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Ant Control: Spread some ground cinnamon where you think the ants are coming in to the house. Basil repels flies and mosquitoes. To deter ants, use catnip. Sprinkle it in their paths. Make a mixture of 2/3 cup water, 1/3 cup white vinegar, and 2-3 Tablespoons dish soap. Spray where the ants are marching. Natural Mosquito Repellents: Splashing plain rubbing alcohol on yourself and allowing it to dry will deter mosquitoes from biting you. Rub Vick's Vaporub® on your pants and legs to ward off ticks. Use half vanilla (has to be pure vanilla) and half water and for a mosquito and tick repellent. Dab lavender oil on your pulse points; it smells great on you but repels insects. For Mouse Control: Place USED kitty litter from a litter box in small tubs in several places around the garage. Mice think... "it smells like a cat--must be a cat - I'm outta here!". Buy a mesh/net laundry bag that you would use for washing nylons and 5 boxes of moth balls. Put the moth balls in the bag and hang it in your garage near the door to get rid of mice, birds, and bugs. To prevent mice from gaining entry to your garage, stop up any openings with steel wood pads. Mice will not chew through these! Sprinkle ground cayenne pepper around the garage (inside & out), and especially near entry holes. Pests don't care for the smell of it. Mice hate the scent of peppermint extract. Simply sprinkle *pure* peppermint extract on the items in your garage you don't want the mice in or on. - Before you wear a new garment, put a little clear nail polish on the front and back of each button. Buttons will stay on longer when their threads are sealed. - Zippers won't stick if you rub them with the edge of a bar of soap. - To remove a hem crease, sponge the material with white vinegar and press with a warm iron. Nail polish remover removes tar and grease from white leather shoes. - White shoe polish will apply more evenly if you rub the shoes with a raw potato or rubbing alcohol before polishing. - White shoe polish won't smear if you spray the shoe with hair spray after it is dry. - Vinegar and water will remove salt stains from shoes and boots. - New white canvas shoes will stay that way if you spray them heavily with starch. - Clean rope trimmed shoes with a toothbrush dipped in rug shampoo. - For longer lasting pantyhose, try freezing them before you wear them. Just wet, wring out and toss in a plastic bag to freeze. Thaw and hang to dry. - Fresh eggs are rough and chalky . They will sink and stay horizontal on the bottom of a glass of water. The egg-white is viscous and close around the plump yolk. - Old eggs are smooth and shiny. They will float in a glass of water. The egg-white is watery and the yolk is flat in an egg roughly 3 weeks old. - Dried Herbs and spices lose their potency quickly. Buy only a small amount at a time. When using fresh herbs an spices, use 3 times the amount of the dried. - Perk up soggy lettuce by soaking in cold water with some lemon juice. To store place in a zip lock bag with paper towel to absorb moisture. - Never, never pour water on flaming fat or oil you'll spread the fire. If the fire's inside a pan, slap on the lid. If outside, turn off the heat and douse the flames by tossing on a handful of baking soda or salt. - Wax paper is endlessly useful. Use it: To catch grated cheese, to place under seasoned flour for breading or spices for blackening, to tear into strips to slip under a cake you are icing, to cover a dish you are microwaving. - Collect a large assortment of Chinese wooden paddles and spoons. Use them to save wear and tear on your good stainless steel and copper pots. - Instead of using plastic wrap to cover bowls in the microwave, cover a round heatproof glass bowl with a round heatproof glass casserole cover or with an inverted heatproof glass bowl of the same size. - A heat-resistant round glass pizza pan also works well, and the overhang makes removal and recovery both safe and easy. - Use a lightweight pot for boiling pasta; water will come to its initial boil faster and will return to the boil faster, too, saving time and preventing the pasta from clumping at the bottom of the pot. - Before heating a nonstick pan, always coat it with nonstick vegetable cooking spray and never heat the pan more than 3 minutes before adding food. - To remove pesky bottle tops and jar lids, don a pair of rubber gloves. Or twist a fat rubber band around the lid, then twist open. Works like a charm. - If you store your best silver in self-sealing plastic bags, it will tarnish much more slowly. - When your cookbook won't lie flat when opened on the counter, place a glass baking dish on the pages (you can read through the glass) or secure each side with a rubber band. - Use top-quality typewriter correction fluid to cover nicks, chips, and scratches on enameled ranges and refrigerators, porcelain tiles, and sinks. Works like a charm and it comes in a variety of colors. - Never use disinfectants to clean the fridge, foods will pick up taste and odor. - When laundering clothes, add detergent to the washer first. Pouring detergent on clothing can cause fabrics to fade. - Apply spray starch to doors and to painted walls along hallways and stairways where fingerprints accumulate. The coating will resist marks better. - Place a piece of white chalk in your silver chest or jewel box to absorb moisture and help prevent tarnishing of silverware and jewelry. - Freezers run more efficiently when they're three-quarters or more full. When provisions drop, fill milk cartons or jugs with water and put them in the freezer to take up empty space. - Wiping the inside of the fridge with vinegar helps prevent mildew because acid kills mildew fungus. - For a fresh smelling fridge, keep a box of baking soda, a can filled with charcoal or dried coffee grounds or a cotton ball soaked in vanilla extract inside of it. - Crumbled newspapers lining the vegetable compartments of a refrigerator will keep veggies crisp. - Those beds of pansies will bloom more prolifically if you take a few moments to pinch out early buds. This encourages plants to bush out and, in the end, produce more flowers. - To keep your extension cords from getting tangled, insert them into a empty toilet paper roll to store. - Drain de-clogger: 1/4 cup baking soda and 1/4 cup vinegar. Pour baking soda down drain first then follow with the vinegar. Close drain and let sit until bubbling has stopped then follow with a bucket of hot boiling water. - Store eggs with the large end up to keep the yolk centered. - For perfect hard-cooked eggs, cover the eggs with cold water and bring to a boil. Then turn off the heat and let the eggs sit on the burner for 10-15 minutes. - Refrigerate candles for several hours before lighting; it will cause fewer drips. - Have you ever peeled garlic or handled it and your hands smell to high heaven? The next time that happens, take any stainless steel bowl, pan or other stainless steel kitchen gadget and rub your hands on it. It will take away the smell of garlic. - Lemon extract will remove scuff marks from luggage. - Dry Mustard will remove onion odors from your hands or cutting board. Rub in, then rinse off. - Place bay leaves in kitchen drawers and in flour and sugar sacks to keep crawling insects away. Bleeding of Colors: Your red shirt got mixed in with other clothes and ruined them? First off, DON'T DRY THEM! Wash again with regular detergent and color-safe bleach. If that didn't work, Ritz, the makers of clothes dye, makes a color remover that works wonders and doesn't cost much. To prevent bleeding in the first place, I use a scoop of Oxi Clean® with every load. Blood on Clothes: Pour peroxide on blood and rinse with cold water. If some blood remains, repeat. Burn / Scorch Marks: If the fabric is washable, brush it gently with a soft brush or dry sponge to remove loose carbon particles. Then, wash the fabric with regular detergent and color-safe bleach. - This will permanently weaken the fabric even more than the scorch has, but the scorch may no longer be noticeable. Burnt Stuff on Iron: Rub iron with aluminum foil to remove burnt on starch, etc. Deodorant Stains on the Underarms of Washable Shirts: Sponge on white vinegar (or soak stain in it); wait 30 minutes. Launder shirts in the hottest water safe for the fabric. Using an enzyme detergent or a detergent with bleach alternative check care labels to be sure this is okay). I sometimes put liquid laundry detergent right on the area, leave it for five to ten minutes, then wash. To prevent: Let deodorant dry before dressing. And don't let stains sit! Apply prewash spray or liquid detergent ASAP, then launder. Every third or fourth washing, use the hottest water safe for the shirts. Down Comforters / Jackets: These can, indeed, be washed rather than dry cleaned. Any stains, such as the grime on the cuffs of a jacket, should be spot-cleaned with a pre-treater, then rinsed with water. Wash the item in the gentle cycle with mild detergent. The key is to ensure the down is rinsed extremely well. Then, place in the dryer rather than line drying. This allows the feathers to plump up again. Place large knotted towels or tennis balls in the dryer with it to help fluff the down. The only caution is, if the item has weak seams or fragile fabric it could "explode" and leave you with only down. If there are stains remaining, place it (on a blanket) outdoors in full sunshine for a day or two. This often helps. If not, at least your comforter will have that outdoor fresh smell. Fabric Softener: I have been using an old dish towel as a fabric softener sheet. I pour a couple of capfuls of Downey on it and throw it in the dryer. It has taken over a year to go thru a bottle of (small) Downey fabric softener. I add more Downey about every 15 loads or just when I notice a little static. It helps to use a towel that is distinct from the other laundry. I use a pink towel, which is a one of a kind in our house. Fading: Turn dark clothes inside out and wash in the coolest water possible; dry on lowest heat. For all-black clothes, throw in a box of black Ritz dye every 8-10 washes or so to keep black clothes black. Gasoline On Clothing: Gasoline is an oil based product, therefore, use another oil based product to pull out the odor (which is left because all the gas oil has not been removed yet). You can use any kind of oil that normally washes out of clothing, like baby oil. Put some of the oil into the washer along with the shorts, let it swish around for a while, then put in the detergent and all should come out okay. General Stain Removal for Clothing: Read the label! If it says dry-clean only, dry-clean it. If it's washable, try cleaning fluid, spot remover, or petroleum-based pre-wash spray. Place garment stain side down on paper towels and dab cleaner on stain using a terry-cloth towel or scrub brush. Check paper towels underneath and move frequently so there's always a clean area under the stain to absorb soil. Let area dry and check it. If stain remains, treat with prewash spray and launder. Before drying, check again. Still visible? Repeat steps. Gum On Clothing: Use egg whites to remove gum on clothing. Brush egg white onto gum with a toothbrush. Let sit for 15 minutes and then launder on the items normally. Ink Stains: The best way I have found to get out ink stains is to put rubbing alcohol on the stain - it disappears! This must be done before washing. Laundry Basket Freshener: Place a fabric softener sheet in the bottom of your laundry basket (remember to change it weekly.) You can also simply sprinkle some baking soda in the bottom of your basket and that will help absorb the odors as well. Linen Closet: In the linen closet, place cotton balls that have been sprayed with your favorite scent. Once they are dry, place them in corners and on the shelves. Lint: Keep lint off dark clothes by not washing them with towels, washcloths, dishrags, etc. This is where a majority of the lint comes from and it's just easier to eliminate them. Lipstick: Use petroleum jelly for removing lipstick stains. Another possibility is to rub in a little vegetable shortening and then launder as normal. Mildew Stains: Shake or brush the item to remove loose growth. Presoak in cold water. Wash in hot water with heavy duty detergent. For whites, add 1/2 cup bleach. If colored, use color-safe bleach. If staining remains on white items, repeat washing before drying. Dry thoroughly; heat and sun tend to kill mildew. Mothball Alternative: A better idea than using mothballs is to take your leftover soap slivers and put them in a vented plastic bag. You place the bag with seasonal clothes before packing them away. Not only will the scent prevent them from moth harm but also they'll smell great when you pull them out. I especially like this for sweaters, which can be difficult to remove the odor of mothballs from. Using soap you simply have a clean smell rather than the smell of an attic. Perspiration Stains/Odor: Soak the stained shirt in equal parts ammonia and water and add a few Tbls. of liquid dish soap overnight. Then, wash the shirts as usual. Rust and Mineral Stains: Add 1 cup of bottled lemon juice in the wash to remove discoloration from cotton laundry. Soiled Shirt Collars: Take a small paintbrush and brush hair shampoo into soiled shirt collars before laundering. Shampoo is made to dissolve body oils. Spaghetti Stains: Wet the fabric and then sprinkle with powdered dish detergent. Scrub gently with a toothbrush. Rinse the item and launder normally. Travel Saver: Whenever you travel carry along a stain pretreatment stick. Taking the time to use it on stains before they set ensures that they will wash out when you get home. White-Out / Liquid Paper and Permanent Marker Stains: Dab some sunscreen over the stain and rub off with a paper towel. Repeat until stain is gone. Yellowed / Greyed Whites: Rit®, the makers of clothes dye, makes a white-wash that works well for bleachable and non-bleachable clothing that has yellowed or greyed. You can also hang yellowed clothes out to dry whenever possible to reduce the yellow. - Use lifesavers candy to hold candles in place on your next birthday cake! Kids love 'em! - Poke an egg with a small sewing needle before hard-boiling, and the egg will peel with ease! And hold that needle in place with a magnet refrigerator clip! - Stuff a miniature marshmallow in the bottom of a sugar cone to prevent ice cream drips! - Zap garlic cloves in the microwave for 15 seconds and the skins slip right off! - Organize your magazines into groups according to Seasons (Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter). This way, you have several handy reference guides for the appropriate Season/Holiday! - Use a meat baster to "squeeze" your pancake batter onto the hot griddle~perfect shaped pancakes every time! - Always spray your grill with non-stick cooking spray before grilling to avoid sticking! - To keep potatoes from budding, place an apple in the bag with the potatoes! - To prevent egg shells from cracking, add a pinch of salt to the water before hard-boiling! - Use a pastry blender to cut ground beef into small pieces after browning! - Sweeten whipped cream with confectioners' sugar instead of granulated sugar~it will stay fluffy and hold it's shape better! - For easy "meatloaf mixing", combine the ingredients with a potato masher! - If you don't have enough batter to fill all cupcake tins, pour 1 tablespoon of water into the unfilled spots...this helps preserve the life of your pans! - To easily remove honey from a measuring spoon, first coat the spoon with nonstick cooking spray! - Run your hands under cold water before pressing Rice Krispies treats in the pan~the marshmallow won't stick to your fingers! - Mash and freeze ripe bananas, in one-cup portions, for use in later baking~no wasted bananas (or you can freeze them whole, peeled, in plastic baggies)! - To quickly use that frozen juice concentrate, simply mash it with a potato masher~no need to wait for it to thaw! - To get the most juice out of fresh lemons, bring them to room temperature and roll them under your palm against the kitchen counter before squeezing! - To easily remove burnt on food from your skillet, simply add a drop or two of dish soap and enough water to cover bottom of pan, and bring to a boil on stove-top~skillet will be much easier to clean now! - Spray your tupperware with non-stick cooking spray before pouring in tomato-based sauces~no more stains! - Transfer your jelly to a small plastic squeeze bottle~no more messy, sticky jars or knives! This also works well for homemade salad dressing! - To aid in washing dishes, add a tablespoon of baking soda to your soapy water~it softens hands while cutting through grease! - Save your store-bought-bread bags and ties~they make perfect storage bags for homemade bread! - When a cake recipe calls for flouring the baking pan, use a bit of the dry cake mix instead~no white mess on the outside of the cake! - If you accidentally over-salt a dish while it's still cooking, drop in a peeled potato~it absorbs the excess salt for an instant "fix me up"! - Next time you need a quick ice pack, grab a bag of frozen vegetables out of your freezer~no watery leaks from a plastic baggie! - When making bread, substitute non-dairy creamer for the dry milk~it works just as well! - Rinse cooked, ground meat with water when draining off the fat~this helps "wash away" even more fat! - Slicing meat when partially frozen makes it easier to get thin slices. - Instead of throwing away bread heels or leftover cornbread, use them to make bread crumbs. For use later, store them in the freezer. - Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator~it will keep for weeks! - Substitute half applesauce for the vegetable oil in your baking recipes~you'll greatly reduce the fat content! (Example: 1/2 cup vegetable oil = 1/4 cup applesauce + 1/4 cup oil) - To ripen avocados and bananas, enclose them in a brown paper bag with an apple for 2-3 days! - Brush beaten egg white over pie crust before baking to yield a beautiful, glossy finish! - In recipes calling for margarine, substitute reduced-calorie margarine to help cut back on fat! (Same goes with sour cream, milk, cheese, cream cheese, and cream soups) - Place a slice of bread in hardened brown sugar to soften it back up! - When boiling corn on the cob, add a pinch of sugar to help bring out the corns natural sweetness! - When starting your garden seedlings indoors, plant the seeds in egg shell halves. Simply crack the shells around the roots of your plants and transplant them outdoors~the shell is a natural fertilizer! - To determine whether an egg is fresh, immerse it in a pan of cool, salted water. If it sinks, it is fresh~if it rises to the surface, throw it away. - Keep the linings from cereal boxes~they make great substitutes for waxed paper! - Use hollowed out orange, grapefruit or melon halves for perfect salad and dessert bowls! - Quickly cut up pancakes using a pizza cutter! - Clothespins make great clips for all of your open bags (potato chips, cereal, marshmallows, etc.)! - Pretzel sticks are a nice alternative to toothpicks for spearing appetizers. - Test baking soda or powder by adding a teaspoonful of water to it. If it fizzles, it's still good. - Fresh herbs will stay fresh longer if you place them in a dry paper towel and then in a plastic bag before putting them into the refrigerator. - Use instant potato flakes to thicken gravy, chowders, soups and stews! - To remove the core from a head of lettuce, sharply hit the core end once against the counter~the core will loosen and pull out easily. - Pour leftover coffee into ice cube trays and freeze for use in iced coffee~no watered down iced coffee, and no waste! - After flouring chicken for frying, chill for one hour~the coating stays adhered better. - For fast and easy clean-up, spray your grater with non-stick cooking spray before using it! - Add a few drops of vegetable oil to the boiling water when cooking pasta and rice to prevent the water from boiling over! - To quickly remove corn kernels from the cob, use a clean shoe horn~it fits perfectly! - Prevent apple slices from browning by placing in pineapple juice. - Stored in the refrigerator, they'll keep for days and yield a delightful flavor! - Store spices in a cool, dry place~heat and light deteriorate them. - Store poppy seeds and sesame seeds in the refrigerator to prevent them from going rancid. - Grill meat a few minutes on each side before basting to prevent contaminating your basting brush with the bacteria often found on uncooked meat. - Use an ice cream scoop to easily and quickly remove the seeds from melons! - Used coffee grounds make a great fertilizer! - Recycle your leftover coffee cans, oat canisters and shoe boxes for handy storage bins! Decorate them for an attractive flair. - To get the last little bit of chocolate sauce out of the bottle, microwave it for 10-15 seconds~there's still quite a bit left in there! - Store tomatoes stem side down and they will stay fresher longer. - A salt shaker filled with flour works well for dusting pans and coating chicken. - For easy, clean storage, remove radishes from their tops before putting in the refrigerator. - For maximum freshness, store soft cookies tightly covered, and crisp cookies loosely covered. - Save dishes and time by using paper plates to hold your bread crumbs and flour when coating meat and vegetables. - Keep a ruler handy in the kitchen for quick and easy use! - Mix batters in a large measuring pitcher~it makes for easy pouring and less mess! - Grape juice makes a great substitute for wine in recipes (purple for red wine and white for white wine). - When making pudding, preheat the milk before adding it to the mix~cooking time drops to only about two minutes instead of ten! - To easily remove seeds from a cucumber, cut it in half lengthwise, then run a melon baller down the length of both halves to scoop out the seeds. - Make an easy mocha flavored cake by substituting coffee for the water in a packaged chocolate cake mix. For extra flavor, also use 1 tsp. instant coffee or espresso! - Use ice cream to flavor and instantly cool hot cocoa and coffee! - Stud oranges with whole cloves and place in a nice glass bowl for a simple yet beautiful holiday table centerpiece. - Out of granulated sugar? Use brown sugar! Out of brown sugar? Use granulated sugar! - Use a long, wooden skewer to easily dip candy! A peppermint stick makes a flavorful coffee and tea stirer! - Use lowfat vanilla yogurt in fruit salads for a delicious, lowfat alternative. - For lighter, fluffier pancakes, turn them as soon as the batter starts to bubble. - Use a small, metal spatula to easily scrape up sticky dough when kneading bread. - Coffee pots come out sparkling clean when washed with a mixture of 1 tablespoon of salt, a little water and a sprinkle of baking soda. - Simply rub mixture on with a wet dish cloth and rinse...good as new! - Thaw frozen fish in milk to preserve the fresh-caught flavor. - Toss chocolate chips or raisins with enough flour to give them a light coating before adding them to batter~this will prevent them from sinking to the bottom when baking. - For a cake flour substitute, use 2 tablespoons of cornstarch plus enough flour to equal one cup. -For a self rising flour substitute, use 1 cup all-purpose flour + 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder + 1/2 teaspoon salt. - For a tender, flaky crust, add one teaspoon of vinegar or lemon juice as part of the liquid for each cup of flour in pastry and pie dough recipes. - Spray beaters with nonstick cooking spray before mixing cake and cookie batters to prevent clumping. - To temper chocolate, melt 3/4 of the chocolate with shortening (1 teaspoon per 12 ounces chocolate) in the top of a double boiler over hot water (not boiling). Stir chocolate constantly as it melts. When just about smooth, remove chocolate from the heat and briskly stir in the remaining chocolate. Stir constantly until prefectly smooth. - If a recipe calls for a can of blueberries, you may make your own by using 2-1/2 cups of fresh or frozen blueberries, 1 tbsp. of corn starch, 1-1/2 tsp. of lemon juice, 1/8 cup of water. Cook until thickened and clear. Cool before using as a substitute. - Freeze leftover broth or stock in ice cube trays then pop out into a freezer bag. Eight cubes equals one cup. |
