How-To Make Your Own Carpet Powder April 20, 2013

When we ran out of carpet powder, I thought, “man, I spend a lot on powder. I bet there is a way to make my own.” Then I found this recipe. It called for a parmesan cheese container to shake it out of. But, as long as you have the capability to sprinkle it on the floor, I don’t see a problem in it.

Ingredients;

2 cups Baking Soda
15 drops Orange Essential Oil
15 drops Clove Essential Oil

Directions;

Mix both in a container with a lid. I shook mine up. All done! When ready to use, sprinkle on your carpet and let it site for about 15 minutes, then vacuum up. Sweet smelling victory.

How-To Wear Hair Feathers April 8, 2013

So, you know how when you buy those feathers on a string that are supposed to clip into your hair. I bought a few because I thought they would look cute and ended up getting them tangled in my hair. The string came attached to an open clip that just didn’t close. So, here’s how to get them to work for you. Go to the dollar store and get some barrettes. Open one up and slide the feather clip onto it and close it. I bought enough barrettes to equal the among of feather clips I bought so I don’t have to keep taking them on and off. Hope this helps.

How-To Whiten Your Teeth Cheap April 5, 2013

Put a tiny bit of toothpaste into a small cup, mix in one teaspoon baking soda plus one teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide, and half a teaspoon water. Thoroughly mix then brush your teeth for two minutes. Remember to do it once a week until you have reached the results you want. Once your teeth are good and white, limit yourself to using the whitening treatment once every month or two.

How-To Clean Your Shower Everyday Without Breaking Your Back April 4, 2013

Did you know that vinegar and Dawn dishwashing detergent makes the best cleaning fluid? Here’s a trick I’ve figured out that helps me a ton. I absolutely hate cleaning showers and tubs. You have to get down on your knees, and mine hurt, and you’re stuck there for a long time scrubbing and scrubbing. So, I figured that if I could find a way to clean the shower without getting on my knees I would try. I originally bought a dishwashing wand at the dollar store. Big mistake. Everything ran out of it. I definitely recommend buying the name brand one. So, you pay more, but it works and lasts a long time. Scotch makes the best one. Fill it half with vinegar, then half with Dawn. This must be brand name as well. Cap it off and shake well. I put mine in the shower caddy sponge side up. When ever you shower, just turn it over and scrub away. It doesn’t take near as much scrubbing and I’m just bending over to scrub. I scrub the shower every other time I shower and find that it works great.

Never Buy Swiffer Wet or Dry Wipes Again April 2, 2013

Do you own a swiffer dust mop? Then why are you buying those expensive pads for them? They are high priced and if you buy the generic ones, they don’t work. Well, there is a solution. And believe me it’s too simple. Grab a couple old washcloths or wash rags. Or better yet, crochet a square that fits around the flat end of the mop.

For a duster, simply take a rag and drop a bit of fabric softener on it. mash it around a bunch and allow to dry completely. Once dry, and this may take a day or so, wrap around your swiffer and press into the holes and dust.

For a mop, simply take a rag and get it wet with hot water. Spray some soap of your choice over it and mash it together. Ring it out, but not all the way. The rag must be wet. Mop away. I’ve even had to add water to the rag as I go. This dries pretty quick.

How-To Make Your Own Laundry Detergent March 24, 2013

Let’s face it, of all the cleaning fluids, this is the one we spend the most money on. Are we really concerned with the smell? That wears off fast anyways. The only thing that really matters is if it cleans well. This does, so why not make your own?

It is probably best to use the Fels-Naptha soap. It was made for laundry and has stain removing ingredients.

Ingredients;

1 bar Fels-Naptha Soap
1 cup Borax
1 cup Arm & Hammer Washing Soda
an extra large pot, the kind that holds 2 gallons of water or more
grater
funnel
long wooden spoon or paint stirrer
2 empty Gallon Jugs

Directions;

Grate bar of soap into pot. Fill one gallon container or 64 ounces of water and pour into the pot. Boil until the bar soap dissolves. BE CAREFUL, the boiling makes the suds build up fast and rise almost to the top of the pot. Add the borax and washing soda and bring to a boil. Again, be careful, it will produce suds that reach for the top of the pot. Remove from heat. Add another gallon of water, this one cold. The mix should thicken upon stirring and sitting. Stir well. It may coagulate, just stir some more. Using the funnel pour back into the gallons for storage. Use 1/2 cup soap per load.

How-To Get Wax Out of Old Candles March 16, 2013

I love candles and used to use them a lot. After awhile, I ended up with a pile of glasses with a tiny bit of unusable wax at the bottom. I searched for a way to get the wax out so I could use the glasses for other things. Or if you want, you can make more candles.

Ingredients;

Old used candles that are unusable anymore
Boiling water
More Water
Microwave

Directions;

Don’t worry, if the glass was made to hold a flaming candle, it will hold boiling water. Fill the candle with boiling water and let sit overnight. Please note, the water must be cooled completely before removing wax. Stick a knife in the center and cut the wax in half or just remove. Dump out the water. It won’t be empty yet. Use your knife and work it around the edge of the candle in between the candle and the glass. Fill with water again and stick it in the microwave for one minute. Leave the microwave open afterwards to air it out. Let cool again and remove the wax. Use soap and a scouring pad to get the remaining bits of wax out.

How-To Make Your Own Dishwasher Detergent March 12, 2013

Finding the ingredients is the hardest part. This is so easy, you will kick yourself for spending all that money all this time.

Ingredients;

1 cup Borax
1 cup Arm & Hammer Washing Soda
1 cup Lemi Shine (powdered)
1/2 cup Kosher Salt

Directions;

Follow the directions on the Lemi Shine and run a load of the shine while empty. In a bowl, mix all ingredients well. Once it site for a day or so, it will get super clumpy, maybe even one large clump. Don’t worry, just break it up before you use it. Use 1 tablespoon per load in the closable wash section of your dishwasher.

Keeping Veggies Fresher Longer March 11, 2013

I was watching TV a week or so ago at work and saw a commercial for the Debbie Meyers Greenboxes. If you know anything about her previous products, she offered a “green bag” that kept vegetables, bread and so on fresher for longer. I didn’t see the point in bags as I think it is tedious and gross to wash and reuse baggies. This commercial advertised plastic ware that did the same thing. So this perked my ears. Then there was an offer to get them free, you just pay the shipping and handling. You get 5 containers and lids for 5.99 S&H. That’s a pretty good deal. So I ordered them and got them in a few days ago. I had a couple baggies of cut veggies in the fridge that were about to go bad and placed them in the green boxes. They stayed fresh so far. I’m excited to see where this goes. But so far so good. Better give them a try before the offer expires.

www.DMGreenboxes.com

How-To Hem Jeans While Keeping the Seam March 9, 2013

I always bought the same jeans. Same brand, size and so on. Of course, this was when I was bigger and jeans were hard to find. So, when I found something that fitted, I kept buying the same thing to avoid having to go through the disappointment of trying on something and it not fiting. Well, this last time I bought them, they were too long. It drove me nuts. They had to be hemmed or they would torn and terrible on the bottom. So, I found this article on how to keep the seam when hemming.
Put the jeans on and roll them up to a tad above the desired length. Pin them there. Take them off and smooth out the fold. Cut a straight line along the bottom right below the seam as shown. Sew the seam bottom to the bottom of the jeans. Fold back over and iron down. Viola!

Keep in mind that once washed the cut may fray and the stitch may come apart. Don’t fret. Trim the strings and resew. It only took two sews before it stopped doing this for me. I guess it depends on how good you are at sewing.