Shaving-cream paint:
Combine non-gel shaving cream with a couple of drops of food coloring. Let your children use construction paper, a sliding glass door, a section of foil or a cookie sheet, or they can just sit in the tub for finger-foam fun. It's easy to clean: Simply rinse with water. Make puffy paint by mixing equal parts glue and shaving cream. Add a couple of drops of food coloring or tempera paint for color. Use a paintbrush and paint onto construction paper.
Spot cleaner for walls and carpets:
Apply shaving cream on the crayon-stained area and leave it for a few minutes. Wipe the shaving cream away with a damp cloth, or use a scrub pad first and then a damp cloth. One reader, Jessica from Washington, shares: "I use shaving cream -- the creamy kind that I can get at the dollar store -- on light-colored carpets. Squirt a little shaving cream on the spot and dab/blot it with a damp rag. Wait until it dries, then vacuum the spot. You may have to treat it two or three times, but it works. I got soaked-in, dried-out red soda out of white carpet and coffee out of beige carpet."
Appliances and bathrooms:
Put shaving cream on your bathroom mirror and wipe it off to keep your mirror fog-free. Let kids be little helpers, too. Give them some shaving cream and a washcloth and let them clean tile and vinyl floors, sinks, tubs, faucets and mirrors. Another reader, Tisha from Canada, shares: "Shaving cream (the foamy kind) gets the grime out of the handles of your appliances. Rub it onto the handle in the dirty spots and let it sit for 10 minutes, then rub it down with a damp cloth."
Party fun:
Let kids put shaving cream (or hair gel or mousse) in their hair and create funny hairstyles. Another reader, Sami, emails her party game idea: "Older boys often enjoy gross or messy games. We play a game where two kids partner up. One kid piles shaving cream on his head. The other stands behind a line and tries to throw Cheerios into the shaving cream. The team that gets the most Cheerios stuck in the shaving cream wins. Obviously, this is an outdoor game. Afterward, the kids can clean up with a water balloon fight."
School desk cleaner:
It's quick and easy to place a small dollop of shaving cream on students' desks with a paper towel to wipe it off. Lower elementary-age kids can practice writing sight words before wiping it away.
Clean hands:
Bring a can of shaving cream to clean your hands when you go camping. Another reader, P.J. from New York, adds: "This is especially good on your hands when they are covered with tree sap. It works amazingly well on fresh clothes stains, sticky messes and yucky showers."
Sunburn:
For serious burns, seek medical attention. But to get you through the first 24 hours of a mild sunburn (read: no blisters) that stings and causes discomfort, take some ibuprofen and drink plenty of water to rehydrate your body. Applying vinegar and aloe can help relieve the pain, too. Another reader, Jen, shares her suggestion: "I use shaving cream foam on sunburns. Yes, it is a little messy and funny-looking. I apply it to the burn as if I was going to shave that area, then I let it sit. I leave it on until it has soaked in, then I wipe it off using cool water. Don't ask me how, but it pulls the heat out and prevents blistering. I have used this several times on myself and my daughter, as we burn easily."
photo by katerha http://www.flickr.com/photos/katerha/5653265792/sizes/z/in/photostream/