Handy Hints for Wednesday ~ 15
Another week has flown by and we have five more household hints to share.
Watch out for coffee filters that look like large cupcake papers at the ‘£’ shop and use them to over bowls or dishes when cooking in the microwave.
Recycle frying oil. After frying, first cool and then strain the oil through a sieve lined with a coffee filter.
Place fabric softener sheets in chest of drawers and your clothes will smell freshly washed for weeks to come. You can also do this with towels and linen.
Clear the sink drain by dropping three Alka Seltzer tablets down the drain followed by a cup of white Vinegar. Wait a few minutes, and then run the hot water.
Ants, ants, ants everywhere. Well, they are said to never cross a chalk line. So, get your chalk out and draw a line on the floor or wherever ants tend to march. See for yourself.
I have not actually tried the last one and am not sure if it works for uncles! ;) I am sure someone will tell me.
steph said,
February 18, 2009 at 9:14 am
Can’t wait to try out the last one!
The hint for clearing the sink drain sounds like a chemical formula for an explosion. It would make a good cure for constipation!
Magpie11 said,
February 18, 2009 at 12:47 pm
I too had an explosive vision……. I imagined all sorts of goo and slime hitting the ceiling
Uncles? Ahem!
Nancy said,
February 18, 2009 at 2:05 pm
All Righty then ,Grannymar. Let me get this straight. If I have this right, your suggestion about the fabric softener sheets could save me a LOT of trouble..A LOT..
So, according to you I can get rid of my washer and dryer and simply put all my dirty clothes and towels in a dresser drawer and throw in a fabric softener sheet, and all my things will smell freshly washed for weeks.
You neglected to tell us how long this process takes. I only have enough knicks to last a week so hurry with the answer .
Grannymar said,
February 18, 2009 at 3:43 pm
Dearest Steph & Magpie,
The only science they allowed me do at school was domestic science!
Nancy - But…but you are supposed to wash the clothes first!
wisewebwoman said,
February 18, 2009 at 5:04 pm
Oh I do like the other use for coffee filters, GM.
Thanks!
XO
WWW
Grannymar said,
February 18, 2009 at 5:28 pm
WWW,
The coffee filters have many uses, I must come back to them another day.
Baino said,
February 18, 2009 at 7:42 pm
Chalk does work for tiny ants, as does flour, sand, bicarb, anything powdery really . . .wish it worked for rats! It’s been raining again and they’re playing soccer in my roof! And the drain cure is fantastic for me because I have an ‘envirocycle’ system and can’t use chemicals such as caustic or Draino! Thanks GM . . .
Joy said,
February 18, 2009 at 8:31 pm
I’m definitely going to try that clean drain one Grannymar since they say that usind Draino isn’t good for your pipes….thanks so much. ~Joy
Darlene said,
February 18, 2009 at 10:11 pm
I use a 3 TBSP.of baking soda instead of Alka Seltzer tablets and it works. I think the ingredient in the Alka Seltzer that makes it work is probably soda and using the ingredient is so much cheaper. I’m all for saving money.
Holemaster said,
February 19, 2009 at 12:59 am
Hello Grannymar
I like the chalk one. I can’t wait to draw a chalk line on the path and then spill some hundred and thousands on the other side and see how brave the ants are. Have you even seen ants carrying hundreds and thousands? It is one of the funniest things I have ever seen, might you, there were also on fire. (I was 6 though).
Holemaster said,
February 19, 2009 at 1:00 am
“mind you, they were” sorry.
kenju said,
February 19, 2009 at 5:13 am
Coffee filters are said to be good for washing windows, too.
Yukon Chatter Bug said,
February 19, 2009 at 5:51 am
It took me a couple of minutes to figure out what ‘£’ shop was… the equivalent to our dollar stores (doh!). How lame am I? LOL
Grannymar said,
February 19, 2009 at 9:39 am
Well you learn something new every day! Yesterday I learned how to open up my shiny new laptop. :d I was on my own and it took 30 minutes for me to work it out!
Then Elly came home and we were far to busy talking and forgot all about typing.
Grannymar said,
February 19, 2009 at 9:57 am
@Baino - Thanks for the other ‘white’ options for dealing with ants!
@Joy - Your drains will whistle and shine!
@Darlene - I have used the baking soda in the past, pity they sell it is such small containers.
@Holemaster - I have never played with 100s & 1000s and the ants. But I did enjoy watching birds slip & slide in the contents of tinned spaghetti bolognaise!
@Judy - So I believe.
Yukon Chatter Bug - I should have remembered to use the $ sign for my friends across the pond.
Karen said,
February 19, 2009 at 7:25 pm
They’re € shops down here Granny
Thursday Tips « The Blog Pound said,
February 19, 2009 at 7:59 pm
[...] To continue our series of Handy (alternative) Tips, originally stolen from GM we bring you handy alternative uses for [...]
Grannymar said,
February 19, 2009 at 9:44 pm
Karen, Thank you for reminding me about the € sign.
elfinamsterdam said,
March 11, 2009 at 8:38 pm
My housemate in Dublin used Cinamon to keep ants out, something about it being an astringent as well as a powder.
@Banio I feel your pain, had a mouse sitting on my sofa when I came back after being away for more than a week. I cried as I laid traps, I didn’t want to kill him, just for him to get the idea that it was no place for him and he should get out of dodge fast.
Must have worked as he’s never been seen since!
Elf
Grannymar said,
March 11, 2009 at 8:57 pm
Elf,
I think I will have fun this summer testing out all these ideas for removing ants…. I will have to find some first!