email from Kamalini Kanapathippillai.
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Some old, some new, some helpful, some questionable
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HELPFUL
HINTS
These are great!
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The
simplest way to slice a bunch of cherry tomatoes is to sandwich
them
between two plastic lids and run a long knife through all of them at
once!
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Keep
brown sugar soft by storing with a couple of marshmallows
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Install
a regular coat rack low down the wall to store shoes safely off the
floor
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Use
a Post-It note when drilling to catch the dust
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Hang
onions in cut-up tights or old stockings to make them last for months!
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Create
a thrifty watering can by puncturing holes in the top of a used milk
bottle.
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Remove
pet hair from furniture and carpets with a squeegee.
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Cover
paint trays with aluminium foil to make cleaning up afterwards a
breeze.
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Flip
a toaster on its side to make grilled cheese
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Use
a large muffin tin to cook stuffed peppers in the oven
- it
will help keep them upright.
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To
prevent potatoes budding, add an apple in the bag.
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Add
half a teaspoon of baking soda to the water when hard-boiling eggs
to
make the shells incredibly easy to peel off.
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Use
bread tags to label power cords.
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Use
non-stick cooking spray in votive holders
to
prevent wax from sticking to the sides.
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WD40
can be used to remove crayon marks from any surface!
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When
hanging a picture frame, put a dab of toothpaste on the frame
where
you need the nails to be. Then simply press against the wall
to
leave marks (which can later be wiped) as guides for the nails.
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Put
a dry towel in with a wet load to reduce the drying time
(this
really works, I've been doing it for years!)
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To
tell if eggs are fresh, immerse them in a bowl of water.
Fresh
eggs will lie on the bottom, while stale eggs will float to the
surface.
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Sprinkle
salt in the spaces between patio slabs and at the bottom
of
walls to get rid of pesky weeds(but be careful NOT to get
salt
near plants you want to keep as salt will kill them!)
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To
clean a wooden chopping board, sprinkle on a handful of
Kosher
salt and rub with half a lemon. Rinse with clean water
and
dry to ensure it is clean and germ-free.
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Use
ice-cubes to lift out indentations made by furniture
on
your carpets.
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Prevent
soil from escaping through the holes in the base of flowerpots
by
lining with large coffee filters
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To
stop the annoying sound of a dripping tap, tie a piece of string
around
the faucet which is long enough to reach down to the sink.
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To
sharpen scissors, simply cut through sandpaper.
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A
very simple solution to get rid of furniture scratches!
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Use
rubber bands to help open a jar easily: place one around the
jar
lid and another around the middle of the glass.
The
rubber provides friction to prevent your hands from slipping.
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To
prevent your eyes watering while chopping onions,
wipe
the chopping board with white vinegar
(which
won't affect the taste of the onions)
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Store
bed sheets inside their pillowcases for easy storage and access
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Drop
a couple of denture cleaning tablets into the toilet bowl
at
night to clean off stubborn stains.
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Use
cupcake cases to cover drinks glasses in the summer
and
prevent flies from dropping in
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Use
binder clips to keep stacked bottles in place in the fridge
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Another
way to clean a chopping board is to cover liberally
with
Kosher salt and leave overnight. Scrape off with a cloth
in
the morning to find the salt has absorbed all moisture
to
leave your board clean and dry.
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Use
egg boxes to store delicate Christmas tree decorations
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This
has to be the simplest way to open those annoying blister packs!
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Use
a cut potato to easily remove a broken light bulb
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Use
chalk to remove grease stains from clothes.
Simply
rub white chalk on the affected area and wash as normal
-
the chalk will absorb the grease and be washed away in the cycle.
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They
look pretty too - a great tip for parties!
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Place
a wooden spoon over a pan to stop the water from boiling over
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A
genius tip to help prevent paint spillage!
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Use
a rubber band to rescue a stripped screw
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Wrap
rubber bands around the ends of a coat hanger
to
prevent dresses from slipping off.
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Yet
another use for drinks can ringpulls!
Use
to create a hanging loop for picture frames by screwing into the back
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