you have a good chance of not blistering,
too.)
Now look what you can do with Alka Seltzer...
Clean a toilet:
Drop in two Alka Seltzer tablets, wait twenty minutes, brush and flush. The
citric acid and effervescent action clean vitreous china.
Clean a vase:
To remove a stain from the bottom of a glass vase or cruet, fill with water and
drop in two Alka Seltzer tablets.
Polish jewelry (metal only):
Drop two Alka Seltzer tablets into a glass of water and immerse the jewelry for
two minutes.
Clean a thermos bottle:
Fill the bottle with water, drop in four Alka Seltzer tablets, and let soak for
an hour (or longer, if necessary).
Unclog a drain:
Clear the sink drain by dropping three Alka Seltzer tablets down the drain
followed by a cup of Heinz White Vinegar. Wait a few minutes and then run the
hot water.
(Hmmm... makes you wonder about ingesting Alka Seltzer,
doesn't it?)