This information was emailed to me by my mother-in-law a few years ago.  I thought these were great simple housekeeping tips and worth a try.  Granted, some of these I already do so I know they work, but others I’ll have to try and see how what happens.

simple-housekeeping-tips

For icy door steps in freezing temperatures: Get warm water and put Dawn dish washing liquid in it. Pour it all over the steps. They won’t refreeze.

To remove old wax from a candle holder:

  1. Put it in the freezer for a few hours. Then take the candle holder out and turn it upside down. The wax will fall out.
  2. Turn the holder upside down and let hot water run over the bottom.  It warms the wax enough for it to slip out or be pulled out.
  3. Candles will last a lot longer if placed in the freezer for at least 3 hours prior to burning.

 

Cleaning Tips:

  1. Use air-freshener to clean mirrors. It does a good job and better still, leaves a lovely smell to the shine.
  2. Remove permanent marker on appliances/counter tops with rubbing alcohol on paper towel.
  3. Cleaning windows:  Use vertical strokes when washing windows outside and horizontal for inside windows. This way you can tell which side has the streaks. Straight vinegar will get outside windows really clean. Don’t wash windows on a sunny day. They will dry too quickly and will probably streak.
  4. To clean artificial flowers, pour some salt into a paper bag and add the flowers. Shake vigorously as the salt will absorb all the dust and dirt and leave your artificial flowers looking like new! Works like a charm!
  5. Cut SOS pads into halves.  Now a box of S.O.S pads last me indefinitely! In fact, I have noticed that the scissors get ‘sharpened” this way!
  6. Crayon marks on walls? This worked wonderfully! A damp rag, dipped in baking soda. Comes off with little effort (elbow grease that is!).
  7. Blood stains on clothes?  Not to worry! Just pour a little hydrogen peroxide on a cloth and proceed to wipe off every drop of blood.

 

Lovely scents:

  1. Spray a bit of perfume on the light bulb in any room to create a lovely a light scent in each room when the light is turned on.
  2. Place fabric softener sheets in dresser drawers and your clothes will smell freshly washed for weeks to come. You can also do this with towels and linen.

 

Kitchen Tips:

  1. To easily remove burnt on food from your skillet, simply add a drop or two of dish soap and enough water to cover bottom of pan, and bring to a boil on stove top.
  2. Spray your TUPPERWARE with nonstick cooking spray before pouring in tomato based sauces and there won’t be any stains.
  3. Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator and it will keep for weeks.
  4. When boiling corn on the cob, add a pinch of sugar to help bring out the corn’s natural sweetness.
  5. Don’t throw out all that leftover wine: Freeze into ice cubes for future use in casseroles and sauces.

 

Bug Tips:

  1. To get rid of itch from mosquito bites, try applying soap on the area and you will experience instant relief.
  2. Ants, ants, ants everywhere. Well, they are said to never cross a chalk line. So, get your chalk out and draw a line on the floor or wherever ants tend to march. See for yourself.

 

Health Tips:

  1. Cure for headaches: Take a lime, cut it in half, and rub it on your forehead. The throbbing will go away.
  2. When you get a splinter, reach for the scotch tape before resorting to tweezers or a needle. Simply put the scotch tape over the splinter, and then pull it off. Scotch tape removes most splinters painlessly and easily.

 

Alka Seltzer Tips:

  1. Clean a toilet. Drop in two Alka Seltzer tablets, wait twenty minutes, brush and flush.
  2. Clean a vase. To remove a stain from the bottom of a glass vase or cruet, fill with water, and drop in two Alka Seltzer tablets.
  3. Polish jewelry. Drop two Alka Seltzer tablets into a glass of water and immerse the jewelry for two minutes.
  4. Clean a thermos bottle.. Fill the bottle with water, drop in four Alka Seltzer tablets, and let soak for an hour (Or longer, if necessary).
  5. Unclog a drain. Clear the sink drain by dropping three Alka Seltzer tablets down the drain followed by a cup of Heinz White Vinegar.  Wait a few minutes, and then run the hot water.

I hope you enjoy these simple housekeeping tips! Let me know if you have any others by leaving me a comment below!