HELPFUL HINTS AND TIPS

• To keep an opened bag of marshmallows fresh and soft, insert a piece of white bread into the bag and close it tightly with a twist tie. (This also works well with cookies that you have baked ahead of time)
  
  
• The next time you hard-boil eggs, don't throw out the nutrient-rich water. Use it to water your houseplants--and watch them grow.
  
  
• Aluminum foil (a heavy-duty or regular piece folded in half) under a napkin in a serving basket will help breads and rolls stay warm.
  
  
• Save those potato peels and carrot skins to throw over flower beds and potted flowers to speed growth.
  
  
• Paint the bottom rim of all metal cans--shaving cream, hairspray, shampoo, deodorant, etc..with a generous coat of clear fingernail polish. This trick stops ugly rust stains from forming on the rims and on the bathtub or anywhere else you keep your cans.
  
  
• Milk cartons filled with muffin or pancake batter allow you to pour batter into tins or onto a griddle with ease.
  
  
• Ketchup works fine to clean copper, especially if you're out of copper polish. Rinse off the residue with soapy warm water.
  
  

• Oatmeal containers (the round type) can be decorated and turned into a pretty bathroom storage container for two rolls of toilet paper.
  
  
• Non stick vegetable spray keeps dough from sticking to the counter or other surfaces. Just spray the area before flouring it and rolling out your dough.
  
  
• Carpet remnants glued to a small block of wood are an ingenious way to clean window screens.
  
  
• Denture-cleaning tablets will clean a toilet overnight. Drop one tablet in the bowl, let it sit while you sleep, and flush it in the morning.
  
  
• Fabric softener sheets can be used in the bottom of wastebaskets or recycle bins to freshen rooms. They can also be used to deodorize smelly athletic shoes.
  
  

• Peanut butter can be used to remove chewing gum from your child's hair. Work a spoonful of it into the sticky area. Comb out carefully, and you won't need to use scissors.
• To heal a minor cut, apply a paste of petroleum jelly and finely crushed aspirin to the skin. Repeat the application as needed.
  
  
• Toothpaste can remove stubborn smells from your hands. (Throw a tube in with the gear of any avid fisherman living under your roof, too.)
  
  
• Shoe bags with multipockets can be hung in the front hall closet for holding hats and gloves. They are also handy for storing all your loose vacuum tools.
  
  
• Vaseline is an excellent coating for sticky substances. Apply a bit around the rim of your nail polish bottle so it's easy to open.
  
  

• Pillowcases no longer used make excellent garment bags for clothing and accessories. Cut a hole in the top for the hanger to poke through.
  
  
• Waxed paper run over the rods in your closet makes hangers slide back and forth easily.
  
  
• Glue guns can be used to hold wrapping paper together if you're out of tape--making a tidy little package! Also great for securing ribbons to gifts.

• Baking powders' freshness can be tested by putting a teaspoon into a cup of hot water. If it fizzes, then it's fresh.
  
  
• Paint Saver- To keep leftover paint from drying up and hardening, cover the paint can with clear plastic wrap first, then secure the lid.
  
  
• Chap stick can be used to get a zipper moving again. Just dab a bit onto the teeth, then work the zipper up and down until it moves.
  
  
• Plastic wrap kept in the refrigerator will keep it from sticking together and is easier to tear.
  
  
• Baking soda not only deodorizes but will remove scuff and crayon marks from walls and other painted surfaces.

• A cotton ball soaked in vanilla flavoring and placed in the refrigerator will absorb and eliminate unpleasant odors.
  
  
• Old mascara brushes can be soaked in some ammonia and dishwashing liquid until all traces of mascara are gone. Now you have a nice little brush that can get into those hard-to-clean nooks and crannies.
  
  
• Splinters can be removed easily from your child's finger by first applying some teething gel to the area around the splinter. Wait a few seconds for the skin to get numb and gently remove the splinter with tweezers.
  
  
• Flashlights and other objects that you'll need to find quickly in an emergency, like a blackout, can be dabbed with glow-in-the-dark paint. The paint comes in small squeeze bottles and is available in many colors.
  
  
• Crystal Clear- To prevent ice crystals from forming on ice cream after you open the carton, place plastic wrap over the ice cream, then secure the lid.

• A plastic film container makes a great travel- or purse-size nail polish remover. Put a small sponge hair curler in the container and add just enough nail polish remover to be fully absorbed by the curler. To use, poke your nail into the curler hole and wiggle your finger around until the polish comes off.
  
  
• Windshield Wiper- For a streak-free shine every time, buy a felt blackboard eraser and use it to clean the inside of your car's windshield the next time it gets steamed up.
  
  
• Petroleum jelly placed on the end of a glue gun can prevent long glue strings from forming each time you use the hot gun.
  
  
• Vanilla extract will soothe minor burns and prevent blisters from forming on the skin.
  
  
• Bug bites and stings can be soothed by first moistening the area first, then rub an aspirin over the bite.
  
  
• Hairspray can be spritzed on the toes of a new pair of pantyhose to strengthen the threads and extend the life of the pantyhose.

View my old guest book?




Visit my other pages!
Home
Main Directory
My Family ~ Country Cookin'
Webrings ~ Favorite Links
Decorating Center ~ Household Tips ~ Rainy Day Projects
Holidays ~ Awards Received ~ Winners ~ Make and Save
Parenting Funnies ~ Computer Humor ~ Special Causes
Favorite Short Stories ~ Banner Exchange
Gifts Received