There is another on the Cooking thread geared more towards cooking and the kitchen if you're interested. This is the second portion of an email I received today, so I thought I would share.

Newspaper weeds away
Start putting in your plants, work the nutrients in your soil. Wet newspapers,
put layers around the plants overlapping as you go cover with mulch and for-
get about weeds. Weeds will get through some gardening plastic they will not
get through wet newspapers.


Broken Glass
Use a wet cotton ball or Q-tip to pick up the small shards of glass you can't see easily.


No More Mosquitoes
Place a dryer sheet in your pocket. It will keep the mosquitoes away.




Squirrel Away!
To keep squirrels from eating your plants, sprinkle your plants with cayenne pepper. The cayenne pepper doesn't hurt the plant and the squirrels won't come near it.



Flexible vacuum
To get something out of a heat register or under the fridge add an empty paper towel roll or empty gift wrap roll to your vacuum. It can be bent or flattened to get in narrow openings.

Reducing Static Cling
Pin a small safety pin to the seam of your slip and you will not have a clingy skirt or dress. Same thing works with slacks that cling when wearing panty hose. Place pin in seam of slacks and ... ta da! ... static is gone.


Measuring Cups
Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill with hot water.
Dump out the hot water, but don't dry cup. Next, add your ingredient, such
as peanut butter, and watch how easily it comes right out.


Foggy Windshield?
Hate foggy windshields? Buy a chalkboard eraser and keep it in the glove box of your car When the windows fog, rub with the eraser! Works better than a cloth!


Re opening envelopes
If you seal an envelope and then realize you forgot to include something inside, just place your sealed envelope in the freezer for an hour or two. Viola! It unseals easily.


Conditioner
Use your hair conditioner to shave your legs. It's cheaper than shaving cream and leaves your legs really smooth. It's also a great way to use up the conditioner you bought but didn't like when you tried it in your hair.


Goodbye Fruit Flies
To get rid of pesky fruit flies, take a small glass, fill it 1/2' with Apple Cider Vinegar and 2 drops of dish washing liquid; mix well. You will find those flies drawn to the cup and gone forever!


Get Rid of Ants
Put small piles of cornmeal where you see ants. They eat it, take it 'home,' can't digest it so it kills them. It may take a week or so, especially if it rains, but it works and you don't have the worry about pets or small children being harmed!



INFO ABOUT CLOTHES DRYERS
The heating unit went out on my dryer! The gentleman that fixes things around the house for us told us that he wanted to show us something and he went over to the dryer and pulled out the lint filter. It was clean. (I always clean the lint from the filter after every load clothes.) He told us that he wanted to show us something; he took the filter over to the sink and ran hot water over it. The lint filter is made of a mesh material .. I'm sure you know what your dryer's lint filter looks like. Well . the hot water just sat on top of the mesh! It didn't go through it at all! He told us that dryer sheets cause a film over that mesh that's what burns out the heating unit. You can't SEE the film, but it's there. It's what is in the dryer sheets to make your clothes soft and static free ... that nice fragrance too. You know how they can feel waxy when you take them out of the box ... well this stuff builds up on your clothes and on your lint screen. This is also what causes dryer units to potentially burn your house down with it! He said the best way to keep your dryer working for a very longtime (and to keep your electric bill lower) is to take that filter out and wash it with hot soapy water and an old toothbrush (or other brush) at least every six months. He said that makes the life of the dryer at least twice as long! How about that!?! Learn something new everyday! I certainly didn't know dryer sheets would do that. So, I thought I'd share!
Note: I went to my dryer and tested my screen by running water on it. The water ran through a little bit but mostly collected all the water in the mesh screen. I washed it with warm soapy water and a nylon brush and I had it done in 30 seconds. Then when I rinsed it . the water ran right thru the screen! There wasn't any puddling at all! That repairman knew what he was talking about!

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"Dance like no one is watching."

Wow - great tips! And thanks for the info on the dryer sheets. Makes sense to me!

I love bleach. A couple of drops of bleach added to the water in a vase full of flowers keeps the stems from getting that bad smell and turning mushy/slimy. Those cheaper flowers (like mums ad carnations) will last longer, and the water won't get cloudy. Before I found out about this little trick, I would have to discard my flowers just because of the smelly, mirky water, even though the flowers still were full of life!

I also put a small amount of bleach into the laundry when I'm not sure how long it will be until I can remove them. Then the clothes don't get that mildew smell that shows up when they've sat too long in the washing machine.

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"The errors of faith are better than the best thoughts of unbelief." - Thomas Russell

If you get blood on clothing put hydrogen peroxide on the spot then throw in washer. If smaller area use spray bottle with peroxide in it. The peroxide will foam just like on cut.

Neat! Dryer sheets work well on chrome. They polish faucets and teakettles quite nicely.

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"Dance like no one is watching."

Love the dryer sheet idea. I'm going to one of our local parks in a bit. Mosquitoes love me so I'm going to give it a try. I'll let you all know how successful it was.

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Adding to a couple....

Instead of cayenne pepper on plants, I mix up a little hot sauce with water in a spray bottle and spray it on plants. It keeps quite a few bugs and critters away.

Instead of using dryer sheets at all, I make my own laundry soap. Since I've started using it (about a year now), I haven't needed fabric softener for most things. I do use a dryer sheet (actually 1/2) for static-y things like fleece blankets.

I cut or rip my dryer sheets in half for the laundry, and have gotten comparable results as a full sheet.

My sister makes her own laundry detergent and her own dye-free, perfume-free hand soap.

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"Dance like no one is watching."

To peel hot hard boiled eggs, dunk them in a contaneir with ice and water leave them in for 10 to 20 seconds and the peel comes right off.

great thread op :-)

My grandmother never threw slivers of soap away. She'd accumulate them, soften them with a little water, and form them into a ball to get the most out of them.

My other grandmother would unwrap all her ivory soap bars and keep them in a decanter by the tub. I can remember her telling me this would let them harden and last longer...(?)

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"Dance like no one is watching."

Here's a website talking about other uses for Dawn dishwashing liquid. I, myself, use it straight on butter/grease drips on clothes with good results:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/art...ot.html?cat=27

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"Dance like no one is watching."

If you crack the egg at the largest end, there is usually a small air pocket and starting to peel here makes it much easier!

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Square dancing is friendship set to music!

I've had great success with leaving them overnight in a bowl of water in the fridge.


Some more tips:

I recently saw a piece on Today where they used Nature's Miracle to get a big stain off a couch cushion. It's made originally for pet messes but works on anything they say. You just cover an area twice as big as the stain and wipe! Around $8.50 at most drugstores.

Instead of using those chemical flea spot things (which have now been shown to have damaging effects on pets' nervous systems) dab a drop or two of lemon essential oils, like lemongrass or lemon balm on your pet's rump and back of the neck.

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The political system is broke and it's a joke.

be careful w/the dryer sheets if you're in areas w/bees & wasps, they are attracted to the floral scents on many dryer sheets

Oxyclean or Magic Eraser will take care of any dirty job in your home. I swear by both of these.

Judi

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"Try to see the glass half-full."

Good point!

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"Dance like no one is watching."

Be careful though because they have taken paint off my walls and taken the color out of my floor! Now I use in test area first. I use these in shower though!

What do you clean with Oxyclean? I haven't found anything to use this for besides the red wine spilled on the carpet. I'm interested to know what y'all use it to clean?

I love the magic eraser sponges! They will even clean permanent markers!

We use oxyclean on the carpets.

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I've never lied to you. I've always told you some version the of truth.

I use Oxyclean to get the discoloration out of white vintage pieces of clothing I find at thrift shops and yard sales - it's gotten out some bad stains on very old linen napkins - I make my own laundry soap and always throw some Oxyclean in the mix

OH good idea, cool! I have a lot of old discolored "whites"...more like "used to be whites"...HAHAHA! They also get a wierd smell kind of like old crayons?

For heatherr: As far as using it for carpet, do you mean in a steam cleaner?

If I have a stain on my furniture, indoor or outdoor, I make a weak paste with hot water and scrub it on the stains. They always come out.

For my youngest daughters baptism, the dress we used was family dress and when I got it, there were brown stains from sitting in the box for a few years. I made a paste, scrubbed it lightly and and stain just came out.

I use it to clean the inside of my car doors, dash, but you need to make sure you rinse real well or it will leave a residue.


Hope these help.

Judi

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"Try to see the glass half-full."

This isn't really "household", but...Another use for the wonderful magic eraser...I use it to clean my car...The car is white and every little mark shows up...You know how if another person bumps their car door into yours and leaves a bit of paint? Or you have those black grease marks? When you are washing your car or afterwards, use a Mr. Clean eraser on those marks...They will come right off and your car will look brand new! Works better on lighter color cars because you can actually see the marks... ~Lisa

Will try the Magic Eraser/car tip. I rub a stick of butter on hot toast rather than using a butter knife, so I don't have to make sure I have soft butter if I want toast.

ZIP LOCK BAG -keeps flies away! - bags half filled with water, each containing 4 to 6 pennies, and zipped shut...keeps flies away! --Some say that wasps and flies mistake the bag for some other insect nest and are threatened...others say it works because a fly sees reflections & won't come around.

Getting rid of pestky Mosquitos outdoors and around picnic areas..Take a spray bottle and put Mouthwash(generic or listerine(whatever) and spray the ground around your area and the mosquitos will stay away. I plan on trying this one this summer camping.

Another Penny tip is if you get stung by a bee..place a penny over the stung area and immediately the pain will lesson until gone and even if you are prone to swelling it will stop that as well. I have not tried this one since I have not been stung since I heard this tip.LOL!

Eliminate ear mites .. All it takes is a few drops of Wesson corn oil in your cat's ear...Massage it in, then clean with a cotton ball. Repeat daily for 3 days. The oil soothes the cat's skin, smothers the mites, and accelerates healing.
Kills fleas instantly...Dawn dishwashing liquid does the trick. Add a few drops to your dog's bath and shampoo the animal thoroughly. Rinse well to avoid skin irritations. Good-bye fleas.

Rainy day cure for dog odor Next time your dog comes in from the rain, simply wipe down the animal with Bounce or any dryer sheet, instantly making your dog smell springtime fresh.

Did You Know that drinking two glasses of Gatorade can relieve headache pain almost immediately without the unpleasant side effects caused by traditional 'pain relievers.'

Did you know that Colgate toothpaste makes an excellent salve for burns


Before you head to the drugstore for a high-priced inhaler filled with mysterious chemicals, try chewing on a couple of curiously strong Altoids peppermints. They'll clear up your stuffed nose ..


Achy muscles from a bout of the flu? Mix 1 Tablespoon of horseradish in 1 cup of olive oil. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes, then apply it as massage oil, for instant relief for aching muscles.< /B>


Sore throat? Just mix 1/4 cup of vinegar with 1/4 cup of honey and take 1 tablespoon six times a day. The vinegar kills the bacteria.


Cure urinary tract infections with Alka-Seltzer. Just dissolve two tablets in a glass of water and drink it at the onset of the symptoms. Alka-Seltzer begins eliminating urinary tract infections almost instantly-- even though the product was never been advertised for this use.


Honey remedy for skin blemishes . Cover the blemish with a dab of honey and place a Band-Aid over it. Honey kills the bacteria, keeps the skin sterile, and speeds healing. Works overnight.

Listerine therapy for toenail fungus. Get rid of unsightly toenail fungus by soaking your toes in Listerine mouthwash. The powerful antiseptic leaves your toenails looking healthy again.

Easy eyeglass protection .... To prevent the screws in eyeglasses from loosening, apply a small drop of Maybelline Crystal Clear nail polish to the threads of the screws before tightening them.


Cleaning liquid that doubles as bug killer . If menacing bees, wasps, hornets, or yellow jackets get in your home and you can't find the insecticide, try a spray of Formula 409. Insects drop to the ground instantly.


Smart splinter remover . Just pour a drop of Elmer's Glue-All over the splinter, let dry, and peel the dried glue off the skin. The splinter sticks to the dried glue.


< B>Hunt's tomato paste boil cure . cover the boil with Hunt's tomato paste as a compress. The acids from the tomatoes soothe the pain and bring the boil to a head.

Balm for broken blisters... To disinfect a broken blister, dab on a few drops of Listerine a powerful antiseptic .


Vinegar to heal bruises ... Soak a cotton ball in white vinegar and apply it to the bruise for 1 hour. The vinegar reduces the blueness and speeds up the healing process

Quaker Oats for fast pain relief. It's not for breakfast any more! Mix 2 cups of Quaker Oats and 1 cup of water in a bowl and warm in the microwave for 1 minute, cool slightly, and apply the mixture to your hands for soothing relief from arthritis pain.

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~*~Live life to the fullest*~*

Peroxide vs. Bleach(an email I got from someone)


This was written by Becky Ransey of Indiana (a doctor's wife).


benefits of that plain little ole bottle of 3% peroxide .



"Did you know bleach was invented in the late 40's? It's

Chlorine! And it was used to kill our troops.



"Peroxide was invented during WWI. It was used to save and help

cleanse the needs of our troops and hospitals. think about this:



1. Take one capful (the little white cap that comes with the bottle)
and hold in your mouth for 10 minutes daily, then spit it out.
No more canker sores, and your teeth will be whiter

without expensive pastes. Use it instead of mouthwash...

2. Let your toothbrushes soak in a cup of peroxide to keep them free of

germs.



3. Clean your counters and table tops with peroxide to kill germs and

leave a fresh smell. Simply put a little on your dishrag when you wipe

down your countertops, or spray it on the counters directly.



4. After rinsing off your wooden cutting board, pour peroxide on it to

kill salmonella and other bacteria.



5. fungus on feet.. spray a 50/50 mixture of

Peroxide and water on them (especially the toes) every night and let

dry.



6. Soak any infections or cuts in 3% peroxide for five to ten minutes

several times a day. have heard that gangrene that would not heal

with any medicine but was healed by soaking in peroxide.



7. Fill a spray bottle with a 50/50 mixture of peroxide and water and

keep it in every bathroom to disinfect without harming your septic

system like bleach or most other disinfectants will.



8. Tilt your head back and spray into nostrils with your 50/50 mixture

whenever you have a cold, plugged sinus. It will bubble and help to

kill the bacteria. Hold for a few minutes, and then blow your nose

into a tissue.



9. If you have a terrible toothache and cannot get to a dentist right

away, put a capful of 3% peroxide into your mouth and hold it for ten

minutes several times a day. The pain will lessen greatly.



10. Put half a bottle of peroxide into your bathwater to help rid

boils, fungus, or other skin infections.



11. You can also add a cup of peroxide instead of bleach to a load of

whites in your laundry to whiten them If there is blood on clothing,

pour it directly on the soiled spot. Let it sit for a minute, then rub

it and rinse with cold water.

Repeat if necessary.



12. I use peroxide to clean my mirrors. There is no smearing.

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~*~Live life to the fullest*~*

Great Thread! Some old but some new and very helpful Thx All.

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Mary