Cleaning a Coffee Grinder

Add a couple tablespoons to a handful of rice into the grinder. Grind the rice into fine particles and it will soak up the oils left from coffee beans, absorb odor and clean out residual grounds. Discard the rice and wipe clean with a dry cloth or use a clean paint brush to brush any left over particles.

Top row of 3 photos: 1) adding rice, 2) grinding rice, and 3) using a brush to clean up the left over particles
Bottom row of 2 photos:  1) Before starting this process, and 2) Clean grinder after using the rice to clean it.

Cleaning Suitcases

I am sure if you are a regular reader of Domestic Servitude that you will have noticed that this year has lacked posts.  Master's job has a lot more traveling to it and I am blessed that I get to go along. But with that comes lots of packing, unpacking and repacking. 

When we come home from a trip, I unpack and get ready to do laundry, but I also have a little cleaning I do to the bags we use on our trips.  If I get to thinking about it too much, I can become a germophobe, but thinking about where our suitcases have been has had countless other people who might not be as clean does sometimes get under my skin.  So when I come home, I take my homemade cleaner of tea tree oil, vinegar, liquid soap and water and spray the inside and outside of all our bags. If I use totes that are washable, I throw them into the washer. But suitcases and other travel bags such as our laundry bag aren't washable. So I spray them with the homemade cleaner as it has disinfecting properties in it. I also take a cloth that I wet with the hottest water I can stand to hold and wipe down the interior as well as exterior of our suitcase including the rolling wheels and handles. Making sure to get into crevices. I let them air dry. Also you might want to test a spot before wiping down with a cloth with hot water on it as it can fade some. 

Why do I go through all this trouble? Well, I want you to just think about this for a moment and maybe it won't bother you - but I know it bothers me. When we come home, we often threw our suitcase up on the bed.  Now if you have been to a hotel that ends up having bed bugs...you now have potentially just passed on to your bed.So another suggestion is not to throw your suitcase on the bed, but to unpack in a bathroom or laundry room. I like to put on top of the washer and dryer and start sorting clothes right away in there. Then I can clean it easily in there also and let it air dry. 

*Photo is taken in our bedroom as the light and space to take a photo in our laundry room is horrible.

Extra Plastic Bag Storage Tip

I have a long tube like storage that hangs in the pantry for plastic bags. It is one that you shove the bags in one end and pull them out on the other end.  But sometime that fills up. We re-use  plastic bags for emptying cat litter as well as many other uses so I like having as many around and just like the thought of reusing them.

I have 4 empty tissue boxes that I now keep around and stuff with any extras.  I really like having them around because they are easy to tote.  Places I use them:

• When deep cleaning, I bring a box into the room I am cleaning and start making bags for donate, toss, stuff that needs moved to another room and just general stuff I need to organize better. Those things put in the appropriate bag and then I sit down and organize it better after the room is clean or at an appropriate time such as before I am heading to Goodwill.  But just having a box of these to pull from instead of having several loose bags around the room until I use them makes things just easier and neater.
• When we travel, I love putting a box in the car to use for trash sacks or for overflow if a suitcase or travel bag  is getting over packed/stuffed - then I have extra sacks to use to hold things. 
• When cleaning outside or cleaning the car, I bring them for trash.

Tuesday Tips: Hydrogen Peroxide

When I clean the kitchen after dinner, I wipe the faucet down pretty good. But every few days I take a toothbrush to it and scrub in between all the little grooves. After, I am done scrubbing it,  I will do a spray of straight vinegar or hydrogen peroxide or sometimes both. Sometimes I let it air dry and other times I use a clean cotton towel and wipe dry to a shine. Well, tonight I went to spray the peroxide and not the vinegar and noticed that the peroxide did the foaming bubbles like it will do when you pour it on a cut or infection. After saying gross a few times out loud to the faucet, I realized that I have been oblivious to the fact that I am probably more times then not leaving behind stuff that would make me say ewww.  Here all these years, I never noticed that it bubbles after I spray it on the faucet - why I am not sure as I have been doing that for years. But I am thankful now that I have a little test to see if it is clean. I use hydrogen peroxide often for disinfecting.  Now I will pay closer attention to see if it is working.

So tonight I scrubbed, rinsed and repeated until there weren't any foaming bubbles. The picture below is with the foaming bubbles. I couldn't capture it after it was clean as it just was a reflection of the liquid and fuzzy looking on the photo.

Tuesday Tips: Dishwasher Tips

I am a little OCD when it comes to loading the dishwasher - okay maybe more than a little. I like it all to be put in a certain way as it maximizes space and creates easier routine for unloading. 

One of my little tips for loading the dishwasher is sorting the dirty silverware as I load it into the silverware rack in the dishwasher before running it. It makes unloading it so much easier. So all the forks go in one compartment, all the spoons in another, and so on and so forth.  

Bonus Dishwasher Tips

*  Vinegar - Run your dishwasher empty, but dump a cup of the distilled white vinegar in the bottom of the dishwasher.  Set to a normal cycle and let it run.  It helps clean old smells and particles out of the dishwasher as well as disinfect it.  I do this every 4 to 6 weeks.

*  Hot Water - Turn your faucet on and let it run until it is hot water is flowing. If you turn on your hot water faucet and it takes a moment to get hot, then it is same for your dishwasher. By running faucet and get the hot water flowing, then the pipes are filling with hot water. 

* Dishwasher Soap -  About 2 years ago I tried a homemade dishwasher soap, but it didn't really work well.  So I ended up going back to store-bought detergent.  One thing I did change when going back to store-bought detergent was cutting back on the amount of detergent I use.  I fill the compartment about half way to less than half and now my dishes have less spotty build up and still clean. 

Tuesday Tip: Sticky Baking Ingredients

When measuring out sticky substances while baking or cooking, spray the measuring spoon or cup with cooking spray. So next time when you measure out corn syrup, honey, peanut butter or maple syrup, spray the measuring cup or spoon - it will empty into the bowl easier and clean up easier too. 

Tuesday Tips: 10 Tips for Line Drying

HANGING LAUNDRY OUT TO DRY

1. Just installing a clothesline? Don't put it under a tree or you will just be throwing clothes back in the washer after a bird leaves its droppings all over your clothes

2. Hang shirts from the hem instead of the shoulders so you don't get little teeth marks and bumps from the indent of the clothes pins

3. Materials that tend to lose their shape - hang on an hanger on the line.  I also hang dresses on hangers.

4. Think about where the sun is going to be when hanging things out to dry. I like having the sun's heat work on sheets and towels so I like to hang those out when the sun is shining at its fullest on my clothes line.  If you have a load darks, you don't want the sun to fade them so hang when the sun is not beating down on it.  Also hang darks inside out to help with fading.

5. Don't like the stiffness that happens with line drying?  Pop them into the dryer for about 5 mins and then you are still saving energy by using the clothes line, but also getting your clothes to feel a little softer.

6. Using vinegar in your rinse cycle also helps on the stiffness. I use about 1/4 to 1/3 cup vinegar per load. Your clothes won't smell like vinegar. That odor disappears as it is rinsed through your clothes.

7. Don't over crowd the line when hanging clothes out.  It takes the clothes longer to try and causes wrinkles as you are bunching things closer together.

8.  Have a bag or somewhere to store your clothes pins as they can weaken over time with the sun constantly beating down on them. Plastic clothes pins are said to weaken and break springs faster than wooden ones.

9. Just because it is an overcast day doesn't mean your clothes won't dry. Air and wind dry just as much as the sun's heat.  Just watch for the weather so that you don't have to re-launder clothes.

10. Don't have room in your yard for a line or live in an apartment - think about getting a drying rack.  I use mine all year round. I put it on the deck in the summer and nicer days and in the winter and fall, I set it up in our tub. It is easy to take down and put. Folds compact to not taking up a lot of room.

Tuesday Tips

Cleaning Crystal

Washing Crystal 
* When washing crystal, line your sink with a rubber mat or thick dishtowel.  Do one item at a time so they don't bang up against each other and get damaged or break.
* Fill with warm water and a solution of a healthy squirt of liquid dish soap and 1/4 cup of vinegar.
* Rinse in clean water and vinegar to help with spotting
* Dry with a lint free cloth such as a microfiber cloth

Cleaning Cloudy Crystal

I had one vase that got extremely cloudy. I had tried to clean it many times over, but nothing seemed to work.  I tried to use a paste of baking soda and vinegar on it and scrubbing with a slim brushes bottle brushes and toothbrushes, uncooked rice, vinegar, lemon juice, and egg shells and a couple other ideas too, but none of them worked. Nothing I did would clear it up.  When I had a second vase starting to get cloudy, I knew I had to find a solution. I read online about using denture tablets to clean crystal so decided I would give it a try.

So I picked up a box of denture tablets at the Dollar Tree and gave it a try...




I added the denture tablets and let it soak for 15 mins.  I then took a toothbrush and scrubbed - lightly. I rinsed the vases out and one vase was clear, but the other which was extremely cloudy to start  so wasn't completely clean yet.


I then did a second round of denture tablets.  The second time I only added the water to just past where it was still cloudy.  I then rinsed with warm water and it was clear.

So there are no more cloudy vases in this household....



That second vase only had a light ring of cloudy film. So it only needed one time through with the denture tablet process. The whole process was so easy. I think of all the time I had been struggling to try to get the one extremely cloudy crystal vase clean and couldn't.  I now always use them at first signs of cloudy film.

Just so glad I found an easy way to clean them.

Tuesday Tips: Vegetable Storage

I thought I would revive Tuesday Tips.  I will be posting some tips once or twice a month on Tuesdays. Today's tips are all about Vegetable Storage.  

General Tips

*  Don't wash any vegetable until ready to use. I do break this rule at times though because if I am going to have a busy week - prepping veggies ahead makes things easier. Just make sure you store in the best way possible after cutting to keep them fresh still.

*  Any vegetable that has cuts and bruises will start to spoil and pass that on to others stored with it. So if you find one that has cuts or bruises, use them first and put aside away from the others.  

* Do not store fruits and vegetables together as the gases from fruits can make your vegetables go bad quickly.

Tomatoes - Don't refrigerate tomatoes.  It ruins the texture and taste. Keep out of sunlight on a cool counter top. 

Asparagus - Cut an inch off the bottom of asparagus spears and submerge ends in water and refrigerate until cooking.

Onions -  Place whole uncut/unpeeled onions in a cool, dry dark place - away from potatoes.  After cutting, store in sealed container in refrigerator. 

Garlic - Place whole heads of garlic in a cool, dark place. Don't refrigerate until you have peeled or cut.  

Potatoes - Place in a cool, dry, dark place - a box  or paper bag works well in dark corner of a pantry.

Green Beans -  In a perforated plastic bag or in an open container that is covered with a damp cloth. Green beans like humidity, but not overly wet environment. 

Zucchini‐ Leave out on a counter out of sunlight.  Wrap in a cloth and refrigerate for longer storage.

Broccoli -  Broccoli doesn't like to be crowded so store in a loose fitting plastic bag or an open container in the refrigerator. 

Letttuce/Leafy Greens - Wash and then lay out to dry on a thick towel. After dry, place in a plastic bag lined with paper towels to absorb moisture. (Just as an extra - this method by The Kitchn looks interesting) 

Mushrooms -  Keep mushrooms out of the crisper as moister makes them slimy.  Store them one of 2 ways - 1) in a brown paper bag in the refrigerator   2) In the plastic container they are bought in. Keep them sealed until ready to use and after opening place a piece of paper towel over them and then seal with plastic wrap.  I use the second method mostly and ever since I started putting a paper towel in the container - it has helped them last longer. 

Tuesday Tips

No Spattering

One way to keep frying food from spattering is to invert a metal colander over the pan, allowing steam to escape.

Hurry-Up Baked Potatoes

Boil potatoes in salted water for 10 minutes, then place in a very hot oven.

Easy Topping

A good topping for gingerbread, coffee cake, etc. can easily be made by freezing the syrup from canned fruit and adding 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to 2 cups of syrup. Heat until bubbly, and thicken with 2 tablespoons of flour

Hurry-Up Hamburgers

Poke a hole in the middle of the hamburger patties while shaping them. The burgers will cook faster and the holes will disappear when done.

Shrink-less Links

Boil sausage for about 8 minutes before frying and they will shrink less and not break at all.

Removing Ham Rind

Before placing ham in the roasting pan, slit rind lengthwise on the underside. The rind will peel away as the ham cooks, and can be easily removed.

Tuesday Tips

Caring for "The Good Crystal"
We’re talking about the tumblers, stemware and serving pieces you only take out for company…special company…and on special occasions. To clean these irreplaceable treasures, fill a basin or the sink with a 3:1 combination of hot water and distilled white vinegar.

Note: For crystal that is really grimy or filmy, use 3 parts hot water to 2 parts distilled white vinegar.

When you wash crystal in the sink, line it with a fluffy towel or a rubber mat in case a piece slips out of your hands.

Once all the crystal is clean, rinse and dry each piece with a lint-free cloth. Your best bet in terms of lint-free is a linen towel, or a cloth made of at least 25% linen.


Will You Pass the Hand-Washing Test?
How much time do you spend washing your hands before you handle food? Go through the motions of your typical hand-washing session, and you might be surprised at how quickly you do it. Maybe for six seconds?

To be sure your hands are bacteria-free, the recommended amount of wash-up time is 20 to 30 seconds using warm, soapy water (and plain soap is often better than anti­bacterial). If you sing the "Happy Birthday" song or recite your ABCs while washing up, you will spend the right amount of time cleaning your hands. Finish the job by wiping your hands with a clean piece of paper towel.

Cutting Board Cleanup
Do you have cuts in your wood cutting board? Of course! But those cuts can be home to germs. Every now and then, smooth away the cuts with a piece of fine sandpaper.

Give Your Oven Racks a Bath
Run very hot water in the bathtub—enough to completely cover the oven racks. Add 1⁄3 cup of liquid dish detergent and 1 cup of distilled white vinegar. Let the racks soak in the tub for at least one hour. Then scrub if necessary, rinse and wipe dry.
If some stubborn caked-on crud refuses to come off, you can carefully scrape it away with a knife.

How to Dust Hard-to-Reach Places
Clean hard-to-reach high-up, under and behind places with a golf club or hockey stick.

Wrap a cloth or hand towel around the head of a golf club or the blade of a hockey stick, and secure it with string or rubber bands. Both club and stick are perfect for dusting the tops of picture frames, high shelves, the tops of doors, ceiling molding and the tops of bookcases.

Tuesday Tips

Toilet Overflowing? Quick Do This...
If, after you flush, the water is rising higher than it should, quickly turn on the cold water in the sink as well as in the bathtub or shower. The cold water coming through the pipes will cause a vacuum that will suction the water in the toilet down the drain.

Commit this tip to memory. It’s a great thing to know, especially when you go to somebody else’s home.

Surprising Way to Keep Ice Off Your Windshield
If snow is coming, and your car is going to be out on the street all night, pull up your windshield wipers and coat the windshield with sulfuric compounds.

Does that sound complicated? It’s not! Just cut an onion in half and rub the glass with the onion’s cut surface. The coating will prevent the formation of ice on your windshield. Don’t forget to onion-up your side mirrors as well.

Quick Trick Makes Dripless Candles
Keep candles in the freezer for several hours before lighting them. The candles will burn longer and hardly drip, if at all.

Speaking of freezers...

Cheese Please!
Before you cut or grate a block of cheese, put the wedge in the freezer for about 20 minutes. This will prevent it from clinging to the knife or grater.

  Perfect Piecrust
When a piecrust recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of ice water, instead use 1 tablespoon of distilled white vinegar—this will make a crispier crust.

And for a flakier piecrust, substitute the same amount of sour cream or plain yogurt for the liquid called for in a crust recipe.

Speaking of vinegar...

When Something Smells Fishy
Fish-cooking smells can be absorbed—just place a small bowl of distilled white vinegar or fresh coffee grounds near the stove or wherever the fish is being prepared.

(I just used the vinegar trick in my microwave after warming up some fish and finding that the microwave stunk to high heaven the next day. I filled a small bowl with some vinegar, put it in the microwave and shut the door. A few hours later- no smell!)

Tuesday Tips: Holiday Party Edition

Fun Place Cards for Your Holiday Party

Instead of using the usual place cards, buy miniature picture frames and put each guest’s name in a frame—they make great keepsakes. It would be even more fun if you happened to have a photo of each guest to put in the frames.

Cookie-Cutter Napkin Rings

Create your own distinctive collection of napkin rings by using cookie cutters. Each person gets a different shape, with his or her napkin rolled up and slipped through the middle.

Matching Christmas Serving Platters

Don't want to use up your budget on buying holiday themed serving platters? Use vibrant, shiny, thick wrapping paper to line each serving tray or plate. Suddenly, all your platters and plates will match the mood.


Putting an Elegant Spin on an Old Classic

Veggies with dip on a big platter can be ordinary and boring. But take those same ingredients and place them in individual glass votive candle holders that people can pick up and carry while mingling and you've got something special.


Making a Fire in Your Fireplace? Add a Lovely Scent...

First, spread the rinds from an orange or lemon on paper towels, and let them dry out overnight. When the rinds are thoroughly dry, toss them on the fire to create a lovely citrus aroma. If you are not into a citrus scent, you could toss in a few pinecones for a more woodsy fragrance.


Cookie Gift Sleeve

Favors for guests to take with them - cookies packaged in CD envelopes and sealed with festive tags.


A Holiday Pick-Me-Up

Are the holidays running you ragged? The scent of cinnamon stimulates the trigeminal nerve, the area of the brain that governs wakefulness and raises energy levels. Have cinnamon at breakfast-time—sprinkle it on toast, hot oatmeal, cold cereal or even coffee. Or, during the day, put a drop of cinnamon oil on the inside of your wrist and sniff the invigorating scent.

Tuesday Tips

Stock Your Car for Winter Now

There are some things you should have in your car during the winter—for your safety and in case of an emergency...

*Cell phone and cell-phone car charger
*Sand or kitty litter for traction
*Lubricant for frozen locks
*Small container of motor oil
*Funnel—for an emergency infusion of motor oil or water
*Two roadside flares
*Safety matches
*Jumper cables to start a dead/low battery
*Flashlight and fresh batteries
*Thermal blanket(s)
*Bottled water
*Packages of crackers, protein bars and/or nuts
*Small hand shovel
*Spare tire, jack and lug wrench
*Work gloves
*Ice scraper and brush
*Small fire extinguisher
*Tire chains
*Money (keep $20 in the glove compartment)

One thing not listed here is candles. I remember my Dad once telling me that a candle can provide enough warmth in a car to keep a person from freezing so I always keep a couple of candles in the glove box.

Though a lot of those are things you should have in your car all year-round, I'm reminded of how, at least once a winter, and usually more than once, I hear on the news a story of a traffic jam stranding motorists in the snow for upwards of 12+ hours. I always feel for the little kids and wonder if the parents were prepared Have some snacks, some games, some blankets and for the wee ones, extra bottles and formula, if necessary.



Skin Feeling a Little Dry? Kitchen Cupboard Help...

Olive oil is an effective moisturizer. Massage some into your hands and give it time to sink in. (You may also want to put on a pair of rubber or latex gloves to avoid getting oil stains on whatever you touch.) After about 30 minutes, take off the gloves and wipe the oil off your soft, moisturized hands with a dry paper towel.


A Place for Everything...

If you have a closet in your entryway, hang a shoe holder on the inside door. To store accessories that you may need before going outside—such as scarves, gloves, hats, sunglasses—assign compartments of the shoe bag for each of those things.
You can also store pet accessories in the shoe bag, such as your dog’s leash or winter jacket, as well as a small flashlight.


Simple Way to Revive Your Winter Woolens

When you take sweaters and other wool clothing out of storage, throw them in the dryer with a couple of fabric-softener sheets. Dry on very low heat for 20 to 30 minutes. The sheets absorb odors and the dryer action fluffs up fibers. The wool items will come out looking and smelling good.
(The idea of wool in the dryer makes me nervous, though!)

Easy Refrigerator Deodorizer

Dab a few drops of vanilla or lemon extract on a cotton ball and put it in a shot glass inside the fridge. Any unpleasant odor will be replaced with an appetizing scent.

Tuesday Tips

Handy Way to Store Sugar

Clean and dry a plastic one-gallon milk jug, and use it to store granulated white sugar. The closed container will not attract bugs, the sugar will not clump up, and the jug’s handle makes it easy to pour.

Easy-Care Houseplants

If you haven’t had much luck with plants due to your unintentional neglect, start over with those that require very little care. Select from devil’s ivy, snake plants, corn plants, Chinese evergreens and begonias. And, this time, don’t forget to water!

Gum Stuck in Your Rug? What to Do...

Start by blow-drying the gum with your hair dryer on the warm (not hot) setting. You want to melt the gum, not the carpet’s fibers. As soon as the gum seems very gooey, put a small plastic bag around it and gently pull off the bag, bringing the gum with it.

Repeat the process until all of the gum is out of the carpet, or there’s just a stubborn little bit left. For that little bit, work in a dab of petroleum jelly, rolling the gum into it. Then wash the spot with a gentle laundry detergent formulated to fight grease. Finally, rinse with water and blot dry.

Caution: Petroleum jelly may stain the carpet, so be sure to do a spot-test first.

From Household Magic Daily Tips

Tuesday Tips

Sweet-Smelling Sheets

To enjoy a special sensory treat at bedtime, when you launder your sheets, add a small amount of your favorite bath salts during the rinse cycle.


Feeling Down? Sing a Song!

When you sing out loud, you trigger the release of endorphins—chemicals in the brain that can elevate mood and help kill pain. Find a song that you like to sing and then personalize it with happy and positive lyrics that will lift your spirits.

How to Open an Envelope You’ve Already Sealed

How many times have you sealed an envelope—and then realized that you forgot to enclose something?

Place the sealed envelope in the freezer for about three hours. When you take it out, slip a knife under the flap and you should be able to open it neatly. Then repackage it and reseal it.

Meatballs with a Twist!

Put a new ingredient in an old standard—meatball hors d’oeuvres. When making the meatballs, start with a little chunk of something— sautéed mushroom, pitted olive, cheese, grape tomato or come up with something even more creative—and pack the meat around it, forming the meatball.

Then cook, grill, broil or fry the meatballs as usual. Ahh, but there will be nothing "usual" about them! Guests will love tasting and comparing the fillers.

If you want to stick with the standard meatball, but want them perfectly moist, place a small ice cube in the middle of each before cooking.

Migraine Manager

To prevent migraines, mix 2 teaspoons of unfiltered apple cider vinegar and 2 teaspoons of honey in an 8-ounce glass of water. Drink it once or twice a day.
This remedy works like magic for some (former) migraine sufferers.


From Household Magic Daily Tips

Tuesday Tips

For Sparkling Glassware...

For squeaky-clean glasses, we fill an empty dish-detergent bottle with one part dish detergent, one part distilled white vinegar and three parts water, and shake it a few times.

We use this solution daily—a little on a sponge—to do the dishes and glasses. It’s a winning combination that leaves everything clean and sparkling.

Simple Squash Slicing

It’s generally hard to cut into a butternut or acorn squash—but it’s easy if you use a serrated knife. Try it yourself and see.

Also, when you slice squash (or any other round, awkwardly shaped food), do it on a nonskid cutting board or plastic mat to reduce the chance that you’ll inadvertently cut yourself.

Natural Help for Itchy Skin

A Japanese study reported that drinking oolong tea reduced itching and inflammation in people suffering from eczema. Drink 34 ounces (about 1 liter) of oolong tea (available at supermarkets and health-food stores) throughout the day—after meals and between lunch and dinner. Its antioxidant properties relieve itching, redness and swelling.

Note: Oolong tea is NOT caffeine-free, so you should not have it close to bedtime if you’re sensitive to caffeine.

A Nutty Treat

Toasting brings out the full flavor of nuts. And it’s easy to do. Start with nuts that are shelled and about the same size. Then decide whether you want to toast them in the oven or in a skillet...

Oven— Spread the nuts in a single layer on a baking sheet and cook them at 400°F for 7 to 10 minutes, or until the nuts start to turn golden. Halfway through the toasting, carefully rotate the nuts by shaking the pan.

Skillet— Place nuts in a single layer and put the skillet over medium-high heat. Stir or shake the nuts while they’re toasting for 5 to 7 minutes, or until they start to turn golden.

Always aim for golden. Toasted nuts taste best if they’re not darker than light brown.

A Magical Centerpiece

Whatever your centerpiece—flowers, leaves, fruit, candles—place it on a mirror to create the illusion that you have twice as many flowers, leaves, fruit or candles. Candles will be especially dazzling because of their reflection in the mirror.



From Household Magic Daily Tips

Tuesday Tips

Make Your Own Pita Chips!

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut a large pita into 16 triangles—first, by cutting the pita in half, then by cutting each half in half, then by cutting each quarter in half. That leaves you with eight double triangles. Now, turn them into 16 single triangles by pulling them apart.

Put them on a tray and bake them at 350°F until they’re crisp…about five minutes. Let them cool, then you can use them for dips. Or spray them lightly with vegetable spray and sprinkle on your favorite seasoning(s). They’re great with a little garlic powder.

Fall Allergy Help

If you have a runny nose, sore throat and/or itchy eyes, you may be suffering from seasonal allergies. These allergies generally occur when your body overreacts to the pollen from trees, weeds, flowers or crops.

When the pollen count is sky-high and you dread going outside, dab the inside of your nostrils with a little sesame oil. It can help stop the irritation and allergic reaction caused by breathing in environmental or seasonal allergens.


Do-It-Yourself Magnifier

When you want to read a price...or look up a phone number...or see what time it is on your watch, but the type is too small to see without your glasses, try this:

Make a fist, leaving a small hole in the middle. Bring your fist up to your eye, look through that small hole and focus on the number you want to read. For some unknown reason, the small channel of light entering your eye clears the vision.

(I've actually done this without wearing my glasses (horrible, horrible vision over here!) and it WORKS. Weirdest thing ever. ~kaya)


Down-Filled Drying

After washing a down-filled item—such as a coat or comforter—put it in the dryer along with three or four tennis balls. The balls will do a good job of fluffing up the down item. (They will also do a good job of waking up anyone who is taking a nap!)


Time to Get Organized

First, invest in a three-ring, loose-leaf binder. Every time you buy something that comes with an owner’s manual or instructions, punch holes in the paperwork and store it in the binder. Also, staple the purchase receipt and any guarantee or warranty (as well as instructions for ordering replacement parts) to the item’s manual.

If you ever need the proof of purchase...or you have a question about using the item...or need a replacement part—you will have all the information organized in the binder without going through a frantic sweat-and-search routine.

Of course, you should keep the binder in a special, within-sight and within-reach place so that you always know where it is.

From Household Magic Daily Tips

Tuesday Tips

Painting Pointer

After you open a can of paint, but before pouring it into a tray, put tape (masking or transparent) around the entire rim of the can. When you’re finished painting, take off the tape and close the can. The rim of the can will be paint-free and the lid will not get stuck the next time you need to use the can of paint.

Bird Droppings on Your Car? How to Clean It Now!

Bird droppings contain harsh acids that can burn through your car’s paint. The secret to cleaning up—and saving your car’s exterior—is to take action as soon as you spot the plop...
Pour on some seltzer water and let it bubble up. Once the bubbling stops, wipe the area clean with a microfiber (available at supermarkets and hardware stores) or cotton cloth.

Freshen Up Your Child’s Lunchbox

To deodorize a stinky metal or plastic lunch­box, moisten a slice of bread with distilled white vinegar and let it stay in the lunchbox overnight. The next morning, throw away the soggy bread, wash out the lunchbox with warm soapy water, and rinse and dry thoroughly—then load it up with your child’s sandwich and fruit.

A Place to Hang Your Hat—or Watch

If you normally wear a watch, a bracelet, rings or any other jewelry that shouldn’t be worn while cooking or cleaning, it’s good to have a safe, reliable place in the kitchen where you can stash it.

Put up a hook large enough to hang a watchband on (or whatever jewelry you wear on a regular basis). Position it near enough to be convenient when you start to work in the kitchen, but out of harm’s way when the stove, microwave, dishwasher or garbage disposal are in use. Don’t you wish you had thought of this years ago.

Going on a Trip? Don’t Forget to Do This...

A house can smell musty if it’s been closed up for a while. Before you go away on a trip, place small bowls of distilled white vinegar in each room. The vinegar will keep the air fresh, so you’ll breathe easier when you get home.


From Household Magic Daily Tips

Tuesday Tips

Fun Way to Store Extra Towels

If you have counter space in your bathroom—and you want to have extra towels on hand for you or for guests—get a freestanding wine rack (available at household-supply stores). It’s perfect for holding rolled-up towels.

Home Office Help

If your bottle of correction fluid is too gooey to use, add one or two drops of nail polish remover. Shake the bottle vigorously until it sounds like there’s liquid sloshing around, and it will be ready to use again.

Banish Bad Breath

After eating onion, garlic or anything else that stays on your breath, dip your toothbrush in a small amount of distilled white vinegar and brush your teeth as well as your tongue. This should help clean your breath and may even help whiten your teeth.

Perfect Pancakes

Put batter in a clean plastic squeeze bottle or a turkey baster, and you will have an easy time forming perfect pancakes.
While you’re at it, have some fun with it... make odd-shaped pancakes, or pancakes in the shape of big letters for the names of the people who will be eating them.


Fish Fact

To determine the proper cooking time for your fish, lay out the whole fish, fish fillet or fish steak. Pinpoint the thickest part, and then measure it with a ruler. For each inch of thickness, figure on 10 minutes of cooking time.

From Household Magic Daily Tips