-
For me
the hardest part of hand-sewing is threading the needle. Bad
eyes, I guess. Now I spray the end of the thread I have to put
into the needle with hairspray. Goes right in!!! Submitted by
Sweet Fate!
-
Flies or bees bothering you? Spray
them with hairspray and
they will take a quick dive.
-
Sealed envelope - Put in the freezer
for a few hours, then
slide a knife under the flap. The envelope can then be resealed.
-
Use 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 dishwashing liquid in it.
Pour it all over the steps. They won't refreeze. (wish I had known
this for the last 60 years!)
-
Crayon marks on walls? This worked
wonderfully! A damp rag, dipped in baking soda. Comes of with little
effort (elbow grease that is!).
-
Permanent marker on
appliances/counter tops (like store receipt BLUE!) rubbing alcohol on
paper towel.
-
Whenever I purchase a box of S.O.S
Pads, I immediately take a pair of scissors and cut each pad into
halves. After years of having to throw away rusted and unused and
smelly pads, I finally decided that this would be much more
economical. And now a box of S.O.S pads last me indefinitely! In fact,
I have noticed that the scissors get sharpened this way!
-
Opening brand new jars can be a feat
in itself. Well, I have found a way to make it the easiest thing to
do. Instead of banging a jar of jam, pickles, etc., with a knife until
it loosens up, I simply reach into the drawer and pull out the handy
nutcracker. It adjusts to the size of the jar and I simply give it a
good twist and off pops the lid!
-
Blood stains on clothes? Not to
worry! Just pour a little peroxide on a cloth and proceed to wipe off
every drop of blood. Works every time!
-
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.
-
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 add the flowers. Shake vigorously as
the salt will absorb all the dust and dirt and leave your artificial
flowers looking like new! Works like a charm!
-
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.
-
Spray your Tupperware with nonstick
cooking spray before pouring in tomato based sauces and there won't be
any stains.
-
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.
-
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 into ice cubes
for future use in casseroles and sauces.
-
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. 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 splinter, then pull it off. Scotch tape removes most
splinters painlessly and easily.
-
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. 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, then run the hot water.