Don't you love all of those strange tips and tricks for home care that require using odd items to clean and maintain your house? You know, like cleaning the toilet bowl with denture tablets? (I've never done it, but I'd love to. So weird!)
Personally, I adore collecting home cleaning tips. I have books on the them, all kinds of clippings of them, and I have more websites booked and pins from Pinterest collected than I can ever use.
I'm sharing a few today, and I want to list as many as possible. So with no further ado, here goes:
• Baby oil has many household uses, but my favorite is putting a drop or two on a tangled necklace. Let sit a few minutes, then use a toothpick to poke through and loosen the knot. Works like a charm!
• Baby oil is also great for getting sticky tags off of glass and dish ware. Just put a few drops on the sticker. Let it sit a few minutes. You should be able to peel it right off.
• Do you have scratched stoneware dishes? Make a paste of cream of tartar and water, then rub gently in and rinse. They'll look nearly new.
• Got gross, greasy dishes? Spray some blue window cleaner on them and let them sit a minute or two. Then clean thoroughly with soap and water. All gone!
• You can also use blue window cleaner to remove a ring from your finger when your hands are swollen. Just spray a little around the ring. The cleaner should reduce swelling and the ring should pop off. Rinse the ring and hands thoroughly.
• I buy milk in plastic jugs and I'll bet you do too. For a super cheap and easy to carry watering can, just rinse one very thoroughly. Then, using an awl or other very sharp device, punch holes in the cap. Be careful! Fill it with water and go give your plants a nice drink.
• Here's a great leather and wood cleaner: Take one part olive oil to two parts vinegar. Add about 10 drops of lemon oil if you'd like. Put it all in a spray bottle and shake before using. Whether leather or wood, do a patch test to make sure it doesn't discolor. (It shouldn't.) Then spray your surface very lightly and polish with a soft rag. The result should be a lovely clean shine.
I have more of these tips and will share them in a future column. What are your favorite weird cleaning tips?
If you'd like to share your own home memories or tips (or recipes), send ideas to tkwolford@aol.com. Or you can write me via traditional mail at The Farmer's Exchange, P.O. Box 45, New Paris, IN 46553.