• Cure a festering sore. After seeing your doctor for treatment you can speed up recovery of a open, festering sore by place a piece of fresh white bread, which has been soaked in milk, on the open wound. Bandage, and let the yeast lift the infection out of the wound. Repeat every couple of hours till wound is clean.

• Stickers, Decals, and Glue: To remove them from furniture, glass, plastic, etc. saturate with vegetable oil and rub off.

• Tarnished Silverware: Line a cake pan with aluminum foil. Fill with water and add 1 Tbls. of baking soda per 2 cups of water. Heat to 150 degrees. Lay silverware in pan, touching aluminum foil. Watch the stains disappear!

• Smelly Cooking Hands: Simply rub your hands over a stainless steel utensil under running water. This works especially well for the odor of garlic, onions or fish.

• To remove dried blood stains from clothing or furniture just dab on peroxide and let it dry.

• Gum In Hair: Soak the gum-coated hair in Coke® and it should wipe out easily.

• Spray your Tupperware with nonstick cooking spray before pouring in tomato-based sauces. No more stains.

• Use a rolling lint remover over your dusty lampshades, works like a champ! It even collects all the lint!

• Photos Stuck Together: With a hair dryer on low, slowly melt them apart.

• If you accidentally over-salt a dish while it's still cooking, drop in a peeled potato. It absorbs the excess salt for an instant "fix me up."

• Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator--it will keep for weeks.

• To remove rust stains from clothing or just to make white clothes whiter, boil water adding cream of tartar. Dip and boil an article for a few minutes, rinse. Super white ad water and rust free.

• When boiling corn on the cob, add a pinch of sugar to help bring out the corn's natural sweetness.

• Cure for headaches: Take a lime, cut it in half and rub it on your forehead. The throbbing will go away.

• To clean just about anything; take a spray bottle mix 1/3 pine cleaner, 1/3 ammonia, 1/3 warm water.

• What day was your bread delivered-Check the color of the Tie-Wraps!

The same color code is used for plastic clips on hotdog buns and etc.

—Ant Repellant—

• To keep ants out of the house, find where the ants are entering the house and sprinkle a "barrier" of cinnamon or any type of ground pepper to block their way. The spices are too hot for the ants to cross. Cucumber peels have the same effect.

—Bathroom Odors—

• Place an opened box of baking soda behind the toilet to absorb bathroom odors.

—Bathroom Mirror Trick—

• You can prevent that annoying fog that builds up on the bathroom mirror when showering by applying aftershave to the mirror's surface. Spray a small glop in the middle and then spread it over the surface with a cloth, then you wipe the surface clean and.... Walla! You have a mirror that is fog resistant for at least three weeks!"

• After you clean your bathroom mirror, use Pledge on it! For weeks afterwards all you have to do is to take a dry cloth and wipe the smudges off. When you notice that things don't just wipe off, wash your mirror again and apply another coat of Pledge. Looks like it will streak, but wiping real well takes care of that

—Carpet Stains—

• Baby wipes are miracle-workers on carpet stains, from motor oil to blood, they remove almost anything!

—Candle Holders—

• To prevent the wax from melting and sticking to the inside of a votive candle holder, pour a bit of water in the holder, then place the candle on top. If you forgot the water and there's wax stuck to your candle holder, pop it in the freezer for an hour. The wax will chip right off.

—Candle Wax—

• To remove wax from carpeting or other fabric, first scrape away any excess. Then, place a brown paper bag over the wax and run a warm iron over the bag. The wax will melt right into the bag! Continue moving the bag around as you pick up the wax so you are always using a clean section. If a little grease stain remains on carpet, sprinkle with baking soda and allow to sit overnight before vacuuming, which will remove the grease residue. If colored wax leaves a stain on carpet, blot with spot remover or carpet cleaner, following label directions.

—Cast Iron Pans—

• To gently and effectively clean your cast iron skillets after most uses, wipe out excess food with a dry paper towel, then sprinkle salt inside the pan. Wipe clean with a clean, dry paper towel. The salt acts as an abrasive to scratch off any stuck-on particles of food without using soap and water, which can remove your seasoning. For stubborn stuck-on food, use a putty knife to scrape it off. You may, however, need to reseason the pan after doing this.

—Chimney—

• To keep your chimney clean, throw a handful of salt on the fire.
Chrome:

• To remove rust from chrome, wipe it with aluminum foil dipped in Coke™. To polish chrome, use a crumbled up piece of aluminum foil and rub.

—Cigarette Burns On Wood—

• Used vinegar and baking soda on it, just a little to make a paste. Then use a pencil eraser to gently "erase" the burn mark. Once the mark is clean and bear patch it up with some stain."

—Clean A Vase—

• To remove those tough stains from the bottom of a glass vase, just fill with water and add two Alka-Seltzer tablets!
Cleaner Microwave

• Dissolve two Tbs. baking soda in one cup water in a small microwave-safe bowl. Let the solution boil in the microwave for a few minutes so that the steam condenses on the walls. Then wipe clean with a damp sponge.

• Always put something like a toothpick or a straw in the water that you're boiling in the microwave. Otherwise, it could explode when you take it out and give you a bad burn, because it actually reaches a point beyond boiling.

—Clogged Drain—

• Allie from Florida writes; "I have been using store-brand denture cleaning tablets for years to clean vases. I have found that the tablets also work great to remove that icky grease build-up from kitchen drains. Just drop a couple denture cleaning tablets down the kitchen drain, along with a cup of hot water." Works like a charm

• If your drain is clogged with grease, pour one cup of salt and one cup of baking soda into the drain followed by a kettle of boiling water. This should do the trick!
Coffee Pot Stains

• The best way to clean a burnt coffee pot is to put baking soda in the pot and put the pot back on the burner until the burnt coffee dissolves , then rinse with hot water.

—Pots and Pans Stains—

• Cascade automatic dish detergent is terrific for removing baked on stains from bake-ware, and pots and pans, teakettles, etc. Make a paste of Cascade and a bit of water. Paint on a thin coat with a pastry brush, let it sit for awhile and rinse off. Make sure that it's rinsed thoroughly. For really hard baked-on food, wrap the pan in saran wrap tightly and let sit overnight. Rinse thoroughly and dry. Voila! Not sure if this works on aluminum utensils, but it works on stainless, glass, porcelain and ceramic.

—Counter Top Stains—

• if you have a stained counter top (fruit juice for example) to make a paste with water and cigarette ashes and rub it into the stain then let sit a while then wash off.

• Use liquid dishwasher soap. Very little rubbing is necessary even with older kool-aid stains. This also works to clean off your dry-erase board if you used a permanent marker. Just put some on a towel and rub the stains off.

• The product Simple Green™ (found in stores) is great for removing stains from counters (even older stains)."
Cloudy Drinking Glasses:

• Soak them for an hour or longer in slightly warm white vinegar. Then, use a nylon-net or plastic dish scrubber to remove film. Still there• The damage must be etching (tiny scratches that occur in the dishwasher) and is permanent, sorry to say. To avoid this altogether, hand-wash your best glasses.

—Coffee Grinder—

• Grind up a cup or so of rice in a coffee grinder to clean the grinder and sharpen its blades.

—Copper—

• To polish copper, rub an ample amount of catsup on the copper and let it stand for 5 minutes. Rinse off the catsup with hot water and dry to find an incredible shine. (Submitted by Sam Meyer)

—Crayon on Walls or Washable Wallpaper—

• Spray with WD-40®, then gently wipe, using a paper towel or clean cloth. If the mark is stubborn, sprinkle a little baking soda on a damp sponge and gently rub in a circular motion. If the WD-40® leaves a residue, gently wipe off with a sponge soaked in soapy water; rinse clean; blot dry.

• Another method is to use a hair dryer - it heats the wax and wipes away instantly. If the color remains, like red usually does, wet a cloth with bleach and wipe.

—Deodorize dishes, pans, cutting boards or utensils with pungent odors—

• by adding 1/4 cup of lemon juice to your dishwater.
Dishwashers:

• To clean mineral deposits from the inside of your dishwasher, pour in a container of Tang® Drink Mix and run the dishwasher (don't put dishes in the dishwasher for this load).

—Dusting Tip—

• Before you vacuum, use a damp cloth to dust your furniture. The vacuum will blow the dust every which way if you don't.

—TV Dusting Tip—

• take a fabric softener sheet that has been used in your laundry and after cleaning your TV, rub it all around the area that you don't want to dust anymore! It's a guaranteed success! Instead of attracting dust, your TV repels it!

—Fireplace Soot Odor—

• To diminish and remove this odor, after you clean out the ashes, place a shallow pan of baking soda for a few hours or overnight in the fireplace.
Fish or Other Spoiled Food Odor:

• Place a bowl of white vinegar on the counter for a few hours. The odor will disappear for good.

—Freshen a Garbage Disposal—

• Sprinkle baking soda in it along with a few drops dish-washing liquid. Scrub with a brush (a new toilet brush works great), getting under the rubber gasket and all around the inside. Then, turn on water and let the disposal run to flush thoroughly. For a fresh citrus scent, throw in a few cut up lemons or limes and run them through, too, using lots of water.

—Freshen Laundry Basket—

• Place a fabric softener sheet in the bottom of your laundry basket (remember to change it weekly.) You can also simply sprinkle some baking soda in the bottom of your basket and that will help absorb the odors as well.

—Freshen Linen Closet—

• In the linen closet place cotton balls that have been sprayed with your favorite scent. Once they are dry place them in corners and on the shelves.

—George Foreman Grills—

• After removing the cooked food from the grill, place a paper towel soaked in water on each of the 2 cooking surfaces. Unplug the appliance, allow it to sit for 5-30 minutes (while you eat), then use the paper towels to effortlessly wipe out the grease and food particles.

—Glass Shower Doors—

• To get your shower door clean, shiny, and streak-free rub with a damp sponge soaked in white vinegar.

—Grout, Silicone Sealer, Mold and Mildew Remover—

• Remove mold and mildew from around bathtub silicone sealer with "Shock It" (Shock It comes in a bag and is a powdered chlorine product that is used to control algae in swimming pools. You can buy it at Wal-Mart). Sprinkle a little on, let set for 15 minutes and rinse off. Really Works!

• Another good tip is to use hydrogen peroxide to get rid of the hard to remove mildew that collects in the grouting around the bathroom faucets. Pour it on directly and it instantly softens the dirt so you can remove it with just one wipe! It will also whiten the grout!

• If the white grout between the ceramic tile looks nasty, just clean it with a household cleaner let dry and then go over it with white shoe polish. The kind that contains wax. Kiwi Cuir works well. Remove any polish on the tile with a damp cloth.

—Hardwood Floors—

• When cleaning hardwood floors, rather than deal with the mess of a mop bucket, fill a spray bottle with one part vinegar to three parts water. Spritz the floor and use a sponge mop to clean. The mop doesn't get soggy, but the floors still get clean.

—Lamp Shades—

• Use a rolling lint remover over your dusty lampshades, works like a champ! It even collects all the lint!
Linoleum Floors

• oxygen activated all purpose cleaner (Oxy-Clean™ ), a bit of water on a rag & some elbow grease removed the ink from our linoleum floor when nothing else would work!

• To get magic marker or ink stains off of your linoleum floors in a breeze, just spray some hairspray on them.

• To hide scratches or burn marks on linoleum floors is to cover them with automobile touch-up paint. Choose a color that matches your floor. The "touch-up" will endure countless washings!

—Longer Lasting Cut Flowers—

• Keep cut roses for 3-4 weeks in a vase! Just put l/2 of water with 1/2 of Mountain Dew in a vase. I had a cut rose that lasted and "dried" in 4 weeks in a vase and it still looked fresh! Then simply take off petals and place in a bowl for potpourri

• Combine two Tbs. of vinegar, three Tbs. of sugar and one quart warm water in your vase. Your cut flowers will last much longer!
Kitty Litter:

• To keep cat litter fresh smelling, mix baby powder in with the litter.
Microwave Filth:

• Food splatters all over the inside of your microwave and cooks itself on after time. To easily remove this mess, place a sponge soaked in water in the microwave. Cook on high heat for 2 minutes, then allow it to sit without opening the microwave door, for 5 minutes. The filth is now ready to be wiped right off - no scrubbing - and your sponge is right there!

—Microwave Odors—

• Keep a cup of baking soda in the microwave between uses to keep potatoes from smelling like bacon or other unusual combinations!
Mildew smell in clothes:
• An excellent way to remove the mildew is by filling up the washer to a medium load, adding a jug of vinegar (the big jug), and place clothes in for 8 hours, making sure they're immersed. After 8 hours, empty washer, wash the load as you normally do, (I also add Downey.) Then dry in the dryer. If you only have a few clothes, you could do a small load with a half jug of vinegar.

—Mildew out of clothes—

• rub the spot with a lemon juice and salt mixture. Dry the clothes in the sun and repeat the process until the stain is gone
Mothball Substitute:

• Take your leftover soap slivers and put them in a vented plastic bag. You place the bag with seasonal clothes before packing them away. Not only will the scent prevent them from moth harm but also they'll smell great when you pull them out.

—Odor-free Car—

• Place a few briquettes of charcoal under the seat of your car to absorb odors and keep it smelling fresh. Make sure to use the type without the starting fluid on them or your car will smell of fuel.

—Paint on Carpet—

• Spray with Windex® and wipe clean.

—Permanent Marker on Carpet—

• Dab a washcloth soaked in rubbing alcohol onto the marker stain. Do not rub it - just blot it - rotating the cloth to a clean spot every time.

—Pet Urine on Carpet—

• First, blot up what you can with paper towels. Then, with warm, soapy water and a clean cloth, blot the area clean; rinse with clean water; blot until dry. Next, combine 1/3 cup white vinegar with 2/3 cup water and dab it on stain; rinse with clean water; blot until dry. Once the area is totally dry (at least 24 hours), sprinkle entire carpet with baking soda or rug deodorizer; vacuum after a few hours.

—Pillow Refresher—

• Place two feather pillows (in their cases) into washer. Set on warm water and gentle cycle. Halfway through the cycle, flip the pillows. Now, you have to run the spin cycle twice to squeeze out all of the water. Toss into the dryer with a clean tennis shoe to prevent the feathers from bunching up.
Remove Smoke Smell in Clothes:

• To remove the smoke smell out of clothes, add a cup of vinegar to a bath tub of hot water and hang the clothes above the steam.
Removing Wallpaper

• Mitch from Ontario writes; "Put boiling hot water in a spray bottle with about one third liquid fabric softener. Spray wallpaper, wait a few minutes and peel off. This mixture dissolves the paste very fast. I have tried this many times and it works great and smells nice too

—Sliding Glass Door Tracks—

• Marla from Raleigh NC sent in this keen tip; "Clean the door tracks with furniture polish instead of a cleaner. It gets the tracks clean and the polish acts as a lubricant." Thanks Marla!
Stainless Steel Sinks:

• To shine stainless steel sinks or appliances, rub a small amount of flour on it!"

• If you have rust marks on your stainless steel, rub with a cloth dipped in lighter fluid. When the rust marks are gone... just clean with dish soap." Thanks for the great tip Stacey! My tip is to remove water spots from stainless steel. Just rub on some rubbing alcohol! And to keep your sink shiny, take some car polish and rub onto your sink and fixtures. This will prevent water spots!

—Smell of fish, onions, garlic—

• Get a piece of cheesecloth and put a couple of tablespoons of coffee beans in the center and tie with string. After washing hands, just rub it all over your hands. It works every time!

• Rub hands all over a piece of stainless steel

• Rub a teaspoon full of sugar into your hand. Add a couple of drops of water to make it stick & rub vigorously. Make sure you rinse well in warm water paying particular attention to under your nails as the crystals will stick down there. It works every time, odors disappear instantly

• To remove the odor of onion, bleach and laundry detergents from your skin, rinse with white vinegar."

• Get the fish smell off of our hands, use vanilla extract or vanilla scented hand lotion.

—Sweet Smelling Home—

• Add one quart of water, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and some orange rinds into a pot and boil on low heat. When the water is gone, your house will be home sweet smelling home!

—Sweet Smelling Refrigerator—

• keep your fridge smelling fresh, dampen a cotton ball with vanilla flavoring and place in the back corner of your fridge. It soaks up the smell a fridge can sometimes get.

—Shower Doors—

• Spray the Resolve™ on the shower and run a dish sponge over it and rinse every bit of soap scum off.

—Smashed Down Carpet—

• To make the carpet stand back up after moving a piece of furniture, place an ice cube on the spot. As it melts, the piles will go back up.
Smelly Shoes:

• Simply fill a tube sock with kitty litter, baking soda, or tea leaves; tie the end closed; and place the filled socks in the shoes when you're not wearing them. These sachets can be used over and over in any kind of shoe.

—Sour Sponge—

• Soak the sponge in lemon juice and rinse it out. This will remove the odor for good but keep in mind that it is important to either dispose of, bleach, or run your sponge through your dishwasher regularly to keep bacteria from growing.

—Stains in Plastic Storage Containers—

• Use a baking soda paste (baking soda and water) and rub into the stain. You can then rinse with vinegar (optional) and wash normally. Another method is to place container outside on a nice sunny day and the sun actually bleaches the stain out. To avoid stains in the first place, spray container with cooking spray before putting things in it that stain i.e. spaghetti sauce.

—Stuck-On Food in Pots, Pans, and Crockpots—

• Fill the pan with water and place a fabric softener sheet in the water. Allow the pan to soak overnight. The food will wipe right out!
Stovetops:

• To prevent grease and grime from sticking to your stove top, making it easy to clean, rub it down with car wax on occasion.

—Trash Bag Idea—

• Save money on trash bags by reusing plastic grocery bags. Use them in all your trash cans. To keep them from slipping down, affix a plastic, self-adhesive hook to both sides of the inside of the trash can. Hang the shopping bag from the hooks.

—Un-stick Zippers—

• To un-stick a zipper, try rubbing a little bit of Chap-Stick or other tube lip balm. Works like a charm.

—White Heat Marks and Water Rings on Wood Furniture—

• If the wood has a good finish (don't try on bare wood), mix equal parts of baking soda and regular white, non-gel toothpaste. Lightly dampen corner of a clean, soft white cloth with water and dip into the paste. With circular motion gently buff the marks for a few minutes. Wipe area clean, and buff to a shine. Follow with furniture polish. (If rings remain after buffing five minutes or so, they may have penetrated the wood; you might have to refinish the piece). If that doesn't work, dip a cloth in vegetable oil, then in cigarette ashes, then rub it over the mark. Another method is to rub real mayonnaise onto the stain, allow to sit overnight, then wipe with a dry towel.

—Washing Dishes—

• Add a tablespoon of baking soda to your water with your usual dish soap. It will soften your hands while cutting through that nasty grease!
Weeds in your Garden

• Spray or pour apple cider vinegar on weeds and they will be done for the next day. But do not pour or spray on or around any plant you do not wish to destroy

—Wicker—

• To keep wicker furniture from turning yellow, wash with a solution of warm salt water.

• To prevent it from drying out, apply lemon oil every so often.

• Don't let your wicker freeze because it will cause splitting and cracking.

—Window Cleaner—

• Fill a spray bottle with three tablespoons of ammonia, one tablespoon of vinegar and cold water. (add a drop of blue food coloring and no one will know the difference.

• Pour rubbing alcohol into a spray bottle. This is also great for bathroom mirrors and faucets because it's streak free and kills germs!

—Cilantro—

• Get yourself a bunch of fresh cilantro, wash and trim of the stems. Dry on paper towels then put in individual freezer snack bags. Freeze. When you need some fresh cilantro for salsa, soup or dips, just get a pack from the freezer, crush or chop and add to your recipe. Fresh cilantro! Wa-La!

—Great Egg Tips—

• If you boil eggs in an aluminum pan, your eggs yolks will "begin to turn black" (or green). This is caused by a reaction between the aluminum and the sulfur in the egg yolk. However, if you boil the eggs in glass or stainless steel, they will not have the discoloration.

• To hard boil eggs without the "yellow" starting to turn black, poke a tiny hole in the small end to let the air escape, then place in warm water, bring to a rolling boil, cover and remove the pot from the heat! For one or two eggs, let stand for 10 minutes. For each additional egg allow 1 minute. This also makes the egg shell peel off with ease.

• Put any number of eggs in the pan, cover with water and bring to a good rolling boil. While still boiling, cover the pan (to trap the heat and steam) and turn off the heat. Set a timer for 10 minutes. When it goes off, pour off the hot water and cover with cold water and let sit. I change the water several times until it stays cool. No black rings around the yolks.

—Egg Substitution For Pancakes—

• To make Pancakes without added cholesterol and fat: For each egg, take a teaspoon of sugar, mixed with a teaspoon of flour. Mix the two and add a few drops of water. The mixture will make a creamy paste, which is similar to that of a scrambled egg. Add this mixture into pancake mixture and your pancakes will come out tasting great, and just a little bit healthier!

—Garlic Cloves—

• Zap garlic cloves in the microwave for 15 seconds and the skins will slip right off!

—Fresh Eggs—

• To test to see if an egg is fresh, immerse it in a pan of cool, salted water. If it sinks, it's fresh. If it floats, throw it away!!

—Fresh Herbs—

• To keep herbs fresh longer, loosely wrap them in a damp paper towel, place in a plastic bag and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

—Shelling Walnuts—

• To get the walnut meat out whole, soak over night in salt water then crack gently.

—Onions Without Tears—

• Light a match and blow it out. Put the non burnt end between your teeth while you cut your onion. The sulfer will absorb the fumes. Always cut the root end of the onion off last.

• A good way to cut onions without tears is to cut them near water. Running water works best. Or put them in the freezer for about 5 to 10 minutes before cutting them. It works every time!

—Onion Odor on Hands—

• The easy way to remove the onion odor is to rub your hands on your stainless steel sink. Then wash them. No more onion odor!

• for those who don't have a stainless steel sink, try using a stainless steel butter knife! Bye bye stinky hands!

—Easy to Peel Oranges—

• Need to peel a bunch of oranges for a salad? Just soak the oranges in boiling water for five minutes then peel as usual. As a bonus, the "white" part of the peel will come off along with the peel to give a beautiful presentation!

—Naval oranges—

• The bigger the naval, the sweeter the orange!

—Perfect Pancakes—

• Use a meat baster to squeeze your pancake batter onto the hot griddle.

—Pies—

• Beat an egg white and brush over your pie crust before baking for a beautiful glossy finish.

—Preventing Boil-Overs—

• Add a lump of butter or a few teaspoons of oil to the water. Spaghetti will not boil over or stick together.

—Ripen Tomatoes And Bananas—

• Wrap green tomatoes or bananas in a wet dish towel and place them in a brown paper sack. (bag!) They will ripen in a day or so. Don't forget to check them!

—Too Salty—

• For soup and stews, add cut raw potatoes and discard once they have cooked and absorbed the salt.

—Un-Molding Gelatin—

• Rinse the mold pan with cold water and then coat with oil or pam.
Salad Dressing Tip

• This is a great tip to keep your oil-based salad dressings from pooling at the bottom of the bowl and keeping it on your greens! Take your dressing and heat it in the microwave for ten seconds before using. That's it!

—Scorch-Free Pans—

• When a recipe calls for scalded milk, add (but don't stir in!) a teaspoon of sugar before turning on the heat. The sugar will prevent hot milk from scorching the bottom of your saucepans.

—Spaghetti Sauce—

• To absorb the acidic taste that you get with tomato sauce, drop a whole carrot into the sauce while it simmers. Just remove the carrot before serving the sauce!

—Splattering And Sticking—

• When pan frying or sautéing, always heat your pan before adding the butter or oil. Not even eggs stick when you use this great tip!

• Another good tip to keep hot oil from splattering is to sprinkle a little salt in the pan before frying.

—Soggy Mashed Potatoes—

• Sprinkle with dry powdered milk for the fluffiest mashed potatoes ever!

—Fluffiest, Best Tasting Baked Potatoe—

• For a large potato place in a deep bowl with 1” of water. Cover with a plate and Microwave it on high for 10-12 minutes. Check after 10 minutes with a fork.

—Quick Baked Potatoes—

• Microwave them on high for 4-minutes on each side, then bake them for about 20-minutes at 450 degrees until skin is crispy. Or you can boil in salt water for 10-minutes before putting them into a preheated 450-degree oven.

—Quicker Instant Tea—

• Fill your pitcher one quarter full with hot water and add the instant ice tea mix and stir. Then add the cold water and ice. No more having to stir forever waiting for it to dissolve!

—Unsweetened Baking Chocolate Substitute—

• Run out of unsweetened baking chocolate? Try this substitute: Combine 3 Tbs. of unsweetened cocoa powder with 1 Tbs. of vegetable shortening to equal one ounce of chocolate. Wa La!

—Whipped Cream—

• Sweeten your whipped cream with confectioners sugar instead of granulated sugar. Oh so fluffy! Bonus-it holds its shape better!

—Apple Cider Vinegar—

Research worldwide supports and commends what Hippocrates (the father of medicine) found and treated his patients with in 400 B.C. He discovered that natural, un-distilled Apple Cider Vinegar (or ACV)* is a powerful cleansing and healing elixir – a naturally occurring antibiotic and antiseptic that fights germs and bacteria – for a healthier, stronger, longer life!

—Arthritis—

• A daily serving of fresh fish or fish oil capsules helps to give relief of arthritis and other joint pains.

• 3-4 walnuts eaten daily, on an empty stomach, will help.

—Asthma—

• Mix 1 tsp. honey with 1/2 tsp. cinnamon and take it at night before going to bed.

• Avoid taking aspirin, as this may invoke an asthma attack.

—Athletes Foot—

• Apply VICKS vapor rub over toes and affected areas before bed. It works!

• Another Method: File down the thick nails till they're pretty thin, so the remedy can reach it. Soak your feet in hot water with apple cider vinegar a couple of times a day. This seems to kill the actual fungus. Dry your feet. Apply a moisturizer to your feet. As your skin cracks and peels from fungus, that skin dries out and dies, yet makes more spots for the fungus to take hold. The remedy kills the fungus, then medicates and moisturizes the skin so it can heal. Might also try using the crushed garlic in oil that you can find in the store as a moisturizer.

—Bladder Infection—

• Take a bag of fresh or frozen cranberries and boil them in water (they will fall apart). Cool and drink. Don't add sugar! This remedy is also useful for people with kidney problems.
Bladder Stones:

• Boil 2 figs in 1 cup of water. Drink daily for a month.

—Boil—

• Place a generous portion of Tomato Past on a bandage brings fast relief and healing.

—Bruises—

• Slice a raw onion and place over the bruise. Do not apply this to broken skin.

—Bug Bites—

Immediate relief for a bug or mosquito bite, bee sting or wasp sting can be attained from applying:

• a slice of raw onion or a slice of raw potato.

• Ant bites and bee stings are more acidic in nature. For these you want to neutralize the effect of the venom with a paste of baking soda and very cold water.

• Apply straight lemon juice.

• A clay or mud paste can also be used to draw out the venom and is usually on hand!

• Use a wet tea bag as a poultice: the tannic acid in tea helps with swelling. Black tea is the most effective.

• Meat tenderizers contain enzymes that when applied as a paste also draw out the venom and swelling.

• Put a slice of cucumber over the area, this is especially effective for ant bites!

• A Poultice using winter or summer savory leaves helps with bites & stings.

• To reduce swelling, put on a drop of Lavender Essential Oil or Eucalyptus Essential Oil.

—Cold And Flu—

• Here is a delicious recipe for a cold and flu soup: Sauté 6 crushed cloves of garlic in 1 tsp. vegetable oil until golden. Pour in a quart of beef or chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and whisk in 2 egg whites. Beat together 2 egg yolks and 2 Tbls. distilled white vinegar; pour this mixture into the soup. Season with salt and pepper and top with croutons, if desired.

—Constipation (In Adults)—

• Eat a few black licorice sticks.

• Take apple pectin.

• Make sure you're getting enough Folic Acid in your diet.

• Drinking ginger tea will help start a bowel movement.

—Constipation (In Small Children)—

• Soak 6-8 raisins in hot water. When cool, crush well and strain. When given routinely even to little infants, it helps to regulate bowel movement.

—Coughs And Asthma—

• Steep 3-4 cloves of garlic in a cool, dark place for 2 weeks. Use several drops at a time, several times a day for coughs or asthma. Garlic is an exceptional cleanser for the body and has antimicrobial action similar to other antibiotics.

—Damaged, Dry Hair—

• A nourishing conditioner for dry or damaged hair which can be used for all hair types: Separate the white of an egg from the yolk, whip it to a peak. Add 1 Tbls. water to the yolk and blend until the mixture is creamy. Then mix the white and yolk together. Wet your hair with warm water, remove the excess moisture, and apply the mixture to your scalp with your fingertips. Massage gently until the froth is worked into your scalp, then rinse the hair with cool water. Keep applying the mixture until it is used up and then rinsed until all of the egg is washed away.

—Dandruff—

• Pour distilled white vinegar onto the hair, as close to the scalp as you can manage; massage into the scalp; and allow to dry for several minutes before washing as usual. Repeat daily until the dandruff disappears, usually within a few days.

—Dark Circles Around Eyes—

• Make a paste out of 1 tsp. tomato juice, 1/2 tsp. lemon juice, a pinch of turmeric powder, and 1 tsp. of flour. Apply around eyes. Leave on for 10 minutes before rinsing.

—Depression—

• 3/4 cup of cooked spinach a day is enough to give dramatic relief from depression if you are deficient in B vitamins.

—Diarrhea—

• Eat boiled sweet potatoes seasoned with salt and pepper before bedtime to cure chronic diarrhea.

—Dry Skin—

• Combine 1 cup oatmeal, 1 cup warm water, 1 Tbls. vanilla extract, and 1/2 cup baking soda in a blender or food processor until you have a smooth paste. Pour this paste under the running water while drawing the bath. Very soothing to dry, itchy skin.

—Earache—

• Steep 1-2 tsp. chamomile flowers in boiling water for 10-15 minutes. Strain out the water, and apply the hot flowers in a cloth for alleviation of the earache.

—Eczema—

• Rub a whole nutmeg against a smooth stone slab with a little water and make a paste. Apply on affected parts. (Note: It is believed by some rural, old fashioned practitioners that instead of water, one's own early morning saliva can be used for better results.)

—Energizer—

• Simmer 1 cup honey and 3 cup water together slowly. Allow 1 cup of the water to evaporate. Strain off the top surface, and put the remaining liquid into a stoneware crock or dark bottle. Put a towel over it so it can breathe, yet be free of dirt. Place in a cool place. You can add cinnamon, clove, or the juice of 2 lemons, if you like.

—Eye Problems—

• Simmer 1 cup water and 1 tsp. honey for 5 minutes. Dip a cloth in the liquid and apply to the closed eye.

—Facial Cleanser—

• Mix 2 Tbls. cornstarch, 2 Tbls. glycerin, and 1/2 cup water until smooth. Heat in a small pan placed in a water bath inside another pan. Heat until thick and clear; it will have the consistency of pudding. Do not boil. Cool completely, Use in place of soap to cleanse your skin. (If mixture is too thick, you may thin it by adding a little water, 1 Tbls. at a time, until you reach the desired consistency.)

—Fatigue—

• Take a glass of grapefruit and lemon juice in equal parts to dispel fatigue and general tiredness after a day's work.

—Gum In Hair—

• Soak the gum-coated hair in Coke® and it should wipe out easily.
Hair Lightener:

• To lighten hair, use 1/4 cup chopped fresh rhubarb to 2 cups boiling water. Cool, strain, and apply as a rinse.
Hang-Over:

• Eat honey on crackers. The fructose in the honey will help to flush out the alcohol in your system.
Hay Fever:

• Steep 1 tsp. fenugreek seed in 1 cup water, covered, for 10 minutes. Drink 1 cup a day to help hay fever symptoms.
Headache:

• Eat 10-12 almonds, the equivalent of two aspirins, for a migraine headache. Almonds are far less likely to upset the stomach.

—Hiccups—

• Cover lemon with 1 tsp sugar and suck on it....voila! No more hiccups...promise.

• Drink 1/2 glass water, slowly. Keep a tsp. of sugar in your month and suck slowly.

• Suck 2-3 small pieces of fresh ginger. This helps in hiccups which keep occurring again and again.

• Take a large mouthful of water with out swallowing, plug both ears, and slowly begin to swallow the water. Unplug your ears and you're hiccup free!

—Insect Bites—

• Mix water with cornstarch into a paste and apply. This is effective in drawing out the poisons of most insect bites and is also an effective remedy for diaper rash.

—Kidney Stones—

• Ingredients: 3 ounces Pineapple Juice
- 3 ounces Tonic Water
- Pinch of Nutmeg
- Pinch of Cinnamon
Instructions: Mix the juice and water. Lick the palm of your hand and drop a pinch of nutmeg and cinnamon on the hand then lick off. Drink the juice mix. Do this morning and night for 5 days. The pineapple cleanses the kidney. the tonic water relaxes thestomach muscles. the nutmeg softens the stones. the cinnamon helps with infection. This can be used as a wellness program. Drink at bedtime only.

—Leg Cramps—

• Take 3 Calcium w/Magnesium tablets whenever you are experiencing any kind of muscle cramps/pain. Within 30 minutes., the pain should begin to subside. Great for menstrual cramps, too.

—Lice—

• Lice can be killed quickly, easily, cheaply and safely with mayonnaise. Simply get a new jar of mayonnaise (not Miracle Whip) from your kitchen shelf or at the grocery store. (Don’t grab one from the refrigerator, as it will be way too cold.) Grab a handful (or several) and cover all of you child’s hair, being sure to get behind the ears and down the neck a little. You can cover this with a plastic shower cap to keep the mayonnaise from dripping or getting onto your furniture. Leave the mayonnaise on for two hours to smother the lice and developed eggs. Then, remove the shower cap and throw it away, both of you wash your hands good with soap, and shampoo the hair thoroughly. It may take two or more shampoos to get the hair clean

—Morning Sickness—

• Mix 1 tsp. each fresh juice of mint and lime, and 1 Tbls. honey. Take 3 times a day.

—Mosquito Bites—

• Apply lime juice diluted with water on bites with cotton ball.
Mucus In Cough

• Pour 1 cup boiling water over 1/2 tsp. each of ginger, ground cloves, and cinnamon. Filter. Sweeten with 1 tsp. honey and drink.

—Muscle Cramps—

• Apply clove oil on the affected body parts.

—Nail Fungus—

• Apply Vitamin E oil on it at least 3 times a week to infected nail beds and surrounding skin (up to 1/2 inch from nail cuticle. As the nail grows out, the fungus grows off and the new nail grows in normal and fungus-free. The treatment takes as long as it takes for the nail bed to completely grow out. It always amazes podiatrists to see their patients' normal nail beds growing in behind the fungus-infected nail.

—Toe Nail Fungus—

• Soak your foot in a bowl of plain original mouth wash (the brown colored kind) for 10 minutes everyday. Rinse foot off after soaking. This procedure definitely works although it make take 1-3 months to see drastic improvement.

—Toe Nail Fungus—

• I used Vicks Vaporub. This nail was over half black and within a few days of rubbing Vicks on it a couple of times a day, it started to clear up. The nail grew out just fine, I just kept cutting the black part off and now my nail if normal. I also know other people this has worked for. Some use bleach but I tried that and didn’t get any response. I think I even used a generic type of Vicks. If anyone has a nail fungus, give this a try, it worked for me!

—Nausea—

• Boil 1/2 cup of rice in 1 cup of water for about 10-20 minutes. After it is boiled, drain the water into a cup and sip at the rice water until symptoms are gone.

—Obesity—

• Mix lime juice with honey and water; drink a glass of this every morning.

• Mix 3 tsp. lime juice, 1/4 tsp. black pepper, 1 tsp. honey, and 1 cup water; drink a glass a day for 3 months.

• Mix 1 tsp. lime juice with 1 cup water and drink each morning.

• Eat a tomato before breakfast.

—Oily Skin—

• For oily skin, mix 1/2 cup cooked oatmeal, 1 egg white, 1 Tbls. lemon juice, and 1/2 cup mashed apple into a smooth paste. Apply to face and leave on 15 minutes. Rinse.

—Overweight—

• Effective at getting rid of fat, drink up to 3 cups of green tea daily. Regular tea can also be used with a lesser effect.

—Pain Reliever—

• Mix 3 Tbls. of honey in boiled water and drink. Honey has natural pain-relieving powers.
Smelly Feet:

• Soak feet in strong tea for 20 minutes every day until the smell disappears. To prepare your footbath, brew two tea bags in 2 1/2 cups of water for 15 minutes and pour the tea into a basin containing two liters of cool water.

—Smoking Habit—

• Lick a little salt with the tip of your tongue whenever you feel the urge to smoke. This is said to break the habit within 1 month.
Sore Throat:

• Mix 1 tsp. lime juice and 1 Tbls. honey. Swallow tiny amounts slowly 2-3 times a day.

—Splinters—

• Soak the area in vegetable oil for a few minutes before removing with tweezers.

—Stomach Ache—

• A simple cure for a stomachache is to dissolve 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon in 1 cup warm water, cover and let sit for 15 minutes, then drink it like tea. This remedy can also ease diarrhea and flatulence.

—Stomach Acidity—

• Drink coconut water 3-4 times a day.

• Have a plateful of watermelon and/or cucumber every hour.

—Stye—

• A stye typically results from a bacterial infection or from a clogging of the oil glands around the eyelashes. It is usually harmless, despite its appearance.

• Apply a clean warm (not hot) wet washcloth to the infected eye. Hold the compress there for five minutes, and repeat three or four times a day. The heat will draw the pus to the front of the sty, and it will break open and drain. (A sty generally will open and drain on its own within a few days, but the heat helps it do that sooner.) These compresses also increase the blood supply to the area, helping the body fight the bacteria.

• Or, get a tea bag wet in very warm water and place it on the sty. Let it stay for a few minutes. When you do this you will find that the sty will usually shrink to half its size. The tannic acid in the tea seems to help.

• Continue applying compresses a few times a day even after the stye rains.

• Never squeeze or try to pop a sty; it will be painful and may make the infection worse. Wash your hands after touching this eye or you can spread the bacteria to your other eye or someone else's eye.

• Occasionally, one may occur inside the eyelid. Eyelid styes are more stubborn and usually require treatment by a doctor. They may need to be lanced under sterile conditions. You may need oral antibiotics if the styeis very large, abscessed or not responding to other treatment.

—Sunburn—

• Mix 2 tsp. tomato juice and 1/4 cup buttermilk. Apply to affected area. Rinse after 1/2 hour.

—Toothache & Mouth Pain—

• To ease toothache or other mouth pain, make a tea by boiling 1 Tbls. fresh peppermint in 1 cup water and adding a little salt. Peppermint is an antiseptic and contains menthol, which relieves pain when applied to skin surfaces.

—Varicose Veins—

• Take 2-3 tsp. black strap molasses orally daily. This also treats all kinds of circulatory ailments.

—Vomiting And Nausea:—

• Sucking a piece of ice controls vomiting.

• Eat 1/2 tsp. ground cumin seeds.

• Cinnamon and sliced ginger work by interrupting nausea signals sent from the stomach to the brain. If you are an herbal tea drinker, simply sprinkle cinnamon on the tea and drink. To make ginger tea, simmer a few slices of ginger in hot tea water.

—Warts—

• Try taping a slice of garlic to the wart. Be sure to first protect the surrounding skin with petroleum jelly.

—Weak Nails—

• To strengthen and shine nails, combine 2 tsp. salt, 2 tsp. castor oil, and 1 tsp. wheat germ oil and mix thoroughly. Pour into bottle. Shake before using. To use, rub a small amount into your nails. Leave on 3-5 minutes and tissue off. Follow up with more plain castor oil, if desired.

—Warts & Moles—

• Soaking some gauze with a mixture of baking soda and castor oil made into a paste and tape this gauze over the mole. Leave the gauze on overnight. This treatment is reported to reduce and possibly remove moles over time.

• Moles (and warts) are an external sign of an internal potassium deficiency. The real cure (and prevention) is to eat enough foods that contain potassium or take Potassium in supplement form . Natural apple cider vinegar is high in potassium and beneficial to many health Natural apple cider vinegar can also be taken in tablet form

—Wrinkles & Skin Freshener—

• Combine 2 Tbls. vodka, 1 Tbls. fennel seeds, and 1 1/2 tsp. honey. Stir well and allow to sit for 3 days. Strain mixture. Use full strength or add 2 Tbls. water to dilute. Use a cotton ball to apply to face as a toner.

• Apply coconut oil on the portions of skin and face where wrinkles set in and gently massage every night at bed time.
Yeast Infections

• I battled recurring yeast infections for years. It was not only extremely uncomfortable and frustrating, but also expensive buying those creams and prescriptions. Buy Grapefruit Seed Extract at a health food store. Douche with 15-20 drops mixed in 8 oz. of water. Hold it in as long as you can. This usually works with just one dose. If symptoms persist, do it daily until gone. This remedy is truly amazing and changed the quality of my life!!

—Onions—

• Onions, try rinsing the onion under cold water before you slice it, it helps keep the tears away.

• When you're done chopping the onion up, sprinkle salt on wet hands and rinse away the odor!

—Garlic—

• For storing garlic Bulbs: make sure you keep them spread out (so the air can get to them) and keep them in a cool, dry, dark area.

• You can clean all of the garlic, place it in a glass jar, and cover with it olive oil. They will keep indefinitely

•Zap garlic cloves in the microwave for 15 seconds and the skins slip right off!

—Salt & Pepper Shaker—

• When refilling salt or pepper shakers, first cover the top opening with a small piece of plastic wrap, then when it is turned over to fill up, the salt does not pour out.

• To keep salt from clumping put rice or pinto beans in bottom of salt shaker.

• To prevent a clogged pepper shaker place a dried pea in the pepper container.

—Herbs—

• Grow them easily indoors in clay pots. They do freeze well also.
Herbs

• Dried Herbs and spices lose their potency quickly. Buy only a small amount at a time. When using fresh herbs and spices, use 3 times the amount of the dried.

• If you buy a bunch of fresh herbs (parsley, mint, coriander etc.) and do not use it all, wash and chop the remainder and keep it a plastic container in the freezer - Instant fresh herbs when you need them.

—Fleas—

• We had fleas very bad and no matter what we tried, for three weeks straight, they would chew our legs even more. Go buy 3-4 (26 OZ.) Morton Iodized Salt containers. Vacuum the carpets and throw away the bag. Then sprinkle the salt on the floor and leave for one week, then vacuum. The fleas will eat the salt and bust. We have not had any fleas since.

• I have the solution to getting rid of fleas once and for all. Mix together 2 cups of borax powder (available at most hardware stores) and 2 cups of salt. I mix it together in a coffee can and then punch holes in the plastic top. Sprinkle it on your carpet and brush it in a little with a broom. Use a flea comb to get the fleas off of your pet. One application works for years. I have not had a flea on my pet for over ten years. I used to work for a pest control company so you just received a "trade secret"

• Buy pet bedding with cedar chips. Cedar chips help repel fleas.

• In house: Vacuum daily, removing the vacuum bag when finished. Sprinkle garlic powder, or brewer's yeast onto affected areas.

• Put a few moth balls in your vacuum bag and vacuum carpets and bare floors thoroughly for about one week. Especially in corners and baseboards.

• On pets: boil one lemon in some water, strain and pour into a spray bottle to spray your pet.

• Try mixing pinesol with salt, and pour it in a spray bottle and spray affected areas.

• If you have fleas everywhere in your house, a good way to get rid of them is to create a soap water mixture. Place it below a light. The warmth seeking fleas will dive into the mixture. After a day, you will see a bowl full of suicide fleas!

• There are a variety of natural ways to prevent fleas from infesting your cat. If you feed your cat soft food, try mixing some fresh minced garlic into the food. Also, you can put a small amount of white vinegar into your pets drinking water. Also, one good way to prevent fleas is to feed your cat a healthy all natural diet. Try foods like "solid gold" or "azmira". Those food lines come in both soft and hard forms.

—Roaches—

• Keep areas clean of food. Boric acid sprinkled in a thin layer will kill roaches as long as it is kept dry. Please keep boric acid away from children and pets. Try to place in crevices where it can't be reached.

• Combine equal parts boric acid (a powder sold in hardware stores and drugstores) and sugar, mix well. Sprinkle in crevices and, if building or remodeling, between walls before putting up plaster board. Put the powder in jar lids; place lids behind the fridge and under sinks. Caution: Keep mixture away from children and pets. If ingested in large quantities, or even in small amounts over several days, boric acid can be harmful.

• Use pine oil to kill roaches, bugs most insects. Please Use Caution: Pine oil is a skin irritant and may cause allergic reactions. If swallowed it may be sucked into the lungs (aspirated), possibly resulting in chemical pneumonia.

• Catnip also work to repel roaches.

• Use bay leaves in corners and any place that is dark, under sinks etc. They die and don't return, something in bay leaf

• Try chopped bay leaves and cucumber skins.

• Use plain rubbing alcohol. Pour some in a spray bottle and it kills those suckers pretty fast.

It is extremely important not to dry anything with a stain in it. Sometimes folks forget about checking a stain after working on it then they put it in the wash. Then they automatically put the garment in the dryer and the stain bakes in making it impossible to remove. This is especially important with ink, and protein stains. Always check your garment before putting it into the dryer!

—For removing acrylic paint off clothes—

• hairspray works extremely well. Test a small spot on the item and then spray on hairspray and use your fingernail to scratch off the paint. Occasionally you have to wash twice, but it has never failed me!"

• Remove acrylic paint from clothes with pine cleaner. Soak, scrub, repeat. Takes some time, but it works!"

—Berry Stains—

• pouring boiling hot water on a berry stain will get stains right out on any color clothes, even white. I know this works for sure on a fresh stain but not sure about a set stain.

—For removing blood—

• use table salt. Sprinkle liberally on stain, rub in and then wash as usual. Can be used on dried blood, just dampen with water and then use the salt."

• Hydrogen peroxide will remove blood better than bleach. Saturate in peroxide, leave on over night and rinse."

—Bubble Gum From Chothes—

• Place the garment in a plastic bag and put in the freezer. Gently scrape off the frozen gum with a butter knife and blot with dry-cleaning solvent. Or try loosening the gum by soaking in white vinegar or rubbing with egg white before washing.

—Butter, Cooking Oil—

• Blot the spot and rub on some cornmeal. Brush off the cornmeal and then apply prewash stain remover, rinse. Wash in hot water. Make sure that the label allows for hot water!

• Another surprising tip for oil and butter stains, is good old shampoo! Just rub the shampoo on the spot with a soft brush. Let sit for a few minutes and then wash in hot or warm

• Hand degreaser/hand cleaner

• For removal of greasy food stains, sprinkle flour over the spot and let sit for a while. When you shake off the flour the spot will be gone. Launder as usual.

• For an old butter or oil stain, regenerate the stain first with WD-40, then rub in some undiluted dish detergent. Wash as usual.

—Candle Wax —

• Put the garment in the fridge for a few minutes. Then gently scrape off the excess wax. Next, put a plain brown paper bag on your ironing board. Put the garment on top of the bag. Now put another paper bag on top of the spot and iron (on low to med setting) on top of the bag. You will see a dark spot on the paper bag. Good! Now move the paper bag under the garment to a clean spot. Move the bag on top to a clean spot. Iron again then repeat the steps until there are no more spots on the bag. Then launder as usual.

—Chocolate—

• Blot or scrape off the excess chocolate, then flush with club soda. For a tough stain: Sponge with liquid hand soap and ammonia; launder as usual.

• To get out those though chocolate stains, soak the stained article in milk."

• Soak in cool water, then dab the stain with a liquid detergent like dove. Flush with cool water and let air dry.

• Add 1/2 cup of baking soda plus your usual amount of detergent and the hottest water setting possible on your machine. I use the soak cycle once, then turn to normal wash cycle as usual." This also works with lipstick stains.

—Dr. Pepper —

• Mix 1 cup HOT water and 1/4 cup CASCADE dishwasher detergent. Be sure to test a small hidden area for color-fastness first before doing this.

—Fruit—

• Stretch the stained area tightly over a pot in the sink. Then pour boiling water through the stain from a height of 1 to 2 feet. Be very careful not to splash yourself with the super hot water though!!

—Grass—

• Pre-treat grass stains on washable fabrics by sponging them first with warm water then dabbing the soiled area with un-diluted rubbing alcohol. (use a clean cloth!) Then launder item as usual.

• Combine a few drops of household ammonia with 1 tsp. of peroxide. Rub on the stain and rinse with water as soon as stain disappears.

• Grass stains are removed easily with white vinegar.

• Use Light Karo syrup on white baseball pants. Rub it in, wash as usual. What a time and cost saver!" You said it Jody! Thanks a bunch!!

—Ketchup & Tomato—

• Just pour some Mr. Clean onto the stain and let set for about 30 minutes. The stain should be gone, if not just soak a few minutes longer. Just rinse and wash as usual.

• Scrape off excess. Put a drop of Lestoil™ on the stain and brush gently with an old toothbrush. Rinse well and launder as usual.

• Or, after scraping, pre-soak with a paste of water and enzyme laundry detergent, rinse, dry, then launder.

—Ink Stains—

• First, put a paper towel or a rag under the stained area to absorb the excess ink. Spray on a non-oily, alcohol based hair spray. Saturate the ink stain with the hairspray. Blot with a rag and repeat until the stain is gone. Apply pre-wash stain remover and launder as usual.

• Try milk! Yes, put the piece of cloth into a cup with milk and you'll see it vanishing... then wash or dry clean as usual.

• For ink stains, rub with salt and wash with bath soap. It works!

• Use simple rubbing alcohol to remove ink stains. Take some alcohol on a rag, dab on the ink then wipe with a soft rag or paper towel. Works like a charm! This isn't sticky like hairspray.

—Lipstick—

• Rubbing the stain with a generous amount of petroleum jelly, then wash as usual.

• Hairspray works on lipstick stains too!

—Liquor—

• Sponge stain with cool water. Soak in solution of cool water and dish washing liquid for thirty minutes for a light stain and overnight for a heavy one. Rinse and launder.

—Mustard—

• Mustard contains turmeric which is like a dye. So mustard stains can be tough ones! First scrape off the excess mustard with a credit card or a plastic knife. Rub some glycerin (in the hand cream isle at the drug store) on the stain and let sit for an hour. Then pre-treat the stain with a stain remover such as "Shout". Launder as usual.

• Mix 3 parts of dish washing liquid with 1 part denatured alcohol. Soak the area of the stain in this for a few minutes (10-20). If the stain turns dark... don't worry, it will wash out! Rinse with hot water and wash as usual."

• If the fabric is colorfast, sponge on white vinegar or hydrogen peroxide. Then wash.

• For mustard stains on white clothing, take a denture cleaning tablet and add it to 1/2 cup of cool water. Then dip in the spot into the cup and let soak until the stain disappears.

Note: Never use ammonia on mustard!

—Nail Polish—

• Sponge the stain with acetone based nail polish remover or banana oil, then immediately wash as usual. If stain persists, do not put item in the dryer! Try adding a few drops of alcohol and blot. Wash again. Do not use polish remover on acetate or triacetate fabric... it will “melt” the fabric!!

—Newer Looking Towels—

• When washing new towels, always add a cup of salt to the water. The salt will set the color so the towels won't fade as quickly.

—No-fade Newspaper Clippings—

• To preserve a news clipping, dissolve a milk of magnesia tablet in a pan containing a quart of club soda. Soak paper in the mixture for an hour. Lay flat to dry.

—Red Dye Stains—

• To remove red dye number 2 (kool aid, punch, wine, etc.) spray a 50/50 mixture of ammonia and water onto the stain. Place hot, steam iron on top of damp towel covering the stain and let it set for 30 seconds. Lift the iron and the towel. The stain will have transferred onto the towel. This even works on old, set-in stains!

—Ring Around The Collar!—

• To remove ring around the collar, try this simple trick: Wet the collar with warm water, sprinkle liberally with cream of tartar and rub in well. Launder as usual.

—Rust—

• First, never use chlorine bleach on a rust stain!

• The safest and best way to remove is rust is rhubarb. Cut rhubarb stalks into one inch pieces and put in a pot of water. When it comes to a rolling boil, turn off the heat and let sit 10 minutes. put mixture thru sieve. Toss rhubarb. Soak rust stained fabric in solution for 1 hour to overnight depending on amount of rust. Works well either warm or cold. Launder item as usual. Works every time on any washable fabric.

• Sprinkling the rust stain with salt, rub with lemon juice and place in the sun. Keep checking the stain and make sure that it stays moist by reapplying the lemon juice until the stain disappears. Rinse well!

• No lemon in the house? Try this trick; Dampen the stain and then spread it with cream of tarter. Carefully hold the stained area above boiling water for a few minutes. (a kettle works well for this) Rinse well. The rust stain should fade as you rinse. Make sure that the fabric can be washed in hot water.

• To remove rust, especially on white clothing, it also makes whites very white, boil water adding cream of tartar and dip and boil article for a few minutes, rinse. Super white and rust free

• Use a mixture of white vinegar and hot water to remove a 21 year old rust stain out of the gown that I wore home from the hospital. First, soak in white vinegar. Next soak in hot water and white vinegar. Check garment to make sure that the stain is removed. Then wash as usual.

—Silly Putty—

• Here is a tip for removing Silly Putty from clothes: First put the clothing in the freezer for a little while, then scrape the area with a dull knife to remove what you can from the surface. Put an old towel behind the fabric, and soak it with rubbing alcohol, then rub with a piece of old towel, removing bits of putty as they flake off. you may need to soak the fabric again (and test in an unobvious place with alcohol first to make sure it doesn’t remove the color). hold it up to the light to make sure all the putty is removed (repeat if it isn't). when all the putty is removed, wash as usual.

• Rub salt into the Silly Putty and it will come off!"

—Removing Tar Spots—

• Rub the spot with kerosene until it is removed, then wash with detergent and water. The kerosene will not take the color out of most fabrics. But, it's always a good idea to test it first! Serena from

• Peanut butter also gets tar out, just launder after!

• To remove tar marks on floors, try using any paste wax with Carnuba Oil in it. Works a lot better than regular wax.

• Or, in a bind, try using ordinary paste wax. This also works on shoes.

—Tea Stains—

• Tea stains, Rinse the stained area with water, then add some lime juice and leave it for a few seconds. Rinse and wash as usual. Now you've gotta search for the tea stain!" Thanks Venu! And here is another great tip from C. Sprinkle salt on the tea stain while it is still wet. Wash as usual

—Tree Sap—

• Just rub Purell™ or another antibacterial hand gel on the stain. For some reason, it breaks up the sap and removes the stain. This also worked on the hood of my brother-in-law's car that had sap stains from sitting under a tree and did not damage the surface of the car at all

• Using alcohol, such as vodka, to remove tree sap from clothing. I rubbed a little vodka into the sap on the clothing and then washed the item as I normally would and the sap was gone

• Butter or margarine will take tree sap off of your car in an instant. Just take some and rub it on with your hand or a cloth and it comes right off. Also if you get it on your skin you can rub it on and off comes the sap. It works in hair and on some clothes as well

—Wall Cleaner—

• Combine one half cup of ammonia, one fourth cup each of white vinegar and washing soda into one gallon of warm water for the best wall cleaner around.

—Wine—

• For red wine, soak with white wine! Rinse with cool water and wash with enzyme laundry detergent. For white wine, rinse well with cold water and launder as usual.

• To remove wine from washable fabric soak stain in club soda, then wash in cold water. Pour salt over the stain. The salt will soak up the wine. Then vacuum.

• Soak wine stained fabric in milk overnight and the next day rinse completely clean.

—Super Stain Remover—

• white Colgate toothpaste, when rubbed on blood, as well as other stains like red wine, will remove them. Don't use Crest if it is tinged with blue."

—Most Stains—

• Robin emailed me this one in; "I've found that ivory bar soap will get out most anything if you just rub it in well and rinse with water."

—Stain Removal Solution—

• Mix two cups of water and two tablespoons each of the following - white vinegar, rubbing alcohol, and plain ammonia (not the sudsy kind). Shake well before each use. This is also good for cleaning windows and the shower. It makes mirrors and windows shine like new. It works on any household chore. It even removes most stains from carpets

—More Stains—

• For stains, soak item in a solution of one gallon of water to 1/2 cup of cascade dishwashing detergent. Works like a charm!

—Dingy Whites—

• drop a plain aspirin in the washer with your whites it will keep them from getting dingy."

• If you add white vinegar to white clothes that has become yellow for what ever reason, such as, aging, it will turn your white clothes white again.

—Little Stain Removal Miracle!—

• Ivory bar soap is a miracle-worker! I have removed furniture polish, red wine, tomato sauce, and grape jelly stains from my carpet. Just scrub with an old toothbrush and rinse well

—Removing Ink & Permanent Marker from Walls

• Spraying hairspray on the mark then wiping it clean with a dry cloth worked the best. Works on red ballpoint ink or black sharpie permanent marker marks on walls.

—Removing Paint from Wallpaper—

• To remove dried water based paint from wallpaper, rub gently with rubbing alcohol. Depends on the quality of wallpaper ink whether some ink will fade with removal of paint in this method.

• Toothpaste is good for stains on walls or wallpaper it acts as a mild abrasive

—Sink Stains—

• For dark stains, like rust, rub your sink with a paste made of Borax and lemon juice. Lighter stains can be removed simply by rubbing with a piece of cut lemon.