I hate running out of things. In fact, I’m a fairly compulsive over-shopper. But this week I ran out shaving cream. Shaving cream is one of those necessities that really sisn’t — you can get by just as easily with a good dollop of hair conditioner. In fact, I always use conditioner as shaving cream when I’m traveling. One less thing to pack!
When I was a teenager and even in college, I spent time working fast food. Whether you work fast food, cook with grease, or have a loved one with grease-spattered laundry, there is nothing worse than trying to get the grease smell and feel out of those uniforms! While I don’t recommend this cocktail for everyday laundry uses, it is great as a once-in-a-while, PLEASE-get-that-smell-out option!
Laundry Cocktail
Mix together:
3/4 Cup detergent (like Wisk or Tide)
1/2 Cup vinegar
1/2 Cup ammmonia
Fill washer with water. Add cocktail and agitate for 30 seconds. Toss in clothing. Allow to soak for 10 minutes. Run cycle as usual.
If the ammonia smell is too over-powering, you may want to re-wash with just detergent. Either way, the grease will be gone!
I’m so tired of scrubbing my tub grout! So tired, in fact, that I decided to look for solutions for less scrubbing. Here’s what I found. Next time you scrub — (Yes, I’m sorry, but you have to scrub first.) — seal your grout with car wax! You’ll have to re-apply once or twice a year, but you won’t have to scrub anymore!
Have you ever picked up drinking glasses from the sink, only to realize that they had have been perfectly stacked? And now they’re stuck? Here’s an easy way to separate them. Fill the cup with cold water, then dip the bottom cup in hot water. The temperature difference should make it easy to pull the glasses apart.
I’ve been repotting plants this week. We already talked before about adding a small sponge at the bottom of the pot to help with water retention. On top of your sponge, try adding a small layer of tea bags. As they naturally biodegrade, they will provide additional nutrients for the soil.
And they don’t have to be NEW teabags! You can absolutely recycle used bags! Traditional black teas, not herbal varieties, seem to work most consistently!
Nothing beats the wonderfully pungent taste (and smell!) of fresh garlic in your recipes, but it’s a PAIN to peel, right? It doesn’t have to be..! This is one of my favorite tips ever. Next time you’re cooking with garlic, throw the garlic clove in the microwave, and heat on high for 15 seconds (up the time to 30-45 for an entire bulb.) The slightly heated garlic will pop right out of its skin!
Here’s an easy way to clean a coffee pot. This can be especially useful at work or in a house without a dishwasher! Instead of scrubbing out the pot, simply fill it halfway with ice, pour in a good shot of salt (1 to 2 Tablespoons) and swirl the ice around. The salt will do the cleaning! When you’re done, dump out the ice and rinse out your sparkly clean coffee pot!
This is probably the most unconventional tip I’ve ever shared, but I love it! If you have a carpet stain that absolutely won’t come clean, color over it! Yes, really. Find a crayon that matches your carpet. Color over the stain. Once you’re done with your Crayola masterpiece, place a piece of wax paper over it and iron on low heat! The new color will set!
I always appreciate it when my husband helps out around the house. I do. And he’s generally very good about it. But… He loves aluminum foil, and some foods just don’t. Never wrap naturally acidic foods (like tomatoes, lemons, etc.) in aluminum foil. The acids in the food will react with the aluminum and will change the taste of the food.
(This goes for tomato-based pasta sauce, too! That was my husband’s faux pas!)
Ever had one of those zippers that just wouldn’t stay in place? My favorite pair of pants has a zipper that likes to creep down. The fix for creepy zippers? Cover the rest of the garment, so you don’t stain it, and spray the zipper with hair spray. The spray will gunk up the zipper just enough to keep it up! Since hairspray washes out, you may find you have to do this more than once. Luckily, it’s easy!
I use a long, but not long enough, wooden spoon when I’m making brownies. Why not long enough, you ask? Because as soon as I let go of it, it slides down into my mixing bowl! An easy fix? Wrap a rubber band around the handle. The rubber will force a sticky “stop” when the spoon start sliding into your batter!
Plain old Club Soda is one of my favorite household helpers. Not only does it get lots of “oops”es out of laundry (like red wine), it also does wonders on your carpets! Next time you have a spot, pour a bit of Club Soda on it. Give it 10 minutes to work. Then pat dry!
This may be the weirdest tip ever… BUT… On my way to church this morning, I stopped at a convenience store. The main door of the store had a ziploc bag full of water duct-taped to the window. Very strange, I thought. So I asked the proprietress what it was for. “Keeps out flies,” she answered. Really? REALLY?? She swore it ABSOLUTELY worked.
So, if you have fly problems and a door leading into your kitchen (as I do), this might be worth a try.
I have occasionally come into my house to find a rotting orange — in my mind, the worst smell possible. I can’t get rid of it soon enough. I love candles, but the scent doesn’t permeate the room fast enough.
Spritz your favorite perfume or scented body spray (those fruity ones from Bath & Body Works are great) directly onto a lightbulb. Turn it on. (Of course.) The heat will disperse the scent through the room faster than a candle!
Kids are really, really, REALLY rough on DVDs! Last night, my son asked to watch a cartoon that he hadn’t seen in a while. OK, no problem. I got the DVD and put it in the player. The first 20 minutes played fine, then it went to some sort of impressionistic mess. Never fear, toothpaste is here!
Plain toothpaste (the mildly gritty kind) does a wonderful job at buffing our scratches. Simply apply about an inch-long strip of toothpaste to the DVD (or CD) and gently rub it around the DVD. Rinse off well. Dry. And play!
Household Tips is full of creative and unique household hints, remedies and shortcuts to keep your active family healthy and on-the-go. It will provide you with Martha Stewart-like do-it-yourself centerpieces with the ease and lightheartedness of a 30-Minute Meals show. Think, Dear Abby meet Hints from Heloise, disguised as a work-at-home-mom with stains on all her shirts.
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