Keep cats out of sandbox
photo by saebaryo
DEAR SARA: I am considering getting a sandbox for the kids to play in. I was wondering if you had one, how you keep the neighborhood cats out. — Rachel, Texas
DEAR RACHEL: You can use a tarp, but it will collect rainwater. To combat water collection, you can place a tall toy in the middle so the tarp doesn’t lay flat and water will pour down the sides. Or use garden lattice, pool-cover material, hard plastic, hardware cloth or plywood. There are many sandboxes that are sold that come with lids, too.
DEAR SARA: Do you have any tips for reusing aluminum foil? — Brenda, Washington
DEAR BRENDA: You can wad it into a ball and use it to scrub pots and pans. A flat piece can be used on your ironing board (under the fabric cover) to reflect heat and make your ironing faster because both sides of your fabric are benefiting from the heat. You can use it to cover your stove drip pans or on oven racks, too. Many readers have shared that they wad it into a ball and toss the ball into the dryer to reduce or prevent static, but I haven’t personally tried it. If you do, let me know whether it worked.
DEAR SARA: If not eBay, where? It seems as if eBay may not be the best place to try to sells things. What other online avenues are available? We have lots of things from personal collections or personal businesses that we would like to sell other than at yard sales. What works for you? — Marilyn, Hawaii
DEAR MARILYN: You can try other online auction Web sites such as www.bonanzle.com, www.bidville.com, www.ecrater.com or www.blujay.com. You might like classified-ad Web sites such as craigslist.com; oodle.com, which powers Facebook marketplace; Wal-Mart classifieds; and MySpace classifieds. Or try Kijiji.com, but note that Kijiji is owned by eBay.
DEAR SARA: I’ve been going through closets and now the storage shed. My husband owned a business before, and he had some boxes in the shed. I opened a few and found two boxes with 24 bottles of ammonia in each box. I know you can put some drops in dishwashing liquid to help kill germs, but what on earth can I do with all of it? Any ideas would be great. I just don’t want to throw it away. Thanks. — Maggi, Ohio
DEAR MAGGI: I don’t like ammonia in my home. I can’t stand the smell, and it’s caustic. So I would donate it. But if you want to use it, and assuming it’s household strength, you can use it to clean your oven or grill racks. Place the racks in a trash bag with some ammonia. Seal the bag, and leave it overnight. The following day, remove the racks and rinse with a garden hose. If you dilute it 50/50 with water (never in combination with bleach), it can be used on carpets and clothing as a stain remover or to wash windows. If you fill a sink with water and add a little ammonia, you can soak your hairbrushes in the sink to clean them, too.
Posted by Sara Noel
on May 6 2009. Filed under Question & Answer.Sara Noel owns Frugal Village, LLC and is a nationally syndicated columnist with Universal Uclick. Bio, Follow me on Twitter, Join us on Facebook
Sandboxes are great, but I’ve had the same concern – and since we are a military family and we’ll be moving often, a big sandbox isn’t a logical or cost-effective option for us. It’s a great option for anyone who lives in an apartment with a tiny patio or an unwelcoming or non-kid-safe common area.
What I’ve done instead is to get about 20 pounds of play sand, an underbed storage box with a lid (ours snaps in place with two simple latches), and an inexpensive plastic mesh tote basket (for the toys).
The sand goes into the box, which is still light enough to rest on a kids’ play table or be moved as needed, and the lid can go on whenever it’s not being played with to keep out critters and unwanted moisture, while the sand toys are stored in the mesh basket and can be shaken over the sandbox to get excess sand off while minimizing mess (and keeping them available and ready for trips to the playground or the beach, as well).
Added bonus: When the sand is moist from water play and covering it is not a great idea, the box is still small enough to be lifted up out of the way and set on a table in the sun to dry before covering.
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