Davidson Family Journey

THE MANY USES OF:
BAKING SODA
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
rinse.
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. -BY: M. RENARD

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.
VINEGAR
1. 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 breadbox 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 vapor 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 flavor.
26. Soak fish in vinegar and water before cooking for a tender, sweeter taste.
27. Add vinegar to boiling ham to improve flavor and cut salty taste.
28. Improve the flavor 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 favorite 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 galvanized 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 sterilized jar and finish filling with boiling vinegar.
50. Olives and pimentos will keep indefinitely if covered with vinegar and refrigerated.
51. Add 1 teaspoon 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 tenderize.
62. Douche: 2 to 4 ounces of vinegar in 2 quarts of warm water.

COOKING:
Enjoying a salad with a tangy vinaigrette dressing is one of the most popular ways to use vinegar in the kitchen. But that’s just the beginning! Regular and flavored vinegars are versatile recipe ingredients that add flavor and distinction, and can also contribute to good health!

To make basic vinaigrette salad dressing use 1 part white distilled vinegar to 4 parts oil.
Make creamy vinaigrette by adding some plain or whipped cream to a mixture of 1 part white distilled vinegar to 3 parts oil.
Tenderize meat with white distilled vinegar. Use it in marinades or when slow cooking any tough, inexpensive cuts of meat.
When poaching eggs, add a little white distilled vinegar to the water. The whites stay better formed.
For extra tenderness with boiling ribs or stew meat add a tablespoon of white distilled vinegar.
To add a zesty new taste to fresh fruits such as pears, cantaloupe, honeydew, or others, add a splash of rice or balsamic vinegar. Serve immediately to prevent the fruit from becoming mushy.
Freshen wilted vegetables by soaking them in cold water containing a spoonful or two of white distilled vinegar.
When boiling or steaming cauliflower, beets or other vegetables, add a teaspoon or two of white distilled vinegar to the water to help them keep their color. This will also improve their taste, and reduce gassy elements. This also works when cooking beans and bean dishes.
Make pasta less sticky and reduce some of its starch. Add just a dash of white distilled vinegar to the water as it cooks.
Give some extra zest to your white sauce by adding 1/2 teaspoon of white distilled vinegar.
Try cider or malt white distilled vinegar instead of ketchup with french fries—that’s how the British like to eat them. Either one is also great on fish or any fried or broiled meat.
Remove kitchen odors that come from burnt pots or when cooking certain foods by boiling a small amount of water with 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar so that the steam circulates throughout the room.
Make onion odors disappear from your hands by rubbing with white distilled vinegar.
Add moistness and taste to any chocolate cake—homemade or from a box—with a spoonful of white distilled vinegar.
To keep frosting from sugaring add a drop of white distilled vinegar. It will also help keep white frosting white and shiny.
Make perfect, fluffy meringue by adding a teaspoon of white distilled vinegar for every 3 to 4 egg whites used.
Perk up any can of soup or sauce with a teaspoon of red or white wine vinegar.
Eliminate the greasy taste in food cooked in a deep fryer by adding a dash of white distilled vinegar.
If you’ve added too much salt to a recipe, add a spoonful of white distilled vinegar and sugar to try correcting the taste.
Keep molded gelatin desserts and salads from sagging or melting in the summer heat by adding a teaspoon of white distilled vinegar for each box of gelatin used.
When making tuna salad add a dash of any herb-flavored white distilled vinegar.
Turn out great rice by adding a teaspoon of white distilled vinegar to the boiling water.
To make the perfect picnic potato salad dressing combine 1 cup mayonnaise, 3 tablespoons white distilled vinegar, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Olives or pimentos covered with white distilled vinegar can be kept almost indefinitely if refrigerated.
To keep eggs from cracking when boiling add a tablespoon or two of white distilled vinegar to water.

GARDENING:
Kill weeds and grass growing in unwanted places by pouring full-strength white distilled vinegar on them. This works especially well in crevices and cracks of walkways and driveways.
Give acid-loving plants like azaleas, rhododendrons, hydrangeas and gardenias a little help by watering them with a white distilled vinegar solution now and again. A cup of white distilled vinegar to a gallon of tap water is a good mixture.
Stop ants from congregating by pouring white distilled vinegar on the area.
Discourage cats from getting into the kids’ sandbox with white distilled vinegar.
Preserve cut flowers and liven droopy ones by adding 2 tablespoons white distilled vinegar and 1 teaspoon sugar to a quart of water in a vase.
Get rid of the water line in a flower vase by filling it with a solution of half water and half white distilled vinegar, or by soaking a paper towel in white distilled vinegar and stuffing it into the vase so that it is in contact with the water line.
Clean out stains and white mineral crusts in clay, glazed and plastic pots by soaking them for an hour or longer in a sink filled with a solution of half water and half white distilled vinegar.
Remove crusty rim deposits on house planters or attached saucers by soaking them for several hours in an inch of full-strength white distilled vinegar.
Clean a birdbath by scrubbing it often with undiluted white distilled vinegar. Rinse well.
Get rid of rust on spigots, tools, screws or bolts by soaking the items overnight or for several days in undiluted white distilled vinegar.
Neutralize garden lime by adding white distilled vinegar to the area.
Avoid skin problems after working in the garden by rinsing your hands in white distilled vinegar.
Increase the acidity of soil by adding white distilled vinegar to your watering can.
Eliminate anthills by pouring in white distilled vinegar.
Cure a cement pond before adding fish and plants by adding one gallon of white distilled vinegar to every 200 gallons of water. Let sit three days. Empty and rinse thoroughly.
Sanitize outdoor furniture and picnic tables with a cloth soaked in white distilled vinegar.
Kill slugs by spraying them with a mixture of 1 part water and 1 part white distilled vinegar.
To catch moths use a mixture of 2 parts white distilled vinegar and 1 part molasses. Place mixture in tin can and hang in a tree.
Keep rabbits from eating your plants. Put cotton balls soaked in white distilled vinegar in a 35mm film container. Poke a hole in the top and place in the garden.
Remove berry stains on your hands by rubbing them with white distilled vinegar.
Clean plastic patio furniture with a solution of 1 tablespoon white distilled vinegar to 1 gallon of water.
Wash fresh vegetables with a mixture of 1 tablespoon of white distilled vinegar in 1 ½ quarts of water.
When cleaning an outdoor fountain, soak the pump in white distilled vinegar to remove any mineral deposits.
Clean a hummingbird feeder with white distilled vinegar—soap or detergent can leave behind harmful residue.
Remove mold from terra cotta pots by soaking in a solution of 1 cup white distilled vinegar, 1 cup chlorine bleach, and 1 gallon of warm water before scrubbing with a steel wool pad.

CLEANING:
Kill weeds and grass growing in unwanted places by pouring full-strength white distilled vinegar on them. This works especially well in crevices and cracks of walkways and driveways.
Give acid-loving plants like azaleas, rhododendrons, hydrangeas and gardenias a little help by watering them with a white distilled vinegar solution now and again. A cup of white distilled vinegar to a gallon of tap water is a good mixture.
Stop ants from congregating by pouring white distilled vinegar on the area.
Discourage cats from getting into the kids’ sandbox with white distilled vinegar.
Preserve cut flowers and liven droopy ones by adding 2 tablespoons white distilled vinegar and 1 teaspoon sugar to a quart of water in a vase.
Get rid of the water line in a flower vase by filling it with a solution of half water and half white distilled vinegar, or by soaking a paper towel in white distilled vinegar and stuffing it into the vase so that it is in contact with the water line.
Clean out stains and white mineral crusts in clay, glazed and plastic pots by soaking them for an hour or longer in a sink filled with a solution of half water and half white distilled vinegar.
Remove crusty rim deposits on house planters or attached saucers by soaking them for several hours in an inch of full-strength white distilled vinegar.
Clean a birdbath by scrubbing it often with undiluted white distilled vinegar. Rinse well.
Get rid of rust on spigots, tools, screws or bolts by soaking the items overnight or for several days in undiluted white distilled vinegar.
Neutralize garden lime by adding white distilled vinegar to the area.
Avoid skin problems after working in the garden by rinsing your hands in white distilled vinegar.
Increase the acidity of soil by adding white distilled vinegar to your watering can.
Eliminate anthills by pouring in white distilled vinegar.
Cure a cement pond before adding fish and plants by adding one gallon of white distilled vinegar to every 200 gallons of water. Let sit three days. Empty and rinse thoroughly.
Sanitize outdoor furniture and picnic tables with a cloth soaked in white distilled vinegar.
Kill slugs by spraying them with a mixture of 1 part water and 1 part white distilled vinegar.
To catch moths use a mixture of 2 parts white distilled vinegar and 1 part molasses. Place mixture in tin can and hang in a tree.
Keep rabbits from eating your plants. Put cotton balls soaked in white distilled vinegar in a 35mm film container. Poke a hole in the top and place in the garden.
Remove berry stains on your hands by rubbing them with white distilled vinegar.
Clean plastic patio furniture with a solution of 1 tablespoon white distilled vinegar to 1 gallon of water.
Wash fresh vegetables with a mixture of 1 tablespoon of white distilled vinegar in 1 ½ quarts of water.
When cleaning an outdoor fountain, soak the pump in white distilled vinegar to remove any mineral deposits.
Clean a hummingbird feeder with white distilled vinegar—soap or detergent can leave behind harmful residue.
Remove mold from terra cotta pots by soaking in a solution of 1 cup white distilled vinegar, 1 cup chlorine bleach, and 1 gallon of warm water before scrubbing with a steel wool pad.

LAUNDRY:
Prevent lint from clinging to clothes by adding 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar to the wash cycle.
To remove soap residue that makes black clothes look dull use white distilled vinegar in your final rinse.
Get stained white socks and dingy dishcloths white again. Add 1 cup white distilled vinegar to a large pot of water, bring it to a rolling boil and drop in the articles. Let soak overnight.
Some stains on clothing and linens can be soaked out using equal parts milk and white distilled vinegar.
Before washing a mustard stain, dab with white distilled vinegar.
Attack spaghetti, barbecue, or ketchup stains with a white distilled vinegar and water solution.
Remove perspiration odor and stains on clothing, as well as those left by deodorants, by spraying full-strength white distilled vinegar on underarm and collar areas before tossing them into the washing machine.
Forgot that you left wet laundry in the machine and it now smells moldy? Pour a few cups of white distilled vinegar in the machine and wash the clothes in hot water. Then run a normal cycle with detergent.
Remove smoky odors from clothes by filling the bathtub with very hot water and 1 cup white distilled vinegar. Hang the garments above the steaming water and shut the door so the steam can penetrate the fibers.
Keep the steam iron clean and in good working order by getting rid of mineral deposits in steam vents and spray nozzles. Fill the water chamber with a solution of equal parts white distilled vinegar and distilled water. Set it in an upright position and let it steam for about 5 minutes. When the iron is cool, rinse the tank with water, refill and shake water through the vents onto an old cloth. Test before using.
Remove scorch marks from an iron by rubbing it with a warmed-up solution of equal parts white distilled vinegar and salt. If that doesn’t work, use a cloth dampened with full-strength white distilled vinegar.
Remove musky smells from cotton clothes by sprinkling them lightly with white distilled vinegar and then pressing them.
Get water and salt stains off shoes and boots by wiping them down with a solution of equal parts white distilled vinegar and water.
Give patent leather shoes and bags a better shine by wiping them down with white distilled vinegar.
Get cleaner laundry! Add about 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar to the last rinse. The acid in white distilled vinegar is too mild to harm fabrics, yet strong enough to dissolve the alkalies in soaps and detergents. Besides removing soap, white distilled vinegar prevents yellowing, acts as a fabric softener and static cling reducer, and attacks mold and mildew.
Eliminate manufacturing chemicals from new clothes by adding 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar to the water.
Remove soap scum and clean the hoses of your washing machine with white distilled vinegar. Periodically run the machine with only a cup of white distilled vinegar in it—nothing else added to the wash cycle.
Bring out bright colors by adding 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar to the rinse cycle.
Fluff up wool or acrylic sweaters (hand- or machine-washed) and rid them of soap smell, with 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar in the last rinse water.
Get rid of the tiny holes left along the hemline when you take out the hem of any garment by moistening a cloth with white distilled vinegar, placing it under the fabric and ironing.

HEALTH:
Stop insect stings and bites from itching by dabbing them with a cotton ball saturated with undiluted white distilled vinegar.
Soothe sunburn with a spray of white distilled vinegar, repeating as often as you like. Ice-cold white distilled vinegar will feel even better, and may prevent blistering and peeling.
For cuts and scrapes, use white distilled vinegar as an antiseptic.
Get rid of foot odor by washing feet well with antiseptic soap daily, then soaking them in undiluted cider vinegar for 10 minutes or so. Remember that cotton socks aid odor control more effectively than wool ones.
Clean a hairbrush by soaking in a white distilled vinegar solution.
Tone facial skin with a solution of equal parts white distilled vinegar and water.
If commercial aftershaves cause rashes and itching, try using undiluted white distilled vinegar as an aftershave lotion.
Lighten body freckles (not facial freckles) by rubbing on full-strength white distilled vinegar.
Eliminate bad breath and whiten your teeth by brushing them once or twice a week with white distilled vinegar.
Make nail polish last longer. Wipe fingernails with cotton balls dipped in white distilled vinegar before putting on nail polish.
AUTOMOTIVE:
Keep car windows frost-free overnight in winter by coating them with a solution of 3 parts white distilled vinegar to 1 part water.
Polish car chrome with full-strength white distilled vinegar on a soft cloth.
Remove unwanted decals and bumper stickers by covering them with a cloth soaked in white distilled vinegar, or by repeatedly spraying them with full-strength white distilled vinegar. They should peel off in a couple of hours.
Rid the windshield wipers of road grime by wiping them with a white distilled vinegar-soaked cloth.
Remove the leftover odor after a rider has been carsick by leaving a bowl of white distilled vinegar overnight on the floor.
Get rid of hard water stains on your car with a rinse made from 3 parts soft water to one part white distilled vinegar.
Wipe vinyl upholstery with a mixture of equal parts white distilled vinegar and water.
Remove winter road salt residue on car carpeting by spraying with a mixture of equal parts white distilled vinegar and water, then blot with a soft towel.
Remove the hazy film that builds up on inside windows by spraying with white distilled vinegar.
Remove dirt and stains from car carpeting with a mixture of half white distilled vinegar and half water.
When doing car maintenance, soak rusty bolts and screws with white distilled vinegar to make them easier to remove.
Loosen chewing gum stuck to carpeting or upholstery by soaking it in white distilled vinegar.
Create an all-purpose window cleaner with a few ounces of white distilled vinegar in a quart of water.
Give leather upholstery an extra shine by cleaning it with hot white distilled vinegar and rinsing with soapy water.
Make your car extra shiny by adding a few drops of white distilled vinegar to your bucket of water.
PETS:
Give your dog a gleaming coat by spraying or rubbing with a solution of 1 cup white distilled vinegar to 1 quart water. As a bonus, you save the cost of an expensive shine product used on show animals. (Works even on a horse!)
Keep a dog from scratching its ears by wiping them out regularly with a soft cloth dipped in undiluted white distilled vinegar.
Remove skunk odors by wiping down the animal with a 50-50 solution of white distilled vinegar and water, followed by a plain-water rinse. Repeat if necessary.
Discourage a cat from sitting on a certain windowsill or other surface, or from scratching upholstery, by spraying white distilled vinegar on the item. Test first on an unnoticeable area to be sure there won’t be a discoloration.
Keep a cat out of a garden area by placing paper, a cloth, or sponge there that has been soaked in white distilled vinegar.
Get rid of the deposits and water lines that form in aquariums and fish bowls by wiping them down with white distilled vinegar and following with a good rinse. For stubborn deposits, soak for several hours or overnight.
Keep the birdbath clean by scrubbing it often with undiluted white distilled vinegar. Rinse well.
Keep flies away from horses or other outdoor pets by spraying a mixture of water and white distilled vinegar around the area where the animals are.
Remove cat litter odor by pouring ½ inch of white distilled vinegar in the empty litter box. Let it stand for 20 minutes, swish it around, then rinse with cold water.
Kill fleas by adding a little white distilled vinegar to your dog or cat’s drinking water.
Stop a dog from barking with a spray bottle filled with equal amounts of water and white distilled vinegar. When the dog barks, spray the vinegar water in its direction but not in the face.
Remove pet odors. After cleaning, cover the area with baking soda. Let it stand overnight. The next day vacuum up the baking soda and wash the area with white distilled vinegar. Rinse and let dry.
Cats hate the smell of vinegar. If you have a cat that is marking its territory around your house, spray the area with white distilled vinegar then rinse with a hose.
Stop cats from fighting with each other with a spritz of a white distilled vinegar and water solution.
Prevent cats from eating your plants by spraying the leaves with a solution of white distilled vinegar and water.
SOME FUN FACTS:
Timeless
•Vinegar has been used for 10,000 years. It just might be the world’s oldest ingredient!
•The main uses for white distilled vinegar are cooking/food preparation and cleaning/disinfecting.
World Renowned
•The International Vinegar Museum is in Roslyn, South Dakota.
•The International Vinegar Festival is held every June in Roslyn, South Dakota.
The Pride of the South
•Consumers in the South buy and use more white distilled vinegar than in any other region of the country.
There she blows!
•Adding vinegar to baking soda produces a chemical reaction that produces carbon dioxide. This combination is often used to make a do-it-yourself erupting volcano.
It’s magic…
•Pearls melt in white distilled vinegar.
•An egg softens in white distilled vinegar because the acetic acid dissolves the eggshell.
•Immersing a chicken bone in vinegar for 24 hours will make it rubbery.

A Breath of Fresh Air
•An open dish of white distilled vinegar will help remove paint smells from a room.
Secret ingredient
•Salad dressings, sauces, marinades, ketchup, mustard, and pickles are all made with white distilled vinegar.
From the Garden
•Vegetable vinegars are made with potato, cucumber, beet root, and tomato.
•Herb vinegars include thyme, oregano, basil, rosemary, sage, garlic and mint.
•The most popular herb-flavored vinegars use thyme and oregano.
A Fruity Twist
•Fruit vinegars include apple cider, coconut, fig, black currant, pear, prune, raisin, strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, peach, pineapple, and cherry.
•Cider vinegar is made from apples and is the most popular vinegar used for cooking in the United States.
•Raisin vinegar is produced in Turkey and used in Middle Eastern cuisine.
Cheers!
•Germany, Austria and the Netherlands make vinegar from beer.
Sweet Treat
•Italy and France produce a rare honey vinegar.
•Cane vinegar, made from sugar cane juice, is popular in the Philippines.
Healthy Hints
•Soothe a sore throat with a mixture of apple cider vinegar, water and honey.•Soak your feet in white distilled vinegar to stop athlete’s foot.
•Drink a teaspoon of white distilled vinegar to stop the hiccups.
•Pantyhose last longer when rinsed with water containing 1 tablespoon of white distilled vinegar.
•Massage white distilled vinegar into your scalp, rinse, then wash with regular shampoo and watch dandruff disappear.
The Cat’s Meow
•Spray white distilled vinegar on furniture to stop the cat from scratching it.

WITCH HAZEL
Herbal remedies like witch hazel are used as astringents to clean the face, treat bruises, hemorrhoids, sprains, skin problems, internal injuries and bleeding.
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Witch hazel, a tried-and-true, oldie-but-goodie, is a clear liquid that can work as an astringent to clean the face. But that’s just the beginning. Witch hazel is used to treat everything from bruises to hemorrhoids. The formula is made from the leaves and bark of a tree that is naturally grown in the eastern and southern U.S., and can be taken internally as well as externally. Witch hazel is also sometimes known as Hamamelis, snapping hazel, winter bloom, spotted alder or tobacco wood. Since some formulas are meant for external uses and some for internal consumption, read all package labels before using witch hazel. Its uses are so broad in range that if you read health, bath, and body ingredients, you’ll be surprised to find that very many of them contain witch hazel. Many aftershaves contain witch hazel for its antiseptic abilities against nicks and cuts, some eye drops contain witch hazel which helps heal an assortment of eye infections and sores, and assorted cosmetics also contain this healing ingredient.
North American Indians used witch hazel to treat bruises, sprains, skin problems and internal injuries or bleeding. Today, witch hazel is used to treat eye injuries, suppress heavy menstrual flow, control minor pain and itching, and even as a UV protection. Witch hazel has healing and cleansing properties for a speedier recovery from burns, skin abrasions, dermatitis, and inflammation.

Soak wash cloths in witch hazel and lay on legs, which are propped straight out, to reduce pain and swelling from varicose veins. The witch hazel helps to tighten the veins, relieving the discomfort temporarily. Wipe witch hazel on the beginnings of a diaper rash for relief and quicker healing. Use witch hazel on cracked, bleeding feet to prevent infection. Witch hazel is an all-natural way of treating boils and pimples, too.
Still not convinced that witch hazel is a phenomenal potion? Maybe it would help to know that it also helps against diarrhea, tumors, mucous colitis, dry mouth, dandruff, sunburn and to stop minor bleeding. Use witch hazel as a mouth rinse and gargle to soothe sores on the inside of the mouth, gums, tongue and throat. Rub on baby’s gums to reduce pain and swelling during teething.

Witch hazel can be found at most pharmacies, grocers and department stores, usually along with alcohol and Epsom salts. Although some formulas of witch hazel are produced for internal usage, over-the-counter witch hazel is usually not suited for internal consumption since the potions often contain a mixture of witch hazel and isopropyl alcohol.

As with many herbal remedies, certain people, like women who are pregnant or breast feeding, should talk to their physician before using witch hazel. When using witch hazel, let your doctor know if you experience leg swelling, breathing problems, chest tightness or pain, hives, new rashes or irritations, nausea, upset stomach, vomiting or constipation. Most people who use witch hazel will not experience these adverse side effects
, but some will, so notify a health official if any problems are noticed.

101 NEW USES FOR EVERYDAY THINGS
The multitasking hall of fame..James Baigrie.10 New Uses for Lemon
“Lemon juice is the strongest food acid in our kitchens, strong enough to make life unbearable for most bacteria,” says Robert Wolke, professor emeritus of chemistry at the University of Pittsburgh and the author of What Einstein Told His Cook 2: The Sequel, Further Adventures in Kitchen Science (W. W. Norton, $26).

Use Lemon to:
1. Sanitize a chopping block. Run a slice of lemon over the surface to disinfect.
2. Eliminate the browning that occurs when food sits out too long. Sprinkle apple or pear slices with lemon juice before serving, or squeeze a bit into guacamole and give it a stir.
3. Remove tough food stains from plastic and light-colored wooden cutting boards. Slice a lemon in half, squeeze the juice onto the soiled surface, rub, and let sit for 20 minutes. Rinse with water.
4. Fade tea stains on cloth. Dilute lemon juice with an equal amount of water. Use an eyedropper or a Q-tip to make sure the juice targets the stain. Thoroughly flush with cool water.
5. Decorate on the cheap. Fill a glass bowl with lemons for a sunny centerpiece. Or display a row of them along a windowsill.
6. Relieve a sore throat. Cut a lemon in half. Skewer one half over a medium flame on a gas stove or an electric burner set on high and roast until the peel turns golden brown. Let cool slightly, then mix the juice with 1 teaspoon of honey. Swallow the mixture.
7. Whiten fingernails. Rub a wedge on the surface of your nails.
8. Shine the interior of copper cookware. Sprinkle a lemon wedge with salt, then scrub.
9. Brighten laundry whites. Add 1/2 cup lemon juice to the wash cycle of a normal-size load.
10. Remove soft cheese or other sticky foods from a grater. Rub both sides of the grater with the pulp side of a cut lemon.

10 New Uses for Newspaper
“Newspaper, by design, is a very absorbent product, because it has to absorb ink. But that also means it is equipped to absorb all sorts of moisture, including moisture and the resulting odors found in shoes and vegetable drawers," says Chris Morrissey, vice president of marketing for Sun Chemical, in Northlake, Illinois, the world’s largest printing-ink manufacturer.

Use Newspaper to:
1. Deodorize food containers. Stuff a balled-up piece of newspaper into a lunch box or thermos, seal it, and let sit overnight.
2. Ripen tomatoes. Wrap them individually and leave them out at room temperature.
3. Pack delicate items.Wrap frames and figurines with several pieces of newspaper, then crumple the remaining sections to fill extra space in the box.
4. Wipe away tough streaks on glass. Use newspaper with cleaning fluid to clean mirrors and windows.
5. Preserve antique glass. Some older frames have finishes on the glass that can be damaged by cleaning solutions. Remove smudges by rubbing with newspaper dipped in a solution of one part white vinegar and one part warm water. Let air-dry.
6. Dry shoes. Place crumpled paper in them overnight.
7. Wrap gifts. Use the comics to wrap a child’s birthday gift, or try the wedding announcements for an engagement gift.
8. Create a home for slushy snow boots. During the winter, keep a pile of newspaper near the entryway. When your little snowmen and -women come home, they can toss their winter wear onto the newspaper instead of creating puddles on the floor.
9. Prepare a garden. In the fall, mow a patch of lawn to make room for a dedicated bed. Cover it with four layers of newspaper, then a four-inch layer of shredded leaves or bark mulch. Hose it down. Come spring, the compost blanket will have smothered the grass roots, and the bed will be primed for planting.
10. Keep the refrigerator vegetable drawer dry and free of smells. Line the bottom with newspaper.

10 New Uses for Olive Oil
“Olive oil is a good lubricant because its molecules easily slide past one another, thereby helping solid objects to overcome friction,” says Wolke. “Its film also fills up microscopic rough spots in surfaces, making them look polished and shiny.”

Use Olive Oil to:
1. Shave. Olive oil can provide a closer shave when used in place of shaving cream.
2. Shine stainless steel. Many cleaning standbys, such as ammonia, can dull and even corrode chrome and stainless steel. Olive oil, however, is a safe and effective shining agent.
3. Remove eye makeup. Dab a little under the eyes and rinse off with a washcloth.
4. Prevent wax from sticking to a candle holder. Rub a thin coat on the base of the holder before inserting a candle. Dripped wax should peel away easily.
5. Care for your pet. Add 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon to your cat’s food to help prevent hair balls.
6. Moisturize cuticles. Apply a small amount of olive oil to the nail beds.
7. Treat dry skin. Rub a thin layer over the skin after a shower or a waxing.
8. Unstick a zipper. Using a Q-tip, apply a drop to lubricate the teeth. (Avoid touching the fabric.) The zipper should move up and down freely.
9. Dust wooden furniture. Apply a bit of oil to a cloth and wipe.
10. Silence squeaky doors. Lubricate hinges by applying a small dab to a cloth, then wiping the top of the hinges so that the oil runs down the sides.

10 New Uses for Dryer Sheets
"Static builds up when fabrics rub together and exchange electrons,” says Behnam Pourdeyhimi, director of the Nonwovens Cooperative Research Center at North Carolina State University, in Raleigh. “Dryer sheets contain positively charged ingredients that are released by heat and movement, such as the tumbling motion of the dryer. These ingredients bond loosely to any negatively charged fabric surface, such as a piece of clothing with static cling, neutralizing the charge and acting as a lubricant.”

Use Dryer Sheets to:
1. Freshen smelly shoes. Insert a dryer sheet into the offending pair and let sit overnight.
2. Remove static from clothing, hair, TV screens, and computer monitors. Wipe the surface with a sheet.
3. Clean pet hair from the floor or furniture. Rub a dryer sheet over the spot where Fluffy left her fur.
4. Replace a sachet. Keep a dresser drawer smelling fresh and clean by placing a dryer sheet on the bottom of it.
5. Loosen caked-on food from a pan. Place a fresh sheet in the bottom of a dirty pan, fill with lukewarm tap water, and let sit in the sink overnight. The pan will be easier to clean in the morning.
6. Tackle suitcase and gym-bag odors. Place a dryer sheet in your suitcase or gym bag so your clean clothes won’t take on the odors of the dirty ones.
7. Prevent old books from smelling musty when in storage. Stick a dryer sheet between the pages of your beloved copy of Pride and Prejudice.
8. Wipe up sawdust after working in the garage. Rub a dryer sheet over the fine wood particles.
9. Prevent thread from tangling when sewing. Run a threaded needle through a dryer sheet right before you begin your handiwork.
10. Dust venetian blinds. Close the blinds, then wipe up and down with a dryer sheet.

10 New Uses for Velcro
Velcro, whose name is a combination of the French words velour and crochet, was developed in the early 1940s, after Swiss inventor George de Mestral returned home from a walk with his dog and noticed that pesky cockleburs had stuck to his pants and his dog’s coat. Examining the burrs under a microscope, de Mestral found the basis for a unique two-sided fastener?one side with stiff hooks (like the burrs) and the other with soft loops (like the fabric of his pants).

Use Velcro to:
1. Hang pieces of art or photos on a wall. Stick several strips of Velcro to the wall and to the back of a lightweight frame.
2. Prevent a jacket or a blouse from gaping open. Sew small pieces of Velcro between the buttons to create a smooth surface.
3. Keep a rug in place. Stick pieces of Velcro to the floor and to the bottom of the rug.
4. Stop seat cushions from sliding off kitchen chairs. Place strips of Velcro on the chair and on the cushion.
5. Organize toys. Affix a Velcro strip to the wall and Velcro pieces to stuffed animals to make cleanup fun for toddlers.
6. Keep track of the remote. Use Velcro to attach the remote to the side of the TV when it’s not in use.
7. Remove pills from sweaters. Use the hook side of Velcro to pull off pesky balls.
8. Restrain wayward cords. Keep them in one place with a strip of Velcro.
9. Keep a pen or paper handy. Place a small piece of Velcro next to a desk calendar and on a pen so you can jot down to-dos ASAP. In the car, stick a notepad to the dashboard or the door of the glove compartment and you’ll always have paper for a brilliant thought or a last-minute errand.
10. Picnic in peace. Keep a tablecloth from flying away by applying Velcro to the underside of the cloth and to the picnic table.

10 New Uses for Vinegar
“Vinegar is a strong preservative because its acetic acid kills the microbes and bacteria that could cause food to spoil,” says Michael Doyle, director of the Center for Food Safety at the University of Georgia, in Griffin. “It’s also a good deodorizer?the acid neutralizes basic compounds, such as those found in degrading meat, that can be volatile and unpleasant.”

Use White Vinegar to:
1. Pinch-hit for lemon in a savory recipe. Use 1/2 teaspoon of vinegar in place of 1 teaspoon of lemon juice.
2. Remove coffee or tea stains from the bottom of a cup. Swish 2 tablespoons of vinegar around in the cup, then wash as usual.
3. Treat oily hair. Vinegar is a good degreaser for oily hair because it helps adjust pH levels. Shampoo your hair as usual, rinse, then pour 1/4 cup over it and rinse again.
4. Wipe salt stains off boots. Dip a cloth or an old T-shirt into vinegar, then wipe away the white residue.
5. Make wool sweaters fluffier. Drop in a couple of capfuls of vinegar during the rinse cycle for an extra-soft feel.
6. Deodorize a garbage disposal. Make vinegar ice cubes and feed them down the disposal. After grinding, run cold water through the drain.
7. Clean a teakettle or a coffeemaker. Boil a mixture of water and vinegar in a teakettle, then wipe away the grime. Fill the reservoir of a coffeemaker with a mixture of vinegar and water and run it through a brewing cycle. Follow this with several cycles of water to rinse thoroughly.
8. Clean a dishwasher. Once a month, with the machine empty, run a cup of vinegar through an entire cycle to reduce soap buildup on the inner mechanisms and glassware.
9. Remove stubborn price tags or stickers. Paint them with several coats of vinegar, let the liquid soak in for five minutes, then wipe away the residue.
10. Kill weeds between cracks in paving stones and sidewalks. Fill a spray bottle with straight vinegar and spray multiple times. (Be careful not to get any on the surrounding grass, as it will kill that too.)

10 New Uses for Baking Soda
“Not only does baking soda neutralize odiferous fatty acids but it also attacks grease by turning it into?believe it or not?soap,” says the University of Pittsburgh’s Wolke. Fact: More than 100 tons of the refrigerator staple were used to clean the Statue of Liberty’s inner copper walls during its 1986 restoration.

Use Baking Soda to:
1. Exfoliate skin. Wash your face, then apply a soft paste made of three parts baking soda and one part water. Massage gently with a circular motion, avoiding the eye area; rinse clean.
2. Erase crayon, pencil, ink, and furniture scuffs from painted surfaces. Sprinkle soda on a damp sponge, rub clean, and rinse.
3. Unclog a drain. Pour 1/2 to 1 cup of baking soda down the drain, then slowly pour 1/2 to 1 cup of white vinegar after it. Let sit for five minutes (covered, if possible). Follow with a gallon of boiling water.
4. Remove tough stains from enameled cast iron and stainless steel. Scrub enameled cast iron with a soft nylon brush and a thick paste of baking soda and water. Clean stainless steel with a soft cloth and 4 tablespoons of baking soda dissolved in 1 quart of water. Wipe dry with a clean cloth.
5. Scrub pans. Sprinkle soda on crusted casseroles and roasting pans and let sit for five minutes. Lightly scrub and rinse.
6. Brush teeth. Use a paste of baking soda and water.
7. Fight class-B fires (flammable liquids, such as gasoline, oil, and grease). Baking soda can be used to smother only a small flame.
8. Deodorize. Dust baking soda under your arms to absorb body odor.
9. Clean up minor oil and grease spills on a garage floor or driveway. Sprinkle baking soda on the spot and scrub with a wet brush.
10. Settle a stomach during occasional indigestion. Stir 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda into 1/2 cup of water and drink for a safe and effective antacid.

10 New Uses for Ziploc Bags
In 1963 a unique bag with a plastic zipper seal was introduced at a packaging trade show. Now, it has become a kitchen staple.

Use Ziploc Bags to:
1. Knead dough. Place dough in a Ziploc bag so your fingers don’t get sticky. Or slip your hand into the bag and wear it like a glove.
2. Store panty hose. Nude, Tan, Nearly Naked?they look the same out of the package. Tear off the corner of the package listing the brand, size, and color, then slip it into a bag. Store each pair in its own bag to keep hose organized and prevent snags.
3. Remove chewing gum or candle wax from a tablecloth, a couch, or carpeting. Gently rub gum or wax with a Ziploc bag filled with ice cubes until the substance hardens. Shatter gum with a blunt object, then vacuum up the chips. Carefully peel off frozen wax with a plastic spatula.
4. Pipe frosting. Snip off a tiny corner to use a Ziploc as a pastry bag.
5. Store homemade soup. Fill up bags, then lay them flat in the freezer. When the bags of soup freeze flat, you’ll be able to pile them up like stacked books for easy, space-saving storage.
6. Protect precious cargo. No bubble wrap? Slip a straw into the top of a nearly closed Ziploc bag and inflate. Remove the straw and seal to make a cushion. (Heirlooms, however, should wait for that bubble wrap.)
7. Break up graham crackers or vanilla wafers to make a piecrust. Fill a bag with the cookies, then roll a rolling pin over it.
8. Prevent a handbag from turning into a snow globe. Store pressed powder and other compacts in Ziploc bags.
9. Gather herbs from the garden. Before winter frost sets in, wash, pat dry, and freeze the herbs in Ziploc bags.
10. Ice an injury. Fill a bag with ice cubes to create a cold compress.

11 New Uses for Salt
Think twice before you toss that spilled salt over your shoulder?the flavor enhancer is incredibly useful. “Salt has an affinity to water and can draw moisture out of many foods,” says Wolke. “Grains of table salt are also very hard, which is why they act as a handy abrasive.”

Use Salt to:
1. Make eggs or cream whip up faster and higher. Add a pinch of salt before beating.
2. De-ice sidewalks. In a pinch, it can be used as a substitute for rock salt.
3. Keep chicken or turkey moist. Rub salt in the cavity of the bird before cooking.
4. Prevent sautés made with eggplant or zucchini from getting watery. Sprinkle salt on these vegetables before cooking.
5. Eliminate sticky residue from an iron. Run the hot iron (no steam) over plain paper sprinkled with salt.
6. Clean drains. Pour a hot, strong solution (1/2 cup salt for every quart of water) down the drain.
7. Remove dirt from leafy vegetables, such as spinach. Wash the vegetables in a bath of salt water.
8. Prevent frost from accumulating inside car windows. Rub the glass with a solution of 2 teaspoons of salt in 1 gallon of hot water. Wipe dry.
9. Remove sangria and red-wine stains from your washables. Stretch the fabric over a bowl, cover the stain with salt, and carefully pour boiling water over it.
10. Keep shells from cracking when boiling eggs. Add a few pinches of salt to the water.
11. Chill a bottle of bubbly?fast. Place ice around its base in an ice bucket; sprinkle with a few tablespoons of salt. Layer salt and ice until they reach the neck. Fill with water. Wait 10 minutes; serve.

Aluminum Foil as Wrinkle Remover
To get wrinkles out of silk, wool, and rayon clothes that can’t take direct heat, place a piece of foil on your ironing board, then lay the garment flat over it. With the steam button down, pass the iron three to four inches over the fabric several times. Wet heat radiating from the foil helps smooth out wrinkles.
Aluminum Foil as Paint Protector
Protect doorknobs and hardware in the kitchen and bathroom when you’re painting by wrapping foil around them to catch dribbles. The foil molds to the shape of whatever it’s covering and stays firmly in place until the job is complete.
Aluminum Foil as Glassware Scrubber
To get baked-on food off a glass pan or an oven rack, use dishwashing liquid and a ball of foil in place of a steel-wool soap pad, says Mary Findley, president of the cleaning-products developer Mary Moppins. It’s one way to recycle those used but perfectly good pieces of foil you hate to throw out.

Rubber Bands
1. Open jars with ease. When a small lid won’t budge, wrap a rubber band around it several times to give you a better grip.
2. Decorate Easter eggs. Arrange rubber bands in a pattern around hard-boiled eggs, then dip them into dye. Remove the bands when the eggs are dry.
3. Bring order to your dishwasher. Tether stemware and other delicate, wobbly items to the rack.
4. Wrap a gift. Use multiple colored rubber bands instead of ribbon to add modern flair to a small present. (Particularly handy when you can’t find the tape.)

Salt
10. Clean up a cracked egg. Cover the mess with a handful of salt, then wipe up with ease.
11. Dust a wreath. Place a wreath of pinecones or faux evergreen in a paper bag with a 1/4 cup of salt. Fold the top of the bag over and gently shake.
12. Remove tea stains. Sprinkle salt on a lemon peel, then rub it on a tea-stained cup.
13. Shine brass and copper. Make a paste of a few tablespoons of white vinegar with equal parts salt and flour. Apply with a soft cloth, rinse, and dry.

Lemonade Kool-Aid
Original purpose: Quenching your thirst.
Aha! use: Cleaning lime deposits and iron stains inside the dishwasher. Pour a packet of lemonade Kool-Aid (the only flavor that works) into the detergent cup and run the (empty) dishwasher.
Reward: Citric acid in the mix wipes out stains; you don't have to.

Clean With Eggshells
Original purpose: Playing a central role in the chicken-and-egg debate.
Aha! use: Cleaning the hard-to-reach places in bottles and vases. Drop some crushed shells in the bottle, add warm water and a drop of dishwashing liquid, and give it a good swirl.
Reward: Shells that scrape off the gunk you can’t get to, so you can save your elbow grease for the dinner dishes.

WD-40
Original purpose: Greasing a squeaky wheel.
Aha! use: Removing crayon from almost any surface: plastic, metal, TV screens, freshly painted walls. Just apply a small amount and rub away with a clean cloth.
Reward: The living room won’t look like a romper room after Sammy’s visit.

Mayonnaise
Original purpose: Key tuna-salad ingredient.
Aha! use: Adhesive remover that banishes old stickers from mirrors, glass, and bumpers. Apply a generous helping to persistent adhesives and coax off with a flexible putty knife.
Reward: Unstick sticky surfaces without the noxious fumes of the commercial stuff.

Laundry Bag
Original purpose: Saving delicate unmentionables from getting stretched in the spin cycle.
Aha! use: Keeping mini Tupperware lids, baby-bottle caps, and other small items from falling through the dishwasher rack.
Reward: No more diving for treasure on the floor of the dishwasher.

You Need: A Blender Jar
You can use: A quart-size mayonnaise or Mason jar.
Is it cheaper to buy a whole new blender or just replace that busted blender jar? Until you figure that one out, you might try this: Many detachable blade assemblies screw right onto a mayo jar or a small-mouth Mason jar. Don't fill it by more than half, though, and as with any regular blender, avoid very hot liquids

Storybook Pages as Kids' Placemats
A clever way to repurpose an everyday item.Original purpose: Quieting kids down at bedtime.
Aha! use: Quieting kids down at dinner. Sandwich some of their favorite pages between lamination sheets (available at office-supply stores). Catchy text and colorful pictures (think Dr. Seuss and nursery rhymes) are especially attention-grabbing.
Reward: A rapt audience on Meat-Loaf Monday.

RUBBING ALCOHOL:
Clean bathroom fixtures
Just reach into the medicine cabinet the next time you need to clean chrome bathroom fixtures. Pour some rubbing alcohol straight from the bottle onto a soft, absorbent cloth and the fixtures. No need to rinse -- the alcohol just evaporates. It does a great job of making chrome sparkle, plus it will kill any germs in its path.

Remove hair spray from mirrors
When you are spritzing your head with hair spray, some of it inevitably winds up on the mirror. A quick wipe with rubbing alcohol will whisk away that sticky residue and leave your mirror sparkling clean.

Clean venetian blinds
Rubbing alcohol does a terrific job of cleaning the slats of venetian blinds. To make quick work of the job, wrap a flat tool -- a spatula or maybe a 6-inch (15-centimeter) drywall knife -- in cloth and secure with a rubber band. Dip in alcohol and go to work.

Keep windows sparkling and frost-free
Do your windows frost up in the wintertime? Wash them with a solution of 1/2 cup rubbing alcohol to 1 quart (1 liter) water to prevent the frost. Polish the windows with newspaper after you wash them to make them shine.

Dissolve windshield frost
Wouldn't you rather be inside savoring your morning coffee a little longer instead of scrape, scrape, scraping frost off your car windows? Fill a spray bottle with rubbing alcohol and spritz the car glass. You'll be able to wipe the frost right off. Ah, good to the last drop!

Prevent ring around the collar
To prevent your neck from staining your shirt collar, wipe your neck with rubbing alcohol each morning before you dress. Feels good too.

Clean your phone
Is your phone getting a bit grubby? Wipe it down with rubbing alcohol. It'll remove the grime and disinfect the phone at the same time.

Remove ink stains
Did you get ink on your favorite shirt or dress? Try soaking the spot in rubbing alcohol for a few minutes before putting the garment in the wash.

Erase permanent markers
Did Junior decide to decorate your countertop with a permanent marker? Don't worry, most countertops are made of a nonpermeable material such as plastic laminate or marble. Rubbing alcohol will dissolve the marker back to a liquid state so you can wipe it right off.

Remove dog ticks
Ticks hate the taste of rubbing alcohol as much as they love the taste of your dog. Before you pull a tick off Fido, dab the critter with rubbing alcohol to make it loosen its grip. Then grab the tick as close to the dog's skin as you can and pull it straight out. Dab again with alcohol to disinfect the wound. This works on people too.

Get rid of fruit flies
The next time you see fruit flies hovering in the kitchen, get out a fine-misting spray bottle and fill it with rubbing alcohol. Spraying the little flies knocks them out and makes them fall to the floor, where you can sweep them up. The alcohol is less effective than insecticide, but it's a lot safer than spraying poison around your kitchen.

Make a shapeable ice pack
The problem with ice packs is they won't conform to the shape of the injured body part. Make a slushy, conformable pack by mixing 1 part rubbing alcohol with 3 parts water in a self-closing plastic bag. The next time that sore knee acts up, wrap the bag of slush in a cloth and apply it to the area. Ahhh!

Stretch tight-fitting new shoes
This doesn't always work, but it sure is worth a try: If your new leather shoes are pinching your feet, try swabbing the tight spot with a cotton ball soaked in rubbing alcohol. Walk around in the shoes for a few minutes to see if they stretch enough to be comfortable. If not, the next step is to take them back to the shoe store.

Rubbing Alcohol is More Useful Than You Thought
In your bathroom, at this very moment, you have a substance that is more useful than you ever realized. Rubbing alcohol can be used not only to clean a cut, but you can also use rubbing alcohol to sanitize items in your home. The uses for rubbing alcohol are endless, but here are some of the most popular uses for this common household item.
10 Uses for Rubbing Alcohol #1: Clean a Cut or Scrap
This article had to start with the obvious. Rubbing alcohol is a great way to clean out a cut or scrap. Before you apply creams or gels to the wound, clean it out first. This will help to ensure that an infection doesn't setup in the wound.
10 Uses for Rubbing Alcohol #2: Remove Sticky Substances from Your Hands
If you ever get something on your hands, that is unbelievably sticky like tree sap or honey, put rubbing alcohol on your hands. Rub your hand together until the stickiness is gone. It may take several application of rubbing alcohol, depending on the substance, but this really does work.
10 Uses for Rubbing Alcohol #3: Remove Harsh Odors from Your Hands
I love my neighbor's dog as if he was my own, but he really stinks. Anytime I pet him, I come inside and use rubbing alcohol on my hands. Soap is not enough to remove this dog's stench from my hands. About two or three applications later, my hands are smell free.
10 Uses for Rubbing Alcohol #4: Massages
Rubbing alcohol isn't just for cleaning and sanitizing. It is also a great substitute for massage oil. The next time you give your partner a massage, use rubbing alcohol. The sensation is cool to the skin at first, but then warms up quickly. The heat is wonderful for aching muscles.
10 Uses for Rubbing Alcohol #5: Mosquito Bites
Are you tried of all those mosquito bites and rushing out to buy expensive remedies? Rubbing alcohol will dry out mosquito bites so that the itch subsides. This is not only an affordable remedy, but it works almost instantly.
10 Uses for Rubbing Alcohol #6: Sanitize Cell Phone
Think about all the places you cell phone has been. You've had it on restaurant tables, grocery store checkout counters, and even dropped it in the Walmart parking lot. In other words, it's covered in germs. Place a small amount of rubbing alcohol on a cloth and wipe down your cell phone. This will get rid of any germs that may be clinging onto your cell phone.
10 Uses for Rubbing Alcohol #7: Clean CDs and DVDs
Do you have a CD or DVD that is covered in fingerprints and is downright filthy? An easy way to clean CDs and DVDs is to wipe them down with a rag that has a small about of rubbing alcohol. The discs will be sparkling clean and will play with ease.
10 Uses for Rubbing Alcohol #8: Clean Computer Mouse
If you still use a mouse that has a ball in the bottom, and it begins to react slowly, take your mouse apart and clean the ball. Use rubbing alcohol and the dirt and grim will easily come off of the ball. You can also apply rubbing alcohol to a q-tip and remove dirt from the inside of the mouse as well.
10 Uses for Rubbing Alcohol #9: Clean CD Player Lens
Do you have a CD or DVD player that will no longer read discs? Then this is another great use for rubbing alcohol. Dip a q-tip in rubbing alcohol and clean the lens of the player. Allow to dry and then see if your discs will play. This is always a great thing to do before checking for other problems.
10 Uses for Rubbing Alcohol #10: Remove Price Stickers
Don't you hate those price stickers that seem to hold on for dear life? Rather than leaving the sticker on the item, use rubbing alcohol to remove it. Apply a good amount of alcohol to the sticker and allow it to soak through the sticker. Once the sticker is completely wet, the sticker should come off easily.
Rubbing alcohol, also known as Isopropyl alcohol, costs less than $1 a bottle, is relatively nontoxic, and has many practical uses. It is commonly used as a solvent and as a cleaning fluid. These are 10 popular uses for rubbing alcohol.
Cleaning Electronic Devices
Examples of this use include cleaning contact pins, magnetic tape, disk heads, floppy disk drives, and the lasers in CD and DVD players. Just dab a little on a cotton ball or Q-tip and lightly rub away.
Remove wax from carpet
If you had a beeswax candle that spilled on your carpet, you can use rubbing alcohol to help remove the wax. Start by pulling the largest clumps of beeswax from the carpet. Once removed, you can dab the carpet with a paper towel soaked with rubbing alcohol to remove the remnants.
Erases permanent markers!
Even though the markers claim to be permanent, they clearly are not when facing off against rubbing alcohol. Just dab a cotton ball with it and start rubbing, it will come right off!
Prevent ring around the collar!
Just wipe your neck with Rubbing Alcohol each morning before you get dressed. Never again will your shirt collars look like you used them to scrub the floor.
Helps with mosquito bites!
Rubbing alcohol can actually help with mosquito bites a lot better than store-bought remedies. Just rub it on the bites and it will dry them out bringing quick relief.
Remove sticky stuff from your hands
If you get pine sap or other sticky substances on your hands, if you pour a little on your hands it will come off a lot quicker. Also, it is great at removing price tags from gifts!
Keep bugs away!
Rub it around windowsills and entrances to keep bugs from coming in! Fruit flies are also terrified of Rubbing Alcohol because it kills them almost as well as Raid. Mix 1 cup of Rubbing Alcohol, 1 tsp of vegetable oil, and one quart of water in a spray bottle. Fire away!
Make a cheap ice pack!
All you have to do is mix one part Rubbing Alcohol with three parts water and place in a strong freezer bag. Leave it in the freezer until you need it. When needed, just wrap it up in a towel and apply it.
A weed killer!
Just mix 2 tablespoons of it with a pint of water and fill up a spray bottle and spray at weeds you find, but not the plants you like, because it may kill them too!.
Get rid of cold sores!
Next time you get a cold sore, try dabbing on a little Rubbing Alcohol. It will dry it up and shorten the life of the cold sore!
Salt has always been considered one of the great food seasonings found however adding taste to our otherwise bland meals is not the only purpose this condiment can serve. There are other uses of which I have enclosed a list.

Salt is an excellent item to use when you wish to remove any offensive odors from your stove.
You can add a pinch of table salt to your hot cocoa to improve the flavor.
If you are trying to remove stains from your clothing you may wish to mix 1 part of salt to 4 parts of rubbing alcohol.
If you are being plaque with mildew then lemon juice mixed with some salt will do wonders.
You can readily prevent grass from growing between sidewalk bricks by simply sprinkling a little salt on the grassy spots.
Salt is great as a polish for your old kerosene lamps.
If your sink drainpipes have a nasty smell you can remove it with the addition of a strong, solution of hot water and salt.
In the event that you have a pie which bubbles over while cooking in the oven place a handful of salt upon the top of the spilled pie juice. The spilt juice will not smell and it will bake shortly into a dry crust which you can easily wipe off when your oven has cooled.
If you have apples which have become wrinkled you can soak them in a mild salted water solution. They will perk up in no time at all.
If you rub some salt on your pancake cast iron griddle, your pancakes will not stick.
If you soak your new toothbrushes in a salt water solution they will last much longer.
Salt will clean discolored coffee pots.
You can mix some salt in with turpentine in order to whiten your bathtub or toilet bowl.
If you soak nuts in salt brine overnight, they will crack from their shell whole. Merely tap the ends of the shells with a hammer in order to break them open.
If you boil new clothespins for a short time in salt water prior to use they will last much longer.
You can clean your brass; pewter and copper with homemade paste of vinegar and salt which has been thicken with a little flour.
If you add a pinch of salt to your vase water then cut flowers will have a longer life.
If you pour a small mound of salt upon an ink spot that occurred on your carpet the salt will soak up most stains.
In order to clean your iron you can rub some salt on it with a damp cloth.
In order to make double broiler foods cook faster you can add a little salt to its water.
A mixture of lemon juice and salt can be used to clean your piano keys.
You can easily fill plaster holes made in your wall by using equal parts of starch and salt with only enough water to form putty.
If you have a sore eye you can use a salt water rinse.
Slightly salted warm water will make a very effective mouthwash. If you have a sore throat, make the water slightly on the hot side and use as a throat gargle.
You can make a good tooth polish by sprinkling some dry salt on your tooth brush.
Salt is an excellent product to use for killing any weeds in your yard.
You can eliminate any excess suds by sprinkling a little salt in the water.
You can add a dash of salt to your warm milk and it will make a more relaxing type beverage.
Before you use new glasses you should soak them in some warm salty water for a short period of time.
A pinch of salt will enhance the flavor of tea.
Salt will readily improve the taste of cooked apples.
If you soak your clothes in salt water solution when washing they will not stick to your clothes line in freezing weather. In addition you can use salt in your final rinse to prevent them from freezing.
If you rub salt on your wicker furniture it will prevent the furniture from yellowing.
Your sponges can be freshened up by soaking in salt water.
Add a few raw potatoes to soups and stews which are too salty.
burnt on stains can be readily removed by soak the enamel pans in salt water overnight while you boil salt water in the pan the following day to remove burned-on stains.
Dirt will come off your greens easier if you clean them in salt water.
To set your gelatins faster use a dash of salt in it.
You can prevent discoloring of your fruit by placing them in some mild salt water.
Your milk will stay fresher longer if you add a little salt to it.
You can use equal amounts of soda and salt to brush your teeth.
Clean your greasy pots and pans with some salt on a paper towel.
When cooking eggs add some salt to the water to make it cook faster.
A pinch of salt added to whipping cream will make it whip quicker.
A dash of salt will improve your brewed coffees taste.
Sprinkle some salt on your shelves to keep ants away.
If you soak fresh fish in some salt water they will de-scale much easier.
You can test the freshness of your eggs in salt water. If they are fresh they will sink while bad ones will float.
If you have a cracked egg it will remain in its shell if you add a little salt to your boiling water.
If you add a pinch of salt to your egg whites you will find they whip up much faster.

The combination of honey and cinnamon has been used in both oriental and Ayurvedic medicine for centuries. Cinnamon is one of the oldest spices known to mankind and honey's popularity has continued throughout history. The two ingredients with unique healing abilities have a long history as a home remedy. Cinnamon's essential oils and honey's enzyme that produces hydrogen peroxide qualify the two "anti-microbial" foods with the ability to help stop the growth of bacteria as well as fungi. Both are used not just as a beverage flavoring and medicine, but also as an embalming agent and are used as alternatives to traditional food preservatives due to their effective antimicrobial properties. antimicrobial properties. People have claimed that the mixture is a natural cure for many diseases and a formula for many health benefits:
1) HEART DISEASES: Apply honey and cinnamon powder on bread instead of using jam or butter and eat it regularly for breakfast.
2) ARTHRITIS: Apply a paste made of the two ingredients on the affected part of the body and massage slowly.
3) HAIR LOSS: Apply a paste of hot olive oil, a tablespoon of honey, a teaspoon of cinnamon powder before bath, leave it for 15 min and wash.
4) BLADDER INFECTIONS: Mix cinnamon powder and honey in a glass of lukewarm water and drink.
5) TOOTHACHE: Apply a paste of cinnamon powder and honey and on the aching tooth.
6) CHOLESTEROL: Mix cinnamon powder and honey in boiled water or green tea and drink.
7) COLDS: Make a glass of lukewarm honey water mixed with cinnamon powder to help boost your immune system during the cold season. It may also help to clear your sinuses.
8) INDIGESTION: Cinnamon powder sprinkled on a spoonful of honey taken before food relieves acidity.
9) LONGEVITY: Regularly take tea made with honey and a little cinnamon powder.
10) PIMPLES: Mix honey with cinnamon powder and apply paste on the pimples before sleeping and wash away the next morning.
11) OBESITY: To reduce weight, daily drink a mixture of a teaspoon of honey with half a teaspoon of cinnamon powder boiled in water with an empty stomach in the morning about half an hour before breakfast. Read: Cinnamon and Honey Recipe.
Cinnamon has an insulin boosting property (water soluble compounds called polyphenol type A polymers)which have the ability to boost insulin activity about 20 fold and can benefit people who have high sugar levels (obese people, pre-diabetics and diabetics ). Also, read the honey hibernation diet theory to find out how honey contributes to the metabolizing of undesirable cholesterol and fatty acid, provides a fuelling mechanism for the body, keep blood sugar levels balanced, and let our recovery hormones get on with burning body fat stores.
12) BAD BREATH: Gargle with honey and cinnamon powder mixed in hot water so that breath stays fresh throughout the day.
Honey plus cinnamon together besides being a amazing potential cure for so many illnesses, their total fragrant, sweet and warm taste is also a perfect match for the palate. The combination adds a magic effect to the taste of cakes, breads, biscuits and rolls and is known to make many winning recipes in the world of delicious food, such as the famous, easy-to-make, kids' favourite classic - honey and cinnamon butter toast!

Baking soda is affordable, widely available and great for many uses. It is commonly used for deodorizing your refrigerator, but did you know that you can also use it for heat rash and as a substitute for spackle?
Here are 10 great uses for baking soda.
1. Substitute for spackle: Mix a small amount of baking soda with a small amount of white glue to make a paste. Apply the paste to fill in the whole.
2. Heat rash: Take a lukewarm shower using a cleaning product such as Dove that does not contain soap. Towel dry and apply a paste of baking soda on any area that has heat rash. Leave the paste on as long as possible.
3. Vinyl flooring scuffs: To remove scuffs from vinyl flooring, put a little bit of baking soda on a damp sponge and rub away scuff.
4. Musty scent on clothes: If your clothes dryer turns off before your clothes are completely dry and your clothes smell musty, sprinkle baking soda on your clothes and place back in dryer. Turn the dryer back on and allow your clothes to completely dry.
5. Spraying cat: If Fluffy has sprayed your carpet, make a paste of baking soda and water, apply to area, cover, and leave at least three hours or overnight. After the treated area has dried, vacuum up the remaining powder.
6. Clean chrome: To clean the chrome in your house, rub chrome with baking soda and a dry cloth. The chrome will have a great shine!
7. Sunburn pain: To relieve the pain of sunburn, apply a paste of baking soda and water to soothe and cool the affected area.
8. Bathing suit mildew: If you cannot rinse or wash your bathing suit right away, place the bathing suit in a large zippered plastic bag filled with ¼ cup of baking soda. Shake the plastic bag well. The baking soda will keep the musty odor away by absorbing the moisture from the bathing suit.
9. Crayon on chalkboard: To remove crayon marks from a chalkboard, apply baking soda to a damp rag and clean the chalkboard. The baking soda will remove the crayon's wax and make the board ready for chalk again.
10. Dishwasher smells while you're away: Sprinkle a tad of baking soda in your dishwasher and leave the door open a little bit. This will keep your dishwasher from smelling musty when you return from that relaxing vacation to the beach!
As you can see from the above tips, there are many ways to use baking soda in your home. Don't forget about the great deodorizing powders of baking soda. You can use baking soda in musty closets, diaper pails, trash cans, on pet beds, on carpets, and even in the laundry.

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Sunday, October 23, 2011

The Gospel ABC's

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STAR VALLEY TEMPLE

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FINDING YOURSELF

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"There is no trial that we can handle without our Savior"

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