Since everyone is spending so much time at home, I thought I’d offer some helpful household tips to make life a little easier. These tips are in random order. I typed them as I thought of them.
If you get a ring stuck on your finger, like I did yesterday, wash your hands in cold water with lots of soap. Work the soap around your finger and the ring. The ring should slip right off. If that doesn’t work, dry your hands and rub baby oil (vegetable oil works, too) on your finger and around the ring. It’s messy, but it’s never failed me.
To keep cookies soft, add a slice of bread to your cookie jar. This is a tip that my husband taught me. It works like a charm.
If you get ink on your clothes, spray the stains with hairspray and let them set for at least half an hour. Wash as normal. Be sure to check that the stains are gone before drying. You can repeat the steps as many times as you need to. This tip is thanks to growing up in the seventies and eighties with an endless supply of Aqua Net and my tendency to talk with my hands while holding an ink pen.
When I use a skillet, I put dish soap and water in it as soon as I remove the food from it. I return the skillet to the burner to cool. This method usually assures my cooked-on food washes off easily. If that fails, it’s hello SOS pad. Note: I do not cook with nonstick pans. Do not scour a nonstick pan with an abrasive cleaner such as SOS. You don’t want Teflon leeching into your food.
Add 1/4 cup white vinegar and one teaspoon of salt to your water before you boil eggs to make peeling them easier. Let’s face it, peeling eggs can be time consuming when the shells are stubborn.
Flour your hands and rolling pin when rolling out dough. This keeps your dough from sticking and making a huge mess.
If you have a splinter, you can use a banana peel to remove it. I know it sounds ridiculous, but I’ve done this myself many times. Cut a small piece of banana peel and tape it over the splinter. Leave it on your skin for a few hours. You should feel it pulling at the splinter after a bit. Remove the peel and gently wash the area with soap and cool water. The splinter should release and wash away. Dry your skin and apply a little triple antibiotic ointment.
Used dryer sheets make great dust cloths. Dust naturally sticks to them.
Clean the inside of your microwave easily with a bowl of water and vinegar. Add a cup of water and a tablespoon of white vinegar to a microwave safe bowl or glass two-cup measurer. Microwave on high until it comes to a boil. Turn the microwave off and leave the bowl in there for three to five minutes. Carefully remove the bowl using a pot holder, and your food splatters should just wipe right off with a damp cloth or sponge. It’s best to start wiping from the top, then go to the sides, and finally wipe the bottom. That way, you aren’t doing double duty by cleaning the same spots twice due to falling food.
Prevent refrigerator odors by placing an opened box of baking soda inside. Replace your baking soda every three months for best results.
What are your favorite helpful household tips? I’d love to hear them.
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