Helpful Hints ... add yours!

[Roxyluvsme13]

Apple cider vinegar can be used to clean and is also a remedy for things such as an eye infection in your pet. One of our cats had an eye infection once and we treated it with super diluted ACV and it healed right up.

Also, white vinegar makes excellent fabric softener for your laundry!

[pomtzu]

Got ball point pen ink on your clothes??? Spray it with hair spray - a little rub - and it's gone. I learned this one many years ago when I worked in an office - something all office workers seem to know.

[kaycountrygal]

Good Thread!
My friend uses apple cider vinegar (brown vinegar not white) between his toes to prevent athlete's foot/toes (he says it works).

He says it's also good as a window cleaner.

He uses olive oil on his dry skin. I told him because he used vinegar between his toes and olive oil on his skin, he should stick a cucumber and tomato in his mouth and I would call him a "walking salad". I'm laughing as I'm typing this.

[Freedom]

Windex! Oh wait, that's from the movie, My Big Fat Greek Wedding.

Sorry Karen, just couldn't resist.

[redbird]

Sorry, I don't have any helpful hints but I appreciate the ones that are listed, very helpful.

[pomtzu]

Good Thread!
My friend uses apple cider vinegar (brown vinegar not white) between his toes to prevent athlete's foot/toes (he says it works).

He says it's also good as a window cleaner.

Wait!!! He doesn't use his feet/toes to clean the windows after he applies the vinegar, does he???

Sorry - I couldn't resist that one.

[Taz_Zoee]

Got ball point pen ink on your clothes??? Spray it with hair spray - a little rub - and it's gone. I learned this one many years ago when I worked in an office - something all office workers seem to know.

Yikes! Growing up in the family business of Dry Cleaning I cringe at this one. Sure it might work..........on certain fabrics. But trust me, it won't work on that silk blouse that most women wear at the office. In fact, on some fabrics it sets the stain and makes it harder for the Dry Cleaner to get it out. Also, some hairsprays contain alcohol and that can remove colors from the item.


Here is one that also makes me laugh. My mom told me about how to keep flies away. A Ziploc baggie with some water and a shiny penny in it. My boyfriend laughed at this and swore it doesn't work. While we were on vacation at the beginning of this month we saw so many places that had a baggie with water and a penny it in hanging outside in front of doors. I always had to point it out to Bruce and just LAUGH!!
And then last night we had dinner with some friends and somehow that subject came up. Again I was in tears laughing.
This works because the sun shining on the penny in the water creates a lot of sparkle and sun rays which disorientates (sp?) the flies vision. So they tend to stay away.
Unfortunately this doesn't work on cloudy days or at night though.

[pomtzu]

Yikes! Growing up in the family business of Dry Cleaning I cringe at this one. Sure it might work..........on certain fabrics. But trust me, it won't work on that silk blouse that most women wear at the office. In fact, on some fabrics it sets the stain and makes it harder for the Dry Cleaner to get it out. Also, some hairsprays contain alcohol and that can remove colors from the item.

Guess I lucked out on all the fabrics I wore since I never had an issue. Of course I didn't wear silk either and I also steered away from anything that had to be dry cleaned, for the most part anyway.

I got ink on a pair of cotton/poly blend capris I had on last week and remembered this old trick from years ago. Worked like a charm again.....

[smokey the elder]

Two more things that might work on ink: rubbing alcohol or nail polish remover (acetone). There is a lot of good basic chemistry in cleaning!

[Catty1]

Another thing to try on ink - toothpaste!

Also when I was a kid and got mosquito bites I dabbed Crest toothpaste on them. Not sure where I got the idea but it stopped the itch and drained the bite a bit as it dried. Now if they only had flesh-tone toothpaste.....

For bloodstains - ALWAYS ALWAYS cold water! If you are soaking the item, add some hydrogen peroxide and leave for several hours (depending on the size of the stain). This works better if the stain hasn't already gone through the laundry.

Best spot cleaners - a spray of regular Fantastik or rub the area with cold water and a bar of Sunlight laundry soap.

[Taz_Zoee]

Another one for Mosquito bites...........rub a penny on it.
I've never tried this, but my dad did and said it worked.

[williamjack]

Good to see the full information here thanks to all for their help.

[Karen]

Every once in a while I need a tablespoon or two of cream for a recipe. I don't take cream in my coffee (don't drink coffee anyway) so got tired of buying a whole container of cream only for most of it to go to waste - it does go bad eventually.

So now I freeze it - one compartment in one of my ice cube trays neatly hold a tablespoon (I measured one teaspoon, poured it in, and it was perfect - small tray, so I froze a bunch, popped them out and have them in a plastic bag in the freezer. This way I can just thaw as many as I need next time I want some for a recipe, and none goes to waste.

Scones, for example, are just not the same if you make them with 1% or 2% milk, which is what I usually have on hand!

[phesina]

I have a pair of boots that zip up the front, that I have been getting a lot of use out of this winter. The zippers are getting so they do not move up or down easily.

Is there some kind of wax or oil or ..something I can put on or along the zippers so they will work more easily?

Thanks very much!

Pat

[Lady's Human]

I have a pair of boots that zip up the front, that I have been getting a lot of use out of this winter. The zippers are getting so they do not move up or down easily.

Is there some kind of wax or oil or ..something I can put on or along the zippers so they will work more easily?

Thanks very much!

Pat

Beeswax works well.