Helpful Hints ... add yours!

[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.

[Randi]

I need some advice. Earlier in the summer I made strawberry jam, which I put in glasses... you know the ones our mom's and grandmom's used. They have a glass lid and there's a rubber band around the top, then you close them with a metal thingy. They look like some of these here:
https://www.google.com/images?q=henk...g&ved=0CB0QsAQ

Well, I simply can't open it. Would it help to put it in a bowl with boiling water or what?

Hope someone has an idea. Thank you!

[pomtzu]

I need some advice. Earlier in the summer I made strawberry jam, which I put in glasses... you know the ones our mom's and grandmom's used. They have a glass lid and there's a rubber band around the top, then you close them with a metal thingy. They look like some of these here:
https://www.google.com/images?q=henk...g&ved=0CB0QsAQ

Well, I simply can't open it. Would it help to put it in a bowl with boiling water or what?

Hope someone has an idea. Thank you!

Yes - either run the top where the rubber ring is under hot water, or just sit the jar upside down in a pan of hot water. Don't know that I'd use boiling water tho - just very hot.

[Freedom]

I need some advice. Earlier in the summer I made strawberry jam, which I put in glasses... you know the ones our mom's and grandmom's used. They have a glass lid and there's a rubber band around the top, then you close them with a metal thingy. They look like some of these here:
https://www.google.com/images?q=henk...g&ved=0CB0QsAQ

Well, I simply can't open it. Would it help to put it in a bowl with boiling water or what?

Hope someone has an idea. Thank you!

When you say you can't open it, do you mean you can't get the long metal bar OFF, or that is off and you can't get the pull tab on the rubber ring to release? I used a firm knife as a lever, and got a bit of air in slowly to help release the glass top. Just lift the knife and you see a few bubbles, hold that position and wait, release and pry it up again, let more air in.

I am clearing out my Dad's house and I found 27 jars of peach preserves and 4 jars of apples sauce in those jars. Being as they were about 30 years old I decided to open them outside and dump them in a hole I dug in the garden - instant compost! A few were really tight and the paring knife did the trick. Just did this Saturday!

[cassiesmom]

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

A smear of Purell on an insect bite, or any alcohol-based hand sanitizer. My mom swears by a mixture of vinegar and baking soda for bee stings and insect bites, though.

[Randi]

If you're out in town having a glass of redwine and you spill some on your shirt, go to the bathroom and rub some hand soap and a bit of water on it. Preferably use white soap, though. When you get home, you wash it as normal and you won't see a thing.

[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.

[Karen]

Beeswax works well.

Hmm, how does one apply it? I had to use a pair of players to zip one of my boots today! I was not wearing extra socks, so I was able to untie and get my foot out without unzipping it!