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If you use Vinegar for cleaning, it doesnt matter
what kind you use, except Brown (cider) Vinegar
will stain porous materials.
So use vinegar wisely!!
GARDEN:
Grow beautiful azaleas: Occasionally water plants
with a mixture of two tablespoons vinegar to
one quart water. Azaleas love acidic soil.
Kill grass on walks and driveways.
Pour full strength on unwanted grass.
Kill weeds. Spray full strength on growth until
plants have starved.
Increase soil acidity. In hard water areas, add
a cup of vinegar to a gallon of tap water for
watering acid loving plants like rhododendrums,
gardenias, or azaleas. The vinegar will release
iron in the soil for the plants to use.
Freshen cut flowers. Add 2 tablespoons vinegar
and 1 teaspoon sugar for each quart of water.
Prolong the life of flowers in a vase. Add two
tablespoons of vinegar plus three
tablespoons of sugar per quart of warm water.
Stems should be in three to four inches of water.
Neutralize garden lime. Rinse your hands liberally
with vinegar after working with garden lime to
avoid rough and flaking skin.
Clean pots before repotting, rinse with vinegar to
remove excess lime.
BUGS AND ANIMALS:
Fish bowl cleaner Eliminate that ugly deposit in
the gold fish tank by rubbing it with a cloth
dipped in vinegar and rinsing well.
Eliminate animal urine stains from carpet. Blot
up urine with a soft cloth, flush several times
with lukewarm water, then apply a mixture of equal
parts vinegar and cool water. Blot up, rinse,
and let dry.
Deter ants. Spray vinegar around door and window
frames, under appliances, and along other known
ant trails.
Remove skunk odor from a dog.
Rub fur with full strength vinegar; rinse.
Keep cats away. Sprinkle vinegar on an area to
discourage cats from walking,sleeping, or
scratching on it.
Keep dogs from scratching ears. Clean the inside
of the ears with a soft cloth dipped in diluted
vinegar.
Keep away fleas and mange. Add a little vinegar to
your pet's drinking water.
Keep chickens from pecking each other. Add cider
vinegar to their drinking water.
Clean milking equipment. Rinse with vinegar to
leave system clean, odorless, and bacteria free
without harmful chemical residue.
CARS & TOOLS:
Polish car chrome. Apply full strength.
Clean rust from tools, bolts, and spigots. Soak
the rusted tool, bolt, or spigot in undiluted
vinegar overnight.
Keep car windows frost free. Coat the windows
the night before with a solution of three parts
vinegar to one part water.
HEALTH & BEAUTY:
Dampen your appetite. Sprinkle a little vinegar on
prepared food to take the edge off your appetite.
Soothe a bee or jellyfish sting. Dot or douce the
irritated area with vinegar and relieve itching.
Relieve itching by using a cotton ball to dab
mosquito and other bug bites with Vinegar straight
from the bottle.
Relieve sunburn by lightly rubbing it with
vinegar. You may have to reapply.
Take 1 cup of vinegar and warm water into a
large glass and use to rinse your hair after
you shampoo. Vinegar adds highlights to brunette
hair, restores the acid mantel, and removes
soap film and sebum oil.
You take 1 tablespoon full and swollow when you
have the hiccups. It stops them instantly.
Relieve dry and itchy skin. Add 2 tablespoons to
bath water.
Fight dandruff, by rinsing with vinegar and
2 cups of warm water, after shampooing.
Soothe a sore throat. Put a teaspoon of vinegar
in a glass of water. Gargle, then swallow.
Cure for colds. Mix one-quarter cup Apple Cider
Vinegar with one-quarter cup honey.
Take one tablespoon six to eight times daily.
Treat sinus infections and chest colds.
Add 1/4 cup or more vinegar to the vaporizer.
Feel good recipe. A teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in a glass
of water, with a bit of honey added for flavor,
will take the edge off your appetite and give
you an overall healthy feeling.
Remove fruit stains from hands. Rub with vinegar.
Remove warts by applying a lotion of half cider
vinegar and half glycerin.
Apply daily to warts until they dissolve.
Relieve arthritis. Before each meal, drink a
glass of water containing two teaspoons
Apple Cider Vinegar.
Give it at least three weeks to start working.
Remove corns by making a poultice of one crumbled
piece of bread soaked in one-quarter cup Vinegar.
Let poultice sit for one-half hour, then apply to
the corn and tape in place overnight. If corn does
not peel off by morning, reapply the poultice for
several consecutive nights.
Cure an upset stomach by drinking two teaspoons
Apple Cider Vinegar in one cup water.
Prevent yeast infections. Douche with one
tablespoon vinegar to one quart warm water,
to adjust the pH balance in the vagina.
Clean dentures by soaking them overnight in
vinegar, then brush away tartar with a toothbrush.
Relieve cough by mixing one-half cup Apple Cider
Vinegar, one-half cup water, one teaspoon cayenne
pepper, and four teaspoons honey.
Take one tablespoon when cough acts up.
Take another tablespoon at bedtime.
LAUNDRY & OTHER CLOTHES CARE:
Use in laundry to cut soap.
Get rid of lint in clothes. Add 1/2 cup of vinegar
to the rinse cycle.
Prevent lint from clinging to clothes: Add one cup
vinegar to each wash load.
Keep bright colors from running. Immerse clothes in
full strength vinegar for 10 minutes before washing.
Freshen up the washing machine. Clean the hoses
and unclog soap scum.
Once a month pour one cup of vinegar into the
washing machine and run the machine through a
normal cycle, without clothes.
Brighten fabric colors. Add a 1/2 cup vinegar
to the rinse cycle.
Take grease off suede. Dip a toothbrush in vinegar
and gently brush over grease spot.
Remove tough stains. Gently rub on fruit, jam,
mustard, coffee, tea. Then wash as usual.
Get smoke smell out of clothes by addibng a cup of
vinegar to a bath tub of hot water.
Hang clothes above the steam.
Remove perspiration stains from clothes by
applying one part vinegar to four parts water,
then rinse.
Deodorant and anti-perspirants stains may be
removed from clothing by lightly rubbing with
distilled vinegar and laundering as usual.
Cotton and wool blankets become soft, fluffy and
free of soap odor if 2 cups of distilled vinegar
are added to the rinse cycle of the wash.
Clothes will rinse better if a cup of vinegar is
added to the last rinse water. The acid in vinegar
is too mild to harm fabrics but strong enough to
dissolve the alkalies in soaps and detergents.
When dyeing fabric, add a cup full of distilled
vinegar to the last rinse to set the color.
Nylon hose will look better and last longer if
1 tablespoon of vinegar is added to the rinse
water when washing.
To obtain a sharper crease in your knit fabrics,
dampen them with a cloth wrung out from a solution
of 1/3 distilled vinegar and 2/3 water.
Place a brown paper bag over the crease and iron.
Excess laundry suds that develop during hand
laundry may be eliminated by splashing a little
vinegar into the second rinse. Follow this with
another rinse in plain water.
Deodorize a wool sweater: Wash sweater, then rinse
in equal parts vinegar and water to remove odor.
After a hem or seam is removed, there are often
unsightly holes left in the fabric. These holes
can be removed by placing a cloth, moistened with
distilled vinegar, under the fabric and ironing.
Unclog steam iron by pouring equal amounts of
vinegar and water into the iron's water chamber.
Turn to steam and leave the iron on for 5 minutes
in an upright position. Then unplug and allow to
cool. Any loose particles should come out when you
empty the water.
Clean a scorched iron plate by heating equal parts
vinegar and salt in a small pan. Then rub the
solution on the cooled iron surface to remove dark
or burned stains.
IN THE
KITCHEN:
A mixture of salt and vinegar will clean coffee
and tea stains from chinaware.
Freshen vegetables. Soak wilted vegetables in
2 cups of water and a tablespoon of vinegar.
Boil better eggs by adding 2 tablespoons water
before boiling. Keeps them from cracking.
Marinating meat in vinegar kills bacteria and
tenderizes the meat. Use one-quarter cup
vinegar for a two to three pound roast, marinate
overnight, then cook without draining or
rinsing the meat.
Add herbs to the vinegar when marinating as desired.
Put vinegar on a cloth and let sit on the back
of your kitchen faucet and it removes hard water
stains.
Vinegar can help to dissolve mineral deposits that
collect in automatic drip coffee makers. Fill the
reservoir with vinegar and run it through a
brewing cycle. Rinse thoroughly with water when
the cycle is finished.
(Be sure sure to check the owners manual for
specific instructions).
Brass, copper and pewter will shine if cleaned
with the following mixture. Dissolve 1 teaspoon
of salt in 1 cup of distilled vinegar.
Clean the dishwasher by running a cup of vinegar
through the whole cycle once a month to reduce
soap build up on the inner mechanisms and on
glassware.
Deodorize the kitchen drain. Pour a cup down the
drain once a week. Let stand 30 minutes and then
flush with cold water.
Unclog a drain. Pour a handful of baking soda down
the drain and add 1/2 cup of vinegar.
Rinse with hot water.
Eliminate onion odor by rubbing vinegar on your
fingers before and after slicing.
Clean and disinfect wood cutting boards by wiping
with full strength vinegar.
Cut grease and odor on dishes by adding a
tablespoon of vinegar to hot soapy water.
Clean a teapot by boiling a mixture of water and
vinegar in it. Wipe away the grime.
Clean and deodorize the garbage disposal by making
vinegar ice cubes and feed them down the disposal.
After grinding, run cold water through.
Clean and deodorize jars. Rinse mayonnaise, peanut
butter, and mustard jars with vinegar when empty.
Get rid of cooking smells by letting a small pot
of vinegar and water simmer on the stove.
Freshen a lunchbox by soaking a piece of bread in
vinegar and let it sit in the lunchbox over night.
Clean the refrigerator by washing with a solution
of equal parts water and vinegar.
Clean stainless steel by wiping with a vinegar
dampened cloth.
Clean china and fine glassware by adding a cup of
vinegar to a sink of warm water. Gently dip the
glass or china in the solution and let dry.
Get stains out of pots by filling the pots with
a solution of 3 tablespoons of vinegar to a pint
of water. Boil until stain loosens and can be
washed away.
Clean food-stained pots and pans by filling the
pots and pans with vinegar and let stand for
thirty minutes.
Then rinse in hot, soapy water.
Clean the microwave by boiling a solution of 1/4 cup
of vinegar and 1 cup of water in the microwave.
Will loosen splattered on food and deodorize.
Make buttermilk. Add a tablespoon of vinegar to a
cup of milk and let it stand 5 minutes to thicken.
Replace a lemon by substituting 1/4 teaspoon of
vinegar for 1 teaspoon of lemon juice.
Firm up gelatin by adding a teaspoon of vinegar
for every box of gelatin used. To keep those
molded desserts from sagging in the summer heat.
Prepare fluffier rice by adding a teaspoon of
vinegar to the water when it boils.
Make wine vinegar by mixing 2 tablespoons of
vinegar with 1 teaspoon of dry red wine.
Debug fresh vegetables by washing them in water
with vinegar and salt. Bugs float off.
Scale fish more easily by rubbing with vinegar 5
minutes before scaling.
Prevent soapy film on glassware by placing a cup
of vinegar on the bottom rack of your dishwasher,
run for five minutes, then run though the full
cycle.
The minerals found in foods and water will often
leave a dark stain on aluminum utensils.
This stain can be easily removed by boiling a
solution of 1 tablespoon of distilled vinegar
per cup of water in the utensil.
Utensils may also be boiled in the solution.
Unsightly film in small-necked bottles and other
containers can be cleaned by pouring vinegar into
the bottle and shaking. For tougher stains, add a
few tablespoons of rice or sand and shake
vigorously. Rinse thoroughly and repeat until
clean or determined hopeless.
After cleaning the bread box, keep it smelling
sweet by wiping it down with a cloth moistened
in distilled vinegar.
To eliminate fruit stains from your hands, rub
your hands with a little distilled vinegar and
wipe them with a cloth.
Grease buildup in an oven can be prevented by
wiping with a cleaning rag that has been moistened
in distilled vinegar and water.
Formica tops and counters will shine if cleaned
with a cloth soaked in distilled vinegar.
No-wax linoleum will shine better if wiped with
a solution of 1/2 cup of white vinegar in
1/2 gallon of water.
Stains on hard-to-clean glass, aluminum, or
porcelain utensils may be loosened by boiling in
a solution of one part vinegar to eight parts
water. The utensils should then be washed in
hot soapy water.
IN THE
BATHROOM:
Kill germs on bathroom fixtures by using one part
vinegar to one part water in a spray bottle.
Spray the bathroom fixtures and floor,
then wipe clean.
Soap and stain build up can be removed from chrome
and plastic fixturesif they are cleaned with a
mixture of 1 teaspoon of salt and 2 tablespoons
of distilled vinegar.
Clean soap scum, mildew, and grime from bathtub,
tile, and shower curtains. Simply wipe the
surface with Vinegar and rinse with water.
Stubborn stains can be removed from the toilet
by spraying them with vinegar and brushing
vigorously. The bowl may be deodorized by adding 3
cups of distilled vinegar. Allow it to remain for
a half hour, then flush.
Unclog a shower head by unscrewing it, remove the
rubber washer, place the head in a pot filled with
equal parts Vinegar and water, bring to a boil,
then simmer for five minutes.
Corrosion may be removed from showerheads or
faucets by soaking them in diluted distilled
vinegar overnight. This may be easily accomplished
by saturating a terry cloth towel in vinegar and
wrapping it around the showerhead or faucet.
Bath tub film can be removed by wiping with
vinegar and then with soda.Rinse clean with water.
MISCELLANEOUS:
Use vinegar in the steam cleaner to reduce soap
bubbles.
Mix vinegar with lindseed oil and use it to clean
your wood.
Clean eyeglasses by wiping each lens with a drop
of vinegar.
Soak new propane latern wicks in vinegar for
several hours. Let dry before using. Will burn
longer and brighter.
Deodorize the air. Vinegar is a natural air
freshener when sprayed in a room.
Turn a chicken bone into rubber by soaking it in a
glass of vinegar for three days. It will bend like
rubber.
Deodorize a room filled with cigarette smoke or
paint fumes. Place a small bowl of vinegar in
the room.
Remove decals or bumper stickers by soaking a
cloth in Vinegar and cover the decal or bumper
sticker for several minutes until the vinegar
soaks in. The decals and bumper stickers should
peel off easily.
Cleaning windows by using undiluted Vinegar in
a spray bottle. Dry offwith newspaper.
Prevent patching plaster from drying by adding one
tablespoon vinegar to the water when mixing to
slow the drying time.
Plastic can be cleaned and made anti-static by
wiping down with a solution of 1 tablespoon of
distilled vinegar to 1 gallon of water.
This will cut down on the plastics' tendency to
attract dust.
The colors in carpets and rugs will often look
like they have taken a new lease on life if they
are brushed with a mixture of 1 cup of vinegar in
a gallon of water.
A mixture of one teaspoon of liquid detergent and
1 teaspoon of distilled vinegar in a pint of
lukewarm water will remove non-oily stains from
carpets. Apply it to the stain with a soft brush
or towel and rub gently. Rinse with a towel
moistened with clean water and blot dry. Repeat
this procedure until the stain is gone. Then dry
quickly, using a fan or hair dryer. This should be
done as soon as the stain is discovered.
Spots caused by cola-based soft drinks can be
removed from 100 percent cotton, cotton polyester
and permanent press fabrics if done so with in 24
hours. To do it, sponge distilled vinegar directly
onto the stain and rub away the spots. Then clean
according to the directions on the manufacturer's
care tag.
Sponging away grease and dirt with a sponge dipped
in distilled vinegar will keep exhaust fan grills,
air-conditioner blades and grills dust free.
Leather articles can be cleaned with a mixture of
distilled vinegar and linseed oil. Rub the mixture
into the leather and then polish with a soft cloth.
To loosen old glue around rungs and joints of
tables and chairs under repair, apply distilled
vinegar with a small oil can.
Soak a paint brush in hot vinegar, then wash out
with warm, sudsy water to soften it up.
Patent leather will shine better if wiped with a
soft cloth which has been moisten with distilled
vinegar.
To add a pleasant scent to a room while at the
same time removing an unpleasant odor, add
cardamom or other fragrant spice to a bowl of
distilled vinegar and place in the warmest corner
of the room.
Varnished wood often takes on a cloudy appearance.
If the cloudiness hasn't gone through to the wood,
the cloudiness can be removed by rubbing the wood
with a soft lintless cloth wrung out from a
solution of 1 tablespoon of distilled vinegar in a
quart of luke-warm water. Complete the job by
wiping the surface with a soft dry cloth.
Dirt and grime can be easily removed from woodwork
with a solution of 1 cup of ammonia, 1/2 cup of
distilled vinegar, and 1/4 cup of baking soda in a
cup of warm water. This solution will not dull the
finish or leave streaks.
Stubborn rings resulting from wet glasses being
placed on wood furniture may be removed by rubbing
with a mixture of equal parts of distilled vinegar
and olive oil. Rub with the grain and polish for
the best results.
Wood paneling may be cleaned with a mixture of
1 ounce of olive oil and 2 ounces of distilled
vinegar in 1 quart of warm water. Moisten a soft
cloth with the solution and wipe the paneling.
The yellowing is then removed by wiping with a
soft, dry cloth.
Sixty Uses Of Vinegar1. Arthritis tonic and treatment; 2 spoonfuls of apple cider vinegar and honey in a glass of water several times daily. 2. Thirst-quenching drink: apple cider vinegar mixed with cold water. 3. Sagging cane chairs: sponge them with a hot solution of half vinegar and half water. Place the chairs out in the hot sun to dry. 4. Skin burns: apply ice cold vinegar right away for fast relief. Will prevent burn blisters. 5. Add a spoonful of vinegar to cooking water to make cauliflower white and clean. 6. Storing cheese: keep it fresh longer by wrapping it in a vinegar-soaked cloth and keeping it in a sealed container. 7. Remove stains from stainless steel and chrome with a vinegar-dampened cloth. 8. Rinse glasses and dishes in water and vinegar to remove spots and film. 9. Prevent grease build-up in your oven by frequently wiping it with vinegar. 10. Wipe jars of preserves and canned food with vinegar to prevent mold-producing bacteria. 11. To eliminate mildew, dust and odors, wipe down walls with vinegar-soaked cloth. 12. Clean windows with vinegar and water. 13. Hardened paint brushes: simmer in boiling vinegar and wash in hot soapy water. 14. Clean bread box and food containers with vinegar-dampened cloth to keep fresh-smelling and clean. 15. Pour boiling vinegar down drains to unclog and clean them. 16. Clean fireplace bricks with undiluted vinegar. 17. An excellent all-purpose cleaner: vinegar mixed with salt. Cleans copper, bronze, brass, dishes, pots, pans, skillets, glasses, windows. Rinse well. 18. Make your catsup and other condiments last long by adding vinegar. 19. To clear up respiratory congestion, inhale a vapour mist from steaming pot containing water and several spoonfuls of vinegar. 20. Apple cider vinegar and honey as a cure-all: use to prevent apathy, obesity, hay fever, asthma, rashes, food poisoning, heartburn, sore throat, bad eyesight, dandruff, brittle nails and bad breath. 21. When boiling eggs, add some vinegar to the water to prevent white from leaking out of a cracked egg. 22. When poaching eggs, add a teaspoon of vinegar to the water to prevent separation. 23. Weight loss: vinegar helps prevent fat from accumulating in the body. 24. Canned fish and shrimp: to give it a freshly caught taste, soak in a mixture of sherry and 2 tablespoons of vinegar. 25. Add a spoonful of vinegar when cooking fruit to improve the flavour. 26. Soak fish in vinegar and water before cooking for a tender, sweeter taste. 27. Add vinegar to boiling ham to improve flavour and cut salty taste. 28. Improve the flavour of desserts by adding a touch of vinegar. 29. Add vinegar to your deep fryer to eliminate a greasy taste. 30. Add a tablespoon of vinegar to fruit gelatin to hold it firm. 31. Steep your favourite herb in vinegar until you have a pleasing taste and aroma. 32. Use vinegar instead of lemon on fried and broiled foods. 33. To remove lime coating on your tea kettle; add vinegar to the water and let stand overnight. 34. To make a good liniment: beat 1 whole egg, add 1 cup vinegar and 1 cup turpentine. Blend. 35. Apply vinegar to chapped, cracked skin for quick healing. 36. Vinegar promotes skin health: rub on tired, sore or swollen areas. 37. Reduce mineral deposits in pipes, radiators, kettles and tanks by adding vinegar into the system. 38. Rub vinegar on the cut end of uncooked ham to prevent mold. 39. Clean jars with vinegar and water to remove odor. 40. Avoid cabbage odor by adding vinegar to the cooking water. 41. Skunk odor: remove from pets by rubbing fur with vinegar. 42. Paint adheres better to galvanised metal that has been wiped with vinegar. 43. Pets' drinking water: add vinegar to eliminate odor and encourage shiny fur. 44. For fluffy meringue: beat 3 egg whites with a teaspoon of vinegar. 45. Pie crust: add 1 tablespoon vinegar to your pastry recipe for an exceptional crust. 46. Half a teaspoon per quart of patching plaster allows you more time to work the plaster before it hardens. 47. Prevent discoloration of peeled potatoes by adding a few drops of vinegar to water. They will keep fresh for days in fridge. 48. Poultry water: add vinegar to increase egg production and to produce tender meat. 49. Preserve peppers: put freshly picked peppers in a sterilised jar and finish filling with boiling vinegar. 50. Olives and pimentos will keep indefinitely if covered with vinegar and refrigerated. 51. Add 1 tsp. vinegar to cooking water for fluffier rice. 52. Add vinegar to laundry rinse water: removes all soap and prevents yellowing. 53. After shampoo hair rinse: 1 ounce apple cider vinegar in 1 quart of distilled water. 54. For a shiny crust on homemade bread and rolls: just before they have finished baking, take them out, brush crusts with vinegar, return to oven to finish baking. 55. Homemade sour cream: blend together 1 cup cottage cheese, 1/4 cup skim milk and 1 tsp. vinegar. 56. Boil vinegar and water in pots to remove stains. 57. Remove berry stains from hands with vinegar. 58. Prevent sugaring by mixing a drop of vinegar in the cake icing. 59. Cold vinegar relieves sunburn. 60.When boiling meat, add a spoonful of vinegar to the water to make it more tender. Bonus: 61. Marinate tough meat in vinegar overnight to tenderise. 62. A strength tonic: combine raw eggs, vinegar and black pepper. Blend well. 63. Douche: 2 to 4 ounces of vinegar in 2 quarts of warm water. |
I recently came across some good recipes/uses for vinegar. Here are two
that we use at our house: 1. Fabric softener. I pour 1/4 cup of plain white vinegar in the fabric softener reservoir of my washer and fill it to the top with water. I buy gallon jugs of vinegar for about $1.25, and I figure it costs $.02 per load to use this vs. Downy or the sheets. No, your laundry won't smell like pickles - in fact, vinegar tends to remove other odors so when your clothes are dry they will smell even fresher. (You may notice a vinegary smell in your washer, but it dissipates after the laundry's done as long as you keep the lid raised on your machine between uses. 2. Laminate floor cleaner. We installed Pergo-style flooring in our living areas last year. It's very low maintenance, but it does need to be mopped occasionally. The special cleaner is pretty expensive. Here's supposedly the ingredients in those cleaners: 1 part vinegar 1 part rubbing alcohol (speeds up the drying time) 1 part water 1 drop liquid dishsoap I keep a spray bottle filled with this stuff for touch up jobs. When I need to mop all over, I mix it up in a small mop bucket, doubling the water vs. the other ingredients, and just make sure I wring out my mop well. |
Sixty Uses Of Salt
Although you may not realize it, simple table salt has a great number of uses other than simply seasoning your food. The following list will give you sixty uses of salt, many of which you probably didn't realize:
1. Soak stained hankies in salt water before washing.
2. Sprinkle salt on your shelves to keep ants away.
3. Soak fish in salt water before descaling; the scales will come off easier.
4. Put a few grains of rice in your salt shaker for easier pouring.
5. Add salt to green salads to prevent wilting.
6. Test the freshness of eggs in a cup of salt water; fresh eggs sink; bad ones float.
7. Add a little salt to your boiling water when cooking eggs; a cracked egg will stay in its shell this way.
8. A tiny pinch of salt with egg whites makes them beat up fluffier.
9. Soak wrinkled apples in a mildly salted water solution to perk them up.
10. Rub salt on your pancake griddle and your flapjacks won't stick.
11. Soak toothbrushes in salt water before you first use them; they will last longer.
12. Use salt to clean your discolored coffee pot.
13. Mix salt with turpentine to whiten you bathtub and toilet bowl.
14. Soak your nuts in salt brine overnight and they will crack out of their shells whole. Just tap the end of the shell with a hammer to break it open easily.
15. Boil clothespins in salt water before using them and they will last longer.
16. Clean brass, copper and pewter with paste made of salt and vinegar, thickened with flour
17. Add a little salt to the water your cut flowers will stand in for a longer life.
18. Pour a mound of salt on an ink spot on your carpet; let the salt soak up the stain.
19. Clean you iron by rubbing some salt on the damp cloth on the ironing surface.
20. Adding a little salt to the water when cooking foods in a double boiler will make the food cook faster.
21. Use a mixture of salt and lemon juice to clean piano keys.
22. To fill plaster holes in your walls, use equal parts of salt and starch, with just enough water to make a stiff putty.
23. Rinse a sore eye with a little salt water.
24. Mildly salted water makes an effective mouthwash. Use it hot for a sore throat gargle.
25. Dry salt sprinkled on your toothbrush makes a good tooth polisher.
26. Use salt for killing weeds in your lawn.
27. Eliminate excess suds with a sprinkle of salt.
28. A dash of salt in warm milk makes a more relaxing beverage.
29. Before using new glasses, soak them in warm salty water for awhile.
30. A dash of salt enhances the taste of tea.
31. Salt improves the taste of cooking apples.
32. Soak your clothes line in salt water to prevent your clothes from freezing to the line; likewise, use salt in your final rinse to prevent the clothes from freezing.
33. Rub any wicker furniture you may have with salt water to prevent yellowing.
34. Freshen sponges by soaking them in salt water.
35. Add raw potatoes to stews and soups that are too salty.
36. Soak enamel pans in salt water overnight and boil salt water in them next day to remove burned-on stains.
37. Clean your greens in salt water for easier removal of dirt.
38. Gelatin sets more quickly when a dash of salt is added.
39. Fruits put in mildly salted water after peeling will not discolor.
40. Fabric colors hold fast in salty water wash.
41. Milk stays fresh longer when a little salt is added.
42. Use equal parts of salt and soda for brushing your teeth.
43. Sprinkle salt in your oven before scrubbing clean.
44. Soaked discolored glass in a salt and vinegar solution to remove stains.
45. Clean greasy pans with a paper towel and salt.
46. Salty water boils faster when cooking eggs.
47. Add a pinch of salt to whipping cream to make it whip more quickly.
48. Sprinkle salt in milk-scorched pans to remove odour.
49. A dash of salt improves the taste of coffee.
50. Boil mismatched hose in salty water and they will come out matched.
51. Salt and soda will sweeten the odor of your refrigerator.
52. Cover wine-stained fabric with salt; rinse in cool water later.
53. Remove offensive odors from stove with salt and cinnamon.
54. A pinch of salt improves the flavor of cocoa.
55. To remove grease stains in clothing, mix one part salt to four parts alcohol.
56. Salt and lemon juice removes mildew.
57. Sprinkle salt between sidewalk bricks where you don't want grass growing.
58. Polish your old kerosene lamp with salt for a brighter look.
59. Remove odors from sink drainpipes with a strong, hot solution of salt water.
60. If a pie bubbles over in your oven, put a handful of salt on top of the spilled juice. The mess won't smell and will bake into a dry, light crust which will wipe off easily when the oven has cooled.
Bicarbonate of soda or baking soda has many different uses in the household. Although much more expensive products have been developed over the years to do the same jobs, baking soda can work for you just as well, if not better. Use it in the following ways: 1. To make your own baking powder, stir and sift together 2 parts of Cream of Tartar to 1 part baking soda and 1 part cornstarch. 2. Be sure to keep an extra box of baking soda by your stove in case of grease or electrical fire. Scatter the powder by the handful to safely put it out. 3. Keep a container of baking soda in your garage as well as in your car to put out a fire. It won't damage anything it touches. 4. Baking soda will also put out fires in clothing, fuel, wood, upholstery and rugs. 5. Clean vegetables and fruit with baking soda. Sprinkle in water, soak and rise the produce. 6. Wash garbage cans with baking soda. 7. Soak and wash diapers with baking soda. 8. Oil and grease - stained clothing washes out better with soda added to the washing water. 9. Clean your fridge and freezer with dry soda sprinkled on a damp cloth. rinse with clear water. 10. Deodorize your fridge and freezer by putting in an open container of baking soda to absorb odors. Stir and turn over the soda from time to time. Replace every 2 months. 11. Soda absorbs kitty litter odors. Cover the bottom of the kitty box with 1 part soda; then add a layer of 3 parts kitty litter on top. 12. Always add 1/2 cup soda to your washing machine load. 13. Clean combs and brushes in a soda solution. 14. Wash food and drink containers with soda and water. 15. Wash marble-topped furniture with a solution of 3 tablespoons of soda in 1 quart of warm water. Let stand awhile, then rinse. 16. Clean formica counter tops with baking soda on a damp sponge. 17. Wash out thermos bottles and cooling containers with soda and water to get rid of stale smells. 18. To remove stubborn stains from marble, formica or plastic surfaces, scour with a paste of soda and water. 19. Wash glass or stainless steel coffee pots (but not aluminum) in a soda solution ( 3 tbsp. soda to 1 quart water). 20. Run you coffee maker through its cycle with a soda solution. Rinse. 21. Give baby bottles a good cleaning with soda and hot water. 22. Sprinkle soda on barbecue grills, let soak, then rinse off. 23. Sprinkle soda on greasy garage
floor. Let stand, scrub and 24. Polish silverware with dry soda on a damp cloth. Rub, rinse and dry. 25. For silver pieces without raised patterns or cemented-on handles: place the silver on aluminum foil in an enamel pot. Add boiling water and 4 tbsp. baking soda. Let stand, rinse and dry. 26. Reduce odor build-up in your dishwasher by sprinkling some soda on the bottom. 27. Run your dishwasher through its cycle with soda in it instead of soap to give it a good cleaning. 28. To remove burned-on food from a pan: let the pan soak in soda and water for 10 minutes before washing. Or scrub the pot with dry soda and a moist scouring pad. 29. For a badly-burned pan with a thick layer of burned-on food: pour a thick layer of soda directly onto the bottom of the pan, then sprinkle on just enough water so as to moisten the soda. Leave the pot overnight, then scrub it clean next day. 30. Rub stainless steel and chrome with a moist cloth and dry baking soda to shine it up. Rinse and dry. On stainless steel, scrub in the direction of the grain. 31. Clean plastic, porcelain and glass with dry soda on a damp cloth. Rinse and dry. 32. Remove that bad smell from ashtrays with soda and water. 33. Sprinkle a bit of dry soda in your ashtrays to prevent smoldering and reduce odor. 34. Clean your bathroom with dry soda on a moist sponge - sink, tub, tiles, shower stall, etc. 35. Keep your drains clean and free-flowing by putting 4 tablespoons of soda in them each week. Flush the soda down with hot water. 36. Soak your shower curtains in water and soda to clean them. 37. Bee sting: use a poultice of baking soda and water. 38. Windburns: moisten some baking soda and apply directly. 39. Making Play Clay with baking soda: combine 1 1/4 cups water, 2 cups soda, 1 cup cornstarch. 40. Use soda as an underarm deodorant. 41. If your baby spits up on his shirt after feeding, moisten a cloth, dip it in baking soda and dab at the dribbled shirt. The odor will go away. 42. When scalding a chicken, add 1 tsp. of soda to the boiling water. The feathers will come off easier and flesh will be clean and white. 43. Repel rain from windshield. Put gobs of baking soda on a dampened cloth and wipe windows inside and out. 44. Add to water to soak dried beans to make them more digestible. 45. Add to water to remove the "gamey" taste from wild game. 46. Use to sweeten sour dishcloths. 47. Use dry with a small brush to rub canvas handbags clean. 48. Use to remove melted plastic bread wrapper from toaster. Dampen cloth and make a mild abrasive with baking soda. Readers Tips: Mix a pinch in with your regular hair shampoo, to rid your hair of buildup caused by styling products and the environment. It works great.
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