Just when you thought you had heard everything, here are more household hints to surprise you! These should help to keep things in your apartment running as smoothly as ever.
Make sure to not over pack your refrigerator, as it is likely to work less efficiently with a lack of air circulation. However the opposite is true for the freezer. In other words, the freezer works better if foods are tightly packed, so fill it up!
If your potatoes become old and soft, place them in icy water for a few minutes and they will harden up again.
When onions are chopped up, they freeze well (and here you thought you couldn’t freeze onions at all, right?). Don’t allow them to linger in the freezer too long or they will spoil. Use them in recipes or salads right away. As an aside, onions are excellent for your health. Did you know that onions are known as the queen, while garlic is the king in their category of vegetables?
Always store cottage cheese in its container upside-down. This will allow the product to remain fresh for twice as long.
Want the juiciest hamburgers around? Add a grated raw potato to each pound of meat.
In order to soften hard, lumpy brown sugar, add a slice of apple to the bag or canister in which it is stored. Another food item that will do the trick is a slice of white bread.
Do your pots shine their brightest? If not, then you might want to do something about that. Shiny pots look great, and they are also more energy efficient.
Make your own fabric softener sheets by soaking absorbent cloths in liquid fabric softener and then toss them in the dryer with your clothes.
When washing woolen items, add a tablespoon of hair crème rinse to the final rinse water for added softness.
When your iron is off and cool, use pipe cleaners dipped in sudsy water to clean the steam holes. To clean mineral deposits out of your iron, fill it with equal parts water and white vinegar. Let the iron steam for a period of 5 to 10 minutes. Turn off the iron, let it stand for an hour and then empty its contents. Then rinse the iron with clear water.
Keep your light bulbs free of dust and grime as dusty light bulbs give off 10% less light than ones that are clean. Another light trick is to always place your lamps in corners, as they will give off twice the amount of light this way.
Drive a picture hanger into the wall without cracking the plaster by first placing a small piece of cellophane over the spot.
 | There are many great reasons to use natural cleaning products from your pantry. You won't have to breathe in harsh fumes or expose your family to strong chemicals, and you'll save money by giving up those expensive store-bought commercial cleaners. |
 | Frugal cleaning supplies generally aren't store-bought. Learn how to make your own homemade cleaners. |
 | To maintain the great appearance of ceramic tile, you have to know a little bit about cleaning grout. |
To create homemade dish soap that is as strong as the store-bought version, start with Castile soap and a few other household ingredients. |
Often, when it's cleaning time, we go to the store to buy cleaning supplies--a cleaning item for this, this one for that-- and by the time we are done, the only cleaning that we have done is in our checkbooks. You don't need to run to the store. Everything needed to clean quickly, effectively and safely for our families is right in our home. Try these natural cleaning recipes next time you clean. |
