Helpful household hints

Vanilla to the rescue

If you or someone you know gets burned with hot grease while working in the kitchen, get out the bottle of vanilla extract. Put some on the burn with a cotton ball or a wadded up piece of tissue. It will take all the sting out of the burn and surprisingly, does not leave a scar. This was shared with me years ago and I’ve used it many times with good success. I’m kind of a klutz in the kitchen.

Stair safety hint

A reader wrote that she had suffered a nasty fall going down into her basement one evening. She didn’t turn the light on because she figured she really didn’t need it and she says, “I missed a step and ‘took a header’ to quote my kids.”

I didn’t hurt anything except my pride and my backside, but my son came up with a really good idea the next day.

He got some white paint at the Hardware Store and painted the bottom 4 steps a bright white that I can see even if the light is not on. He’s sure it will save me another fall—especially when I’m carrying an arm load of stuff to put in the freezer.

Flies, flies and more flies

A reader wrote that you can kill flies with hair spray. She just sprays them with hair spray where they congregate and they die. She says it’s much safer than the commercial fly spray, costs a lot less and doesn’t smell quite so bad.

But her best idea was the one I use and really like. She said to put some plain rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle and spritz them with that and they die. She also says that when she sprays a window with the alcohol, she takes a paper towel and wipes down the window nice and clean. The hair spray is more expensive and just gets sticky when you try to wipe it off the window. I’ve tried the alcohol and it really works. For a dollar a bottle, you can’t beat it. You end up with no germs on the window and it’s clean besides. A true win-win.

Shine those chrome fixtures

To shine chrome fixtures—especially in the bathroom where soap seems to stick to the fixtures—try using some white vinegar on a piece of old towel, scrub off the scum with the wet vinegar rag and then follow up with a dry rag. Those old fixtures will look like new again. It also works on the kitchen faucets as well.

Whisk it away

A clean whiskbroom works great for cleaning corn for processing. The whiskers get all of the corn silks out and then can be pulled out of the bristles and on to the next ear.

Instant soaker hose

A reader wrote in the neatest hint that doesn’t cost a thing except a few minutes of your time. She says if the garden hose gets leaky spots, go ahead and use an awl to poke a lot of extra holes along the length to make an instant soaker hose. Homemade, but it works!!

Free fertilizer spreader

Instead of investing in or renting a fertilizer spreader, simply take a gallon coffee can—the 3 pound size—and punch some holes in the bottom of the can. Fill with fertilizer and then spread it by walking back and forth across the lawn area. You get a bit of exercise and can add a little extra in those bad spots that need a bit more.

If you have hints or ideas to share, send them to PennyWise, Box 518, Kadoka, SD 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.