Emergency fire extinguisher—A reader wrote: We do a lot of outdoor cooking with our charcoal barbecue grill and I have a metal bucket to put the coals in once we are done cooking, but to be on the safe side we have homemade fire extinguishers handy. We take 1/2 cup of plain baking soda and mix it with 1 gallon of warm water and set it close by. I’ve been told that this particular mixture is equal to 80 gallons of plain water in a fire situation (don’t know if it’s true or not).
We’ve never had to try it, but I would hate to set the neighborhood on fire because of a stray live coal or two and this is cheap!
Free kitchen scraper—I will occasionally get an unasked for credit card in the mail. I don’t toss them because someone may get a hold of it and use the thing so I scratch off the name and the numbers with my trusty paring knife and then I have a palm sized scraper for getting the crud off of the bread board, or cookie dough out of the corner of a pan.
Grass stains on clothing—Football season isn’t quite over yet and kids can still get grass stains on uniforms as well as their own britches. Just rub molasses on the stain, let it set for about 15 minutes and then wash.
Gummy stuff—If your little one comes home with gum in their hair. Get an egg out of the fridge. Separate out the white and rub it into the gum and the guck will come right out. This also works on clothing, toys and even the carpet.
"On the cheap" wallpaper remover—Dip an old paintbrush in boiling water and paint/soak the old wallpaper. Let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes and it will peel right off with the help of a kitchen cake flipper or a knife. It sure is neater and less messy than anything else I have tried.
If you have hints or ideas to share, send them to PennyWise, Box 518, Kadoka, South Dakota 57543; or email them to [email protected]. If you send me your name and address, I’ll send you a free copy of the PennyWise Newsletter. Please mention High Plains Journal when you write.
