Mary’s Helpful Hints

• Easy Off cleans ovens and bath tubs. Spray on serious soap scum in the tub/shower ceramic tiles. Eliminates with little or no scrub. All scum and mildew build up on tile and grout will be gone.
• Periodically add one cup of vinegar to dishwasher or dish water to soak and remove stains on cups, glasses, dinnerware and silverware.
• Dishwasher detergent cleans clothing stains. Ex: Cascade Amonia eliminates bad or foul orders in clothing, wall washing, carpets, and furniture.
• Crumbled aluminum foil can be used to clean barbeque grates. Use as a scoure pad.
• Stopped up drains can be cleaned with Coca-Cola.
• Baking soda can be used as carpet deoderizer. It can also be used for upset stomachs, brushing teeth and gargling.
• Mayonnaise is not only for sandwiches but can also be used for polishing wood furniture and even as a conditioner for dry hair.
• Aerosal hair spray removes crayon from painted surfaces.
• Remove pet hair from clothing or furniture with a damp rag. Try to wipe in the same direction.
• Clean vinyl shades and blinds with dryer sheets.
• Clean showerhead by placing vinegar in a plastic bag and using a rubber band to secure it around the shower head. Leave overnight and then brush and rinse clean the following day.

Household items with multiple uses

Cheap Vodka

• Clean clothes: You can spray a vodka and water mixture on your clothes to keep them fresh in between washes and to kill any odors. Do a spot test first where it would be safe. Spray on stains before you throw it in the wash because this is also a good stain remover.
• Kill mold: spray vodka water mixture on mold to get rid of it. Let it soak for a while. Rinse. Repeat again if necessary. Vinegar works for most of these also.
• Polish and shine: Wet some cloth with vodka and polish your glasses with it. You can also spray a vodka water mixture on windows and mirrors to give them more of a shine.
• Get a glass and fill with ice. Pour the vodka over the ice and listen to is crackle. Then add water or other beverage of your choice. Mix well. Lift glass to mouth and consume. Repeat again as needed. Continue what you were doing.

Lemon Juice

• Wash your hands: When serving messy food like chicken or ribs, put a little bowl of lemon water to wash the smell and gunk off your fingers.
• Clean a chopping board: Add some lemon juice or use a lemon slice to wipe the chopping board to deodorize and sanitize it.
• Brighten white loads: To make whites even brighter, add a quarter cup of lemon juice with the clothes you throw into the washing machine.
• Freshen household equipment: Add lemon juice or lemons to them. Freshen inside of microwave, dishwasher, or humidifier to eliminate old or bad smells.

Vaseline

• Scrubs: Adsd sea salt to Vaseline to make your own body scrub.
• Soothe and heal:  Vaseline can help heal poison ivy, new tattoos, light burns and diaper rash.
• Prevent rust: put a light layer of Vaselineon tools or machinery to prevent it from rusting. Shine leater on items like hand bags or shoes.

Jars

• Piggy bank: Jars can be used so you can see what you are storing. Throw your change into a jar. Decorate it for a fun piggy bank. Keep assorted nuts, bolts, washers – small needful things.
• Cup or Tumbler:Reuse jars as cup and tumblers with lids to go. Store food items like herbs, pasta, sugar, flour and other dried goods.