Random Household Tips 1

• Line the bottom of kitchen trash cans with a layer of newspaper to cut down on odors.

• Run three or four ice cubes through the disposal once a month to clean off the blades and remove any leftover food stuffs.

• Use paper towels tubes as pet and kid toys. 

Inexpensive Beauty at Home cont.

BEAUTY FROM THE PANTRY (AND REFRIGERATOR)

Find the items listed below in your kitchen and compare with their name brand equivalents.

Flour and Egg White Mixture = re-freshens skin, shrinks pores

Mix the whites from one raw egg with one cup of flour and the mixture spread over your face for ten minutes; rinse off with warm water. Replaces: n.b. facial mudpacks, which contain dyes and preservatives.

Cucumbers and Herbal Tea Bags = reduce redness and puffiness

Cut two quarter-inch slices of cucumber and place over the eyes for ten minutes to reduce puffiness. Steep two tea bags in boiling water for three minutes, let cool and place over eyes. Replaces: n.b. cream or gel under eye puffiness reducers, which contain drying and tightening agents.

Oatmeal and Cornstarch = aids for dry, itchy skin

Mix oatmeal with buttermilk and place the mixture in a sock or cheesecloth to use in a warm bath. Rub a pinch of cornstarch into itchy or slightly inflamed skin to soothe and heal. Replaces: n.b. anti-inching powders and lotions, which often have offensive odors.

Canola or Olive Oil = cuticle softener, fingernail moisturizer

Pour oil into a small, shallow bowl and soak fingernails for one minute. Rub oil into the nails, cuticles and hands and rinse off with mild soap and warm water. Replaces: n.b. nail creams and oils, which can be expensive.

Vinegar = homemade douche

Mix one part white vinegar with two parts water and pour into a syringe or large medicine dropper. Replaces: n.b. douches, which can contain perfumes and preservatives.

Baking Soda = toothpaste and deodorant

Scoop a fourth of a teaspoon onto your toothbrush and brush teeth as usual. Dab and rub a finger-full into armpits. Replaces: n.b., toothpaste and antiperspirant deodorants, which contain dyes and aluminum, respectively.

Inexpensive Beauty at Home

Beauty From The Medicine Cabinet

Organize what you already have by throwing out old products, whether name brand or common (anything a year old or more), and separating the remaining items into the two respective categories. Decide which name products you plan to keep using and which common ones you want to try. Make a list of common products you wish to try that you do not currently have to buy at the grocery store.

See the following list of common items that can be used in place of name brand items.

           

Petroleum Jelly = facial moisturizer

Spread a thin, even layer over your entire face and hands as a moisturizer. Replaces: name brand (n.b.) facial moisturizers, which contain added dyes and scents; available in jars and tubes.

Tea Tree Oil = shrinks and lightens blemishes

Dab on pimples, blemishes and skin discolorations. Replaces: n.b. topical acne medicines, which contain bleaching agents (i.e. hydrogen peroxide); available in solid sticks or liquid vials.

Baby/Mineral Oil = skin moisturizer

Rub a dime-sized amount over the entire body while in the shower or afterward (depending on the extent of moister you want). Also, pour a small amount into a warm bath. Pat your skin dry with a soft towel (instead of rubbing) so the oil will be properly absorbed. Replaces: n.b. in-shower body lotions, which can be expensive.

Baby Powder = scalp de-moisturizer/re-freshener

Sprinkle a small amount on a hairbrush and run through hair closest to the scalp. Replaces: n.b. dry shampoos, which can be expensive and contain perfumes.

Witch Hazel = makeup remover/astringent

Pour small amount on a cotton pad or ball and rub over face. Replaces: n.b. facial astringents, which contain alcohol and dyes.

Homemade Cleaners Cont.

Polishes

Mineral Oil

Combine: two parts mineral oil with one part lemon juice/extract.

Use on: wood furniture – pour into a spray bottle, mist into a terry cloth and rub into surface.

Boiled Linseed Oil

Combine: three parts hot water with two parts linseed oil (bought as such) and one part turpentine.

Use on: wood furniture – soak a terry cloth in the mixture, wring out well and rub into surface.

Tip: due to the turpentine, wear rubber gloves to protect your skin.

General Cleansers

Ammonia

Combine: two parts water with one part ammonia and one part liquid dish soap.

Use on: windows, mirrors and porcelain.

Tip: Due to the ammonia, wear rubber gloves and use only in well-ventilated areas.

Baking Soda 

Combine: two parts warm water with one part mild shampoo and one part baking soda. Use on: hair brushes and combs – soak items in a bowl of the mixture for ten to twenty minutes to get them sparkling clean.

White Vinegar

Combine: two parts warm water with one part white vinegar and one part liquid dish soap.

Use on: carpet and tile.

Tip: be careful not to soak carpet all the way through.

Extra Tip: Save even more by buying generic. Ninety-nine percent of the time, generic vinegar, club soda, etc. are no different from their name brand counterparts. Plus, you can make as much or as little of each cleanser as you need; these products rarely expire or “go bad.” Store them in dark, cool places away from extreme heat or extreme cold.  Happy cleaning!

Homemade Cleaners

Spending too much money on brand name household cleansers? I became my own Mrs. Clean by making my own stain removers, deodorizers, polishes, etc. It’s easy (and even fun) to save money on cleaning products by making your own at home. Homemade cleansers are not only cheaper, but will also save space under your sink. Two or three common cleaners can do the work of six of seven “specialized” name brand ones. To create your barrage of homemade, household cleansers, everything you need is in your kitchen or bathroom. You don’t need to be a chef or a chemist to create these (inedible) recipes. Let’s get mixing!

Stain Removers
I have a rabbit who usually has great litter box habits. But, as with all pets, accidents will happen. So I have a spray bottle of half water, half white vinegar handy for the living room carpet. The mixture takes up the stain and kills the strong odor. Once it dries the vinegar smell is gone and I have a pretty carpet again. Even if it is covered in rabbit fur!


Here are some other sure-fire cleaner mixes:

Baking Soda

Combine: one cup baking soda with hot water in washing machine.

Use to: keep white clothes even whiter.

Club Soda

Combine: two parts club soda with one part table salt.

Use on: any cloth stain – scrub into stain, let sit for ten minutes and either rinse well with cold water or wash as normal.

Tip: works best on food and oil based stains.

Deodorizers

Alcohol

Combine: two parts warm water with one part rubbing alcohol.

Use in: bathrooms and kitchens – pour into spray bottle, mist onto area and scrub if needed.

Tip: wear rubber gloves to prevent skin from over-drying.

Baking Soda

Combine: two parts water with one part baking soda.

Use on: dish drainers, silverware, Teflon-coated pots and pans, tile, Thermos containers, lunch boxes, plastics and enamel.

More tomorrow!