The new uses list goes on and on.
(Olive oilalone has nine extra uses around the house.)
Once you’ve mastered the art of repurposing, you might find new uses for anything and everything.
Photo: Daniel Grizelj/Getty Images
All it takes is a little creativity and plenty of little problems to solve.
Sanitize a chopping block.Run a slice of lemon over the surface to disinfect.2.
Fade tea stains on cloth.Dilute lemon juice with an equal amount of water.
James Baigrie
Use an eyedropper or a Q-tip to ensure the juice targets the stain.
Thoroughly flush with cool water.5.
Decorate on the cheap.Fill a glass bowl with lemons for a sunny centerpiece.
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Or display a row of them along a windowsill.6.
Relieve a sore throat.Cut a lemon in half.
Let cool slightly, then mix the juice with 1 teaspoon of honey and eat.7.
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Whiten fingernails.Rub a wedge on the surface of your nails.8.
Shine the interior of copper cookware.Sprinkle a lemon wedge with salt, then scrub.9.
Brighten laundry whites.Add 12 cup lemon juice to the wash cycle of a normal-size load.10.
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Ripen tomatoes.Wrap them individually and leave them out at room temperature.3.
Wipe away tough streaks on glass.Use newspaper with cleaning fluid to clean mirrors and windows.5.
Preserve antique glass.Some older frames have finishes on the glass that can be damaged by cleaning solutions.
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Dry shoes.Place crumpled paper in them overnight.7.
Create a home for slushy snow boots.During the winter, keep a pile of newspaper near the entryway.
Prepare a garden.In the fall, mow a patch of lawn to make room for a dedicated bed.
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Cover it with four layers of newspaper, then a 4-inch layer of shredded leaves or bark mulch.
Keep the refrigerator vegetable drawer dry and free of smells.Line the bottom with newspaper.
“Its film also fills up microscopic rough spots in surfaces, making them look polished and shiny.”
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Use Olive Oil to:
1.
Shave.Olive oil can provide a closer shave when used in place of shaving cream.2.
Shine stainless steel.Many cleaning standbys, such as ammonia, can dull and even corrode chrome and stainless steel.
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Olive oil, however, is a safe and effective shining agent.3.
Remove eye makeup.Dab a little under the eyes and rinse off with a washcloth.4.
Dripped wax should peel away easily.5.
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Care for your pet.Add 14 teaspoon to your cat’s food to help prevent hair balls.6.
Moisturize cuticles.Apply a small amount of olive oil to the nail beds.7.
Treat dry skin.Rub a thin layer over the skin after a shower or a waxing.8.
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Unstick a zipper.Using a Q-tip, apply a drop to lubricate the teeth.
(Avoid touching the fabric.)
The zipper should move up and down freely.9.
Dust wooden furniture.Apply a bit of oil to a cloth and wipe.10.
Freshen smelly shoes.Insert a dryer sheet into the offending pair and let sit overnight.2.
Remove static from clothing, hair, TV screens, and computer monitors.Wipe the surface with a sheet.3.
Clean pet hair from the floor or furniture.Rub a dryer sheet over the spot where Fluffy left her fur.4.
The pan will be easier to clean in the morning.6.
Wipe up sawdust after working in the garage.Rub a dryer sheet over the fine wood particles.9.
Prevent thread from tangling when sewing.Run a threaded needle through a dryer sheet right before you begin your handiwork.10.
Dust venetian blinds.terminate the blinds, then wipe up and down with a dryer sheet.
Almost a century later, a perfected version of Bentz’s design is still used.
Serve popcorn or other snacks.The filters act as disposable bowls, so there’s no dishwashing.4.
Slowly pour 8 ounces of plain yogurt onto the filter.
Let drain for one hour.
Heat up leftovers in the microwave.Use a filter as the protective covering over a bowl or a plate.6.
Prevent scuffs and scratches on fine china.Use flattened coffee filters as spacers when you stack your dishes.8.
Serve pita sandwiches.A circular filter is the perfect size for carrying a sandwich on the go.10.
Clean windows and glass when you’re out of paper towels.Coffee filters leave no lint or other residue.
Keep a rug in place.Stick pieces of Velcro to the floor and to the bottom of the rug.4.
Stop seat cushions from sliding off kitchen chairs.Place strips of Velcro on the chair and on the cushion.5.
Remove pills from sweaters.Use the hook side of Velcro to pull off pesky balls.8.
Restrain wayward cords.Keep them in one place with a strip of Velcro.9.
Now, it has become a kitchen staple.
Knead dough.Place dough in a Ziploc bag so your fingers don’t get sticky.
Or slip your hand into the bag and wear it like a glove.2.
Store panty hose.Nude, Tan, Nearly Nakedthey look the same out of the package.
Store each pair in its own bag to keep hose organized and prevent snags.3.
Shatter gum with a blunt object, then vacuum up the chips.
Carefully peel off frozen wax with a plastic spatula.4.
Pipe frosting.Snip off a tiny corner to use a Ziploc as a pastry bag.5.
Store homemade soup.Fill up bags, then lay them flat in the freezer.
Protect precious cargo.No bubble wrap?
Slip a straw into the top of a nearly closed Ziploc bag and inflate.
Remove the straw and seal it to make a cushion.
(Heirlooms, however, should wait for that bubble wrap.)7.
Prevent a handbag from turning into a snow globe.Store pressed powder and other compacts in Ziploc bags.9.
Ice an injury.Fill a bag with ice cubes to create a cold compress.
Salt
Think twice before you toss that spilled salt over your shoulderthe flavor enhancer is incredibly useful.
“Salt has an affinity to water and can draw moisture out of many foods,” says Wolke.
Make eggs or cream whip up faster and higher.Add a pinch of salt before beating.2.
De-ice sidewalks.In a pinch, it can be used as a substitute for rock salt.3.
Keep chicken or turkey moist.Rub salt in the cavity of the bird before cooking.4.
Prevent sautes made with eggplant or zucchini from getting watery.Sprinkle salt on these vegetables before cooking.5.
Remove dirt from leafy vegetables, such as spinach.Wash the vegetables in a bath of salt water.8.
Keep shells from cracking when boiling eggs.Add a few pinches of salt to the water.11.
Layer salt and ice until they reach the neck.
Wait 10 minutes and serve.
