Household Help
Over the years I have heard, tried and tested some unusual household hints. Today I would like to share some with you. The animal ones come from animal lovers. My sister uses the dog shampoo on her two Shelties and their coats are very soft.
Toothpaste
Did you know that toothpaste (not the gel) makes an excellent salve for burns?
It also works as a cleaner for brass ware.
Vinegar
Soaking your nails in vinegar for as little as five minutes a day will help cure your brittle nails.
Spray your hands with a mist of vinegar, or dip them in vinegar and dry after washing dishes or having them in soapy water to keep your hands soft.
Do you bruise easily? Use a mixture of vinegar and cold water, wetting your towel, and apply overnight. You can even tape the towel on or use an ace bandage to better placement.
If you have burned yourself cooking, a quick dose of vinegar on the burn will prevent blistering in that area.
Horseradish
Achy muscles from a bout of the flu? Mix 1 Tablespoon of horseradish in 1 cup of olive oil. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes, then apply it as massage oil, for instant relief for aching muscles.
Honey
Honey remedy for skin blemishes … Cover the blemish with a dab of honey and place a Band-Aid over it. Honey kills the bacteria, keeps the skin sterile, and speeds healing. Works best overnight.
Alka-Seltzer
Cure urinary tract infections with Alka-Seltzer. Just dissolve two tablets in a glass of water and drink it at the onset of the symptoms. Alka-Seltzer begins eliminating urinary tract infections almost instantly– even though the product was never been advertised for this use.
Animal Magic
Eliminate ear mites in Cats. All it takes is a few drops of corn oil in your cat’s ear…Massage it in, then clean with a cotton ball. Repeat daily for 3 days. The oil soothes the cat’s skin, smothers the mites, and accelerates healing.
Kill fleas instantly…Dawn dishwashing liquid does the trick. Add a few drops to your dog’s bath and shampoo the animal thoroughly. Rinse well to avoid skin irritations. Good-bye fleas. Thanks to Judy I learned that if you have a cat or dog, putting a flea collar in the vacuum bag helps kill any fleas you vacuum up.
Rainy day cure for dog odour ….Next time your dog comes in from the rain, simply wipe down the animal with Bounce or any dryer sheet, instantly making your dog smell springtime fresh.
A Dog Shampoo (Kennel’s recipe)
1 part TCP (Liquid Antiseptic)
2 parts Stergene (Liquid Wash for Delicate)
3 parts water
Mix a convenient quantity and store in a screw top container and use as required.
Methylated Spirits
To clean secateurs rub thoroughly with Methylated Spirits and then with an oily rag.
Now do you have any handy hints to share?
steph said,
August 23, 2008 at 9:28 am
Grannymar
I’m all natural cures but…
dousing yourself in toothpaste, vinegar, horseradish and honey whilst burping Alka-Seltzer is not going to find you a Toyboy
Honey has wonderful healing properties and particularly Manuka Honey from New Zealand.
http://www.rte.ie/tv/theafternoonshow/1140247.html
Cathy said,
August 23, 2008 at 11:16 am
I will definitely use the rainy day one on the dog!
Grannymar said,
August 23, 2008 at 12:34 pm
@Steph - That is a very interesting article.
@Cathy - In Ireland you will have plenty of days to try it out!
kenju said,
August 23, 2008 at 2:51 pm
Thanks for the link, Grannymar. I will have to see if I can think of any other things.
Nancy said,
August 23, 2008 at 4:14 pm
Grannymar,
These are not EXACTLY household tips. They are beauty tips that I live by……
To make your hips and thighs look slim on the beach, dig two tunnels under your thighs and make a small dent in the sand for your bottom. Place your towel over the top and sit in the dug out area. Hey presto, no bulging thighs and hips.
Stand next to a person fatter than you whenever possible and never ever befriend a real skinny!!!
Always eat in private, if people never see you eat, they’ll believe you when you say you have a thyroid problem
If you have a problem with eating too much in the evenings, go to bed at 7.30 pm every night and ask your partner to hand cuff you to the bed, you never know, you may solve two problems in one, by spicing up your sex life at the same time
steph said,
August 23, 2008 at 5:52 pm
@ Nancy
ROFL
Grannymar - oh dear! It was nice knowing you
Grannymar said,
August 23, 2008 at 7:35 pm
Goodbye world! snif, snif!
Darlene said,
August 23, 2008 at 8:06 pm
Other then smelling like a salad, the vinegar tips are good.
While you are soaking your nails the fumes will probably clear your sinuses too.
Grannymar said,
August 23, 2008 at 9:11 pm
Darlene
The vinegar evaporates quickly.
Nancy said,
August 24, 2008 at 1:16 am
Oh, GM I forgot you were a skinny when I wrote that. All right, I’ll take a chance and be friends with you.
I always have to be careful who I stand next to. My sister is Bow legged and I am knock kneed and when we stand together we spell OX.
Magpie11 said,
August 24, 2008 at 1:38 am
Eat your local honey to stave off hay fever…they do say that high potency Manuka Honey is just as good and we have a friend who tried it for his allergies and says it cured him!
Honey has been used for wounds for many years…
The meths one for your secateurs is good as it sterilises them…wonder if it stops plant virus transfers tho’
grains of rice, lentils, dried peas etc whirled round a dry but stained decanter can sometimes get rid of marks. Nothing gets rid of the white marks due to water reacting with the glass. If you are ever buying an old decanter steer away from one which is wet inside…the wetness hides the affor mentioned water staining….yes, I have been caught out!
News paper and vinegar for cleaning windows!!!!
vacuum up some dried lavender flowers each time you change the bag…or empty the can….
Has any one a cure for the (expletive deleted) fruit flies that haunt our plant waste wheelie bin in summer…and then get into the house and get all ove rthe fruit in the fruit bowls?
Grannymar said,
August 24, 2008 at 1:10 pm
@Nancy - You are forgiven!
@Magpie - I remember being at a talk given by one of the directors of Tyrone Crystal many years ago. The suggestion for cleaning decanters or vases was to fill them with Domestos and leave them over night. Mind you when washing my good glassware I add vinegar to the water. and dry them with a linen teatowel. They sparkle when I am finished!
To keep flies and insects away, wipe the table with some undiluted white vinegar or lay some citrus peels on the tablecloth.
raptureponies said,
August 25, 2008 at 8:35 pm
A friend of mine swears by Manuka Honey for loads of things… but it’s ridiculously expensive
Grannymar said,
August 25, 2008 at 8:51 pm
Welcome raptureponies!
Remember there is no such thing as a free lunch, sometimes you have to pay in order to get the proper goods.
raptureponies said,
August 26, 2008 at 10:13 pm
Thanks Grannymar!
That’s true.. it helps she’s very generous with the honey
Alice said,
August 27, 2008 at 7:58 pm
What fun! You just never know what you’re going to learn at GrannyMar’s place! I need to try out some of them (the vinegar thingie) right away. But first I need to check my grocery cupboard.
Grannymar said,
August 27, 2008 at 8:52 pm
Alice
The grocery cupboard. holds all kinds of hidden treasures.
elly parker said,
September 11, 2008 at 9:11 am
@Magpie - I’ve heard that pouring Jeyes fluid down drains, sinks and around windows can keep those flies away.
Grannymar said,
September 11, 2008 at 10:09 am
@Elly & @Magpie - diluted Jayes fluid of course!
Mary-Ann O Brien said,
November 5, 2008 at 11:04 pm
Hi GrannyMar,
My son’s playstation games,CD’s and DVD’s keep getting scratched and have stopped working how do I fix them or fill in the scratches?
Grannymar said,
November 6, 2008 at 7:41 pm
Hi Mary-Ann
You may have seen the Afternoon Show yesterday where I demonstrated using toothpaqste on CD’s to fill in the scratches. Rub a tiny bit of tooth paste (not gel) on the disc and smooth it off with your finger. Take more time than I had on the show to do it and leave it to dry. When dry wipe the disc with a soft cloth.