Tips on life in general

	Tips on life in general
	Teach children to be orderly in an enjoyable way Provide them with their own cleanup center complete with kid-sized gear. Equipment, hung on low, colorful hooks could include: a small wastebasket, dustpan, mop and broom, sponges, rags and even a hand-held mini-vacuum. The more children are able to do for themselves, the more accomplished they feel.
	Clean brass with nail polish remover Remove old lacquer from a piece of brass with nail polish remover and then polish the raw brass with a brass cleaner to make it look like new.
	Fingernail polish works as a glue Put just a touch of clear fingernail polish on wallpaper when it starts to come loose from the wall. Then, press it back down on the wall to secure its hold.
	Fingernail polish substitutes for glaze To fix chipped ceramic items, use either clear or a closely matched color to coat the chipped area.
	No more shorted out, outdoor Christmas lights Duct tape a plastic bag around the place where extension cords connect. This will prevent the lights from shorting out from moisture.
	Ziploc’s work great as moneybags Whether swimming at the beach, a public pool or a private one, if you’re concerned about where to stash your cash (and maybe your car key), put it in a small Ziploc and put it in your pocket. Just be careful that it doesn’t float out of your pocket!
	Protect electronic equipment with freezer bags If you’re going to the beach, put your cell phones and other electronic pieces into a freezer bag to protect them from both water and sand. It’s also a good way to carry your medicine, sunscreen, etc.
	Freezer bags for more than food! You can store old but important documents in a freezer bag and you won’t have to worry about dampness affecting them over time.
	Simple way to make a candle fit in a candleholder Instead of whittling a candle down at the base to make it fit into a candleholder, simply hold the end in a cup of very hot water for a few minutes to soften the wax and then gently and firmly press it into the holder.
	Slide rubber gloves on and off easily Dust your fingers with baby powder or baking soda. or sprinkle a little inside the gloves. This also helps in sliding boots on more easily.
	Remove old corks with ammonia To get a cork out that is stuck in a bottle, pour a little ammonia inside the bottle and let it sit outside for several days. The ammonia will eat away the cork. Wash it and the pieces will come out.
	Clean the drains with soda and vinegar Mix together one cup of baking soda, one cup of salt and a half cup of white vinegar. Pour this down the clogged drain. Wait 15 to 20 minutes then pour a kettle of boiling water down the drain. DON'T do this if you've already tried a commercial drain opener that is still sitting in the drain.
	Use baking soda as a fabric softener Add one half cup of baking soda to your rinse cycle for an inexpensive fabric softener.
	Baking soda works as a sidewalk de-icer Baking soda mixed with sand (for traction) sprinkled on ice and snow work as a de-icer that won’t ruin your sidewalk like salt will.
	Ammonia discourages four legged trashcan raiders A rag soaked in ammonia and placed on the trashcan lid discourages cats, raccoons and other night critters from pillaging your trash and leaving a mess.
	No more stuck glue tube caps After using a glue tube, drop into the bottom of the cap a drop of sewing machine oil and the cap won't stick.
	To clean and polish stainless steel Simply moisten a cloth with undiluted white or cider vinegar and wipe clean. It will remove water spots.
	Recycle baby wipes as dust cloths Believe it or not some brands of baby wipes, such as Huggies, can be laundered and reused as dust cloths and cleaning rags for when you straighten up. (Of course, this is only for “mildly” soiled wipes).
	Recycle! Keep your half used sheets of printer paper Don’t toss the partial unprinted pages left by the printer. Save them for scrap paper. It's always useful to have paper available for making notes and lists.
	Give old terry towels a new job Cut old terry towels into squares of appropriate sizes for use as dust cloths, mop rags, cleanup rags, etc.
	To polish sterling silver Polish sterling silver in a pinch by using any non-gel toothpaste. Simply cover the sterling with a coat of toothpaste, buff and polish. Your sterling will shine beautifully!
	To polish copper Rub an ample amount of catsup on the copper and let it stand for 5 minutes. Rinse off the catsup with hot water and dry to find an incredible shine.
	To clean copper pans Sprinkle the surface of pans with coarse salt. Rub the salt into the stains with the cut half of a fresh lemon. Or, dissolve salt in vinegar. Wipe it on with a cloth (do not allow it to dry).
	Store medication bottles Wet wipe tubs are great for storing medicine bottles and tubes. Makes for easy stacking in the linen closet AND keeps them out of the reach of curious little hands.
	Keep small items at your desk organized Small post-it notes, rubber bands, pens and pencils, paper clips, etc. stay neat and are easy to locate when put in baby wipe tubs.
	Keep stored items smelling fresh Tuck dryer sheets in your rarely used items such as luggage, camping gear, sports equipment, or specialty craft or kitchen items to prevent the inevitable smells of basements, attics, and garages.
	Wipe up sawdust with a dryer sheet A used sheet will collect sawdust like a tack cloth on the shop workbench from drilling or sandpapering.
	Don’t toss your moldy smelling books If your books or bookshelves have a moldy smell, stick a used dryer sheet between every third volume or so on the shelf.
	Repel rodents with dryer sheet Use dryer sheets to keep out mice, skunks, squirrels, rats, etc from your basement, garages, boats, campers, and clubhouses.
	Remove marks made by a felt tip pen or marker If you act quickly, you can use a baby wipe to remove marker stains before they set in and make a permanent stain.
	Use wipes to pick up glass Wipes enable you to pick up very fine shards of glass, safely.
	Wet wipes cleanup paint If you get a spot on the carpet, ceiling, or baseboards, it's very quick and easy.
	Removing gum Pour on a good glob of liquid detergent (Avon bubble bath also works well), rub it and rinse with cold water (repeat if necessary). It will all come out.
	Eliminate mothball odors Air out larger items outside for a day or two. For clothes, fluff in the dryer with fabric softener sheets for a couple of hours. Odor removers such as Febreeze® may help. If an entire room or closet is affected, place trays of activated charcoal in the corners of the rooms to absorb the smell.
	Relief from mosquito bites Apply lime juice diluted with water on bites with cotton ball.
	Learn to prioritize Ask yourself "is this the MOST important thing that needs doing right now?" If not, then do the thing that IS.
	Tackle a big task by starting small Dedicate 15 solid, uninterrupted minutes to an immense task and then leave it. You'll feel better about it and it will not seem so immense the next time you look at it.
	Cleaning simplified For hard-to-reach places, slip an old cotton T-shirt over a broom, spritz with water and use it to dust ceilings and other high spots. Likewise, put a sock over a yardstick, secure with a rubber band, and clean under the refrigerator and radiators.
	Plastic bag storage Stuff plastic bags into an empty tissue box for tidy storage and easy retrieval.
	The wonders of dental floss Use dental floss to clean can openers, pizza cutters and other awkward utensils.
	Smocks for young artists Use a pillowcase as a smock for budding artists. Cut two holes on each side for the arms and a large one at the top for the head.
	Eliminate problem zippers Attach spare key-chain rings to zippers on children’s jackets for easy zipping and unzipping.
	Knickknack organizers Need knickknack organizers? Use ice cub trays to sort earrings, screws or small objects.
	Drill with precision If you need to drill several holes of the same depth, slide a piece of cork onto your drill bit right above the depth you need. The cork will keep you from drilling too deeply.
	Mosquito repellent Place a dryer sheet in your pocket. It will keep the mosquitoes away.
	Broken pieces of glass Use a dry cotton ball to pick up little broken glass pieces of glass - the fibers catch ones you can't see!
	Instant home fragrance Take one of your forgotten fragrances and dab one or two drops on a cool light bulb. Turn the light on and you’ll have a wonderful scent throughout the room.
	Storing steel wool pads Keep steel wool pads organized and out of the way. Cut a liquid detergent bottle into three sections -- two inches from the bottom and two inches from the top. Discard the middle section and use the top and bottom to store the pads.
	Clean sponges in dishwasher Run your sponges through your dishwasher every few days, and dispose of them every few weeks. They breed bacteria because they do not get the opportunity to dry out in between uses.
	Cleaning a Keyboard On a weekly basis, carefully vacuum the keys with the round brush attachment of your vacuum. Never spray keyboard directly, spray a cleaning cloth with all-purpose cleaning solution and wipe it with it.
	Rubbing alcohol deters mosquitoes Splashing plain rubbing alcohol on yourself and allowing it to dry will deter mosquitoes from biting you.
	Cooking product repels mosquitoes Use half vanilla (has to be pure vanilla) and half water and for a mosquito and tick repellent.
	Eliminate skunk odors with baking soda Soak clothes for several hours in a solution of ½ cup baking soda and 1 gallon of water, then wash as usual.
	Clean your steam iron An inexpensive and easy way to clean your steam iron when it no longer steams is to fill it with a mixture of ¾ cup vinegar and ¼ cup water. Pour mixture into iron and return to steam setting; let stand a few minutes until the holes are steamed open. Rinse iron well before filling for pressing.
	Retrieve a letter you’ve mailed by mistake All you have to do is go to the post office and file a Sender’s Application for Recall of Mail. The service is absolutely free. But hurry. Your chances are best if you contact the post office BEFORE the mail is collected from the mailbox.
	Houseplant food Cold tea is great food for your houseplants.
	Emergency phone numbers Put all the emergency numbers close to the phone. In case of a crisis, you need not panic. You’re prepared!
	Dryer sheets fire hazard to clothes dryers Dryer sheets leave a film on the mesh of your lint filter that can burn out the heating unit or worse yet, cause a fire. You can’t SEE the film. The filter should be washed with hot soapy water and a brush at least every six months. This lengthens the life of your dryer and protects against a fire.
	No more scattered garbage To keep stray animals from the garbage sprinkle household ammonia over garbage bags and garbage can lids. Keep a spray bottle, clearly marked for that purpose.
	Locate knife in dishwater To find a stray knife in the dishwater, use a tall glass like a telescope to see through the suds to the bottom of the pan.
	Removing bumper stickers and decals Soak an old rag with vinegar and lemon juice and place over the bumper sticker. Make sure the rag stays moist until the decal can just peel off.
	Cleaning a thermos bottle Add 2 spoons of bleach to a thermos filled with water and a little dishwashing soap. Shake and let rest 5 minutes. Shake again and rinse with warm water. If not satisfied, add uncooked rice to the soapy water, then shake again real good. The walls will be scoured perfectly. If you don't it use for a long period, put a piece of sugar inside. It will absorb the musty smells.
	Fresh smelling clothing 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.
	Bleach Smell To remove bleach smell from hands (and that slimy feeling) pour a little vinegar or lemon juice over your hands and then rinse. Bleach is alkaline, vinegar and lemon are acid so they cancel each other out and balance the pH of your skin.
	Shoe polishing White shoe polish will apply more evenly if you rub the shoes with a raw potato or rubbing alcohol before polishing.
	Stained sink cleaner To whiten an old stained sink, poor a half cup of salt in it and then scrub it with a lemon. Let it stand for a few minutes and rinse.
	Odor free cutting boards To remove odors from a cutting board after cutting onions, garlic or fish, rub salt on the board, let sit for a couple of minutes and rinse or rub with a slice of lemon or lime.
	Odor free plastic containers To remove odors from plastic containers, stuff with black and white newsprint. Cover tightly and leave overnight.
	Restore badly stained porcelain Clean badly stained porcelain with a paste of peroxide and cream of tartar. Simply scrub with a brush and rinse. If the stain persists, try again by covering stain with the paste and adding a few drops of ammonia. Let stand for one to two hours, then scrub and rinse.
	Stain on fingers Potatoes will take food stains off your fingers. Just slice and rub raw potato on the stains and rinse with water.
	Blood Stains You can easily remove bloodstain from your clothes using hydrogen peroxide. Just saturate, then blot and repeat if necessary.
	Homemade stain removers Baking soda and club soda (AKA: soda water) are great ways to get a stain out if you run out of Shout!
	Remove bloodstains Bloodstains 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!
	Perspiration stains To remove perspiration stains in clothing, soak in warm vinegar and water.
	Toilet stains Clean toilet scale that has encrusted on the bottom of the toilet bowl with coca cola. Leave for at least an hour then flush clean.
	Alka Seltzer removes stains To remove stains from the bottom of a glass vase or cruet, fill it with water and drop in two Alka Seltzer tablets.
	Removing ink stains Using white vinegar, fully cover the ink stain. Allow the vinegar to sit and work on the area for approximately 20 minutes. Wipe clean.
	Artistic bookends Don’t spend money on bookends. Use empty mason jars filled with shells, stones or colored sand.
	Catnip deters ants To deter ants, use catnip. Sprinkle it in their paths.
	Homemade spray stops ants Make a mixture of 2/3 cup water, 1/3 cup white vinegar, and 2-3 Tablespoons dish soap. Spray where the ants are marching.
	Be aware that shop-lifters and shady characters also go to yard sales Don't assume everyone going to yard sales are fun and happy people. Just like in the real world, shop-lifters and shady characters go to yard sales too. These people are few and far between, however, so it shouldn’t deter you from having a fun day having your own yard sale.
	Invite a neighbor or friend to join you in your yard sale It’s cheaper when you can split the cost of a newspaper ad with someone. Besides having more stuff available to sell and the workload being shared, the fun is multiplied!
	Give a “special deal” on kid’s clothing or small toys at your garage sale Consider having a "fill a bag for a set price" kind of deal. Yardsalers love getting a good deal. Have a "fill a bag of clothes for $2" and another one "fill a lunch bag of small toys" for a nickel. You’ll have far less to haul away!
	Selling electrical appliances at your garage sale If you are selling electrical appliances, have an electrical outlet handy or a long extension cord. Don’t allow strangers into your house, either to try out appliances or try on clothes, etc. If they need to use a restroom, give them directions to the nearest fast-food restaurant.
	Your children can participate in your yard sale Keep them busy by setting up a lemonade or Kool aid stand. They can also have a table of their own selling their old toys. With the money they earn, they can buy new toys and put them in the space where the old toys they sold were stored.
	At your yard sale, have plastic grocery bags available to put sold items in It’s also a good idea to have some newspaper available to wrap breakable items. Having a calculator handy is helpful in totaling up purchases.
	A wise tip about making change at your garage sale If someone hands you a large bill, and you need to give them change, leave the bill out until after you have given them their change. Otherwise, a dishonest person could say afterwards "I gave you a $20, not a $10". And it would be your word against theirs.
	GUARD YOUR MONEY at your garage sale! Have lots of coins and small bills available to make change. Do not leave your money laying around in a box. By wearing a fanny pack, you'll always have your money with you. If you are running out of change, and someone is trying to haggle a price down, be willing to negotiate if the buyer has the exact change.
	During your yard sale, keep filling in the empty spots Fill in the holes on your tables by rearranging your stuff. It's a good idea to keep your eyes on your customers, but don't STARE at them and make them uncomfortable. If nothing else, pretend to read a magazine or something.
	Wrap/display knives carefully at a garage sale If you are trying to sell a bunch of old kitchen utensils, rubber-band the knives up so people don't get cut.
	Draw men to your yard sale Set an old lawn mower or power tools out front in plain view of the road, and you'll get more business! It's also smart to set up a small table with nothing but "man-things" (jars full of screws and nails, electronic parts, tools and parts of tools, etc.). This also gives the men something for which to "shop."
	Luring people to your yard sale Display some of your more interesting items at the end of your driveway to act as a magnet to lure people in. Some people will just drive by slowly and take a quick look to determine if it looks worthwhile to stop. Give them a reason to stop.
	Pricing items for your garage sale The price should be on top of an item, not on the bottom. If you don’t have time to price everything individually, signs are helpful, such as "all books .25 each" or "any piece of clothes $1.00", or "anything on this table .50". You also can offer the customers a deal, example: paperbacks .25 each or 5 for $1.
	Negotiating at a garage sale If you see an item you would like (but is priced too high and the seller won't negotiate), give the seller your name and telephone number and tell them you are interested if it doesn't sell by the end of the day and they are willing to come down on the price.
	Avoid putting your garage sale signs on utility poles Staples and nails used to affix signs to the poles can pose a safety hazard to linemen who have to climb the poles. Nails and staples can tear safety equipment such as gloves, harnesses and clothing (and hands, arms and legs too). Depending on where you live, you could even be breaking the law by attaching signs to utility poles.
	When garage saling, take a fanny pack instead of a purse It saves time when you jump out of your car to rush over to a great find. It also keeps your hands free to look over an item.
	Necessities for the hard-core yard-saler Hat/sunglasses to keep sun out of eyes, suntan lotion (to prevent skin cancer on hot summer days), a small cooler with beverages in the car to prevent dehydration.
	When making a garage sale purchase, look it over carefully before you buy it Most items are sold "as is." If you get home and your purchase doesn't work or is missing a piece, you are probably out of luck. If it's an electrical appliance, ask to plug it in to test it.
	Organize your yard/garage sale route to save time and gas To avoid having to cut out all the little ads or wasting time copying them, take a piece of transparent tape and place it over the ad. Use your fingernail and press down on the ad, then carefully lift the tape and place the tape on a piece of paper. All the information will be transferred to the tape.
	When buying used clothing for kids at a garage sale….. Don't rely only on the size listed on the tag. Keep it mind its been washed many times and may have shrunk. Bring one of your kid's shirts or pants to use as a guide to hold up next to a potential purchase.
	To avoid moths To avoid moths, several repellents: thyme, lavender, orange toe of cloves, cedar, camphor, eucalyptus, all make them go away and it feels less bad than touching. A few drops of essence of cinnamon on a rag in your cabinet also will make them flee.
	Cleaning Leather Small spots of dirt on glossy leather can be removed with a damp sponge. Scuff marks can be removed with a shoe polish of the correct color.
	No more scratched china or porcelain Tired of ending up with scratched, ruined china and porcelain when you scrub coffee cup stains with cleansers? Immerse your mugs for 5 to 10 minutes in a sink filled with water and laundry bleach. Remove them, rinse well and rub with a sponge. They’ll be just like new.
	Keep flies away with a dryer sheet of Bounce Hang the sheets outside your doors to keep the flies from congregating and getting in your house every time the kids open the door. You don’t have to use the expensive sheets either. The no-name brand dryer sheets work well.
	Clean your windows for less Use windshield washer fluid instead. It works as well on windows as it does on your windshield and it’s much more economical.
	Laundering made more efficient When you fold your towels, tuck a washcloth of the same color inside. That way you don’t have to look for one later. And because you wash the towel and washcloth at the same time, their color fades at the same rate.
	Oiling tight spots To apply oil in tight spots, simply bend a piece of wire or straighten a paper clip so the oil can drip along it to the desired location.
	Easy threading of small needles To thread a small needle, just apply some hair spay to the thread and let it dry. It will slip right through the eye of the needle.
	Fabric softener sheets are multi-purposed Use old fabric softener sheets to clean the lint off your dryer screen. It works great.
	Water and white vinegar make great cleaner for the shower Heat a 50-50 solution of water and white vinegar to just below the boiling point. Pour into a spray bottle and soak the shower walls, floor, door and the shower wand. Let it stand for 10-15 minutes then use a plastic scrub brush to clean of the vinegar, dirt, soap scum and hard water deposits.
	Vinegar cleans the toilet Flush the toilet before you start and then quickly pour a cup of vinegar around the sides of the bowl. Let it stand for at least five minutes before you scrub the inside of the bowl as you normally would. You’ll find that the job doesn’t require nearly as much scrubbing, and the toilet looks great.
	Simple solution for fixing a loose hammer or ax head When your hammer or ax heads begin to loosen, here’s a quick fix. Soak the top of the wooden handle in a solution of glycerin and water. Reinsert the handle in the head while the wood is still wet. The wood will swell, ensuring a tight fit.
	The CHEAP all-purpose 50-50 cleaner The cleaner has only two simple ingredients, equal parts of white vinegar and water. Mix it up in a spray bottle and keep it handy. It works well on the stove, refrigerator, range fan, microwave, and countertops. Not only is it cheap, but no rinsing is needed!
	Holds picture frames straight To keep pictures on the wall straight, wrap adhesive or masking tape around the center of the wire to keep it from slipping on the hanger.
	Stretch liquid dish soap and shampoo When your liquid dish soap bottle is empty, add about half a cup of water and shake. You’ll have enough soap to wash a few more dishes, and the bottle will be clean for recycling. This works for shampoo bottles as well.
	Window washing made fun for children Here’s a fun way to entice children to help you wash the windows on the outside of your home. Fill squirt guns with window-washing fluid and let them fire away.
	Great bookmarks! Corners cut from used envelopes make great bookmarks. They just slip over the page you wish to mark.
	Simple removal of plastic melted on toasters or coffeepots Next time a plastic bread wrapper melts onto the toaster or the coffeepot, try this. Rub some petroleum jelly on the spot, reheat the appliance and use a paper towel to rub off the plastic and the printing.
	Barbecue grill rack cleanup made easy This cleanup trick works while you sleep! Lay a barbecue grill rack on the lawn overnight. The dew will combine with the enzymes in the grass to loosen any burned-on grease. Try it with messy oven racks, too!
	Coffeepot brush cleans sewing machine Use a coffeepot brush to clean your sewing machine. It will be long enough to poke into even the farthest recesses and narrow enough to fit into those thousand-and-one crevices where lint clings.
	Creative storage for winter coats, scarves, mittens, etc. Hang a pocket-style shoe bag to any hallway for storing winter gloves and mittens, scarves and caps. Put it where children can reach it so they can be responsible for finding and putting away their own things. To be even more organized, you might want to label each pocket with a family member’s name or initials.
	Repairing mattress pads After the thin material around the sides of your mattress pad is worn beyond repair, sew the top of the pad to an old fitted sheet that is wearing in the middle. Attach the two by pinning the top of the pad to the sheet while it’s on the bed and then take it of to stitch on the machine.
	Use fertilizer, not salt, to melt ice and frozen snow Try using some fertilizer to melt the ice and frozen snow from walks and porches. Salt kills the grass onto which the snow is shoveled, but the fertilizer will feed it.
	Snow shoveling made easier with floor wax Prepare your snow shovel for winter with a coat of floor wax. The wax helps prevent the scoop from rusting and also makes the snow slide off without sticking.
	Secure picnic tablecloth from the wind For your picnic tablecloth, hem a piece of inexpensive material. Then make pockets in each corner into which you can slip small stones. This will keep the tablecloth from blowing around.
	Secure outdoor Christmas lights from the wind Outdoor Christmas lights won’t be gone with the wind if you attach them to your trees with pincher-type clothespins! They’re easy to both put on and take off, plus they don’t harm the trees. Just paint the pins green, and they’ll ‘hid’ in the branches.
	Keep your farmer field-safe in summer Check over his on-the-job ‘wardrobe’. Remove anything that can catch in machinery such as the string on hooded sweatshirts and hammer loops on bib overalls. Also, check with your county Extension service for a handy booklet about laundering clothes that have been exposed to farm chemicals.
	Plastic protects against messy fingers Protect the kitchen timer and buttons on the blender from messy fingers and spills by covering them with plastic. You can even keep the timer in a plastic bag!
	Dry clothes outdoors even on windy days String a plastic-coated chain link between poles as you would a clothesline or even on the same poles on which you have your clothesline. Place clothes on hangers and hook each hanger in a link. They’ll blow in the breeze but not fall off.
	No more icky ashtrays Try waxing the inside of your ashtrays, and the ashes won’t stick. Then you can simply wipe them clean with a tissue. No washing!
	Recycle sheets and tablecloths Cut up old bed sheets and turn them into pillowcases. Likewise, tablecloths can be made into napkins.
	Improvised pencil sharpener Try sandpaper if you can’t find a pencil sharpener. You may have to rub at it for a few minutes.
	Drapery weights Old keys or a few nuts from the toolbox work well as substitutes for drapery weights.
	Using a family bulletin board A family bulletin board is a very helpful institution. Located in a convenient place, it can serve as a ‘message center’ for all kinds of information and instructions.
	Extinguish small fires quickly Ordinary baking soda can be used to extinguish small fires quickly.
	Prevent lint with vinegar To keep lint from clinging to blue jeans and corduroys, add a half-cup of vinegar to each wash load.
	Remove ink from white fabrics Ink can be removed from white fabrics by applying salt and lemon juice to the stained area, and then placing it in the sun for a while.
	No more black spots on silverware To remove black spots on silverware, drop a little machine oil on each spot, rub, then polish as usual.
	Whitener for tea towels Save your lemon rinds, and then boil them with your tea towels to whiten them. This will also remove discoloration from cooking vessels.
	Creative use for candle ends A good use for odds and ends of candles is to melt them down over low heat, and add spices, or a few whole cloves. Then pour into attractive molds with wicks and use for air freshening in bathrooms and other places.
	Simple umbrella repair There’s no need to throw away your umbrella if the metal ribs pull out at the tips. Just dab a little colorless nail polish into the empty space and force the ribs back into place. When dry, they should stay in place indefinitely.
	Hospital gift shops offer lower prices than florists When sending flowers to a friend or relative in the hospital, call the hospital gift shop. Most have small floral arrangements or flowering plants at lower prices than florists charge, plus there’s no delivery fee.
	Jar and lid opener To remove pesky bottle tops and jar lids, don a pair of rubber gloves or twist a fat rubber band around the lid. Twist open. Works like a charm.
	Loose hair clogs drains Brush your hair before you wash it to reduce the loose hairs that clog up the drain.
	Remove pen ink Remove pen ink from clothing or carpet by spraying area with hair spray and after leaving on for a few seconds, wipe away with a damp cloth.
	Dust free artificial flowers and plants To prevent dust from accumulating on artificial flowers and plants, lightly spray with hair spray. This saves a lot of dusting and washing.
	Ink stains Ballpoint pen stains can be removed by using hair spray - let the hair spray dry and wash the item. Table salt will absorb ink when it is spilled - pour salt on the wet ink and continue to add salt until there is no more "wet ink". Then vacuum or wash. Other types of ink can be removed using rubbing alcohol.
	Static cling 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.
	Unsealing sealed envelopes 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.
	Economic tool carrier Cut the top off an empty bleach jug opposite the handle and you’ll have a convenient tool carrier. Sand down any rough edges.
	Get rid of fruit flies To get rid of pesky fruit flies, take a small glass fill it 1/2" with Apple Cider Vinegar and 2 drops of dishwashing liquid, mix well. You will find those flies drawn to the cup and gone forever!
	Storage for nails and screws Small glass jars are great for storing nails and screws. If you’re feeling extra-organized, drill a hole into the lid and screw onto the underside of a work shelf. Simply twist off the jar when you need some supplies.
	Lengthen shoe life To save your shoes while also being able to drive comfortably and safely, leave a small pair of canvas tennis permanently in your car.
	Dried up ballpoint pens When ballpoint pens refuse to write, put them 15 to 20 seconds in the microwave and they will then write correctly.
	Sewing new elastic Sew the new elastic onto the old elastic and pull it.
	Scrubbing showers When scrubbing your showers, lightly wet a used dryer sheet. Scrub to remove soap build-up and mineral deposits.
	Removing sticky residue from labels Hairspray will help you to remove the sticking residues left by price tags.
	Stuck stamps and envelopes If your stamps or your envelopes are stuck together, put them in the freezer for around 1 hour. You should be able to separate the stuck parts with a knife without removing the adhesive.
	Homemade fire starter To light a fireplace or wood stove, when your candles are finished, keep their wax and use them as a fire starter. The paraffin, while burning, is much more ecological than all other systems. It is also ideal in reviving a fire.
	Bleeding fabric To keep fabrics from bleeding, add 2-3 teaspoons of salt to wash and rinse cycles.
	Prevent spots on dishes Rinse glasses and dishes in water and vinegar to prevent spots and film.
	Cleaning holes in a steam iron Soak Q-tips or pipe cleaners with concentrated soapy water to clean the steam holes.
	Renting versus buying tools Try to rent the tools you won't need after a certain project is finished. You'll prevent yourself from spending too much money.
	Open envelopes easily Heat the envelope with a hot iron a few moments.
	Recycle rubber gloves When your rubber gloves are full of holes, cut the fingers and make them caps for the handles of brooms and mops. This will protect your walls from scratches.
	Discolored aluminum pans If an aluminum pan has become discolored, boil some apple peel in it for a few minutes, then rinse and dry.
	Tangle free electrical cords Roll electrical cords to fit in a paperboard tube (empty paper towel or toilet paper roll). This keeps them neat and untangled.
	Make silverware shine Rub the silverware with a cooked potato. The cooking water of potatoes is also effective.
	Dryer sheets as a sewing aid Use a dryer sheet to store your needles while threaded to keep them from tangling, for paper piecing while you quilt, and for backing for embroidery.
	New uses for old CDs New uses for old CDs - Put your candles on them to create a diffused light. Cut some items (stars, fir trees, etc.). Glue two non-reflective sides together (in order to have two reflective sides) and use them as decorations for Christmas or for a mobile for a child, etc. If the non-reflective image on the CD is pretty, paint the reflective side. Hang them in the fruit trees to drive out the birds.
	Organizer baskets Keep a small basket on the refrigerator to hold coupons; another to temporarily keep small junk items that you want to save but are not quite ready to put away. Keep baskets in drawers to organize stuff and baskets under the sink to hold similar items.
	New life for old pajamas When children's pajamas are becoming too small but they’re so cute you don’t want to get rid of them yet, cut the feet out of them and they will last a little longer.
	Shine leather shoes Shine your shoes! Use baby wipes to clean and shine your leather shoes so they’ll sparkle.
	New use for old shower curtains When camping, old shower curtains make marvelous insulators to place under the tents.
	Fingerprints on stainless steel Baby oil takes fingerprints off stainless steel appliances and marks off the doors.Use a small amount on a napkin and wipe the fingerprints away. It also takes off the glue from the tape that was used in shipping.
	Revive dry markers Revive your marker that doesn't mark any more: open the end of the marker and deposit some vinegar drops. Close the end of the marker and let it stand upright for a few minutes.
	TV watching distance To watch TV from a good distance, multiply by 6 the diagonal of your screen to know the distance you should sit back from the screen.
	Teach children the right foot Place a colored sticker inside the shoes (on the right side of the shoe for the left foot and on the left side for right foot). Explain to the child that the two stickers must be found side by side when he/she is putting the shoes on to wear.
	Organize buttons To easily find a button in all those accumulated over the years, separated by color in small bags (baggies) on which color is written at the top of the bag. Put these bags in a box or a drawer.
	Address book solution In your address book, classification by group is a good solution for hard to remember names and numbers: F for friends and fire department, B for baby-sitters, P for plumber, D for dermatologist, dentist and doctor, S for school, P for police, etc.
	Melt icy steps To melt icy steps, fill a bucket with hot water and add a tablespoon of Dawn dish washing liquid to it at the end. Pour it all over the steps and they will melt the ice without refreezing.
	Stop shoe polish smears White shoe polish won't smear if you spray the shoe with hair spray after it is dry.
	Organizing small items and pieces Tape prevents loss of small pieces and items. Stick small items and pieces on a wide piece of tape while working.
	Substitute gift wrap Kitchen product makes good substitute for gift wrap. If you're out of gift wrap, use aluminum foil to make a pretty wrap.
	Lighting a wood stove Avoid smoke when first lighting a wood stove. Use a hair dryer for about 15 seconds or so to heat the air in the pipe before lighting the stove.
	Removing glue from a sales sticker Use an iron to remove a sales sticker on a book cover. Cover the sticker with a cloth. Place an iron on a low temperature on it for a few minutes. Then use your fingers to remove the price gently while rolling.
	White furniture Easy way to shine a piece of furniture painted in white. Bring a shine by washing it with a solution of 1 tablespoon bicarbonate of soda and 1 quart of hot water.
	Longer holding suction cups Make suction cups hold longer. To make suction cups hold longer, put a drop of sugar water on it.
	Scratched wooden furniture Touch up wooden furniture with shoe polish. Mix various shades of shoe polish to get the desired hue. Apply it with a cloth on scratches or holes on wood.
	Used shower curtains Give old shower curtains a second life. Keep old shower curtains to use for children’s crafts or any other craft that could stain or mar.
	Repairing a leaking vase Repairing a leaking vaseRepair a leaking vase with paraffin. If your favorite vase is leaking water, pour a thick layer of paraffin inside it and let it harden. The paraffin will last indefinitely and your vase won't leak anymore.
	Untangle twisted cords Untangle cords with a doorknob. To untangle cords of appliances and even extension cords, pull the cord tightly around a rounded object such as a doorknob.
	Washing new material Always wash new material before sewing with it. Before you sew with new material, be sure to wash it. The reason is that the size may shrink, or the colors may bleed into other colors.
	Invisible Mending Egg whites repair a tear. Lay the item out flat with the wrong side facing up. Spread some egg white over the area. Cut a piece of linen and place it over the damaged area. Press it with a hot iron to make the egg white stick. This method only works if you catch the tear before too frayed
	Rough towels A rough towel will be softened by soaking overnight in vinegar water.
	Igniting matches If the scraper on your matchbox gives out in the horizontal direction, then use it in the vertical direction. You will notice that your matches will ignite immediately and that the scraper will last longer.
	Rubber Gloves Use a rubber band like a bracelet to tighten the glove to your wrist. No more water filled gloves.
	Easy organization for children Put a colored sticker on a CD and its cover and your child will have fun returning it to its proper place. The same goes with color coding drawers, games and toys.
	Scorching while ironing When an item has been scorched, quickly pour some hydrogen peroxide on the spot and rub with a clean cloth. Then wash with warm, soapy water, rinse and let dry.
	Mist on watch face If fog has formed on the inside glass of your watch, turn the glass side against the skin. After a while, the fog should have dissipated.
	Barometer A simple pinecone can be transformed into a very useful barometer. The scales open when the weather’s good and tightens in the event of rain.
	Unstopping cork stuck in thermos neck Wrap a string around the cork and rock it to and fro until the cork works loose enough for you to easily remove it.
	Cleaning ashtrays Wax your ashtrays and the ashes won't stick. You can then clean them easily with paper towels.
	Invisible sewing seams Sewing with fishing wire, or long hair, hides seams. The drawback of fishing wire is that it can be burned while ironing but hair resists heat very well from an iron.
	Eliminate key confusion No more confusion of keys. Paint a different nail polish on each key with each color corresponding to a different door.
	Making suction cups hold well Often suction cups don't adhere well and sometimes not at all! If they refuse to grab the wall, put a drop of sugar water on the backside and they’ll hold up for a long time.
	Bathroom tile and countertop cleaner Clean bathroom tiles and countertops with baking soda. Sprinkle a little on a wet cloth or sponge, then scrub and rinse.
	Salt stained footwear Vinegar and water will remove salt stains from shoes and boots.
	Fighting moths Moths will readily leave your cupboards if you place a jar filled with cloves in the cupboard. They do not like the smell.
	Discourage garage and yard sale early arrivers Never post your exact address for a yard sale. When advertising a week ahead of the sale, simply state the name of the street and the block number. Early birds who are serious retailers always look for exact addresses. That way, they have opportunity to camp out practically on your doorstep, waiting to take advantage of your sale.
	Umbrella and cane storage Store umbrellas and/or canes in a long earthenware pot and then put the pot in a corner where they will not be noticed.
	Removing wasps To keep wasps away, put some cloves in one or several saucers on the table. They can’t stand the smell and will move away.
	Eliminate mice To eliminate mice, put mothballs around the house, outside, about 6 inches away.
	Ridding pianos of moths To prevent moths from staying inside a piano, just place a piece of camphor in the heart of the piano.
	Removing resin from hands To remove the resin from trees (pine, fir, etc.) from your hands, rub your hands with salad oil and then wash (margarine also works well). The resin will have disappeared (fast).
	Homemade funnel Take a plastic bottle or a tin can and make a hole in the bottom. It’s really cheap and always replaceable.
	Good smelling insect repellant Smell good and still repel insects. Just dab lavender oil on your pulse points; it smells great on you but repels insects.
	Best light for TV viewing Putting a lamp that illuminates the wall behind your TV will help protect your eyes.
	Saving water In opening the hot water faucet, cold water flows before the hot water. To avoid wasting this water, fill a container with it to water plants, wash the bathtub, sink, etc. It adds up by the end of the month to savings in water and in money.
	Needle holder Store your needles in an empty prescription bottle with a lid (preferably plastic). They’re easy to find and you won’t get stuck trying to find a loose one in your sewing box.
	Odors on hands After having touched garlic or shallots, fish, etc., wash your hands with toothpaste.
	Fragrance the atmosphere Empty a sample of perfume on your vacuum cleaner bag and the smell will spread throughout the house whenever you vacuum.
	Insect bites Mix water with cornstarch into a paste and apply to bite. This is effective in drawing out the poisons of most insect bites and is also an effective remedy for diaper rash.
	Deodorize bottles To deodorize used bottles, store these bottles, after having washed them, one hour in the freezer so that they lose their odor.
	Rat poison Place in the attic a container filled with plaster and flour with another container of water beside it.
	Mouse repellent Since mice do not like cats, they will not want to stay in your attic if they think a cat is around. Place a large handful of litter soaked with pee into a small cloth ‘bag’ that you can tie shut and then place this small package where you find the droppings. Goodbye mice!
	Unstick nuts rusted to bolts Easily unstick rusted nuts and bolts with a soft drink. Just soak the nuts rusted to the bolts in Coca-Cola for several hours. They'll unstick easily.
	Fly repellent To repel flies, plant cloves in oranges and put some oranges in each part of the house. The flies hate cloves and won't stay!
	Sparkling crystal To clean crystal, peel potatoes and put them in a basin of water with your crystal for a few hours. The crystal gets its sparkle back.
	Lost socks To keep pairs of socks together, attach them together with a pin to wash and dry!
	Tangled jewelry To untangle jewelry chains, sprinkle talcum powder on the chain and then use a needle to undo the knots.
	Eliminate static cling To eliminate static cling, pat yourself with a sheet to combat static on your clothes, nylons, and even long hair!
	Ink on fingers Ink on your fingers? The ink will disappear with tomato juice.
	Sticky caps To keep a cap from sticking, before closing cap, rub Vaseline on cap (such as nail polish cap) before closing.
	Laundry Basket Freshener To keep a laundry basket smelling good, place a fabric softener sheet in the bottom of your laundry basket (remember to change it weekly). You can also simply sprinkle some baking soda in the bottom of your basket and that will help absorb the odors as well.
	Window washer solvent Make your own window washer solvent that won't freeze by combining 1 quart of rubbing alcohol, 1 cup of water and 2 tablespoons liquid detergent. This formula won't freeze down to 35 degrees below 0.
	Remove mildew stains You can remove mildew stains. Shake or brush the item to remove loose growth. Presoak in cold water. Wash in hot water with a heavy-duty detergent. For whites, add ½ cup bleach. If colored, use color-safe bleach. If staining remains on white items, repeat washing before drying. Dry thoroughly; heat and sun tend to kill mildew.
	Gasoline On Clothing Remove gasoline from clothing. Gasoline is an oil-based product, therefore, use another oil based product to pull out the odor (which is left because all the gas oil has not been removed yet). You can use any kind of oil that normally washes out of clothing, like baby oil. Put some of the oil into the washer along with the clothes, let it swish around for a while, then put in the detergent and all should come out okay. BE SURE NOT TO USE A DRYER TO DRY THESE CLOTHES SINCE IT COULD CAUSE A FIRE.
	Jar opener For stuck jar lids, simply reach into the drawer and pull out the handy nutcracker. It adjusts to the size of the jar and with a good twist, off pops the lid!
	Slippery Cutting Board To keep a cutting board from slipping, place a thin layer of damp paper towels underneath to anchor the board to the work surface.
	Soiled Shirt Collars Beat ring around the collar. Take a small paintbrush and brush hair shampoo into soiled shirt collars before laundering. Shampoo is made to dissolve body oils.
	Grease Stains To clean a grease stain, sprinkle a generous amount of cornstarch or baby powder over the grease stain, allow it to sit for a couple of minutes, then brush the powder off. The powder absorbs the grease and it brushes off with the powder.
	Foggy Mirrors and Glass To foil the fog, spray a generous amount of good ol' fashioned shaving cream (not gel) onto the mirror or window and rub in with a clean cloth. Use a new clean cloth until all streaks are gone. This will prevent fogging as long as you don't wipe or clean the glass.
	Fabric Softener Homemade fabric softener. Pour a couple of capfuls of Downey on it and throw it in the dryer. Add more Downey about every 15 loads or when you notice a little static. It helps to use a towel that is distinct from the other laundry.
	Window Cleaner To brew your own window cleaner, in a gallon jug mix 1/2 bottle of rubbing alcohol with 2 tablespoons Prell Shampoo. Fill jug to the top with water. The rubbing alcohol prevents streaks and the shampoo cuts the dirt. It will last a long time and is very inexpensive.
	Tarnished Silverware Remove silverware stains. Line a cake pan with aluminum foil. Fill with water and add 1 tablespoon of baking soda per 2 cups of water. Heat to 150 degrees. Lay silverware in pan, touching the aluminum foil. Watch the stains disappear!
	Roach Problem To combat roaches, combine equal parts boric acid (a powder sold in hardware stores and drugstores) and sugar. Mix well. Sprinkle in crevices and, if building or remodeling, between walls before putting up plaster board. Put the powder in jar lids; place lids behind the fridge and under sinks. Caution: Keep mixture away from children and pets.
	Permanent Marker stains To remove marker stains, dab a washcloth soaked in rubbing alcohol onto the marker stain. Do not rub it - just blot it - rotating the cloth to a clean spot every time.
	Freshen a Garbage Disposal To freshen your garbage disposal, sprinkle baking soda in it along with a few drops dish-washing liquid. Scrub with a brush (a new toilet brush works great), getting under the rubber gasket and all around the inside. Then, turn on water and let the disposal run to flush thoroughly. For a fresh citrus scent, throw in a few cut up lemons or limes and run them through, too, using lots of water.
	Drain de-clogger To unclog drains, use 1/4 cup baking soda and 1/4 cup vinegar. Pour baking soda down drain first then follow with the vinegar. Close drain and let sit until bubbling has stopped then follow with a bucket of hot boiling water.
	Glass shower door cleaner Spray Resolve Spot Remover for carpet and fabrics on shower glass doors. Run a dish sponge over it, rinse and the soap scum comes off.
	Mothball Substitute Instead of mothballs, take your leftover soap slivers and put them in a vented plastic bag. Place the bag with seasonal clothes before packing them away. Not only will the scent prevent them from moth harm, but they'll smell great when you pull them out.
	Photos Stuck Together Photos stuck together? With a hair dryer on low, slowly melt them apart.
	Paint on Carpet Paint on the carpet? Spray with Windex and wipe clean.
	Freshen Linen Closet To freshen your linen closet, place cotton balls that have been sprayed with your favorite scent. Once they are dry, place them in corners and on the shelves.
	Prevent window frost To prevent window frost, leave one window open a crack to prevent frost from building up on the inside of the window.
	Removing mildew from shower or bath To remove mildew from a shower or bath, use 3 parts bleach and 1 part water -- put in spray bottle. Spray on mildew areas and it will virtually disappear.
	Making S.O.S. Pads last longer To help S.O.S. pads last longer, take a pair of scissors and cut each pad into half. No more rusted and unused smelly pads to throw away. This is much more economical and a box of S.O.S pads lasts indefinitely! In addition, the scissors get ‘sharpened’ this way!
	Hangover Remedy To remedy a hangover, eat honey on crackers. The fructose in the honey will help to flush out the alcohol in your system.
	Remove stickers, decals, and glue To remove sticker, decals, and glue from furniture, glass, plastic, etc., saturate with vegetable oil and rub off.
	Discourage mice Mice hate the scent of peppermint extract. Simply sprinkle pure peppermint extract on the items in your garage you don't want the mice in or on.
	Iron clothes tirelessly When you have a large ironing job to do, just slip off your shoes and stand on a cushion. See how much more you can do without getting so tired!
	Lavender for fragrant ironing Sprinkle a little lavender sachet powder under the ironing board cover. The dampness of the clothes is enough to bring the fragrance into clothes when ironed.
	Freezer bag markers For markings on foodstuff and on freezer bags, you could use an old lipstick to write the name of the foodstuff in the box or plastic bag. Lipstick is edible stuff so safe.
	Brown colored porcelain dishes Remove the brown color of a porcelain dish by soaking for two to three hours in water with a bit of borax added to it. After soaking, wash with soapy water, rinse off and then dry.
	Untying a knotted chain When you have a knot in a small chain, cover it with talcum powder and you will have no more difficulty undoing the knot.
	Cracked porcelain When a piece of porcelain or earthenware is cracked, let simmer in milk for 35 to 45 minutes, depending on the size of the crack. If it is not very deep, the milk protein will seal it.
	Fast cleanup No sweat over unexpected company! Try this double-handed trick: Take a baby wipe in one hand and start polishing your bathroom surfaces. Keep a dry washcloth in your other hand to shine things up as you make your rounds.
	Scuffmarks Can’t get those scuff marks off your floors? Give them a wipe with baby wipes. You may need a little elbow grease but those nasty little black marks will be gone in no time.
	Mosquito deterrent If you have mosquitoes in your room, rather than swatting them, turn off your light switch but turn a light on in the next room. The mosquito, attracted by light, will head straight to the light. You'll only have to close the door for a good night’s sleep.
	Dried out leather shoes To reinvigorate your leather shoes, rub with a cloth moistened with olive oil.Allow the oil to penetrate the footwear for about a minute and then rub with a clean cloth.
	Long match If you need a long match for a barbecue or fireplace, light one end of a piece of spaghetti.
	Children’s white shoes Spray children’s white shoes with hair spray and they won’t get dirty as fast.
	Wasps nests Wasps don’t like the smell of mothballs. Put a few balls of mothballs close to the nest. Replace regularly with fresh ones.
	Scratchy wool sweaters To avoid a wool sweater from scratching the skin, just put it in the freezer in a plastic bag a few hours before washing.
	Homemade barbecue lighter Make homemade barbecue lighters by soaking cork stoppers in a jar filled with alcohol.
	Retain color of jeans Before washing a new pair of jeans, let them soak overnight in a basin of water with 2 glasses of white vinegar. The jeans will keep its color longer.
	White Socks You can restore their whiteness while boiling them in water with lemon added.
	Scratches on a watch Rubbing alcohol removes scratches on the glass of your watch.
	Dull pins If a pin is difficult to push into a layer or a piece of fabric, stick the point into a bar of soap.
	Removing lint from clothing. When small wads of lint (pills) develop on clothing, use a rough piece of steel wool, run it over the material and the "pills" disappear. It is very easy to do and the material will not be harmed.
	Extend battery life To give a renewal of energy to your batteries, rub their positive pole, indicated by the + sign, on carpet or trousers for 5 minutes.
	Extend lifespan of cream tubes When you think your tube of cream (toothpaste, ointment, etc.) seems to be empty, cut it with scissors and you will discover the opposite! There is MORE!!
	Repel mosquitoes Put a little lemongrass in your house and the mosquitoes will leave!
	Separate stuck glasses When two glasses or two bowls are stuck together, put some ice cubes in the one that is on top and then place the bottom glass in warm water. Let sit a few minutes and they will separate easily.
	Gnats To get rid of gnats, set out a saucer or small bowl of vinegar. Gnats will be drawn to it and will drown themselves in the vinegar.
	Whiter curtains When washing curtains, give them back their color or whiteness by adding with the detergent a package or two of brewers' yeast.
	Overflowing dishwasher To cut the foam from an overflowing dishwasher, pour 1 cup of vinegar into washer and the foam will absorb.
	Clean hard to reach places Clean hard to reach areas (whether in the home or in the car, e.g. the dashboard and cup holders, with a dampened sponge tipped paint brush.
	Cleaning cast iron pans To gently and effectively clean your cast iron skillets after most uses, wipe out excess food with a dry paper towel, then sprinkle salt inside the pan. Wipe clean with a clean, dry paper towel. The salt acts as an abrasive to scratch off any stuck-on particles of food without using soap and water, which can remove your seasoning. For stubborn stuck-on food, use a putty knife to scrape it off. You may, however, need to reseason the pan after doing this.
	Removing crayons To removing crayon from walls, use a damp sponge and Colgate toothpaste. Rub carefully.
	Teapot or kettle cleaning To remove hard water and lime build-up in a teapot or kettle, pour in two cups of vinegar and bring to a boil. Let simmer for about 10 minutes, then rinse well.
	Mosquito Bites To get rid of itch from mosquito bite, try applying soap on the area, instant relief.
	Disinfect clothes quickly Microwaves can be used to emergency disinfect clothes, such as a child's cap that another kid has put on, as long as they have absolutely NO metal in the zippers, buttons, rivets etc. ALWAYS place a cup of cold water next to the article to absorb the heat and microwave on high until the water is steaming.
	Renovate shower curtains Shower curtains can be renovated by being washed, on gentle cycle, with a pint of white vinegar.
	Tar and grease removal Nail polish remover removes tar and grease from white, leather shoes.
	Wastebasket tip For all the little wastebaskets throughout the house, keep folded liners underneath the liner being used. That way you don't have to track down another liner after emptying the basket.
	Dryer Tip Include a few tennis balls in each dryer cycle. The tennis balls not only cut drying time by 25% - 50%, but also fluff the clothes to a delicate softness, and towels with be especially fluffy.
	Splattered bugs Clean splattered bugs off with baking soda and a nylon net.
	Recycling plastic grocery bags Reuse plastic grocery bags in all your trashcans. To keep them from slipping down, affix a plastic, self-adhesive hook to both sides of the inside of the trashcan. Hang the shopping bag from the hooks.
	Easy stovetop cleaning To prevent grease and grime from sticking to your stove top and to make it easy to clean, occasionally rub it down with car wax.
	Removing nail polish from wood Remove spilled nail polish from wood furniture. Don't wipe it up! The solvents in nail polish soften most finishes, and wiping may take off the finish. Instead, let the polish dry completely; then gently scrape it off with a credit card. Wax the surface, using superfine steel wool.
	Charcoal starter When using charcoal, douse the coals with the least amount of starter fluid as possible to light the fire. If starter fluid is unavailable, try using regular salad oil. Wad a sheet of newspaper and pile the coals over it, then douse the coals with the salad oil. Light the paper as you would using normal starter fluid.
	Oven cleaner To clean up spills in your oven, sprinkle the spills immediately with salt. When the oven has cooled, brush away the burnt-on food with a damp sponge.
	Extinguish cooking stove fires Never, never pour water on flaming fat or oil because you'll spread the fire. If the fire's inside a pan, slap on the lid. If outside, turn off the heat and douse the flames by tossing on a handful of baking soda or salt.
	Prevent rusting of mechanical things Use cooking or salad oil for lubricating non-essential mechanical things like hinges, tools etc. A light coat of oil will keep tools from rusting and you don't need to buy expensive and toxic chemicals like WD-40 etc.
	Removing stickers from wood Children's stickers can be removed from wood by applying white vinegar to the sticker, letting it soak and then scraping off.
	Storing good silverware If you store your best silver in self-sealing plastic bags, it will tarnish much more slowly.
	Luggage cleaner Lemon extract will remove scuff marks from luggage.Disinfecting smelly sponges
	Removing scuff marks To removing scuff marks, pen, and pencil from walls, use a dry cloth and rubbing alcohol.
	Cleaning mini-blinds Clean those dirty, dusty, mini-blinds in your house in a snap! Fill the bathtub with warm, soapy water and let the blinds soak. If they are white blinds add a little bleach to get rid of any stains.
	Remove skid marks To remove skid marks on linoleum rub the spot with toothpaste before washing the floor.
	Spray starch simplifies cleaning Apply spray starch to doors and to painted walls along hallways and stairways where fingerprints accumulate. The coating will resist marks better.
	Unclogging 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.
	Clean mirrors and windows Windex Air freshener will clean mirrors and leave a pleasant scent. Vinegar works great on windows also but it doesn’t smell near as nice.
	Treat itchy insect bites A dab of liquid soap or ammonia will give you instant relief from the itch associated with insect bites.
	Prevent tarnishing of silverware and jewelry Place a piece of white chalk in your silver chest or jewel box to absorb moisture and help prevent tarnishing of silverware and jewelry.
	Cleaning stained glass or cruet 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 Polish jewelry by dropping two Alka-Seltzer tablets into a glass of water and immerse the jewelry for two minutes.
	Store appliance/extension cords 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.
	Cleaning thermos bottles Fill the bottle with water, drop in four Alka Seltzer tablets, and let soak for an hour (or longer, if necessary).
	Permanent marker removal Permanent marker on appliances/counter tops, rubbing alcohol on paper towel will help remove it.
	Crayon removal Wet a washcloth with warm water and dip it in baking soda. It will wipe off easily without damaging your paint.
	Toilet Cleaner Drop two Alka Seltzer tablets into your toilet bowl. After twenty minutes just run your brush inside the toilet and flush it. The effervescence of the tablets will make cleaning easy.
	Sew buttons securely Sew stray buttons back on with dental floss. It’s much stronger than thread.
	Homemade building blocks Turn shoeboxes into fabulous building blocks. Tape the lids on, then spray-paint the boxes in bright colors.
	Dissolve soap scum Clean shower doors with a used sheet of fabric softener. The residue should dissolve away.
	Makeshift funnel For a makeshift funnel to use with non-food items, cut a clean, empty detergent bottle in half. Take the top half and invert it.
	Help sticking drawers To ease sticking drawers run soap or wax on the runners.
	Maintenance of air conditioners and heaters Turn the air conditioning on occasionally in the winter and the heat in the summer to keep them working properly and to prevent fungus from forming.
	Clean artificial flowers Dry clean artificial flowers by shaking them in a paper bag with a cup of salt. Silk flowers can be cleaned with a solution of warm water and white vinegar. Some colors may fade, so dip them individually after blowing or vacuuming off loose dirt.
	Moisture free wooden drawers Keep wooden drawers dry by placing the small drying packets that come in coffee and other products in them.
	Remove rubber heel marks Clean rubber heel marks from kitchen linoleum with a moist cloth dabbed in floor wax. The marks come up and don’t leave a dull spot.
	Cleaning a griddle Use coffee to clean a griddle! Works for frying pans, too. Just pour coffee over the griddle or pan and wipe it off.
	Removing candle wax To remove candle wax from a carpet, fabric or counter top, cover area with a paper towel and press down with a warm iron. The toweling will absorb the melted wax and a clean towel will remove any residue from the iron. Be sure to test fabric to make sure the heat of the iron will not damage it.
	Broken glass cleanup When cleaning up broken glass use wet paper towels or newspapers to wipe up the small pieces and slivers.
	Curing cast iron pans To cure an iron pan, cover it with a thin coat of oil and bake in a 250° oven for about two hours. Turn off the oven and allow the pan to cool in the oven.
	Remove mud from carpet Removing fresh mud from carpeting is easy with cornstarch. Sprinkle cornstarch over the mud, allow to dry, then vacuum away the mud with the cornstarch.
	Cleaning wax from candleholders It’s easier to remove wax from candleholders if you freeze them first.
	Oil spots removed Sprinkle cornstarch over the area and sweep up after the oil is absorbed.
	Remove tar Peanut butter will remove tar! Cover spots of tar with peanut butter, allow to remain for about an hour and wipe off.
	Dishwasher savings The dishwasher can save water and energy if you eliminate the dry cycle. Simply open the washer after the last rinse and allow the dishes to air dry.
	Cleaning shower curtains Plastic shower curtains can accumulate mildew and soap scum. Place in washing machine with a bath towel with your regular detergent. Add 1cup full strength 3% hydrogen peroxide to rinse cycle.
	Hydrogen peroxide sanitizes Old sponges can be sanitized and renewed by soaking in a solution of ¼ cup 3% hydrogen peroxide and one-quart water. If solution is inadequate to submerge sponges, add more water.

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