Who Knew?

Tip for today 3/20/2013

Pristine Patio Furniture
Here's a quick and easy way to clean plastic outdoor furniture. Use shaving cream. Apply a layer with a damp rag or sponge to your furniture, let it sit for 10 minutes, then spray down with the hose. (For super-dirty furniture, rinse before and after applying the shaving cream.) It will look almost as good as new!

I will just add a few others. I just thought this might be fun to post. They are on my calendar. I can't guarantee any of them. But, I have tried some on these tips.

Post some tips if you have any.

Grapes are Great
If you suffer from backaches or other chronic pain, try snacking on an unlikely superfood: grapes! Red grapes relax blood vessels and improves blood flow, which can help your pain. Eat 1 cup each day to see the maximum benefits.

Rent-A-Deal
If you're renting a car, always reserve an economy car, even though you may need a bigger size. Rental car companies stock very few economy cars and you'll almost always get a free upgrade. And if you don't, you can just pay the difference at the counter.

Remove Pen Marks Fast
Uh-Oh, a pen just exploded in your hands and you have an important meeting later on today! Get ink off skin in a flash with the help of a banana peel. Rub the inside of a peel against your hands and it will lift the stains right off. Now you're ready to get back to work!

Hair Gel Substitution
Out of hair gel and have a cowlick that just won't quit? Mix some shaving cream with a tiny amount of water and it will work perfectly in a pinch.

Perfect Eyebrows the Easy Way
Petroleum jelly can be useful for taming unruly eyebrows, but it's hard to use just the right amount: Not enough and you still have flyaways; too much and your brows look too shiny! Solve the problem by using a sliver of white soap like Ivory instead. Wipe your fingers on the soap, then on your eyebrows. It will be just enough product to hold them in place, but won't give them too much shine.

these are great Katie....thank you!

Super-Powered Chocolate
Want your chocolate cake, cookies or muffins to come out extra chocolaty? Who doesn't? Instead of using flour to dust your counter, rolling pin, or pan, use cocoa powder! It will give your baked goods a little extra chocolate oomph!

Oooooooh Katie.....I love that one!

Better Late than never:
Easter Eggs that Last
If you have a rubber bulb ear syringe (commonly used for babies), it can come in handy when you're decorating eggs! Poke a hole with a large needle or paring knife in the bottom of the egg, then suck out the yolk and white with the ear syringe. After decorating your eggs, they'll last year after year (as long as you find a safe place for storage).

I have a better one:
To peel hard boiled eggs easily, crack the bottom and top of a cold egg and then roll it around to crack the rest of the egg. Dip into hot water. The shell will peel right off.
It works, I just did 16 eggs for deviled eggs.

I hope you all have a wonderful Easter!

Katie, look at you with all of these helpful hints. Wonderful.

Emery Board Answer
The easiest way to clean suede is with an emery board (the kind you would normally use on your fingernails). Just gently rub it against spots to lift them off without harming the fabric.

I don't think they mean the sandpaper cheap ones. At least I would not try one of those.

New Shoes without Blisters
Breaking in new shoes doesn't have to mean painful blisters.

Rub a bit of gel antiperspirant on your feet in the places where you normally get blisters and get ready to enjoy your new shoes.

The antiperspirant will keep friction-causing moisture away, while creating a seal around your skin that keeps blisters at bay.

Katie2 wrote:Emery Board Answer
The easiest way to clean suede is with an emery board (the kind you would normally use on your fingernails). Just gently rub it against spots to lift them off without harming the fabric.

I don't think they mean the sandpaper cheap ones. At least I would not try one of those.

Hmmmm, this one gives me pause. Not sure I would try it either unless it was on the inside of a cuff or somewhere not visible.

Dusting Blinds or Shutters
Dusting blinds or shutters is always a pain. So, after you are done make sure you won't have to do it for a while:
Spray Static Guard (usually used for clothing) onto your blinds to repel dust.

I haven't tried this one but I think I will. I think it would be better to put it on with a cloth. JMO

I wonder how static guard would work on ceiling fans?

jojoscorpio wrote:I wonder how static guard would work on ceiling fans?

Great idea jojo, I think I will try it.

Sorry for my absence. We had a very sick pet.

I will catch up with a few ideas:
Bug Bite Magic
Did you know that white bar soap like Ivory can help relieve bug bites? Just rub the dry bar onto the bite and the itch will go away almost immediately.

Befuddle Birds
Birds (and their droppings) driving you crazy on your deck? Keep them away with baking powder or baby powder. Sprinkle it where they like to land, and they'll find somewhere else to go. They hate the feeling under their feet.

Rugs that Stay Put
If your area rug never wants to stay in one place, its your glue gun to the rescue. Flip the rug over and apply glue around the perimeter in a zigzagging line. Once it is dry, turn it back over and it will stay where you put it. (I did try this one on a rug on my tile floor. Make sure the line of glue is not a big glob just slightly raised and zigzag close together. It worked.)

Rescue Dropped Jewelry
If you accidently drop a piece of jewelry down your sink's drain, don't panic. Immediately turn off the water (if it is on) and go get your vacuum.(Vacuum with a hose) Place a piece of pantyhose over the end of the hose and secure it with a rubber band. Then hold the vacuum over the drain and turn it on If you're lucky the suction will pull up your piece of jewelry and catch it in the nylon. It is worth a shot before you call a plumber!

Battery Boosting Pointers
Looking to prolong the battery life of your ereader, smartphone, or tablet? Try turning off the Wi-Fi or putting it in Airplane mode Even if you're not using it, you electronic is constantly searching for a signal. The screen's light uses more battery power than anything else, so use the dimming setting to save some battery time.

Katie2 wrote:Super-Powered Chocolate
Want your chocolate cake, cookies or muffins to come out extra chocolaty? Who doesn't? Instead of using flour to dust your counter, rolling pin, or pan, use cocoa powder! It will give your baked goods a little extra chocolate oomph!

Also use chocolate milk, instead of regular milk

Ladytwee wrote:

Katie2 wrote:Super-Powered Chocolate
Want your chocolate cake, cookies or muffins to come out extra chocolaty? Who doesn't? Instead of using flour to dust your counter, rolling pin, or pan, use cocoa powder! It will give your baked goods a little extra chocolate oomph!

Also use chocolate milk, instead of regular milk

You can never have enough chocolate!

Easy-Open Nail Polish
If you have ever tried to open a bottle of nail polish and ended up having to get a wrench thanks to a cap that won't turn, you will love this trick.

Just rub some Vaseline around the neck of your nail polish bottle before you affix the cap and you'll never have trouble unscrewing it again!

Basil for Blemishes
Here's an effective natural treatment for blemishes that smells great too.

Add a cup of fresh basil leaves to a cup and a half of boiling water. Let it steep for 15 minutes and drain. Then use a cotton swab to apply the water to your face. Leave it on for 10 minutes for a gentle cleanser that also kills the bacteria that causes acne.

Keep any extra basil water in the refrigerator until your next use.

I have not tried this. If any one does try this, please let us know how it works.

A Stain Remover on Your Table
If you drop something like salad dressing or greasy food on your clothes while out, don't dab with water or club soda, which can simply spread the oil stain. Instead blot it up with an artificial sweetener like Equal. Its super-absorbent granules will soak up most of the stain before you even get home!

Bread that wins Raves
The secret to light-as-air whole wheat bread? Add a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice to the dough. You won't taste the lemon, but it will make your bread rise higher and lighter.

Prevent a Smelly Fridge
You probably know that baking soda can get rid of refrigerator odors, but did you know a potato will, too? Simply peel a potato and cut it in half, then place both halves on their sides on the middle shelf of your fridge. When the potato turns black, just peel off the black part and it is ready to prevent odors once again. It should last you several weeks!

Perfect Nutty Brownies
If your brownies, cake, or cookies contain dried fruit or nuts, coat them with flour before adding them to the batter. It will keep them from sinking to the bottom while cooking! To easily coat any ingredient with flour, just place it in a Ziplock bag with some flour and shake.