Tuesday Tips & Tricks - Laundry Edition

Did you know...

"Americans start the equivalent of more then 1,100 wash loads every second of the day." - Procter & Gamble

Todays Tips & Tricks are dealing with the famous American past time of Laundry. I mean, with a stat like the one above... obviously it's a past time!? Wow! Thank you to All You magazine for this weeks tips & tricks! If you haven't checked out the April edition of this magazine, do so... it's well worth the $2.49. Now let's get started...

- Fill your machine with large and small items mixed loosely. Don't overpack!

- Select COLD water. All You recommends using cold water for everything except for sheets, towels and underwear {which require HOT water}. Using cold water saves money on your bill.

- As a general rule, powdered detergent is cheaper then liquid. You can also score some pretty good deals if you are into couponing.

- You can wash lingerie and delicates in the washing machine! Invest a few dollars into one of those small mesh bags and you'll be all set. Air dry after it's washed.

- Dark clothes fading? Add a cup of table salt to the rinse cycle the first time you wash a new dark item.

- More soap doesn't mean cleaner clothes. Actually, these days, you should see LESS suds. You can even use up to 1/2 less then what the manufacter recommends and still get clean clothes.

- Use 1/2 a dryer sheet. Makes the box last longer and gets the clothes just as soft.

- Time your loads: As the first finishes, you're ready to throw in the next batch. Saves money because your dryer won't have to warm back up again...it's already hot and ready!

- Shake each item before tossing in the dryer - cuts down on drying time.

- Make your own pretreater = Put two parts water and one part rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle, Mix well. Treat the stain, let the garment sit a few minutes before washing.

- Dishwashing liquid can often get out greasy stains.

Happy Laundry day to you!

Tuesday Tips & Tricks {on Wednesday}

Today we'll look at ways to put to use all those paper and plastic bags you have around the house. Most of the ideas are using the GLAD plastic sandwich bags, when it refers to plastic bag.

- A damp, musty garage can be helped with this simple remedy: Add 1/2 inch baking soda to the bottom of a paper grocery bag with handles; hang bag from the rafters. Change every 3 months.

- Get every ounce of use from this tiny slivers of leftover bars of soap. Collect them in a sandwich sized plastic bag. When the bag is about half full, place it in a pot of warm water - but not boiling. Remove when the soap melts. When it cools, you'll have a new bar of soap.

- Really smelly stuffed animals can be deodorized by placing them in paper bag, adding baking soda, and shaking vigorously. Store in bag overnight. Shake off the baking soda in the morning.

- Like the idea and smell of scent sachets for your dresser but hate the price? Make your own! Fill a snack or sandwich size food storage bag with potpourri. Seal it and poke several small holes to make an effective yet inexpensive sachet for your dresser drawers.

- Compost heaps (as well as earth worms) welcome brown paper bags. Shred and dampen the bags, then mix in well so the pieces won't blow away when dry.

There you have it! Simple tips & tricks to use up those bags lurking around our houses. :)

Tuesdays Tips & Tricks

G'day all! Hopefully your Tuesday started out well... or will end well. Tonight the hubs and I have a DATE NIGHT so, yea, I'm pretty excited :) We have one gift certificate left over from Christmas which means one more FREE meal! {we really never make it past January with gifts like that} :)

Today's Tips & Tricks are taken from the "Corn Starch" booklet. Enjoy!

- Make your own windshield washer fluid: Combine 1 c. isopropyl rubbing alcohol, 2 T. ivory liquid hand soap, 1 gallon water and a few drops blue food coloring. Mix well.

- Tired of pesky bugs in your home? Create a mixture of equal parts Argo cornstarch and plaster of paris. Sprinkle this around cracks and crevices in your home to control cockroaches. They will eat it and turn into little bug statues. {cruel?}

- The trick to a light, fluffy omelet? Add a t. of cornstarch when mixing the eggs!

- Make your own cough syrup: Mix 4 T. lemon juice, 1 c. honey and 1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil. Heat, then stir vigorously. Take 1 t. every 2 hours.

- Here's a recipe to give baby a soothing bath: Mix together 1/4 c. nonfat dry milk, 1/4 c. whole, dry buttermilk, and 1 T corn starch. Store in a glass jar. Pour 1 T. of mix into baby bathtub or 1/4 c. into full size tub. This makes a great and inexpensive gift for new moms!

and finally... today's WINNER idea!

- Create your own finger paints in custom colors. Add 1/4 corn starch to 2 c. cold water and boil until mix thickens. Let cool slightly, then pour mixture into a few small dishes or containers. Add a few drops food coloring to each container to make various colors. Also add a few drops of DAWN detergent to each bowl to help with cleanup later. Make sure paints are totally cooled down before using!

Sure beats buying those expensive paints!

Tuesday Tips & Tricks

Whew! I spent today watching 4 children under the age of 3. It was awesome and I'm so glad the Lord allowed me the opportunity -but yes, I am v-e-r-y tired tonight. :) Dinner is baking and I have a minutes to post my tips & tricks of the day.

Today's tips are taken from, "Quick Cooking" magazine, 2004. Yep - going waaay back. But, as I was reading over my recipe for tonight, the page caught my attention and there are several tips I know we could all benefit from. So enjoy :)

- Making {or attempting} a carrot cake? No time to shred bags of carrots by hand? Buy a bag of baby carrots in the produce section and finely chop them in your food processor. The processed carrots don't make a difference in the taste of the cake or the texture of it.

- Use the free calendars you get in the mail {or from random stores} to create monthly menus. I do this!!! This way you can see what your family will eat a week at a time. Easier to make grocery lists and gather your necessary coupons! Also helps with daily prep to know what needs set out ahead of time.

- Make a lot of things that call for applesauce? Tired of wasting massive jars of applesauce? Buy it, instead, in the 4oz individual serving sizes. Several brands make them now - even generic. One serving is perfect for most recipes and best of all, no waste of what you don't use!

And for the tea drinkers of the world....

- Use your automatic coffee maker to quickly make tea. Put 6 teabags in the basket, fill machine with water and start it just like you'd do for a pot of coffee. Once it's done, transfer to a tea jar and sugar to your liking. Stores nicely in the fridge!

Happy Tuesday!

Tips & Tricks on Tuesday

Good Tuesday Morning! We woke up this morning with LOTS of snow - so much so, that, my two year old and I had to walk to the grocery store for diapers... rather then drive. It was slightly treacherous on our unplowed roads. The store is only 2 blocks away - but, what a sight we must have been. Pregnant woman hauling a bag of grocerys with stumbling toddler behind her - half the time laying on the ground... for fun. {sigh}

On this snowy Tuesday - I thought I'd share a few of those tips & tricks from all those booklets I was given for Christmas. We could all use a little extra help, right? This week I'll be sharing from the, "Vegetable Oil" booklet.

TIPS & TRICKS

-If your car doors tend to freeze shut in the winter, coat the gaskets around the doors with Crisco Pure Vegetable Oil. {after you figure out what a gasket is}

-To deter ants, pour a little extra virgin olive oil where you see them entering your home. Under the kitchen sink is a good place to start.

-Apply Mayo to the white rings or spots on your wood furniture; let sit for 1 hour, then wipe off with a soft cloth and polish.

-Clean your shower door with Pam cooking spray. Spray some on a soft cotton cloth and wipe away the crud.

-On a diet? Try this to curb your appetite: Mix 2 T. grapefruit juice with 1 T. Hain safflower oil; take before each meal. (hmmmm.... never heard of that one)

And for the most useful or fun tip today....

Wanna make clay for your kids? {not dough}

Make your own sculpting clay at home. Mix flour, salt and cream of tartar in a med. saucepan. Add water and oil. Cook over med. heat for 3-5 mins. or until the mix becomes the consistency of dough. Let cool, then add a few drops food coloring if desired. Store in an airtight container or zipper bag. Measurements below:

1 c. all purpose flour

1/2 c. salt

2 T. cream of tartar

1 c. water

1 T. pure veggie oil

Have fun with your veggie oil! :) Who would've known it was so helpful!?