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Rear Admiral
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 323
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This is a collection of home remedies and house hold hints from various sources I gathered over time. Maybe some of the content will prove useful to somebody, someplace, sometime.
DISCLAIMER:
I make no claims; use at your own risk, and with common sense.
Often Brand Name products are specified below. Sometimes there may be a reason, likely a uniquie chemical formula of the product, but other times it may not matter if you substitue what you have on hand. Salt is Salt, it does not matter what the brand name label is. Although there are differant sources of vinegar, and the acidic content varies, vinegar is vinegar. You get the idea.
As this is an interantional site some may not understand the Brand Name or Product specified. If you have questions, I would be pleased to explain.
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HOME REMEDIES
Drinking two glasses of Gatorade can relieve headache pain almost immediately-without the unpleasant side effects caused by traditional pain relievers.
Colgate toothpaste makes an excellent salve for burns.
Before you head to he 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 1/2 cup of olive oil. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes,then apply it as a massage oil, for instant relief for aching muscles.
Sore Throat? Mix 1/4 cup of vinegar with 1/4 cup of honey. 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.
Eliminate puffiness under your eyes.....All you need is a dab of Preparation H, carefully rubbed into the skin, avoiding the eyes. The hemorrhoid ointment acts as a vasoconstrictor, relieving the swelling instantly.
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.
Coca-Cola cure for rust...Forget those expensive rust removers. Just saturate an abrasive sponge with Coca Cola and scrub the rust stain. The phosphoric acid in the coke is what gets the job done.
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 cleaner/degreaser. Insects drop to the ground instantly.
Smart splinter remover.....just pour a drop of Elmers Glue-all over the splinter, let dry, and peel the dried glue off the skin. The splinter sticks to the dried glue.
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.
Heinz 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.
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. Goodbye 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.
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Tips from some domestic chick!
Unique and Useful Tips!
Reheat Pizza
Heat up leftover pizza in a non-stick skillet on top of the stove, set heat to med-low and heat till warm. This keeps the crust crispy.
No soggy micro pizza. I saw this on the cooking channel and it really works.
Easy Deviled Eggs
Put cooked egg yolks in a zip lock bag. Seal, mash till they are all broken up. Add remainder of ingredients, reseal, keep mashing it up mixing thoroughly, cut the corner tip of the baggy, squeeze mixture into egg. Just throw bag away when done easy clean up.
Expanding Frosting
When you buy a container of cake frosting from the store, whip it with your mixer for a few minutes. You can double it in size. You get to frost more cake/cupcakes with the same amount. You also eat less sugar/calories per serving.
Reheating refrigerated bread
To warm biscuits, pancakes, or muffins that were refrigerated, place them in a microwave with a cup of water. The increased moisture will keep the food moist and help it reheat faster.
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 forget about weeds. Weeds will get through some gardening
plastic they will not get through wet newspapers.
Broken Glass
Use a dry cotton ball to pick up little broken glass pieces of glass- the fibers catch ones you can't see!
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 gif wrap roll to your vacuum hose. 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 - voila - static is gone.
Measuring Cups
Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill it with hot water. Dump out the hot water, but don't dry the 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!
Reopening envelope
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. Voila! It unseals easily.
Conditioner
Use your hair conditioner to shave your legs. It's a lot 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 dishwashing 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, esp. if it rains, but it works & you don't have the worry about pets or small children being harmed!
Take baby powder to the beach
Keep a small bottle of baby powder in your beach bag. When your ready to leave the beach sprinkle yourself and kids with the powder and the sand will slide right off your skin.
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Household Hints
1) Flies or bees bothering you? Spray them with hair spray and they will take a quick dive.
2) Sealed envelope - Put in the freezer for a few hours, then slide a
knife under the flap. The envelope can then be resealed.
3) Use empty toilet paper or paper towel cardboard tubes to store appliance cords. It keeps them neat and you can write on the roll what appliance it belongs to.
4) For icy door steps in freezing temperatures: get warm water and put Dawn dishwashing liquid in it. Pour it all over the steps. They won't refreeze.
5) Crayon marks on walls? This worked wonderfully! A damp rag, dipped in baking soda. Comes of with little effort (elbow grease that is!).
6) Permanent marker on appliances/counter tops (like store receipt BLUE!) rubbing alcohol on paper towel.
7) Whenever I purchase a box of S.O.S Pads, I immediately take a pair of scissors and cut each pad into halves. After years of having to throw away rusted and unused and smelly pads, I finally decided that this would be much more economical. And now a box of S.O.S pads last me indefinitely! In fact, I have noticed that the scissors get sharpened this way!
8) Opening brand new jars can be a feat in itself. Well, I have found a way to make it the easiest thing to do. Instead of banging a jar of jam, pickles, etc., with a knife until it loosens up, I simply reach into the drawer and pull out the handy nutcracker. It adjusts to the size of the jar and I simply give it a good twist and off pops the lid!
ALTERNATIVE: Run the jar lid under hot water, or soak briefly, upside down in hot water.
9) Blood stains on clothes? Just pour a little peroxide on a cloth and proceed to wipe off every drop of blood. Works every time!
10) Use vertical strokes when washing windows outside and horizontal for inside windows. This way you can tell which side has the streaks. Straight vinegar will get outside windows really clean. Wipe the vinegar off with old newspapers. Don't wash windows on a sunny day. They will dry too quickly and will probably streak.
11) Spray a bit of perfume on the cold light bulb in any room to create a lovely light scent in each room when the light is turned on. Place fabric softener sheets in dresser drawers and your clothes will smell freshly washed for weeks to come. You can also do this with towels and linen.
12) Candles will last a lot longer if placed in the freezer for at least 3 hours prior to burning.
13) To clean artificial flowers, pour some salt into a paper bag and add the flowers. Shake vigorously as the salt will absorb all the dust and dirt and leave your artificial flowers looking like new! Works like a charm!
14) 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.
15) Spray your Tupperware (plastic food containers) with nonstick cooking spray before pouring in tomato based sauces and there won't be any stains.
16) When a cake recipe calls for flouring the baking pan, use a bit of the dry cake mix instead and there won't be any white mess on the outside of the cake.
17) Wrap celery, cabbage, and lettuce, in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator and it will keep for weeks.
18) When boiling corn on the cob, add a pinch of sugar to help bring out the corn's natural sweetness.
19) Cure for headaches: Take a lime, cut it in half and rub it on your forehead. The throbbing will go away.
20) Don't throw out all that leftover wine: Freeze into ice cubes for future use in casseroles and sauces.
Left Over Wine! Never heard of such a thing!
21). To get rid of itch from mosquito bites, try applying soap on the area and you will experience instant relief.
22) Ants, ants, ants everywhere ... Well, they are said to never cross a chalk line. So get your chalk out and draw a line on the floor or wherever ants tend to march. See for yourself.
23) Use air-freshener to clean mirrors. It does a good job and better still, leaves a lovely smell to the shine.
24) When you get a splinter, reach for the scotch tape before resorting to tweezers or a needle. Simply put the scotch tape over the splinter, then pull it off. Scotch tape removes most splinters painlessly and easily.
25) Use rubbing alcohol to polish your chrome faucets. They will shine.
26) Now look what you can do with Alka Seltzer.
* Clean a toilet. Drop in two Alka Seltzer tablets, wait twenty minutes, brush and flush. The citric acid and effervescent action clean vitreous China.
* Clean a vase. To remove a stain from the bottom of a glass vase or cruet, fill with water and drop in two Alka Seltzer tablets.
* Polish jewelry. Drop two Alka Seltzer tablets into a glass of water and immerse the jewelry for two minutes.
* Clean a thermos bottle. Fill the bottle with water, drop in four Alka Seltzer tablets, and let soak for an hour (or longer, if necessary).
* Unclog a drain. Clear the sink drain by dropping three Alka Seltzer tablets down the drain followed by a cup of Heinz White Vinegar. Wait a few minutes, then run the hot water.
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FROM THE MORTON SALT COMPANY WEB SITE
Soothes Sore Throats
To alleviate the discomfort of a mild sore throat, gargle several times daily with a mixture of 1/4 teaspoon Morton® Salt and 1/2 cup warm water. It's like taking a liquid lozenge. Gargling with warm salt water is recommended by the American Academy of Otolaryngology to alleviate mild sore throat pain. See a physician if your sore throat persists longer than five days or if the sore throat is accompanied by difficulty in breathing or swallowing, joint pain, earache, a rash or fever.
Perks Up Coffee Flavor
Add a pinch of Morton® Salt to the coffee in the basket of your coffeemaker. This will improve the coffee's flavor by helping to remove some of the acid taste.
Cleans Vases
Restore the bloom to a glass flower vase. Just mix 1/3 cup Morton® Salt and 2 tablespoons vinegar to form a paste. Apply to inside of vase (for a large vase, double or triple the quantity of paste). Let stand 20 minutes, scrub, and discard paste. Rinse vase and dry.
Cleans Coffee Pots
To remove coffee stains from the inside of a glass coffee pot, add 4 teaspoons Morton® Salt, 1 cup crushed ice, and 1 tablespoon water. Gently swirl until clean, then rinse. Coffee pot should be at room temperature before cleaning. Do not use if pot is cracked or chipped.
Removes Wine Stains
A fine wine is hard to appreciate when it stains your nicest shirt. So use Morton® Salt to help remove wine stains from cotton fabric. Immediately pour enough salt directly on the stain to soak up the liquid. Immerse the fabric for 1/2 hour in cold water. Launder as usual.
Protects Pantyhose
To make pantyhose more resistant to runs, we've got the perfect solution. First, wash new pantyhose and allow to drip dry. Then mix two cups of Morton® Salt with one gallon of water and immerse pantyhose. Soak for three hours, rinse in cool water, and drip dry.
Eats Fish Odors
Removing fish odor from your hands is simple with Morton® Salt. Just rub your hands with a lemon wedge dipped in salt, then rinse with water.
Cuts the Rust
Here's a sharp idea: remove rust from household tools by using Morton® Salt and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Apply the paste to rusted area with a dry cloth and rub.
Removes Disposal Odors
To help remove odors from garbage disposals, pour 1/2 cup of Morton® Salt directly into the garbage disposal. Then, by running the disposal following manufacturer's directions, you'll send those odors down the drain!
Sculpt with Klaymates - for Kids
Kids and parents alike always have fun making Morton Klaymates, rainy day salt sculpture friends. In medium saucepan, mix 1 cup flour, 1/2 cup Morton® Salt, 2 teaspoons cream of tartar, 1 cup water, and a few drops of food coloring (optional). Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is very thick and lumpy as it cooks. Cool slightly, then knead in 1 or 2 drops of vegetable oil. Store in a plastic bag. For more brilliant shades, use paste food colors, available where cake decorating supplies are sold.
NOTE: SALT SCULPTURE IS ART, NOT FOOD. IT IS NOT EDIBLE.
Paint with SaltCraft - for Kids
Try SaltCraft, the art of painting on salt paper. Peel off the backing from a piece of clear contact paper. With sticky side up, cover thoroughly with Morton® Salt. Gently shake off excess salt. Let stand at least 48 hours. With salty side up, place salt paper over a coloring book picture or a piece of plain paper. Use a paint brush and water colors to paint on surface of salt paper. Use light strokes when painting, rather than rubbing hard. Let dry, then remove the paper from under your design. To give design a softer look, spray with fine mist of water. Glue design to background paper of your choice, with either textured or smooth side up.
A Breath of Fresh Air
Clear the air with this homemade air freshener. Just cut an orange in half, remove pulp, and fill the peel with Morton® Salt. It will provide a pleasant, aromatic scent anywhere in your home.
Cutting Edge
Help cut odors off of your wooden cutting board, simply by pouring a generous amount of Morton® Salt directly on the board. Rub lightly with a damp cloth. Wash in warm, sudsy water.
Smooth on Silk
Make your silk flowers think Spring. Place the silk flowers into a large bag and pour in one cup of Morton® Salt. Shake vigorously. Remove. And voilà Your flowers are clean.
Can Take a Yolk
Don't fret over spilled eggs. Just pour Morton® Salt on top of the spill to cover the eggs. Then wipe the eggs up with a paper towel.
Patches Things Up
To patch small nail holes and fine cracks in plaster or wallboard, mix 2 tablespoons Morton® Salt, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, and about 4 to 5 teaspoons water to make a thick, pliable paste. Fill hole; let dry. Sand if necessary, then paint.
On the Move
Don't let bicycle rust slow you down. To clean the rust from bike handlebars and tire rims, make a paste using 6 tablespoons of Morton® Salt and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Apply paste to rusted area with a dry cloth and rub. Rinse thoroughly and dry.
A Bit Bubbly
To quickly chill a bottle of wine or champagne, place the bottle in an ice bucket or other tall plastic container. Add a layer of ice on the bottom and sprinkle it with a few tablespoons of Morton® Salt. Continue to layer salt and ice until it reaches the neck of the bottle. Then add water to ice level. After 10-12 minutes, open and serve. Rinse ice bucket thoroughly after use.
Sweeps You Off Your Feet
To prepare a salt water bath, pour 6 quarts (1-1/2 gallons) warm water in a large basin. Mix in 1/4 cup Morton® Salt and 1/4 cup baking soda. Soak feet for up to 15 minutes. Warning: Diabetics or individuals with poor circulation should consult their physician before using.
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When in doubt, do the right thing.
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