Unusual Uses for Common Household Things

We all have little tips and tricks that we use.  I love finding unusual uses for items beyond their normal use.  Some of these may be obvious, some may be new, but they are fun and interesting.  

What little item do you use that is out of the ordinary?  I'd love to know what those are.  Here are some of mine: 

1.    Nail polish remover to take labels off plastic containers.  Saturate a paper towel with nail polish remover.  Wrap it around the item that needs the label or printing removed.  Allow to sit.  Periodically redampen the paper towel, then wipe off the label!  May also use furniture-grade acetone, for this, as well, but be sure to wear gloves. 

2.    Use an antiscratch scrubber kitchen sponge (the kind with a loofa on one side and sponge on the other) in the shower to remove calluses from feet.  If it gets icky, either put it on the top shelf of the dishwasher and run through with a load or put it in a zippered bag and wash it with a load of towels to get clean. 

3.    Aspirin, salt, and water paste for canker sore cure.  This is an old trick that my dentist gave to me long ago to treat canker sores.  Crush an adult aspirin into a powder.  Add an equal amount of salt.  Add enough water to make a paste.  Using a dampened Q-tip, dab a little on the canker sore.  This will burn like crazy, but it “cauterizes” the sore, and it will oftentimes be gone the next day.   (See medical disclaimer below.) 

4.    Make a paste of cooking oil and baking soda as a homemade “Goo Gone” to remove stains and other greasy residue. 

5.    Use white vinegar in your dishwasher’s rinse dispenser in stead of expensive commercial rinse products to stop hard water and soap spots.

6.    A crumpled piece of aluminum foil makes an excellent scrubber if no steel wool pads are available. 

7.    A muffin tin with each compartment filled halfway makes an excellent extra ice tray.  Fill with fruit punch, juice, tea, or Kool-aid for ice that won’t dilute in your drink. 

8.    Use Rain-X meant  to use for windshields on shower doors.  Water spots won’t form, and the shower glass will be easier to clean.

9.    Use car wax to wax sinks and showers.  Clean shower stalls and sinks, then apply a coat of car wax and buff.  This will leave a shiny surface, and soap scum won’t stick to it.

10. Use a sheet of Contact paper with the backing removed for furniture, clothes and car seats to make dog hair and lint pickup an extra quick task. 

11. Want extra long eyelashes?  Clean an old mascara wand, and use it to apply either mineral oil, baby oil, or Vaseline to your eyelashes each night.  This will condition them and help them grow. 

12. Aluminum foil makes a great connector/contact point  if a spring breaks inside a battery compartment of a piece of electronics or a toy. 

13. Mix coffee grounds (used or fresh) and olive oil and use for a facial or body scrub.  The grounds provide an exfoliating effect, the caffeine will help tighten skin and improve circulation, and the olive oil provides moisture.  Rinse well after use.

14. Spray Static Guard on your hair brush to relieve static in your hair or use a fabric softener sheet gently rubbed over your hair to help detangle it.

15. Got stuck-on, burned-on food in a pan or casserole dish?  Place a fabric softener sheet in it, then fill the pot or dish with hot water, and allow to sit overnight.  The gunk will wash off!

16. Got an old T-shirt that is a little on the snug side?  Use it to dry your hair!  Pull just the neck over your head, with the shirt going in the wrong direction, then use the remaining T-shirt to wrap up your hair.  This will dry your hair quickly, hold your hair up while you apply makeup, and is even more gentle than a bath towel. 

Medical disclaimer:  Material on this Website is provided for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for medical care, consultation, or advice.

How to Get Rid of That Oniony Smell on Your Hands and on Your Breath

Onions make great and tasty additions to recipes.  A hamburger or hot dog loaded with onions is yummy!  Unfortunately, dealing with the onion odor is another story.  How many times have we avoided onions because we didn't want bad breath or didn't want the smell on our hands?

There's a trick to decreasing the smell, and it's as close as your kitchen sink.  Well, more like your kitchen faucet, especially if it's stainless steel. This works best if it's done immediately after working with onions.  It works for fish and garlic, too.  

Once you're finished handling these items, wet your hands rub them hands over the stainless steel of the kitchen faucet.  Voila!  The vast majority of the onion smell should be neutralized. 

It doesn't have to be the faucet.  Anything stainless steel will work such as a saucepan, the blade of a knife (watch out for cuts), and some places even make these blobs of stainless steel that look like a bar of soap to use for this.  

How do you get rid of onion breath?  Same concept, except use a stainless steel spoon. Place it in your mouth with the bowl of the spoon facing down so that your tongue cups into the bowl and the bottom of the spoon fits against the roof of your mouth.  Let it sit there for a bit, remove the spoon, then swish with water and spit.  I recommend brushing your teeth or chewing gum at this time to get any lingering food particles from inside your mouth. 

For both tricks, it may not take away all the oniony smell, especially onion breath, but it should reduce it significantly.  If you still have the odor, you can do it again.  It will at least make you easier to live with!

The cool thing is this works for garlic and fish, too!