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Household Hints 2

When moving, pack dishes in bath towels. 

A disposable paint brush can be made by folding a piece of cotton cloth lengthwise a few times, and securing around a tongue depressor with a rubber band.

Use a black felt marker to touch up spots on appliances and furniture where the black finish has chipped.

Re-gluing furniture legs:  Add a little sawdust to the glue and it will hold better.

If a shoelace breaks, use a twist tie to fasten the shoe until you can get a replacement lace.

Sticky Drawers:  Spray the runners on drawers, windows and doors with a silicone spray to make them slide better. 

When moving a large appliance, put some soap on the floor beneath it.

Wrap sandpaper around a small block of wood and sanding will be easier.

Cleaning Tiles:  Fill a spray bottle with half bleach and half water and spray onto tiles.  Wait until discoloration is gone and rinse with water. 

A small nail hole can be filled with a bit of dry cornstarch pressed into the hole.

Typewriter correction fluid can be used to repair nicks in white enamel or woodwork.

Jewelry Chains in knots: Dust with talcum powder and it will be easier to untie knots.

If a metal object has slipped down a drain, use a magnet on a string to retrieve it.

To hide scratches on wooden surfaces, rub a piece of walnut meat into the scratch.  On dark wood use a cotton swab dipped in iodine. (test first in a hidden area.

A box of oil pastels, found in art supply places, are very handy to touch ups.  They are an oily crayon and come in a variety of colors. They will cover scratches on furniture, appliances, etc.  Also a bit of coloring can be shaved and blended with epoxy to color glue glue.

For stubborn stains on glass try oven cleaner.  Leave for a couple minutes and wipe the grime away.

If you’re writing a letter to someone who has vision problems, use a black felt-tipped pen.  If you’re typing the letter make the font size larger and set the line spacing at one and a half, rather than one line apart.  Yellow paper also makes the writing show up.  For recipes, use yellow index cards.

When cutting plywood with a hand saw, put a strip of masking tape over the outline and saw through it to help prevent the wood from splintering.

Baking soda makes an excellent emergency fire extinguisher.

To clean small neck bottles, add a few tablespoons of rice and fill one quarter full with vinegar. Shake to remove dirt.

Use a dampened sponge to pick up dog or cat hairs from furniture.

To clean pewter ware wash with soap and water and polish with a paste made from pumice powder and olive oil.  Wash again and rinse thoroughly.

Rub soap on wood before inserting a wood screw and it will be easier to put in the screw.

Lightly buff the tips of dull tweezers with an emery board to sharpen them.

If you need a small box for mailing, turn a small grocery box inside out.  Separate at the seam and re-assemble the box, taping the edges shut.  The plain brown surface is now on the outside and the printed side is to the inside.

For someone who is bedridden it may be difficult to reach for things.  Keep a pair of long handled barbecue tongs handy to pick up things.

Photocopy the cards in your wallet each year so if your wallet is lost you have a record of current cards.

Replacing Screws: If screws turn, but do not fasten, remove and add a bit of steel wool to the hole.

Unplugging Drains:  To get a tighter seal on a plunger, rub Vaseline on the bottom rim.

Crooked Pictures:  Glue a snip of kitchen sponge to each corner of your picture and the picture won’t move on the wall.