• HINTS AND HELPS

    For preschool youngsters who like to write with pen and ink, fill a fountain pen with a weak solution of bluing. Stains on clothing will come out in the wash, while children gain experience with grownup writing tools.

    In making fudge, add a teaspoon of cornstarch to each cup of sugar and the candy will be smooth and creamy.

    An enjoyable way to use leftover mashed potatoes is to form balls of potatoes around cubes of cheese, place the balls in your broiler, and broil them until they are golden brown.

    Next time you make out your grocery list, do it on the front of an envelope and you'll have a handy pocket in which to carry redeemable coupons.

    When in a hurry to have clothing dampened for ironing, use a clean Windex bottle with spray top. Partly fill with warm water (it works best) and spray articles; you can iron immediately.

    When buying material for print house dresses, buy an extra yard for a matching apron.

    If you send a lot of birthday and greeting cards, address all the cards for the entire month, and in the corner where the stamp goes, mark the date. Then a day or two before it's time to mail them, add the stamp which covers the marking.

    A broken shoe lace seems the most useless thing in the world, however, save them to use as replacements for the loops on the neck of men's suits and coats.

    When you remove good buttons from discarded garments, tie them on a string or string them on a safety pin, before dropping into the button jar. They are then already sorted when you choose to use them again.

    Here's one for the you "do it yourselfers": When painting your walls, dip a white blotter in the paint. It will dry the same color as the walls, and you can carry it in your purse as a sample for matching fabrics, etc.

    Small cracks and chipped places in your kitchen linoleum can be easily repaired by melting a wax crayon into them, using colors to match.

    Have you figured out how to keep a man's shirt sleeves off the floor when ironing? If not just button the sleeves together.

    A teaspoon of vinegar beaten into a boiled frosting when flavoring is added, will insure a non brittle frosting and one that will cut smoothly.

    When watering house plants that hang close to the wall, try dropping one or two ice cubes into the pot. It saves water dripping on the wall.

    When cutting your small daughter's bangs, attach a strip of cellophane tape as a guide line. Cut just above it, and most loose hair will stick to it.

    For an attractive pattern on cookies, use the side of your steak hammer marked with small squares when flattening balls of cookie dough. Sometimes the bottoms of jars and glasses will do the same.

    ********************************************* 
 
THE BEST WAY OF GETTING RID OF MOSQUITO'S IS LISTERINE, THE ORIGINAL MEDICINAL TYPE.  THE DOLLAR STORE TYPE WORKS TOO.

I WAS AT A DECK PARTY A WHILE BACK, AND THE BUGS WERE HAVING A BALL BITING EVERYONE.   A MAN AT THE PARTY  SPRAYED THE LAWN AND DECK FLOOR WITH LISTERINE, AND THE LITTLE DEMONS DISAPPEARED.

THE NEXT YEAR, I FILLED A 4 OZ. SPRAY BOTTLE AND USED IT AROUND MY SEAT WHENEVER I SAW MOSQUITO'S, AND VOILA, THAT WORKED AS WELL.  IT WORKED AT A PICNIC WHERE WE SPRAYED THE AREA AROUND THE FOOD TABLE, THE CHILDREN'S SWING AREA, AND THE STANDING WATER NEARBY.
 
DURING THE SUMMER, I DON'T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT IT.  BELIEVE ME, THOSE LITTLE BLOOD SUCKERS LOVE MY BLOOD.  I WAS ALWAYS THE FIRST TO GET BIT AT A GATHERING.
SENT BY JEANETTE GARKO and AL and ANN FETHEROLF
 

If you use a disposable camera, when you take your film in to be
developed  ask / tell the clerk you want the old batteries ..  Most
places will let you have the batteries back. These run a "game boy"
nicely, or yes, your clocks etc for a long time. There is a lot  of life
left in those batteries.  And you paid for them to begin with anyway.

Tip-from Cari Staron, Montoursville, Pennsylvania

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Simple Formula - Cockroaches no more

by: Junji Takano

30 - 40 years ago, I was living in Habikino City in Osaka where people were getting ready for progress. Majority of the people of Habikino City were poor farmers, thus, a lot of cockroaches were everywhere; even drainage pipes under the roads were filled with roaches, rats and other harmful insects.

However, can you believe that roaches suddenly disappeared from the city? Citizen groups in the city organized the entire population to join the "Cockroach Eradication Movement" with the help of city government and other big corporations for financial assistance.

It was a simple wisdom of an old folk who found a formula that can eradicate roaches in a matter of 3 days to a week. Since then, for more than 20 years we had a clean city and no roaches.

Later, the city became rich in industries. They grow vegetables even inside buildings (hydroponics). Because of the progress in producing vegetables, many young people from outside the city came to look for work. Suddenly, the city became a mammoth rich city crowded with the growing population. This population growth turned the city into the highest income town, as well as multiplied roaches in Osaka.

Now, young Habikino people never remembered the old forgotten way on how to eradicate roaches.

Here is the simple recipe that you can make in your own kitchen with ingredients costing a few dollars and that can last for a couple of years:
  1. Boric acid (powdered form) = (8.8 oz.)
  2. Onion liquefied (without water) in a blender = (7 oz.)
  3. Starch = (0.7 oz.)
  4. Wheat flour (bread and cake purpose) = (0.7 oz.)
  5. Powdered milk = (5 tsp.)
  6. Sugar = (1 oz.)
  • Place all the above ingredients into a plastic bowl, and then mix them well.
  • Place an old newspaper on the floor, either on your yard or in the garage and pour all the wet ingredients onto it and let it sit the whole night.
  • In the morning, you will find that it has dried up somewhat to the point where you can make a small fingernail-sized balls from it. You can place these balls under the sink, around the drainage pipes, in your garage, storage areas or wherever cockroaches live.

In a matter of three days to a week, you won't see cockroaches anymore.
So where did they go?
They are no longer in your house.
They will be dehydrated by boric acid.
They will be dried up. Try it.
A dollar can keep your home free from roaches. I myself do not have any roaches in my house for so many years.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
JURY DUTY SCAM:
This has been verified by the FBI (their link is also included below).
Please pass this on to everyone in your email address book. It is
spreading fast so be prepared should you get this call. Most of us take
summons for jury duty seriously, but enough people skip out on their civic
duty, that a new and ominous kind of scam has surfaced.
 
The caller claims to be a jury coordinator. If you protest that you never
received a summons for jury duty, the scammer asks you
for your Social Security number and date of birth so he or she can verify
the information and cancel the arrest warrant.
 
Give out any of this information and bingo; your identity just got stolen.
The scam has been reported so far in 11 states, including Oklahoma,
Illinois, and Colorado. This (scam) is particularly insidious because
they use intimidation over the phone to try to bully people into giving
information by pretending they're with the court system.
 
The FBI and the federal court system have issued
nationwide alerts on their web sites,  
warning consumers about the fraud.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
Household hints:
 
1. When your hands are badly stained from gardening, add a teaspoon of sugar to the soapy lather you wash them in.
 
2. Before emptying the bag of your vacuum cleaner, sprinkle water on the newspaper into which it is emptied, and there will be no scattering of dust.
 
3. To whiten laces, wash them in sour milk.
 
4. Dip a new broom in hot salt water before using. This will toughen the bristles and make it last longer.
 
5. Try waxing your ashtrays. Ashes won't cling, odors won't linger and they can be wiped clean with a paper towel or disposable tissue. This saves daily washing.
 
6. Plant a few sprigs of dill near your tomato plants to prevent tomato worms on your plants.
 
7. Marigolds will prevent rodents.
 
8. Spray garbage sacks with ammonia to prevent dogs from tearing the bags before picked up.
 
9. You can clean darkened aluminum pans easily by boiling in them two (2) teaspoons of cream of tartar mixed in a quart of water. Ten (10) minutes
 
will do it.
 
10. Soak colored cottons overnight in strong salt water and they will not
 
fade.
 
11. To dry drip-dry garments faster and with few wrinkles, hang garment over the top of a dry cleaner's bag.
 
12. If a cracked dish is boiled for 45 minutes in sweet milk, the crack will be so welded together that it will hardly be visible, and will be so strong it will stand the same usage as before.
 
13. Potatoes soaked in salt water for 20 minutes before baking will bake more rapidly.
 
14. Sweet potatoes will not turn dark if put in salted water (5 teaspoons to 1 quart of water) immediately after peeling.
 
15. Let raw potatoes stand in cold water for at least 1/2 hour before frying to improve the crispness of French fried potatoes.
 
16. A few drips of lemon juice in the water will whiten boiled potatoes.
 sent by Jeanette Garko
 
A Cheap Way to Raise Your HDL Cholesterol


You may know that I'm not nearly as concerned about cholesterol as most doctors. Most studies now show that it's not how high your cholesterol is that matters, it's how well your body handles it. The best way to determine how well your body handles cholesterol is to look at your HDL number. HDL is the "good" cholesterol. The higher it is, the better your body handles cholesterol. So how can you get your HDL up?

Most people I talk to have tried drugs. Few of the petrochemicals work, and almost all of them have terrible side effects. Others have tried supplements, such as niacin, policosanol, and guggul.

For some people, this is a great way to improve your cholesterol. But many still struggle to raise their HDL. If you fit into that group, I've got great news for you: You can raise your HDL for less than $1 a day. And there are no side effects.

All you have to do is drink cranberry juice. A study on a group of at-risk men (i.e., men with excess abdominal fat) found that just eight ounces of cranberry juice each day improved the hard to raise HDL by 8.6%. More juice was not necessarily more effective. There were no changes in LDL or total cholesterol. But the rise in HDL cholesterol is significant. HDL is the freight train that can carry unwanted cholesterol (LDL) from your arteries back to your liver for elimination. The scientists believe that the bioflavonoids (polyphenols) in the juice were responsible for the effects.

If you compare these results to statins, you see how important this finding is. Most statins won't raise HDL. So drug companies are rushing to find a drug that does raise HDL. Unfortunately, success is limited. In fact, Pfizer just pulled its newest drug off the market because it was killing people. I've never heard of anyone dying from cranberry juice.
SENT BY JOHN AND RUTH CHEREVKA, BRENTWOOD, PENNSYLVANIA

            Reheat Pizza

Heat up leftover pizza in a non-stick skillet on top of the stove,set heat to med-low and heat till warm. This keeps the crust crispy

No more soggy micro pizza. I saw this on the cooking channel and it really works

Easy Deviled Eggs

Put cooked egg yolks in a zip lock bag. Seal, mash till they are all broken up. Add remainder of ingredients, reseal, keep mashing it up mixing thoroughly, cut the tip of the baggy, squeeze mixture into egg. Just throw bag away when done... easy clean up

Expanding Frosting

When you buy a container of cake frosting from the store, whip it with your mixer for a few minutes. You can double it in size You get to frost more cake/cupcakes with the same amount. You also eat less sugar/calories per serving

Reheating refrigerated bread

To warm biscuits, pancakes, or muffins that were refrigerated,place them in a microwave with a cup of water. The increased moisture will keep the food moist and help it reheat faster

Newspaper weeds away

Start putting in your plants; work the nutrients in your soil Wet newspapers put layers around the plants overlapping as you go cover with mulch and forget about weeds. Weeds will get through some gardening plastic they will not get through wet newspapers

Broken Glass

Use a dry cotton ball to pick up little broken glass pieces of glass- the fibers catch ones you can't see!

No More Mosquitoes

Place a dryer sheet in your pocket. It will keep the mosquitoes away

Squirrel Away!

To keep squirrels from eating your plants sprinkle your plants with cayenne pepper. The cayenne pepper doesn't hurt the plant and the squirrels won't come near it

MINE!!!!!

If you purchase a new bike for your child, place their picture inside the handle bar before placing the grips on. If the bike is stolen and later recovered, remove the grip and there is your proof of who owns the bike

Flexible vacuum

To get something out of a heat register or under the fridge add an empty paper towel roll or empty gif wrap roll to your vacuum It can be bent or flattened to get in narrow openings

Reducing Static Cling

Pin a small safety pin to the seam of your slip and you will not have a clingy skirt or dress. Same thing works with slacks that cling when wearing panty hose. Place pin in seam of slacks and-voila - static is gone

Measuring Cups

Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill it with hot water. Dump out the hot water, but don't dry the cup. Next,add your ingredient, such as peanut butter, and watch how easily it comes right out

Foggy Windshield

Hate foggy windshields? Buy a chalkboard eraser and keep it in the glove box of your car. When the windows fog, rub with the eraser! Works better than a cloth!

If you seal an envelope and then realize you forgot to include something inside, just place your sealed envelope in the freezer for an hour or two. Voila! It unseals easily

Conditioner

Use your hair conditioner to shave your legs. It's a lot cheaper than shaving cream and leaves your legs really smooth. It's also a great way to use up the conditioner you bought but didn't like when you tried it in your hair

Goodbye Fruit Flies

To get rid of pesky fruit flies, take a small glass fill it 1/2" with Apple Cider Vinegar and 2 drops of dishwashing liquid,mix well. You will find those flies drawn to the cup and gone forever!

Get Rid of Ants

Put small piles of cornmeal where you see ants. They eat it,take it "home," & can't digest it so it kills them. It may take a week or so, esp. if it rains, but it works & you don't have the worry about pets or small children being harmed!

Take baby powder to the beach

Keep a small bottle of baby powder in your beach bag. When your ready to leave the beach sprinkle yourself and kids with the powder and the sand will slide right off your skin
Sent by Etta Katocs, Fall City, Washington. 


 
 

HOUSEHOLD HINTS

These helpful hints were included with the recipes in a cookbook published in 1918.  

To Scald Milk. Put in top of double boiler, having water boiling in under part. Cover, and let stand on top of range until milk around edge of double boiler has a beadlike appearance.


To Extract Juice from Onion. Cut a slice from root end of onion, draw back the skin, and press onion on a coarse grater, working with a rotary motion.

To Shell Chestnuts. Cut a half-inch gash on flat sides and put in an omelet pan, allowing one-half teaspoon butter to each cup chestnuts. Shake over range until butter is melted. Put in oven and let stand five minutes. Remove from oven, and with a small knife take off shells. By this method shelling and blanching is accomplished at the same time, as skins adhere to shells.


Mixed Mustard. Mix two tablespoons mustard (a spice, not French's!) and one teaspoon sugar, add hot water gradually until of the consistency of a thick paste. Vinegar may be used in place of water.


To Prevent Salt from Lumping. Mix with corn-starch, allowing one teaspoon corn-starch to six teaspoons salt.


After Broiling or Frying, if any fat has spattered on range, wipe surface at once with newspaper.



To prevent Glassware from being easily broken, put in a kettle of cold water, heat gradually until water has reached boiling-point. Set aside; when water is cold take out glass. This is a most desirable way to toughen lamp chimneys.



Tie Strands of a New Broom closely together, put into a pail of boiling water, and soak two hours. Dry thoroughly before using

In Sweeping Carpets, keep broom close to floor and work with the grain of the carpet. Occasionally turn broom that it may wear evenly.

Before Sweeping Old Carpets, sprinkle with pieces of newspaper wrung out of water. After sweeping, wipe over with a cloth wrung out of a weak solution of ammonia water, which seems to brighten colors.


Before using a new Iron Kettle, grease inside and outside, and let stand forty-eight hours; then wash in hot water in which a large lump of cooking soda has been dissolved.


To keep an Ice Chest in good condition, wash thoroughly once a week with cold or lukewarm water in which washing soda has been dissolved. If by chance anything is spilt in an ice chest, it should be wiped off at once.
Milk and butter very quickly absorb odors, and if in ice chest with other foods, should be kept closely covered.

Hard Wood Floors and Furniture may be polished by using a small quantity of kerosene oil applied with a woolen cloth, then rubbing with a clean woolen cloth. A very good furniture polish is made by using equal parts linseed oil and turpentine.

Aren't you glad you live in 2006? 





his is from a subscriber: automobile keyless entry.

    "When traveling, especially in tourist and/or busy parking
areas (e.g., malls), NEVER lock your car with the remote.  Use
the key or lock the door with the button.  Thieves are getting
high-tech, and apparently are able to 'read' your lock code when
you lock your car with the remote and determine the unlock
sequence.  When you're gone, they unlock your car and rifle
through your car while you're out shopping. 

    "We found this out the hard way last week in Victoria BC. 
Parked our 2004 Subaru Forester on the street; locked with the
remote; went to eat (about an hour and a half) and returned to
find the contents of the glove box strewn about on the seat --
nothing taken from there -- and my wife's red carry bag scattered
on the back seat with her new digital camera missing. 

    "There was no visible signs of entry (e.g., 'slim jim' leaves
a mark on the window rubber.)  They probably spent all of 30
seconds inside the car.  They didn't get into the covered
'trunk' area, where I had my camera.

    "A conversation later with the Subaru parts guy said he had
heard of thieves doing this.  He didn't know how they do it, but
that using laptops they can decode the lock/unlock sequence.  I
haven't been able to find much on the web about this; it looks
like some makes are more susceptible than others.

    "Moral: In busy, public places, don't use the remote to lock
your car. And, of course, make sure that nothing of value is
visible."

SPEAK WITH  A PROFESSIONAL, DOCTOR, DENTIST, COSMOTOLOGIST, ETC.  BEFORE TRYING ANY TIPS ON THIS WEB PAGE RELATED TO USE ON YOURSELF.

LEARN ALL ABOUT TORNADOES AND HOW TO PROTECT
YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY AT THIS LINK:
http://whyfiles.org/013tornado/3.html

    ATTORNEY'S ADVICE -- NO CHARGE Read this and make a copy for your files in
case you need to refer to it someday. Maybe we should alll take some of
his advice!

A corporate attorney sent the following out to the employees in his
company.

1. The next time you order checks have only your initials (instead of
first name) and last name put on them. If someone takes your checkbook,
they will not know if you sign your checks with just your initials or your
first name, but your bank will know how you sign your checks.

2. Do not sign the back of your credit cards. Instead, put "PHOTO ID
REQUIRED".

3. When you are writing checks to pay on your credit card accounts, DO NOT
put the complete account number on the "For" line. Instead, just put the
last four numbers. The credit card company knows the rest of the number,
and anyone who might be handling your check as it passes through all the
check processing channels won't have access to it.

4. Put your work phone # on your checks instead of your home phone. If you
have a POBox use that instead of your home address. If you do not have a
PO Box, use your work address. Never have your SS# printed on your checks.
(DUH!) You can add it if it is necessary. But if you have it printed,
anyone can get it.

5. Place the contents of your wallet on a photocopy machine. Do both sides
of each license, credit card, etc. You will know what you had in your
wallet and all of the account numbers and phone numbers to call and
cancel. Keep the photocopy in a safe place. I also carry a photocopy of my
passport when I travel either here or abroad. We've all heard horror
stories about fraud that's committed on us in stealing a name, address,
Social Security number, credit cards.
Unfortunately, I, an attorney, have firsthand knowledge because my wallet
was stolen last month. Within a week, the thieve(s) ordered an expensive
monthly cell phone package, applied for a VISA credit card, had a credit
line approved to buy a Gateway computer, received a PIN number from DMV to
change my driving record information online, and more. But here's some
critical information to limit the damage in case this happens to you or
someone you know:

1. We have been told we should cancel our credit cards immediately. But
the key is having the toll free numbers and your card numbers handy so you
know whom to call. Keep those where you can find them.

2. File a police report immediately in the jurisdiction where your credit
cards, etc., were stolen. This proves to credit providers you were
diligent, and this is a first step toward an investigation
(if there ever is one).

But here's what is perhaps most important of all : (I neve r even thought
to do this.)

3. Call the 3 national credit reporting organizations immediately to place
a fraud alert on your name and Social Security number. I had never heard
of doing that until advised by a bank that called to tell me an application
for credit was made over the Internet in my name. The alert means any
company that checks your credit knows your information was stolen, and
they have to contact you by phone to authorize new credit.

By the time I was advised to do this, almost two weeks after the theft,
all the damage had been done. There are records of all the credit checks
initiated by the thieves' purchases, none of which I knew about before
placing the alert. Since then, no additional damage has been done, and the
thieves threw my wallet away This weekend (someone turned it in). It seems
to have stopped them dead in their tracks.

Now, here are the numbers you always need to contact about your wallet,
etc., has been stolen:
1.) Equifax: 1-800-525-6285
2.) Experian (formerly TRW): 1-888-397-3742
3.) Trans Union: 1-800-680-7289
4.) Social Security Administration (fraud line): 1-800-269-0271



Just a warning...

A woman said her son found his license plate missing so she called the
police to file a report. They told him people were stealing the plates
to get free gas. Given the rise in gas prices, people have taken to
stealing license plates, putting them on their car, then getting gas and
running. The gas station will have "your" license plate # and you could
be in trouble for "pump and run." Check your car periodically to be sure
you still have a plate. If you should find it missing, file a report
immediately!!!


Subject: Alarm system:

 Here's a good tip that I got from a friend who got the tip from a 
neighborhood watch coordinator.

 "When someone is trying to get into your house, or if you hear a noise 
outside your house," keep your car keys next to your bed on the night 
stand and just press the panic alarm on your car. It will go off from 
most everywhere inside your house and keep honking until your battery 
runs down or until you reset it with the button on the key chain.

SENT BY LOU BUFALINI

ALSO...RECHARGE YOUR CELL PHONE OVERNIGHT IN YOUR BEDROOM...ON THE DRESSER...NOT ON THE BED.  THAT WAY IF SOMEONE CUTS YOUR PHONE
LINE, YOU CAN STILL DIAL 911 SHOULD YOU HEAR SOMEONE TRYING
TO BREAK INTO YOUR HOME.  DON'T CONFRONT THE INTRUDER...
PUSH A LARGE PIECE OF FURNITURE IN FRONT OF THE BEDROOM DOOR
AND REMAIN IN THE BEDROOM.  THE INTRUDER COULD BE ARMED AND
YOU COULD BE KILLED OR INJURED TRYING TO 'DEFEND' YOUR HOME.
NO POSSESSION IS WORTH YOUR LIFE. 


*******************************************************


Freeze Potato Chips

How many times have you bought potato chips, opened them, and the next time you reach for them they've gotten old? With the price of potato chips these days being what they are, I've found that freezing the opened bags keeps them fresh. I also freeze the unopened bags and they last for months.
  Go to your local $ 1.00 store and buy a pack of shower caps. I believe you get 10 in a package. They can replace plastic wrap and bowl covers very cheaply. Works in the microwave and can be tossed in the washing machine. --Etta Katocs, Falls City, Washington


 • Use a strand of uncooked spaghetti to test a cake for doneness when a toothpick isn’t long enough, or if you don’t have any toothpicks in the house.
 
• Use a hot knife blade for cutting fresh breads and a wet one for cutting soft cakes.
 
• Try dampening a cloth with club soda to clean stainless steel appliances. This method will clean without leaving spots or streaks.
 
• Metal cookie cutters double up nicely as unique napkin holders for special dinners. If you want, spray paint them to match the decor.
 
• To help stop meatloaf from sticking to the pan, put one or two strips of bacon in the pan before the meatloaf.
 
• Remove adhesive from stickers on glass by rubbing vegetable oil with a soft cloth or paper towel, then wash.
 
• Stuff newspaper in shoes - the paper absorbs odor and perspiration - also keeps shoe shape.
 
• Foggy mirror? A blow-dryer will clear it!
 
• Frozen fish can be thawed in a small amount of milk in the refrigerator. This eliminates any fishy taste.
 
• To get the correct measurement of shredded cheese, pack lightly into a dry measuring cup. Do not pack tightly.
 
• Pan size is measured from the top, not the bottom.
 
• Put used steel wool scrubbing pads in a plastic bag and store in the freezer to help prevent rust.
 
• Trouble putting the lid on a plastic container? Run the lid under hot water for 20-30 seconds and it will close easily.
 
• Fruit will be more flavorful if ripened at room temperature, then put in the refrigerator.
 
• Glass tabletops will sparkle if you rub gently with lemon juice or with vinegar, then dry with paper towels and polished with newspapers.
 
• Substitute for sour cream - mix 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 cup cottage cheese, 1/3 cup buttermilk. Blend in a blender or food processor for 2 minutes.
 
• One lemon will yield about 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 tablespoons of juice.
 
• To cut dried fruits, marshmallows or gumdrops, dip kitchen scissors frequently into hot water.
 
• A medium-size clove of garlic equals 1/8 teaspoon of garlic powder.
 
• You get twice the amount of orange juice from a orange, if you hold it under hot water before you squeeze.
 
• Moisten stained spots with a mixture of lemon juice and salt, then spread the item in the sun for bleaching; finally, rinse and dry. Follow up by laundering as usual.
 
• You'll be surprised by the improvements in ironing that a little bit of salt will make. A dash of salt in the laundry starch keeps the iron from sticking and gives linens and fine cottons a glossy, brand-new finish.
 

  • Popcorn left in the cupboard? Place 1/4 cup of popcorn in a brown paper lunch bag. Fold the top over a few times. Place paper on its side and microwave on high until the popping slows.
 
• Brew your coffee with bottled spring water; you will have better tasting coffee and no mineral deposits.
 
• To slice meat into thin strips, as for Chinese dishes, partially freeze and it will slice easily.
 
• A roast with the bone in will cook faster than a boneless roast. The bone carries the heat to the inside of the roast more quickly.
 
• A fork should never be stuck in meat while frying or grilling as it punctures the meat and lets the juices out. Use tongs.
 
• Instant potatoes are a good thickening for stews.
 
• Juicier burgers: add one stiffly beaten egg white to each pound of hamburger. You could also make patties with one tablespoon of cottage cheese in the center.
 
• Bacon that has been fried and drained can be frozen in foil; reheat in toaster oven to crisp.
 
• Dip your fingers in water to prevent meatballs from sticking to your hands.
 
• If the drawstring of your sweat pants keeps slipping through the casing, try this easy solution: Sew a medium-size button on each end of the drawstring and it won't slip through again.
 
• Baking powder will remove tea or coffee stains from china pots or cups.
 
• Anything that grows under the ground, start off in cold water - potatoes, beets, carrots, etc. Anything that grows above ground, start off in boiling water - English peas, greens, beans, etc.
 
• Canned cream soups make excellent sauces for vegetables, fish, etc. Celery with lobster, black bean or onion with cauliflower, tomato with lamb chops.
 
• Use vinegar and hot water to clean dried on insects off the windshield. Doesn't leave any film.
 
• Keep disposable wipes in your car. Clean up spills, dirty hands and they keep the inside smelling nice.
 
• When moving to a new location, unpack your computer and let it stand at room temperature before using.
 
• Yellowed perspiration stains can really ruin T-shirts and dress shirts. Add 4 tablespoons salt to 1 quart hot water, and sponge the fabric with the solution until stains disappear.
 
• Moths will be repelled by strong smelling mothballs. However, herbs will do the same thing and smell better. Lavender, wormwood, cedar or patchouli along with a small amount of rosemary, cinnamon, cloves or tansy will work well. Mix any combination and place in the toe of a used stocking. Tie open end and hang in closet or place in a drawer.
 
• Moths do not eat wool - they eat the food stains and perspiration left on clothes or blankets. Keep wool items clean and stored in sealed plastic bags or containers.
 
• Bloodstains can be among the toughest stains to remove from clothing and fabrics. Soak the stained clothing or cloth in cold saltwater, then launder in warm, soapy water.
E-mailed by Marsha. 

No More Slow Drains

Here is a simple, economical and eco-friendly way to prevent slow drains. Just pour 1/4 cup baking soda into the problematic drain, then add one cup of hot vinegar. Let this mixture sit in the drain for about 15 minutes, then flush with hot water. Use this trick every week as preventative maintenance on your drains.

  
THINGS  TO  KNOW

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

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 - meat 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 - Jell-O!

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 Bounce paper 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. 
E-mailed by Catherine Rosi

A 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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To remove old wax from a glass candle holder, put it in the freezer for a few hours. Then take the candle holder out and turn it upside down. The wax will fall out.
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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 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? LOL
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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 stovetop.

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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, ants, 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.

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

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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.

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

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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).

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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.



 Instant Storm Windows!

My husband went to Home Depot and had clear Plexiglass custom
cut (free of charge) to the exact dimensions of the insets on
our window frames. Simply tape them inside with clear two-
inch packaging tape. The taping seals out all drafts.

Taping allows for easy removal in the spring. Once removed,
the Plexiglass sheets can be labeled to identify which window
the Plexiglass fits for next winter's use. They can be used
over and over again. Storage is easy and takes little or no
room. We plan to store them lying down, flat, so they don't
bend or crack. This small investment will go a long way in
saving heat and money.


Sixty Uses Of Salt (technically called Sodium Chloride)
Although you may not realize it, simple table salt has a great
number of uses other than simply seasoning your food. The following list will
give you >sixty uses of salt, many of which you probably didn't
realize:
 
1. Soak stained hankies in salt water before washing.
2.Sprinkle salt on your shelves to keep ants away.
 
3. Soak fish in salt water before de-scaling; the scales will come off
easier.
 4. Put a few grains of rice in your salt shaker for easier pouring.
5. Add salt to green salads to prevent wilting.
6. Test the freshness of eggs in a cup of salt water; fresh eggs sink; bad
ones float.
 7. Add a little salt to your boiling water when cooking eggs; a cracked egg
will stay in its shell this way.
8. A tiny pinch of salt with egg whites makes them beat up
fluffier.
9. Soak wrinkled apples in a mildly salted water solution to
perk them up.
 10. Rub salt on your pancake griddle and your flapjacks
won't stick.
 11. Soak toothbrushes in salt water before you first use
them; they will last longer.
 12. Use salt to clean your discolored coffee pot.
13. Mix salt with turpentine to whiten you bathtub and toilet
bowl.
14. Soak your nuts in salt brine overnight and they will crack out
of their shells whole. Just tap the end of the shell with a hammer to break
it open easily.
15. Boil clothespins in salt water before using them
and they will last longer.

16.. Clean brass, copper and pewter with paste made of salt and
 vinegar, thickened with flour.
17. Add a little salt to the water your cut flowers will stand in for a
longer life.
18.  Pour a mound of salt on a fresh ink stain on a carpet and let thesalt soak up
the stain.
19. Clean you iron by rubbing some salt on the
damp cloth on the ironing surface.
20. Adding a little salt to the
water when cooking foods in a double
 boiler will make the food cook
faster.
21. Use a mixture of salt and lemon juice to clean piano
keys.
 22. To fill plaster holes in your walls, use equal parts of salt
and starch, with just enough water to make a stiff putty.
 23. Rinse a sore eye with a little salt water. ASK YOUR EYE DOCTOR FIRST. 
24. Mildly salted water makes an effective mouthwash. Use it
hot for a sore throat gargle.
25. Dry salt sprinkled on your toothbrush makes a good tooth polisher.
26. Use salt for killing weeds in your lawn.
27. Eliminate excess suds with a sprinkle of salt.
28. A dash of salt in warm milk makes a more relaxing
beverage.
29. Before using new glasses, soak them in warm salty water for
awhile.
30. A dash of salt enhances the taste of tea.
31. Salt improves the taste of cooking apples.
32. Soak your clothes line in salt water to prevent your clothes from
freezing to the line; likewise, use salt in your final rinse to prevent the
clothes from freezing.
33. Rub any >wicker furniture you may have with salt water to
prevent yellowing.
34. Freshen sponges by soaking them in salt >water.
35. Add raw potatoes to stews and soups that are too
salty.
36. Soak enamel pans in salt water overnight and boil salt water
in them next day to remove burned-on stains.
37. Clean your greens in salt water for easier removal of dirt.
38. Gelatin sets more quickly when a dash of salt is added.
39. Fruits put in mildly salted water after peeling will not discolor.
40. Fabric colors hold fast in salty water wash.
41. Milk stays fresh longer when a little salt is added.
42. Use equal parts of salt and soda for brushing your teeth.
43. Sprinkle salt in your oven before scrubbing clean.
44. Soaked discolored glass in a salt and vinegar solution to remove stains.
45. Clean greasy pans with a paper towel and salt.
46. Salty water boils faster when cooking eggs.
47. Add a pinch of salt to whipping cream to make it whip more
quickly.
48. Sprinkle salt in milk-scorched pans to remove odor.
49. A dash of salt improves the taste of coffee.
50. Boil mismatched hose in salty water and they will come out matched.
51. Salt and soda will sweeten the odor of your refrigerator.
52. Cover >wine-stained fabric with salt; rinse in cool water later.
53. Remove offensive odors from stove with salt and cinnamon.
54. A pinch of salt improves the flavor of cocoa.
55. To remove grease stains in clothing, mix one part salt to four parts
alcohol.
56. Salt and lemon juice removes mildew.
 57. Sprinkle salt between sidewalk bricks where you don't
want grass growing.
58. Polish your old kerosene lamp with salt for a
brighter look.
59. Remove odors from sink drainpipes with a strong, hot
solution of salt water.
 60. If a pie bubbles over in your oven, put a
handful of salt on top of the spilled juice. The mess won't smell and will
bake into a dry, light crust that will wipe off easily when the oven has
cooled.
From Jim Worthington, Mc Keesport, PA
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It could save your life! 

Paramedics will turn to a victim's cell phone for clues to that person’s identity. You can make their job much easier with a simple idea that they are trying to get everyone to adopt: ICE.

ICE stands for In Case of Emergency. If you add an entry in the contacts list in your cell phone under ICE, with the name and phone no. (both work and home) of the person that the emergency services should call on your behalf, you can save them a lot of time and have your loved ones contacted quickly. It only takes a few moments of your time to do.

Paramedics know what ICE means and they look for it immediately. ICE your cell phone NOW!

Please pass this along.
E-mailed by Alene Bednar
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Bounce this around! 
Now this is worth forwarding!

Great Tip....Who woulda thought?
My mail carrier told me that the US Postal service sent out a message to all letter carriers to put a sheet of Bounce in their uniform pockets to keep yellow jackets away.

Use them all the time when playing baseball and soccer. I use it when I am working outside. It really works. The yellow jackets just veer around you. And all this time you've just been putting Bounce in the dryer!

It will chase ants away when you lay a sheet near them.

It also repels mice. Spread them around founda