Tips for the Home and Kitchen...

[paxpuella]

Thanks

[expatgirl]

Hi! Been sifting through all the threads--what a great idea---I love anything that solves a problem. So here I go:

Itchy mosquito bites: take a corner of a washcloth and heat it with the hottest water that YOU can stand and apply the edge to the bite and press for as long you can------usual result is that you'll never be troubled again by that bite--NOT to be advocated for people with diabetes, circulatory problems, or skin diseases---- just normal, healthy though itchy skin


Skin So Soft on my skin is a marinade for my local Houston mosquitos (fact--Houston was built over a swamp)---the only thing that works for me is to use Deep Woods Off--Not regular Off--Deep Woods--the green can


Bay leaves---- Abosolute agreement with earlier post---GREAT for keeping wee beasties out of your meal and grain based products---got that idea from my dear old grannie born in 1900---so when I open up flours, rice, etc, in goes a bay leaf. If you don't mind them I also spread them around my pantry shelves.

Funnels--cut off the tops of your 1 or 2 liter plastic soft drink bottles with a knife and you'll have great funnels to go with you paper plate ones


Cat lovers---if you have cats that love catnip (mine go into catniption fits over it) take those mateless socks (discussed earlier) and put in some catnip and stuff into the toe end then tie into a knot. If the sock is extra long then just cut off the extra cuff. The socks are light enough for them to bat around and carry in their mouths. You'll love watching them trip out. Be sure to give the catnip sock a few pounds so as to release the essential oils.

Rubber drawliners--what can I say--I use them for anything that I don't want to slip and slide---place under small carpets, under mixing bowls if using a beater, cutting boards, lined my pantry spice rack on the door so that if the door slammed spices would not go a tottering, used it on an exercise bike where my derriere kept slipping. I go to the dollar stores and just load up.

Dry spaghetti---one strand is all you need to use to see if cakes are done

Thanks for all the tips!!!

[Trip]

To remove garlic or onion smell from your hands after you chop or mince just rub your hands against the stainless steel in your sink, my other fave is chewing gum while chopping onions keeps you from crying....

[SizzlininIN]

-Those lonesome socks......use them for dusting.....they'll fit your hand perfectly.

-Use a unused paintbrush to dust your pleated lamp shades or figurines that have little knicks and crannies.

-Use your kitchen shears (scissors) to cut up your bacon vs using a knife

-To butter your corn on the cob smear butter on a slice of bread and twist the bread around the corn.

-When camping put rice in your salt and it will keep out the moisture.

[Trip]

viniger on a itchy bug bite relieves some of the itch
dryer sheet in pocket keeps black flies away (my grandmother says)
magic eraser takes everything off of walls, just don't rub too much or lose your paint.

[Dove]

Next time you boil eggs, add beet juice or food coloring. This was you can tell if they are fresh eggs or hardboiled.
Dove

[KAYLINDA]

I haven't tried this...but a girl that sells candles says to clean your "decorative" candles with a piece of old panty hose to remove dust and get them to shine again. Old hose makes a good dust rag too...especially does well on "black" stuff...that the dust shows on so easily.

[SizzlininIN]

To the one who gave the tip to use your old fabric sheet to clean the dryer vent.......thanks.......that works really good!

[jessicacarr]

i like the 'tips for the home and kitchen' idea for being a forum. or a sticky works fine i guess :)

[Seven S]

one of the coolest tips i discovered is that the best way to peel the skin off ginger is with a spoon as the knife or peeler takes too much flesh off.... just hold the curved front tip of the spoon upside down (meaning concave side towards ginger not towards you) against the ginger and choke up on the handle, use as you would for tourneeing, skin comes right off and doesnt cut into the ginger - kinda hard to explain but really easy to do