Common Household Products With Uncommon Uses

MrMazda

Now that's very interesting.

fancydude

There are a lot of good and interesting things here but where is this cheap Worcestershire sauce? It is expensive everywhere I shop!

And the lady that can't remember to buy laundry soap? How old is this hint? I haven't seen washing soda for years. And Borax? Most larger supermarkets have it and I like it & use it; but how does she remember to buy that and not the laundry soap? They are right next to each other! And a half a bar of soap for each load of clothes? Sounds very very expensive. (well, she doesn't say how much to use!) But for really difficult dirt/stains it may be worth giving a try, presuming you can find the washing soda!

I like MaryEllen's hints, Heloise and Jerry Baker each have whole books of hints, well organized into chapters about food/clothes/laundry etc. . My favorite is the one with the aluminum foil in a pan of hot water to polish silver and you add (water softener powder?) I forget. Just touch the silver to the foil and tarnish disappears. Amazing. But you still need to follow up with real polish for the soft glow. But with the major black stuff gone, it is much easier. Except hardly anyone uses real silverplated stuff any more. However, the best hint for that is AFTER you get your silver platters and whatnot polished, wrap them in plastic wrap - and they won't tarnish hardly at all. You will see just a little where the air bubbles (in the plastic) are, since of course you can't get it as tight as shrink wrap.

martini20

The best tip I was given years ago, was how to get oil off your hands after working on the car. Rub a small quantity of washing up liquid into you hands then add some sugar into your palms and rub thoroughly. The oil comes off easily while rinsing.

fancydude

Martini20 - of course that would work, adding the sugar, and it is probably much cheaper than those hand washes exclusively for grimy hands, esp. those that come out of a pump can. Great idea. Except I don't work on my car anymore. I hated it, am not good at it and I can (usually) affford to pay someone else now.

MrMazda

Another uncommon use for a common household item is Coca Cola. Pepsi doesn't cut it for some reason, it has to be Coca Cola

Take a 591mL bottle of Coca Cola and open it. Place your thumb over the top of the bottle and aim it at your windshield and begin to shake it really hard. The pressure from the gases will cause the Coca Cola to go fizzing out the top of the bottle and onto your windshield. Let sit for 3 - 5 seconds on your windshield and bye bye bug guts!

This also works for bird poo as well strangely enough.

mikeemountie

I know this may be an uncommon item to have in your bathroom but a pumice stone can be used to remove toilet bowl ring that will not come off with anything else. You can get these at stores but people don't commonly think of them as a solution to a common problem. It won't wreck the porcelain either. Thanks LBC for all your tips! A lot of these our grandmother maybe knew about from a simpler time but nowadays we forget.

Delphinki

"It never fails, I always forget to buy laundry detergent when I'm at the store, so I began making it from bar soap. I grate half a bar of soap into boiling water, let cool and add cold water, borax and washing soda for a clean I can count on. " Karen

I find it kind of strange that "Karen" somehow forgets to buy laundry detergent but somehow manages to have everything to make it on hand…

groovedware

@Delphinki:

"It never fails, I always forget to buy laundry detergent when I'm at the store, so I began making it from bar soap. I grate half a bar of soap into boiling water, let cool and add cold water, borax and washing soda for a clean I can count on. " Karen

I find it kind of strange that "Karen" somehow forgets to buy laundry detergent but somehow manages to have everything to make it on hand…

"Karen" was born Kevin and spent her formative years as a Boy Scout, be prepared. Also, everyone knows a well appointed pantry is a necessity these days. You never know when unsuspected guests pop in and don't come with their own laundry supplies.

Sticking with uncommon uses: Vaseline for sexual purposes place it on the doorknob so unsuspected guests can't just pop in. :cheers:

ciremage

I started reusing white vinegar (diluted in water) to clean the metal around the sinks and mirrors. It works great

groovedware

@ciremage:

I started reusing white vinegar (diluted in water) to clean the metal around the sinks and mirrors. It works great

I used to use vinegar until very recently I discovered rubbing alcohol as my new goto for many cleaning purposes, particularly metal. Also that a spent lime rind and some salt brings my sink up to a shine that I never thought possible.

Ledbear

I saw a lot of times people using hair conditioner as lubricant. It seems gross to me, but it happens :S

groovedware

@Ledbear:

I saw a lot of times people using hair conditioner as lubricant. It seems gross to me, but it happens :S

Had a really hot guy years ago who seemed to keep getting sticky quickly. I was young, he was hot & so he was there in the morning (!!!) allowing me to discover Dep hair gel had been our lotion for the motion.

ronninger

wrap the stem of a banana with aluminum foil and it will say fresh days longer
viagra in a flower vase keeps flowers fresh for a week longer
try chewing gum when cutting a raw onion

flozen

@ronninger:

viagra in a flower vase keeps flowers fresh for a week longer

The day that I sacrifice a Viagra for fresher flowers will mark the end of the world as we know it… :crazy2:

Grotomode

I think the baking soda advice is terrible.

Your hair do not get oily after a shower because the shampoo is not strong enough. They do that becuse most shampoos are too harsh to begin with and then the scalp overcompensates for the loss of the much needed healthy oils on it that got stripped away.