Name a really, really useful household hint

I am thinking about writing a book about this. No joke. My sister-in-law was really impressed about the below tip. And she is very, very hard to impress.

Mine: Don't buy those long expensive matches to light a candle when the wick is really hard to get to.
Use a piece of spaghetti or a piece of straw from the broom. Light the end, wait until it flames and then use it to light your candle. You can reuse the same piece of spaghetti or straw over and over again.

Yours?

that vinegar and baking soda can't clean.

TOGETHER! BWAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!

:spank:

*hic*... How maany are there of you, ennyway?

*thunk*

:)


Khash.

Eucalyptus Oil, 1 drop on a cloth, instantly gone.

NO EUCALYPTS ARE NOT NATIVE TO CALIFORNIA!
An edit: FROM LABELS U DIRTY MINDED so and so!

both of them :rofl:

especially when it's on a vertical surface.

;)

Want them back?
:hi:

Why did you give us those trees....crikey!!! They suck up all the ground water. But, they can be pretty with their trailing branches and such.

some of the old threads have some really good tips in them

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=353

don't shop at Wal-Mart or any other red establishments: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=255

:rofl:

recommended cutting a leg off a pair of panty hose to use as an umbrella holder if the original was lost.
Lovely for the person seeking that " I live under a bridge, can you spare some cash? look.

Also recommended bringing hot dogs on a trip to drive in (I think) in a tupperware container of hot water.
Thus, keeping the hot dogs hot AND as an added bonus, the water from the hot dogs could be used to wash the children's little faces.
Eew!

Your hint was a good one.

someone writes in and says I can't get this bullet hole blood stain out of my shirt. What do I do?


Answer: Burn it.

I remember Heloise. What the F!. ( I got lipstick on a paper napkin, how do I get the stain out) The all time most useless hints ever!

Now that's just so nasty! I've seen lots of "aged" women use pantyhose for everything under the sun. I guess it harkens back to the depression. A great aunt of mine would buy a gallon of milk, pour half in another jug and fill both to the top with water. It was pretty disgusting, but at least we always knew what to expect. She'd also say of someone who was looking thin "she looks like a well used bar 'o soap"

That makes for an enjoyable evening at the movies... That AND the hot-doggy smell in your car afterwards when one of the kids spills it ...On his brother:)

Getting the batter out of your chest hair? Not fun. At all.

Khash.

:rofl: Ow.

It wasn't nice at all!

I'm gratified that you find my pain and humiliation funny, though.


:)

Khash.

I've never had that happen with pancake batter, only bacon grease. Owie!

This should be left to the naked bacon cooking professionals!

that is a very wise tip. Cooking eggs while nude? Also bad..... ;-)

lol, title of hubby's first book. :)

put a large glass of water in, set to high for 6 minutes. The steam from the water will loosen all the gunk in the microwave. Please remember to make the glass large enough to leave some water in it, and PLEASE USE AN OVEN MIT TO REMOVE THE GLASS.

I just learned this one today. I had a large clog in the bathroom sink and I poured a bottle of lemon juice down the drain. Worked way better than Drano or Mr. Plumber.

and lots less toxic than Drano

in case you are going on a killing spree and are a neat freak...

:evilgrin:

Works like a champ.

mikey_the_rat

you can never get the smell out. all you food will smell like socks.

I ain't ever eatin' that dangerous crap again.

but I did have a roommate that would test if her spaghetti was done by flinging a piece against the refrigerator. If it stuck, it was done. I thought it a bit odd but who knows :shrug:

*on edit* I've taken her "hint" to a new level. When I make spaghetti, I always take a few cooled strands and fling them on the cats. It provides entertainment for a good few minutes, because they can't just pull it off, it comes off in chunks. Am i cruel?

You have a highly developed sense of humor which I'm sure your cats appreciate.
;-)

need something undignified to happen to them occasionally

filled with rice and placed in the microwave makes a GREAT warm compress for back pain...or any other pain that requires heat!

Also a bag of frozen peas is the best ice wrap because it forms itself around the wound unlike a bag of ice and holds the cold longer than water.

...always require an "old" sock.

I mean, can't I use a new sock?

If I put one of MY old socks in the microwave, then it'll empty the house.

Actual Google Advertisement:



Hint:

Discarded tampon applicators can be used in the cupboard as spacers between dishes so that they put away wet and not take up counter space while drying, because you are too godamned cheap to use a dishwasher.

...or other clothes drawer for a fresh smell.

use only once before allowing it to cool down for a loooong time. You can get major burns if you reheat immediately.

An ushe the good stuff this time...

*hic*

Pantyhose legs make for a soft, yet durable, ties when needing something to hold a newly planted tree to support stakes. The pantyhose won't cut into the tree trunk, and is flexible as the tree sways.

so I hear

Use the cheap-o brand. It really works!

Mix some mayonnaise with cigarette ashes to make a paste. Put paste on water marks and leave overnight. Wash off in the morning and the water mark is gone.

I'll have to try it.

mayo.

Seemed to work.

On the other hand, I divorced his @ss. :)

When people see me do it they always go Ewwwwwwwwww.... and then when they see how it works they ask for the directions.

I lay the mayo on first and then sprinkle the ashes on top.



The thing is- now I dont smoke anymore. I just realized that the next time it happens I am screwed

Before washing the clothing, turn inside out and spray stain remover on the BACK of the stain. This causes the stain to be forced out through the fibers of your clothing, and the stain will magically disappear in most cases!

Julie

Also if you pour white wine on a red wine stain it will remove the stain altogether on a rug.

You won't notice the first stain....

deck to treat untreated wood and make it impenetrable to pests and moisture.

:evilgrin:

While most waterproofers are flammable when they are wet, eventually the solvent evaporates leaving the non-flammable active ingredients. Motor oil stays flammable forever--and it's a hard fire to put out.

Besides, it's a "surface" treatment--real pressure treatment goes clear through to the center of the wood.

Really? You can? How?

with discarded fat from liposuction clinics.

quite nicely until you can find a new back.

I couldn't believe that ladies I work with hadn't heard of this, one lady was freaking out one day because she'd lost the back to her nice earrings and was afraid she'd lose the earring, I calmly handed her a pencil eraser and showed her what to do and she was in shock at how clever I was :P.

Why was she in shock you ask? Because I'm a non-earring wearing guy who just knows all kinds of weird useful things :P

but i work with RW redneck men.

Boil some water and a squeeze of dishwashing liquid in the pan. It will loosen the burnt on food and make it easy to wash away. I learned this tip - and found it to work perfectly! - one time when I forgot about some rice on the stove.

We don't have a dishwasher, but keep dishwasher soap around for burnt-on stuff...

Pour warm water in the pan and put a used fabric softner in it and let it soak overnight. Technically you could use a new fabric softner, but why waste it?

How you get rid of the dog going after the peanut butter is your concern :evilgrin:

I have done it with chunky peanut butter and it was . . . strange.

Ice cube works well too. (The frozen water kind, not the creamy chocolate type)

great advice

I use baking soda for almost everything... cleaning stinky drains, as a scouring powder.

As for household hints...

Use marjoram as a floor sweep to pick up negativity?...

Wash your doorknobs with rosemary tea?...

in an old book the other day that my mom had cut out about how to wash a drip dry dress in the bathtub.

On second thought, DON'T.

Get grease spots out of clothing by pre-washing the spot with dishwashing liquid.

:hi:

Peel and chop onions next to an open flame, such as a gas burner on a stove. It really works to reduce eye irritation. I used to suffer the torments of the damned trying to chop onions. It's still irritating, but considerably less so, using this method.

works really good

an open flame because the wunywuns make your little eyes hurt.

F'in ridiculous waste of energy

stick your head in the freezer for a minute. You'll recover faster.

in your whites. Brightens 'em up.

…without killing any relatives, then you win!

It also removes dried latex paint from hard surfaces and is an excellent soap for washing cars.

To remove dried on food from baking dishes, soak in water with a squeeze of shampoo over night.

Get a shower head with a handheld thingy. Rinse down the bathtub when you're done. Prevents soap scum.

Using liquid soap or shower gel or bodywash instead of bar soap helps prevent soap scum.

Old electric toothbrush heads and the electric toothbrush save elbow grease when cleaning the stovetop.

Really. It works.

hard and pulling it off.

by making their wings stiff so they cant fly. Then you just step on them.

Can't believe I am gonna admit this, but we did this in high school at outdoor camp. The camp toilets were pit toilets with yucky spiders and gunk all over the block walls, so we used some aqua net and a lighter and burned it all off. I wouldn't recommend telling your kids about this.

I feel so all alone! ;(

This is the best, and cleans glass (and mirrors) like nothing else.

mikey_the_rat

if you drop something heavy on your kitchen floor, you can remove the dent by placing ice cubes on it for a few minutes. really.

I love that trick!

if ants get into your kitchen, pantry, or garage, wash the area with peppermint soap. Ants hate the odor of peppermint and wont cross areas washed with it.

your own blood works well for the purposes of lipcolor and rouge.

:rofl:


I'm serious.
:scared:

outlets ...

*BOOKMARKED*

You don't spit into the wind
You don't pull the mask off the old Lone Ranger
And you don't mess around with Jim.

Oh, and I use regular garbage bags instead of cat box liners; put the whole litterbox in the bag, fill w/ litter, then you can just pull the bag off and toss the whole thing it when it's time to change it.

I did my doors and wood burning stove.

Fill your kitchen sink with water and a bit of bleach. Throw in some whites you want to bleach. Let stand a hour or so. Viola, sparkling whites and a clean sink. Bleach can be used for toilet bowl, also. Pour in a dollup, use a scrub brush to scrub around the edges and under the lip. Let stand and flush.

Roughly 80% water and 20% rubbing alcohol into a freezer bag and then into the freezer. It won't freeze and it will be slushy so you can use it as a cold pack.

...hairspray and a kleenex.

Make sure you always have a can handy.

and hot glue some colourful crepe paper to the top.

This is a real household tip I read in the local paper over the holidays. My god, it sounds like something the IRA would make for Christmas. As if the holidays aren't dangerous enough already!

but it is a good piece of advice: Never trust a man whose nails are better manicured than your own.

Actually, I do have a useful one. When making cakes or brownies from a box mix, mix it by hand with a wooden spoon instead of with an electric mixer. I don't really know why, but it really tastes much better that way.

I'll think of some more later.

squeeze them out and put them in the bottom of the dishwasher before running. The high temperature and chlorine detergent will kill the bacteria.

So many young boys find out the hard way...

using a high-powered assault rifle

:rofl:

One of the few products I've ever purchased that FAR exceeded my expectations. Amazing on walls.

I posted this once in the lounge, and everyone who had tried them agreed with me!

put them in the microwave for about 15 seconds. This kills bacteria and microbes.

Put a couple dryer sheets in your gym bag - will soak up all the moisture and keep smelling good, also your gym shoes or sneakers - keeps them from getting stinky.

put them in the microwave for about 15 seconds. This kills bacteria and microbes.

Put a couple dryer sheets in your gym bag - will soak up all the moisture and keep smelling good, also your gym shoes or sneakers - keeps them from getting stinky.

anything. at least everything I have attempted so far...

Soak in cold water and a few tablespoons of amonia. Take the stain out and doesn't eat the fabric like bleach!

I like those long grill lighters for lighting candles, but your idea shows a lot more ingenuity, lol.

I like to put dryer sheets in my drawers to keep my clothes smelling like they just got washed.

I also use baking soda to get grease off of my old pots and pans--seems to work better than those coarse sponges.

I don't know what else...

The Windex with vinegar is great at getting out stains in upholstery.

Don't have ten drunken friends over every Friday for poker 'till dawn if you value your carpets.

Cat pee smells bad.

Your cat will never know their spot again.

When I used to be a newspaper reporter, a State Trooper told me this one.

Spray Windex on animal pee stains on a carpet after you clean up the stain from the rug, the pad and the floor. (I lay down a layer of paper towels on the floor, on top of the pad and on top of the rug, squirt dish washing liquid on top of each layer of towels and then leave for a couple of hours for the urine to wick into the towels. ) Clean the three layers with a wet paper towel. Let dry, vacuum. Spray the area with Windex.

Animals will not only never pee on that spot again, they will go where they are supposed to go. That was 20 years ago and it has worked with every animal I have had.

I have used this trick on all of the Orientals we have had and never had any damage to the rug. This trick has worked for probably dozens of cats and three large dogs.

If you have wall-to-wall carpeting. Squirt dish liquid on the stain and cover with a wad of paper towels for about three hours. Wipe the area with wet paper towels and then spray with Windex.

In other words, Dyson's "we're the only one that maintains the suction" ads aren't worth much.

For upright vacuums, CR sez:
1. Hoover WindTunnel Ultra U6439-900 (also 6436, 6453, 6454) $250
2. Eureka Boss Smart Vac Ultra 4870 $140 (a CR Best Buy)
3. Kenmore Progressive 34922 and 34923 $300

#6 is a Kirby ($1330), Dyson ($600) ranked #8, Oreck ($700) #9

(I sent Patiod a PM on this, so I had the info handy)

I moved into a carpeted apartment two years ago that had never been cleaned. Used my Hoover on it. Then got the Dyson. The rug changed colors. CHANGED COLORS. I think it is great.

The models matter quite a bit--oftentimes in CR, the "Acme 3500" will be at the top of the ratings, but the "Acme 2100" will be at the bottom.

(Unless you're Wiley Coyote, of course :))

You know quite a bit about vacuum cleaners.

:P

(I have no idea what kind it was)

Shamelessly, I might add :P

burning wilma logs to-night

:thumbsup:

I have a stack of tornedo logs in my yard. :)

putting it in the micro for about 10 sec

;)

Wash your dog with Pine-sol - it will repel fleas and ticks.

...it's easier to deal with (though it will eventually disappear).

Put them in a plastic grocery bag and freeze at night or when they're at school. It will kill the dustmites since they're hard to wash in the laundry like sheets & blankets. :hi:

Use butter, preferably unsalted

ROFLMAO

and bottles. Revives them enough that they look like new-even huge bottles of shower gel that have hard water stains all over them.

paper towels, no streaks! Your hands may get dirty, but your windows will be spotless! and it reuses before you recycle.

crotch over a hanger rod, keeps the edges from getting all ratty, and you can hang several rolls on one hanger and put them in a closet.

1/2-1" pompoms (glitter poms are a kitty favorite) from the craft store for $1.99-2.99. Milk jug rings are also popular with many felines.

Also; if you buy feather wand type toys, just replace the feathers with those found at craft shops instead of replacing the entire toy.

onion smell on your hands, soap them up (your hands, not the onions) and rub them on your stainless steel sink or a stainless steel pan. Et voila! No more onion smell on your hands!

works really well on the legs-and leaves them soft and moisturized, too.

to get rid of musty odors.

For some reason it's much more flavorful. And also ALWAYS soak good basmati rice for about a half hour before cooking it. It tastes bland and flavorless otherwise. Shit basmati rice will taste bland no matter what you do with it.

Wearing a rubber glove, you can just wipe cat hair off of upholstered furniture.

Use an old toothbrush to clean around faucets or in corners.

For cold-climate folks, save energy by hanging freshly washed towels to dry in the laundry area. It also adds a little humidity to bone-dry, centrally heated houses.

about a tablespoon will soften up the grease from working on older cars. Then you use an orange oil hand cleaner for that lovely smell.;)

Score the gluey part of the paper (you can peel the top pattern part of the paper off)
then spray it down with a solution made of equal parts fabric softener & hot water.
The glue will dissolve and the paper will peel right off.


It's like MAGIC

where Larry finds out that Seltzer water and salt remove all kinds of stains? Like wine etc?

I've tried it and it worked. You just put a little bit of seltzer down, then put s good layer of salt on top. The salt absorbs the stain.

One night years ago, I spilled red wine on my friend Diane (who was sober). My friend Meg, who was smashed, and I dragged Diane upstairs to the bathroom, and made her take off her expensive new white top.

We had obtained salt and seltzer water, and Meg decided it would work better if the Seltzer was poured from a distance. Being tallest, I was elected to stand on the sink vanity, and pour seltzer onto the salt-covered shirt in the sink. Meanwhile Diane was not pleased that we were ruining her new shirt, and the hostess was nervous about a large, slightly inebriated Patiod standing on her sink.

Don't remember if the stain came out, but I dont' think it did - in any case, Diane had to borrow a shirt from our hostess.

Hey, just call me Heloise.

To keep your chimney clean, throw a handful of salt on the fire

To clean mineral deposits from the inside of your dishwasher, pour in a container of Tang Drink Mix and run the dishwasher (don't put dishes in the dishwasher for this load).

you will not believe what your dishwasher looks like after!

To keep cat litter fresh smelling, mix baby powder in with the litter.
You can also use baking soda but baby powder works better

Spray your cheese grater with a non-stick cooking spray before using so that the cheese will not stick to the grater.


To avoid stains in your tupperware spray with non-stick cooking spray before pouring in tomato-based sauces.


My sister uses it to stop "creaks"... She cant stand the smell of wd-40

...If you lay on your ass a lot, your house gets dirty.

I've also noticed a correlation between the amount of time that the television stays on and the filth level.