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by Linda C. Butler
For stains: Use an embroidery hoop to hold fabric taut while you apply a stain remover. The hoop makes it easier to work with.
Dull paper scissors can be sharpened but cutting through a fine grade of sandpaper or emery cloth a few times with the scissors.
A bit of floor wax rubbed on closet rods makes the hangers slide easily.
Warm vinegar removes decals from glass.
If adhesive shelf liners are difficult to work with, instead of removing the entire backing, cut the piece the exact size as the shelf and remove only two inches of backing on the long sides. This gives a smaller length of sticky surface and helps to prevent wrinkles that are hard to smooth out.
Dip nails in oil or hard grease before driving them into hard wood.
Use an eyebrow pencil to repair scratched furniture. Draw it along the crack and smear to dry.
Moving: Use colored tags, a different color for each room, so it is easier to put the boxes in the right rooms.
Pieces of old felt can be glued to the bottom of ornaments or lamps to prevent scratches on furniture.
Equal parts of vinegar and water make a substitute glass cleaner.
Old plastic placemats can be used for shelf liners.
If you have a lot of ironing, stand on a rubber mat so you don’t get so tired.
Sheets: If you have different bed sizes, have different colored sheets for each bed so it is easier to sort sheets.
If you have trouble finding the
end of a roll of plastic wrap, press a piece of clear sticky tape against the roll, then lift, rotating the roll slightly. Repeat this procedure until you come to the loose edge, which will then be lifted with the tape.
An old bristle broom that is bent can be soaked in water for a few minutes then add a couple of heavy rubber bands below the stitching, then after the bristles dry remove the rubber bands.
Cut a piece of a label to add to the bottom of spice jars showing the date of purchase. Old spices should be replaced periodically.
A stiff piece of plastic can be used to remove frost from a car window if you don’t have a scraper.
To hold tools on an extension ladder, make an “S” hook out of a heavy piece of wire and hang a bucket with tools from it.
Slip your hand inside an old sock and you have a dusting mitt.
Leftover soap chips can be put into an old sock and tied and used as a soapy washcloth.
Store paper plates or flattened round coffee filters between good china plates to prevent them marking.
Plastic milk jugs can be used to store plastic grocery bags. Cut the top off the jug to insert the bags and cut a small opening near the bottom to pull them out.
Use round toothpicks to remove dirt around grooves in fixtures.
If a cork for a bottle is too small, wrap a piece of foil around it.
Baking soda can be used for a foot soak. Add three tablespoons to your foot bath.
WD-40 can be used to remove sticky labels and chewing gum.
To avoid putting your hands on a hot steering wheel, keep a pair of cotton gloves in the car, or cover your steering wheel with a towel before leaving.
Over-dried clothes can be unwrinkled if you spray mist them and then dry them for a few more minutes and hang them as soon as the dryer is finished.
A five dollar bill is six inches long and can be used as a guide if a ruler isn’t available.
Snaps on jeans or shirts will close easier if the inside is coated with a drop of Non stick vegetable spray.
Perforate the plastic snap-on lids of medicine bottles with a hot needle and use for salt and pepper shakers. Cover with scotch tape when traveling.
Old shoulder pads can be sewn on the inside of gardening jeans at the knees.
Cover your ironing board with a cover of checked gingham and you have a quarter inch measuring gauge for pressing hems.
When hammering a nail into plaster, put a piece of transparent tape on the wall first where the nail will go. This helps to keep the plaster from splitting or chipping.
Cleaning Silver: Dip a pipe cleaner into silver polish and use it to clean between the tines of forks.
Put a sheet of fabric softener inside each boot when storing them for winter to keep them smelling sweet.
Insert a toothpick half into the center of hollow stem flower heads to keep them from drooping.
To clean silk flowers put them in a large paper bag and add table salt. Close the bag and gently shake. Remove the flowers and shake off the salt.
To prevent paint from dripping down the outside of the paint can, use a hammer and nail to punch holes around the inner lip of the top of the can so the paint can drip down into the can.
Cover door hinges locks and doorknobs with Vaseline before painting. Any splatters can be wiped up easily.
Hang tablecloths on pant hangers to avoid fold lines.
Eliminate the musty odour in old books by sprinkling unscented talc powder or corn starch between the pages.
To trace the outline of a picture: Open the dining room table and place a piece of plate glass over the opening where the extension would go. Put a table lamp on the floor underneath the table. Tape the drawing to the glass and position the tracing paper on top. The lamp shining under the glass provides enough illumination to trace.
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