I came across an article on answers.com that was too good not to pass along. I love the stories they print. It’s the kind of site where you can waste an entire day clicking from one story to the next.
A word of warning, though. It takes forever for their pages to load even with the best high speed connection and it’s almost impossible to read an entire article without the browser freezing or shutting down. My browser froze 4-5 times in the course of reading this article.
I left out a few tips, so for those of you who are adventurous and willing to risk it, there is a link to the entire article at the bottom.
1. Use butter to prevent moldy cheese.
Rubbing a thin layer of butter over the edges of a block of cheese will help preserve it and prevent mold from growing.
2. Use baby powder to stop floor creaks.
Just sprinkle some baby powder where the floors creak, then sweep it into the cracks of the wood. You can also use a paintbrush to really get the powder into the little nooks and crannies, and the baby powder will act as a lubricant and stop the squeaking in no time.
3. Chill drinks quickly with a few household items.
If you need your drinks cold as quickly as possible, there’s a hack for that. Place the drinks in a large bowl and fill it with ice. Place the drinks in a large bowl and fill it with ice. Then sprinkle about two cups of table salt over the ice and fill the bowl with water. In just a few minutes, the drinks will be ice cold.
4. Use vinegar to get rid of the smell of fish after cooking.
Leave out a bowl of vinegar in the kitchen after cooking, and it will absorb the fishy smell.
5. Use uncooked spaghetti as a makeshift match.
If you have a hard-to-reach wick on a candle, a piece of uncooked spaghetti does the trick.
6. Re-open a sealed envelope by sticking it in the freezer.
After a few hours, it will pop right open. Just don’t try this to read other people’s mail. That’s a big no-no.
7. Press a small hole in the middle of burgers before cooking to help them cook more evenly.
It will also help prevent shrinkage, and by the time the burger is fully cooked the hole will have disappeared. This actually applies to reheating any leftover. Most modern microwaves rotate food to heat more evenly, except for the very center. Making a hole in the center will prevent the food in the middle from overheating.
8. Use apple cider vinegar to help soothe a sunburn.
Ah, vineger, a jack-of-all-trades. It has so many uses. The list seems endless. Well here is one more. Just soak a paper towel in the vinegar and gently dab it on your sunburn area for relief.
9. Reheat leftover pizza on the stove to avoid soggy crust.
Heat it in a skillet on low to medium heat for a minute or two, or until it’s warm enough and the cheese is melted.
10. Check your gas gauge to see which side of the car the gas tank is on.
I have to admit that I didn’t know this. You learn something everyday. There’s a small arrow pointing to where the tank is in case you forget. I just checked mine and the arrow isn’t there. Perhaps its because the tank is in the middle on many cars, including mine. (Ok, be honest. If you haven’t already, you want to go out to your car and check this, don’t you?)
11. Ditch the dryer sheets and use aluminum foil instead.
A ball of aluminum foil can keep your clothes static free, and they’re much cheaper than dryer sheets.
12. Use dryer sheets to keep the bees away.
Speaking of dryer sheets, a friend of ours who happens to be a mail carrier gave me this tip. If you have problems with bees or wasps building their nests in your mailbox, one or two dryer sheets will usually keep them away. You can use this method for any area that is plagued by the pesky insects.
13. Don’t store medicines in the bathroom–it can shorten their lifespan.
The heat and moisture in the bathroom affects the lifespan of medication, so it’s best to store them in a cool, dark place instead.
14. Store wrapping paper with paperclips to prevent it from unraveling.
A paperclip at each end will make sure it stays put.
15. Paint an old coffee table with chalkboard paint to entertain the kids (and yourself).
Nothing makes a kid happier than breaking the rules. Imagine the joy they would get from marking up the furniture without getting trouble. This is a great way to let kids be kids without having to refinish, repaint, or replace your furniture.