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TIPS AND HOW-TOs

You can browse through the tips
                      OR
You can check the index : Spring Cleaning...at last...continued
                                  Stains and how to remove them 
                                  Household Tips




 


SPRING CLEANING....CONTINUED


Uses of vinegar

  • Remove armpit sweat stains from clothes by spraying the stain with strong white vinegar before washing them and the stain will disappear.
  • If you add 1/2 a glass of white vinegar during the rinse cycle in the washer you' ll protect your linens and the colours of the clothes and remove leftover detergent. If you tend to hang clothes outside on a line to dry this will help them become softer. (Don't worry about the smell, it evaporates)
  • Get rid of ants and other small insects by spraying a 50-50 mix of water and vinegar.
  • Remove stickers from furniture and bumpers by rubbing them with a soft cloth that has been dipped in warm white vinegar. (Also, mayonnaise, yes mayonnaise!, can remove stickers from furniture as well)
  • The acid in the vinegar can remove rust from small metallic objects, soak them in a solution with vinegar for a while and rinse well.
  • Adding a little vinegar in your moping bucket along with your floor detergent will make your floor tiles shine.
  • Plastic food containers tend to smell bad after a while. Clean them well with vinegar and the smells will disappear.
  • Adding 2 tablespoons of vinegar to the vase of flowers will prolong their life. (An aspirin is said to be doing the same job)
  • Get rid of bad smells and even unclog your garbage disposal or sink by pouring baking soda and adding white vinegar. Let it stand for 30 minutes and then rinse with hot water.
  • You can remove spots from your silverware by rubbing them with a soft cloth dipped in vinegar. Rinse well.
  • Clean the baked on food and grease in your microwave by filling a microwave-safe bowl (or a coffee cup) with a mixture of half vinegar and half water and nuking it for two minutes (or more, you want it to be bubbling hot). Then, dip a sponge into the vinegar-water solution, and use it to wipe the food off of the walls of the microwave. It'll fall right off! (Don't forget to wear gloves to protect your hands!)
Uses of coffee filters
  • We can use coffee filters to wipe clean windows and mirrors!
  • If the cork breaks into pieces as we open a bottle of wine we can use a coffee filter to strain the wine of any cork pieces.
  • We can also use coffee filters to strain the oil we used for frying in order to use it again.
  • By placing a coffee filter at the bottom of a pot we make sure the plant doesn't lose any of its soil as it will allow only water to go through it.
Uses of talcum powder
  • Applying talcum powder on a fresh stain will make it easier to remove later as the powder will absorb the damp.
  • Reduce the moisture and sweaty feeling in your shoes by adding some talcum powder.
  • Applying talcum powder after shaving can calm the skin and avoid irritation.
  • You can untangle a tangled chain or bracelet by putting some talcum powder on it. You' ll be surprised!
  • Is your wooden floor creaking? Pour some talcum powder in the seams . It should stop!


Uses of baking soda
  • Make stains from ink and markers disappear by rubbing them with a wet sponge dipped in baking soda. Rinse
  • Put baking soda (and a little vinegar) on burnt grease residues on your pots and pans. Let it soak. rub gently and rinse.
  • Remove spots from your silverware by rubbing them with a soft cloth and baking soda. Rinse well.
  • If your house smells bad due to smokers or pets, pour a generous amount of baking soda on the carpets. Let it stand all night and the next day vacuum.

General
  • Remove chocolate stains with warm water and then rub with dish soap. Rinse.
  • Remove wine stains by putting some salt on it. Let it stand for about 1/2 hour. Rub with a sponge dipped in warm water and detergent. Rinse with cold water.
  • Get blood stains off clothes by rinsing them with cold water. Then wash normally


 
Don't forget your gloves!
Before I start the dishes I put a hand lotion on and then the gloves. The heat from the warm water makes my hands so soft!
Try it.


Please, feel free to comment and add your own housecleaning tips!
 
 
 
 
 


Stains, stains, stains!

I wish I could just throw the clothes in the washer without checking each piece of clothing for stains and meticulously applying special stain removal detergents, etc. etc.... only to find out at the end of the cycle that the stain is still there, or at best a "shadow" of it!
I have gathered here some of the best tips I know (and could find) to help us all with this persistent problem. Some I have tried, some I have been told they do miracles and some sounded like they would work. Let's try these new 'weapons' in the stain removal fight!

IMPORTANT NOTICE
  • Pre-test all stain-removing solutions on a small area of the garment using a white cloth. If the color bleeds onto the cloth after applying the agent, discontinue use and consider taking your item to a professional cleaner.
  • if the stain remains, repeat, but do not dry the garment in the clothes dryer until the stain is gone. Using the dryer on a stain will set the stain and make it permanent!
  • Alcohol should not be used on silk or wool.
  • Do not use chlorine bleach on wool, silk or spandex.
  • Make sure the stain is gone after washing, but before you place in the dryer or you may set the stain.
  • If the stain does not come out after one wash you may need to repeat before placing in the drye
















Fruit stains will be removed quickly and easily if you get to it right away.







Pretreat with a white distilled vinegar and water solution. Wash as usual.

Blood Stain Removal

Blood stains can be easily removed by rinsing under plenty of cold water. Then wash as usual. (NOTE: never use hot or warm water on a blood stain.)
Soap residue that makes black clothes look dull

Use white distilled vinegar in your final rinse.


Perspiration odor and stains on clothing

Spray full-strength white distilled vinegar on underarm and collar areas before tossing them into the washing machine. This applies to stains left by deodorants, too.

Grass Stains

Grass stains are one of the toughest stains to remove. . The quicker you attempt to remove this stain, the more likely it is to come out.



  • To remove grass stains from clothing, blot the stain with water, soak the stain with a rubbing alcohol and water mixture, and then launder the clothes as usual.
or
  • Pretreat the stain with a paste of powdered laundry detergent (that contains enzymes) mixed with a little water, or with liquid laundry detergent (also containing enzymes).
  • Launder in the hottest water the fabric will allow to get out the stain, and either chlorine bleach if the fabric will allow it, or color bleach if not.
Hint: In the alternative, you can pretreat the stain with a laundry prewash stain remover formulated to remove stains caused by grass.

You may also want to soak the stain caused by the grass in a solution of hot water and laundry detergent containing enzymes, for a couple of hours or even overnight for especially stubborn stains. 

Chocolate stains
First remove the excess chocolate. But be careful not to spread it on clean parts of the cloth.
  • The next step is to rinse with cold water.
  • After that rub liquid detergent into the stain and allow it to sit for 5 minutes.
  • Then put the clothing in cold water for 15 minutes. Every 3-5 minutes rub the stained spot to loosen it.
  • Repeat the process until there are no stains left.

Rust stains
  • Remove rust from fabric by laying the clothing on some paper towels face down, squeezing lemon juice over the stain and then laying it out to dry.
  • Wash rust stained clothing as usual.


Bubble Gum Removal

Place your clothing into the freezer. Wait 2 or more hours before removing. You can gently scrape off the frozen gum and then wah the stain with dishsoap. Continue with washing it in the washer as usual.



 
 
  • Coffee maker: Clean the inside of your coffee maker by inserting a coffee filter and filling the reservoir with two parts white vinegar and one part water. Then run the machine through a full cycle and repeat the process two times with cold water and filters.

    • Dishwasher: Use the chemical cleaners available at stores to clean the dishwasher more sparingly by doing this - Once a month, with the machine empty, run a cup of vinegar through an entire cycle to reduce soap buildup on the inner mechanisms and glassware.

    • Remove stickers from furniture by applying some mayonnaise on them. Let it soak a bit and then rub it off and wipe away.



    • Did you know toothpaste can shine silverware (jewellery, too). You can use an old toothbrush for better results. Rinse and wipe. They'll be sparkling!




    • Toothpaste can also relieve you from the pain of a burn. Apply liberally on the burnt skin.



    • (This one I haven't tried:) Toothpaste also helps dry out pimples! But you must use paste, gel will not work! [You didn't really expect a photo of a pimple, here, did you?!!!]




    • Ripen green tomatoes by wrapping them individually with newspaper and leave them out at room temperature.



    • Clean Toilets in minutes - place two tablets of Alka Seltzer in your toilet for ten minutes then wipe the grime and scum away. Coca Cola is also a great toilet bowl cleaner. Removes the hard water stains and rust stains!
    • Uses of nail polish:

    - Color-code your keys - apply a thick coat of a different
    shade to the top of each one.
    - You can stop a windshield crack from spreading.
    - Place a small drop on the screw
    threads of your glasses. It keeps the screws from coming
    out.


    • Have a few clothespins handy in a kitchen drawer to use as clips f.e. for a bag of chips, a box of crackers or cereal. The remainder of the opened box or bag will remain fresh! You can also use them for frozen veggies and loaves of breads as well.


    • Do you have any tips to share?

      Photos are courtesy of Google images.


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