10 Things a Little Baking Soda Can Do

Baking soda is obviously made for baking. I could give you ten thousand recipes for cookies, cakes, pies, breads, brownies, and other such yummies... but I'd rather give you ten ideas for using the ingredient, Sodium Bicarbonate, in many other aspects of your daily life. It's sold just about everywhere, easy to store, and very inexpensive, especially when purchased in bulk, so stock up! 

Add to the bath. It softens the water, and thus softens your skin. For a real bonus: mix 1 part baking soda to 3 parts Epsom salts, and a few drops your favorite essential oil.

In the laundry. 1/2 cup of baking soda added to your regular detergent will absorb laundry odors. It may also help whiten the whites. (because it softens the water)

Toothpaste. As more and more information comes out about the dangers of the added fluoride in our oral hygiene products, it's never too soon to start using a more natural approach. Dip your toothbrush in baking soda and brush away those stains. Add a teaspoon of baking soda to a 1/2 glass of warm water to gargle away bad breath. Make a paste using half to half with coconut oil to rid oil bacteria and promote gum health.

As a facial scrub. Gently wash your face with a loose paste of baking soda and water. It softens the skin, and the gritty feel exfoliates. No more than once or twice a week as it may dry your skin.

In the litter box. Spread an inch of baking soda under 2-3 inches of litter to control odors. You can also sprinkle it on top, and mix it thoroughly within. Be sure you to mix well, though. My Kitty-Kitty will avoid her litter if she sees globs of white stuff on top!

As a carpet freshener. Sprinkle evenly across the carpet, let it sit for a few minutes, and then vacuum away odors. (You could even gently work it into the carpet with your feet or a broom to get at deep down odors).

As a cleaner. For sparkle and shine without scratching surfaces, sprinkle onto a damp sponge for scrubbing appliances, tile, and stainless steel. To remove tough odors from counter tops (like onions, fish, or garlic) add water to make a paste, spread across the counter and let it sit. Then just wipe away!

As an antacid. Add a 1/2 teaspoon to a glass of water. Take every two hours, not to exceed 8 doses in 24 hours. Please consult a doctor if you're on a salt restricted diet. Not intended for children under 5 or adults over 60.

Treatment for skin irritations. Apply a paste of 3 parts baking soda and 1 part water to the irritated area. Soothe the pain and itch of bug bites, poison ivy, poison oak, poison sumac, and prickly heat.

For the fridge and freezer. Do you like onion flavored ice cream? Probably not. Tear the top off of a box of baking soda and just stick it in the fridge (and one in the freezer) to absorb strong food odors. Replace every 3 months. Tip: pour the old box down the garbage disposal to get rid of odors in the drain!

How To Build The Perfect Sewing Kit

I must confess, I am no seamstress. In fact, I rather despise the deed altogether. But, as a wife and mother there's no getting away from the occasional popped button, torn hem, and ripped seam. 

Over the years I have picked up a few tips and tricks to make the job at least bearable, if not easier. Or maybe, If nothing else, I've definitely learned how to store sewing items.

First, you have to choose the right container to call your "sewing box". Just something to keep all of your tools together for easy access. I recommend a cheap tackle box. They are usually multi-tiered with lots of little compartments, and a big space in the bottom for larger items. 

My sewing box is a makeup organizer from the late 80s, early 90s era. Do they even still sell these thingies anymore? This one was an upgrade from the cheap tackle box that I used to store my makeup in. When I grew up a bit, and began wearing much less makeup, I needed much less storage space, so this box was re-purposed. It has been used for sewing tools for fifteen years now, and still going strong.  

Now you have to fill it with all the little accessories you'll eventually need for simple sewing jobs. Here is my recommended list, plus a few little tips:

• Scissors
• A small magnet for picking up spilled pins and needles with ease.
• A pin cushion. Mine is a little piece of foam. But one of those floral "frogs" would work wonderfully (if you know what a floral frog is). Or use a little motel sized soap bar. Not only does it hold your sharps securely, it lubricates them for a smoother slide through fabric. You can also use that soap to lubricate a sticky zipper.
• Large spools of black and white thread, because you'll probably use them the most. Then you'll only need a small kit of other common colors (blue, pink, green, beige, etc). 
• A needle threader, because there's no need to waste time messing with this tedious task, especially if your eyesight isn't so great. Or if you've had one (or three) too many cups of coffee and can't keep your hands still.
• Various sizes of sewing needles. Larger needles for thicker fabrics, smaller needles for thinner fabrics (and small button holes).
• Straight pins: If you use a sewing machine, steer clear of pretty colored bubble headed pins, they break sewing machines! If you need to hold a hem in place, while you sew it down, try using bobby pins, they don't draw blood!
• A cloth, or paper, measuring tape.
• An assortment of fasteners: buttons, snaps, hooks and eyes, Velcro, etc. You just never know when they'll be useful. Keep the buttons from an old shirt before you throw it out, or "rag" it. You'll build up a nice supply, and you'll never have to buy them!
• Another great fastener to take out of the desk drawer and put in the sewing kit is double stick tape! This is a fantastic way to quickly fix (although temporary) a loose hemline. It also works wonders, for women who are a little larger on the top, to hold the fabric of a shirt together... you know, between the buttons, where it pulls apart and reveals the "valley of the twins".

Here is my finished product. You can see how those compartments are perfect for dividing up your accessories. Storage containers like these are also great for little crafting supplies! Happy sewing!

42 Uses For WD-40

an assortment of WD-40 products

Water Displacement Formula #40 was created in 1953 by the San Diego Rocket Chemical Company. Three technicians were on a mission to create a rust preventative solvent and de-greaser to protect missile parts. Obviously, the fortieth time was the charm! It was then sold, in bulk, to the Corvair Company for use on the sensitive parts of the Atlas missile. Today, WD-40 can be found nearly anywhere home improvement and maintenance products are sold! Don't you have a can? Well, maybe you should get one, or more. Listed below are the numerous uses for this incredible product. Remember, although it has a powerful odor, and should be used with proper ventilation, Ken East, one of the original founders, assures that there is nothing harmful in WD-40, as it is derived from mere fish oil!

1) Protects silver from tarnishing.

2) Removes road tar and grime from cars.

3) Cleans and lubricates guitar strings.

4) Gives floors that just waxed sheen without making it slippery.

5) Keeps flies off cows. (I wonder who tested this use?)

6) Restores and cleans chalkboards.

7) Removes lipstick stains from laundry. (saturate the stain, and then rewash)

8) Loosens stubborn zippers.

9) Untangles jewelry chains.

10) Removes stains from stainless steel sinks.

11) Removes dirt and grime from the barbecue grill.

12) Keeps ceramic/terra cotta garden pots from oxidizing.

13) Removes tomato stains from clothing.

14) Keeps glass or plastic shower doors free of water spots.

15) Camouflages scratches in ceramic and marble floors.

16) Keeps scissors working smoothly.

17) Lubricates noisy door hinges on vehicles and doors in homes

18) Removes black scuff marks from the kitchen floor!

19) Removes bug guts from your car, which can eat the paint away. (use on bumpers and grills too. Even works on Florida's most hated love bug)

20) Gives a children's swing set slide a shine for a super fast slide.

21) Lubricates gear shift on lawn mowers.

22) Rids kids rocking chairs and swings of squeaky noises.

23) Lubricates the home window tracks, making windows easier to open.

24) Lubricates an umbrella stem making it easier to open and close.

25) Restores and cleans padded leather dashboards in vehicles, as well as vinyl bumpers.

26) Restores and cleans roof racks on vehicles.

27) Lubricates and stops squeaks in electric fans.

28) Lubricates wheel sprockets on tricycles, wagons, and bicycles for easy handling.

29) Lubricates fan belts on washers and dryers and keeps them running smoothly.

30) Keeps rust from forming on saws and saw blades, and other tools.

31) Removes splattered grease on stove.

32) Keeps bathroom mirror, windows, or the car windshield, from fogging. (rub on until it vanishes)

33) Lubricates prosthetic limbs.

34) Keeps pigeons off the balcony (they hate the smell).

35) Removes all traces of duct tape, labels, and price tags.

36) Protects the Statue of Liberty from the elements. (not that this is useful to the average person)

37) Attracts fish. Spray a LITTLE on live bait or lures and you will be catching the big one in no time.

38) Takes the sting away from fire ant bites immediately, and stops the itch.

39) Removes crayon from walls. Spray on the mark and wipe with a clean rag.

40) If you spray WD-40 on the distributor cap, it will displace the moisture, allowing the car to start.

41) It is good for soothing and healing burns.

42) Keeps ants from invading a picnic, by spraying the legs of the picnic table.

(Note: I do not guarantee the results of any of the preceding suggestions. I am merely the messenger, and will not be held responsible for a false claim.)

The Double Lives of Household Products

Even our household items are multitasking these days, and that's just what we need them to do. So dig around in your pantry, refrigerator, laundry closet, and medicine cabinet for items that will do double duty in other areas of the house.

Eliminate ear mites. All it takes is a few drops of Wesson Corn Oil in your cat's ear...massage it in, then clean with a cotton ball. Repeat daily for 3 days. The oil soothes the cat's skin, smothers the mites, and accelerates healing.

Kill fleas instantly. Dawn Dish Washing Liquid does the trick. Add a few drops to your dog's bath and shampoo the animal thoroughly. Rinse well to avoid skin irritations. Good-bye fleas.

Wet Dog Odor. Next time your dog comes in from the rain, simply wipe down the animal with Bounce or any dryer sheet, instantly making your dog smell springtime fresh.

Headaches. Drinking two glasses of Gatorade can relieve headache pain almost immediately-- without the unpleasant side effects caused by traditional "pain relievers." (probably because headache is a symptom of dehydration.)

Burn Relief. Did you know that Colgate Toothpaste makes an excellent salve for burns?

Stuffy Nose? Try chewing on a couple of curiously strong Altoids peppermints. They'll clear up your stuffed nose.

Achy Muscles From Flu. Mix 1 Tablespoon of horseradish in 1 cup of olive oil. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes, then apply it as a massage oil, for instant relief for aching muscles.

Sore Throat. Just mix 1/4 cup of vinegar with 1/4 cup of honey and take 1 tablespoon six times a day. The vinegar kills the bacteria, and the honey coats and soothes.

Urinary Tract Infections. Just dissolve two tablets of Alka-Seltzer in a glass of water and drink it at the onset of the symptoms. Alka-Seltzer begins eliminating urinary tract infections almost instantly-- even though the product was never been advertised for this use.

Skin Blemishes. Cover the blemish with a dab of honey and place a Band-Aid over it. Honey kills the bacteria, keeps the skin sterile, and speeds healing. Could work overnight.

Toenail Fungus. Get rid of unsightly toenail fungus by soaking your toes in Listerine Mouthwash. The powerful antiseptic leaves your toenails looking healthy again.

Splinter. Just pour a drop of Elmer's Glue All over the splinter, let dry, and peel the dried glue off the skin. The splinter sticks to the dried glue.

Boils. Cover a boil with Hunt's Tomato Paste as a compress. The acids from the tomatoes soothes the pain and brings the boil to a head.

Broken Blisters To disinfect a broken blister, dab on a few drops of Listerine, a powerful antiseptic.

Bruises Soak a cotton ball in white vinegar and apply it to the bruise for 1 hour. The vinegar reduces the blueness and speeds up the healing process.

Arthritis Pain. Mix 2 cups of Quaker Oats and 1 cup of water in a bowl and warm in the microwave for 1 minute, cool slightly, and apply the mixture to your hands for soothing relief from arthritis pain.