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| Homemakers-R-Us! Handy Household Tips! |
| Tips For Fresh Cut Flowers On the thick stems of fresh cut flowers split the ends before placing in water. Cut stems under water to prevent air bubbles entering the stems. Air bubbles can stop the free flow of water into the stem. Remove leaves below the water line. Decaying leaves poison the water. Refrigerate flowers at night. This will double their life span. A good preservative for flowers is 2 tablespoons of white vinegar and 2 tablespoons of cane sugar to a quart of water. The sugar acts as food and the vinegar will inhibit the growth of organisms. Aspirins, ice cubes, and pennies also are said to prolong the lives of cut flowers. CARNATIONS will last longer if a little boric acid is placed in the water. For GERANIUMS, feed them rinsed coffee grounds. Pick outside flowers in early morning or evening to avoid bees. Bees will be in their hives during these hours. Or tap flowers gently so bees will fly out. TULIPS will stand erect and not open too wide if you drop a penny in the vase. |
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| Kitchen Tips SAGE - Has a strong flavor, so use sparingly. A few drops of lemon juice added to simmering rice will keep the grains separate. Fresh eggs' shells are rough and chalky; old eggs are smooth and shiny. To prevent egg shells from cracking, add a pinch of salt to the water before hard-boiling! Prevent cracked hard-boiled eggs. Add two tablespoons of Heinz White Vinegar per quart of water before boiling to prevent the eggs from cracking. The egg shells will also peel off faster and easier. A slice of soft bread placed in the package of hardened brown sugar will soften it again in a couple of hours. Zap garlic cloves in the microwave for 15 seconds and the skins slip right off! To easily remove honey from a measuring spoon, first coat the spoon with nonstick cooking spray! Spray your tupperware with non-stick cooking spray before pouring in tomato-based sauces~no more stains! If you accidentally over-salt a dish while it's still cooking, drop in a peeled potato~ it absorbs the excess salt for an instant "fix me up"! Add a peeled potato into your sauce while cooking... It absorbs the acidity of the tomato's and later the potato is delicious to eat! Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator~ it will keep for weeks! Substitute half applesauce for the vegetable oil in your baking recipes~you'll greatly reduce the fat content! (Example: 1/2 cup vegetable oil = 1/4 cup applesauce + 1/4 cup oil) Test baking soda or powder by adding a teaspoonful of water to it. If it fizzles, it's still good. To remove the core from a head of lettuce, sharply hit the core end once against the counter~ the core will loosen and pull out easily. Store poppy seeds and sesame seeds in the refrigerator to prevent them from going rancid. Fresh herbs will stay fresh longer if you place them in a dry paper towel & then in a plastic bag before putting them into the refrigerator. Want to keep your salt dry? Add a few grains of rice in it. Store tomatoes stem side down and they will stay fresher longer. Grape juice makes a great substitute for wine in recipes (purple for red wine and white for white wine). Run your hands under cold water before pressing Rice Krispies treats in the pan~the marshmallow won't stick to your fingers! For lighter, fluffier pancakes, turn them as soon as the batter starts to bubble. To keep potatoes from budding, place an apple in the bag with the potatoes. AN EASY WAY TO PEEL TOMATOES Cut a shallow "x" on the end opposite the stem end. Plunge the tomato into rapidly boiling water for about a minute, then under cold running water, starting from the "x", just slip off the skin. Use a paring knife to remove any skin still adhering in the crevices of the stem end. Omiting Fats & Oils If you wish to omit fat or oils from your cooking, you must begin the cooking process with a very hot skillet. (If the skillet is hot, this will prevent the food from sticking.) |
| Household Care Tips Coffee pots come out sparkling clean when washed with a mixture of 1 tablespoon of salt, a little water, & a sprinkle of baking soda. Simply rub mixture on with a wet dish cloth and rinse. De-grease and clean barbecue grills by applying a baking soda paste with a wire brush, let set for about 15 minutes, then wipe clean. Let the fire burn away any excess residue before you begin to cook. While waiting for the dishwaher to be fully loaded over a period of a few days, sprinkle a little baking soda over the dishes or in the bottom of the machine in order to neutralize odors. Buy the cheapest automatic dishwashing detergent and add some white vinegar to it. Your dishes will sparkle without spending a lot of bucks! You will increase your light output by 50% JUST BY DUSTING OFF YOUR LIGHT BULBS!! HINTS FOR REMOVING STUFF FROM FABRIC CANDLES DRIPPINGS ON CLOTH Scrape off the excess wax with a dull knife. Place the stain between paper towels. Press with a warm iron from the back of the fabric. Then, place the stain face-down on clean paper towels, and sponge with a dry-cleaning solvent. Air-dry, and launder as usual. If traces of the color remain, launder again using bleach (chlorine or color-safe) according to fabric instructions. LIPSTICK To remove lipstick, scrape the fabric stain with a dull knife. Use a dry-cleaning solvent, or pretreat with detergent or stain treatment. Wash in warm water. Air-dry. CHOCOLATES MELTING. Pretreat with a liquid laundry detergent, or soak the fabric in warm water using a detergent containing enzymes. Difficult stains may require using a bleach safe for the garment. WINE To remove wine, rinse in cold water to dilute the stain. Soak up to 30 minutes in detergent, weighted with a towel to keep submerged. Launder in the hottest water safe for the fabric and color. Air-dry. FRUITS STAINS Rinse in cold water to dilute the stain. Soak up to 30 minutes in detergent, weighted down with a towel to keep submerged. Launder in warm water. Air-dry, and repeat if necessary. CUPS OF COFFEE, TEA OR POP. To remove coffee, tea or soda pop, sponge or rinse the stain promptly with cold water. Pretreat with liquid laundry detergent, and launder using bleach (chlorine or color-safe) and the hottest water safe for the fabric. COLORED CANDY . To remove colored candy stains, rinse in warm water to dilute the stain. Wash in warm to hot water, and dry as usual. MEAT GREASE. To remove grease or cooking oil, use a dry-cleaning solvent, or pretreat with a laundry product by rubbing it into the stain until saturated. Wash in warm to hot water. Air-dry, and repeat if necessary. TREE SAP To remove tree sap, use a dry-cleaning solvent, and then wash in detergent in warm to hot water. Dry, and repeat if necessary. |
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| USES FOR HEINZ VINEGAR COOKING - Kill bacteria in meats Marinating meat in Heinz Vinegar kills bacteria & tenderizes the meat. Use one-quarter cup vinegar for a two to three pound roast, marinate overnight, then cook without draining or rinsing the meat. Add herbs to the vinegar when marinating as desired. Dissolve warts Mix one part Heinz Apple Cider Vinegar to one part glycerin into a lotion and apply daily to warts until they dissolve. Remove stubborn stains from furniture upholstery and clothes Apply Heinz White Vinegar directly to the stain, then wash as directed by the manufacturer's instructions. Relieve arthritis Before each meal, drink a glass of water containing two teaspoons Heinz Apple Cider Vinegar. Give this folk remedy at least three weeks to start working. Grow beautiful azaleas Occasionally water plants with a mixture of two tablespoons Heinz White Vinegar to one quart water. Azaleas love acidic soil. Kill unwanted grass Pour Heinz White Vinegar in crevices and between bricks. Remove corns Make a poultice of one crumbled piece of bread soaked in one-quarter cup Heinz Vinegar. Let poultice sit for one-half hour, then apply to the corn and tape in place overnight. If corn does not peel off by morning, reapply the poultice for several consecutive nights. Relieve itching Use a cotton ball to dab mosquito and other bug bites with Heinz Vinegar straight from the bottle. Cure an upset stomach Drink two teaspoons Heinz Apple Cider Vinegar in one cup water to soothe an upset stomach. Relieve a sore throat Put two teaspoons of Heinz Vinegar in your humidifier. Relieve a cold Mix one-quarter cup Heinz Apple Cider Vinegar with one-quarter cup honey. Take one tablespoon six to eight times daily. Relieve a cough Mix one-half cup Heinz Apple Cider Vinegar, one-half cup water, one teaspoon cayenne pepper, and four teaspoons honey. Take one tablespoon when cough acts up. Take another tablespoon at bedtime. Soothe sunburn pain Apply undiluted Heinz Vinegar to the burn. Clean food-stained pots and pans Fill the pots and pans with Heinz White Vinegar and let stand for thirty minutes. Then rinse in hot, soapy water. Clean rust from tools, bolts, and spigots Soak the rusted tool, bolt, or spigot in undiluted Heinz White Vinegar overnight. Keep a garbage disposal clean and smelling fresh Mix one cup of Heinz Vinegar in enough water to fill an ice cube tray, freeze the mixture,grind the cubes through the disposal, and flush with cold water. Clean a toilet bowl Pour in one cup of Heinz White Vinegar, let it stand for five minutes, and flush. Clean the hoses and unclog soap scum from a washing machine Once a month pour one cup of Heinz White Vinegar into the washing machine and run the machine through a normal cycle, without clothes. Care of your Dishwasher A cup of white vinegar run through the entire cycle once a month will also reduce soap scum on the inner workings. Unclog a shower head Unscrew the shower head, remove the rubber washer, place the head in a pot filled with equal parts Heinz Vinegar and water, bring to a boil, then simmer for five minutes. Clean mineral deposits from a steam iron Fill the water tank with Heinz White Vinegar. Turn the iron to the steam setting and steam-iron a soft utility rag to clean the steam ports. Repeat the process with water, then thoroughly rinse out the inside of your iron. Keep drains open Pour one-half box of old baking soda down the drain followed by one cup Heinz White Vinegar. When the bubbling stops, run the hot water. Prevent yeast infections Douche with one tablespoon Heinz White Vinegar to one quart warm water to adjust the pH balance in the vagina. Clean dentures Soak dentures overnight in Heinz White Vinegar, then brush away tartar with a toothbrush. Remove perspiration stains from clothes Apply one part Heinz White Vinegar to four parts water, then rinse. Eliminate odors from used jars Rinse peanut butter and mayonnaise jars with Heinz White Vinegar. Condition dry hair Shampoo, then rinse hair with a mixture of one cup Heinz Apple Cider Vinegar and two cups water. Vinegar adds highlights to brunette hair, restores the acid mantel, and removes soap film and sebum oil. Remove light scorch marks from fabrics Rub lightly with Heinz White Vinegar, then wipe with a clean cloth. Repel ants Use a spray bottle or mister filled with a solution of equal parts Heinz Vinegar and water around door jambs, window sills, water pipes, and foundation cracks. Prolong and brighten propane lanterns Soak new wicks for several hours in Heinz White Vinegar and let them dry before inserting. Propane lanterns will burn longer and brighter on the same amount of fuel. Remove decals or bumper stickers Soak a cloth in Heinz Vinegar and cover the decal or bumper sticker for several minutes until the vinegar soaks in. The decals and bumper stickers should peel off easily. Deodorize a wool sweater Wash sweater, then rinse in equal parts Heinz Vinegar and water to remove odor. Prevent lint from clinging to clothes Add one cup Heinz Vinegar to each wash load. Prevent ice from forming on a car windshield overnight Coat the window with a solution of three parts Heinz White or Apple Cider Vinegar to one part water. Clean windows Use undiluted Heinz Vinegar in a spray bottle. Dry with a soft cloth. Eliminate unpleasant cooking odors in the kitchen Boil one tablespoon of Heinz White Vinegar with one cup of water. Remove wallpaper Mix equal parts Heinz Vinegar and hot water. Use a paint roller to wet the paper thoroughly with the mixture. Repeat. Paper should peal off in sheets. Eliminate animal urine stains from carpet Blot up urine, flush several times with lukewarm water, then apply a mixture of equal parts Heinz White Vinegar and cool water. Blot up, rinse, and let dry. Deodorize a stale lunch box Soak a paper napkin in Heinz Vinegar and leave it inside the closed lunch box overnight. Retard patching plaster from drying Add one tablespoon white vinegar to the water when mixing plaster to slow the drying time. "Heinz" is a registered trademark of H.J. Heinz Co. |
| ~ 10 Common Uses For Baking Soda ~ 1) Make a paste of baking soda and water and rub on insect bites to relieve itching. 2) Remove coffee and tea stains by scrubbing pots or cups with baking soda and a plastic scouring pad. 3) Add 1/3 cup baking soda to a wash cycle as a bleach booster or to the rinse cycle for cleaner smelling laundry. 4) To remove black scuff marks from floor, rub them with a paste of baking soda and water. 5) Clean fiberglass showers and tubs with baking soda sprinkled on a sponge. Sponge clean and wipe dry. 6) Soak sour smelling dishcloths and sponges in water and baking soda solution. 7) Use a solution of water and baking soda to clean and deodorize the inside of your microwave. 8) Put a few spoonfuls in a cup of water in the microwave, boil for two minutes, then wipe down the inside with a sponge. 9) Sprinkle a little baking soda into the laundry hamper to minimize odors. 10) Remove crayon marks from walls by scrubbing gently with an old toothbrush and a paste of baking soda and water. ~ Rachel Paxton © Copyright 2001 ~ |
| Stain Removal Tips from Readers Digest Alcohol Blot with a solution of one teaspoon liquid dish detergent in one cup water, then blot clean with a well wrung-out sponge dipped in clear water. If the stain persists, dab on a second solution of one part white vinegar to two parts water. Rinse with a wrung-out sponge and let dry. Milk and Ice Cream Blot with a solution of one teaspoon liquid dish detergent in one cup water, then blot clean with a well wrung-out sponge dipped in clear water. If the stain persists, dab on a solution of a half cup water mixed with one teaspoon of ammonia. Rinse with a well wrung-out sponge and let dry. Candle Wax and Chewing Gum Put an ice cube in a plastic sandwich bag and hold it against the wax or gum until it freezes hard. Scrape off as much as you can, and dab any remaining stain with dry-cleaner fluid or acetone. Fruit Juice, Coffee, Tea and Soda Blot with a solution of one teaspoon of dishwashing liquid in one cup water. For stubborn stains, sponge with a solution of one part vinegar to four parts water. Rinse with a wrung-out sponge and let dry. Grease Spots Rub with dry-cleaning fluid and blot with a clean, dry cloth. Copyright 1999-2002 The Reader's Digest Association, Inc |
| ~ Uses For SALT ~ 1. Soak fish in salt water before descaling; the scales will come off easier. 2. Soak stained hankies in salt water before washing. 3. Add salt to green salads to prevent wilting. 4. A tiny pinch of salt with egg whites makes them beat up fluffier. 5. Use a mixture of salt and lemon juice to clean piano keys. 6. Use salt for killing weeds in your lawn. 7. Sprinkle salt between sidewalk bricks where you don't want grass growing. 8. Rub any wicker furniture you may have with salt water to prevent yellowing. 9. Freshen sponges by soaking them in salt water. 10. Soak enamel pans in salt water overnight and boil salt water in them next day to remove burned-on stains. 11. Fruits put in mildly salted water after peeling will not discolor. 12.Soaked discolored glass in a salt and vinegar solution to remove stains. 13. Clean greasy pans with a paper towel and salt. 14. Add a pinch of salt to whipping cream to make it whip more quickly. 15. To remove grease stains in clothing, mix one part salt to four parts alcohol. 16. Remove odors from sink drainpipes with a strong, hot solution of salt water. |