I am going to apologize right up front for this if you're already doing it, but seeing the large displays in the local stores and checking online, there seems to be a HUGE market for doggy poo bags. We never leave our FurBabies gifts on other peoples lawns, and ALWAYS carry our little baggies, BUT, I have never bought those bags and dispensers that are sold for that purpose. They are VERY expensive. The cheapest plain bags I found are $3.49 for 30, and cute ones with hearts and flowers on them are as high as $15.00 for 150. Let me tell you, your pups don't care what these bags look like and neither do your neighbors. We buy a pack of 150 baggies with the fold over top at the local Dollar Store (yes, for a buck) and those work just as well. I don't have a fancy dispenser to carry them in, just stick them in my pocket... and to store them I repurposed an old diaper wipe box and labeled it in my sloppy handwriting with a magic marker and keep it on the counter right outside our back door. We just grab the halters, the leashes, the pups, and two bags, and off we go. Save your money for other things!! You'll get a lot more appreciative glances as you carry that little present home than snarls if you leave it in your neighbors yard. And you will never guess...the added bonus for us is that our young granddaughter Belle doesn't mind hunting for doggy presents in the back yard with "Mimi's neat baggies" before everyone gets out there to play...oh, life's simple pleasures!
Showing posts with label Many Uses For Common Household Products. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Many Uses For Common Household Products. Show all posts
Monday, October 14, 2013
Puppy Potty Bags
I am going to apologize right up front for this if you're already doing it, but seeing the large displays in the local stores and checking online, there seems to be a HUGE market for doggy poo bags. We never leave our FurBabies gifts on other peoples lawns, and ALWAYS carry our little baggies, BUT, I have never bought those bags and dispensers that are sold for that purpose. They are VERY expensive. The cheapest plain bags I found are $3.49 for 30, and cute ones with hearts and flowers on them are as high as $15.00 for 150. Let me tell you, your pups don't care what these bags look like and neither do your neighbors. We buy a pack of 150 baggies with the fold over top at the local Dollar Store (yes, for a buck) and those work just as well. I don't have a fancy dispenser to carry them in, just stick them in my pocket... and to store them I repurposed an old diaper wipe box and labeled it in my sloppy handwriting with a magic marker and keep it on the counter right outside our back door. We just grab the halters, the leashes, the pups, and two bags, and off we go. Save your money for other things!! You'll get a lot more appreciative glances as you carry that little present home than snarls if you leave it in your neighbors yard. And you will never guess...the added bonus for us is that our young granddaughter Belle doesn't mind hunting for doggy presents in the back yard with "Mimi's neat baggies" before everyone gets out there to play...oh, life's simple pleasures!
Friday, July 5, 2013
Ways to Use Coffee Filters
These ideas come from DIY Home World at http://www.diyhomeworld.com/
Put a filter on the bottom of your flower pot containers, over the drainage holes. This keeps the soil from leaving the container while still allowing water to run through it.
Soak filters in brewed tea or even just plain water and chill. Fold them and use as cold compress for puffy eyes.
Accordion fold a few coffee filters, cut into strips, and use as shipping material for fragile items. The unbleached kind make for fun shredding material for hamsters.
A coffee filter is perfect for spreading oil or butter on a cooking pan since a coffee filter’s fibers won’t break off in your oils like a napkin’s would.
Shield stacked china from scratches and nicks by layering a filter between each delicate piece.
Use a coffee filter to prevent splatter when heating something in the microwave, simply place over the top of your food and carry on like normal.
Poke a hole in a filter and insert the stick of your popsicle. You now have a DIY popsicle drip collector!
Put the end of an ice cream cone in the center of a filter and wrap the filter around it for a drip-free ice cream cone wrapper.
Use a coffee filter as a makeshift rag. Unlike paper towels, coffee filters are lint free and take up very little space.
Put under bacon, fries, fried chicken etc. to soak up excess grease.
Use to line bamboo steamers.
Cut up a stack of filters, place them in a small tin and you’ve got a set of face blotters perfect for your purse and last-minute shine control.
Make skirts for Barbies.
Good-quality coffee filters are made from 100 percent virgin paper, so you can use them to clean your glasses without leaving lint.
You can also use them safely to clean computer monitors, television screens, and windows. They clean without leaving residue.
Line the bottom of cookie tins.
Strain bacon drippings by pouring them through a coffee filter into a ceramic bowl or mug. The brown bits, grains, etc will stay in the filter. Also works well for recycling frying oil.
This is one of my favorites! Dampen a coffee filter with some white vinegar and a few drops of my favorite essential oil (I like to use Lavender). Your clothes will come out smelling fresh and the coffee filter reduces static.
Kids food holders for Tacos, Hot Dogs, Pita Sandwiches, etc.
A disposable “snack bowl” for popcorn, chips, etc.
Make homemade tea bags by filling coffee filters with a selection of loose tea leaves and dried fruit peels. Tie together with string and use just like normal tea bags.
Wrap jumbo dill pickles in coffee filters to prevent dripping when eating.
Use as a sandwich wrap (inside the baggy or plastic container) so your sandwich doesn’t get soggy in your lunchbox.
If you use cloth diapers you can line your diaper with a couple of these and toss the solids rather than not having anywhere to rinse them.
Changing diapers was bad enough, but toilet training kids on a potty is equally messy. Line the potty with a coffee filter so you can just lift out the number two and deposit in the toilet.
A coffee filter can hold small parts when working on vehicles, cleaning guns, or most any other project!
Put flavorings (bay leaves, woody herb stems, etc.) in a coffee filter, tie with string, and stick in soup while cooking for quick and easy removal later.
Coffee filters are fantastic for polishing leather shoes. Simply apply a dab of your favorite shoe polish and use the filter as an applicator.
You can also use a coffee filter to help ward off unwanted odors from your shoe by applying a little bit of baking soda and wrapping it up in the filter to create a little sachet, simply insert into your shoes after a long day and wake up to them smelling fresh and odor free.
A coffee filter will work well to desilk an ear of corn. Dampen a filter and wipe it in one stroke from the top to the bottom of the shucked ear of corn.
Use as a mini cutting board for chopping (not slicing) one tomato, onion, etc.
After you are done washing your cast-iron cookware, place a coffee filter in the bottom of the pan and it will absorb moisture and prevent rust.
Put a couple of coffee filters in your pocket when you are working outdoors or going on a hike. They work great to wipe sweat, dirt and oils off your face.
Use filters to bake jumbo muffins or mini cakes in the oven. Fill the filter 1/3 full with batter and place in a shallow circular pan to bake.
Wrap cut celery stalks in a coffee filter before putting them in a plastic bag to store in the refrigerator.
The coffee filter will help absorb any moisture, and keeps the celery crisp longer.
Kids Place Setting…turn plain coffee filters into adorable painted place settings at your next get together.
If you have a small cut or even a razor nick, grab a piece off of a coffee filter and put it on with pressure to stop the bleeding. Your coffee filter will work similar to a styptic pencil but without the stinging.
DIY Action Figure Parachute
Place a few tablespoons of baking powder in a filter and twist the top together with a rubber band.
Place in shoes, gym bag, closet, refrigerator, or anywhere else that may have developed some less-than-pleasant odors.
To sprout seeds, dampen a coffee filter, place seeds inside, fold it and place it into a zip-lock plastic bag.
Weigh chopped foods. Place chopped ingredients in a coffee filter on a kitchen scale.
Use to hold your turtles while cleaning the tank!
Keep in your car glove box for window cleaning, to use as napkins and for quick cleanups.
Since you have a package in the glove box anyway…..the next time you need to check the oil level in the car, use a filter to wipe the dipstick.
Use as a portable doggy food bowl.
Use coffee filters in the bottom of the kitchen compost pot. It keeps messiness from sticking to the bottom of the pot, and goes right into the compost pile outside along with the pot of compost when emptied.
Can’t find corn husks? Use coffee filters as a replacement in Mexican tamales. Add filling and steam as usual.
If you have to strain your urine to capture a kidney stone so you can take it to your doctor for analysis, you can strain it through a white coffee filter. It is easy to see the sediment against the white background.
Make hats for dolls
Line a colander or strainer with a coffee filter, place the strainer in a bowl, fill with regular yogurt, and let sit in the fridge overnight. Fresh Greek yogurt for breakfast!
Use a coffee filter to spot clean your clothing. Use white vinegar or hydrogen peroxide and the spot will be greatly reduced if not disappear completely.
Separate tortillas for freezing.
To prevent holes in your clothes when wearing a pin, try putting a piece of coffee filter inside your clothing as a “stabilizer”. It makes the cloth sturdier and the pin is less likely to snag.
Use a filter as an easy-to-tear backing for embroidering or appliquéing soft fabrics.
Add some fragrant flowers to the middle of a coffee filter and tie with a pretty ribbon to make a DIY sachet to scent your delicates.
Make a flavor packet to add to your sun tea. Take a filter and center the contents in the middle. Gather the edges, twist and tie with string. Drop into your jar along with tea bags and let it brew as usual
Get spills out of carpets, before they stain. While the spill is still wet, cover it with a coffee filter. They will wick up the spill.
For perfectly heated tortillas, spritz a coffee filter with water and lay a tortilla on top of it. Spritz a second coffee filter and put it on top. Heat the stack in the microwave for 10-15 seconds, and your tortilla will be warm and still pliable. You can use the same ones over and over.
Filter wine when you break the cork
Wrap Christmas ornaments for storage
Coffee filters make great blotting paper for pressed flowers. Simply place the flower between two filters and put them inside of a phone book or any other object with weight.
Use them to remove fingernail polish when out of cotton balls.
Diffuse the flash on a camera.
Great in the tool room when separating nails and screws then use in to bottom of containers to remove moisture and prevent rust.
Use as a “pre-filter” for your water purification system to help extend the life of you water filter.
Put a filter in the bottom of a metal fruit bowl to prevent brown spots on your fruits or vegetables.
Use to dry wine glasses and prevent water marks.
Just to name a few……………………… :-)
Keep in mind that for some of these uses, the filter can be re-used again and again! Coffee filters are more durable than most people think and (as I hope I’ve demonstrated today) can be used in a mind-boggling number of ways!
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
45 Uses For Lemons from RealFarmacy.com
Most people are familiar with the traditional uses for lemons to soothe sore throats and add some citrus flavor to our foods. However the diversity of applications for lemons far exceeds general knowledge and once you read the following list, you’ll likely want to stock at least a few lemons in your kitchen 24-7.
1. Freshen the Fridge
Remove refrigerator odors with ease. Dab lemon juice on a cotton ball or sponge and leave it in the fridge for several hours. Make sure to toss out any malodorous items that might be causing the bad smell.
Remove refrigerator odors with ease. Dab lemon juice on a cotton ball or sponge and leave it in the fridge for several hours. Make sure to toss out any malodorous items that might be causing the bad smell.
2. High Blood Pressure
Lemon contains potassium which controls high blood pressure and reduces the effect of nausea and dizziness.
Lemon contains potassium which controls high blood pressure and reduces the effect of nausea and dizziness.
3. Prevent Cauliflower From Turning Brown
Cauliflower tend to turn brown with even the slightest cooking. You can make sure the white vegetables stay white by squeezing a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice on them before heating.
Cauliflower tend to turn brown with even the slightest cooking. You can make sure the white vegetables stay white by squeezing a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice on them before heating.
4. Mental Health
Lemon water can also prep up your mood and relieve you from depression and stress. Long distance walkers and world travelers as well as explorers look upon the lemon as a Godsend. When fatigue begins, a lemon is sucked through a hole in the top. Quick acting medicine it is, giving almost unbelievable refreshments.
Lemon water can also prep up your mood and relieve you from depression and stress. Long distance walkers and world travelers as well as explorers look upon the lemon as a Godsend. When fatigue begins, a lemon is sucked through a hole in the top. Quick acting medicine it is, giving almost unbelievable refreshments.
5. Refresh Cutting Boards
No wonder your kitchen cutting board smells! After all, you use it to chop onions, crush garlic, and prepare fish. To get rid of the smell and help sanitize the cutting board, rub it all over with the cut side of half a lemon or wash it in undiluted juice straight from the bottle.
No wonder your kitchen cutting board smells! After all, you use it to chop onions, crush garlic, and prepare fish. To get rid of the smell and help sanitize the cutting board, rub it all over with the cut side of half a lemon or wash it in undiluted juice straight from the bottle.
6. Respiratory Problems
Lemon water can reduce phlegm; and can also help you breathe properly and aids a person suffering with asthma.
Lemon water can reduce phlegm; and can also help you breathe properly and aids a person suffering with asthma.
7. Treating Arthritis and Rheumatism
Lemon is a diuretic – assists in the production of urine which helps you to reduce inflammation by flushing out toxins and bacteria while also giving you relief from arthritis and rheumatism.
Lemon is a diuretic – assists in the production of urine which helps you to reduce inflammation by flushing out toxins and bacteria while also giving you relief from arthritis and rheumatism.
8. Prevents Kidney Stones
Regular consumption of the refreshing drink — or even lemon juice mixed with water — may increase the production of urinary citrate, a chemical in the urine that prevents the formation of crystals that may build up into kidney stones.
Regular consumption of the refreshing drink — or even lemon juice mixed with water — may increase the production of urinary citrate, a chemical in the urine that prevents the formation of crystals that may build up into kidney stones.
9. Keep Insects Out of the Kitchen
You don’t need insecticides or ant traps to ant-proof your kitchen. Just give it the lemon treatment. First squirt some lemon juice on door thresholds and windowsills. Then squeeze lemon juice into any holes or cracks where the ants are getting in. Finally, scatter small slices of lemon peel around the outdoor entrance. The ants will get the message that they aren’t welcome. Lemons are also effective against roaches and fleas: Simply mix the juice of 4 lemons (along with the rinds) with 1/2 gallon (2 liters) water and wash your floors with it; then watch the fleas and roaches flee. They hate the smell.
You don’t need insecticides or ant traps to ant-proof your kitchen. Just give it the lemon treatment. First squirt some lemon juice on door thresholds and windowsills. Then squeeze lemon juice into any holes or cracks where the ants are getting in. Finally, scatter small slices of lemon peel around the outdoor entrance. The ants will get the message that they aren’t welcome. Lemons are also effective against roaches and fleas: Simply mix the juice of 4 lemons (along with the rinds) with 1/2 gallon (2 liters) water and wash your floors with it; then watch the fleas and roaches flee. They hate the smell.
10. Anti-Aging
Lemon water reduces the production of free radicals which are responsible for aging skin and skin damage. Lemon water is calorie free and an antioxidant.
Lemon water reduces the production of free radicals which are responsible for aging skin and skin damage. Lemon water is calorie free and an antioxidant.
11. Fruit and Vegetable Wash
You never know what kind of pesticides or dirt may be lurking on the skin of your favorite fruits and vegetables. Slice your lemon and squeeze out one tablespoon of lemon juice into your spray bottle. The lemon juice is a natural disinfectant and will leave your fruits and vegetables smelling nice too.
You never know what kind of pesticides or dirt may be lurking on the skin of your favorite fruits and vegetables. Slice your lemon and squeeze out one tablespoon of lemon juice into your spray bottle. The lemon juice is a natural disinfectant and will leave your fruits and vegetables smelling nice too.
12. Treat Infections
Lemon water can fight throat infections thanks to its antibacterial property. If salt water does not work for you, try lime and water for gargling.
Lemon water can fight throat infections thanks to its antibacterial property. If salt water does not work for you, try lime and water for gargling.
13. Deodorize Your Garbage
If your garbage is beginning to smell yucky, here’s an easy way to deodorize it: Save leftover lemon and orange peels and toss them at the base under the bag. To keep it smelling fresh, repeat once every couple of weeks.
If your garbage is beginning to smell yucky, here’s an easy way to deodorize it: Save leftover lemon and orange peels and toss them at the base under the bag. To keep it smelling fresh, repeat once every couple of weeks.
14. Keep Guacamole Green
You’ve been making guacamole all day long for the big party, and you don’t want it to turn brown on top before the guests arrive. The solution: Sprinkle a liberal amount of fresh lemon juice over it and it will stay fresh and green. The flavor of the lemon juice is a natural complement to the avocados in the guacamole. Make the fruit salad hours in advance too. Just squeeze some lemon juice onto the apple slices, and they’ll stay snowy white.
You’ve been making guacamole all day long for the big party, and you don’t want it to turn brown on top before the guests arrive. The solution: Sprinkle a liberal amount of fresh lemon juice over it and it will stay fresh and green. The flavor of the lemon juice is a natural complement to the avocados in the guacamole. Make the fruit salad hours in advance too. Just squeeze some lemon juice onto the apple slices, and they’ll stay snowy white.
15. Purges The Blood
We consume a lot of junk food or food with a lot of preservatives and artificial flavours. This builds up a lot of toxins in the blood and body but daily consumption of lemon water helps to purify the blood.
We consume a lot of junk food or food with a lot of preservatives and artificial flavours. This builds up a lot of toxins in the blood and body but daily consumption of lemon water helps to purify the blood.
16. Make Soggy Lettuce Crisp
Don’t toss that soggy lettuce into the garbage. With the help of a little lemon juice you can toss it in a salad instead. Add the juice of half a lemon to a bowl of cold water. Then put the soggy lettuce in it and refrigerate for 1 hour. Make sure to dry the leaves completely before putting them into salads or sandwiches.
Don’t toss that soggy lettuce into the garbage. With the help of a little lemon juice you can toss it in a salad instead. Add the juice of half a lemon to a bowl of cold water. Then put the soggy lettuce in it and refrigerate for 1 hour. Make sure to dry the leaves completely before putting them into salads or sandwiches.
17. Oral Health
Lemon juice also stops bleeding gums and reduces toothaches
Lemon juice also stops bleeding gums and reduces toothaches
18. Lighten Age Spots
Why buy expensive creams when you’ve got lemon juice? To lighten liver spots or freckles, try applying lemon juice directly to the area. Let it sit for 15 minutes and then rinse your skin clean. It’s a safe and effective skin-lightening agent.
Why buy expensive creams when you’ve got lemon juice? To lighten liver spots or freckles, try applying lemon juice directly to the area. Let it sit for 15 minutes and then rinse your skin clean. It’s a safe and effective skin-lightening agent.
19. Create Blonde Highlights
For salon-worthy highlights, add 1/4 cup lemon juice to 3/4 cup water and rinse your hair with the mixture. Then, sit in the sun until your hair dries. To maximize the effect, repeat once daily for up to a week.
For salon-worthy highlights, add 1/4 cup lemon juice to 3/4 cup water and rinse your hair with the mixture. Then, sit in the sun until your hair dries. To maximize the effect, repeat once daily for up to a week.
20. Make a Room Scent/Humidifier
Freshen and moisturize the air in your home on dry winter days. Make your own room scent that also doubles as a humidifier. If you have a wood-burning stove, place an enameled cast-iron pot or bowl on top, fill with water, and add lemon (and/or orange) peels, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and apple skins. No wood-burning stove? Use your stovetop instead and just simmer the water periodically.
Freshen and moisturize the air in your home on dry winter days. Make your own room scent that also doubles as a humidifier. If you have a wood-burning stove, place an enameled cast-iron pot or bowl on top, fill with water, and add lemon (and/or orange) peels, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and apple skins. No wood-burning stove? Use your stovetop instead and just simmer the water periodically.
21. Clean and Whiten Nails
Pamper your hands without a manicurist. Add the juice of 1/2 lemon to 1 cup warm water and soak your fingertips in the mixture for 5 minutes. After pushing back the cuticles, rub some lemon peel back and forth against the nail.
Pamper your hands without a manicurist. Add the juice of 1/2 lemon to 1 cup warm water and soak your fingertips in the mixture for 5 minutes. After pushing back the cuticles, rub some lemon peel back and forth against the nail.
22. Cleanse Your Face
Zap zits naturally by dabbing lemon juice on blackheads to draw them out during the day. You can also wash your face with lemon juice for a natural cleanse and exfoliation. Your skin should improve after several days of treatment. Lemon water is also a cooling agent, best way to beat the heat.
Zap zits naturally by dabbing lemon juice on blackheads to draw them out during the day. You can also wash your face with lemon juice for a natural cleanse and exfoliation. Your skin should improve after several days of treatment. Lemon water is also a cooling agent, best way to beat the heat.
23. Freshen Your Breath
Make an impromptu mouthwash by rinsing with lemon juice straight from the bottle. Swallow for longer-lasting fresh breath. The citric acid in the juice alters the pH level in your mouth, killing bacteria that causes bad breath. Rinse after a few minutes because long-term exposure to the acid in lemons can harm tooth enamel.
Make an impromptu mouthwash by rinsing with lemon juice straight from the bottle. Swallow for longer-lasting fresh breath. The citric acid in the juice alters the pH level in your mouth, killing bacteria that causes bad breath. Rinse after a few minutes because long-term exposure to the acid in lemons can harm tooth enamel.
24. Treat Flaky Dandruff
If itchy, scaly dandruff has you scratching your head, relief may be no farther away than your refrigerator. Just massage two tablespoons lemon juice into your scalp and rinse with water. Then stir one teaspoon lemon juice into one cup water and rinse your hair with it. Repeat daily until your dandruff disappears.
If itchy, scaly dandruff has you scratching your head, relief may be no farther away than your refrigerator. Just massage two tablespoons lemon juice into your scalp and rinse with water. Then stir one teaspoon lemon juice into one cup water and rinse your hair with it. Repeat daily until your dandruff disappears.
25. Get Rid of Tough Stains on Marble
You probably think of marble as stone, but it is really petrified calcium (also known as old seashells). That explains why it is so porous and easily stained and damaged. Those stains can be hard to remove. If washing won’t remove a stubborn stain, try this: Cut a lemon in half, dip the exposed flesh into some table salt, and rub it vigorously on the stain. But do this only as a last resort; acid can damage marble. Rinse well.
You probably think of marble as stone, but it is really petrified calcium (also known as old seashells). That explains why it is so porous and easily stained and damaged. Those stains can be hard to remove. If washing won’t remove a stubborn stain, try this: Cut a lemon in half, dip the exposed flesh into some table salt, and rub it vigorously on the stain. But do this only as a last resort; acid can damage marble. Rinse well.
26. Remove Berry Stains
It sure was fun to pick your own berries, but now your fingers are stained with berry juice that won’t come off no matter how much you scrub with soap and water. Try washing your hands with undiluted lemon juice, then wait a few minutes and wash with warm, soapy water. Repeat until your hands are stain-free.
It sure was fun to pick your own berries, but now your fingers are stained with berry juice that won’t come off no matter how much you scrub with soap and water. Try washing your hands with undiluted lemon juice, then wait a few minutes and wash with warm, soapy water. Repeat until your hands are stain-free.
27. Soften Dry, Scaly Elbows
Itchy elbows are bad enough, but they look terrible too. For better looking (and feeling) elbows, mix baking soda and lemon juice to make an abrasive paste, then rub it into your elbows for a soothing, smoothing, and exfoliating treatment. Rinse your extremities in a mixture of equal parts lemon juice and water, then massage with olive oil and dab dry with a soft cloth.
Itchy elbows are bad enough, but they look terrible too. For better looking (and feeling) elbows, mix baking soda and lemon juice to make an abrasive paste, then rub it into your elbows for a soothing, smoothing, and exfoliating treatment. Rinse your extremities in a mixture of equal parts lemon juice and water, then massage with olive oil and dab dry with a soft cloth.
28. Headaches
Lemon juice with a few teaspoons of hot tea added is the treatment of a sophisticated New York bartender, for those who suffer with hangover headaches–and from headaches due to many other causes. He converts his customers to this regime, and weans them away from drug remedies completely.
Lemon juice with a few teaspoons of hot tea added is the treatment of a sophisticated New York bartender, for those who suffer with hangover headaches–and from headaches due to many other causes. He converts his customers to this regime, and weans them away from drug remedies completely.
29. Chills and Fevers
Chills and fevers may be due to a variety of causes; never the less the lemon is always a helpful remedy. Spanish physicians regard it as an infallible friend.
Chills and fevers may be due to a variety of causes; never the less the lemon is always a helpful remedy. Spanish physicians regard it as an infallible friend.
30. Diptheria
Skip the vaccine for this disease. Lemon Juice Treatment still proves as one of the most powerful antiseptics and the strong digestive qualities of the fruit are admired around the world. With the juice every hour or two, and at the same time, 1/2 to 1 tsp. should be swallowed. This cuts loose the false membrane in the throat and permits it to come out.
Skip the vaccine for this disease. Lemon Juice Treatment still proves as one of the most powerful antiseptics and the strong digestive qualities of the fruit are admired around the world. With the juice every hour or two, and at the same time, 1/2 to 1 tsp. should be swallowed. This cuts loose the false membrane in the throat and permits it to come out.
31. Vaginal Hygiene
Diluted lemon juice makes a safe and sane method of vaginal hygiene. Though it is a powerful antiseptic it is nevertheless free from irritating drugs in douches and suppositories.
Diluted lemon juice makes a safe and sane method of vaginal hygiene. Though it is a powerful antiseptic it is nevertheless free from irritating drugs in douches and suppositories.
32. Forget The Moth Balls
A charming French custom to keep closets free from moths is to take ripe lemons and stick them with cloves all over the skin. The heavily studded lemons slowly dry with their cloves, leaving a marvelous odor throughout the closets and rooms.
A charming French custom to keep closets free from moths is to take ripe lemons and stick them with cloves all over the skin. The heavily studded lemons slowly dry with their cloves, leaving a marvelous odor throughout the closets and rooms.
33. Stomach Health
Digestive problems are the most common ailments but warm water and lime juice is the solution to most digestive problems. Lemon juice helps to purify the blood, reduces your chances of indigestion, constipation, eliminates toxins from the body, adds digestion and reduces phlegm.
Digestive problems are the most common ailments but warm water and lime juice is the solution to most digestive problems. Lemon juice helps to purify the blood, reduces your chances of indigestion, constipation, eliminates toxins from the body, adds digestion and reduces phlegm.
34. Disinfect Cuts and Scrapes
Stop bleeding and disinfect minor cuts and scraps by pouring a few drops of lemon juice directly on the cut. You can also apply the juice with a cotton ball and hold firmly in place for one minute.
Stop bleeding and disinfect minor cuts and scraps by pouring a few drops of lemon juice directly on the cut. You can also apply the juice with a cotton ball and hold firmly in place for one minute.
35. Soothe Poison Ivy Rash
You won’t need an ocean of calamine lotion the next time poison ivy comes a-creeping. Just apply lemon juice directly to the affected area to soothe itching and alleviate the rash.
You won’t need an ocean of calamine lotion the next time poison ivy comes a-creeping. Just apply lemon juice directly to the affected area to soothe itching and alleviate the rash.
36. Remove Warts
You’ve tried countless remedies to banish warts and nothing seems to work. Next time, apply a dab of lemon juice directly to the wart using a cotton swab. Repeat for several days until the acids in the lemon juice dissolve the wart completely.
You’ve tried countless remedies to banish warts and nothing seems to work. Next time, apply a dab of lemon juice directly to the wart using a cotton swab. Repeat for several days until the acids in the lemon juice dissolve the wart completely.
37. Bleach Delicate Fabrics
Avoid additional bleach stains by swapping ordinary household chlorine bleach with lemon juice, which is milder but no less effective. Soak your delicates in a mixture of lemon juice and baking soda for at least half an hour before washing.
Avoid additional bleach stains by swapping ordinary household chlorine bleach with lemon juice, which is milder but no less effective. Soak your delicates in a mixture of lemon juice and baking soda for at least half an hour before washing.
38. Clean Tarnished Brass and Polish Chrome
Say good-bye to tarnish on brass, copper, or stainless steel. Make a paste of lemon juice and salt (or substitute baking soda or cream of tartar for the salt) and coat the affected area. Let it stay on for 5 minutes. Then wash in warm water, rinse, and polish dry. Use the same mixture to clean metal kitchen sinks too. Apply the paste, scrub gently, and rinse. Get rid of mineral deposits and polish chrome faucets and other tarnished chrome. Simply rub lemon rind over the chrome and watch it shine! Rinse well and dry with a soft cloth.
Say good-bye to tarnish on brass, copper, or stainless steel. Make a paste of lemon juice and salt (or substitute baking soda or cream of tartar for the salt) and coat the affected area. Let it stay on for 5 minutes. Then wash in warm water, rinse, and polish dry. Use the same mixture to clean metal kitchen sinks too. Apply the paste, scrub gently, and rinse. Get rid of mineral deposits and polish chrome faucets and other tarnished chrome. Simply rub lemon rind over the chrome and watch it shine! Rinse well and dry with a soft cloth.
39. Replace Your Dry Cleaner
Ditch the expensive dry-cleaning bills (and harsh chemicals) with this homegrown trick. Simply scrub the stained area on shirts and blouses with equal parts lemon juice and water. Your “pits” will be good as new, and smell nice too.
Ditch the expensive dry-cleaning bills (and harsh chemicals) with this homegrown trick. Simply scrub the stained area on shirts and blouses with equal parts lemon juice and water. Your “pits” will be good as new, and smell nice too.
40. Boost Laundry Detergent
For more powerful cleaning action, pour 1 cup lemon juice into the washer during the wash cycle. The natural bleaching action of the juice will zap stains and remove rust and mineral discolorations from cotton T-shirts and briefs and will leave your clothes smelling fresh. Your clothes will turn out brighter and also come out smelling lemon-fresh.
For more powerful cleaning action, pour 1 cup lemon juice into the washer during the wash cycle. The natural bleaching action of the juice will zap stains and remove rust and mineral discolorations from cotton T-shirts and briefs and will leave your clothes smelling fresh. Your clothes will turn out brighter and also come out smelling lemon-fresh.
41. Rid Clothes of Mildew
Have you ever unpacked clothes you stored all winter and discovered some are stained with mildew? To get rid of it, make a paste of lemon juice and salt and rub it on the affected area, then dry the clothes in sunlight. Repeat the process until the stain is gone.
Have you ever unpacked clothes you stored all winter and discovered some are stained with mildew? To get rid of it, make a paste of lemon juice and salt and rub it on the affected area, then dry the clothes in sunlight. Repeat the process until the stain is gone.
42. Eliminate Fireplace Odor
There’s nothing cozier on a cold winter night than a warm fire burning in the fireplace — unless the fire happens to smell horrible. Next time you have a fire that sends a stench into the room, try throwing a few lemon peels into the flames. Or simply burn some lemon peels along with your firewood as a preventive measure.
There’s nothing cozier on a cold winter night than a warm fire burning in the fireplace — unless the fire happens to smell horrible. Next time you have a fire that sends a stench into the room, try throwing a few lemon peels into the flames. Or simply burn some lemon peels along with your firewood as a preventive measure.
43. Neutralize Cat-Box Odor
You don’t have to use an aerosol spray to neutralize foul-smelling cat-box odors or freshen the air in your bathroom. Just cut a couple of lemons in half. Then place them, cut side up, in a dish in the room, and the air will soon smell lemon-fresh.
You don’t have to use an aerosol spray to neutralize foul-smelling cat-box odors or freshen the air in your bathroom. Just cut a couple of lemons in half. Then place them, cut side up, in a dish in the room, and the air will soon smell lemon-fresh.
44. Deodorize a Humidifier
When your humidifier starts to smell funky, deodorize it with ease: Just pour 3 or 4 teaspoons lemon juice into the water. It will not only remove the off odor but will replace it with a lemon-fresh fragrance. Repeat every couple of weeks to keep the odor from returning.
When your humidifier starts to smell funky, deodorize it with ease: Just pour 3 or 4 teaspoons lemon juice into the water. It will not only remove the off odor but will replace it with a lemon-fresh fragrance. Repeat every couple of weeks to keep the odor from returning.
45. Reduce Asthma Symptoms
In addition to a general detoxifying diet, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice before each meal, and before retiring can reduce asthma symptoms.
In addition to a general detoxifying diet, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice before each meal, and before retiring can reduce asthma symptoms.
* If you do consume lemon peel, stick to organic lemons to reduce your pesticide exposure.
Sunday, April 7, 2013
Uses for Hydrogen Peroxide Around the House
Kitchen
Clean Your Wooden Cutting Board. An improperly cleaned cutting board is a breeding ground for bacteria. Clean it thoroughly, without harsh chemicals, with hydrogen peroxide and vinegar.
Make Sure Your Veggies are Safe. Nobody wants bacteria-filled vegetables. Place 3% hydrogen peroxide into a spray bottle and mist over your produce, letting it soak for about five minutes before rinsing off and drying.
Clean Sponges. Just can’t seem to get that funky smell out of your sponges? Combine equal parts hydrogen peroxide and warm water in a shallow bowl, and let the sponge soak for about 15 minutes before rinsing thoroughly.
Remove baked-on crud from pots and pans. Combine hydrogen peroxide with enough baking soda to make a paste, then rub onto the dirty pan and let it sit for a while. Come back later with a scrubby sponge and some warm water, and the baked-on stains will lift right off.
Stain Fighting
Red Wine. Combine equal parts hydrogen peroxide and liquid detergent and pour over the stain. Blot with a towel, wash with warm water, and let it dry.
Armpits. Sweaty? Get rid of embarrassing armpit stains by placing a mixture of 1 part dishwashing liquid and 2 parts hydrogen peroxide on the affected area. Let it sit for about an hour before rinsing away in cold water.
Blood. Hydrogen peroxide is a bleach, so it’ll help get rid of pesky blood stains. Pour it directly onto the stain and let it sit for about five minutes. Blot and rinse in cold water. You may need to repeat this once or twice to fully lift the stain. Word of warning: as a (albeit mild) bleach, it can also whiten your clothes — use caution!
Stained Tiles & Stone Countertops. No matter what the culprit was, hydrogen peroxide works wonders on removing stains from stone and tile. Combine it with flour to create a thick paste and apply to the stain. Let it sit overnight covered in plastic wrap. Carefully remove in the morning.
Health & Beauty
Whiten Nails. Who needs a French manicure when you can make your nails shine with a little hydrogen peroxide? Just soak a cotton ball with peroxide and rub it on your nails.
Get Rid of a Cold. It might sound a little strange, but putting a few drops of hydrogen peroxide into each of your ears every morning can help you beat a cold.
Use as a Mouthwash. Dilute in water (the mixture should be about half water-half hydrogen peroxide) and use as a mouthwash, being very careful not to swallow any of the stuff. It’ll kill germs & whiten your teeth. Some experts even think it helps alleviate toothaches and canker sores!
Cleaning
Disinfect Countertops. Hydrogen peroxide is great for keeping your countertops clean and safe. Spray onto counters, let it sit, and wipe clean.
Clean Toilet Bowls. Easy: just pour the stuff into the bowl and let it soak for about 20-30 minutes before scrubbing clean.
Clean Out the Fridge. Non-toxic hydrogen peroxide is an ideal cleaning tool for your fridge. Apply, let it soak, and wipe clean. You can also do this with dishwashers.
Clean up Mold. Hydrogen peroxide works wonders on pesky mold — even the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services agrees!
Brighten dingy floors. Combine half a cup of hydrogen peroxide with one gallon of hot water, then go to town on your flooring. Because it’s so mild, it’s safe for any floor type and there’s no need to rinse.
Clean kids’ toys and play areas. Hydrogen peroxide is a safe cleaner to use around kids, or anyone with respiratory problems, because it’s not a lung irritant. Fill an opaque spray bottle with hydrogen peroxide and spray toys, toy boxes, doorknobs, and anything else your kids touch on a regular basis. You could also soak a rag in peroxide to make a wipe.
Uses for Lemons Around the House
When life gives you lemons, use them to clean your house.
Juicy, aromatic and highly acidic, lemons bring out the flavor in sweet and savory foods but they nearly always play a supporting role in the kitchen. Stop relegating them to the rim of your glass and give these winter citrus fruits their due – because they’re serious cleaning and freshening powerhouses.
These 20 unusual uses for lemon juice will make your home look and smell fresh, brighten your laundry, and improve your hair, nails and skin.
These 20 unusual uses for lemon juice will make your home look and smell fresh, brighten your laundry, and improve your hair, nails and skin.
Quick tip: roll a fresh lemon under your palm on the countertop to soften it up for easier juicing.
Fingernail Brightener
Nails looking dull and yellowed after a long period covered in dark polish? Just squeeze a lemon into a small dish, clean your nails and soak them in the lemon juice for a minute or two. Some women claim that this treatment will also make nails stronger, particularly when adding a tablespoon or so of olive oil to the dish.
Fingernail Brightener
Nails looking dull and yellowed after a long period covered in dark polish? Just squeeze a lemon into a small dish, clean your nails and soak them in the lemon juice for a minute or two. Some women claim that this treatment will also make nails stronger, particularly when adding a tablespoon or so of olive oil to the dish.
Food Preservative
Keep cut fruit and vegetables like apples, pears, avocados and potatoes from turning brown by squeezing on a little bit of lemon juice. You can also perk up droopy lettuce by soaking it for an hour in a bowl of cold water and the juice of one lemon.
Keep cut fruit and vegetables like apples, pears, avocados and potatoes from turning brown by squeezing on a little bit of lemon juice. You can also perk up droopy lettuce by soaking it for an hour in a bowl of cold water and the juice of one lemon.
Emergency Deodorant
Caught smelling less-than-fresh, with no deodorant around to save the day? Cut a lemon in half (or snag a wedge from your drinking glass) and rub it under your arms. The citric acid in lemon juice will reportedly kill odor-causing bacteria. In fact, you could use this trick to ditch conventional deodorants altogether.
Caught smelling less-than-fresh, with no deodorant around to save the day? Cut a lemon in half (or snag a wedge from your drinking glass) and rub it under your arms. The citric acid in lemon juice will reportedly kill odor-causing bacteria. In fact, you could use this trick to ditch conventional deodorants altogether.
Odor Destroyer
Even garlic, fish, mothballs and that disgusting gunk in your garbage disposal can’t stand up to lemon juice’s odor-eliminating power. Use a cut lemon or fresh-squeezed lemon juice to remove bad smells from your refrigerator, cutting board, microwave or practically any other surface. You can even add it to the cooking water of stinky foods like cabbage, or just simmer lemon peel in water on the stovetop as a natural air freshener.
Even garlic, fish, mothballs and that disgusting gunk in your garbage disposal can’t stand up to lemon juice’s odor-eliminating power. Use a cut lemon or fresh-squeezed lemon juice to remove bad smells from your refrigerator, cutting board, microwave or practically any other surface. You can even add it to the cooking water of stinky foods like cabbage, or just simmer lemon peel in water on the stovetop as a natural air freshener.
Insect Deterrent
Many insects are highly sensitive to smell, including spiders, ants, fleas and typically so-hardy-they’re-almost-alien cockroaches. Squirt lemon juice in windowsills, the thresholds of doors, along baseboards and into any cracks where insects might get into the house. Add lemon juice to your floor wash for even more insect-repelling action.
Many insects are highly sensitive to smell, including spiders, ants, fleas and typically so-hardy-they’re-almost-alien cockroaches. Squirt lemon juice in windowsills, the thresholds of doors, along baseboards and into any cracks where insects might get into the house. Add lemon juice to your floor wash for even more insect-repelling action.
Lighten Age Spots and Freckles
There’s some debate as to whether this actually works, but if you’re desperate to reduce the appearance of freckles or dreaded age spots, lemon juice might be worth a try. Apply lemon juice with a cotton ball once per day and over time – we’re talking months – they may lighten a little bit.
There’s some debate as to whether this actually works, but if you’re desperate to reduce the appearance of freckles or dreaded age spots, lemon juice might be worth a try. Apply lemon juice with a cotton ball once per day and over time – we’re talking months – they may lighten a little bit.
Glass Cleaner
Lemon juice will make hard water stains, debris and other marks on glass disappear. Use straight lemon juice on a sponge for tough jobs, or dilute a few tablespoons in a cup of water and spray it on. Wipe it off with newspaper for totally transparent windows (that might just kill a bird or two.)
Lemon juice will make hard water stains, debris and other marks on glass disappear. Use straight lemon juice on a sponge for tough jobs, or dilute a few tablespoons in a cup of water and spray it on. Wipe it off with newspaper for totally transparent windows (that might just kill a bird or two.)
Stain Remover
Sweat, mildew, berries, wine, oil – pretty much any substance that leaves a stain on fabric can be removed with good old lemon juice. Durable fabrics can be rubbed with a paste of lemon juice and salt while more delicate fabrics might require a gentler touch, saturating the stain with lemon juice and then washing it out.
Sweat, mildew, berries, wine, oil – pretty much any substance that leaves a stain on fabric can be removed with good old lemon juice. Durable fabrics can be rubbed with a paste of lemon juice and salt while more delicate fabrics might require a gentler touch, saturating the stain with lemon juice and then washing it out.
Sore Throat Soother
Gargle with a teaspoon of lemon juice in 1/8 cup of warm water to help shrink swollen throat tissue and kill bacteria. Frequent cups of hot tea made with a tablespoon of honey and a tablespoon of lemon juice will also do the trick.
Gargle with a teaspoon of lemon juice in 1/8 cup of warm water to help shrink swollen throat tissue and kill bacteria. Frequent cups of hot tea made with a tablespoon of honey and a tablespoon of lemon juice will also do the trick.
Toilet Cleaner
When mixed with household borax (not the insecticide kind), lemon juice can remove even those stubborn rust stains from the toilet bowl. Make a paste of borax and lemon juice and apply it to the stain with a scrub brush or sponge. Let it sit for up to two hours, then scrub away.
When mixed with household borax (not the insecticide kind), lemon juice can remove even those stubborn rust stains from the toilet bowl. Make a paste of borax and lemon juice and apply it to the stain with a scrub brush or sponge. Let it sit for up to two hours, then scrub away.
Metabolism Booster
Does lemon juice really boost metabolism? Some of the claims raise red flags as being a bit too enthusiastic, and most of these lemon-based “metabolism boosters” are recommended as food replacements in starvation diets. But hey, adding a little lemon juice to your water every day will make it taste better, and drinking more water can definitely help you lose weight. So, there’s that!
Does lemon juice really boost metabolism? Some of the claims raise red flags as being a bit too enthusiastic, and most of these lemon-based “metabolism boosters” are recommended as food replacements in starvation diets. But hey, adding a little lemon juice to your water every day will make it taste better, and drinking more water can definitely help you lose weight. So, there’s that!
Dandruff Treatment
Lemon juice may not cure dandruff or prevent it from occurring in the first place, but it can remove flakes that are already present so you don’t have to worry about them making an appearance on your clothing. Massage lemon juice into your scalp, leave it on for ten minutes and shampoo as usual.
Lemon juice may not cure dandruff or prevent it from occurring in the first place, but it can remove flakes that are already present so you don’t have to worry about them making an appearance on your clothing. Massage lemon juice into your scalp, leave it on for ten minutes and shampoo as usual.
Metal Polish
Slice a lemon in half, dip it in salt and rub it onto metal surfaces like stainless steel ranges and copper pots to eliminate grime and make them gleam.
Slice a lemon in half, dip it in salt and rub it onto metal surfaces like stainless steel ranges and copper pots to eliminate grime and make them gleam.
Rice De-Sticker
A few drops of lemon juice added to simmering rice will keep it from sticking to the pot, making clean-up a lot easier.
A few drops of lemon juice added to simmering rice will keep it from sticking to the pot, making clean-up a lot easier.
Hair Highlighter
You can achieve natural-looking highlights at home with nothing more than a little lemon juice, a sunny day and something to occupy your hands for an hour or two. Either apply it directly to the strands you want to highlight or get an overall lightening effect by spraying on a diluted mixture of 1/2 cup lemon juice to 1/2 cup of water. The intensity of the lightening will vary depending on your hair type and texture.
You can achieve natural-looking highlights at home with nothing more than a little lemon juice, a sunny day and something to occupy your hands for an hour or two. Either apply it directly to the strands you want to highlight or get an overall lightening effect by spraying on a diluted mixture of 1/2 cup lemon juice to 1/2 cup of water. The intensity of the lightening will vary depending on your hair type and texture.
Laundry Brightener
Just as it removes stains, lemon juice can act as a natural, non-toxic alternative to bleach. Add a quarter cup of juice to the washing machine to brighten whites. Lemon juice’s stain-removing power is further heightened by hanging the treated laundry up to dry in the sun.
Just as it removes stains, lemon juice can act as a natural, non-toxic alternative to bleach. Add a quarter cup of juice to the washing machine to brighten whites. Lemon juice’s stain-removing power is further heightened by hanging the treated laundry up to dry in the sun.
Heartburn Relief
The efficacy of this trick depends on whether your heartburn is caused by too much acid in your stomach, or not enough. If it’s the latter, drinking a little lemon juice in water can quickly relieve discomfort.
The efficacy of this trick depends on whether your heartburn is caused by too much acid in your stomach, or not enough. If it’s the latter, drinking a little lemon juice in water can quickly relieve discomfort.
Facial Treatment
Applied with a cotton ball, a little lemon juice acts as an astringent, eliminating oil and tightening pores for a smoother look. Mix salt and lemon juice into a paste for an all-natural exfoliant.
Applied with a cotton ball, a little lemon juice acts as an astringent, eliminating oil and tightening pores for a smoother look. Mix salt and lemon juice into a paste for an all-natural exfoliant.
Itchy Skin Soother
Apply full-strength lemon juice to unbearably itchy skin rashes like poison ivy to soothe them and keep them from spreading.
Apply full-strength lemon juice to unbearably itchy skin rashes like poison ivy to soothe them and keep them from spreading.
Uses for Vinegar Around the House
Clear dirt off PCs and peripherals
Put the shimmer back in your brass, bronze, and copper objects by making a paste of equal parts white vinegar and salt, or vinegar and baking soda (wait for the fizzing to stop before using). Use a clean, soft cloth or paper towel to rub the paste into the item until the tarnish is gone. Then rinse with cool water and polish with a soft towel until dry.
Erase ballpoint-pen marks
Has the budding young artist in your home just decorated a painted wall in your home with a ballpoint original? Don’t lose your cool. Rather, dab some full-strength white vinegar on the “masterpiece” using a cloth or a sponge. Repeat until the marks are gone. Then go out and buy your child a nice big sketch pad.
Unglue stickers, decals, and price tags
To remove a sticker or decal affixed to painted furniture or a painted wall, simply saturate the corners and sides of the sticker with full-strength white vinegar and carefully scrape it off (using an expired credit card or a plastic phone card). Remove any sticky remains by pouring on a bit more vinegar. Let it sit for a minute or two, and then wipe with a clean cloth. This approach is equally effective for removing price tags and other stickers from glass, plastic, and other glossy surfaces.
Burnish your scissors
When your scissor blades get sticky or grimy, don’t use water to wash them off; you’re far more likely to rust the fastener that holds the blades together — or the blades themselves — than get them clean. Instead, wipe down the blades with a cloth dipped in full-strength white vinegar, and then dry it off with a rag or dish towel.
Get the salt off your shoes
As if a winter’s worth of ice, slush, and snow wasn’t rough enough on your shoes and boots, the worst thing, by far, is all the rock salt that’s used to melt it. In addition to leaving unsightly white stains, salt can actually cause your footwear to crack and even disintegrate if it’s left on indefinitely. To remove it and prevent long-term damage, wipe fresh stains with a cloth dipped in undiluted white vinegar.
Clean your piano keys
Here’s an easy and efficient way to get those grimy fingerprints and stains off your piano keys. Dip a soft cloth into a solution of 1/2 cup white vinegar mixed in 2 cups water, squeeze it out until there are no drips, then gently wipe off each key. Use a second cloth to dry off the keys as you move along, then leave the keyboard uncovered for 24 hours.
Deodorize lunch boxes, footlockers, and car trunks
Does your old footlocker smell like, well, an old footlocker? Or perhaps your child’s lunch box has taken on the bouquet of week-old tuna? What about that musty old car trunk? Quit holding your breath every time you open it. Instead, soak a slice of white bread in white vinegar and leave it in the malodorous space overnight. The smell should be gone by morning.
Freshen a musty closet
Got a closet that doesn’t smell as fresh as you’d like? First, remove the contents, then wash down the walls, ceiling, and floor with a cloth dampened in a solution of 1 cup each of vinegar and ammonia and 1/4 cup baking soda in 1 gallon (3.7 liters) water. Keep the closet door open and let the interior dry before replacing your clothes and other stuff. If the smell persists, place a small pan of cat litter inside. Replenish every few days until the odor is gone.
Brighten up brickwork
How’s this for an effortless way to clean your brick floors without breaking out the polish? Just go over them with a damp mop dipped in 1 cup white vinegar mixed with 1 gallon (3.7 liters) warm water. Your floors will look so good you’ll never think about cleaning them with anything else. You can also use this same solution to brighten up the bricks around your fireplace.
Revitalize wood paneling
Does the wood paneling in your den look dull and dreary? Liven it up with this simple homemade remedy: Mix 1 pint warm water, 4 tablespoons white or apple cider vinegar, and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a container, give it a couple of shakes, and apply with a clean cloth. Let the mixture soak into the wood for several minutes, then polish with a dry cloth.
Restore your rugs
If your rugs or carpets are looking worn and dingy from too much foot traffic or an excess of kids’ building blocks, toy trucks, and such, bring them back to life by brushing them with a clean push broom dipped in a solution of 1 cup white vinegar in 1 gallon (3.7 liters) water. Your faded threads will perk up, and you don’t even need to rinse off the solution.
Remove carpet stains
You can lift out many stains from your carpet with vinegar:
1. Rub light carpet stains with a mixture of 2 tablespoons salt dissolved in 1/2 cup white vinegar. Let the solution dry, then vacuum.
Remove candle wax
Candles are great for creating a romantic mood, but the mood can quickly sour if you wind up getting melted candle wax on your fine wood furniture. To remove it, first soften the wax using a blow-dryer on its hottest setting and blot up as much as you can with paper towels. Then remove what’s left by rubbing with a cloth soaked in a solution made of equal parts white vinegar and water. Wipe clean with a soft, absorbent cloth.
Give grease stains the slip
Eliminate grease stains from your kitchen table or counter by wiping them down with a cloth dampened in a solution of equal parts white vinegar and water. In addition to removing the grease, the vinegar will neutralize any odors on the surface (once its own aroma evaporates, that is).
Conceal scratches in wood furniture
Got a scratch on a wooden tabletop that grabs your attention every time you look at it? To make it much less noticeable, mix some distilled or cider vinegar and iodine in a small jar and paint over the scratch with a small artist’s brush. Use more iodine for darker woods; more vinegar for lighter shades.
Get rid of water rings on furniture
To remove white rings left by wet glasses on wood furniture, mix equal parts vinegar and olive oil and apply it with a soft cloth while moving with the wood grain. Use another clean, soft cloth to shine it up. To get white water rings off leather furniture, dab them with a sponge soaked in full-strength white vinegar.
Wipe off wax or polish buildup
When furniture polish or wax builds up on wood furniture or leather tabletops, get rid of it with diluted white vinegar. To get built-up polish off a piece of wood furniture, dip a cloth in equal parts vinegar and water and squeeze it out well. Then, moving with the grain, clean away the polish. Wipe dry with a soft towel or cloth. Most leather tabletops will come clean simply by wiping them down with a soft cloth dipped in 1/4 cup vinegar and 1/2 cup water. Use a clean towel to dry off any remaining liquid.
Revitalize leather furniture
Has your leather sofa or easy chair lost its luster? To restore it to its former glory, mix equal parts white vinegar and boiled linseed oil in a recycled spray bottle, shake it up well, and spray it on. Spread it evenly over your furniture using a soft cloth, give it a couple of minutes to settle in, then rub it off with a clean cloth.
BEAUTY:
Hair:
It is widely known that apple cider vinegar can be used as a rinse for your hair after shampooing to add healthy body and shine. Recycle an old shampoo bottle and fill it with ½ a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and a cup of cold water. Pour through your hair after shampooing several times a week.
Weight-Loss:
For daily weight and pH balance maintenance, add 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar to 16 oz of water. Sip this concoction throughout the day.
Cleaning:
Mix ½ cup of apple cider vinegar with 1 cup water. You can use this concoction to clean microwaves, bathroom tiles, kitchen surfaces, windows, glasses and mirrors. This mixture also works as a disinfectant.
Your computer, printer, fax machine, and other home office gear will work better if you keep them clean and dust-free. Before you start cleaning, make sure that all your equipment is shut off. Now mix equal parts white vinegar and water in a bucket. Dampen a clean cloth in the solution — never use a spray bottle; you don’t want to get liquid on the circuits inside — then squeeze it out as hard as you can, and start wiping. Keep a few cotton swabs on hand for getting to the buildups in tight spaces (like around the keys of your keyboard).
Clean your computer mouse
If you have a mouse with a removable tracking ball, use a 50/50 vinegar-water solution to clean it. First, remove the ball from underneath the mouse by twisting off the cover over it. Use a cloth, dampened with the solution and wrung out, to wipe the ball clean and to remove fingerprints and dirt from the mouse itself. Then use a moistened cotton swab to clean out the gunk and debris from inside the ball chamber (let it dry a couple of hours before reinserting the ball).
Clean your window blinds
You can make the job of cleaning mini-blinds or venetians considerably less torturous by giving them “the white glove treatment.” Just put on a white cotton glove — the kind sold for gardening is perfect — and moisten the fingers in a solution made of equal parts white vinegar and hot tap water. Now simply slide your fingers across both sides of each slat and prepare to be amazed. Use a container of clean water to periodically wash off the glove.
Unclog and deodorize drains
The combination of vinegar and baking soda is one of the most effective ways to unclog and deodorize drains. It’s also far gentler on your pipes (and your wallet) than commercial drain cleaners.
1.To clear clogs in sink and tub drains, use a funnel to pour in 1/2 cup baking soda followed by 1 cup vinegar. When the foaming subsides, flush with hot tap water. Wait five minutes, and then flush again with cold water. Besides clearing blockages, this technique also washes away odor-causing bacteria.
2. To speed up a slow drain, pour in 1/2 cup salt followed by 2 cups boiling vinegar, then flush with hot and cold tap water.
Get rid of smoke odor
If you’ve recently burned a steak — or if your chain-smoking aunt recently paid you a surprise visit — remove the lingering smoky odor by placing a shallow bowl about three-quarters full of white or cider vinegar in the room where the scent is strongest. Use several bowls if the smell permeates your entire home. The odor should be gone in less than a day. You can also quickly dispense of the smell of fresh cigarette smoke inside a room by moistening a cloth with vinegar and waving it around a bit.
Wipe away mildew
When you want to remove mildew stains, reach for white vinegar first. It can be safely used without additional ventilation and can be applied to almost any surface –bathroom fixtures and tile, clothing, furniture, painted surfaces, plastic curtains, and more. To eliminate heavy mildew accumulations, use it full strength. For light stains, dilute it with an equal amount of water. You can also prevent mildew from forming on the bottoms of rugs and carpeting by misting the backs with full-strength white vinegar from a spray bottle.
Clean chrome and stainless steel
To clean chrome and stainless steel fixtures around your home, apply a light misting of undiluted white vinegar from a recycled spray bottle. Buff with a soft cloth to bring out the brightness.
Shine your silver
Make your silverware — as well as your pure silver bracelets, rings, and other jewelry — shine like new by soaking them in a mixture of 1/2 cup white vinegar and 2 tablespoons baking soda for two to three hours. Rinse them under cold water and dry thoroughly with a soft cloth.
Polish brass and copper items
Put the shimmer back in your brass, bronze, and copper objects by making a paste of equal parts white vinegar and salt, or vinegar and baking soda (wait for the fizzing to stop before using). Use a clean, soft cloth or paper towel to rub the paste into the item until the tarnish is gone. Then rinse with cool water and polish with a soft towel until dry.
Erase ballpoint-pen marks
Has the budding young artist in your home just decorated a painted wall in your home with a ballpoint original? Don’t lose your cool. Rather, dab some full-strength white vinegar on the “masterpiece” using a cloth or a sponge. Repeat until the marks are gone. Then go out and buy your child a nice big sketch pad.
Unglue stickers, decals, and price tags
To remove a sticker or decal affixed to painted furniture or a painted wall, simply saturate the corners and sides of the sticker with full-strength white vinegar and carefully scrape it off (using an expired credit card or a plastic phone card). Remove any sticky remains by pouring on a bit more vinegar. Let it sit for a minute or two, and then wipe with a clean cloth. This approach is equally effective for removing price tags and other stickers from glass, plastic, and other glossy surfaces.
Burnish your scissors
When your scissor blades get sticky or grimy, don’t use water to wash them off; you’re far more likely to rust the fastener that holds the blades together — or the blades themselves — than get them clean. Instead, wipe down the blades with a cloth dipped in full-strength white vinegar, and then dry it off with a rag or dish towel.
Get the salt off your shoes
As if a winter’s worth of ice, slush, and snow wasn’t rough enough on your shoes and boots, the worst thing, by far, is all the rock salt that’s used to melt it. In addition to leaving unsightly white stains, salt can actually cause your footwear to crack and even disintegrate if it’s left on indefinitely. To remove it and prevent long-term damage, wipe fresh stains with a cloth dipped in undiluted white vinegar.
Clean your piano keys
Here’s an easy and efficient way to get those grimy fingerprints and stains off your piano keys. Dip a soft cloth into a solution of 1/2 cup white vinegar mixed in 2 cups water, squeeze it out until there are no drips, then gently wipe off each key. Use a second cloth to dry off the keys as you move along, then leave the keyboard uncovered for 24 hours.
Deodorize lunch boxes, footlockers, and car trunks
Does your old footlocker smell like, well, an old footlocker? Or perhaps your child’s lunch box has taken on the bouquet of week-old tuna? What about that musty old car trunk? Quit holding your breath every time you open it. Instead, soak a slice of white bread in white vinegar and leave it in the malodorous space overnight. The smell should be gone by morning.
Freshen a musty closet
Got a closet that doesn’t smell as fresh as you’d like? First, remove the contents, then wash down the walls, ceiling, and floor with a cloth dampened in a solution of 1 cup each of vinegar and ammonia and 1/4 cup baking soda in 1 gallon (3.7 liters) water. Keep the closet door open and let the interior dry before replacing your clothes and other stuff. If the smell persists, place a small pan of cat litter inside. Replenish every few days until the odor is gone.
Brighten up brickwork
How’s this for an effortless way to clean your brick floors without breaking out the polish? Just go over them with a damp mop dipped in 1 cup white vinegar mixed with 1 gallon (3.7 liters) warm water. Your floors will look so good you’ll never think about cleaning them with anything else. You can also use this same solution to brighten up the bricks around your fireplace.
Revitalize wood paneling
Does the wood paneling in your den look dull and dreary? Liven it up with this simple homemade remedy: Mix 1 pint warm water, 4 tablespoons white or apple cider vinegar, and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a container, give it a couple of shakes, and apply with a clean cloth. Let the mixture soak into the wood for several minutes, then polish with a dry cloth.
Restore your rugs
If your rugs or carpets are looking worn and dingy from too much foot traffic or an excess of kids’ building blocks, toy trucks, and such, bring them back to life by brushing them with a clean push broom dipped in a solution of 1 cup white vinegar in 1 gallon (3.7 liters) water. Your faded threads will perk up, and you don’t even need to rinse off the solution.
Remove carpet stains
You can lift out many stains from your carpet with vinegar:
1. Rub light carpet stains with a mixture of 2 tablespoons salt dissolved in 1/2 cup white vinegar. Let the solution dry, then vacuum.
2. For larger or darker stains, add 2 tablespoons borax to the mixture and use in the same way.
3. For tough, ground-in dirt and other stains, make a paste of 1 tablespoon vinegar with 1 tablespoon cornstarch, and rub it into the stain using a dry cloth. Let it set for two days, then vacuum.
4. To make spray-on spot and stain remover, fill a spray bottle with 5 parts water and 1 part vinegar. Fill a second spray bottle with 1 part non-sudsy ammonia and 5 parts water. Saturate a stain with the vinegar solution. Let it settle for a few minutes, then blot thoroughly with a clean, dry cloth. Then spray and blot using the ammonia solution. Repeat until the stain is gone.
Remove candle wax
Candles are great for creating a romantic mood, but the mood can quickly sour if you wind up getting melted candle wax on your fine wood furniture. To remove it, first soften the wax using a blow-dryer on its hottest setting and blot up as much as you can with paper towels. Then remove what’s left by rubbing with a cloth soaked in a solution made of equal parts white vinegar and water. Wipe clean with a soft, absorbent cloth.
Give grease stains the slip
Eliminate grease stains from your kitchen table or counter by wiping them down with a cloth dampened in a solution of equal parts white vinegar and water. In addition to removing the grease, the vinegar will neutralize any odors on the surface (once its own aroma evaporates, that is).
Conceal scratches in wood furniture
Got a scratch on a wooden tabletop that grabs your attention every time you look at it? To make it much less noticeable, mix some distilled or cider vinegar and iodine in a small jar and paint over the scratch with a small artist’s brush. Use more iodine for darker woods; more vinegar for lighter shades.
Get rid of water rings on furniture
To remove white rings left by wet glasses on wood furniture, mix equal parts vinegar and olive oil and apply it with a soft cloth while moving with the wood grain. Use another clean, soft cloth to shine it up. To get white water rings off leather furniture, dab them with a sponge soaked in full-strength white vinegar.
Wipe off wax or polish buildup
When furniture polish or wax builds up on wood furniture or leather tabletops, get rid of it with diluted white vinegar. To get built-up polish off a piece of wood furniture, dip a cloth in equal parts vinegar and water and squeeze it out well. Then, moving with the grain, clean away the polish. Wipe dry with a soft towel or cloth. Most leather tabletops will come clean simply by wiping them down with a soft cloth dipped in 1/4 cup vinegar and 1/2 cup water. Use a clean towel to dry off any remaining liquid.
Revitalize leather furniture
Has your leather sofa or easy chair lost its luster? To restore it to its former glory, mix equal parts white vinegar and boiled linseed oil in a recycled spray bottle, shake it up well, and spray it on. Spread it evenly over your furniture using a soft cloth, give it a couple of minutes to settle in, then rub it off with a clean cloth.
BEAUTY:
Hair:
It is widely known that apple cider vinegar can be used as a rinse for your hair after shampooing to add healthy body and shine. Recycle an old shampoo bottle and fill it with ½ a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and a cup of cold water. Pour through your hair after shampooing several times a week.
Face:
Did you know that apple cider vinegar can help regulate the pH of your skin? Dilute apple cider vinegar with two parts water, and spread the concoction over your face with a cotton ball as a toner. You can do this at night after washing, and in the morning before you apply your moisturizer. You can also dab apple cider vinegar directly onto age spots and leave them on overnight to lighten their color.
Did you know that apple cider vinegar can help regulate the pH of your skin? Dilute apple cider vinegar with two parts water, and spread the concoction over your face with a cotton ball as a toner. You can do this at night after washing, and in the morning before you apply your moisturizer. You can also dab apple cider vinegar directly onto age spots and leave them on overnight to lighten their color.
Hands and Feet:
Are your hands and feet feeling tired and swollen after a long day? Treat yourself to a personal spa massage by rubbing apple cider vinegar onto them.
Are your hands and feet feeling tired and swollen after a long day? Treat yourself to a personal spa massage by rubbing apple cider vinegar onto them.
Sunburn:
Suffering from a bad sunburn? Add a cup of apple cider vinegar to your bath and soak for 10 minutes.
Suffering from a bad sunburn? Add a cup of apple cider vinegar to your bath and soak for 10 minutes.
Teeth:
Did you know that apple cider vinegar can help remove stains from teeth? Rub teeth directly with apple cider vinegar and rinse out.
Did you know that apple cider vinegar can help remove stains from teeth? Rub teeth directly with apple cider vinegar and rinse out.
Aftershave:
Fill a bottle with equal parts apple cider vinegar and water and shake to blend.
Fill a bottle with equal parts apple cider vinegar and water and shake to blend.
HEALTH:
Weight-Loss:
For daily weight and pH balance maintenance, add 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar to 16 oz of water. Sip this concoction throughout the day.
Detox:
Add 2 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to a 1 or 2 liter filtered water bottle. Drink this throughout the day to cleanse your body and kidneys all day long.
Add 2 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to a 1 or 2 liter filtered water bottle. Drink this throughout the day to cleanse your body and kidneys all day long.
HOME AND PETS
Cleaning:
Mix ½ cup of apple cider vinegar with 1 cup water. You can use this concoction to clean microwaves, bathroom tiles, kitchen surfaces, windows, glasses and mirrors. This mixture also works as a disinfectant.
Flea Reduction:
Rub apple cider vinegar onto your pet’s skin. Add a little bit of apple cider vinegar to their water. Spray apple cider vinegar, diluted 50 percent with water, onto your pets and onto your furniture to repel the presence of fleas.
Rub apple cider vinegar onto your pet’s skin. Add a little bit of apple cider vinegar to their water. Spray apple cider vinegar, diluted 50 percent with water, onto your pets and onto your furniture to repel the presence of fleas.
Uses for Baking Soda Around the Home
Do you give much thought about baking soda? Probably not. Other than adding it to recipes to make the batter rise, you probably just let the box sit in your cupboard among your other baking supplies. But, baking soda, which is also known as Sodium Bicarbonate, is much more than a baking supply. It can actually make your life easier. Not only is baking powder economical to purchase, but it's also one hundred percent safe and natural to use everywhere around your house!
Relieve skin itch from insect bites and pain from sunburn.
Remove strong odors from your hands by rubbing them with baking soda and water.
Put two tablespoons in your baby’s bathwater to help relieve diaper rash.
Apply it on rashes, insect bites, and poison ivy irritations.
Take a baking soda bath to relieve skin irritations.
Heartburn? Take a teaspoon of baking soda mixed with one-half glass of water.
Freshen your mouth by gargling half a teaspoon of baking soda mixed water.
Relieve canker sore pain by using it as mouthwash.
Use it to relieve bee stings.
Use it to relieve windburns.
Apply it on jellyfish sting to draw out the venom.
Unblock stuffy nose by adding a teaspoon of baking soda to your vaporizer.
Put out small fires on rugs, upholstery, clothing, and wood.
Put an open container of baking soda in the fridge to absorb the odors.
Sprinkle it on your ashtrays to reduce bad odor and prevent smoldering.
Sprinkle it on your slippers, boots, shoes, and socks to eliminate foul odor.
Turn baking soda into modeling clay by combining it with one and 1/4 cups of water and one cup of cornstarch.
After feeding your baby, wipe his shirt with a moist cloth sprinkled with baking soda to remove the odor.
Wipe your windshield with it to repel rain.
Improve the smell of dishrags by soaking them in baking soda and water.
Suck it in with your vacuum cleaner to remove the odor.
Freshen the air by mixing baking soda with your favorite perfumed bath salts. Put the mixture in small sachet bags.
Restore stiff brushes by boiling them in a solution of 1/2 gallon of water, 1/4 cup of vinegar, and a cup of baking soda.
Put it under sinks and along basement windows to repel cockroaches and ants.
Scatter baking soda around flowerbeds to prevent rabbits from eating your veggies.
Sweeten your tomatoes by sprinkling baking soda on the soil around your tomato plants.
Sprinkle it onto your cat’s litter box to absorb the bad odor.
Sprinkle it on your pet’s comb or brush to deodorize their fur and skin.
In Cooking
Wash fruits and vegetables with it.
When boiling a chicken, add a teaspoon of baking soda to the water. Feathers will come off easier, and the flesh will be clean and white.
Soak dried beans to a baking soda solution to make them more digestible.
Remove the distinctive taste of wild game by soaking it in a baking soda solution.
Remove the fishy smell from your fillets by soaking the raw fish in a baking soda solution for an hour
inside the fridge.
Make fluffier omelets by adding half a teaspoon of baking soda for every three eggs used.
Reduce the acid content of your tomato-based recipes by sprinkling them with a pinch of baking soda.
Cleaning Purposes
Use it to scrub sinks, showers, plastic and porcelain tubs
Spray it on walls, mirrors, and countertops.
Add a spoonful to your dishwasher to make scrubbing dishes easier.
Remove grease from pots and pans.
Dry clean carpets and upholstered furniture by sprinkling baking soda over the fabric and gently brushing it. Leave it for an hour or overnight, then vacuum.
Boost your laundry detergent’s cleaning power by sprinkling a handful on dirty clothes.
Combine it with water to make a paste for polishing stainless steel and chrome.
Remove scratches and crayon marks from vinyl floors and walls.
Clean your shoes with it.
Clean garbage cans with it.
Use it to wash diapers.
Clean the fridge with it.
Mix it with water to wash food and drink containers.
Put three tablespoons of baking soda to a quart of warm water, then use the mixture to wash marble-topped furniture.
Absorb it with a damp sponge, then clean Formica countertops with the sponge.
Use it to get rid of stale odors from cooling containers and thermos bottles.
Run your coffee maker with a baking soda solution, then rinse.
Combine with hot water to clean baby bottles.
Sprinkle it on barbecue grills, then rinse it off.
Scatter it on your greasy garage floor, scrub the floor, and rinse.
Remove burned-on food from a pan by soaking it in a baking soda solution for 10 minutes before washing.
Clean your ashtrays with a baking soda solution.
Keep your drains clean by putting four tablespoons of baking soda in them each week. Flush it down with hot water.
Clean your shower curtains by soaking them in baking soda and water.
Put it on a small brush to rub canvas handbags clean.
Use it to remove melted plastic bread wrapper from a toaster. Sprinkle baking soda on a damp rug, then use the rug to clean the toaster.
Use it to clean your retainers and dentures.
Make a thick paste of baking soda and water, and used it to scrub enameled cast iron and stainless steel.
Mix four tablespoons of baking soda with a quart of warm water, and use it to clean the inside part of an oven.
In the Bathroom
One part baking soda mixed with two parts of ground oatmeal makes a great scrub for your face. Just mix together the two ingredients and add enough water to make a paste. Gently rub the paste onto your face, avoiding the eye area. Leave the facial on for a few minutes. Then, gently remove it with plenty of cool water and a wash cloth. Your face will feel noticeably soft and smooth!
Is your skin suffering from a case of Poison Ivy or Sumac? Or, do the kids have Measles or Chicken Pox? Add a half cup of baking soda to a bath tub full of warm water. Soak the entire body. The baking soda will help relieve the itching and irritation. It will also help to soften skin!
There are many teeth whitening products on the market today, but the most natural is plain old baking soda. Simply dip your toothbrush into some soda every time you brush! Not only will it help whiten your teeth, but it will help to clean your breath as well!
Baking soda can also be used to safely clean dentures, partials, and other dental apparatus.
You can use baking soda just like a dry cleanser to clean sinks, bath tubs, and toilets. It works especially well on chrome fixtures! It rinses off easily and you don't have to worry about scratches either.
Hairbrushes and combs pick up not only loose hair, but they also get oily. Clean yours once a month by soaking them in a solution of warm water and a teaspoon or two of baking soda. Scrub them with a soft brush, if needed, then rinse them with clean water and let them air dry.
Is your hair dull and dingy? Maybe you have a build up of shampoo, spray, mousse, and other products in your hair. Mix a teaspoon of baking soda in with your shampoo the next time you wash your hair. The soda will remove any build up and leave your hair soft.
In the Kitchen
A pan with burnt food in it can be cleaned with less effort if you soak it in baking soda and hot water first.
To open up a partially clogged drain, pour a half cup of baking soda into it. Follow this with a cup of vinegar. Allow the solution to bubble for several minutes, then run hot water down the drain.
Do you love dried beans, but not the gas and bloating they cause? Sprinkle a teaspoon of baking soda in the water when you soak beans. Voila! No more digestion problems!
You don't need a store-bought cleaner to remove dirt and insecticides from your fresh produce either. Just mix a quarter of a cup of baking soda in a sink full of water. Wash your fruits and vegetables in the solution, then rinse with clean water.
Baking soda makes an effective cleaner and deodorizer for your refrigerator too! Sprinkle a little on a damp sponge and clean the inside of the appliance as you normally would. Rinse clean, and see and smell the difference!
Your oven is another appliance that baking soda can easily clean and deodorize. Mix some baking soda and enough water to make a paste. Use a sponge to spread the paste over the inside of your oven. (Make sure that you don't touch the element if your stove is electric!) Allow the paste to set undisturbed for several hours. Then, scrub your oven clean!
In the Laundry Room
Do you need to use a laundry booster to help get your clothes clean? Then pour in a half cup of baking soda to every washer load of laundry. You can also use baking soda with bleach too. Your laundry will look brighter and smell fresher!
In the Living Room
Carpet and cloth-covered furniture make beautiful additions to your house. But, they do tend to hold body odors, pet smells, cigarette smoke, and other unwanted aromas in your home. To freshen your carpet and upholstered furniture, sprinkle them with baking soda. Allow them to sit undisturbed for a half hour or so. Then, simply vacuum the baking soda up.
Fireplaces can also help make your home warm and cozy. But, the soot can also give your house yet another unwanted odor. To help freshen up your fireplace, clean the ashes out, then place a bowl of baking soda in it.
In the Bedroom
Fill a pair of old socks with baking soda. Tie a knot in the top of each sock. Then, place the socks in a pair of shoes or slippers that you want to deodorize and freshen up!
Are there light water rings on your finished wood nightstand? Mix together a paste of baking soda and toothpaste. Dip a soft cloth in the paste and rub the water spots away!
In the Garage
A paste made up of baking soda and water will clean and polish the chrome on your vehicles!
A box of baking soda can make an effective extinguisher if a small fire erupts in your garage.
Baking soda works better than one of those hanging pine trees in your vehicles. If your vehicle smells musty or smoky, fill up the ashtrays with baking soda. The soda will absorb the odors and effectively freshen the interior.
Corroded battery terminals can make your car, truck, van, or SUV refuse to start. Eliminate this problem by periodically cleaning the terminals with a paste made of baking soda and water. Wipe the paste and grunge off with a clean rag.
Elsewhere Around Your House
Does the smell of the litter box in your house announce to visitors that you have a cat? If so, you can remedy the problem by starting with a clean box. Then, pour baking soda in it until it's a couple inches full. Finally, add kitty litter as usual. The soda will help absorb the ammonia smell.
Ants in your house? Keep them out by mixing up equal parts of baking soda and salt together. Then, sprinkle the mixture wherever you see the intruders coming in at.
Do you need to fill in some nail holes in a plastered wall? If you don't have any spackling handy, you can simply mix together some white toothpaste and baking soda. Fill the holes in completely, then allow the mixture to dry. If you want to match the wall color, add a drop or two of food coloring to the mix before you use it.
And finally, many flowers, fruits, and vegetables need to be planted in acidic soil in order for them to grow to their fullest. If you're not sure whether the soil in an area is acidic or not, then perform this test: mix up a quarter of a cup of baking soda with two cups of water. Then, stir in a cup of the soil. If the mixture foams up, then the soil is acidic.
Health Uses
Use it as an antacid.
Use it as underarm deodorant by applying it with a powder puff.
Use it as a face and body scrub.
Add a cup to bathwater to soften your skin.
Relieve skin itch from insect bites and pain from sunburn.
Remove strong odors from your hands by rubbing them with baking soda and water.
Put two tablespoons in your baby’s bathwater to help relieve diaper rash.
Apply it on rashes, insect bites, and poison ivy irritations.
Take a baking soda bath to relieve skin irritations.
Heartburn? Take a teaspoon of baking soda mixed with one-half glass of water.
Freshen your mouth by gargling half a teaspoon of baking soda mixed water.
Relieve canker sore pain by using it as mouthwash.
Use it to relieve bee stings.
Use it to relieve windburns.
Apply it on jellyfish sting to draw out the venom.
Unblock stuffy nose by adding a teaspoon of baking soda to your vaporizer.
In the Home
Keep cut flowers fresh longer by adding a teaspoon to the water in the vase.
Put out small fires on rugs, upholstery, clothing, and wood.
Put an open container of baking soda in the fridge to absorb the odors.
Sprinkle it on your ashtrays to reduce bad odor and prevent smoldering.
Sprinkle it on your slippers, boots, shoes, and socks to eliminate foul odor.
Turn baking soda into modeling clay by combining it with one and 1/4 cups of water and one cup of cornstarch.
After feeding your baby, wipe his shirt with a moist cloth sprinkled with baking soda to remove the odor.
Wipe your windshield with it to repel rain.
Improve the smell of dishrags by soaking them in baking soda and water.
Suck it in with your vacuum cleaner to remove the odor.
Freshen the air by mixing baking soda with your favorite perfumed bath salts. Put the mixture in small sachet bags.
Restore stiff brushes by boiling them in a solution of 1/2 gallon of water, 1/4 cup of vinegar, and a cup of baking soda.
Put it under sinks and along basement windows to repel cockroaches and ants.
Scatter baking soda around flowerbeds to prevent rabbits from eating your veggies.
Sweeten your tomatoes by sprinkling baking soda on the soil around your tomato plants.
Sprinkle it onto your cat’s litter box to absorb the bad odor.
Sprinkle it on your pet’s comb or brush to deodorize their fur and skin.
In Cooking
Use it as a substitute for baking powder by mixing with it with cream of tartar or vinegar.
Wash fruits and vegetables with it.
When boiling a chicken, add a teaspoon of baking soda to the water. Feathers will come off easier, and the flesh will be clean and white.
Soak dried beans to a baking soda solution to make them more digestible.
Remove the distinctive taste of wild game by soaking it in a baking soda solution.
Remove the fishy smell from your fillets by soaking the raw fish in a baking soda solution for an hour
inside the fridge.
Make fluffier omelets by adding half a teaspoon of baking soda for every three eggs used.
Reduce the acid content of your tomato-based recipes by sprinkling them with a pinch of baking soda.
Cleaning Purposes
Add a cup to the toilet, leave it for an hour, and then flush. It will clean the toilet and absorb the odor.
Use it to scrub sinks, showers, plastic and porcelain tubs
Spray it on walls, mirrors, and countertops.
Add a spoonful to your dishwasher to make scrubbing dishes easier.
Remove grease from pots and pans.
Dry clean carpets and upholstered furniture by sprinkling baking soda over the fabric and gently brushing it. Leave it for an hour or overnight, then vacuum.
Boost your laundry detergent’s cleaning power by sprinkling a handful on dirty clothes.
Combine it with water to make a paste for polishing stainless steel and chrome.
Remove scratches and crayon marks from vinyl floors and walls.
Clean your shoes with it.
Clean garbage cans with it.
Use it to wash diapers.
Clean the fridge with it.
Mix it with water to wash food and drink containers.
Put three tablespoons of baking soda to a quart of warm water, then use the mixture to wash marble-topped furniture.
Absorb it with a damp sponge, then clean Formica countertops with the sponge.
Use it to get rid of stale odors from cooling containers and thermos bottles.
Run your coffee maker with a baking soda solution, then rinse.
Combine with hot water to clean baby bottles.
Sprinkle it on barbecue grills, then rinse it off.
Scatter it on your greasy garage floor, scrub the floor, and rinse.
Remove burned-on food from a pan by soaking it in a baking soda solution for 10 minutes before washing.
Clean your ashtrays with a baking soda solution.
Keep your drains clean by putting four tablespoons of baking soda in them each week. Flush it down with hot water.
Clean your shower curtains by soaking them in baking soda and water.
Put it on a small brush to rub canvas handbags clean.
Use it to remove melted plastic bread wrapper from a toaster. Sprinkle baking soda on a damp rug, then use the rug to clean the toaster.
Use it to clean your retainers and dentures.
Make a thick paste of baking soda and water, and used it to scrub enameled cast iron and stainless steel.
Mix four tablespoons of baking soda with a quart of warm water, and use it to clean the inside part of an oven.
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