Handy Tips

Stuff your mother should have told you… If she didn’t, then perhaps she didn’t know it either!

1. Stuff a miniature marshmallow in the bottom of a sugar cone to prevent ice cream drips.
2. Use a meat baster to “squeeze” your pancake batter onto the hot griddle and you’ll get perfectly shaped pancakes every time.
3. To keep potatoes from budding, place an apple in the bag with the potatoes.
4. To prevent egg shells from cracking, add a pinch of salt to the water before hard-boiling.
5. Run your hands under cold water before pressing Rice Krispies treats in the pan and the marshmallow won’t stick to your fingers.
6. To get the most juice out of fresh lemons, bring them to room temperature and roll them under your palm against the kitchen counter before squeezing.
7. To easily remove burnt on food from your skillet, simply add a drop or two of dish soap and enough water to cover bottom of pan, and bring to a boil on stovetop.
8. Spray your Tupperware with nonstick cooking spray before pouring in tomato-based sauces and there won’t be any stains.
9. When a cake recipe calls for flouring the baking pan, use a bit of the dry cake mix instead and there won’t be any white mess on the outside of the cake.
10. If you accidentally over salt a dish while it’s still cooking, drop in a peeled potato and it will absorb the excess salt for an instant “fix me up.”
11. Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator and it will keep for weeks.
12. Brush some beaten egg white over pie crust before baking to yield a beautiful glossy finish.
13. Place a slice of apple in hardened brown sugar to soften it.
14. When boiling corn on the cob, add a pinch of sugar to help bring out the corn’s natural sweetness.
15. To determine whether an egg is fresh, immerse it in a pan of cool, salted water. If it sinks, it is fresh, but if it rises to the surface, throw it away.
16. Cure for headaches: Take a lime, cut it in half and rub it on your forehead. The throbbing will go away. (And even if it doesn’t, you’ll smell fresh all day!)
17. Don’t throw out all that leftover wine: Freeze into ice cubes for future use in casseroles and sauces.
18. If you have a problem opening jars: Try using latex dishwashing gloves. They give a nonslip grip that makes opening jars easy. A nutcracker also works.
19. Potatoes will take food stains off your fingers. Just slice and rub raw potato on the stains and rinse with water.
20. To get rid of itch from mosquito bites, try applying soap on the area and you will experience instant relief.
21. Use air-freshener to clean mirrors. It does a good job and better still, leaves a lovely smell to the shine.
22. When you get a splinter, reach for the scotch tape before resorting to tweezers or a needle. Simply put the scotch tape over the splinter, scotch tape removes the splinters painlessly and easily.
23. Now look what you can do with Alka-Seltzer:
• Clean a toilet. Drop in two Alka-Seltzer tablets, wait twenty minutes, brush, and flush. The citric acid and effervescent action clean vitreous china.
• Clean a vase. To remove a stain from the bottom of a glass vase or cruet, fill with water and drop in two Alka-Seltzer tablets.
• Polish jewelry. Drop two Alka-Seltzer tablets into a glass of water and immerse the jewelry for two minutes.
• Clean a thermos bottle. Fill the bottle with water, drop in four Alka-Seltzer tablets, and let soak for an hour (or longer, if necessary).
• Unclog a drain. Clear the sink drain by dropping three Alka-Seltzer tablets down the drain followed by a cup of Heinz White Vinegar. Wait a few minutes, then run the hot water.
24.  Flies or bees bothering you? Spray them with hairspray and they will take a quick dive.
25. Sealed envelope? Put in the freezer for a few hours, then slide a knife under the flap. The envelope can then be resealed.
26. Use Empty toilet paper roll to store appliance cords in. It keeps them neat and you can write on the roll what appliance it belongs to.
27. For icy door steps in freezing temperatures: get warm water and put Dawn dishwashing liquid in it. Pour it all over the steps. They won’t refreeze.
28. Crayon marks on walls? A damp rag, dipped in baking soda. Comes off with little effort.
29. Permanent marker on appliances/counter tops? Use rubbing alcohol on paper towel.
30. Whenever you purchase a box of SOS Pads (steel wool), take a pair of scissors and cut each pad in half. Your SOS pads last longer, and the scissors get sharpened!
31. Blood stains on clothes? Pour a little peroxide on a cloth and proceed to wipe off every drop of blood.
32. Use vertical strokes when washing windows outside and horizontal for inside windows. This way you can tell which side has the streaks. Straight vinegar will get outside windows really clean. Don’t wash windows on a sunny day. They will dry too quickly and will probably streak.
33. Spray a bit of perfume on the light bulb in any room to create a lovely light scent in each room when the light is turned on.
34. Place fabric softener sheets in dresser drawers and your clothes will smell freshly washed for weeks to come. You can also do this with towels and linen.
35. Candles will last a lot longer if placed in the freezer for at least 3 hours prior to burning.
36. To clean artificial flowers, pour some salt into a paper bag and add the flowers. Shake vigorously and the salt will absorb all the dust and dirt and leave your artificial flowers looking like new!