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House Tips and Hints
House Cleaning Suggestions
Cooking Tips
May 3
To easily remove honey from a measuring spoon, first coat the spoon
with nonstick cooking spray!
To keep potatoes from budding, place an apple in the bag
with the potatoes.
Use instant potato flakes to thicken gravy, chowders,
soups and stews!
Sour Cream will also last longer if you store it upside
down!
For a cake flour substitute, use 2 tablespoons of
cornstarch plus enough flour to equal one cup.
For a self rising flour substitute, use 1 cup all-purpose flour + 1-1/2
teaspoons baking powder + 1/2 teaspoon salt.
To quickly use that frozen juice concentrate, simply mash
it with a potato masher. No need to wait for it to thaw!
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. The skillet will be much easier to clean now!
When a cake recipe calls for flouring the baking pan, use a bit of the dry
cake mix instead, No white mess on the outside of the cake!
If you accidentally over-salt a dish while it's still cooking, drop in a
peeled potato. It absorbs the excess salt for an instant "fix me up"!
When boiling corn on the cob, add a pinch of sugar to help bring out the
corns natural sweetness!
Test baking soda or powder by adding a teaspoonful of water to it. If it
fizzles, it's still good.
Susan
May 2
RE: Wrinkled Sheers
To Maria from Long Island, 4/30 Newsletter: Maria, what I would try is to
rinse them in the washing machine and dry them in the dryer, one panel at
a time. Watch closely because they should dry pretty fast and you don't
want them to wrinkle again. Good Luck - Barbara in AL
May 2
Wrinkles In Sheers: I just wash mine and hang them up damp. If they
are too wet, I hang them over a towel rack in the shower until the dry
enough to stop dripping water -- then I put them on the curtain rod at the
window to let them continue drying. Wait until they are dry to hang up any
drapes that would hang over them.
Helen Central TX
May 2
Re: Maria from Long Island
Your new sheers. Put them in your drier on air fluff with a couple
of damp towels. Then quickly hang up on the rods when done. They should
hang right out. Not ironing necessary.
Kitten in Buffalo
May 2
Hi, Maria from Long Island.
In answer to getting wrinkles out of your sheer panels without
ironing - a simple travel steamer will work. Be sure not to leave it too
long in one place as it will melt your draperies. This little handy item
is great for silk or nylon clothing like blouses, etc.. It will also, if
used carefully, take the wrinkles out of your new plastic tablecloth and
shower curtains. Hang the shower curtain before using.
Good Luck, Scooch in Florida
April 30
This is for Linda on how to clean outside of pots and pans.
I use oven cleaner on mine and they come out great. I put them on the
stove first to warm up. Then put the pot in the sink and spray oven
cleaner on them. Wait a few minutes and rinse them off. Sometimes, I have
to do this twice, but my pots come out really clean.
April 29
To Millie in MO who has aged Tupperware. Send it back to the company;
they will make in good/replace your sticky Tupperware.
Debbie in SC
April 29
I need help cleaning the outside and bottom of my pots and pans.
thanks Linda
April 28
I clean my Tupperware with bleach, I heard that once at a Tupperware
party. It does clean them very nice. No smell is left in the product
either.
Connie R. from Blaine, MN
April 28
This is a TNT recipe for removing stickiness from Tupperware.
Wash container.
Make a strong solution of Cascade dishwasher soap with very hot water. Let
Tupperware soak overnight in this solution. Then wash as usual.
Gladys
April 28
If you have large leafed houseplants, keeping the leaves clean and shiny
can be hard work and some of the shine sprays are expensive - clean them
with the inside of banana skin, the leaves will look nice a shiny. Thanks
for all the tips on the sticky tupperware. I'll give them a try.
Sylvia <Scotland>
April 27
Mini and Tootie, I am sure everyone that does anything in the yard,
garden and house will be happy for TNT cures for gardening pests. I surely
would. This is such a wonderful way for everyone to be informed about
simple, but sure ways of eliminating bad things happening to us. Thanks to
Nancy and all you wonderful ladies for your hints.
Also for the sticky Tupperware: Our Tupperware lady told us to wash the
plastics in soda water. I have not had the problem. You might try this.
Madelyn of Ar.
April 27
This is for Millie in MO
I too have old Tupperware I use very hot water and just DAWN dish washing
liquid and it works very well. Hope this helps.
Shirley (Calif)
April 26
Years ago when I sold Tupperware, they said to put it in water
with ammonia in it. I also think if you put it in the dishwasher, the
dishwasher detergent may remove it. I always wash mine in the dish washer.
Susan in Iowa
Love the newsletter and read it all the time.
Thanks for the suggestions for cleaning the vases. Tried the alka seltzer
and it worked!
Here is a request: does anyone have a recipe for BEER BATTER SHRIMP?
Thanks a bunch!
Kathy from Long Island
Hi all, for those of you thinking about using (THE WORKS) for cleaning
your bathroom
etc. When the Dollar Store first got it in, the contents were pure HCL
hydrochloric acid.
Last time I looked the ingredients were not listed on the label. I would
be very careful
and ask the plumber about the effect on septic tanks.
JAM
Sharon in PA, is The Works cleaner okay to use with a septic
tank? It would be wonderful if it did. We have a Dollar Store close by and
I would love to try it. Thanks
Alis from WA
Can this cleaner "The Works" be used on fiber glass shower
floors?
I have fiberglass tubs and my son will only use Dial Bar soap when he
showers. Any bar soap will cause a buildup in the bottom of a textured
tub. I used The Works tub and shower spray liberally on the sides and
bottom of his tub.
I let the spray sit for about 10 minutes, took a microfiber cloth and
wiped all the soap scum off the sides and then used a regular bathroom
brush on the bottom and took all the buildup out of the bottom.
I have never seen anything work like that before. The entire tub and
surround look brand new and shiny. Now if I could only get my son to use
liquid Dial, I would have it made.
I never have used anything but liquid body wash in my tub and I have never
had any soap scum on anything in there.
I also use The Works commode cleaner. We have some unknown minerals in our
water and if it is not cleaned every 2 0r 3 days, it will leave a rusty
colored ring in the commode. The works cleans the ring and up under the
rim completely. Don't stand too close tho, I have seen "smoke" rising out
of the commode when it hits the stain.
Please keep me in your thoughts for the next few days. My doctor's office
called me this am with the results of an MRI he sent me for on Friday of
last week. It was to confirm his thoughts that I had had a mini-stoke on
the Saturday before. So far no lasting effects but I do have to see a
Neurologist on Apr 29.
Jean in NC