Helpful Hints ... add yours!

[Karen]

Sometimes there are things one thinks are common knowledge, but are not! Yesterday evening, I discovered one I though "everybody" knew no one else did but me! We were at a fellow choir member's house, and the pastor got pine pitch on his hat, didn't realize it, went to wipe it off, thinking it was bird poop, and ended up with his fingers stuck together no matter how much soap and water he tried. He was wearing yellow rubber gloves to drive home so he didn't get stuck to his steering wheel, when I told him, "when you get home, use vegetable oil, the pitch will come right off.

At church this morning he wiggled his clean hands at me, delighted that it worked. Said, in surprise, "It was great, came right off! How did you know that?" I explained my parent's house has two big pine trees, and as a kid, I also would pick up pine cones wherever I went because I think they are neat! So my grandmother, my mother - everyone knew veggie oil of any sort was the key for removal!

Pine pitch removal: vegetable oil of any kind

And skunk smell remedy - Listerene - soak the dog, cat, object in Listerene for 5 minutes, then wash with normal soap, and it's gone!

What similar remedies do you know for everyday problems? Let's make this a resource thread!

[Catty1]

To sharpen scissors - use a piece of aluminum foil about the length of the blade; fold it in half. Cut into the foil in 4 or 5 places. Done!

Recycle the foil if you can.

[chocolatepuppy]

Pine pitch removal: vegetable oil of any kind

Hmmm, I think that may be what Jake and Layla get in their fur now and then. They seem to have it in their fur after being under my trees. One is a blue spruce, the other a pine. I thought it was birdy do do and their fur is stuck together. I've even had to cut it out a few times! Will have to remember this.

[Karen]

Hmmm, I think that may be what Jake and Layla get in their fur now and then. They seem to have it in their fur after being under my trees. One is a blue spruce, the other a pine. I thought it was birdy do do and their fur is stuck together. I've even had to cut it out a few times! Will have to remember this.

Yup - bird poop will break up once it's dry, but pine (or spruce - any evergreen) pitch is sticky forever!

[krazyaboutkatz]

Karen will this also help if you get sap on your car? I sometimes get this on my car and it's so hard to get it off.

One thing that I thought that everyone knew is that if someone was just using the bathroom and they left a stinky or gasy smell then all you have to do is to light a match and this will get rid of the gas in the bathroom. My mom had to do this a lot whenever my dad used the bathroom before her.

[cassiesmom]

My sister showed me this ... if you want to cut meat into pieces for cooking (as for a stir fry), freeze it for about half an hour before you are ready to prep; and that will make it easier to cut.

[Karen]

Karen will this also help if you get sap on your car? I sometimes get this on my car and it's so hard to get it off.

One thing that I thought that everyone knew is that if someone was just using the bathroom and they left a stinky or gasy smell then all you have to do is to light a match and this will get rid of the gas in the bathroom. My mom had to do this a lot whenever my dad used the bathroom before her.

It should, give it a try!

[Roxyluvsme13]

Apple cider vinegar can be used to clean and is also a remedy for things such as an eye infection in your pet. One of our cats had an eye infection once and we treated it with super diluted ACV and it healed right up.

Also, white vinegar makes excellent fabric softener for your laundry!

[pomtzu]

Got ball point pen ink on your clothes??? Spray it with hair spray - a little rub - and it's gone. I learned this one many years ago when I worked in an office - something all office workers seem to know.

[kaycountrygal]

Good Thread!
My friend uses apple cider vinegar (brown vinegar not white) between his toes to prevent athlete's foot/toes (he says it works).

He says it's also good as a window cleaner.

He uses olive oil on his dry skin. I told him because he used vinegar between his toes and olive oil on his skin, he should stick a cucumber and tomato in his mouth and I would call him a "walking salad". I'm laughing as I'm typing this.

[Freedom]

Windex! Oh wait, that's from the movie, My Big Fat Greek Wedding.

Sorry Karen, just couldn't resist.

[redbird]

Sorry, I don't have any helpful hints but I appreciate the ones that are listed, very helpful.

[pomtzu]

Good Thread!
My friend uses apple cider vinegar (brown vinegar not white) between his toes to prevent athlete's foot/toes (he says it works).

He says it's also good as a window cleaner.

Wait!!! He doesn't use his feet/toes to clean the windows after he applies the vinegar, does he???

Sorry - I couldn't resist that one.

[Taz_Zoee]

Got ball point pen ink on your clothes??? Spray it with hair spray - a little rub - and it's gone. I learned this one many years ago when I worked in an office - something all office workers seem to know.

Yikes! Growing up in the family business of Dry Cleaning I cringe at this one. Sure it might work..........on certain fabrics. But trust me, it won't work on that silk blouse that most women wear at the office. In fact, on some fabrics it sets the stain and makes it harder for the Dry Cleaner to get it out. Also, some hairsprays contain alcohol and that can remove colors from the item.


Here is one that also makes me laugh. My mom told me about how to keep flies away. A Ziploc baggie with some water and a shiny penny in it. My boyfriend laughed at this and swore it doesn't work. While we were on vacation at the beginning of this month we saw so many places that had a baggie with water and a penny it in hanging outside in front of doors. I always had to point it out to Bruce and just LAUGH!!
And then last night we had dinner with some friends and somehow that subject came up. Again I was in tears laughing.
This works because the sun shining on the penny in the water creates a lot of sparkle and sun rays which disorientates (sp?) the flies vision. So they tend to stay away.
Unfortunately this doesn't work on cloudy days or at night though.

[pomtzu]

Yikes! Growing up in the family business of Dry Cleaning I cringe at this one. Sure it might work..........on certain fabrics. But trust me, it won't work on that silk blouse that most women wear at the office. In fact, on some fabrics it sets the stain and makes it harder for the Dry Cleaner to get it out. Also, some hairsprays contain alcohol and that can remove colors from the item.

Guess I lucked out on all the fabrics I wore since I never had an issue. Of course I didn't wear silk either and I also steered away from anything that had to be dry cleaned, for the most part anyway.

I got ink on a pair of cotton/poly blend capris I had on last week and remembered this old trick from years ago. Worked like a charm again.....