Let's start a household 'tips' thread

13 years ago

I will save all these so we can keep them handy. I'll begin with a few.

Use top-quality typewriter correction fluid to cover nicks, chips, and scratches on enameled ranges and refrigerators, porcelain tiles, and sinks. Works like a charm and it comes in a variety of colors.

For perfect hard-cooked eggs, cover the eggs with cold water and bring to a boil. Then turn off the heat and let the eggs sit on the burner for 10-15 minutes. (I put a lid on the pot)

Place bay leaves in kitchen drawers and in flour and sugar sacks to keep crawling insects away.

For more effective dishwashing, add a few tablespoons of vinegar along with the dishwashing detergent when washing dishes. The vinegar cuts the grease and leaves dishes sparkling.

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Jasdip
13 years ago
When using a recipe that is a single page, slip it inside a clear sheet protector and pin a clothespin on the top.
Lay the clothespin inside the cupboard and close the door.
This keeps the recipe at eye-level and clean.

Use vinegar in place of fabric softener in the rinse water.

This is a safety tip.
Use your laptop on a plastic cutting board on your lap(what I do), or on a hard level surface. It won't block the vents and create a fire-hazard as when it's on something soft like your bed or a pillow.

Put baking soda and salt in a little shaker and use to clean your stainless steel sinks. The sink sparkles and it won't scratch.

Use a serrated knife to cut tomatoes.
cheryl_ok
13 years ago
Towel rack tip- Replace the bottom screws of towel racks with cup hooks. Small towels and washcloths may be hung from them

Screen repair- Use clear cement glue to repair a small hole in wire screening

Cleaning shower doors- Rub glass shower doors with a white vinegar-dampened sponge to remove soap residue
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I was rolling with the comment from you, EG, about the women's club that you and Sinfonian will be honorary members of! hahahaha I think it'd be hard for me to go with that one, too, if I were male. Although, I think it's wonderful how our women are so macho and all. hahahahaha It's good to know that the bunnies like yours can be social ones and how long that they usually live, too. I am getting more and more interested in getting one. I think, if at all possible, I'll get a baby one that we can expose to lots of cuddling and love right away. I agree with Medo, that bunny poo is gonna be great for the garden! I'll have two kinds of poo if I play my cards right. I'm hoping for bunny and worm poo. I think that'll be enough for my garden. I was all upset earlier thinking my Kentucky Wonder green beans were dying or something. They've had leaves that curled up black on the ends just since I moved them here, but today they perked right back up and are looking great. I guess they just had shock from being moved back here from my mom's house. My lettuce got a bunch of rain, and they're still babies, of course. They're all stumped over and matted into the soil now. Poor things just look terrible. The rain has stopped so hopefully they will spring right back up. They just look so weak and sad right now. I hope they will be okay. It sure is amazing how much I have to learn with gardening being that I've never had the opportunity to take part in it much at all. It's like I know nothing. I have no idea what any plant will look like or anything. It's just blowing me away to see how beautiful each plant is, etc. My squash are by far the biggest and healthiest looking plants out of everything so far. Maybe the "accident" cantaloupes could make a close second, though. I wish I knew what these squash tasted like that I planted. LOL It was so late in the season when I got seeds, that all I could get at first were green hubbard, buttercup (not butternut), and acorn squash. Just recently I found zucchini, so I went ahead and tried planting a couple of those but they aren't up yet. ~Angela
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Byron's World Famous Tea Recipe For Starting Seeds (Entire Thread)
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Posted by: Byron 4a/5b NH (My Page) on Tue, Feb 26, 02 at 10:36 I use a weak tea formula. Make a cup of tea, anything that you have. Let it steep for 4 min, then dump it. Make a second cup with the same bag. Let this steep for 4 min. Add this to water to make 1 qt. Place seeds between 2 layers of paper towel on a plate. Moisten towel with tea. Place in fridge over night. My germination rate is usually in the high 90% range. Byron, A couple of questions: Is any kind of tea better than others? Green tea? Instant tea OK? Can I add tea to the starting medium rather than use a paper towel? Do the seeds need to be refrigerated? Does continuing to water with the tea during germination help or hinder? I have some already planted ancho/poblano & rocoto seeds that are being stubborn and wonder if I could add the tea to them now? John Follow-Up Postings: RE: Byron's tea for seed starting Posted by: Byron 4a/5b NH (My Page) on Fri, Mar 1, 02 at 12:09 Any tea except instant. Objective of 2nd use tea bag is to get tannins from the tea. I think those are removed from instant. Some folks feel chamomile (sp) helps reduce damp-off (??) Objective of seeds in fridge overnight is to help break dormancy cycle. Just overnight 8 to 12 hours is enough. Never tried adding tea to once planted seeds, it might help.. Byron RE: Byron's tea for seed starting Posted by: becki3 z5 IN (My Page) on Sat, Mar 2, 02 at 21:01 I started using weak chamomile tea to bottom water my seed trays when I saw some fungus starting to form on top of the soil. It not only got rid of the fungus (instantly), but the seedlings were standing up a little straighter a couple hours later. I have been bottom watering with it ever since, and my seedlings have been growing like crazy. I also use one of those Oil-O-Pump sprayers to mist the seedlings with, also using the weak chamomile tea. Works very well for brand-new seedlings, and my African Violet also loves it! You can find these sprayers in the kitchen stuff dept at Wal-Mart, etc. They are supposed to be for putting cooking oil in if you want to spray it like a cooking spray, but I find it works better for my plants. ;) And yes, I also use a very weak chamomile tea to wet my starting mix when planting seeds. Seems to prevent fungus and damp-off before it begins. And I had some seeds sprout in 1 day after planting using this method! Haven't tried any other kind of tea, but I imagine it would have a similar effect. Besides, I had an awful lot of old chamomile tea bags lying around. ;) Hope this helps, Becki :) RE: Byron's tea for seed starting Posted by: tantaw 7 Tx (My Page) on Sat, Mar 2, 02 at 23:08 I would just like to echo Becki's thoughts on bottom watering with chamomile tea. I raise a lot of tomatoes and peppers from seed and I always bottom water with a weak chamomile tea solution. I have not had a damping off problem since I started using it. It may be all in my head but I think it works. RE: Byron's tea for seed starting Posted by: John__ShowMe__USA 5 (My Page) on Sun, Mar 3, 02 at 9:21 I've never had a damping off problem that I was aware of. Granted there can be damp-off beneath the surface that I just didn't know about. Some of my peat pots look like fuzzy little moldy Chia pets. Doesn't seem to hurt the growing plant. I did spray my newly planted seeds with 1 part 3% hydrogen peroxide to 19 parts water. And I could do the same to get rid of the mold if I so choose. What I was trying to accomplish with Byron's tea was to break dormancy, not to kill mold. John RE: Byron's tea for seed starting Posted by: becki3 z5 IN (My Page) on Mon, Mar 4, 02 at 12:53 "And yes, I also use a very weak chamomile tea to wet my starting mix when planting seeds. Seems to prevent fungus and damp-off before it begins. And I had some seeds sprout in 1 day after planting using this method!" Sorry John, I should have pointed this out. I had 2 yr old tomato seeds sprout the day after I planted them (with 100% germination), using starting medium that had been wetted up with chamomile tea. And I had parsely come up in 5 days with this method, it has always taken me at least a couple weeks before. And I also had some 11 yr old luffa sponge seeds that had been in a starter medium for about a month that I had pretty much given up on. But I decided to start watering them with the chamomile tea, and a couple of them came up a few days later. That one might have been just blind luck, but I was sure the seeds were too old, so either way it was a nice surprise. I have no idea if it was the chamomile or just tea in general that has given me such great luck this year, but I'm not gonna question it, just enjoy it. And I owe it all to Byron, I started doing this after I saw a post of his earlier this year about the paper towel germination method, and I've been busy ever since. Thanks Byron! ;) I hope this helps to answer some questions for you, good luck with your seeds, Becki :) RE: Byron's tea for seed starting Posted by: Byron 4a/5b NH (My Page) on Thu, Mar 7, 02 at 13:28 John If you wanted to be real cheap, could have asked for a used tea bag in your local coffee shop.. It only takes one to make a qt. RE: Byron's tea for seed starting Posted by: John__ShowMe__USA 5 (My Page) on Thu, Mar 7, 02 at 15:51 >>If you wanted to be real cheap, could have asked for a used tea bag in your local coffee shop.. It only takes one to make a qt. RE: Byron's tea for seed starting Posted by: becki3 z5 IN (My Page) on Thu, Mar 7, 02 at 19:39 John, I really hope this works for you. I haven't started any of my peppers yet, probably in the next week or so, so I don't know how they respond. But if they don't sprout up in the next few days, is there any chance the seeds could be old? I just planted some green onions a few weeks ago, and didn't have a single seed germinate out of the whole pack, although all the storage onions I planted at the same time came up within a couple days. And I just bought them a few days prior to the first planting! And they were Burpee! The only thing I can think of is I just got a bad pack of seeds. So I'm getting ready to try again with a couple more packs, from 2 different companies. Could something like this have happened with yours? Good luck, Becki :) RE: Byron's tea for seed starting Posted by: Cindy_7 z6/7 VA (My Page) on Thu, Mar 7, 02 at 21:30 Becki- I started onion seeds on the Feb. 23rd and most were up by the third of March. I did use the chamomile tea mentioned above. I started Super Star from Pinetree, Valencia from Seeds of Change, Sweet Spanish from Better Homes and Gardens, and Leeks, also from BH & G. Out of 64 seeds, about nine did not germinate. I think the tea helped. I will definately use it again. FWIW Cindy RE: Byron's tea for seed starting Posted by: Byron 4a/5b NH (My Page) on Thu, Mar 7, 02 at 21:57 Folks maybe having old seeds from Burpee this year, They are in Chapt 11, I wouldn't buy a thing from them.. RE: Byron's tea for seed starting Posted by: John__ShowMe__USA 5 (My Page) on Thu, Mar 7, 02 at 22:16 Becki, I've shared seeds & info with Cindy and she knows more than I do. I would try the chamomile tea with your onion seed. Guess that I will have to go to the store again for some chamomile tea. Used to use it years ago when I was all organic. Wonder if it would work mixed with green tea? Probably so. And refrigerate for a day or so too? And why not add a weak Miracle Gro or Peters solution to the mix? What do you think Byron? John RE: Byron's tea for seed starting Posted by: Byron 4a/5b NH (My Page) on Thu, Mar 7, 02 at 23:14 I won't use fertilizer on my seedlings, I think you do a salt kill. I can't prove it.. Try some both ways and see what happens.. Onion seeds are known for a lower germination rate, some are as low as 50%.. Byron RE: Byron's tea for seed starting Posted by: John__ShowMe__USA 5 (My Page) on Fri, Mar 8, 02 at 8:24 >>I won't use fertilizer on my seedlings, I think you do a salt kill. I can't prove it.. RE: Byron's tea for seed starting Posted by: Cindy_7 z6/7 VA (My Page) on Fri, Mar 8, 02 at 8:36 I forgot to mention, I started my seeds indoors in peat pots with a heating pad (and the tea). Cindy RE: Byron's tea for seed starting Posted by: becki3 z5 IN (My Page) on Fri, Mar 8, 02 at 9:46 Cindy, I started BH&G onion seeds, southport white, and sweet spanish yellow, and also leeks from Ferry Morse, and they were all up in a couple days. I also have some red onion sets that I haven't tried yet, cheap ones from Lowes. I searched everywhere and couldn't find the seeds locally. Next year I'm just gonna order all my new seeds on line I think. I'm glad the tea worked for you. :) Byron, Thanks for the tip about Burpee! Makes me feel better knowing it probably wasn't me. ;) John, I did try the tea on the last couple sowings from that pack of seeds, but it didn't work. When I dug through the soil to see if anything at all happened, I found all the seeds still there but they were soft and kind of crumbly (rotted), just fell apart when I pinched one between my fingers. YUCK! As far as storing the tea, I usually put the first cup into a gallon jug and fill the rest of the way with water, put the cap on, and set it in the corner somewhere to be used for watering seedlings or wetting up new starting medium. Then the second cup I'll let steep for a long time (read: I forget to pull the bag out). I'll add about a quart of water and use it for whatever I'm doing at the moment, soaking seeds, starting seeds, etc. Any excess from this goes into my houseplants. As for prepackaged fertilizer, I've no clue, never tried it on seeds or seedlings. But I do water my seedlings with old water from my fishtanks, I alternate between that and the tea solution in the jug. And most of my tanks have live plants in them which I have to add aquatic plant food to. But I'm pretty sure by the time I take the water back out, the plant food has been all used up. Either way, it seems to work wonders for all my plants, indoors or out. Probably more info than you wanted to know. ;) Think I'll go get a new tea bag and try my new BH&G green onions now, Becki :) RE: Byron's tea for seed starting Posted by: Byron 4a/5b NH (My Page) on Fri, Mar 8, 02 at 10:14 Not just Burpee, reports are filtering in from the Totally Tomatoes groups. The Burpee group includes the Martha Stewart seeds. BHG Look on the back you can tell where the seeds came from. In the Northeast most of them on the rack were from Ferry Morse, an old reliable Co. NK seeds does some, They have been around for years. My "bet your life" group is Stokes, Vesey's and Johnny's Don't waste your gastric juices in trying to get your money back from Burpee. RE: Byron's tea for seed starting Posted by: John__ShowMe__USA 5 (My Page) on Fri, Mar 8, 02 at 10:28 >>Either way, it seems to work wonders for all my plants, indoors or out. Probably more info than you wanted to know. ;) RE: Byron's tea for seed starting Posted by: becki3 z5 IN (My Page) on Fri, Mar 8, 02 at 11:05 Byron, Thanks again! I didn't know that about the back of the seed packs. Yup, mine all say Ferry Morse. Cool! And I will make a note of your recomendations for next year. :) John, 125 gal aquarium ! I'm so jealous I'm drooling! My largest one is a 75. But I've got 7 other smaller ones scattered throughout my house. (Went a little overboard!) And boy, I know what you mean about that algae! Got a serious outbreak of hair algae in the big tank that I can't seem to get rid of! Got a whole series of test kits, but can't seem to get a good balance. Waiting now to see if it will break down in the compost pile. LOL I didn't know that about the leafy veggies, this is my first year as a serious effort growing lettuce, broccolli, etc. I will stop using it on those seedlings. But I sure got some great tomatoes and peppers last year with it! And the Romas and Cayennes both produced so many I couldn't keep up with them. My dad would come to visit and take home "fish water" in empty milk jugs to water his 4 roma tomato plants with. He was harvesting a 3-gallon bucket full every other day from those 4 plants, and begging all the neighbors to take the tomatoes! LOL Becki :) RE: Byron's tea for seed starting Posted by: Byron 4a/5b NH (My Page) on Fri, Mar 8, 02 at 13:39 Becki If you want to get really cool, There is a Comstock Ferre seed/plant co in Old Weathesfield Conn. Been selling seeds since 1826. Plants since the 1770's Plant leafy veggies as soon as you can work the soil. RE: Byron's tea for seed starting Posted by: becki3 z5 IN (My Page) on Fri, Mar 8, 02 at 16:29 1770'S......WOW! I figured you could buy seeds back then, the farmers had to start somewhere. But plants? I would have thought everybody would have still had no choice but to start their own. Makes you really appreciate the reliability of a good seed company. I've been hardening off all my leafy stuff all week. And removing the winter mulch from my beds, the soil was 54 degrees this morning, and nice and crumbly as I turned over the top. Problem being, we are supposed to get some pretty nasty thunderstorms over the next couple days so I think I'm gonna cover my beds with plastic and wait till next week. I've also been digging a new bed, and I can tell I've been very lazy all winter, cause boy am I sore! Don't remember being this bad last spring! LOL Wish I would have thought to do an IBM or something last fall, but my garden has grown considerably as I've been cooped up inside all winter. ;) Now, where did I put that Advil? Becki :) RE: Byron's tea for seed starting Posted by: Shelly_and_Roy z9b Houston TX (My Page) on Sat, Mar 9, 02 at 15:49 So you're saying that fishy water from aquariums is great for plants? How about fishy water from a small backyard pond? Would I need to test it for anything before using it on our tomatoes & such? A bog garden acts as our biological filter, so I know it hasn't been toxic to plants, plus the water lilies went nuts last year so I figure it can't be too bad. I can just see it now: I'm at the pond with a gallon jug and all the fish are begging me to feed them, not understanding that I'm taking some "fertilized" water. :) RE: Byron's tea for seed starting Posted by: Scribz z5 OH (My Page) on Sat, Mar 9, 02 at 17:59 I've used aquarium water, water from my backyard pond(let), and water from my turtle tank to nourish my plants for a long time. Works great. It seems to contain many micro-nutrients that stimulate good growth in plants. Just don't use aquaria water that has added salt (NaCl). I'm a little skittish about using he turtle tank water on anything I might consume because turtles carry salmonella... by the way, anybody want a couple of fat lazy turtles ??("Frankie"and "Lola") Scribz RE: Byron's tea for seed starting Posted by: becki3 z5 IN (My Page) on Sat, Mar 9, 02 at 20:18 Yes, by all means. Pond water is great for plants too, and probably contains a little extra nutrients because of stuff falling to the bottom just as it does in nature, like leaves, etc. Kind of like water composting. ;) (Okay, maybe I'm reaching a little there!) The things to watch for with pond or aquarium water is salt as Scribz mentioned, or any kind of water-conditioning chemical. Although I wouldn't worry too much about a dechlorinator, I use a simple one that doesn't do anything else except take out the chlorine and chloramines, no extra additives, and don't think twice about putting this water on my food crops. Also, never use water that has been medicated for sick fish. That stuff can travel! And I'd be a little leary about water from sick fish in general, even un-medicated ones - e Becki :) RE: Byron's tea for seed starting Posted by: John__ShowMe__USA 5 (My Page) on Sun, Mar 10, 02 at 11:50 Planted a bunch of old Ancho 101 seeds on 2/14. So far none have sprouted. They were slow to germinate last year, but at least some showed up. Soaked a bunch of the same seeds in tea and in the fridge for 12 hours and planted them on 3/02. Many popped up this morning. I'm impressed! Don't know if it was the cold, the tea, or a combination. But, something worked. Both batches were kept at 85F. John RE: Byron's tea for seed starting Posted by: Byron 4a/5b NH (My Page) on Sun, Mar 10, 02 at 13:33 John Did you try some with MG? IMHO Its the combination, Think about this. In our zone may flower seeds fall to the ground, They do not start growing until the following spring. Sample of cold dormancy to protect the seed. RE: Byron's tea for seed starting Posted by: becki3 z5 IN (My Page) on Mon, Mar 11, 02 at 8:11 Congrats John! I think Byron's right, probably the combo. Glad it worked! Becki :) RE: Byron's tea for seed starting Posted by: John__ShowMe__USA 5 (My Page) on Mon, Mar 11, 02 at 8:54 >>Did you try some with MG?>Congrats John! RE: Byron's tea for seed starting Posted by: Padron4km 8/9 (My Page) on Sat, Mar 16, 02 at 1:16 I'm testing it right now... a little more than a dozen Chilitepin seeds in the fridge, moistened with the only tea we have left in the house (after a particularly bad cold and flu season) Lemon Zinger! :) I'll put some seeds in peat pellets tomorrow, sans tea, and see what happens.... I'll report back j RE: Byron's tea for seed starting Posted by: Cindy_7 z6/7 VA (My Page) on Sat, Mar 16, 02 at 9:36 I watered the seeds after the soaking with the tea. Really don't know if it helped or hurt, but many came up. I did not keep percentages and probably should have. Any thoughts on this? Cindy RE: Byron's tea for seed starting Posted by: armadillo Berlin, Germany (My Page) on Wed, Mar 20, 02 at 7:08 Byron, First I would like to thank both you and John for posting/reposting this recipe. I used it on my second batch of seeds I started and it made a tremendous difference in germination time and ratio. Some of the replies to this thread made me wonder about some things so I did a bit of research and would like to report what I found. The antifungal properties of chamomile are very well documented by both clinical and toxicological studies. I was unable to find out how tea promotes germination (I only have phytopharmaceutical literature to search not agricultural) but if it is flavonoids that do it then green tea should be a bit more effective as it has more of these at higher concentrations. If it is the tannins then black tea should be better as they seem to be concentrated by the fermentation process that turns green tea into black. Has anyone ever done a comparison test to see which works better? If the Lemon Zinger that Padron is trying is really effective then this indicates it is the flavinoids as it has no tannins but then it does contain citric acid which may very well soften the seed coat and speed germination by another mechanism. Scribz Are you getting rid of Frankie and Lola because of the salmonella danger or because they are fat and lazy? I have never seen a trim, energetic turtle. :oD Thanks, Armadillo RE: Byron's tea for seed starting Posted by: Byron 4a/5b NH (My Page) on Thu, Mar 21, 02 at 8:12 Armadillo Best I can tell you is that the tannins help soften the seed coat.. Chamomile would not work in this function. RE: Byron's tea for seed starting Posted by: armadillo Berlin, Germany (My Page) on Fri, Mar 22, 02 at 1:44 Byron, Yep. That is just what I found by still researching. I was able to confirm that chamomile shold help against damping off but I couldn't find anything in it that would effect seed starting. Thanks, Armadillo RE: Byron's tea for seed starting Posted by: John__ShowMe__USA 5 (My Page) on Fri, Mar 22, 02 at 11:43 I'm continuing to have success with bad seeds using green tea and refrigerating the seeds first. Am using green tea and steeping a bag in a boiling cup of water. Discarding the brewed tea & making a second cup with the same tea bag. This cup I add water to make one quart weak tea. Store in refrigerator. Cindy, (a couple of posts up) soaked her seeds in tea and continued to spray them if I understand correctly. She reports success too. I'm convinced that the tea helps. Just not sure how much the refrigeration contributes to the success if it does at all. When my seed starting frenzy is over I plan to try an experiment with some seeds that have low or no germination. Am thinking about the following: All seeds to germinate at a controlled 85° Will include: A. seeds soaked in distilled water at room temp for 24 hours B. seeds soaked in distilled water while refrigerated for 24 hours B. seeds soaked in tea while refrigerated for 24 hours C. seeds soaked in tea at room temp for 24 hours Anyone see see something that should be added to this test? Or changed? Only have 15 credits of organic chem & am no whizz at setting up experiments. Would appreciate any help here. John ------------------- RE: Byron's tea for seed starting Posted by: Byron 4a/5b NH (My Page) on Fri, Mar 22, 02 at 14:09 0 credits in chem.. Instead of distilled water, try potassium nitrate. or in addition. This has been suggested by many. RE: Byron's tea for seed starting Posted by: armadillo Berlin, Germany (My Page) on Mon, Mar 25, 02 at 8:40 John, You should start some unsoaked seeds as well as the others for control. Be very carefull to treat all the seeds just the same except for what you want to test. Armadillo RE: Byron's tea for seed starting Posted by: armadillo Berlin, Germany (My Page) on Mon, Mar 25, 02 at 8:41 John, You should start some unsoaked seeds as well as the others for control. Be very carefull to treat all the seeds just the same except for what you want to test. Armadillo RE: Byron's tea for seed starting Posted by: John__ShowMe__USA 5 (My Page) on Mon, Mar 25, 02 at 11:45 Armadillo writes: >>You should start some unsoaked seeds as well as the others for control. Be very carefull to treat all the seeds just the same except for what you want to test. RE: Byron's tea for seed starting Posted by: armadillo Berlin, Germany (My Page) on Tue, Mar 26, 02 at 6:51 John, You may want to add another two catagories by trying both green and black tea. A few basics for an accurate test would be (you probably know all this already): All seeds identical (same plant, year, storage, etc.) Each group should have the same number of seeds and the more the better for more accuracy (at least 10 per group, 50 would be better, 100 per group would be great not only to have a more accurate result but it would make the math much easier to figure the results) All other factors a identical as possible (light, temp, substrate, etc.) Always have a control group as well. Keep a detailed record of progress broken down into equal time periods (hourly, daily, weekly or whatever) Actually seeds should be easy to test as they won't fail to show up for examinations, won't get freaked by media reports and drop out of the study, all the factors are objective not subjective and they won't cheat or lie about livestyle questions. Would you please post your results in reasonable detail as I amvery interested. I wanted to do the same test but I could not find enough old seeds. If you are doing it I will print out your results and use for a compairison control if/when I get around to doing the same test. (It is standard test procedure to repeat tests in various location to verify the results.) If you would like any help evaluating the results for statistical significance I will be glad to help. I hope this helps some, Armadillo, who has 0 university level science credits but has spent the last few years translating clinical and pharm/tox studies and expert reports for new drug registrations. P.S. Could someone tell me why my above post appeared twice but this one didn't appear when I first posted it? RE: Byron's tea for seed starting Posted by: Byron 4a/5b NH (My Page) on Tue, Mar 26, 02 at 11:17 John To stay with some growers of today.. Can you give me a report tomorrow? ;-,) RE: Byron's tea for seed starting Posted by: Raye 7NC (My Page) on Sat, Apr 20, 02 at 7:14 Does this work only for vegetable seeds or will it work for any type of seed? I am expecting some cacti seed I ordered and I wonder if that would work for them? RE: Byron's tea for seed starting Posted by: arabesque z10FL (My Page) on Sun, Apr 28, 02 at 0:49 I have been reading the tips for starting seeds using chamomile, green tea, and refrigeration. I am in south Florida and wonder if refrigeration applies in this climate. That is, the plants we grow down here would not be accustomed to chilling out in the winter. Does this make sense to you? I just started 5 seeds for a rare cultivar of a tropical plant. I am told the germination rate is usually 2 plants out of 5 seeds. I naturally would like a higher rate so am going to try the chamomile tea for future moistenings. They normally take 6-8 weeks to germinate. I want to alternate chamomile with green tea waterings. Do any of you see any reason not to use it on tropical plants? If it is the tannins that help dissolve the seedcoat, I can't see that it would be any different but I don't want to jump to an unreasoned conclusion and discover an exception to the rule through trial and error. These were expensive seeds so I am naturally proceeding with caution. Thanks for your thoughts about this! Arabesque in Florida RE: Byron's tea for seed starting Posted by: zoliene15 z5/6 PA (My Page) on Sun, Apr 28, 02 at 3:33 Arabesque, I'm not certain but I don't think chamomile has the tannins of regular tea since it is an herbal tea. Bryon,and Armadillo, wanted to give an in progress report on a tea/frige treatment applied to some Jamacian Hot Chocolate seeds. One group started on april 12 no treatment. So far 8 popping out of the soil. Treatment group started april 15, so far 1. I wasn't going to compare but I had such crappy germenation with my first patch 5 for 30 seeds!!! (this was using the potassium nitrate soak prior to sowing. Did not soak seeds over night.) As I said hadn't started as an experiment. But I wanted some extra plants (G). All seeds were from the same company but since received at different times could have been from different suppliers in theory. If you like could keep you informed,so you can cut some of the variables. John you forgot a variable- E. unsoaked seeds refrigerated for 24 hours zoliene RE: Byron's tea for seed starting Posted by: Byron 4a/5b NH (My Page) on Sun, Apr 28, 02 at 10:55 Arabesque, The way I undestand it, it's the tannins in green tea that do the job, Herbal tea's would not have tannins. The frig is to break dormancy cycle. This is part of the life of the seeds. Zoilene If you do 1 night in the fridge and keep the seeds damp in a paper towel, you can see new tomato roots in 48 hours. RE: Byron's tea for seed starting Posted by: John__ShowMe__USA 5 (My Page) on Sun, Apr 28, 02 at 11:44 >>That is, the plants we grow down here would not be accustomed to chilling out in the winter. Does this make sense to you?>John you forgot a variable- E. unsoaked seeds refrigerated for 24 hours zoliene I wasn't doing an experiment, I was desperate. Out of maybe 60+ Rocoto seeds only one germinated (red). Tried the tea/refrigerator and the few remaining seeds I had sprouted at 6/10 yellow Rocoto and 1/6 orange Rocoto. I think the seeds were old to start with. The orange Rocoto seeds were crumbling at the slightest touch. I ended up with 1 red, 1 orange and 6 yellow out of about 80 seeds. Here's the way I see it... if the seeds are good to start with they don't need any help germinating at all. If they are bad you have a chance with refrigerating and soaking in tea. I had excellent germination with over 30 varieties using no special treatment. A few varieties benefited from special treatment. JohnT RE: Byron's tea for seed starting Posted by: arabesque z10FL (My Page) on Sun, Apr 28, 02 at 20:56 When I mentioned tannins, was in relation to alternating chamomile with green tea which has tannins. I have also used Pau d'Arco tea, also called Purple LaPacho, for drinking. It is particularly known for its antifungal, antibacterial properties. Has anyone heard of using it on seeds? Is nothing known about chamomile's effect on seeds? I am going to check in some of my herbal literature whether it is considered antifungal, etc. Arabesque RE: Byron's tea for seed starting Posted by: Byron 4a/5b NH (My Page) on Sun, Apr 28, 02 at 22:06 chamomile tea is touted by some as a method of controling damping off. I don't have a way of testing it, Byron RE: Byron's tea for seed starting Posted by: arabesque z10FL (My Page) on Thu, May 9, 02 at 0:12 On the mystery of chamomile - Chamomile is used frequently in Chinese traditional medicine nutrition for healing. In Chinese medicine, as you may know, the focus is on restoring energetic balance in the body to treat the constitution, rather than on treating disease per se. From Paul Pitchford's reference book, Healing With Whole Foods, I learned, among other effects chamomile has in the body that, in Chinese medicine nutrition, it is used to dry damp conditions. It is also used to bring energy up and out of stagnancy. That suggests that it could well have some quality that can jump-start a seed. Strangely enough, in another situation, it is used to moisten dryness! This suggests to me that it may work to create balance, or the ideal condition. I felt pleased to learn this about chamomile. It probably doesn't kill fungus, it rather creates a dry condition where fungus can't grow. (This is typical of the way chinese medicine works.) That its effect on a seed is the same, well similar, to the effect in the human body re drying dampness, makes me wonder if its ability to bring energy up and out of stagnancy in the body correlates to seeds coming out of dormancy quickly. There is clearly more to chamomile than meets the eye, more to learn. From several seed pods that I harvested today, I must have a few hundred amaryllis seeds. I am afraid I won't be able to keep up with the maintenance on this quantity of plants but of course the vision of a mass of blooms does work its seduction on me. How long will they be viable? They are in the refrigerator now just in a plastic storage dish, not in tea-soaked paper towels. This seems like a major gardening project! Arabesque RE: Byron's tea for seed starting, a P.S. Posted by: arabesque z10FL (My Page) on Thu, May 9, 02 at 0:18 By the way, bottom watering seeds has been mentioned a few times in this thread. How important is bottom watering? Are seed pots left in a tray of water constantly, or simply soaked for a few minutes? Thanks, Arabesque :-) RE: Byron's tea for seed starting Posted by: Byron 4a/5b NH (My Page) on Thu, May 9, 02 at 10:57 Bottom watering I think is very important from planting to germination so that the seeds will not float away. After the plant is started I don't think it makes a difference. RE: Byron's tea for seed starting Posted by: NorthEast_ChileMan 6a MA (My Page) on Wed, Jul 17, 02 at 21:41 I'm Replying to this tread so it's not deleted. I think the entire thread be condensed & posted in FAQ's site. FAQ Page GardenWeb Home Page | Forums | Forum
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Need tips on adding new cat to 3 cat household
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The under-door and scent-swapping strategy is too incomplete for my liking. I prefer and have had excellent success using baby gates to fill the doorway between the newbie's room and the rest of the house. Baby gates allow the newbie to become acquainted with the sights and sounds of the household and its residents from the safety of his side of the gates. The gates allow full visual and auditory contact but restrict physical contact. The newbie and resident animals can approach each other, talk to each other, hiss and growl at each other, charge each other, and/or extend friendly greetings toward each other - all without significant physical contact. It's a great way to let them get whatever they feel they need to get out of their systems before they actually have physical contact. Once the baby gates have worked their magic, which may take hours or months depending on the feline personalities involved, I implement Stage Two of the integration process. If the resident cats are passive toward the newbie, I put the newbie into a cat harness (NOT a collar) and long, light leash (a long piece of kitchen twine will do), and take the newbie into the rest of the house for a visit. With the harness and leash attached, I can control interactions between animals and put an immediate stop to any aggressive acts. If one of the resident animals is inclined to behave aggressively toward the newbie, then the aggressor gets a harness and leash, as well, and is controlled by another household human. In my experience, it is important to have this sort of physical control over these first integrative excursions. Sometimes all it takes is a single aggressive encounter to permanently set the relationship between cats. I learned that lesson the hard way. I don't believe in the "let them work it out" theory when it comes to cats. Domestic house cats are not pack animals, and they don't possess the innate skills to work out social "pack" structures like dogs do. Almost all felines are innately solitary and instinctively defend territory. They need a little guidance to learn how to live in a more social feline society. Laurie
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Summer's Start Thread 2021
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Carol- Diane is correct. Many people need special lenses and a dedicated pair of glasses for the computer. Do you know what material the lenses in the glasses are that are currently bothering you? Polycarbonate lenses can be difficult for many people to adapt to despite their widespread use and Superior impact resistance which results in high levels of safety as well as their ultraviolet protection. Unfortunately, polycarbonate lenses have a low Abbe Value. In fact, polycarbonate lenses technically have the absolute worst optical clarity due to this low value which results in a high dispersion rate which results in an experience called chromatic aberration. It will often be picked up as swim, dizziness, distortion, and looking through the peripheries of the lenses one will often get highlights of red and yellow and one direction and blue purple and the other at the edges of objects. That's even with single vision lenses! Modern progressive lenses that are digitally surfaced and sometimes called freeform or high definition lenses, can help with this and they also take into account vertex distance, prescription strength, pantoscopic tilt, and of course the individuals prescription and pupillary distance. Unfortunately, all progressive lenses will have the peripheral distortions due to the nature of the design in manipulating the surface to allow smooth progression of power from the distance prescription down through the intermediate area and into the reading zone at the lower part of the lens. A pair of dedicated computer progressives can be made to exist where the top part of the lens is all your intermediate strength for in between work going down into the near power for closer work. The newest technology is variable base curves with lens blanks that are both front and rear surfaced for progressives versus being made from just a single vision lens blank as today's free form progressive lenses are. For lens materials which have an increased Abbe Value and therefore Superior clarity, the safest modern choice is Trivex. It was developed by PPG industries as visual armor for the US military. It is the absolute lightest lens material available on the market today and is considered a higher index lens material which results in thinner prescriptions versus traditional plastic (CR-39) and Crown Glass. These last three materials actually have the highest Abbe Values and therefore the very best optical clarity possible. Some individuals are non-adapt to progressive design or polycarbonate material. I myself who have tried every lens material that is a mainstream option on the market today can tell you that polycarbonate will give me the most dizziness and sick sensation when I switch between the the types and usually takes a couple 3 days for me to adapt and I'm still a single vision individual who is very nearsighted as well. I apologize for this ridiculous long post but I am an ABO optician and I decided to continue my education credit to maintain my certification despite the lack of return on investment it provides me! Steven
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liz
13 years ago
keep a few garbages bags at the bottom of the can...pull the full one out and a new one is ready for use.

Wax your shower stall and doors with car wax or better yet..GEL GLOSS (found at home depot..lowes..)..the water beads right off and keeps your shower and doors shiny and new looking!
country_bumpkin_al
13 years ago
Funny you asked this today. I get the Farmer's Almanac email and they're also on my Facebook. Today they posted "Timely Tips & Tricks" and I came here to post one of them and see if anyone else knew this! I didn't!

Boil water now or later? Timely Vegetable Tip
Ever wonder if you should boil the water before or after you add vegetables to the pot. HereÂs a simple way to remember:

Vegetables that grow underground (beets, carrots, potatoes) should start off in cold water.
Vegetables that grow aboveground (corn, peas, greens) should be placed in boiling water.

I may think of some of my own later to post.
Jasdip
13 years ago
I didn't know those CB! Except potatoes, they should start in cold water, so they cook evenly. Obviously that holds true with beets and carrots.
Potatoes are the only thing I boil, I microwave all my veggies.
jak1
13 years ago
The tablets that are used to clean dentures can be dropped in the toilet bowl and left overnight for cleaning. You can also soak your fingers or toes in warm water with one of these tabs to clean up after a day of grubby gardening.
threejs
13 years ago
Pull out that kitchen drawer and place a big cookie sheet over it...push back in to stablilize it. A large extra space that you can put prep foods on while baking or just use for extra cupboard space.

When washing a large amount of dishes in the sink, use a dishpan over another one that is inverted. Anyone with back problems will appreciate not leaning into the sink ..and your back will love you. I guess if you are short it might be too high though.

You can take away that "tinny" taste from any tomato based meal that has canned tomato or tomato paste in it by adding a tbsp. of brown sugar after putting them in the pot. ie spagetti or chili sauces etc.
kittywhiskers
13 years ago
To keep your brown sugar from getting hard as a rock, keep it in your freezer. I have kept mine there for years and it never gets hard anymore and only takes a few minutes to get soft enough to spoon into a measuring cup.
Kittywhiskers
des_arc_ya_ya
13 years ago
Not so much a household tip as a caregiver tip - we're using a wireless doorbell as a "call" for my mom to use. The button is velcroed to the side of her nightstand and whatever room we're in - we take the "box" part with us.

(Can't take credit, it was Twinkie's brilliant plan and it's working!)
Jodi_SoCal
13 years ago
I love Scrubbing Bubbles for the bathroom chores but it is also a great spot carpet cleaner.

I second Liz's Gel Gloss recommendation. It comes in a dark pink rectangular can which makes it kind of easy to find on the store shelf.

Jodi-
vala55
13 years ago
The best cleaning tip I can give is....hire someone.
luckygardnr
13 years ago
Babysitting the Grandsons yesterday and one of them got ballpoint pen ink on my NEW beige microfiber sofa. Anyone got a hint as to how to get the ink out?
azzalea
13 years ago
Rubbing alcohol often will remove ball point pen, but with a new piece of furniture I wouldn't do ANYTHING without contacting the manufacturer first. See what they recommend before using any tips you may hear or read.

Baking soda is not just good for stainless steel--it takes stains out of formica, removes the little brown cooked on speckles on the bottom of your skillets, and in your oven. It freshens, disinfects, is non-toxic. It's a great, non-abrasive scouring powder for the bathroom fixtures. It's the first cleaner I reach for for most jobs (and I rarely have to try a second)--I use so much baking soda, I buy it in 5 pound bags.

Go the the restaurant/bar supply store to buy a lot of your kitchen needs. An industrial roll of film or foil will last you for many, many years (and just think of all the little boxes you won't be sending to the landfills). Deli containers work great for leftovers and freezing (you have to be sure to get the heavier ones, of course). They come in 1 cup, 1 pint and 1 quart sizes, stack for easy storage, the same lids fit all the sizes--and they only cost about 25 cents each. They're reusable, but at that price, you don't mind occasionally tossing one if you find it in the back of the fridge with a 'science experiment growing in it'. Supply stores are a great place for picking up heavy-duty kitchen items like whisks, scrapers, etc. And for inexpensive containers to use when giving away food (or taking it to pot lucks, etc).

A bench scraper is the best utensil to use for cutting brownies, pizza, pies, etc. Just press straight down, then pull straight up--nothing gives a cleaner cut in my experience.
sheilajoyce_gw
13 years ago
Make your china teapot look like new. Pour a teaspoon of clorox liquid bleach into the pot, fill with water and let sit for an hour or so.

Badly burned pans with the food still stuck in the bottom seems to clean up easiest if you soak it with a tablespoon of electric dishwasher detergent and hot water for a few hours.

Windows, granite, mirrors, tile countertops all clean up nicely with a spritz of a combination of half water and half rubbing alcohol. I use an old Windex bottle. The windows won't streak as you clean them like they do with Windex.
Rudebekia
13 years ago
Ditto the dishwasher detergent for stained coffee pots. Put a tablespoon in, fill with boiling hot water, and let sit for a couple of hours. Cleans up like new!

If you have soapstone countertops, a black sharpie quickly fills in small dings or scratches. Out of sight, out of mind.

Barkeeper's Friend is the BEST cleaner and quite cheap. Cleans rust or grime stains off things no other expensive formula will and doesn't scratch.

Microfiber cloths are fabulous for getting things like mirrors or countertops or the stovetop streak free. Buy them cheaply in packs from Target or Walmart automotive section; while thinner than the more expensive ones you can toss them when they start to wear out. In fact, they do last a long time and wash up beautifully.
kayjones
13 years ago
"One only needs two tools in life: WD-40 to make things go, and duct tape to make them stop."

Duct Tape is the binder of all things flat - there is no limit to what Duct Tape can do. Remember, this tape will leave a gooy and hard-to-remove residue on your surface. It can be removed with most oils, but do a test first! It is also known to remove paint and varnish off surfaces - use caution when considering using Duct Tape!

WD-40 removes adhesive, cleans bike parts, stops squeaks, loosens rusted bolts and it has a few more unusual applications: Police once used it to remove a naked burglar stuck in an a/c vent!

I will add a third necessity to handy hints: the Miracle Eraser - it will clean almost anything! Always test any new method of cleaning on an inconspicous area to assure you don't mar the surface of your object. The M.E. will even clean dirty hands after working in the garage or garden.

Here is a 4th - liquid dishwasher soap will remove MANY stains - again, test a small area before using on a visable surface!
Jodi_SoCal
13 years ago
I use old credit cards as scrappers. I removed paint drops, fish tank algae, tub scum, tough food stuck on plates and floors. Very handy.

WD-40 shines my stainless steel appliances like nothing else. Spray a tiny bit on a fiber cloth and wipe. You'll be amazed.

Jodi-
marcy345
13 years ago
I save the smaller meat trays when I buy meat. When I buy family packs of meat(cheaper) I break it down into servings for 2 people, then package it in the smaller trays.
angelaid
13 years ago
Great tips! I tried the denture tablets in the toilet. That didn't work.
Damp kitchen gloves wipe pet hair off furniture miraculously.
I use scrubbing bubbles for stains in the laundry.
Peroxide to remove blood stains.
trinitytx
13 years ago
I use the plastic wrapper the newpaper comes in to cover ceiling fan blades while painting. They also double for the paint brushes you use, just put them in and store them in the freezer til the next day. They work great!
To get that ballpoint pen out of the microfiber couch, I had the same problem. Give it a shot of cheap hairspray, wait about 15 minutes, then use sudsy warm water on a cloth to remove it. I use resolve carpet cleaner on my micro couch also, especially where my DH puts his sweaty head.....need I say more?
I also use a rolled up towel secured with a rubber band like a doughnut at my computer. If I am on it a lot, I put my elbow on the towel to prevent a sore elbow.

When company comes over, I try not to sweat it like I used to.....just clean the bath and pick up the kitchen and livingroom, close the doors to the rest of the house and call it good.
If my kitchen floors need sweeping, I let the dogs in. if my tub needs cleaning, I close the shower curtain.
I am an Erma Bombeck cleaner. If it can't be seen, it isn't there.

Trin
glenda_al
13 years ago
after bathing/showering, sprinkle oxiclean in the bathtub, let it sit overnite and rinse off before the next bathtime.

Nice clean tub
User
Original Author
13 years ago
Here is the page if you want to have a look

Here is a link that might be useful: Tips to Share
Jodi_SoCal
13 years ago
I found that my stress levels went down significantly when I started taking my glasses off before I entered the house. :-)

Jodi-
Marcia Thornley
13 years ago
Mix one part Listerine mouth wash with one part water for an effective insect repellent.

Acetic acid (at least 15%) is great for killing weeds in driveways, patios etc.

Scrub your deck with a mixture of powdered Oxy clean and Hot water. It cleans and brightens up an old deck so it looks like new!

If you find Static Guard too expensive visit your local sanitation supply company. They sell anti-static products for carpet cleaners that are far less expensive and work like a charm mixed with water in a spray bottle.
sylviatexas1
13 years ago
Here's a link to one we've kept going for several years on the Texas Forum!

Here is a link that might be useful: Helpful Hints & Home Remedies
Jasdip
13 years ago
As Mush mentioned the yellow mouthwash, with water and a few drops of dishwashing liquid makes a great bug killer on my houseplants.
I've used it for scale and spider mites.
ratherbegardening
13 years ago
Put bananas in the refrigerator when they reach the ripeness that you like, and they will stay fresh for about a week. The skin may turn dark, but the banana is fine.

If you have trouble swallowing a pill.....put the pill in your mouth, take a swig of water, and then turn your head to either side like you're looking over your shoulder. The pill will go right down! Wish I'd known this trick years ago.
Jasdip
13 years ago
I've been using a box grater to cut the butter into the flour for my biscuits. Works like a charm!
suzieque
13 years ago
jasdip - what's a box grater?
soxxxx
13 years ago
Jodi
I love that comment about the (eye) glasses.

When I was newly married I thought my elderly mother-in- law was a not so good housekeeper.

Now that I am nearing the age that she was then, I realize that she just could not see the dust on furniture and spots on the dishes without glasses.
Jasdip
13 years ago
Sorry suzieque.
You know the cheese grater thingy. Box shaped with different sized shaped holes for grating and shredding and slicing.
joyfulguy
13 years ago
Use a safety pin to fasten a washloth around your uninsulated mug filled with ice water on a really warm day, to forestall most of the drippage.

On such a day, soak the rag around an uninsulated mug filled with room temperature water to chill it a bit.

I like to store peanuts, cashews, etc. in frozen juice tubes, kept on my desk, by the computer, etc. for occasional snacking ... but I've had some trouble with small brown moths leaving eggs behind, that turn into larvae that just love them (and leave webs and residue behind).

I use round individual-serving yogurt tubs to slip into the top of those tubes that do a first-class job of keeping those bugs out.

By the way ... I can leave processed cereals out in a dish for a week and those bugs won't touch them ... I guess even those critters are smarter than humans, in some ways!

If you're old and have one of those push-button warning systems that use your phone to alert a central office, which then phones a couple of friends to notify them to check you ...

... make sure that you either have a house key securely hidden near your place (easy here, where there's a garage, sheds and a barn), and they know its location, or that each of them has a key ...

... or expect to have your door or window smashed, if you press the button (maybe by mistake).

Thanks for this message, OP - forty-four heads're better than one ... even if they are cabbage.

ole joyful
wildchild
13 years ago
A couple of denture cleaning tablets do a great job of cleaning and freshening coffee carafes,commuter mugs and thermos bottles.
User
Original Author
13 years ago
a few more here:

For attractive individual butter servings, squeeze butter through a pastry bag or plastic beg onto a cookie sheet, set in refrigerator to harden.

Pickle juice should be saved and used for making coleslaw, potato salad, etc.

Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator and it will keep for weeks
joyfulguy
13 years ago
Anyone got another to add?

I'm washing my squeezy socks every night ... and then wash a bit of underwear, shirt, socks, etc. in the soapy water.

ole joyful
two25acres
13 years ago
For those of you with pets, we have 11 cats. Borax and baking soda on your carpets. I leave it over night and vacuum the next day. By all means, let people walk on it. Never have a flea problem and my turquoise carpets look as good today as they did 5 years ago when we moved in. Keeps them smelling fresh and cleaner. I use baking soda in the pool as well, keeps my chemical usage down. Walmart sells the 7 pound bags.
bluejeans4ever
13 years ago
Oooooooooh! I love the Borax and baking soda tip on the carpets for pets!!! I am going to try that tonight!! Thank you Two.25acres!

More uses for baking soda:
- in your bath water, makes the water silky and your bubbles are twice as big! Big bonus: The tub is getting cleanned while you bathe, just rinse!

- I use a squirt of dishwashing liquid along with the baking soda in the bath water. I love Ultra Sunlight Advance Hand Replenish with silk protein. Better than any expensive bubble bath, any day.

- To clean your corning wear dishes and glass dishes (and pots / pans) soak them in baking soda and hot water, the baked on goop will come right off - sometimes you will have to scrub a little, but most of the time it will clean up in a jiff.

- Baking soda with your dishwaster detergent. Use half the the amount of dw detergent you normal use and you will get cleaner dishes.

- I soak my dish cloths every night in a little bit of Tide and some baking soda in the kitchen sink. The result is clean dish cloths and a sparkling clean stainless sink.

I heart baking soda. :-)

BJ
Jasdip
13 years ago
In my kitchen cupboards I have a shelf on the upper third.
To increase usefulness of my cupboard I put a wooden shoe shelf on top of the cupboard shelf.
Similar to the picture shown, but without the top shelf.

I have pots and pans under the shelf, and shallower items on the top, depending on the depth of your cupboard. I have my large roasting pan on the top.
maymo
13 years ago
Put a long piece of wax paper on top of your upper kitchen cabinets to catch all the dust/grease. Change it out once/twice a year.
joann23456
13 years ago
Rubbing alcohol makes chrome shine.

Baby wipes are amazing spot removers. (One friend once dropped a full cup of tea on the off-white sofa I used to have. Another friend grabbed a couple of baby wipes from his daughter's diaper bag and completely removed every trace of tea.)

I second the peroxide for blood stains tip, too.
luckygardnr
13 years ago
TrinityTX, I used clear hand sanitizer and a cotton face cloth on those ballpoint pen stains on my microfiber sofa and they came right up with hardly any effort! You can't even tell there were marks there!

Thanks
nicole__
13 years ago
For nicks in the enamel of your dryers drum, it could put rust on your clothes. Use the tiny little model plane paint sold @ Hobby Lobby, cost about $1! Just like new!
Jasdip
13 years ago
Save the scraps from your pie dough. Roll them and twist them and sprinkle sugar and cinnamon and bake.
kathi_mdgd
13 years ago
Simple green works very good for removing blood stains,and chocolate from clothing etc.Spray it on,scrub between your hands and throw in the washer,it all comes out.

I use a denture brush(from dollar stores) to clean the tracks of my windows when i wash the windows.

I also use vinegar for tons of things,like the weeds growing in the cracks of the driveway,etc.

I use newspaper on the tops of my kitchen cabinets,it's recycling,and i change it out no more than twice a year(now that i'm older)LOL No one sees it,it catches the dust and i just pick it up and throw it away and add some new ones.

Every home and car should have duct tape and WD40.I knocked one of my cacti on my arm one day.and the first thing that came to mind was duct tape.Grabbed it and kept putting and pulling strips of it on my arm til i got the cactus out,then washed my arm with warm soapy water and put antibiotic cream on it.
Kathi
mrsmarv
13 years ago
I use aluminum foil to wrap meat for freezing. When I'm ready to defrost the meat and I want the foil to come off easily, I run the wrapped package under cold running water first. The aluminum foil comes off in one piece in a snap. No more struggling with trying to peel the foil off in bits and pieces or having to wait for the meat to defrost for easy removal.
Jasdip
13 years ago
MrsMarv, I do the same thing!
Jasdip
13 years ago
Clean brass with ketchup and a bit of lemon juice.
I read this tip and mentioned it to hubby. He immediately cleaned his drum cymbals with it and said they came cleaner than the brasso cleaner he used to buy. They smell good too! LOL
two25acres
13 years ago
For copper, especially the copper sinks. Clean with toothpaste. I use Arm and Hammer with baking soda and peroxide. No gel toothpaste.
joyfulguy
13 years ago
Any more offers?

1. If you like to save margarine or other plastic containers with lids to store things, here's a handy storage for the lids, which tend ordinarily to slide all over and make a mess.

We get our milk in square boxes, just under 3" square, about 9" high, with top folded like a roof, squeezing open part of the roof to pour it.

I pull open the rest of the roof, measure the width of the largest lid that you want to store up from the bottom, then cut from there down the middle of one side of the box, then fold each cut side down and staple. Then cut down each corner of the box to just a bit above the space needed, then fold the four sides over one another, cutting off extra material if there is any, and staple.

To make the sides a bit stiffer, after you cut down the side of the box, slip a yardstick at the fold of each of the flaps and fold the flap down over the yardstick, to make an edge about 1/16 - 1/8" just before the flap turns down. If you do that, it helps if you lay the box on a board just wide enough to fill the hole in the side of the box and staple into it from the outside, rather than using the bottom of the stapler, which will push down the folded edge of the wall that you want to make.

That will hold your lids in one place, in order, on edge, taking up only a small space in the cupboard, drawer, etc.

1a. Cut to a different length, they make handy storage containers for letters, as well. Slip two together, top to top, then staple to make a box for business-sized envelopes. You'll soon learn that you'd like to use the fold-over-the-yardstick system for the outside one of them, to make the sliding easier and to add strength to the sides, even though there may be two of them for most of the distance, I think.

2. Use frozen orange, etc. juice containers when empty to hold pens, pencils, etc. on your desk.

I use them to hold nuts, candy, etc., as well ... but have had some trouble with Indian grain moths, whose larvae love nuts, cookies, etc. and whole wheat (but not white) flour. We have individual yogurt containers with sloping sides that fit just nicely into the tops of those juice containers, to foil the larvae and the webs that they spin (in addition to the residue from their behind that they leave behind).

I can leave the various processed breakfast cereals out in a dish on the table for a week and those critters won't touch them - smarter than we are, I guess.

ole joyful
trisha57_ny
13 years ago
I haven't read if this was posted. but vinegar in your wash will soften clothes better than any brand name softener out there.

Let's start a household 'tips' thread

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