Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Household tips.

Some random tips.

If you have a stuck lock or your key keeps sticking or getting jammed, try coating the key with liquid dish soap. It really works!

If you have a loose jeans zipper that works it's way down at the most inopportune times, try coating the metal teeth with superglue then work the zipper several times until the glue dries. It will add resistance and keep the zipper in the proper place.

Pouring rubbing alcohol on an ink stain and rubbing with a soft cloth will remove all but the most stubborn pen marks.

Put lemon rinds down the garbage disposal and run it without water to kill lingering germs and smells.

When storing fresh herbs in the refrigerator, place them stem down in a cup of water. They will last for weeks instead of days.

If you have a stale bag of chips, you can spread them on a cookie sheet and bake them at 350 for 5 minutes to make them good as new.

Instead of buying expensive car washing products, use regular liquid dish soap. It will get your car squeaky clean without streaking.

Use household vinegar on oxidized black molding, rubber parts and tires to bring back the original lustre.

Pure lemon juice will clean the worst greasy stains on stove tops and vent hoods with very little scrubbing.

Pouring a coke on your car's corroded battery terminals really does work. It can keep you from getting stranded.

Keep a can of WD40 in your car's trunk. If your car stalls out from driving in deep water you can spray it under your distributor cap and on the spark plug wires to displace the moisture and get running again.

24 comments:

cube said...

I can certainly use some of these. Thanks.

nanc said...

if you spray wd40 into a frozen lock on your car or house - it will defrost the keyhole.

i also keep a large spray bottle of rubbing alcohol set at fine mist and that's how i defrost the windows on my car in the winter - works in just a few seconds. NO SCRAPING!

thankx hammer.

none said...

Thanks for the tip.

I forgot to mention that WD40 for all it's benefits will remove all oils and lubricants from metal and leave them vulnerable to rusting. It's best to re-oil the parts soon after the WD40 has done it's job.

nanc said...

it's also good for arthritic joints - i've used it in emergencies and the relief is almost immediately - of course you smell like a mechanic and no amount of gucci number three will mask that!

cube said...

Just wanted to drop by and tell you that I used old newspaper to wipe down the bathroom mirror this morning thanks to your tip.

Worked great.

Anonymous said...

Never accept random tips from a rabbi.

nanc said...

hehehe...

none said...

It wasn't long after WD40 hit the market that someone noticed that it seemed to relieve joint pain in hands and wrists, and then after experimentation, discovered it worked also on feet and ankles. It became an underground home remedy. Why? Well the ingredients have always been proprietary, but someone did enough reverse engineering to discover that WD40's magic (on things rusty and recalcitrant as well as aching joints) was due to its main ingredient, DMSO, a byproduct of the paper making industry.

So now knowledgeable people do NOT use WD40, as it also contains some stuff that ain't so good for you. Instead, they do as I do--go to the feed supply store. DMSO is about $7 a pint. AND--it is approved for use on animals. Any horse owner will tell you it relieves sore ankles, hocks, and whatever else horses have that gets sore. Most vets prescribe or recommend it. But it is NOT approved for human use, even though it works the same way. And that is, of course, because big business can't patent it and make a fortune.

http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/herb_home_remedy_qa/wd40_for_stiff_joints.php

Brooke said...

Stale chips? What's that? ;)

Z said...

FJ...hilarious

AND..If a Coke can do that on a battery, what the HECK is it doing to our STOMACHS?

Signed, your friendly Rabbi (always ask a question!)

Steve Harkonnen said...

If someone can come up with a way to remove smudge marks on a white wall painted w/flat paint, PLEASE educate me!

Anonymous said...

Wow, those were some awesome tips.....I have already found several I can use so here I go!

The Merry Widow said...

Steve-No clue...Hammer? Nanc?
Karma-Welcome! I think you are a friend of Steve's? Glad to have you around.
BTW-My son is planning on joinning the navy...

tmw

none said...

magic eraser works well on flat painted walls. they can be found in the cleaning products isle.

clorox makes one and so does elmers.

nanc said...

i hate flat latex - the person who invented it should be shot with a paintball gun!

thankx for the background on wd40, hammer - that's why i use it only in emergencies - another good use for it is as a grease stain remover on workclothes.

The Merry Widow said...

Hammer-I should have thought of that! I have several floating around my house, love 'em!
Nanc-Does it work on frying grease? PhoenixFire works at Wendy's...and gets grill and fryers...

tmw

Eyes said...

The herb tip will REALLY help me out!

This is funny... I decided to make some shortbread cookies today. I got all the butter, flour, sugar and salt mixed together and went to the frig to get an egg... NO EGGS! So, I improvised with Mayonaise:>D They turned out great! Isn't that funny?

The Merry Widow said...

Eyes-Since there are egg yolks and oil in maonnaise...bet they are rich and 'short'!
How much? 1/4 cup?

tmw

none said...

I've had mayonaise brownies before.
I couldn't help but think about the mayo when eating them and wish they hadn't told me.

Eyes said...

I just continued to add it until the dough stuck together:>D

nanc said...

NEVER put eggs into shortbread!

Papa Frank said...

NANC!!!!!!!!!!! --- "of course you smell like a mechanic and no amount of gucci number three will mask that!"

I thought we were friends?!

Larry said...

The big problem with DMSO is that it will readily absorb into the skin and take whatever else is mixed in with it.
Coffee grounds and egg shells also work as a deodorizer in garbage disposals.

The Merry Widow said...

PF-It's the aroma of manly men doing manly things! LOL!
Larry-A nurse friend expressed that concern with the admonision to, "...not put on your skin, anything you aren't willing to eat."
I figure that it's good advice!
Unfortunately, if it's between Olux on the skin or eating it...blech!

tmw