Household Hints
Air Fresheners
Mix a cup of rubbing alcohol and 10 to 15 drops of
essential oil. Pour in a spray bottle and enjoy your homemade air freshener.
When stick-on air fresheners lose their odor, remove the plastic top. Soak the felt in boiling hot water for several seconds. Place it on a paper towel to absorb most of the water. Replace the felt and lid. Or just run them under hot water briefly. They last and last and last if you do this every couple days.
Attach a stick-on air freshener in your favorite scent to the top of one of the blades on your ceiling fan. Turn on the fan (use the low setting so as not to dislodge the freshener) to circulate the fragrance throughout the room.
Place a drop of scented oil on a cotton ball, and add it to your vacuum-cleaner bag.
Ants
For a nontoxic ant repellent, drip lemon juice into floor boards,
window sills, cracks in the walls, or any other place where ants appear.
Submitted by Ron Henslee, Missouri ~
We saw a lot of ants in the cupboard
and investigated. They were drawn by some sugar that was spilled there. Laying close
by was an Alka Seltzer. Yes dead ants too. They must have died after eating it.
Worth a try. It works here in Missouri!
Ashtrays
This works for all except crystal or glass ashtrays. Coat the
surface with your favorite furniture polish. The protective coating will allow buildup
to rinse out.
Bathmats
Instead of throwing away old towels, cut out the best parts and
stitch them together to make a bath mat.
Blankets
When space is tight, store blankets by laying them out smoothly
between the mattress and springs of a bed.
Before storing blankets for the summer, wash them and add 2 cups of mothballs to the rinse water.
Brass
Coat freshly-polished brass with wood finishing oil, such as tung
oil. It makes the shine last three times as long. When you are ready to clean the
brass again, remove the oil by wiping the surface with a little paint thinner on
a soft, cotton cloth. You are now ready to polish and re-oil the brass.
Brooms
A new straw broom will last longer if you soak it in hot, heavily
salted water before you use it for the first time.
Candles
To remove candle wax from upholstery or carpet: After wax hardens,
scrape up excess with a dull knife. Place a white paper towel over the remaining
wax. Place a warm iron over the paper towel and press gently. Repeat until all the
wax is transferred to the paper towel. If the wax was colored and leaves a stain,
pour a small amount of rubbing alcohol on a rag; gently dab the stain. Mix one teaspoon
of a neutral detergent (a mild detergent containing no alkalines or bleaches) with
a cup of lukewarm water. Blot.
To mend a candle that has broken, hold the two pieces under very hot water to melt the wax, then press the two parts together.
Save the stubs of candles in a coffee can. Melt all the scraps together. Insert a wick to make a new candle.
Use a piece of raw spaghetti to light candles. This prevents burned fingers.
To keep candles looking new, rub a soft cloth dampened with rubbing alcohol over the stems.
Store candles in the freezer. They will burn longer and drip less.
Carpets
To repair damage from cigarette burns, cut undamaged threads from
the corner of the carpet or an inconspicuous place. Glue them into the burn hole.
Cover with paper towels and a book to dry for 24 hours.
To remove indentations caused by furniture rearrangement, apply moisture from a steam iron and brush the nap of the carpet.
Cassette Tapes
A speck of clear nail polish will splice cassette tapes.
Cement Floors
To prevent painted cement floors from peeling, before you
paint them again, pour a bottle of white vinegar in a bucket and "paint" your floors
with it first. After the vinegar dries, apply a coat of paint. This will work on
most metal surfaces, also.
Chrome
To polish chrome, take a small sheet of aluminum foil and turn the
shiniest side out. Dampen the chrome with water and polish with the foil. The foil
will turn black, but your chrome will shine.
Cockroaches/Silverfish
An effective pesticide is to use a 50-50 mixture
of boric acid and sugar every night for about 10 days. Sprinkle on wiped-dry sinks,
drain boards, tubs, showers, around pipes, and behind baseboards. CAUTION: Keep
children and pets away.
A one-pound can of boric acid compound can effectively keep a house cockroach-free for one year. It will not kill roaches as rapidly as some pesticides, but it has by far the longest lasting effect. Sprinkle it in cracks, crevices, under sinks and in other dark places.
Copper
Submitted by Bubbles from Robin Hood Country (England)
To clean
copper-bottom saucepans, smother the surface with tomato sauce, leave for a little
while, rub stubborn areas and rinse.
Curtains
Restore the body to limp Dacron curtains by soaking them in one
gallon of water mixed with one cup Epsom salts, then rinse.
Make good looking curtains from bed sheets, either plain or fancy.
Dishwasher
Try a tablespoon of vinegar in the dishwasher rinse - it's a
lot cheaper than the commercial rinse aids.
Run 1/8 cup citric acid crystals through a dishwasher cycle to get rid of any brown spot build up.
Save energy by turning off the heat dry, and poppinh open the dishwasher to let the dishes air dry at the end of the wash and final rinse cycle.
Drains
For clogged drains, pour in equal amounts of baking soda and salt.
Follow that with a pot of boiling water, and flush with cold water to keep them
open.
Drawers
If drawers stick, rub a bar of ordinary hand soap across the runners
to make them glide smoothly.
Dusting
Wear old cotton gloves to dust with instead of carrying a rag around.
If you can't shake your dust mop outside, shake it inside a large paper bag.
Dustpans
Wax them and the dirt will slide right out.
Faucets
To polish, place a dab or two of toothpaste on a wet sponge and
rub the faucets and handles briskly, then rinse them with clear water.
Fireplace
Before cleaning ashes out, mist the ashes with a spray bottle
filled with water. This prevents the ashes from flying all over.
To clean a glass fireplace screen, wait until the morning after the fire. Dampen a paper towel with water, dip it in the cold ashes, and rub the glass with it. Wipe the glass with a clean paper towel or old newspaper. Toss used towels or newspaper into the fireplace to kindle the next fire.
Throw a few lemon peels into the winter fire to give your house a fresh, citrus fragrance.
Throw old candle stubs into your fire kindling and use them as starters.
Flashlights
Store your flashlight in the refrigerator to make batteries
last longer.
Furniture
To remove water stains from wood furniture, blot and rub with
a soft cloth if it is a fresh stain. Otherwise, rub in well a mixture of mayonnaise
and cigarette ashes. Let it stand a little while before removing.
Hand Wipes
Make your own by putting three capsful of baby shampoo into
a spray bottle full of water. It works well and costs a lot less.
Hangers
To make sturdy hangers for heavy items, tape two or three wire
hangers together.
Humidifier
To prevent lime deposits from building up, drop an old copper
scouring pad into the water container.
Add a couple tablespoons of common bleach to your humidifier twice a week. The bleach will clean off slime and scale, kill bacteria, and make parts last longer. You can add a couple drops of fragrance to scent the bleach, if desired.
Eliminate musty odor by pouring three or four capsful of bottled lemon juice into the water.
Iron
To clean the bottom of the iron, sprinkle salt on the ironing board
and iron back and forth.
Jewelry
Use a plastic ice cube tray to hold earrings.
Knick-Knacks
Collect them in a dishpan and wash them in a little liquid
detergent and water. Rinse, then blow dry with a hair dryer.
Leather
To remove alcohol stains, clean the leather with saddle soap. Then
apply a scuff-type liquid shoe polish, trying to match the color. Test a small spot
first.
Lights
To locate light switches in the dark, put a dot of luminous paint
on tape and stick to the switches.
Linoleum
If you have kept some of the scraps, it is easy to repair the
small holes. Just throw a small piece into your blender. Mix the dust with a little
clear shellac or white glue. Fill the hole with the mixture.
Lint
To remove from upholstery, use an old, clean nylon stocking.
Mice
Keep a pet hamster in a cage. They and mice are natural enemies. The
wild rodents will not come around when they smell a hamster.
Moths
For a natural substitute for moth balls, use dried lemon peels as
a deterrent.
Painting
To keep a paint tray like new, insert it inside a plastic bag.
Pour the paint into the try. When you're finished painting, pour the remaining paint
back into the bucket (or an old jar if there's just a little bit left.
Glue a paper plate to the bottom of the paint can. The plate should be an inch or two wider all around than the can so it can catch drips. This saves you the trouble of moving newspapers around under the can.
When using an oil-based paint, keep a bottle of nail polish remover handy. Clean up spatters by dabbing with remover on a cotton ball.
Pewter
Clean old pewter by using a mild kitchen scouring powder moistened
with olive oil. For a very stubborn stain, dip very fine steel wool (.0000) in water
or kerosene and rub gently. Rinse with soap and water.
Plastic Bags
Before discarding plastic bags, tie them up in knots to ensure
that animals or children cannot entangle themselves.
Potpourri
Stuff old socks with potpourri, tie them and hang them in closets
for a wonderful smell.
Save glass jars with the lids. Punch holes in the lids. Fill the jars with potpourri and screw the lids on.
Rats and Mice
Exterminate by setting out shallow pans of non-diet cola.
The rodents love the sugary liquid, drink it greedily and within a few days they
will die. They evidently cannot burp, so the carbonation bloats their bodies and
kills them. It's an inexpensive solution and is safe to use around pets and farm
animals.
Rust Stains
Cover the rust stain with lemon juice followed by salt. Let
it dry for an hour, preferably in the sun. Rinse and wash.
Saw Blades
To make sawing easier, rub a little kerosene on the blade of
your hand saw. It will act as a lubricant.
Scratches
To cover scratches on dark wood furniture, make a thick paste
of instant coffee and a little water. Rub it into the nicks and scratches.
Screws
To help screws screw in more easily, push them into a bar of hand
soap before inserting.
If screws become loose and is no longer holding firm, saturate a cotton ball with Elmer's glue. Push the entire cotton ball into the hole. Allow dry at least 24 hours and reinsert the screw gently with a screw driver.
To prevent screws from coming loose, put a drop or two of clear nail polish into the hole before you finish tightening the screw.
Security
Find an old standard or oversized hardcover book. Cut out about
a 6-inch x 4" hole in the pages, leaving facing pages front and back. Hide whatever
you want in the book, and put it back on the bookshelf.
Shelf liner
Leave a 1-inch square of backing on each corner of Con-tact
paper. The paper will lie flat, and it will be easier to remove when you want to
change it.
Shoes
If you're at the office and discover that your shoes need a shine.
Rub in a bit of hand cream and buff with a tissue.
Shower Doors
To clean glass shower doors, wipe them clean with any furniture
polish that has lemon oil. If the film is extremely heavy, use a steel wool pad
soaked in dishwashing liquid to make the glass sparkle.
Shower Heads
To clean mineral deposits, boil the shower head once a month
in a mild solution of white vinegar and water.
Shower Stalls
To remove heavy shower stall film rub lightly with a plain
piece of dry fine steel wool (not the soap-filled variety). Try a patch first to
be sure it isn't scratching the tile. If it is, you should use a finer piece of
steel wool. As you scour the tile, you will see the scum coming right off. Wash
down after the job is completed.
Silver Polish
Use the inside skin of a banana.
When using silver polish, add a few drops of ammonia.
If silver polish dries out, add some warm water and stir until creamy. It will work like new.
Use a pipe cleaner dipped in silver polish to remove tarnish from between silver fork tines.
Sinks
To clean a stainless steel sink, make a thick paste of baking soda
and water. Leave it on the stains for about 3 hours. Buff the entire sink in the
paste with a damp cloth, then rinse.
Use a sponge soaked with vinegar to give stainless steel sinks a shine.
Remove water spots from stainless steel sinks by wiping the sink with a couple of drops of cooking oil on a paper towel.
Snow Shovels
Spray nonstick vegetable spray on the snow shovel and the
snow will slide off it easily.
Soap Dish
Use a sponge (and it's washable).
Stains
To remove stains from polyester clothing, rub in a little white
toothpaste, then rinse the garment.
To remove stains from wooden furniture, rub toothpaste into the stain, then wipe it off.
Sterling Silver
After cleaning and drying thoroughly, wrap sterling silver
in foil, then in a tea towel. Store in a cardboard box. This will keep it sparkling.
Storage
Use a strong glue to glue small jars to the insides of cabinet
doors. Then use the jars to store whatever small items you like. Screw the lid on
after filling.
To store magazines, cut down a detergent box.
Studs
To find studs in the wall, start from the corner and tap lightly
with a hammer. The wall will sound hollow between studs. Most studs are placed 16
to 24 inches apart. When one is located, the rest are easy to find.
Swimming Pools
To avoid slips on the ladder, apply adhesive-backed rubber
flowers made for bathtubs.
Throw Rugs
To prevent them from bunching up, put double-edged masking tape
on the corners of the under-surface of the rugs.
Toilet Bowl
To remove stains, use regular laundry bleach. If stains are
above the water level, soak paper towels in the bleach and plaster them over the
stain.
Tool Boxes
To keep rust out, slip a piece of charcoal or chalk or a moth
ball into the toolbox.
Tools
Clean tools with a little steel wool to remove any rust that may
be on them. Then coat them with a thin layer of petroleum jelly. They will never
rust again.
Utensils
Drop used fabric-softener paper into the sink with utensils caked
with baked-on food. Fill with water and let sit for one hour.
Vases
Clean vases with narrow necks by dampening the inside of the base
with water and adding toilet bowl cleaner. Let stand for 10 minutes and stains will
disappear.
Vinyl Tiles
For loose vinyl tiles, place a slightly damp cloth over the
loose tile. Set iron on "hot" and "iron" the loose tile. The tile adhesive will
soon soften. Remove the cloth, lay a dry rag over the tile, and set a pile of heavy
books on the tile for about 3 hours.
Wallpaper
If a small area is coming loose, apply a think coating of rubber
cement to both the back of the paper and to the wall surface.
Wicker Furniture
Clean wicker furniture by spraying dusting or furniture
polish onto an inexpensive paintbrush. It gets to all the hard-to-reach dust specks,
and it takes a lot less time.
Windows
Small holes can be repaired by using a little clear nail polish
to seal the hole. It will be almost invisible.
