I love to simplify my life in any way that I possibly can. When I find a cool new use for an everyday product, it’s like having two products in one. Many of these are based on my own personal experience, although quite a few of them have been suggested to me over the years.
DISCLAIMER: Do not use ANY of these methods without consulting with a doctor, contractor, veterinarian, home maintenance expert, gardener, beautician, or other professional before trying them. Use them at your own risk! Your results may vary; what works for me or other people may not work for you. Be careful and stay safe!
That said, I hope you will enjoy reading some of these interesting tips!
AROUND THE HOUSE:
Dryer lint makes awesome fire starters! To make your own fire starters, fill empty paper towel rolls, toilet paper rolls, or sections of a cardboard egg carton. Pour a tiny bit of melted wax over them and let the wax harden. These work great!
If your hands smell from chopping onions or garlic, or you’ve been using bleach and want to neutralize the smell, squeeze some fresh lemon juice over your hands, rub vigorously for a minute or two, then wash your hands as usual.
When a light bulb breaks inside the socket, try removing it with an apple or potato. Make sure you’ve turned off the light switch or disconnected the plug. Stick the potato or apple into the broken glass, and unscrew. It’s safe and works well.
Two “green” ways to clear a sink or tub drain. Use half a cup of baking soda, followed by half a cup of vinegar. Let the drain sit for 20 to 30 minutes, and rinse thoroughly with very hot water. For a more extensive drain-opener, try a cup of baking soda followed by a cup of salt, and 3 quarts of boiling water. You may need to do this more than once, but it’s an easy, earth-friendly way to get that clogged drain moving again!
Dryer sheets will keep your vehicles or small rooms and closets smelling fresh. Just place a dryer sheet inside the room overnight. By the next day, it’ll smell clean and lovely.
Fabric softener can be used as a wallpaper remover. Brush it onto your wallpaper, and peel it off your walls.
When clothing zippers are stuck, “write” on the zipper and its teeth on both sides, several times, with a pencil. The graphite will lubricate the zipper and make it work again!
Squeaky door hinges and cabinets are no problem when you have cooking spray. Simply spray it on the hinges, wait 10 or 15 minutes to allow the oil to penetrate the hinges, then wipe them down or wash them. You can also try this trick with shaving cream or old-fashioned Pledge spray.
If your wooden doors get stuck and are tough to open and close, use a bar of soap. Rub the soap along the edges of the door to make it stick less.
Bothered by paint fumes? Reduce some of the stink-factor by adding a teaspoon of flavored extract to a gallon of paint. Vanilla works well, but lemon is nice too.
To remove paint from skin after a painting project, use Avon’s Skin-So-Soft.
If the screws in your eyeglasses or sun glasses are always coming loose, use clear nail polish to keep them in place — just add a small drop to the screws before you tighten them. It will keep them in place much longer.
Use a back scratcher to remove dryer lint from your lint trap when it has become stuck.
Store candles in your freezer to keep them burning longer! Use a dab of rubbing alcohol and a cotton ball to clean them when they get dusty or dirty (MAKE SURE they are completely cool, and don’t light them until they are 100% dry!).
To keep candles from burning up the candle holder, spray them with a bit of cooking spray.
My grandma’s secret… If you have dentures or a removable bridge, soak them in a glass of warm water with just a couple of drops of bleach every now and then. Leave overnight, and be sure to rinse and brush them very well before wearing. It makes your “teeth” pretty and white, but it also sanitizes them to neutralize bacteria, which can cause bad breath and oral infections.
BUGS & PEST CONTROL:
If you have mice, try repelling them with cotton balls soaked in tea tree oil or peppermint oil. Place these in areas where the mice enter the house or are most active.
Eliminate the nuisance of fleas and mosquitos, and other bugs. Peels from citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, and limes, can be collected and boiled in a quart of water. Let the mixture cool, then strain the peels from the liquid. Put this mixture in a spray bottle and use it on yourself, your kids, and your pets before going outside — fleas and mosquitos HATE it. You can even spray it around pet areas where fleas are known to congregate. Dryer sheets work well as a bug repellant as well; just hang them in places where you wish to be bug-free.
To get rid of fruit flies, put a bit of lemon-scented ammonia into a glass and let it stay in the windowsill; it should send fruit flies packing! If the infestation is really bad or you have no windows in your kitchen, try using a bowl of vinegar or fruit juice (anything liquid that fruit flies consider “yummy”) and mix a few spoonfuls of liquid dish soap into the mix. The soap will prevent the fruit flies from being able to float on top of the vinegar, and once they come to sample the tasty liquid, they will get stuck like quicksand! (A friend of mine suggests using wine or beer so that they’ll get drunk and never know what hit ’em… that’s up to you, though.)
If you get bugs in your flour or sugar containers, try adding a stick of spearmint gum into the container to repel the bugs.
There are lots of natural ways to get rid of ants. One way is to use a few saltines; crumble them up and sprinkle over a pile of ants. The salt in the crackers will apparently make the ants explode. You could also try sprinkling baby powder or cinnamon in areas where you would like to get rid of the ants. If you have ant piles, pouring bleach over the ants will not only kill them, but prevent them from returning.
To treat ticks when their heads get stuck in your skin, mix one part of honey with one part of baking soda. Warm the mixture a little, apply to the area, and top it off with a compress or Band-Aid. Leave it alone for a few hours, and eventually the tick’s head will emerge. You may need to repeat the process a few times, but be patient for best results!
To keep animals out of your trash when you’ve put it outside to be taken away, pour some bleach on it.
Formula 409 is a good insecticide alternative for bees, wasps, yellow jackets, and hornets.
OUTDOOR TIPS:
Unwanted weeds can be killed with white vinegar. Just spray vigorously and within a few days, they’ll be dead and easy to remove. You can also pour boiling water on them instead.
If you get tree sap on your skin while working outside, apply mayonnaise to the sap on your skin. Let it rest for a few minutes, then wash with soap.
Laundry detergent will get rid of moss or debris on your roof. Simply sprinkle it along the roof line, and let the rain wash it away.
CLEANING & ORGANIZING:
Stinky car? Take a few fresh apples, cut them in half, and place them inside your vehicle for a couple of days. Most odors will be absorbed by the apples. Don’t forget to put the apples on a plate or in an open container, or you’ll have another mess on your hands!
Kids are still getting gum in their hair! In my house, we always used peanut butter, or even regular butter. Add as much as you need and keep rubbing the gum. Eventually it will start to seize up and you can remove it easily.
Dryer sheets are great for so many things… Freshen and deodorize your suitcases, purses, shoes, and car interior by adding a dryer sheer or two. You can also use them to dust from household fixtures, such as televisions, or even blinds, and repel dust from them in the future. Dryer sheets can also work for mattresses of bed-wetters; put a few dryer sheets under the sheet and it helps mask the urine smell. Putting them under the mattress helps get the smell out as well; when you need to flip the mattress, it smells much better!
Vinegar is another wonder product for cleaning. Add a cup to your smelly laundry (especially sheets if you have bed wetters), add a few spoonfuls to water and run through your coffee machine to clean it, try it to clean windows, and deodorize everywhere — a few tablespoons mixed with water in a spray bottle will neutralize most odors. It may smell a bit at first, but as the vinegar dries, the odor will dissipate.
To clean rust, use plain old Coca Cola! Add Coke to an abrasive pad or steel wool, and scrub well. Try it in your toilet as well; pour a can of Coke into the bowl, allow to rest for a few minutes, then brush vigorously. Coke contains phosphoric acid, which helps zap tough stains.
If you’re not into making sachets, clip perfume samples from magazines and store in your dresser drawers for a nice boost of fragrance.
When you lose a sock, don’t toss the other one; instead, use as dust rags or to clean around the house. They slip right over your hands and can be reused hundreds of times.
Add a regular magnet to your sewing basket. When you lose your needles or pins, the magnet is a great tool to help collect them for you.
If you have lots of tangled cords in your drawers, use an empty cardboard tube, such as in a paper towel, to keep them all organized. Just label each one and you’ll never have to solve the mysteries of the cords again.
There are also lots of uses for those plastic shopping bags… they make great disposable gloves for whenever you have to touch something yucky. Just turn them inside out and toss them into the trash bin! When coloring your hair, you can wrap your hair in a plastic shopping to seal in the coloring action. (Don’t do this with lighteners, and keep away from mouth and nose.)
When transplanting plants into other pots, put a few coffee filters in the bottom of the pot. It keeps dirt from leaking out the holes in the bottom when you water the plants.
If you’re mailing gifts, recycle those empty boxes. Just turn them inside out and tape or glue the boxes back together. Makes your packages look nice and clean, and makes your writing much easier for the postal service to see.
Homemade air freshener or fabric refresher (aka Febreze) is easy and inexpensive to make. Take one part of your favorite liquid fabric softener and three parts of water, put into a spray bottle and spray wherever you need it. Works well on furniture, bedding, in the air, and anywhere!
HOME HEALTH REMEDIES:
For burns on the skin, make a paste out of instant tea and a few drops of water. Apply to the burned area and allow it to dry. This helps the burn to heal and lessens the pain as well. Toothpaste also works for this problem.
Burning your tongue on food that’s too hot is no fun… Try putting a teaspoon of sugar on the burn. Hold your tongue against the roof of your mouth, allowing the sugar to melt. It will ease the pain and promote quicker healing.
If you have a cold sore or canker sore, make a paste of baking soda and water. Apply to the sore and let it harden, keeping it on as long as you can. This helps to dry out the affected area, and makes healing time to be much shorter.
A raw onion helps a bruise heal — place a slice of raw onion against a bruise for 5 to 10 minutes, and the bruise will heal in less time. You can also try applying a compress with vinegar to the bruise for an hour or so to expedite the healing process.
If you get a cut on your hand or fingers, use sugar or corn starch to stop the bleeding. Simply take a spoonful of either, sprinkle it onto the cut, making sure it’s thoroughly covered. This will help the blood to coagulate quicker and ease some of the pain as well.
For a splinter, try rubbing a few drops of Elmer’s glue onto the splinter. Allow it to dry, and peel it off. The splinter will stick to the glue and can be peeled away! If you’re out of glue, apply duct tape to the area with the splinter, press firmly, and peel it off.
Tomato paste can work magic on an ingrown hair, big pimple or boil. Cover the area with a dollop of tomato paste and allow it to dry. The acid in the tomato will draw the sebum to the surface and create a “head,” as well as reduce swelling.
Listerine or other antiseptic mouthwashes are a great way to disinfect blisters or small cuts.
To soothe hands with arthritis, make yourself an oatmeal bath! Mix a cup of water with 2 cups of Quaker Oats, heat in the microwave for 40 to 60 seconds, stir well, and let cool until it is comfortable to the touch. Apply the mixture to your hands, or let your hands sit in the bowl for a while. It soothes aches and is great for the skin as well.
Heartburn doesn’t have to be a problem if you have some simple ingredients on hand. Try either of these remedies… eat one tablespoon of white or apple cider vinegar for relief within 5 minutes. Or, mix a spoonful of baking soda in a cup of water, drink it, and the baking soda will neutralize excess stomach acid. One good burp and you’ll know it’s working.
Eat a teaspoon of grape jelly to get rid of hiccups. If your baby has hiccups, dip your finger in the jelly and allow them to suck on it until the jelly is gone. A teaspoon of sugar in a glass of water also helps hiccups. Eat the sugar, then drink the water. You may need to repeat this procedure, but it does help!
Vinegar also works on diaper rashes, sunburn, and even head lice! Just apply to the inflamed area; the vinegar will help soothe and heal. If your children come home with head lice, mix one part of olive oil and one part vinegar together. Pour into a spray bottle, spray on the head, wrap in plastic wrap for about 2 hours, and then comb out the nits. Wash your hair as usual after this process.
Ice packs and heat packs can alleviate so much suffering. I use frozen veggies, especially peas as ice packs, since the peas will conform to the shape of just about anywhere on the body, and will not drip as much as an ice pack. Wrap the bag in a towel to avoid the cold directly on the skin’s surface. Apply for about 15 minutes; you can re-freeze and use as much as you like, but don’t consume the peas afterward. Instead, write something on the bag so you know which one is your ice pack! A homemade ice pack is also simple to make… equal parts of water and alcohol in a plastic bag. Freeze on a flat surface. The mixture will be thick and slushy-like, making it easy to use anywhere on the body. Again, be sure to wrap this in a towel before using. To make your own heat pack, put some uncooked rice, beans, or lentils into a sock, tie it up at the end, and microwave it for a minute or so. Apply to the area where you need relief. This works wonders!
Bug bites and bee stings can be a big problem in the warmer months. Draw poison out of bug bites by applying raw bacon to the affected area overnight. For bee stings, try equal parts of vinegar and baking soda; mix it into a paste and use as a poultice anywhere on the body. For a mosquito bite, use Preparation H; it will keep the area from swelling and itching.
A glass or two of Gatorade can help relieve pain associated with headache.
If you have achy muscles, make a soothing massage oil with a tablespoon of horseradish or wasabi and a cup of olive oil. Mix well, let the mixture stand for 30 to 60 minutes, then massage into the aching area.
A sore throat can be agonizing. Try these remedies and see if they help… mix one-quarter cup of vinegar with one-quarter cup of honey, and take a tablespoon every few hours. The vinegar will kill the bacteria and speed up healing time. You could also try gargling with a cup of warm water with a spoonful of salt added and well-mixed; this will soothe your irritated throat and make you feel much better.
BIZARRE GROOMING & BEAUTY SECRETS:
If you get static in your hair, try conditioning it with fabric softener or rinsing your hairbrushes with fabric softener to get rid of the static.
Nail fungus can be eliminated by rubbing Vick’s VapoRub onto the infection.
Shine your shoes with ArmorAll to make them look like new!
Need to banish a zit by morning? Try toothpaste to dry it out and shrink it! You can also try a bit of honey on the area covered with a Band-Aid. Honey will speed up the healing process and kill bacteria.
Dryer sheets remove static cling on your clothes. Just rub the sheets over the staticky areas.
PET CARE:
Instead of washing your dog with flea soap, try Dawn dish detergent instead. A few drops to your dog’s shampoo will kill the fleas. Be sure to rinse well to prevent skin irritation.
If your animals are chewing on places where they shouldn’t, a few dabs of Vick’s VapoRub on the surface of those areas will be effective. The animals’ sensitive noses don’t like the scent and they will avoid the area. You don’t need much; it lasts awhile, but reapply as needed.
Make popsicles for your pets in the summer time! Get a disposable cup, fill it with water and a tiny bit of apple juice, freeze and unmold. Dogs love these!
If either your dog or cat gets ear mites, try applying a few drops of olive oil or mineral oil into their ears. Massage it into the ear, and then wipe with a cotton ball. The oil is moisturizing to the skin and will suffocate the mites.
