Yaaaaaay finally a TuTu Tut!!
Monday, September 28, 2009
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
20 Uses for Vinegar...
1. Loosen a rusted screw or a rusted lock. Pour some vinegar on or into the area.
2. Tenderize meat. A strong vinegar and water marinade will make meat tender in just a few minutes.
3. Soften a hard paint brush. Boil it in vinegar, or soak it in very hot vinegar, then wash in soapy water.
4. Prevent a cat from digging in plants. Add some vinegar to the misting water.
5. Keep cheese from molding. Wrap it in a vinegar-soaked cloth, then place in a sealed container.
6. Prevent paint from peeling off cement floors. First "paint" the floor with white vinegar. Once it's dry, apply the paint. (Same trick works with galvanized metal.)
7. Remove soapy gunk around faucets. Soak a paper towel in white vinegar, squeeze it out, wrap it around the chrome for 10 minutes, then wipe dry.
8. Keep fruit flies away. Pour 1/2 inch of cider vinegar in the bottom of a small jar and punch a dozen or so holes in the lid (using an ice pick). The vinegar attracts the flies through the holes and they can't get out. Or just set out a small dish with the vinegar plus a few drops of dish detergent; it attracts, then drowns them.
9. Remove the odor of cigarette smoke. Leave bowls of vinegar around the room. Or saturate a towel with vinegar and wave it all around the room.
10. Clean a slimy sponge or loofah. Soak it in a strong solution of vinegar and water for a day, then rinse several times in cold water. Let dry in the sun.
11. Repel fleas. Add about 1 cubic centimer of vinegar per 2 pounds of dog's body weight to the dog's food (not water) each day (for a 60-pound dog, that's 2 tablespoons of vinegar), and you'll help him repel fleas.
12. Remove decals. Sponge distilled vinegar on any decals that stubbornly resist removal. After a few minutes, you should be able to scrape them off. (Use the edge of an old credit card to avoid scratching any surface.)
13. Soften jeans. Add a cup of vinegar to the last rinse.
14. Clean patio furniture cushions. Scrub with a stiff brush dipped in white vinegar.
15. Remove dried paint. Heat white vinegar until it's lukewarm and apply with a plastic scrubbing pad.
16. Repel ants. Wash counters with vinegar.
17. Remove wallpaper. Pour a cup of white vinegar into 2 gallons of hot water, then transfer that into a spray bottle. Apply to wallpaper until very wet. Let stand about 15 minutes or until wallpaper is loose.
18. Clean copper, bronze, brass, dishes, pots, pans, skillets, glasses, windows. Mix with salt, rub, and rinse the item afterward.
19. Make "buttermilk" for baking. Add two tablespoons of vinegar to a cup of skim or 1- percent milk; let mixture stand five minutes.
20. Rinse clothes thoroughly. Add a cup of white vinegar to the last rinse water cycle, and the mild acid will neutralize the alkalis in soaps and detergents.
And for a seasonal treat, try cutting up sweet strawberries and drizzling them with balsamic vinegar. You're in for a surprise!
2. Tenderize meat. A strong vinegar and water marinade will make meat tender in just a few minutes.
3. Soften a hard paint brush. Boil it in vinegar, or soak it in very hot vinegar, then wash in soapy water.
4. Prevent a cat from digging in plants. Add some vinegar to the misting water.
5. Keep cheese from molding. Wrap it in a vinegar-soaked cloth, then place in a sealed container.
6. Prevent paint from peeling off cement floors. First "paint" the floor with white vinegar. Once it's dry, apply the paint. (Same trick works with galvanized metal.)
7. Remove soapy gunk around faucets. Soak a paper towel in white vinegar, squeeze it out, wrap it around the chrome for 10 minutes, then wipe dry.
8. Keep fruit flies away. Pour 1/2 inch of cider vinegar in the bottom of a small jar and punch a dozen or so holes in the lid (using an ice pick). The vinegar attracts the flies through the holes and they can't get out. Or just set out a small dish with the vinegar plus a few drops of dish detergent; it attracts, then drowns them.
9. Remove the odor of cigarette smoke. Leave bowls of vinegar around the room. Or saturate a towel with vinegar and wave it all around the room.
10. Clean a slimy sponge or loofah. Soak it in a strong solution of vinegar and water for a day, then rinse several times in cold water. Let dry in the sun.
11. Repel fleas. Add about 1 cubic centimer of vinegar per 2 pounds of dog's body weight to the dog's food (not water) each day (for a 60-pound dog, that's 2 tablespoons of vinegar), and you'll help him repel fleas.
12. Remove decals. Sponge distilled vinegar on any decals that stubbornly resist removal. After a few minutes, you should be able to scrape them off. (Use the edge of an old credit card to avoid scratching any surface.)
13. Soften jeans. Add a cup of vinegar to the last rinse.
14. Clean patio furniture cushions. Scrub with a stiff brush dipped in white vinegar.
15. Remove dried paint. Heat white vinegar until it's lukewarm and apply with a plastic scrubbing pad.
16. Repel ants. Wash counters with vinegar.
17. Remove wallpaper. Pour a cup of white vinegar into 2 gallons of hot water, then transfer that into a spray bottle. Apply to wallpaper until very wet. Let stand about 15 minutes or until wallpaper is loose.
18. Clean copper, bronze, brass, dishes, pots, pans, skillets, glasses, windows. Mix with salt, rub, and rinse the item afterward.
19. Make "buttermilk" for baking. Add two tablespoons of vinegar to a cup of skim or 1- percent milk; let mixture stand five minutes.
20. Rinse clothes thoroughly. Add a cup of white vinegar to the last rinse water cycle, and the mild acid will neutralize the alkalis in soaps and detergents.
And for a seasonal treat, try cutting up sweet strawberries and drizzling them with balsamic vinegar. You're in for a surprise!
20 Surprising Uses for Salt...
* Pick up a dropped egg. If an egg breaks on the kitchen floor, sprinkle salt on the mess and leave it there for 20 minutes. You'll be able to wipe it right up.
* Soothe a bee sting. Wet the sting right away, then cover it with salt.
* Eliminate a grease fire. Pour salt on top to smother it. (Never use water on a grease fire.)
* Clean up oven spills. If food boils over onto the oven floor, sprinkle salt on top to stop smoke and odor from forming. When the oven is cool, it'll be easy to brush away the spot.
* Set color. If a dye may run, soak the garment for an hour in 1/2 gallon of water to which you've added 1/2 cup vinegar and 1/2 cup salt. If rinse water shows color, repeat. This is good for a single-colored fabric or madras. If the item is multicolored, dry-clean it. (American-made fabrics are unlikely to run, but fabrics from abroad are sometimes risky.)
* Kill poison ivy. Add three pounds of salt to a gallon of soapy water. Spray it onto leaves and stems.
* Make cream whip more easily and egg whites whip faster and higher. Add a pinch of salt.
* Test for rotten eggs. Put an egg in a cup of water to which you've added two teaspoons of salt. A fresh egg will sink, but one that's iffy will float.
* Clean the brown spots (from starch) off a nonstick soleplate (the bottom of your iron). Sprinkle salt on a sheet of waxed paper, slide the iron across it, then rub lightly with silver polish.
* Repel fleas. Wash the doghouse with it.
* Kill grass growing in cracks in the cement or between patio stones. Sprinkle salt on the grass and pour very hot water over it. Or sprinkle coarse salt on the grass, let stand all day or overnight, then pour hot tap water over it.
* Clean a glass coffee pot. Fill it with 1/4 cup of table salt and a dozen ice cubes. Swish the mixture around, let it sit for half an hour, fill it with cold water and rinse.
* Halt the mountain of suds from an overflowing washing machine. Sprinkle salt on the top.
* Clean artificial flowers. Put them in a bag of salt and shake the bag. Take a look at the color of the salt and you'll see what you've accomplished.
* Keep windows frost-free. Dip a sponge into salt water and rub it on windows, and they won't frost up even when the mercury dips below 32 degrees; for the same effect on your car's windshield, put salt in a little bag made of cheesecloth, moisten it slightly and rub it on.
* Clean tarnished copper. Fill a 16-ounce spray bottle with hot white vinegar and three tablespoons of salt. Spray it onto the copper, let it sit briefly, then rub clean. (Don't do this to lacquered copper.)
* Keep radishes safe in the garden. Salt worms (cutworms) will be repelled if you sprinkle seeds with table salt, then cover with dirt.
* Clean coffee and tea stains from china cups. Rub them with salt.
* Keep potatoes and apples from turning brown once they're sliced. Put them in salted cold water.
* Clean a cutting board. Cover it with bleach and salt, scrub it with a stiff brush, then rinse with very hot water and wipe with a clean cloth. Repeat with each use.
* Soothe a bee sting. Wet the sting right away, then cover it with salt.
* Eliminate a grease fire. Pour salt on top to smother it. (Never use water on a grease fire.)
* Clean up oven spills. If food boils over onto the oven floor, sprinkle salt on top to stop smoke and odor from forming. When the oven is cool, it'll be easy to brush away the spot.
* Set color. If a dye may run, soak the garment for an hour in 1/2 gallon of water to which you've added 1/2 cup vinegar and 1/2 cup salt. If rinse water shows color, repeat. This is good for a single-colored fabric or madras. If the item is multicolored, dry-clean it. (American-made fabrics are unlikely to run, but fabrics from abroad are sometimes risky.)
* Kill poison ivy. Add three pounds of salt to a gallon of soapy water. Spray it onto leaves and stems.
* Make cream whip more easily and egg whites whip faster and higher. Add a pinch of salt.
* Test for rotten eggs. Put an egg in a cup of water to which you've added two teaspoons of salt. A fresh egg will sink, but one that's iffy will float.
* Clean the brown spots (from starch) off a nonstick soleplate (the bottom of your iron). Sprinkle salt on a sheet of waxed paper, slide the iron across it, then rub lightly with silver polish.
* Repel fleas. Wash the doghouse with it.
* Kill grass growing in cracks in the cement or between patio stones. Sprinkle salt on the grass and pour very hot water over it. Or sprinkle coarse salt on the grass, let stand all day or overnight, then pour hot tap water over it.
* Clean a glass coffee pot. Fill it with 1/4 cup of table salt and a dozen ice cubes. Swish the mixture around, let it sit for half an hour, fill it with cold water and rinse.
* Halt the mountain of suds from an overflowing washing machine. Sprinkle salt on the top.
* Clean artificial flowers. Put them in a bag of salt and shake the bag. Take a look at the color of the salt and you'll see what you've accomplished.
* Keep windows frost-free. Dip a sponge into salt water and rub it on windows, and they won't frost up even when the mercury dips below 32 degrees; for the same effect on your car's windshield, put salt in a little bag made of cheesecloth, moisten it slightly and rub it on.
* Clean tarnished copper. Fill a 16-ounce spray bottle with hot white vinegar and three tablespoons of salt. Spray it onto the copper, let it sit briefly, then rub clean. (Don't do this to lacquered copper.)
* Keep radishes safe in the garden. Salt worms (cutworms) will be repelled if you sprinkle seeds with table salt, then cover with dirt.
* Clean coffee and tea stains from china cups. Rub them with salt.
* Keep potatoes and apples from turning brown once they're sliced. Put them in salted cold water.
* Clean a cutting board. Cover it with bleach and salt, scrub it with a stiff brush, then rinse with very hot water and wipe with a clean cloth. Repeat with each use.
20 Surprising Uses for Baking Soda...
1. Make a quick substitute for spackle.To fill in a small hole, mix a bit of baking soda and a bit of white glue until you have a paste, then use your fingers to ply the paste to fill in the hole.
2. Stop pool chlorine from turning your blond hair green. When you leave the pool, rinse with 1/2 cup baking soda stirred into lemon juice. Wet hair, then pour the mixture on top while it's still bubbling.
3. Clean chrome. Rub chrome with dry baking soda and a dry cloth.
4. Extinguish fires on the barbecue grill. You can douse a flare-up by sprinkling baking soda on it, and since baking soda is of food-grade purity, you won't contaminate the food.
5. Remove the odor of a spraying cat. Make a paste of baking soda and water, cover area, leave for at least three hours but preferably overnight, then vacuum when powder has dried.
6. Relieve pain of sunburn. Apply a paste of baking soda and water to soothe and cool the area.
7. Clean (plastic) piano keys. Baking soda is a gentle abrasive.
8. Remove scuffs from vinyl flooring. A little baking soda on a damp sponge will make them disappear right away.
9. Remove the sour milk smell from baby's plastic bottle. Fill it with warm water, add a teaspoon of baking soda, shake it well and leave it overnight.
10. Polish the silver without elbow grease. Fill a non-aluminum pan with hot water, place a small square of aluminum foil (5 inches or so) in pan, add baking soda (1 teaspoon per quart) and bring to a boil. Drop silver in briefly and remove with tongs. Wash with soapy water and rinse and buff to a gloss. (Not recommended for figured pieces: It will remove shading, so fine silver may look like plate.)
11. Make cloudy iced tea clear again. Add a pinch of baking soda to the pitcher.
12. Prevent mildew in bathing suits. On a beach outing, bring along a large zippered plastic bag containing 1/4 cup of baking soda. Put wet suits in, then shake the bag well. The soda absorbs moisture and sour musty odors until the suits can be rinsed or washed.
13. Clean corroded terminals. Make a paste of baking soda and salt. After the paste bubbles up, wipe the area, then dry it.
14. Help with heat rash. After a lukewarm shower, use a cleaning product that doesn't contain soap (such as Dove). Towel dry and put a paste of baking soda on any rashy area. Leave it there as long as practical.
15. Keep your dishwasher smelling good when you're away. Sprinkle some baking soda inside the dishwasher and leave the door open just a bit. It won't smell musty when you return.
16. Substitute for other toiletries on a camping trip. You can use it as toothpaste, as deodorant and as a balm for bug bites.
17. Make a "fishy" taste disappear. Soak your catch of the day in a quart of water to which you've added a couple tablespoons of baking soda. Leave for an hour, then wash off and pat the fish dry.
18. Spell doom for slugs. Just sprinkle baking soda on them.
19. Get rid of a musty scent. If the clothes aren't completely dry when the dryer shuts off and smell musty, sprinkle baking soda on them, then put them back in and turn the dryer back on.
20. Clean crayon off a chalkboard. Just use baking soda on a damp rag to remove the wax and make the board clean for chalking again.
2. Stop pool chlorine from turning your blond hair green. When you leave the pool, rinse with 1/2 cup baking soda stirred into lemon juice. Wet hair, then pour the mixture on top while it's still bubbling.
3. Clean chrome. Rub chrome with dry baking soda and a dry cloth.
4. Extinguish fires on the barbecue grill. You can douse a flare-up by sprinkling baking soda on it, and since baking soda is of food-grade purity, you won't contaminate the food.
5. Remove the odor of a spraying cat. Make a paste of baking soda and water, cover area, leave for at least three hours but preferably overnight, then vacuum when powder has dried.
6. Relieve pain of sunburn. Apply a paste of baking soda and water to soothe and cool the area.
7. Clean (plastic) piano keys. Baking soda is a gentle abrasive.
8. Remove scuffs from vinyl flooring. A little baking soda on a damp sponge will make them disappear right away.
9. Remove the sour milk smell from baby's plastic bottle. Fill it with warm water, add a teaspoon of baking soda, shake it well and leave it overnight.
10. Polish the silver without elbow grease. Fill a non-aluminum pan with hot water, place a small square of aluminum foil (5 inches or so) in pan, add baking soda (1 teaspoon per quart) and bring to a boil. Drop silver in briefly and remove with tongs. Wash with soapy water and rinse and buff to a gloss. (Not recommended for figured pieces: It will remove shading, so fine silver may look like plate.)
11. Make cloudy iced tea clear again. Add a pinch of baking soda to the pitcher.
12. Prevent mildew in bathing suits. On a beach outing, bring along a large zippered plastic bag containing 1/4 cup of baking soda. Put wet suits in, then shake the bag well. The soda absorbs moisture and sour musty odors until the suits can be rinsed or washed.
13. Clean corroded terminals. Make a paste of baking soda and salt. After the paste bubbles up, wipe the area, then dry it.
14. Help with heat rash. After a lukewarm shower, use a cleaning product that doesn't contain soap (such as Dove). Towel dry and put a paste of baking soda on any rashy area. Leave it there as long as practical.
15. Keep your dishwasher smelling good when you're away. Sprinkle some baking soda inside the dishwasher and leave the door open just a bit. It won't smell musty when you return.
16. Substitute for other toiletries on a camping trip. You can use it as toothpaste, as deodorant and as a balm for bug bites.
17. Make a "fishy" taste disappear. Soak your catch of the day in a quart of water to which you've added a couple tablespoons of baking soda. Leave for an hour, then wash off and pat the fish dry.
18. Spell doom for slugs. Just sprinkle baking soda on them.
19. Get rid of a musty scent. If the clothes aren't completely dry when the dryer shuts off and smell musty, sprinkle baking soda on them, then put them back in and turn the dryer back on.
20. Clean crayon off a chalkboard. Just use baking soda on a damp rag to remove the wax and make the board clean for chalking again.
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