Hole in Wall – If you have a small hole in a white wall that needs to be filled right away, try toothpaste.
Archive for February, 2009
Miscellaneous Repairs
Grilling
Indoor Grilling – Avoid the mess on your indoor grill (like George Foreman grills, etc.) by covering the grill part with aluminum foil. To get grill marks, push the foil into the grooves – before you plug it in, of course. This is great for wieners and potatoes. You can go ahead and wrap up your veggies, fish, and other foods in the foils and place the whole package on to grill. Not only is there less mess, but it will help to retain the moisture and keep sauces from running off.
Food Prep
Cauliflower – Add a splash of lemon juice when boiling cauliflower and it will stay nice and white.
Lemons – To get the most juice out of fresh lemons, bring them to room temperature and roll them under your palm against the kitchen counter before squeezing.
Mushrooms - Use your egg slicer to slice muchrooms.
Eliminating Odors
Bathroom Freshener – Hang a car air freshener from the plumbing in the back of your toilet. You can’t see it, but it keeps the bathroom smelling fresh and nice, just like the car.
Blow Dryer – Put a little bit of your favorite perfume on the back of your blow dryer near the area it pulls in the air. When you use your blow dryer to blow your hair, your hair will smell like your perfume.
Light Bulb – 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.
Refrigerator Odor – We all know that a box of baking soda in the fridge will help eliminate odors. But I’ve found that a bowl of used coffee grounds works very well, if not even better. Just remove the used coffee grounds from your coffee maker, filter and all, and set them in a small bowl. Place it in the back of the fridge.
Use Fabric Softener Sheets:
- Automobile - Put a fabric softener sheet under the seat of your car to keep your car smelling nice.
- Drawers - Place an individual sheet of Bounce in a drawer or hang in the closet.
- Luggage - Place a sheet of Bounce inside empty luggage before storing to keep it smelling fresh. No more musty suitcases.
- Old Books – Put a fabric softener sheet in old books and photo albums that aren’t opened too often to take away the musty odors. Be sure not to lay the fabric softener sheet against a photo, however, to prevent damage.
- Vacuum Cleaner - It also works to freshen the air if you put it in your vacuum cleaner, or even in the filter of your window air conditioner.
- Waste Basket - Freshen by waste basket or trash can by putting a fabric softener sheet in the bottom.
Vinegar – To get rid of household odors such as pet odors, etc., simmer 1/2 a cup of white vinegar and 4 cups of water on your stove until gone. Afterwards, add a great smell to the air by simmering 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract in 4 cups of water.
Window Washing
- Window Cleaner Recipe: Mix 1/3 cup fabric softner (the cheap kind works) and mix with 1 gallon of water. Pour into a spray bottle. Spray on windows, allow to set for a few seconds, then clean with a paper towel or chamois, wiping until dry. Makes one gallon of cleaner.
- 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.
Blood Stains
- 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? LOL)
Money-Saving Tips
- 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. And now a box of S.O.S pads last me indefinitely! In fact, I have noticed that the scissors get sharpened this way!
Ink Stains
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Permanent marker on appliances/counter tops (like store receipt BLUE!) rubbing alcohol on paper towel.
Removing Candle Wax
- 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.
Storing Appliance 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.
Opening Sealed Envelopes
- Put a sealed envelope in the freezer for a few hours, then slide a knife under the flap. The envelope can then be resealed. (hmmmmmm…)
