Tips, Tips, Tips

[Pepper]

I found this list I had saved to my computer and thought I would share! I'm sure more than a few have already made there way around the village...


1.Soak, new, brightly colored garments in cold, salty water before
laundering. The colors will stay brighter.

2. When washing colored or printed material for the first time, add one
tsp.
Epsom salts to one gallon of water. The material with neither fade nor
run.

3. Soaking blue jeans in 1/2 cup vinegar and two quarts water for one hour before the first washing helps prevent them from fading.

When washing blue jeans, wash in cold water, put in dryer for 10
minutes or so, then fold on a wooden clothes hanger and continue to dry.

Always turn corduroy pants inside out before washing. This will keep
them lint free and they will also last longer.

Pin socks in pairs before washing them and you won't waste time trying to match them up.

Rub a sticky zipper with a lead pencil.

Rub beeswax inside and outside your zippers on boots, purses, jackets etc.
to keep them running smoothly and quietly. This also removes dust and grime.

To save on dry-cleaning bills, wash your wool blankets in a mild
dishwasher soap or Zero on a gently cycle. Dry on air fluff.

Silk garments must be hand washed. Use cool water with Lux or Zero
soap. When rinsing, add a bit of lanolin to restore and protect the material.
Drip dry and press, using a soft cloth.

Club soda is a great stain remover for clothing.

To make your own spot remover, combine two parts water with one part
rubbing alcohol.

Glass cleaner is a good spot remover. If you get a spot on a dress, for example, place a tissue on your hand under the spot. Give the spot a spray
of glass cleaner and rub gently using another tissue on top to make the spot disappear. Reapply if necessary.

To make your own prewash spray combine 1/3 cup each of water, liquid
detergent and ammonia. Mix, then store in a spray bottle. This is
excellent to spray on collars, spots and stains.

Use vinegar to remove perspiration, grass and slight scorch stains from clothing.

To remove stains, soak garment in baking soda and water for several
hours, then wash as usual.

Dissolve your soap flakes thoroughly in water before putting into
washing machine. This will eliminate powdery buildups on clothes and extra
washings.

To use up slivers of soap, put them in a white sock, tie a knot in the sock and toss into the washing machine. This will keep your socks whiter and save money because you use less detergent.

Always measure any detergent used with appropriate scoops. This
prevents using an excessive amount.

If you accidentally put too much soap in the washer, pour two tbsp.
vinegar or a capful of fabric softener into the machine.

To make certain that clothes receive a thorough rinsing, add one cup
white vinegar to the rinse cycle. This will help dissolve the alkaline in
soaps and detergents, plus it will give you soft sweet-smelling clothes.

When washing clothes, use cold water for the rinse cycle. Clothes will retain their shape and color better.

Clean your washing machine by occasionally running through the wash
cycle,
using warm water and vinegar. Do not put clothes in for this.

For a whiter wash, add 1/4 cup dishwasher detergent to your load of
white wash.

Dishwasher detergent can be used to whiten sweat socks and cottons.
Just add to regular washload.

Instead of bleach, use about three tsp. peroxide in your wash.

White socks can be white again if you soak them in boiling water to
which a slice of lemon has been added. Wash as usual.

To bleach handkerchiefs, soak 1/2 hour in sour milk and wash as usual.

To whiten lace, wash in sour milk.

To remove blood stains, cover stains with a paste of meat tenderizer
and
cold water, let stand 15-30 minutes, then sponge with cool water.

To remove blood stains, dab with hydrogen peroxide. It will fizz up and the stain will disappear.
To remove blood stains from clothing, sponge the stain with
three-percent
hydrogen peroxide. Let soak for a few seconds, rub then launder as
usual.

When fruit juice is spilled on a tablecloth or clothing, boil a kettle
full
of water and pour full kettle directly over the stain. The stain will
be
removed immediately.

Scrub toothpaste into grass stains for removal.

To remove grass stains from children's clothing and white shoes, just
rub
the stain well with molasses, leave overnight, then wash with soap (not
detergent.) The stains will disappear like magic.

Most grass stains can be removed with methyl alcohol. (Remember: Test
colors
first to see if they are affected.) If a stain remains on white
material,
use a mild solution of sodium perborate, chlorine bleach or hydrogen
peroxide.

Grease and oil stains may be removed from fabric by first rubbing lard
on
the spots, then wash with liquid detergent. Repeat if necessary.

Put 1/4 cup Spic and Span in your wash water for each tub of clothes to
help
remove stains and grease.

To remove grease and dirt spots, put cornstarch on grease spots and rub
in.
Brush off the cornstarch.

Greasy work clothes will wash easily if you add a bottle of cola to the
detergent.

To remove grease or lipstick stains, pour Mr. Clean on the stain, rub
in and
wash normally.

To remove lipstick from linen napkins, dab on a little petroleum jelly,
then
wash.

Place clothing, which has gum stuck to it, in the freezer for a couple
of
hours. Remove from freezer and crumble off gum.

To remove ink from clothing, use a dab of toothpaste.

Ink stains on clothes disappear when hair spray is used on them prior
to
washing the article as usual.

To remove ink from any material, place a slice of raw tomato on the ink
spot
It will soak up the ink and then you can wash the material as usual.

To remove ball-point pen from dolls, use a lemon juice and salt mixture
on
the ink and leave in the sun for a few hours. Wipe clean.
Wet iodine stains with water, then put baking soda on thickly and let
stand.

To remove ring around the collar, rub shampoo on the ring and wash in
the
usual manner.

For ring around the collar use a mixture of 1/3 cup Palmolive dish
soap, 1/3
cup ammonia and 1/3 cup water. Place mixture in a squeeze bottle and
rub on
with an old toothbrush.

Buy a large bottle of liquid starch concentrate and mix one-part starch
to
one-part water and pour into a spray bottle to make your own spray
starch. A
light spray of starch helps prevent ring around the collar and protects
against various stains.

To remove rust marks from clothing, squeeze lemon juice on the spots,
pat
with salt and hang the garment in the sun to dry.

To remove tar from clothing, rub tar with lots of butter and scrub
until the
tar is removed. Use Spray & Wash or similar product to remove the
butter.

To get rid of tea stains from a tablecloth, dab with glycerin, leave
overnight and then ash in normal manner.

To remove candle wax, melt wax between blotters or rub with ice cubes
and
scrape off. Wax dye stains can be removed with alcohol or bleach in
water.

Place water-stained fabric (curtains for example) in salted water and
soak
until the stain disappears.

To remove red wine from a tablecloth, moisten spot, apply salt, let
stand a
moment or two and wash thoroughly as usual.

To remove smoke odor from clothing, fill the bathtub with hot water to
which
a cup of or two of vinegar has been added. Hang articles of smoky
clothing
in the bathroom overnight, keeping the door closed. The vinegar will
neutralize the smoke odor.

Put a drop of Nilodor in each load of laundry to eliminate all odors.

To remove mildew from shower curtains, wash in a mixture of 1/2 cup
bleach,
one gallon water and 1/2 cup detergent.

When washing plastic curtains or tablecloths, add one cup vinegar to
the
rinse water. The plastic will dry soft and pliable thus prolonging the
life
of the item.

To soften still plastic pants and prolong their use, put them in a
dryer
with a load of towels.


To keep your sheer curtains wrinkle free, add a package of unflavored
gelatin, which has been dissolved in a copy of boiling water, to the
final
rinse.

When washing drapes and wanting that perfect pleated effect, press,
hang,
open and run fingers down each individual pleat, while holding together
at
the bottom. Wrap a tie around the center and about two-thirds of the
way
down. Leave for 24 hours.

Use rubbing alcohol to remove ball-point pen marks on clothing and
upholstery.

If your slipcovers are washable, place back on your furniture while
still
damp. They will fit better and won't require ironing because as they
finish
drying they conform to the shape of the furniture and stretch out the
wrinkles.

Rubbing cornmeal into a grease stain on upholstery and vacuuming it the
next
day will lift out the mark.

Spruce up old stuffed nonwashable toys by placing in a bag with baking
soda.
Shake and brush off.

Clean white kid gloves with flour. Just rub it into the dirt and brush
it
away.

To clean silk flowers, put flowers in a plastic bag with a couple
tablespoons of salt. Shake vigorously while holding stems and bag shut.
The
dust will cling to the salt and the flowers will look like new.

Dry lingerie on a clothes line or place on a clothes hanger to dry.
Heat
from the dryer will ruin the elastic.

Use half of a fabric-softening sheet for a regular-size load of laundry
in
the dryer. It is as effective as a full sheet.

Mix two cups fabric softener with two cups water and store in covered
plastic container. Dip an old facecloth in the solution and use instead
of
fabric softener sheet.

Lint from the dryer and the washing machine, along with other garbage
collected in the laundry area, can easily be placed in the empty soap
box.
This saves space in the garbage and also saves on garbage bags.

To remove burrs from sweaters or slacks, use disposable razors.

For best results when hand washing sweaters, put a capful of hair cream
rinse in the final rinse.

Wool is weak when wet. Do not wring or rub wet wool garments. Lay the
garment on a towel, roll it up and gently squeeze.
Shrunken woolens may loosen and stretch if soaked in a hair cream
rinse.

To resize woolens after shrinking, dissolve one oz. Borax in one tsp.
hot
water and add to one gallon warm water. Immerse garment, pull gently
into
shape and rinse in one gallon warm water to which two tbsp. Vinegar
have
been added.

To tighten stretched sweater cuffs, dip in hot water and dry with a
hair
dryer.

Turn acrylic sweaters inside out when washing them to avoid getting
fuzz
balls on them.

To avoid ironing clothes, take them out of the dryer as soon as it
stops and
fold them.

If you can't iron damp clothes right away, put them in a plastic bag
and
place in the freezer. They will be easier to iron and there's no danger
of
mildew.

To keep delicate fabrics from becoming shiny when ironing, cover the
material with a sheet of tissue paper. Make certain the iron isn't too
hot.

An iron heats faster than it cools. Therefore, iron fabrics which need
a
cool temperature setting first, then iron fabrics which require higher
temperatures.

Pressing pleats in a skirt will take less time if bobby pins are used
to
hold them in place. They may be left in position while pressing all but
the
hem and then removed to complete the job.

Place a sheet of aluminum foil under your ironing board cover. It will
hold
the heat longer.

Scorch marks may be removed by using a cloth dampened with vinegar.
Place it
over the scorched area and apply a warm iron.

To treat scorch marks on cotton, press with a warm iron on a cloth
dipped in
peroxide.

Stop your iron from sticking by running it back and forth, while hot
over a
piece of paper on which salt has been sprinkled.

When your iron is off and unplugged, use pipe cleaners dipped in sudsy
water
to clean out the steam holes.

Clean a dirty iron bottom with a dampened SOS pad. Then, warm the iron
and
run over a piece of wax paper to restore the shiny finish.

Before you wear a new garment (or even on old ones) touch the center of
each
button, front and back, with clear nail polish. This will seal the
threads
and the buttons will stay on much longer.
Find buttons easily. Sort them by size or color in the compartments of
an
egg carton.

When sewing on a button, especially a large one, place a pin under the
thread at the back of the button. When finished pull out the pin. The
button
has room to move and will last longer.

Sew buttons on children's clothing with dental floss - its much
stronger
than thread.

When removing buttons from a discarded item, sew them together before
storing with your spares. It will save you the time of having to match
buttons later.

Button popped off? For a quick fix, reattach it with the wire from a
twist
tie.

Stop tangled thread. For a single thread, knot and cut from spool last;
and
for double thread, knot each end separately.

Wet your finger before slipping on your sewing thimble. The suction
will
keep the thimble from slipping off.

Always place a used desk blotter under your sewing machine needle when
oiling the machine to keep from soiling thread and material.

To sharpen your sewing machine needle, stitch through a piece of fine
sandpaper.

When elastic that is sewed on a garment becomes worn or stretched, just
baste cord elastic through the worn elastic. Pull it up and knot.

When patching the knees of your gardening jeans, leave the top of each
patch
open like a pocket so that you can slip in pieces of foam rubber or
knee
pads. They will make kneeling more comfortable.

Save old drapery draw cord and use the good portions for replacement
drawstrings in rugby pants and pajamas. Just thread through the
waistband,
using a large safety pin, and make a knot in each end to hold.

Discarded neckties make interesting women's belts when three are
braided
together. Single ties may be opened to serve as a neck kerchief on a
dress
or sweater.

Men's cotton-blend shirts make good coveralls or aprons. Just cut away
the
collar, shorten the sleeves (if long sleeved) and finish the neckline
with
bias tape.

When the feet on men's socks wear out, cut them off at the ankle.
Stitch
along the bottom and use as children's socks.

Using your old quilted housecoat for the inside of a baby quilt makes
use of
a useless housecoat and is an inexpensive light filling for the quilt.

To recycle wrinkled ribbon, run through a warm curling iron.

To wear sheets evenly, place a safety pin in the bottom end of your
sheet.
After every wash, place the safety pin to the other end of the sheet
and
make your bed with that end to the bottom.

When a bed sheet begins to show wear, cut the sheet in half across,
bring
the unhemmed top and bottom ends together and sew them together. Hem
the
center ends with one narrow hem and one wider hem. The worn ends will
be on
the top and bottom of the sheet, making the sheet last a few years
longer.

Recycle old bed sheets by cutting them into pillowcases.

Cotton sheets can be recycled into pillowcases.

Old flannel sheets can be used to make a child's nightgown or pajamas.

Trim old tablecloths into a number of napkins.

Turn two old bath towels into a duvet cover for your cat's bed. Simply
sew
together on three sides like a pillow slip and slide a scrap piece of
fiberglass insulation batting, wrapped in a plastic drycleaner's bag.
The
cover is easy to slide off for laundering.

Baby's receiving blankets can be sewn together to make a special quilt.

Key chains sewed into the collars of children's coats and jackets
provide
strong hangers.

When small children have difficulty zipping their jackets, make it
easier
for them by attaching a key ring to the zipper pull.

To make a child's emergency throwaway apron, take a plastic shopping
bag
with hand holes at the top and cut down one side and across the bottom.
Open
and use as an apron by pinning at the back.

To remove scuff marks from white shoes, rub with dressmaker's chalk and
polish.

Give suede shoes a new look by wiping with a sponge moistened in cool
black
coffee.

A cloth dampened with vinegar will remove grease stains on suede shoes.

Add extra shine to your shoes by putting a couple drops of lemon juice
on
them when polishing.

Furniture polish is an excellent substitute for shoe polish. Spray an
even
coat on the shoes, wipe dry and buff to a shine.

Polish your shoes well once, then when they look dull wipe them with a
soft
cloth dampened with baby oil.

Paint heels of shoes with clear nail polish to prevent scuffing the
finish.

Spray the insides of new running shoes with spray starch and let dry
overnight. The starch will keep the insides clean and keep the runners
fresher for longer.

After washing running shoes, spray with spray starch. This will help
resist
soil.

To dry the inside of children's winter boots or summer rubbers quickly,
put
the hose of the vacuum cleaner into the boot and turn on the blower.

To make children's shoelaces last longer, stitch up and down new laces
with
the sewing machine before putting in shoes.

If your shoelaces are always coming undone, dampen with a spray of
water
before tying.

To renew shoelaces which have lost their plastic tips, dip the ends in
the
nail polish.

If sandals pinch, dab the inside with rubbing alcohol and wear them
immediately. The leather strap will ease a bit over the tight spot.

Kerosene will soften boots and shoes which have become hardened by
water.

Erase water rings on smooth leather boots by brushing spots with a
mixture
of equal parts vinegar and cold water.




**************************************************
1. Budweiser beer conditions the hair

2. Pam cooking spray will dry finger nail polish

3. Cool whip will condition your hair in 15 minutes

4. Mayonnaise will KILL LICE, it will also condition your hair

5. Elmer's Glue - paint on your face, allow it to dry, peel off and see
the
dead skin and blackheads if any

6. Shiny Hair - use brewed Lipton Tea

7. Sunburn - empty a large jar of Nestea into your bath water

8. Minor burn - Colgate or Crest toothpaste

9. Burn your tongue? Put sugar on it!

10. Arthritis? WD-40 Spray and rub in, kill insect stings too

11. Bee stings - m eat tenderizer

12. Chigger bite - Preparation H

13. Puffy eyes - Preparation H

14. Paper cut - crazy glue or chap stick (glue is used instead of
sutures at
most hospitals)

15. Stinky feet - Jello!

16. Athletes feet - cornstarch

17. Fungus on toenails or fingernails - Vicks vapor rub

18. Kool aid to clean dishwasher pipes. Just put in the detergent
section
and run a cycle, it will also clean a toilet. (Wow, and we drink this
stuff)

19. Kool Aid can be used as a dye in paint also Kool Aid in Dannon
plain
yogurt as a finger paint, your kids will love it and it won't hurt them
if
they eat it!

20. Peanut butter - will get scratches out of CD's! Wipe off with a
coffee
filter paper

21. Sticking bicycle chain - Pam no-stick cooking spray

22. Pam will also remove paint, and grease from your hands! Keep a can
in
your garage for your hubby

23. Peanut butter will remove ink from the face of dolls

24. When the doll clothes are hard to put on, sprinkle with corn starch
and
watch them slide on

25. Heavy dandruff - pour on the vinegar !

26.. Body paint - Crisco mixed with food coloring. Heat the Crisco in
the
microwave, pour in to an empty film container and mix with the food
color of
your choice!

27. Tie Dye T-shirt - mix a solution of Kool Aid in a container, tie a
rubber band around a section of the T-shirt and soak

28. Preserving a newspaper clipping - large bottle of club soda and cup
of
milk of magnesia , soak for 20 min. and let dry, will last for many
years!

29. A Slinky will hold toast and CD's!

30. To keep goggles and glasses from fogging, coat with Colgate
toothpaste

31. Wine stains, pour on the Morton salt and watch it absorb into the
salt.

32. To remove wax - Take a paper towel and iron it over the wax stain,
it
will absorb into the towel.

33. Remove labels off glassware etc. rub with Peanut butter !

34. Baked on food - fill container with water, get a sheet of Bounce
fabric
softener
and the static from the Bounce towel will cause the
baked on food to adhere to it. Soak overnight.
Also; you can use 2 Efferdent tablets , soak overnight!

35. Crayon on the wall - Colgate toothpaste and brush it!

36. Dirty grout - Listerine

37. Stains on clothes - Colgate

38. Grass stains - Karo Syrup

39. Grease Stains - Coca Cola , it will also remove grease stains from
the
driveway overnight. We know it will take corrosion from car batteries!

40. Fleas in your carpet? 20 Mule Team Borax - sprinkle and let stand
for 24
hours. Maybe this will work if you get them back again.

41. To keep FRESH FLOWERS longer Add a little Clorox , or 2 Bayer
aspirin ,
or just use 7-up instead of water.

42. When you go to buy bread in the grocery store, have you ever
wondered
which is the freshest, so you "squeeze" for freshness or softness? Did
you
know that bread is delivered fresh to the stores five days a week?
Monday,
Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Each day has a different color
twist
tie They are:

Monday = Blue,
Tuesday = Green,
Thursday = Red,
Friday = White, and
Saturday = Yellow.

So if today was Thursday, you would want red twist tie; not white which
is
Fridays (almost a week old)! The colors go alphabetically by color Blue
-
Green - Red - White - Yellow, Monday through Saturday. Very easy to
remember
I thought this was interesting. I looked in the grocery store and the
bread
wrappers DO have different twist ties, and even the ones with the
plastic
clips have different colors. You learn something new everyday! Enjoy
fresh
bread when you buy bread with the right color on the day you are
shopping.

[SewCrafty]

Great tips!

[momof42003]

Wow, thanks soo much for all those great tips...

[homesteadmamma]

Great tips.

[Dedlered]

Thanks!!!

[baxjul]

Thanks!

[pollypurebred39]

Wow! Thanks

[craftypam]

When cross stitching they say to soak dark and bright colors in vinegar to keep from running; I'm sure you can use the same thing to soak bright colored clothes. I have also found that if you wash and dry something with a grease stain you can put shampoo on it and scrub it in and the grease stain comes out.