HELPFUL HINTS

HELPFUL HINTS PAGE -- PRINT OUT AND SAVE

 

Hi! I'm Lizzy!! And I'm not Martha!!!

These are from my friend Lizzy!
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There is a moment after the new year when the questions that come into my mailbox are about cleaning things. Up until then most are about foods. Then something ticks over and the main area of inquiry is "How do I get this out?"

Maybe we instinctively point to Spring and the hopefulness of Spring cleaning. Or the gray and cold of winter makes us focus on the home. Or the crud build up is just too disgusting to ignore.
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Hi Lizzy,
How do you get lime deposits off tubs and tile?

Alkaline in the water causes those not-so-pretty spots. Lime or hard-water mineral buildup is dissolved by an acid. Vinegar or lemon juice may be rubbed over the stain, to dissolve. Do not leave on stain too long, as acids will eventually damage surface of porcelain enamel. Rinse thoroughly.

Or you can try making a paste of cream of tartar and hydrogen peroxide or cream of tartar and white vinegar. Scrub the paste lightly into the stain and allow to dry. Rinse thoroughly and buff dry.

Commercial products designed to remove lime deposit may be used if label says safe for the surface. You can remove lime and other mineral deposits by using a commercial cleaner that contains organic acids, designed specifically for this purpose (stay away from products that contain hydrochloride salts).

Do not use acids on fiberglass, nor any commercial product unless label says safe for fiberglass. Both fiberglass and glass are porous. Apply a car wax to the walls and doors. Do it just like the Chevy. Not the floor or it gets real slick. The car wax seals those pours, which makes cleaning easier and keeps water spots away. Reapply twice yearly.
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Hey Lizzy Girl!

My shower head is just a drip. Help!!!

To remove lime deposits from shower heads, remove the hardware and soak in vinegar to dissolve the deposits.

Another more aggressive method, remove the head and place it in a pot containing a mixture of equal parts white vinegar and water. Bring the mixture to a boil and the lime and mineral deposits should come right off. Cool. Rinse and buff dry.
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How about the hard water stain removal from chrome?

Using harsh chemicals on a shiny surface, such as chrome, can cause etching and tiny scratches in the surface. These tiny scratches then attract future build up.

To restore chrome to its original shine, use a peroxide based cleaner, such as Bio-OX Citrus Concentrate, or rubbing alcohol or there are a couple of homemade pastes that work well. Baking soda and dish detergent or a paste of rubbing alcohol and baking soda can be used to remove some stains. Apply the paste to the chrome and allow it to sit for a few minutes. Rinse with clean water. Buff with dry, soft cloth to prevent water spots.

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Liz…

We just moved into a new house and have a separate shower from the bathtub. I'm looking for suggestions of cleaners I can use to keep the shower door clean of soap scum, either store bought or home made.

Thanks.

It’s the talc in most bar soaps that causes the buildup. Changing soap eliminates the buildup. You still need to clean the shower once a week, but the job is easier. If your tire of fighting the soap scum buildup switch to liquid soap, natural soap or Dove.

Here are some cleaning methods. Choose one that appeals to you:

Use vinegar and water regularly..that magic combination works for so many things.

Baking soda, lemon juice and often hot water and elbow grease gets the job done.

Put hot vinegar in a spray bottle and spray the damp surface liberally. Let it sit 10-15 minutes and scrub (in circles) with an old pair of nylons or a store-bought nylon scrubby brush.

And save up all your old fabric softener sheets and keep them in the bathroom. Before you get out of the shower, rub one on the damp door and you'll be amazed as the soap scum disappears. Then rinse.

If you are willing to buy a product...Clean the showers once a week with an orange citrus-based cleaner. Spray on and give it ten minutes to dissolve the dirt. This is a low scrub method. The product replaces the labor.

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Hard water and lime affect more than tile, chrome and shower doors. Your iron can be a victim of lime abuse. If your steam iron no longer steams, it might be clogged with mineral deposits. Try cleaning with vinegar in the water reservoir, then set the iron flat on a cake cooling or oven rack, plug the iron in, with the setting at "STEAM." By the time the vinegar is steamed out, your iron should be clean. Repeat with water only.

Have a shiny weekend!
My Thanks to Lizzy!!
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I would like to add some of my own helpful hints for you...Geri
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Useful hints

 Repeat, but, good to have if you lost this......

Sealed envelope - Put in the freezer for a few hours, then slide a knife under the flap. The envelope can then be resealed. (hmmmmmm...)
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Use Empty toilet paper roll to store appliance cords. It keeps them neat and you can write on the roll what appliance it belongs to.
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For icy door steps in freezing temperatures, get warm water and put Dawn dishwashing  liquid in it. Pour it all over the steps. They won't refreeze. (wish I had known this for the last  40 years!)
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Crayon marks on walls? This worked wonderfully! A damp rag, dipped in baking soda.  Comes off with little effort (elbow grease that is).
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Permanent marker on appliances/counter tops (like store receipt BR BLUE) rubbing alcohol on paper towel.
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Whenever I purchase a box of S.O.S Pads, I immediately take a pair of scissors and cut each pad into halves. After years of having to throw away rusted and unused and smelly pads, I finally decided that this would be much more economical. And now a box of S.O.S pads last me indefinitely. In fact, I have noticed that the scissors get sharpened this way.
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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. Works every time. Now, where to put the body?
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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.
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Spray a bit of perfume on the light bulb in any room to create a lovely light scent in each room when the light is turned on.
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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.
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Candles will last a lot longer if placed in the freezer for at least 3 hours prior to burning.
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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.
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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.
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Spray your TUPPERWARE with nonstick cooking spray before pouring in tomato based sauces and there won't be any stains.
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Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator and it will keep for weeks.
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When boiling corn on the cob, add a pinch of sugar to help bring out the corn's natural sweetness.
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Cure for headaches: Take a lime, cut it in half and rub it on your forehead. The throbbing will go away.
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Don't throw out all that leftover wine. Freeze into ice cubes for future use in casseroles and sauces. Left over  wine? What's that?
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To get rid of itch from mosquito bites, try applying soap on the area and you will experience instant relief.
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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.
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Use air-freshener to clean mirrors. It does a good job and better still, leaves a lovely smell to the shine.
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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, then pull it off. Scotch tape removes most splinters painlessly and easily.
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Now look what you can do with Alka Seltzer:

Clean a toilet. Drop in two Alka Seltzer tablets, wait twenty minutes, brush and flush. The
citric acid and effervescent action clean vitreous China.

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.

Polish jewelry. Drop two Alka Seltzer tablets into a glass of water and immerse the jewelry for two minutes.

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).

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, then run the hot water.

(Makes you wonder about ingesting Alka Seltzer, doesn't it?)

 

U S Legacies Magazine