Helpful Hints
Alka-Seltzer - Cure urinary tract infections with Alka-Seltzer. Just dissolve two tablets in a glass of water and drink it at the onset of the symptoms. Alka-Seltzer begins eliminating urinary tract infections almost instantly-- even though the product was never been advertised for this use.
Altoids Peppermints - Before you head to the drugstore for a high-priced inhaler filled with mysterious chemicals, try chewing on a couple of curiously strong Altoids peppermints. They'll clear up your stuffed nose.
Apples - Sick of waiting for your green tomatoes to ripen on the windowsill? Stick up to five tomatoes in a brown paper bag with a ripe apple and seal for a few days. This will speed up the ripening process.
AVON Skin-So-Soft - Works well on dogs as a flea deterrent. Works to keep gnats away from humans. Need some? Let me know!
Bananas - Before you throw your banana peel in the compost pile, remove any stringy pulp and use the peel as a buffer. This works with silverware as well as leather shoes and leather furniture. Just rub the peel over the object and buff with a soft cloth. Be sure to test a small section of your furniture first!
Bounce - A mail carrier told me that the US Postal service sent out a message to all letter carriers to put a sheet of Bounce in their uniform pockets to keep yellow-jackets away, use them all the time when playing baseball and soccer and working outside, it really works the yellow jackets just veer around you; It will chase ants away when you lay a sheet near them, it also repels mice; Put Bounce around foundation areas, or in trailers, or cars that are parked for a time, it will keep mice from getting in; It takes the odor out of books and photo albums that don't get opened too often; It repels mosquitoes! tie a sheet of Bounce through a belt loop when outdoors during mosquito season; Eliminate static electricity from your television (or computer) screen; Since Bounce is designed to help eliminate static cling, wipe your television screen with a used sheet of Bounce to keep dust from resettling; Dissolve soap scum from shower doors, clean with a sheet of Bounce; To freshen the air in your home - place an individual sheet of Bounce in a drawer or hang in the closet; Put Bounce sheet in vacuum cleaner; Prevent thread from tangling, run a threaded needle through a sheet of Bounce before beginning to sew; Prevent musty suitcases, place an individual sheet of bounce inside empty luggage before storing; To freshen the air in your car - place a sheet of Bounce under the front seat; Clean baked-on foods from a cooking pan, put a sheet in a pan, fill with water, let sit overnight, and sponge clean, the anti-static agent apparently weakens the bond between the food and the pan; Eliminate odors in wastebaskets, place a sheet of Bounce at the bottom of the wastebasket; Collect cat hair, rubbing the area with a sheet of Bounce will magnetically attract all the loose hairs; Eliminate static electricity from Venetian blinds, wipe the blinds with a sheet of Bounce to prevent dust from resettling; Wipe up sawdust from drilling or sand papering, a used sheet of Bounce will collect sawdust like a tack cloth; Eliminate odors in dirty laundry, place an individual sheet of Bounce at the bottom of a laundry bag or hamper; Deodorize shoes or sneakers, place a sheet of Bounce in your shoes or sneakers overnight; Golfers put a Bounce sheet in their back pocket to keep the bees away; Put a Bounce sheet in your sleeping bag and tent before folding and storing them, it will keep them smelling fresh.
Bread - Next time you drop a wine glass or break a plate, grab a slice of bread to help you clean up. After you pick up the larger pieces, press the bread over the area and it will pick up all the itty bitty pieces you can't see. Bread can also help clean fingerprints off walls and wallpaper. Just rub and voila!
Butter - A jewelry box can help you organize, but sometimes those thin-chained necklaces just want to get tangled and you can't stop them! Rub some butter into the knot and lay on a flat surface. Then take a sewing needle to untangle. When finished just run under hot water to rinse off the butter.
Castor Oil - While most of us associate castor oil with constipation or childbirth, did you know it can also help get rid of pesky moles in your yard? Just mix a 1/2 cup of castor oil with two gallons of water and pour the mixture down the mole(s) hole(s). Don't worry, the solution is animal friendly and they will likely relocate.
Club Soda - There's no more worrying about drinking red wine on white carpet. Soak up as much wine as possible and then pour club soda over the area, making sure to blot and not rub. Repeat the process until the wine is no longer visible. You can > also do the same for urine stains.
Colgate Toothpaste - Did you know that Colgate toothpaste makes an excellent salve for burns?
Corn Starch - Your child just learned how to tie their shoes and the knots are impossible to undo. Stay calm and sprinkle a little cornstarch on the laces to help you work out the knot.
Eggs - No time to hit the salon before your big event? Get your hair super shiny and conditioned with eggs! Take two beaten egg yolks and massage into hair. Start at the scalp and work in small sections. Then gather all of the hair in a shower cap, wrap in a warm towel and wait 30 minutes (you could cook the kids' dinner). Rinse with cool water and shampoo as usual.
Elmer's Glue-All - Smart splinter remover. Just pour a drop of Elmer's Glue-All over the splinter, let dry, and peel the dried glue off the skin. The splinter sticks to the dried glue.
Dawn Dishwashing Liquid - Kills fleas instantly...Dawn dishwashing liquid does the trick. Add a few drops to your dog's bath and shampoo the animal thoroughly. Rinse well to avoid skin irritations. Good-bye fleas.
Fabric Softener Sheets - Rainy day cure for dog odor ...Next time your dog comes in from the rain, simply wipe down the animal with Bounce or any dryer sheet, instantly making your dog smell springtime fresh; To remove crayon from walls, tables, practically anything, try a used fabric softener sheet. It makes crayon disappear almost like magic.
Flour - You have an ant problem but are worried about the poisonous ant traps around your pets. Just sprinkle flour wherever you see ants entering the house and along the pantry shelves, since they are most likely after your food. ****NOTE: Ants won't cross chalk lines, I've tried it! You can use non-toxic chalk, too. Also, the benefit is that you can use colored chalk to match your décor-doesn't have to be white flour.
Gatorade - Did You Know that drinking two glasses of Gatorade can relieve headache pain almost immediately-- without the unpleasant side effects caused by traditional 'pain relievers.'
Gas - Only buy or fill up your car or truck in the early morning when the ground temperature is still cold. Remember that all service stations have their storage tanks buried below ground. The colder the ground the more dense the gasoline, when it gets warmer gasoline expands, so buying in the afternoon or in the evening....your gallon is not exactly a gallon. In the petroleum business, the specific gravity and the temperature of the gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, ethanol and other petroleum products plays an important role. A 1-degree rise in temperature is a big deal for this business. But the service stations do not have temperature compensation at the pumps. When you're filling up do not squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to a fast mode. If you look you will see that the trigger has three (3) stages: low, middle, and high. In slow mode you should be pumping on low speed, thereby minimizing the vapors that are created while you are pumping. All hoses at the pump have a vapor return. If you are pumping on the fast rate, some of the liquid that goes to your tank becomes vapor. Those vapors are being sucked up and back into the underground storage tank so you're getting less worth for your money. One of the most important tips is to fill up when your gas tank is HALF FULL. The reason for this is, the more gas you have in your tank the less air occupying its empty space. Gasoline evaporates faster than you can imagine. Gasoline storage tanks have an internal floating roof. This roof serves as zero clearance between the gas and the atmosphere, so it minimizes the evaporation. Unlike service stations, here where I work, every truck that we load is temperature compensated so that every gallon is actually the exact amount. Another reminder, if there is a gasoline truck pumping into the storage tanks when you stop to buy gas, DO NOT fill up--most likely the gasoline is being stirred up as the gas is being delivered, and you might pick up some of the dirt that normally settles on the bottom.
Honey - Honey
remedy for skin blemishes ... Cover the blemish with a dab of honey and
place a Band-Aid over it. Honey kills the bacteria, keeps the skin sterile,
and speeds healing. Works overnight.
Sore throat? Just mix 1/4 cup of vinegar with 1/4 cup of honey and take 1
tablespoon six times a day. The vinegar kills the bacteria.
Warm some honey and place it on trouble areas for
10 – 15 minutes. Wash off. Honey is a well known and effective method of
removing blackheads from the skin.
Horseradish - Achy muscles from a bout of the flu? Mix 1 Tablespoon of horseradish in 1 cup of olive oil. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes, then apply it as a massage oil, for instant relief for aching muscles.
Hunt's Tomato Paste - Hunt's tomato paste boil cure ...cover the boil with Hunt's tomato paste as a compress. The acids from the tomatoes soothe the pain and bring the boil to a head.
Lemons - Dandruff can be an embarrassing health problem, but the special shampoo often smells yucky. Try massaging 2 tablespoons of lemon juice into your scalp and rinsing with warm water. Follow with a leave-in rinse of 1 teaspoon lemon juice in 1 cup of warm water. Use this daily until your scalp is healed.
Listerine - Listerine therapy for toenail fungus. Get rid of unsightly toenail fungus by soaking your toes in Listerine mouthwash. The powerful antiseptic leaves your toenails looking healthy again. Balm for broken blisters... To disinfect a broken blister, dab on a few drops of Listerine. A powerful antiseptic. Mosquito Spray...Worth a try I was at a deck party awhile back, and the bugs were having a ball biting everyone. A man at the party sprayed the lawn and deck floor with Listerine, and the little demons disappeared. The next year I filled a 4-ounce spray bottle and used it around my seat whenever I saw mosquitoes. And voila! That worked as well. It worked at a picnic where we sprayed the area around the food table, the children's swing area, and the standing water nearby.
Maybelline Crystal Clear nail polish - Easy eyeglass protection... To prevent the screws in eyeglasses from loosening, apply a small drop of Maybelline Crystal Clear nail polish to the threads of the screws before tightening them.
Mayonnaise - It's one thing when your child draws on the wall with crayons, it's quite another when it comes to your wood furniture. Rub some mayonnaise on the crayon mark and let it soak for ten minutes. Then take a damp cloth and wipe away the mayo AND the crayon!
Milk - Oh no! You forgot to put the cap on your pen and now there is ink seeping into your shirt. No worries -- just grab some milk and soak the area. Depending on the type of ink, this process can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 24 hours. Patience is a virtue.
Mustard - It may make you smell like a hot dog, but rubbing a thin layer of mustard over your chest and covering with a hot towel can relieve a stuffy head and chest.
Olive Oil - Achy muscles from a bout of the flu? Mix 1 Tablespoon of horseradish in 1 cup of olive oil. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes, then apply it as a massage oil, for instant relief for aching muscles. Does it seem like nothing is working for your bad skin? Use 4 tablespoons of salt and 3 tablespoons of olive oil to create a paste. Leave it on your face for 2 minutes and rinse with warm water. Then wash your face as normal. Use every day for a week and then cut back to 3 days a week and you should notice an improvement.
Oranges - Don't you hate it when you have to start a fire and little bits of newspaper are flying everywhere? Next time, air-dry orange peels, which contain flammable oils that burn longer, and use those instead of the paper. The delicious smell is a bonus.
Pepper - Everyone knows Clorox's catchy ditty about keeping clothes bright, but all you need is pepper. Add a teaspoon of pepper to the wash before you add in your clothes and it will keep the colors from fading.
Peroxide - 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. (Small print says mouth wash and gargle right on the bottle); Let your toothbrushes soak in a cup of "Peroxide" to keep them free of germs; Clean your counters, 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; After rinsing off your wooden cutting board, pour peroxide on it to kill salmonella and other bacteria; I had fungus on my feet for years - until I sprayed a 50/50 mixture of peroxide and water on them (especially the toes) every night and let dry; Soak any infections or cuts in 3% peroxide for five to ten minutes several times a day, will even heal gangrene; 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; Tilt your head back and spray into nostrils with your 50/50 mixture whenever you have a cold, or plugged sinuses. It will bubble and help kill the bacteria. Hold for a few minutes then blow your nose into a tissue; If you have a terrible toothache and cannot get to a dentist right away, put a capful of 3% peroxide into your mouth and hold it for ten minutes several times a day. The pain will lessen greatly; 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 dirty blonde. It also lightens gradually so it's not a drastic change; Put half a bottle of peroxide in your bath to help rid boils, fungus, or other skin infections; You can also add a cup of peroxide instead of bleach to a load of whites in your laundry to whiten them. If there is blood on clothing, pour directly on the soiled spot. Let it sit for a minute, then rub it and rinse with cold water. Repeat if necessary; I use peroxide to clean my mirrors with, and there is no smearing which is why I love it so much for this.
Quaker Oats
- Quaker Oats for fast pain
relief... It's not for breakfast any more! Mix 2 cups of Quaker Oats and 1
cup of water in a bowl and warm in the microwave for 1 minute, cool
slightly, and apply the mixture to your hands for soothing relief from
arthritis pain. Rose & Oatmeal Mask - This
treatment is great to get rid of the blackheads you already have and prevent
future break outs. Mix oatmeal powder with rose water to make a paste.
Spread the paste
on your face with fingertips and allow it to sit for 15 minutes before
rinsing. Focus on the T-zone and other problems areas like the chin. Rinse
this blackhead removing mask off with cold water. The cold water closes the
newly cleaned pores, protecting against future blackheads.
Salt - Grease stains can be a huge pain when it comes to doing laundry. Before you wash, work a generous amount of table salt into the stain and then launder as usual.
Shortening - For a natural solution to diaper rash, try coating the area with a thin layer of shortening. It will act as a moisturizer.
Soda - Next time your drain is clogged and you don't have time to run to the store for some Drain-O just look in your fridge! A 2-liter bottle of soda will do the trick. Just pour it down to clobber the clog.
Sugar - At your next BBQ don't spend money on anti-pest candles that never work. Simmer 2 cups of milk, a 1/4 pound of sugar and 2 oz. of ground black pepper for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour the mixture into bowls and put them where the flies will be attracted to them and then drown. You can also place around the house. No more buzzzzzing at the windows.
Vinegar - Vinegar to heal bruises ... Soak a cotton ball in white vinegar and apply it to the bruise for 1 hour. The vinegar reduces the blueness and speeds up the healing process. Sore throat? Just mix 1/4 cup of vinegar with 1/4 cup of honey and take 1 tablespoon six times a day. The vinegar kills the bacteria. Deodorant stains can ruin a perfectly good shirt. Save your whites by spraying white vinegar (no need to mix with water) onto the underarm areas. Then you can wash per usual.
Vodka -
To remove a bandage
painlessly,
Wesson Corn Oil - Eliminate ear mites. All it takes is a few drops of Wesson corn oil in your cat's ear...Massage it in, then clean with a cotton ball. Repeat daily for 3 days. The oil soothes the cat's skin, smothers the mites, and accelerates healing.