Pour a can of Coke on your windshield to get bugs off!
To clean a toilet: Pour a can of Coca-Cola into the toilet bowl and let the "real thing" sit for one hour, then flush clean
The citric acid in Coke removes stains from Vitreous China.
To remove rust spots from chrome car bumpers: Rub the bumper with a rumpled-up piece of Reynolds Wrap aluminum foil dipped in Coca-Cola.
To clean corrosion from car battery terminals: Pour a can of Coca-Cola over the terminals to bubble away the corrosion.
To loosen a rusted bolt: Applying a cloth soaked in Coca-Cola to the rusted bolt for several minutes
To bake a moist ham: Empty a can of Coca-Cola into the baking pan, wrap the ham in aluminum foil, and bake. Thirty minutes before the ham is finished, remove the foil, allowing the drippings to mix with the Coke for sumptuous brown gravy.
To remove grease from clothes: Empty a can of coke into a load of greasy clothes, add detergent, and run through a regular cycle. The Coca-Cola will help loosen grease stains. It will also clean road haze from your windshield.
Bathroom
Keep the toilet bowl ring-free by pouring a half-gallon of white vinegar in it once a month. Let it soak overnight before flushing.
Use rubbing alcohol on bathroom fixtures.....faucets and toilet paper holder and towel racks to keep shiny and repel water spots.
Add a little clorox to your toilet bowl to keep it fresh and clean! It will be sparkling white!
Place an opened box of baking soda behind the toilet to absorb bathroom odors.
Use air freshner to clean mirrors leaves streak free shine and leaves a great smell.
When you wash your shower, finish the glass panels with a car wax. The water beads off the glass and you don't get the build up and you only need to wash the shower down once every few months.
If you have any tile in your bathroom try a bottle of cheap hair conditioner. Spray a little on a sponge and it well take off all that soap scum. Rinse and it will look as good as new
If you have mildew in the corner where the bathtub meets the tile, soak a cotton ball with bleach and place directly on the stain for an hour or two. Remove, then rinse thoroughly.
Clean your toilet with Alka Seltzer - Drop in two Alka Seltzer tablets, wait twenty minutes, brush and flush
Unclog a drain. Clear the sink drain by dropping three Alka Seltzer tablets down the drain followed by a cup of White Vinegar. Wait a few minutes, then run the hot water.
The nylon string bags that fruit and vegies cone in can be folded together to make great fake loophas
Dirty grout - Try Listerine
Frustrated with shower curtains tearing off of hooks? When putting up new vinyl showercurtain or liner,put a strip of adhesive tape over inside tops. Poke hole with sissor tip through adhesive tape where perforated holes in curtain are and hang. Problem solved, no more tearing from hooks.
Beauty and Health
Health
- Did You Know that drinking two glasses of Gatorade can relieve headache pain almost immediately-- without the unpleasant side effects caused by traditional "pain relievers."
- Sore throat? Just mix 1/4 cup of vinegar with 1/4 cup of honey and take 1 tablespoon six times a day. The vinegar kills the bacteria.
- Cure urinary tract infections with Alka-Seltzer. Just dissolve two tablets in a glass of water and drink it at the onset of the symptoms.
Alka-Seltzer begins eliminating urinary tract infections almost instantly-- even though the product was never been advertised for this use.
- Did you know that Colgate toothpaste makes an excellent salve for burns.
- Before you head to the drugstore for a high-priced inhaler filled with mysterious chemicals, try chewing on a couple of curiously strong Altoids peppermints. They'll clear up your stuffed nose.
- Achy muscles from a bout of the flu? Mix 1 Tablespoon of horseradish in 1 cup of olive oil. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes, then apply it as a massage oil, for instant relief for aching muscles.
- Honey remedy for skin blemishes ... Cover the blemish with a dab of honey and place a Band-Aid over it. Honey kills the bacteria, keeps the skin sterile, and speeds healing. Works overnight.
- Listerine therapy for toenail fungus. Get rid of unsightly toenail fungus by soaking your toes in Listerine mouthwash. The powerful antiseptic leaves your toenails looking healthy again.
- Smart splinter remover. Just pour a drop of Elmer's Glue-All over the splinter, let dry, and peel the dried glue off the skin. The splinter sticks to the dried glue.
- Hunt's tomato paste boil cure ...cover the boil with Hunt's tomato paste as a compress. The acids from the tomatoes soothe the pain and bring the boil to a head.
- Quaker Oats for fast pain relief... It's not for breakfast any more!
Mix 2 cups of Quaker Oats and 1 cup of water in a bowl and warm in the microwave for 1 minute, cool slightly, and apply the mixture to your hands for soothing relief from arthritis pain.
- Balm for broken blisters... To disinfect a broken blister, dab on a few drops of Listerine. a powerful antiseptic.
- Vinegar to heal bruises ... Soak a cotton ball in white vinegar and apply it to the bruise for 1 hour. The vinegar reduces the blueness and speeds up the healing process.
When dealing with an upset stomach that could lead to vomiting, place a small amount of salt in your hand and lick it. This should stop the sick feeling. If not repeat the procedure
If you have leg cramps during the night, try putting a bar of soap down by your feet at night. Hotel soap is fine
Beauty
Exfoliation for the Body - We have all heard of the benefits of glycolic acid. Glycolic acid is a natural substance found in sugar, which is why many sugar scrubs have become so popular. Here is a great sugar scrub recipe that will help remove dead skin cells and is wonderful for sloughing off calluses and dry skin on your feet… especially if you will be running around barefoot this summer!
Sugar Scrub Recipe:
1 cup of organic brown cane sugar
1.5 cups of oil (I like sweet almond oil, but you can use olive oil as well)
Mix contents in a bowl and take into the bathtub. You can use this scrub all over the body. Gently rub the mixture into the skin and leave on for a few minutes. Rinse with warm water.
Exfoliation for the Face - Although you can use scrubs on the face, you may prefer to use a more delicate method of exfoliation for delicate skin. Sometimes to much abrasion can tear pores and make them appear larger and pitted over time. For a gentle exfoliation place some lemon juice on a cotton ball and dab onto clean skin. Lemons contain citric acid, another form of natural acid that will gently dissolve dead skin cells.
Calming the Skin - For a gentle and calming cleansing, use whole milk (which contains lactic acid). Saturate a cotton round in milk and wipe your face, as you would a toner. You can leave this on all day, apply cosmetics, moisturizers or sunscreen once your face is dry.
Hair
Try using hand cream to seal split ends. It works as well as expensive deep conditioning treatments and split end mending products. Use on dry hair only.
Instead of buying expensive spray on leave in conditioner, get a spray bottle and put water in it then add your favorite regular conditioner that you use when you wash your hair, swirl it around to mix. If it won't spray, add a little more water. You'll have to experiment a little since the amounts vary depending on the conditioner you use. It's much cheaper though!!!
To get styling products build up out of your hair, add 1/2 tsp baking soda to shampoo and use 2 times a week.
Lice - instead of the expensive shampoos try the following:
1. Spray a little WD-40 on the hair and comb with a fine tooth comb. The nits come right out! The hair is a little greasy afterwards but 2 shampoos usually does the job, depending on the thickness and length of hair.
2. Mayo also works sometimes
Skin
You can fight skin blemishes with baking soda instead of acne creams. Add enough water to the baking soda to make a paste and apply to blemishes at bedtime to dry up pimples fast.
Use hair conditioner to shave your legs; it makes them softer than normal shaving cream and gives a close shave.
Mayo Moisturising Mask
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*** Ingredients:
- 2 Tabls. Full Fat Mayo
- 1 Tsp. Baby Oil
*** Directions:
Mix all ingredients well. Spread onto face and neck elbows knees wherever you need some extra moisture, and leave on for 20 minutes. Rinse off thoroughly with tepid water.
Cold Cream on eyelashes and brows keeps soap out of eyes while shampooing.
Soaking for a minute or two in cold soap suds makes it easier to remove rings from swollen fingers.
If your hands are really greasy and grimey, use a little dishwashing soap with a little sugar in your hand to scrub them clean.
2-3 drops of lavender essential oil (pure, grade A) mixed in with a small amount of chemical-free lotion applied to sunburn will take away hot, burning pain.
If you have rough dry, sometimes darker skin on your elbows ? Try the cheap stuff first. "Carmex" in the little white and yellow jar. Use it once in the morning and once at night. Rub it in good. Use it for about 3-4 days or longer and see what happens.
Use Vaseline on bruises - it helps to make them heal faster! If applied as soon as you hit your self will probably stop them from showing at all. Carry small tube in purse to apply on a small child where ever you are.
Wash your hands with a little hand lotion and a little liquid soap. The results are soft hands with no residue from the hand lotion on them.
Use Talcum Powder when Shaving Dry. Results - No razor burn and Soft skin!
Use Talcum Powder to get the sand off your skin at the beach or local playground. It takes sand off big and little bodies like magic!!! Simply rub powder all over and the sand falls off!!
Use a little salt when washing your hands to remove strong odors. Make sure you don't have any cuts or scrapes first!
Diaper rash Cream (such as Desitin) softens feet. Rub it into your feet real good then put cotton socks on
Make your own Liquid Soap - Take that last sliver of your fragrant bar soap (at least the size of a silver dollar) and mix with one cup hot water and let disolve. Mix well! You will have your favorite fragrant liquid soap. Works in any liquid soap dispenser!
Nails
If you chip, break or snag a fingernail and you find yourself without a nail file handy, just grab a box or book of matches. Use the little rough part that you strike the matches on to file your nail. It works great!
If you dont have a nail file when you chip or break a nail you can use a rock to smooth the jagged edges so you dont tear the nail any further until you get home.
Make-Up
Use a bit of loose powder on your eyelashes. Let it set for a minute, then apply mascara. Do this after eyeshadow and/or eyeliner is applied. The powder helps thicken lashes and set the eyeshadow and eyeliner. It keeps it from smudging.
To enhance your eye shadow, avoid selecting an eye shadow that is the same color as your iris. This will only serve to dull your eye color.
~*~ Homemade Vanilla Lip Gloss~*~
*** Ingredients:
- 1 Tablespoon of grated beeswax
- 1/2 teaspoon of coconut oil
- 1/8 teaspoon of vitamin E oil
- 1/8 teaspoon of vanilla extract
*** Directions:
Slowly heat ingredients except vanilla until melted. Then stir in vanilla. Pour in container and cool.
Loose your Contact Lens? Darken the room as much as possible. Shine a flashlight over the floor. The lens will glow.
Scent
Want your perfume or body spray sent to last all day? Put on lotion of the same sent on first and then apply the perfume/body spray and it will last practically the whole day.
Gardening Tips
Save and Recycle plastic peanuts. Use them at the bottom of planting containers instead of rocks or gravel for water drainage.
Save That Leaky Hose -- Don't throw that leaking hose away. Simply add more holes and you'll have a sprinkler or soaker hose for your lawn...
Fingers stained from gardening or kitchen chores get clean when you rub them with a piece of raw potato
Put a coffee filter in the bottom of pots before adding potting soil. Keeps soil from coming out the holes when you water the plants.
Use dryer sheets in the bottom of plant pots keep soil from washing through
To start seedlings inside using a "greenhouse" effect you can use the bottoms cut off of plastic drink bottles. Just fill your container with potting soil...pop your seeds in, water, then cover with the "saran quick covers". Place in a warm spot. In a few days your seedlings will sprout. Perfect for people without much gardening space. After your seedling sprouts....you can transplant to a regular planting container as soon as weather permits
Flies or bees bothering you? Spray them with hairspray and they will take a quick dive.
To get rid of 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 your chalk out and draw a line on the floor or wherever ants tend to march.
When stung by a bee, DO NOT PULL the stinger out. This squeezes the venom into the wound. Scrape across the stinger with your fingernail or a credit card. The sting will be much less severe.
Kitchen Tips
Measuring Cups... Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill it with hot water. Dump out the hot water, but don't dry the cup. Next, add your ingredient, such as peanut butter, and watch how easily it comes right out
To bake a moist ham: Empty a can of Coca-Cola into the baking pan; wrap the ham in aluminum foil, and bake. Thirty minutes before the ham is finished, remove the foil, allowing the drippings to mix with the Coke for a sumptuous brown gravy.
Mr. Clean's Magic Eraser does a great job on the bottom of stainless stain pots. I have found that it does not scratch and really does a great job of cleaning....
Get more juice from citrus fruits:- A refrigerated lemon or lime is harder to juice than one at room temperature or warmed slightly. To get the most juice, microwave citrus fruits for 20 seconds before squeezing.
To get rid of garlic and onion smells on your hands, just wet them and rub them on your stainless steel sink and PRESTO! the odor is gone!
Cooking
Butter the rim of a pan in which you cook rice or pasta so it won't boil over.
Instead of a pastry brush, use a new 1 1/2-inch wide paintbrush to brush on barbecue sauce and melted butter.
When baking in a glass pan, reduce oven temperature by 25 degrees F.
If you like canned soup but think it's too salty - add a few chunks of cut raw potato before you cook it. The potato will absorb alot of the salt - remove it before eating.
When using walnuts for baking: place them in a plastic bag with just a pinch of flower & shake. Keeps walnuts spaced through out the cake, etc. They will not all go to the bottom.
If you want creamier macaroni and cheese just substitute sour cream for the milk
A cup of vinegar in a cup while cooking fish helps keep that fishy odor away.
To cook spagetti, thin spagetti, angel hair, etc.: use your fry pan. You put about 2-3" of water, heat it to boiling, and add the pasta. If the pan is a small one, you can break the stuff in half. This way, you only heat enough water to cook the pasta, instead of 4" you don't need.
Put on a kitchen rubber glove to open stubborn jar and bottle lids
Make your kids meals a little more exciting - Shape hamburger in a hotdog shape, fry in pan, and serve on a hotdog bun with desired toppings.
Pie Crust Tip - Put liquid shortening in the bottom of the pie pan. Use a paper towel, you dont need much. Put the pie crust in and then put a thin film on the bottom of the pie crust. This will keep it form getting soggy. This is great if you use Pillsbury Pie Crust from the dairy case. They will think you made it yourself.
Before measuring shortening - line the measuring cup with plastic wrap - less sticky and No Mess to clean up!
Need a biscuit cutter and don't have one? Use a mason jar canning ring or a used soup can that has been cleaned and both ends cut out. Makes perfect biscuits!
Quick Delicious HomeMade Doughnuts - buy canned biscuits open biscuits and seperate, take a lid off of a plastic soda bottle and cut out the centers of the biscuits. Fry in wesson oil until they float, turn over and fry until other side is brown, put confectioners sugar in a gallon sized baggie and shake
When measuring sticky items such as peanut butter, molasses, etc., rub some oil on the inside of your measuring and everything will come out without sticking
when your cooking spaghetti - boil the water an turn the burner off. Put the noodles in and cover the pain with a lid. Let sit for as long as it says to cook You will never have over or under cooked spaghetti again....and the noodles wont stick together.
Buy a cheap small plastic pump spray bottle, and fill it with any cooking oil . Use it to oil baking or frying pans. Cheaper to use than "PAM"
Save butter wrappers or margarine wrappers and use them to grease your pans with. Store in a ziploc bag in the fridge
Prevent cheese from sticking to the grater, spray the grater with cooking spray before beginning.
Use an electric Drill with a baby bottle brush inserted in the end of drill to clean fresh corn on the cob. Just break off end of bottle brush and insert it into drill.
Use an adjustable nutcracker to open jars
When a cake recipe calls for flouring the baking pan, use a bit of the dry cake mix instead and there won't be any white mess on the outside of the cake.
When boiling corn on the cob, add a pinch of sugar to help bring out the corn's natural sweetness.
Don't throw out all that leftover wine: Freeze into ice cubes for future use in casseroles and sauces.
To save money, pour all leftover veggies and water in which they are cooked into a freezer container when full, add tomato juice, and meat, and seasonings to create a "Free soup" in case you have plans and time is short.
3 large stalks of celery , chopped and added to about 2 cups of beans (navy, brown, pinto, white) will make them easier to digest.
a lump of sugar added to water when cooking greens helps vegetables retain there fresh color
Never soak veggies after slicing, they will lose much of their nutritional value
Soggy lettuce? soak in a mixture of lemon juice and cold water... result crisp lettuce.
For a quick low-fat crunchy topping for muffins, sprinkle the tops with grape-nuts cereal before baking.
boiling eggs - to see if they're done spin, it if it spins it done, if not it needs to boil some more
If you like ramens, but don't like the cumbersome long noodles, just roll a rolling pin over the pkg. before opening. Makes the noodles shorter and easier to eat
Dry Bread Remedy - If your bread becomes dried out, try popping it in the oven for a few minutes after adding a little water to it ( or microwave with a wet paper towel ). The bread will absorb the water and become moister.
When rolling out dough on your counter for cookies, etc...lightly spray counter with cooking spray before flouring; the flour wipes off counter with a paper towel instead of sticking.
To see if your eggs are fresh, float them in a bowl of water. If they float, discard them.
Beverages
To get the most juice out of a lemon, soften it first by pressing and rolling it on a countertop
If your coffee is bitter add just a pinch of salt (not too much)
When making a pot of coffee, put a shake or two of salt in the grounds before brewing and it will make your coffee less bitter tasting
If your iced tea is cloudy add a pinch of baking soda.
To make big ice cubes for your pitcher of iced tea or lemonade, use muffin tins as ice cube trays.
To add a special touch to iced tea, freeze whole berries, fresh mint, or citrus slices in ice cube trays filled with water.
Pour the syrup from canned fruit into ice cube trays and freeze for later use. They can be added to punch, etc.
Cleaning
A cup of vinegar in your mop water will give your floor a shine.
Lemon Microwave Cleaner - Add 4 tablespoons of lemon juice to 1 cup water in a microwave-safe, 4-cup bowl. Boil 5 minutes in the microwave, allowing the steam to condense on the inside walls of the oven. Then wipe clean.
An old toothbrush can help clean garlic presses or other hard-to-clean kitchen utensils
Put a lot ice cubes in your disposal to sharpen the blades!
Grind up a cup or so of rice in a coffee grinder to clean the grinder and sharpen its blades.
Try a tablespoon of vinegar in the dishwasher rinse - it's a lot cheaper than the commercial rinse aids.
If you recycle those Ziploc baggies, here's an easy way to clean them: Put a drop of dish soap in the bag fill about half of it with hot water. Then put your dish scrubby in the bag also. Zip up and scrub away. Rinse and reuse.
Use baking soda to clean stubborn stains on pots and pans
For the coffee stains that accumulate in your coffee pot: use ice cubes that are crushed a bit and salt. Just swish the mixture around for a couple minutes, then rinse out coffee pot.
If you want to remove the label off of a milk jug ( usually for a craft project), all you need to do is fill the jug with super hot water, wait a coulple of minutes, and peel off the label! It usually comes off in one piece, too. This works also on glass jars, but not quite as well.
To clean stuck on food from pans - fill with warm water and boil on stove for a couple of minutes, then clean with a sos soap pad.
Clean the inside of your fridge with 1 tsp of dawn dish liquid and 3 tbsp. of baking soda mix and add warm water. Your fridge will smell like new!.
To clean koolaid stains on the kitchen counter just sprinkle some baking soda on it and use a wet cloth to wipe it up. It comes off very easy!!
Vinegar can remove spots caused by tomatoes, soak the spot with vinegar and wash as usual.
To clean the gunk out of the dishes your kids had hiding under their beds - use exfoliating Gloves!
To clean stuck on food from your microwave - wet a dishtowel and microwave for a few minutes - the stuck on food will wipe right off!
Use a denture cleaning tablet to get the hard coffee stains out of your glass coffee pot!
Cut S.O.S. Pads in half before using. You'll waste less and it will sharpen your sissors!
Permanent marker on appliances/counter tops (like store receipt BLUE!) rubbing alcohol on paper towel.
To easily remove burnt on food from your skillet, simply add a drop or two of dish soap and enough water to cover bottom of pan, and bring to a boil on stovetop.
Clean thermoses with AlkaSeltzer - fill with warm water and drop in 4 AlkaSeltzer 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, then run the hot water.
Grind a half lemon or orange rind in the garbage disposal to remove any unpleasant odor
Baking soda cleans stains in coffee cups, freshens laundry, can use a teaspoon in a little water to get rid or heartburn.
To get coffee stains out of the glass pot try table salt, lemon juice and a little water swirl around in pot then wipe any remaining stains before rinsing
Use salt and lemon to clean Copper pots and pans - Spray lemon juice on the tarnish .... add table salt, watch the tarnish vanish. You can also use vinegar in place of the lemon.
If you love brownies but hate to wash the baked-on mess in the pan, try lining the pan with aluminum foil. It makes it easier to get them out of the pan too!!
Remove scuff marks on your floors, or on your shoes - use a dab of fingernail polish remover; the nonacetone, and for the really tough spots, try some with acetone in a concealed place to check for (bleaching).
Storing
Store berries in the refrigerator without washing them - they'll last longer. Just wash right before eating.
Store Brillo or SOS Pads in a baggie in the refrigerator - it keeps them from getting rusty!
Freeze those little packets you get from Burger king, of mustard and ketchup. They make great ice packs.
When you get to the bottom of your bag of chips and only have crumbs left, don't toss them. Put them in a freezer bag or container and stick them in the freezer. They will stay fresh and the next time you need a topping for a casserole or dish they are ready to go!
After opening bags or boxes of Brown Sugar & Confectionar Sugar, store the rest in Ziplock baggies to keep the sugars moist & fresh.
Instead of buying the saran wrap elastic bowl covers (kind of expensive), use shower caps (you can get about 15 for $1 at the Dollar Store!)
To keep leftover salad crisp just place a paper towel over the top and put the lid on and turn upside-down in the fridge. Just replace paper towel each time you get some out.
Need a butter dish, the plastic covered dish that comes with Crisco sticks works great, it is one way to reuse something that you would throw away When it is time to go on cook outs you can take it and not worry about it getting broken
put your flour in the freezer - NO bugs
Store ground coffee in fridge to keep it fresh
Spray your Tupperware with nonstick cooking spray before pouring in tomato based sauces and there won't be any stains.
Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator and it will keep for weeks.
Store your fresh baked cookies (or other baked goods) with a piece of white or wheat bread in first,the moisture will be absorbed by the piece of bread and your baked goods stay nice and soft!
Put your plastic wrap in the freezer. It WILL stick to your containers, but it WON"T stick to itself
Putting a piece of white bread into a bag of brown sugar also keeps it from drying out.
Put a cracker in your salt shaker and the salt wont get hard.
Put rice in your salt shaker , it will keep the salt from sticking.
~ 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
Saturday - Yellow
When was your bread delivered?
Organizing
Use a napkin holder to hold all your bills for the month. When you get ready to sit down and pay bills, they're all in the same place, no hunting for them. Also keep stamps and a pen in the holder, and you've got everything in one place.
Cover a Small cardboard box with shelf paper (the self-adhesive kind) and use to store all of you tupperware/rubbermaid lids. It's cheap and pretty!
Laundry
Bed Sheets...After drying your sheets, fold both sheets and one pillowcase neatly in a square and put in the second pillowcase. Next time you change sheets, you just take the one pillowcase with sheets and other case inside... no need to look for matching pieces.
Washing
Homemade "Spray n' Wash" - get a spray bottle and fill one half with water, and the other half with dawn dish soap!
Babywipes are great for removing stains from clothing. They are a quick and easy stain remover.
Keep clothes from Fading - When you buy a new pair of blue jeans or anything that you know the color will fade, like reds, some blacks etc. When you wash these clothes put in about an 8 th to a quarter (depends on the size of washer) cup of vinegar in the wash when you start to fill up the washer then put clothes in and wash like normal. Trust me it works and your clothes won't smell like vinegar & they won't fade! Works great on all colors of clothes.
To get stains out of white clothes use powdered dishwasher soap (like Casscade) and bleach. Add half cup of each to washer. Best for baby clothes.
To soften new blue jeans, soak them overnight (or for 12 hours) in cold water with plenty of fabric softener. Then wash as usual.
Use Oxyclean or Clorox Oxygen Action to get stains out of white clothes
Put 1cup of white vineger and only half the amount of detergent,.Your wash comes out smelling better and you save money doing your wash
Use vinegar in the rinse water to get rid of soap scum
To get blood stains out of clothes - pour a little peroxide on a cloth and wipe off every drop of blood.
Plain salt water removes blood stains!!
To clean your washing machine: Fill your washing machine full of hot water on the large cycle. Then add about 1 cup of white vinegar and let it go all the way through the wash cycle until it stops.
Drying
Pin your dryer sheet to an article of clothing before putting in dryer to keep it from getting lost in a sleeve or pant leg and embarrassing you later!
To make your own fabric softener sheets, dab a little liquid fabric softener onto a washcloth. Throw it into the dryer.
Ironing
To speed up ironing put aluminum foil under your ironing board cover. It deflects the heat back up into your garment. It also lets you set your iron on a lower setting while still getting the same results.
Other Uses For Dryer Sheets
Use the dryer sheets that you have already used once for wiping off the lint and dust from the top of your dryer, cleans it up quick and just toss it in the garbage when you are done
You can use most dryer sheets twice!! They work just as well the second time and oyu'll spend half the money!
Chases ants away when you lay a sheet near them.
Takes the odor out of books and photo albums that don't get opened too often.
Repels mosquitoes. Tie a sheet of Bounce through a belt loop when outdoors during mosquito season.
Eliminates static electricity from your television screen. Since Bounce is designed to help eliminate static cling, wipe your television screen with a used sheet of Bounce to keep dust from resettling.
Dissolve soap scum from shower doors. Clean with a sheet of Bounce.
Freshen the air in your home. Place an individual sheet of Bounce in a drawer or hang in the closet.
Prevent thread from tangling. Run a threaded needle through a sheet of Bounce before beginning to sew.
Prevent musty suitcases. Place an individual sheet of Bounce inside empty luggage before storing
Freshen the air in your car. Place a sheet of Bounce under the front seat. (It works great!)
Clean baked-on foods from a cooking pan. Put a sheet in a pan, fill with water, let sit overnight, and sponge clean. The anti static agent apparently weakens the bond between the food and the pan while the fabric softening agents soften the baked-on food
Eliminate odors in wastebaskets. Place a sheet of Bounce at the bottom of the wastebasket
Collect cat hair. Rubbing the area with a sheet of Bounce will magnetically attract all the loose hairs.
Eliminate static electricity from venetian blinds. Wipe the blinds with a sheet of Bounce to prevent dust from resettling.
Wipe up sawdust from drilling or sand papering. A used sheet of Bounce will collect sawdust like a tack cloth.
Eliminate odors in dirty laundry. Place an individual sheet of Bounce at the bottom of a laundry bag or hamper.
Deodorize shoes or sneakers. Place a sheet of Bounce in your shoes or sneakers overnight so they will smell better in the AM.
Pet Tips
Eliminate ear mites. All it takes is a few drops of Wesson corn oil in your cat's ear...Massage it in, then clean with a cotton ball. Repeat daily for 3 days. The oil soothes the cat's skin, smothers the mites, and accelerates healing.
Kills fleas instantly...Dawn dishwashing liquid does the trick. Add a few drops to your dog's bath and shampoo the animal thoroughly. Rinse well to avoid skin irritations. Good-bye fleas.
Rainy day cure for dog odor ...Next time your dog comes in from the rain, simply wipe down the animal with Bounce or any dryer sheet, instantly making your dog smell springtime fresh.
Furniture Covered with Pet Hair - Try these methods to remove the hair: Wipe a lightly dampened sponge over it. Swipe the rubber bottom (clean sole) of a tennis sneaker to pull up hair. Roll several lengths of tape around your hand (sticky side out) to pick up the hair.
Easter Lilies are lethal to cats! Many kinds of lilies—including Easter lily, tiger lily, rubrum lily, Japanese show lily and some species of the day lily—can cause kidney failure in cats if ingested. All parts of the lily are considered toxic to cats, and the consumption of even small amounts can be life-threatening
Trying to round up pet hair off of carpet or floors, rubber gloves can help make the job easier
A teaspoon of olive oil on your pet's food every day will give your pet a glossy coat of fur and help to stop dry skin itching.
~ How to get a cat to swallow a pill:
1) Hold her body under one arm and open her mouth with both hands
2) drop pill as far back in her throat as it will go
3) rub underneath her throat until she swallows it
Don't leave dryer sheets around where your pets can get to them! They will make them VERY SICK!
The best way to rid your pet of Fleas is to use a Flea Comb. Comb your pet, remove everything from the comb and drop into a cup of warm water with some dishsoap. The fleas can't breath and will die. It will take several thorough combings to rid your pet of all of the fleas and eggs but you will not need to use toxic sprays, dips, powders, or collars!
Remove pet hair from Furniture by rubbing a dryer sheet over it.
Quick Cleanup Cat Litter - Line your litter pan with a plastic kitchen garbage bag before adding the litter. When it's time to change the litter, simply lift out the bag, tie it off and throw it all away.
To cut down on the odor from your cat's litter box mix in some baking soda
When cleaning up cat urine - DON'T use anything that contains ammonia. The ammonia only attracts the cat right back to the spot to pee again.
Stains
Red Wine Stain
o remove a red wine stain from clothing - try soaking it in cold water with a few Denture cleaning tablets. Then wash in cold water.
Ball Point Pen Ink
To remove ball point pen ink (any color) from washable, cottonblended fabrics, place an old, thick, terry cloth bath towel underneath the material that has been stained. Saturate the ink stain with any brand of hairspray. The ink will go through the fabric, into the towel underneath. If the stain doesn't disappear right away, repeat process. Throw garment and towel into the wash, on cold. Ink is gone. ** DO NOT USE THIS PROCEDURE ON SILK, SATIN, ETC., as the hairspray may permanently remove the color from the fabric. If unsure, do a test run on an inside seam.
Crayon Marks
For crayon marks on walls get a damp rag dipped in baking soda-hardly any elbow grease!
Permanent Marker
For permanent marker on countertops or appliances use rubbing alcohol on a paper towel,marks will be gone.
Stains in White Clothes
To get stains out of white clothes use powdered dishwasher soap (like Casscade) and bleach. Add half cup of each to washer. Best for baby clothes.
Use Clorox Oxygen Action or OxyClean! - These products are great!
Koolaid Stains on Countertop
Sprinkle some baking soda on it and use a wet cloth to wipe it up. It comes off very easy!!
Use Orange Cleaner - spray, let sit for about a minute, wipe up!
Koolaid Stains on Carpet
Pour table salt on the wet area and watch it bring the stain right up. Vacuum the salt and repeat until all is gone.
Spray it with Lysol Antibacterial Kitchen Cleaner. Let sit a few minutes, then gently blot until the stain is gone. This really only works on the fresh Kool-aid. Once it's a dry stain, it won't work nearly as well
Baby Wipes work wonders in removing all kinds of carpet stains, and no toxic chemicals to worry about!
Blood Stains
Try plain salt water
To get a blood stain out use peroxide. Pour it directly on the stain and when it stops bubbling, blot it up with a rag soaked in cold water(not warm or hot water). Do this until the stain is gone.
Rinse fresh blood stains in cold running water and rub with soap. Repeat.
Cold water or Club Soda. Sponge stain immediately with cold water or club soda and dry with a soft absorbant terry towel. Repeat as necessary.
Shampoo plus scrubbing will work on blood stains
Oxyclean in a sink full of cold water left overnight
Candle Wax
An easy way to remove dried wax from carpets, clothes, and even tablecloths--- take a couple of paper towels and a hot iron. Iron the paper towels on top of the wax and the paper towels will soak up the wax as it warms up
Stained Fingers
Fingers stained from gardening or kitchen chores get clean when you rub them with a piece of raw potato
Miscellaneous
Pin a small safety pin to the seam of your slip and you will not have a clingy skirt or dress. Same thing works with slacks that cling when wearing panty hose. Place pin in seam of slacks and - voila - static is gone.
Easy eyeglass protection... To prevent the screws in eyeglasses from loosening, apply a small drop of Maybelline Crystal Clear nail polish to the threads of the screws before tightening them.
An easy way to clean our keyboards is by wiping them with makeup brushes. The cheap ones are fine, and small or large, they work like a charm.
Keep your earrings together with buttons. Tired of rummaging through your jewelry box to only find one of your favorite earrings? Keep them easily paired by looping them through button holes. Not only does this work on hanging earrings and studs, but it's an easy way to keep your earrings stored when traveling.
Wax drippings? It happens.
Scrape off the excess wax with a dull knife. Place the stain between paper towels and press with a warm iron from the back of the fabric. When all the wax has been removed and ironed out, treat the stain with a pre-treatment solution or soak in detergent with the warmest water possible. Launder as usual.
To repair a scratched CD, use toothpaste. Simply hold the CD by the edge and wipe with water and mild soap. Using a lint free cloth, dry the surface in clean strokes from the center outward. Hold the CD under a light and look for whitish scratches. Dampen the cloth, dab with plain white toothpaste and rub it on the scratch working outward from the center. Rinse, dry, and listen. Repeat if CD still skips. It really works!
Sterling silver and stainless steel can be washed by hand or in the dishwasher. If you put them in the dishwasher, don’t place the utensils in the same basket with stainless steel because this could damage the sterling. If you put sterling or silver-plate (no hollow-handled knives) in the dishwasher, stop the machine before the drying cycle and take them out to hand dry. For regular care, a good quality silver cream or polish will have excellent results.
-Cleaning liquid that doubles as bug killer ... If menacing bees, wasps, hornets, or yellow jackets get in your home and you can't find the insecticide, try a spray of Formula 409. Insects drop to the ground instantly.
Extension cord storage: Fold extension cords a few times & slip them through an empty toilet paper roll. They're easy to store, stay untangled & are easy to grab out of the drawer. You can mark on the roll "6 ft., 12 ft" or whatever you need to distinquish one from the other.
If you seal an envelope and then realize you forgot to include something inside, just place your sealed envelope in the freezer for an hour or two. Voila! It unseals easily.
To get the indentations out of your carpet caused by heavy furniture, lay an ice cube on the indention when you go to bed, let it melt completely and check it the next morning, your carpet should fluff right back up.
Another way to remove indentations caused by furniture rearrangement, apply moisture from a steam iron and brush the nap of the carpet.
To prevent the wax from melting and sticking to the inside of a votive candle holder, pour a bit of water in the holder, then place the candle on top. If you forgot the water and there's wax stuck to your candle holder, pop it in the freezer for an hour. The wax will chip right off.
Roaches in your house? Sprinkle Boric Acid under appliances and around seams in cabinets and drain board. Leave for several days and no more roaches!
Cut old mousepads in half and use them to open jars
Water rings may be removed by rubbing petroleum jelly thoroughly into the spot
Next time you clean the blades to your ceiling fan apply a thin coat of floor wax to them. It will keep future dust from clinging to them.
A stamp will peel right off if you rub lighter fluid on the inside of the envelope behind the stamp
Stuff old socks with potpourri, tie them and hang them in closets for a wonderful smell.
When burning expensive pillar candles or 3 wick candles, let them burn down just far enough to place a small tea light candle in the hole and not be seen over the lip. Then just light the tea light from then on. Your expensive candle will last forever and noone will know!
Put the candles in the freezer when the candle is done melting and the wax will come out of the holder better.
WD 40 cleans most marks off white plastic,(like patio chairs and tables). Also removes tar from your vehicles.
Use baby wipes on car dashboards, they clean like new and leave an anti-static layer
To keep your car doors from freezing in wintertime spray the rubber seal around them with pam
Need to hang a picture but have no hook to hang it? You can use a tab off a pop can. Works great and they are free
Use empty toilet paper tubes to store appliance cords
For icy door steps in freezing weather take warm water and put Dawn dishwashing liquid in it. Pour onto steps and they will not refreeze!
Spray perfume on your lightbulbs and every time you turn on the light the scent will float through the house.
Use air freshner to clean mirrors leaves streak free shine and leaves a great smell.
Put moth crystals in oyur outside trashcan to keep out unwanted bugs and pests
Try rubbing peanut butter on label residue to get it off anything except cloth it works
For cleaning lampshades and books, use a large paintbrush.
To keep the wax from dripping on candles, put them in the freezer for about 4 hours before you burn them.
Don't throw away the cardboard tube from wrapping paper! Tape the tube to the end of a vacuum cleaner wand to reach cobwebs in ceiling corners or dust freeloading on ceiling fans. Reach all the way under beds and furniture, or flatten the roll to vacuum narrow crevices.
Use a napkin holder to hold all your bills for the month. When you get ready to sit down and pay bills, they're all in the same place, no hunting for them. Also keep stamps and a pen in the holder, and you've got everything in one place.
Remove Label residue with lighter fluid
Put a coat of floor wax on windowsills so spattered rain and dirt will wipe off easily
If a battery-operated appliance isn't running properly, take out the batteries and lightly rub both ends with an emery board or pencil eraser to remove any dirt.
Sealed envelope - Put in the freezer for a few hours, then slide a knife under the flap. The envelope can then be resealed.
Permanent marker on appliances/counter tops (like store receipt BLUE!) rubbing alcohol on paper towel.
Use vertical strokes when washing windows outside and horizontal for inside windows. This way you can tell which side has the streaks. Straight vinegar will get outside windows really clean. Don't wash windows on a sunny day. They will dry too quickly and will probably streak.
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 paperbag and add the flowers. Shake vigorously as the salt will absorb all the dust and dirt and leave your artificial flowers looking like new!
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. Drop two Alka Seltzer tablets into a glass of water and immerse the jewelry for two minutes.
When dusting, use a used dryersheet or an old sock with whatever dusting spray you use
DON'T be licking those envelopes when you go to pay your bills! they are stored in a warehouse and cockroaches are known to lay there eggs on them!!! get self adhesive!!!
Use toothpaste to fill nail holes in walls
Use WD40 to remove crayon on walls
Use WD40 for frozen shut auto doors. Just spray down between window and door
Make your own "clorox" wipes. Buy a plastic food storage container and fill about a quarter with a solution of water and vinegar (or any cleaning liquid) and then cut a roll of paper towels in half put into the container untill liquid is absorbed. Cut round hole in center of container lid and pull paper towel through.
Fleas in your carpet? Use 20 Mule Team Borax- sprinkle and let stand for 24 hours.
To Keep FRESH FLOWERS longer Add a little clorox, or 2 bayer aspirin, or just use 7-up instead of water
To remove wax from cloth or carpet - Take a paper towel and iron it over the wax stain, it will absorb into the towel.
Pampers as an absorbent! Remove stains from the carpet with club soda, and a pamper to absorb. Wine stains, pour on the Morton salt and watch it absorb into the salt.
Preserving a newspaper clipping - large bottle of club soda and 1/2 cup of milk of magnesia, soak for 20 min and let dry, will last for many years!
Sticking bicycle chain - use pam no-stick cooking spray
Peanut butter - will get scratches out of CD's! Wipe off with a coffee filter paper
Remove scuff marks on your floors, or on your shoes - Try a dab of fingernail polish remover; the nonacetone, and for the really tough spots, try some with acetone in a concealed place to check for (bleaching).
