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| Tips for around the house & yard. If you have one, send it to me @ rweldon@sc..rr.com ! For icy door steps in freezing temperatures: get warm water and put Dawn dish washing liquid in it. Pour it all over the steps. They won't Refreeze. (wish I had known this for the last 40 years!)
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To remove old wax from a glass candle holder, put it in the freezer for a few hours.. Then take the candle holder out and turn it upside down. The wax will fall out.
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Crayon marks on walls? This worked wonderfully! A damp rag, dipped in baking soda.. Comes off with little effort (elbow grease that is!)..
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Permanent marker on appliances/counter tops (like store receipt BLUE!) rubbing alcohol on paper towel.
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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. Now a box of S.O.S pads last
me indefinitely! In fact, I have noticed that the scissors get 'sharpened'' this way!
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Blood stains on clothes? Not to worry! Just pour a little hydrogen Peroxide on a cloth and proceed to wipe off every drop of blood..
Works every time! (Now, where to put the body?)
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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.
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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..
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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.
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Candles will last a lot longer if placed in the freezer for at least 3 hours prior to burning.
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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!
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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 stove top. or, fill pan with water, add a fabric softener sheet. Let it soak overnight. Food will just wash away.
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Spray your TUPPERWARE with nonstick cooking spray before pouring in tomato based sauces and there won't be any stains.
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Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator and it will keep for weeks.
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When boiling corn on the cob, add a pinch of sugar to help bring out the corn's natural
sweetness
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Cure for headaches: Take a lime, cut it in half, and rub it on your forehead. The throbbing will go away.
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Don't throw out all that leftover wine: Freeze into ice cubes for future use in casseroles and sauces
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To get rid of itch from mosquito bites, try applying soap on the area and you will experience instant relief.
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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 they tend to march. See for yourself.
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Use air-freshener to clean mirrors. It does a good job and better still, leaves a lovely smell to the shine.
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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, and
then pull it off.. Scotch tape removes most splinters painlessly and easily.
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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 ..
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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..
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Polish jewelry. Drop two Alka Seltzer tablets into a glass of water and immerse the Jewelry for two minutes.
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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)
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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, and then run the hot water.
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Do your friends a favor. Pass this timely (and some not-so-timely) information on to a friend! I just did.
Makes you wonder about ingesting Alka Seltzer, doesn't it? Helpful hints for homeowners. Recently I found out that a neighbor had paid thousands more in property taxes than she should have because she never filed the Homestead Exemption. This cost her thousands over the years because they were never informed. Another neighbor thought the average water bill was $169 a mo. They of course had a leak. Perhaps an average usage for summer and winter. Locals' discounts Senior Days at department stores Dining coupons in the paper and the local calendar Myrtle Beach attractions-locals' discount
Stink bugs want your warmth (contributed by a NEIGHBOR)
A couple of years ago, I wrote a column about stink bugs. At the time, they were starting to invade our house, and I was freaking out, man.
I'm a little sensitive on the topic of our home. We live with bugs, spiders and the occasional mouse or bat, and we deal with it. Stink bugs, though, carried a truly negative connotation. They're the kind of bugs that would infest a shack or a drug dealer's den.
Stink bugs - or brown marmorated stink bugs (BMSB) for you eggheaded nerds out there - came here from China sometime in the late 1980s or early 1990s, and they are starting to spread across the Eastern Seaboard.
It turns out stink bugs don't want your food, they don't want you, and they don't want to destroy your home. They just want to get warm!
So, they fly around all day in the sunshine, and as soon as it starts to get chilly, they head for the nearest crack in your house to spend the night. The problem is, when you disturb them, they release an odor that's hard to describe exactly. Close your eyes and think of the two worst things you've ever smelled in your life.
Now, half the Eastern Seaboard is swarming with these little brown, shield-shaped bugs. They're swooping over fields, eating fruits and berries by day and crawling through window cracks at night.
Stink bugs are still not getting the press they deserve mainly because most Americans are devoting all their fear resources toward bedbugs. Let's face it: You don't have bedbugs. Nobody you know has bedbugs.
But you still go to bed at night terrified that the little critters are going to crawl up and use you as an all-you-can-eat buffet while you get your night's rest, don't you?
Stink bugs, as a matter of fact, just love bedrooms. The first sign of an infestation often comes right after the lights go out and when husbands sit up, look over at their wives, and say, suspiciously, "Did you just ... ?" And wives look angrily back across the covers and say, "Don't go blaming me! That was you!" Then a stink bug comes flying across the room - saving the marriage but ruining a good night's sleep.
I've scoured the Internet looking for methods to get rid of stink bugs, and there are few options. The first is chemicals, which might kill the stink bugs but attract carpet beetles, which love to eat dead stink bugs. I don't know what carpet beetles are, but they sound bad enough to make you move out and not leave a forwarding address. The second option is sealing up all the cracks and crevices in your home. That's not really an option for us. Our old house is so leaky that I know which way the wind is blowing by wetting my finger and holding it in the air - while sitting on my living room couch.
Each night before we go to bed, I wander around our bedroom and collect stink bugs from the walls. Then I rush into the bathroom and throw them in the toilet. While I lie there in bed, worrying about potential bedbugs and actual stink bugs, I try to get to sleep. BED BUG info (contributed by several NEIGHBORS!) A bit of information that you might like to know about. We have friends here in our community and one of their sons is an entomologist (insect expert), and has been telling them that there is an epidemic of bed bugs now occuring in America. Recently I have heard on the news that several stores in NYC have had to close due to bed bug problems, as well as a complete mall in New Jersey. He says that since much of our clothing, sheets, towels, etc. now comes from companies outside of America, (sad but true), even the most expensive stores sell foreign clothing from China, Indonesia, etc. The bed bugs are coming in on the clothing as these countries do not consider them a problem. He recommends that if you buy any new clothing, even underwear and socks, sheets, towels, etc. that you bring them into the house and put them in your clothes dryer for at least 20 minutes. The heat will kill them and their eggs. DO NOT PURCHASE CLOTHES AND HANG THEM IN THE CLOSET FIRST. It does not matter what the price range is of the clothing, or if the outfit comes from the most expensive store known in the U.S. They still get shipments from these countries and the bugs can come in a box of scarves or anything else for that matter. That is the reason why so many stores, many of them clothing stores have had to shut down in NYC and other places. All you need is to bring one item into the house that has bugs or eggs and you will go to hell and back trying to get rid of them. He travels all over the country as an advisor to many of these stores, as prevention and after they have the problem. Send this information on to those on your e-mail list so that this good prevention information gets around quickly. Dangerous Plastic Bottles NOT A JOKE - VERY SERIOUS
Pass this on to everybody you know. Anybody that sees a plastic bottle in their yard would think nothing of picking it up to throw it away.
Looks like these things are starting to pop up around the U.S. Check the Snopes web site below, it's pretty scary.
Important warning! NOT A JOKE! Pay attention to this.
1. A plastic bottle with a cap (Like a normal water bottle).
2. A little Drano.
3. A little water.
4. A small piece of foil.
5. Disturb it by moving it; and BOOM (Less than 30 seconds)!!
6. No fingers left and other serious effects to your face, eyes, etc.
People are finding these bombs in mailboxes and in their yards, just waiting for someone to pick it up intending to put it in the trash.
It takes about 30 seconds to blow after you move the thing.
See "SNOPES" below....it's true.
http://www.snopes.com/crime/warnings/bottlebomb.asp
DID YOU KNOW THIS ABOUT VODKA
1. To remove a bandage painlessly, saturate the bandage with vodka. The solvent dissolves adhesive. 2. To clean the caulking around bathtubs and showers, fill a trigger-spray bottle with vodka, spray the caulking, let set five minutes and wash clean. The alcohol in the vodka kills mold and mildew. 3. To clean your eyeglasses, simply wipe the lenses with a soft, clean cloth dampened with vodka. The alcohol in the vodka cleans the glass and kills germs. 4. Prolong the life of razors by filling a cup with vodka and letting your safety razor blade soak in the alcohol after shaving. The vodka disinfects the blade and prevents rusting. 5. Spray vodka on vomit stains, scrub with a brush, then blot dry. 6. Using a cotton ball, apply vodka to your face as an astringent to cleanse the skin and tighten pores. 7. Add a jigger of vodka to a 12-ounce bottle of shampoo. The alcohol cleanses the scalp, removes toxins from hair, and stimulates the growth of healthy hair. 8. Fill a sixteen-ounce trigger-spray bottle and spray bees or wasps to kill them. 9. Pour one-half cup vodka and one-half cup water in a Ziploc freezer bag and freeze for a slushy, refreshable ice pack for aches, pain or black eyes. 10. Fill a clean, used mayonnaise jar with freshly packed lavender flowers, fill the jar with vodka, seal the lid tightly and set in the sun for three days. Strain liquid through a coffee filter, then apply the tincture to aches and pains . 11. To relieve a fever, use a washcloth to rub vodka on your chest and back as a liniment. 12. To cure foot odor, wash your feet with vodka. 13. Vodka will disinfect and alleviate a jellyfish sting. 14. Pour vodka over an area affected with poison ivy to remove the oil from your skin. 15. Swish a shot of vodka over an aching tooth. Allow your gums to absorb some of the alcohol to numb the pain. What is the main ingredient of WD-40 ?
Before you read to the end, does anybody know what the main ingredient of WD-40 is? Don't lie and don't cheat. WD-40. Who knew; I had a neighbor who bought a new pickup. I got up very early one Sunday morning and saw that someone had spray painted red all around the sides of this beige truck (for some unknown reason). I went over, woke him up, and told him the bad news. He was very upset and was trying to figure out what to do.... probably nothing until Monday morning, since nothing was open. Another neighbor came out and told him to get his WD-40 and clean it off. It removed the unwanted paint beautifully and did not harm his paint job that was on the truck. I'm impressed! WD-40 who knew? 'Water Displacement #40'. The product began from a search for a rust preventative solvent and degreaser to protect missile parts. WD-40 was created in 1953 by three technicians at the San Diego Rocket Chemical Company. Its name comes from the project that was to find a 'water displacement' compound.. They were successful with the fortieth formulation, thus WD-40. The Convair Company bought it in bulk to protect their atlas missile parts. Ken East (one of the original founders) says there is nothing in WD-40 that would hurt you... When you read the 'shower door' part, try it. It's the first thing that has ever cleaned that spotty shower door. If yours is plastic, it works just as well as glass. It's a miracle! Then try it on your stove top ... Viola! It's now shinier than it's ever been. You'll be amazed.
1. Protects silver from tarnishing.
2. Removes road tar and grime from cars.
3. Cleans and lubricates guitar strings.
4. Gives floors that 'just-waxed' sheen without making them slippery.
5 Keeps flies off cows.
6. Restores and cleans chalkboards.
7. Removes lipstick stains.
8.. Loosens stubborn zippers.
9. Untangles jewelry chains.
10. Removes stains from stainless steel sinks.
11. Removes dirt and grime from the barbecue grill.
12. Keeps ceramic/terra cotta garden pots from oxidizing.
13. Removes tomato stains from clothing.
14. Keeps glass shower doors free of water spots.
15. Camouflages scratches in ceramic and marble floors.
16. Keeps scissors working smoothly..
17. Lubricates noisy door hinges on vehicles and doors in homes.
18. Use WD-40 for those nasty tar and scuff marks on flooring. It doesn't seem to harm the finish and you won't have to scrub nearly as hard to get them off. Just remember to open some windows if you have a lot of marks.
19. Bug guts will eat away the finish on your car if not removed quickly! Use WD-40!
20. Gives a children's playground gym slide a shine for a super fast slide.
21. Lubricates gear shift and mower deck lever for ease of handling on riding mowers..
22.. Rids kids rocking chairs and swings of squeaky noises.
23. Lubricates tracks in sticking home windows and makes them easier to open..
24. Spraying an umbrella stem makes it easier to open and close.
25. Restores and cleans padded leather dashboards in vehicles, as well as vinyl bumpers.
26. Restores and cleans roof racks on vehicles.
27. Lubricates and stops squeaks in electric fans
28. Lubricates wheel sprockets on tricycles, wagons, and bicycles for easy handling.
29. Lubricates fan belts on washers and dryers and keeps them running smoothly.
30. Keeps rust from forming on saws and saw blades, and other tools.
31. Removes splattered grease on stove.
32. Keeps bathroom mirror from fogging.
33. Lubricates prosthetic limbs.
34. Keeps pigeons off the balcony (they hate the smell).
35. Removes all traces of duct tape.
36. Folks even spray it on their arms, hands, and knees to relieve arthritis pain.
37. Florida ’s favorite use is: 'cleans and removes love bugs from grills and bumpers.'
38. The favorite use in the state of New York , WD-40 protects the Statue of Liberty from the elements.
39. WD-40 attracts fish. Spray a little on live bait or lures and you will be catching the big one in no time. Also, it's a lot cheaper than the chemical attractants that are made for just that purpose. Keep in mind though, using some chemical laced baits or lures for fishing are not allowed in some states.
40. Use it for fire ant bites.. It takes the sting away immediately and stops the itch.
41. WD-40 is great for removing crayon from walls. Spray on the mark and wipe with a clean rag.
42. Also, if you've discovered that your teenage daughter has washed and dried a tube of lipstick with a load of laundry, satur ate the lipstick spots with WD-40 and rewash. Presto! The lipstick is gone!
43. If you sprayed WD-40 on the distributor cap, it would displace the moisture and allow the car to start.
P.S. The basic ingredient is FISH OIL. from a NEIGHBOR: Subject: Did You Know This About Peroxide (H2O2)?
I would like to tell you of the benefits of that plain little ole bottle of 3% peroxide you can get for under $1.00 at any drug store or grocery store medicine shelf. What does bleach cost?
My husband has been in the medical field for over 36 years, and most doctors don't tell you about peroxide. That doesn't make them money like they would with some prescription. Have you ever smelled bleach in a doctor's office? NO!!! Why? Because it smells, and it is not healthy! Ask the Nurses who work in the doctor's offices , and ask them if they use bleach at home. They are wiser and know better!
Did you also know laundry bleach was invented in the late 40's? It's (watered down) chlorine, folks! And that was a chemical warfare agent used to kill our troops. Peroxide was invented during WWI before the 20's... It was (still is) used to save and help cleanse the wounds of our troops and to disinfect surfaces, instruments, bedding, etc. in hospitals.
A few of many beneficial and economical $$ uses of H2O2:
1. Take one capful (the little white cap that comes with the bottle) and hold in your mouth for 10 minutes daily, then spit it out. (I do it when I bathe.) No more canker sores, and your teeth will be whiter without expensive pastes. Use it instead of mouthwash. $$
2. Let your toothbrushes soak in a cup of peroxide to keep them free of germs.
3. Clean your counters and table tops with peroxide to kill germs and leave a fresh smell. Simply put a little on your dishrag when you wipe, or spray it on the counters. $$
4. After rinsing off your wooden cutting board, pour peroxide on it to kill salmonella and other bacteria.
5. I had fungus on my feet for years until I sprayed a 50/50 mixture of peroxide and water on them (especially between the toes) every night and let dry. $$
6. Soak any infections or cuts in 3% peroxide for five to ten minutes several times a day . My husband has seen gangrene that would not heal with any medicine but was healed by soaking in peroxide.
7. Fill a spray bottle with a 50/50 mixture of peroxide and water and keep it in every bathroom to disinfect without harming your septic system like bleach or most other disinfectants will. $$
8. Tilt your head back and spray into nostrils with your 50/50 mixture whenever you have a cold, plugged sinus. It will bubble and help to kill the bacteria. Hold for a few minutes, and then blow your nose into a tissue. $$
9. If you have a terrible toothache and cannot get to a dentist right away, put a capful of 3% peroxide into your mouth and ho ld it for ten minutes several times a day. The pain will lessen greatly.
10. And of course, if you like a natural look to your hair, spray the 50/50 solution on your wet hair after a shower and comb it through. You will not have the peroxide-burnt blonde hair like the hair dye packages but more natural highlights if your hair is a light brown, reddish, or 'dishwater' blonde. ** It also lightens gradually, so it's not a drastic change.
11. Put half a bottle of peroxide in your bath to help with boils, fungus, or other skin infections. $$
12. You can also add a cup of peroxide instead of bleach to a load of whites in your laundry to whiten them. If there are blood stains on clothing pour it directly on the soiled spot. Let it sit for a minute, then rub it and rinse with cold water. Repeat if necessary. $$
13. I use peroxide to clean my mirrors. There is no smearing, which is why I love it so much for this. $$
I could go on and on. It is a little brown bottle no home should be without! With prices of most necessities rising, I'm glad there's a way to save tons of money in such a simple, healthy manner!
This information really woke me up. I hope you gain something from it, too. I've known that with an infection, a bit of peroxide on that will fizz and help to cure the infection. I've also known that if you had a dog that's flea infested, a bit of peroxide in it's bath water will kill them immediately. But never thought of all the above uses. This is a new twist to killing fire ant colonies. For those not familiar with Walter Reeves, he is from the University of Georgia agriculture department, specializing in home gardening. His television show, 'Gardening in Georgia', is on each Saturday.
I know fire ants are picky eaters and any type poison that is effective takes seven feeding steps before the queen receives it. Plus, if the bait is stored in close proximity to any petroleum or fertilizer products they won't touch it. Contact poisons that are on the market just cause the colony to move away. A well developed colony can be as deep as 30 feet and spread out some 20 to 50 feet from the mound center... This was documented by studies done in the early 60's when they were first sited in South Alabama.
An environmentally friendly cure for fire ants has been announced by Walter Reeves on his Georgia Gardener radio program. Testimonials that it REALLY WORKS are coming in.
Simply pour two cups of CLUB SODA (carbonated water) directly in the center of a fire ant mound. The carbon dioxide in the water is heavier than air and displaces the oxygen which suffocates the queen and the other ants. The whole colony will be dead within about two days.
Besides eliminating the ants, club soda leaves no poisonous residue, does not contaminate the ground water, and does not indiscriminately kill other insects. It is not harmful to your pets, soaks into the ground. Each mound must be treated individually and a one liter bottle of club soda will kill 2 to 3 mounds. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Coffee filters ..who knew! And you can buy 1,000 at the Dollar Tree for almost nothing. 1. Cover bowls or dishes when cooking in the microwave. Coffee filters make excellent covers. 2. Clean windows and mirrors. Coffee filters are lint-free so they'll leave windows sparkling. 3. Protect China. Separate your good dishes by putting a coffee filter between each dish. 4. Filter broken cork from wine. If you break the cork when opening a win e bottle, filter the wine through a coffee filter.
5. Protect a cast-iron skillet. Place a coffee filter in the skillet to absorb moisture and prevent rust.
6. Apply shoe polish. Ball up a lint-free coffee filter.
7. Recycle frying oil. After frying, strain oil through a sieve lined with a coffee filter.
8. Weigh chopped foods. Place chopped ingredients in a coffee filter on a kitchen scale.
9. Hold tacos. Coffee filters make convenient wrappers for messy foods.
10. Stop the soil from leaking out of a plant pot. Line a plant pot with a coffee filter to prevent the soil from going through the drainage holes.
11. Prevent a Popsicle from dripping. Poke one or two holes as needed in a coffee filter.
12. Do you think we used expensive strips to wax eyebrows? Use strips of coffee filters.
13. Put a few in a plate and put your fried bacon, French fries, chicken fingers on them. Soaks out all the grease. 14. Keep in the bathroom. They make great "razor nick fixers."
OH YEAH............THEY ARE GREAT TO USE IN YOUR COFFEE MAKERS!! | |
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