Household Hints

Flaming Sword  I found a really good trigger sprayer. Under $4.00. I own several of these. One for Windex, one for Daconil, one for my insecticide spray. The spray volume is 3 times normal so now I don't wear out my finger. Adjustable stream/spray of course. These are only sold at Walmart. In the grocery dept., cleaning supplies aisle. I'm really happy with mine. The Bottle Crew 3x High Output Adjustable Formula Sprayer, 32 oz. You can Google that and Walmart will come up with a pic of what you're looking for. Sunday at 16:39 EST .    BirdsNest  I always buy mine from Dollar Tree but they do not last very long, I will try one of these. 9 hours ago .

Carmen  For cleaning caste iron, stove grates or any other item that has baked on grease: Put in a plastic trash back with rags soaked in ammonia. Seal and leave over night. The next day your stuff will come clean with little rubbing. For caste iron, be sure to re-season it. When I got my new stove, the directions said not to use steel wool on the grates. What? I finally found this answer and it works! April 28 at 16:51 EST .    1 person like this.    Balogreene  In the olden days, my ggrandmother and grandmother, put cast iron in the wood stove, lit the fire and burned it clean. My dad always put it in the incinerator in the backyard. After going through fire it looked like new. Then you re seasoned it. I've done the same in the fireplace. April 28 at 19:37 EST .  1 person like this.    BirdsNest  Nice to know, I have a pan that needs cleaning. And saw a cast iron skillet at the thrift store that I may get if it's still there, it could use this procedure. Thanks. April 29 at 08:28 EST .    Escaped commieny  I like Tam, I know I posted her first video months ago. I got a nice 5 qt dutch oven my brother was throwing out. I soaked it in vinegar and then did the oven cleaner bag thing. I 'roasted' it in the weber to season ( we are under fire alert no outside fires )but instead of elbow grease used my cordless drill with a wire brush https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Sj8Glzu MKk May 6 at 11:25 EST .  1 person like this.

Ynaught  I just got this off Facebook and plan to try it out tomorrow! HOMEMADE MOSQUITO TRAP: Items needed: 1 cup of water 1/4 cup of brown sugar 1 gram of yeast 1 2-liter bottle HOW: 1. Cut the plastic bottle in half. 2. Mix brown sugar with hot water. Let cool. When cold, pour in the bottom half of the bottle. 3. Add the yeast. No need to mix. It creates carbon dioxide, which attracts mosquitoes. 4. Place the funnel part, upside down, into the other half of the bottle, taping them together if desired. 5. Wrap the bottle with something black, leaving the top uncovered, and place it outside in an area away from your normal gathering area. (Mosquitoes are also drawn to the color black. ) Change the solution every 2 weeks for continuous control.    April 18 at 22:33 EST .    2 people like this.    BirdsNest  Worth a shot. April 20 at 19:04 EST .   2 people like this.    Linder  Can see it all now. Mosquitoes will end up on the endangered species list. Mosquito bites will become a badge of honor. Construction projects will be put on hold. But I'm going to try it anyway. April 22 at 11:03 EST .   2 people like this.

Bettijo  How to Spot a Bad Egg Concerned about getting sick from a bad egg? Make sure that all your eggs pass the following tests: 1. Check the surface of the egg for any cracks. 2. Here's an easy test... you don't have to smell for any rotten smell. Fill a large container with cold water. Place the egg in the water. If the egg floats, toss it immediately. If the egg stands with its pointed end on the bottom, it would be better to cook this egg. If the egg sinks and stays on the bottom, it should be good to go. 3. To be on the safe side, you can smell and look at the egg white and yolk. April 16 at 16:25 EST .    2 people like this.

BirdsNest  I am just about ready to make my own laundry detergent. I am tired of the cost of it and the smell of most. I have a couple of different recipes and have to decide which one will fit my needs. Has anyone else done this? Would love to know. Thanks. March 21 at 07:43 EST .    2 people like this.    Balogreene  How about dishwasher detergent? March 21 at 18:53 EST .   2 people like this.    BirdsNest  I have seen one for dishwashers but I will have to search for it. Washing soda can be found in WalMart, I believe it is Arm & Hammer. March 21 at 22:12 EST .   2 people like this.    Flaming Sword  I found a goldmine a year ago. restockit.com. The real Cascade ( made for restaurants ). It is the phosphate kind, and I no longer have to use TSP. I have sparkling dishes again. and a toilet bowl cleaner that is incredible. Mostly made for hospitals from what I can tell. One small squirt and we are talking sparkling ! Cascade® with Phosphates Automatic Dishwasher Detergent, Case of 6 SKU:34953PG WEIGHT:35.00 lbs(s ) Vani-Sol® Professional High Acid Bowl Cleanse Ready-to-use, 32 oz. Bottle (RAC02212CT ) Also Windex concentrate. Wonderful. Lots of professional cleaning products that actually work and cost so much less than the supermarket. Sign up for the email and get discounts. March 25 at 14:33 EST .   3 people like this.    Flaming Sword  I forgot the most wonderful thing I found in the professional line. How I EVER lived without this is beyond me. I've never seen anything like it in my life. Just a little spray, or a bit into the dishpan, sprayed on greasy pot and pans, stovetops, range hoods. Sparkling clean, instantly. I bet it would be great on greasy car oil stained clothes. Dawn® Heavy Duty Degreaser (PGC04853 ) List Price: $69.80 Our Price $55.84 / Case of 5 Free Shipping this week March 25 at 14:48 EST .   4 people like this.

Bettijo  Hole Under Door Lock Wednesday, I approached my truck from the passenger side to placemy computer bag (aka my man purse ) in the front passenger seat. As I reached to open the door I noticed there was a hole right under my door handle. My first thought was, "someone has shot my truck !" I began to think about it and inspect it a little closer and the "light" slowly began to come on. I phoned my friend who owns a body shop and asked if he had any vehicles with damage to the doors that looked like a bullet hole. "Yes, I see it all the time. Thieves have a punch and place it right under the door handle, knock a hole through, reach in and unlock it, just as if they have a key. No alarms, broken glass, or anything." I then placed a call to my insurance agent and explained it to him. I was puzzled that they left my GPS and all other belongings. Here is where it gets scary ! "Oh no, he said, they want the break-in to be so subtle that you don't even realize it. They look at your GPS to see where "home" is.,Or check your address from Insurance and Registration in your glove box. Now, they know what you drive, go to your home, and if your vehicle isn't there they assume you aren't and break into your home." He said they will even leave a purse or wallet and only take one or two credit cards. By the time you realize there has been a theft, they may have already had a couple of days or more to use them. (I didn't realize my situation for two full days! ) They even give you the courtesy of re-locking your doors for you. Periodically, walk around your car, especially after you park in a shopping center or other large parking area. Report thefts immediately....your bank w/missing check numbers, your credit card agencies, police, and insurance companies, etc. Below is picture of what the hole looks like. One would have to look pretty darn close to notice a hole like that. If the hole was on the passenger side I would never see it.    February 22 at 11:40 EST .    8 people like this.    Gerty  Many thanks for this information, MissBettijo. I guess the old advice about leaving 'things' in unattended cars is: Never leave anything in a parked auto you cannot afford/want to lose. The alert as to the home address on the GPS unit is especially timely. February 23 at 04:03 EST .   7 people like this.    Gerty  PS We do keep a 'home' destination on our GPS units, we just don't call it 'home'---we give it another name. February 23 at 04:05 EST .   7 people like this.    BirdsNest  Thanks for the "heads up". Many folks put the address of the local police station as their "home" address on their GPS. February 23 at 12:57 EST .   6 people like this.

BirdsNest  Found this recipe for a great screen cleaner. Equal parts of distilled water and alcohol(at least 70% Isopropyl alcohol, higher is better ). Using a soft cloth(NO paper towels ever on screens )use the cleaner for your computer screen, TV screen, and even eye glasses, but DO NOT use if you have coated lenses, I am not sure what the outcome would be. Hagar has cheapo $9 reading glasses and mine are not coated and it worked fine.And it doesn't seem to cause streaks. February 16 at 13:41 EST .    10 people like this.    Carmen  Oh, I was thinking this was a strange concoction for window screens! For those use one part ammonia to three parts water. February 21 at 09:50 EST .   7 people like this.    Gerty  I thought the same thing, Miss Carmen! PS Happy to see you posting again--missed you. February 23 at 03:59 EST .   7 people like this.

Bettijo  I got this from another blog about the high cost of appliances. This poster makes a lot of sense. "I own an appliance repair business, and here's my two cens worth... If you stick to low-end Whirlpool brand washers and dryers, you will have very good machines for under $500 each. The high end ones are prone to expensive failures, but good old old fashioned top loader Whirlpools are affordable and built to last. And it isn't that the manufacturers are greedier than before, it's just that people have a demand for fancy, feature rich appliances. The more features, the more parts there are to break. My refrigerator is an old fashioned top freezer Whirlpool, which can still be bought for about $800. My diswashe cost me $350, as did my washer and dryer. Go with the basics and save money and avoid costly repairs! Otherwise... you will be seeing repairmen like me all the time. Cheers!" I have an old, but "high end" sewing machine. The other day I wanted a plastic presser foot that I could see through...it was almost $40! If I had had a less expensive brand, I suspect I could have gotten one for under $10. January 24 at 10:31 EST .    8 people like this.

Bettijo  Never Put These in Your Dishwasher • Cast Iron: The inside of an active dishwasher is hot and wet—two conditions that are disastrous for certain kinds of cookware. Not only will dishwasher cleaning cause cast iron skillets to rust, it will also wash away the seasoning—that protective, nonstick, and delicious layer of oil and lard. Unless you want your cast iron cookware to end up looking like some sort of prehistoric anvil, don’t put it in your dishwasher. • Wood: Once again, dishwashers get hot—really hot. Heat causes wood to warp, so avoid putting wooden objects in your dishwasher. That includes utensils, bowls, cutting boards, and even pots and pans with wooden handles. Furthermore, the dry cycle may cause the wood to crack, opening up a breeding ground for bacteria. Wood will warp and split under the heat and pressure of a dishwasher. • China and Delicate Glassware: This one should be obvious: Don’t put delicate wine glasses, china, or other formal wares in your dishwasher. What are you thinking? The chemicals in dishwasher detergents are abrasive, so they’ll wear away at delicate materials and cause them to crack. The intense heat of a dishwasher can also cause glasses and china to shatter, which is sure to put you at odds with whoever owns those precious family heirlooms you were too lazy to wash by hand. Not to mention, you’ll have to manually clean shattered glass out of the wash tub, which sounds like a blast but is probably hazardous, to say the least. • Gold-Trim Dishes: What, are you stupid? They’re almost always delicate (see above ), and even if they don’t wreck the entire plate, the water jets can spray away flakes or chunks of gold. • Insulated Travel Mugs: Travel mugs have a vacuum seal between the inner and outer shell, which can be breached when it’s put through the dishwasher. Aside from filling the vacuum with water for an annoying sloshing sound, it can hinder the mug’s ability to retain heat, thereby defeating the whole purpose of a travel mug. You Probably Shouldn’t Put These in Your Dishwasher • Teflon: There’s a lot of debate over this one, but we’ll go ahead and say you probably don’t want to put Teflon in your dishwasher. Recent research has suggested that polytetrafluoroethylene—the chemical name for Teflon—is carcinogenic, particularly when it begins to break down. That reason alone should be enough to scare you away from the idea of agitating it in a high-temperature alkaline box. Manufacturers like Dupont say it’s fine, and dishwashing it a few times over several years is probably okay. But frequent washing is likely to hasten the breakdown process, coating other dishes and utensils with undesirable chemicals. And honestly, how easy is it to wash nonstick pans by hand anyway? Don’t be lazy. January 24 at 09:43 EST .    8 people like this.    Bettijo  • Stainless Steel: Most experts say it’s okay to put stainless steel products in the dishwasher—but with a few caveats. The general fear is that detergent and excessive humidity will corrode the metal, and that acidic food soils will tarnish its polish. It’s also recommended that, if you do choose to put stainless steel in the dishwasher, it should be placed in the upper rack or the cutlery basket and spaced far enough away from other materials so as to ensure proper washing and drying. However, we feel there are far too many precautions, and that you’re better off just washing stainless steel by hand. Stainless still might survive a dishwasher cycle, but be smart, and just wash your pots and pans by hand. • Aluminum: Some aluminum products are specifically designated to be “dishwasher-safe.” These materials are probably fine, but others may be prone to scratching. They may also develop a dull finish over time. We’d recommend taking this category on a case-by-case basis. • Knives: Knives turn into sporks when put through the dishwasher. OK, not really, but they do dull over time in the dishwasher. Then you have little more than a blunt object for cutting vegetables, and you’re no troglodyte, so wash your precious blades by hand. Just be careful. • Plastic: If a plastic item is not clearly guaranteed “dishwasher-safe” by the manufacturer, then wash it by hand. The heat from the water and dry cycle can warp the material and possibly even melt it. Even if the item is deeded safe for the dishwasher it’s a good idea to place it in the upper rack—or as far away from the heating element as possible. But anyone who’s ever had to deal with melted plastic in their dishwasher might recommend staying on the safe side and avoiding it altogether. January 24 at 09:43 EST .   9 people like this.

Ynaught  We almost never have icy steps here in the Lowcountry of SC, but for those of you who do, this might be a helpful hint:    December 29 at 08:55 EST .    3 people like this.    Balogreene  That's one reason I want to retire to the lowcountry. December 30 at 09:50 EST .   4 people like this.    Rake King  Balo: I hope when you say "low country" you mean below I-10. Last week it snowed in Memphis and Dallas, other times in Atlanta. Now take Hemenway, he went all the way to Key West...that would be classed as the "lowest" country. I hope you get wherever you wish to go. January 2 at 10:43 EST .   4 people like this.    Balogreene  My dad's family is from Colleton County, SC, I love Edisto Island, Hilton Head, Savannah, etc. from Charleston, SC to Savannah GA, that's what my grandparents called the lowcountry. If you've never been its a great vacation. Charleston, Savannah, and Hilton Head have great restaurants and history. I go to Edisto, because its very close to my dad's grandparent's home and graves, and Waltersboro has a great historical society . January 2 at 19:04 EST .   4 people like this.    Ynaught  I live three miles from the Edisto River, very close to Colleton County and Givhans State Park. Next time you are in the neighborhood, let me know and maybe we can get together at one of those great restaurants. January 2 at 22:30 EST .   4 people like this.

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