Sludge in toilet

Throw 2 tablets of Alka Seltzer into the bowl and let them sit for 20 minutes, flushing the toilet after that.

Light scratches in CDs

Gently rub some toothpaste on light scratch and rinse well.

Get fruits and veggies to ripe faster

Wrap fruit or vegetable in newspaper, and leave it out of the refrigerator. Check it twice a day.

Dusting mini-blinds

Use dryer sheets to easily remove dust/static from mini-blinds.

Dull hair

Rinse your hair with a mix of 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar into a pint of lukewarm water, and then rinse your hair again with just lukewarm water. The acid in vinegar washes away styling products.

Rubber Band Day!

Find out “how much your rubber bands can stretch”! Check today’s tips showing some alternative ways to use them…

Dropping bottles in the shower

To keep shampoos, conditioners, etc from slipping from your hands in the shower, wrap rubber bands around the middle to make them easier to grip.

Make a broom last longer

When the bristles on a broom get tired and start to splay out, wrap a couple rubber bands close to the base to keep them tight and more efficient.

Baby-proof cabinets

Bind knobs with rubber bands to keep them firmly shut.

Easy bookmarks

Wrap a rubber band around the page you have just finished reading and the cover of the book. You will not have to worry about losing your place, nor do you have to bend the pages.

Cut down liquid soap waste

To keep liquid soap output in check, loop a rubber band around the neck of the pump on a dispenser, controlling how much soap comes out with each use.

Paint can indicator

If you are partially finished with a can of paint, wrap a rubber band around its exterior at the same level as the paint that is inside the can so you can tell at a glance how much you have left.

Stubborn lids

If you find yourself wrestling with a jar, wrap a rubber band around the perimeter of the lid a couple times before attempting to open it. The band acts as a grip and makes it about a thousand times easier to undo.

Cleaning sneakers

Use an old tooth brush with some whitening toothpaste (not gel) to scrub sneakers' trim and any dirty porous surface, then wipe off with a damp cloth. Abrasive agents, detergents and whitening in toothpaste help to remove stains and make your sneakers bright again.

Picture stuck in photo album

Grab about 10 inches of waxed dental floss. Holding it tight, slip under a corner of the picture, moving it back and forth in a slowly sawing motion. Wax in floss allows it to glide smoothly between surfaces, preventing damage to the picture when separating it from album.

Extra charge from AA batteries

Rub the contacts on both ends of battery, as well as the ends in the compartment, with a pencil eraser. Blow away debris, and reinsert batteries. Friction from the eraser removes tarnish buildup in metal, and gives you some extra charge.

Unfinished laundry

If you have to leave your home and you do not have time to finish drying your clothes, linens or towels in the same day, put them in a plastic bag, tie it and place it in the fridge for next day. The cool and dry air prevents mildew and keeps fresh-smelling.

Yellow look on white clothes

Boil a large pot of water with juice of half of a lemon. Turn off the stove, soak the garments for 1 hour, and dry as usual. This works as a natural bleaching.

Help rose buds to open

Place roses in a vase filled with warm water, heat them for 5 seconds using a hair dryer with diffuser attached and set on low, and use your fingers to spread out the petals. Repeat the process 2 more times.

Smelling shoes

Store your shoes with some dryer sheets inside to deodorize them.

Slippery seat cushions

Place pieces of nonadhesive shelf liner on each seat under the seat cushions, providing traction between the chair's surface and the cushion's fabric.

Accumulation of soap scum in shower stalls

Apply a thin coat of car wax to the door and walls (never to the floor) with a damp soft cloth, then buff with a dry cloth. Wax makes surfaces impermeable and soap scum can't stick.

Screeching shower curtain rings

Rub the metal rod with wax paper, lubricating its surface and allowing the rings to move silently.

Wet book

Use wax paper in between the pages of a wet book to prevent them from sticking together.

Storing socks

Hang a pocketed shoe organizer in the back of the closet door, and fill each compartment with a pair of socks, eliminating mix-ups and saving space in drawers.

Keep keys from sinking

Going to enjoy a pool, lake or ocean? Attach a used cork to your key chain to prevent it from sinking in case they fall in the water.

Wrapping gifts without waste

Grab a roll of string and wrap it around the package or gift, add 2 inches and snip. Cut the paper to match the length of the string, and you will have the perfect cut to wrap the present without any waste of paper.

Check your wallet prior to your trip

Before traveling, clean your wallet, leaving only what will be necessary for your trip. For the cards and IDs that you decide to carry with you, e-mail yourself all information you may need about items, in case of emergency.

Protect wood antique furniture

Cut old wine corks into half inch slices, then cut slices into smaller pieces and glue them to the bottom of any décor that goes on top of wooden antique furniture, preventing damages to it.

Boiling ravioli

To prevent ravioli from sticking and breaking while cooking, switch your pot to a deep skillet. Cook them in 2 inches of boiling water for the same time as usual. They will not bounce, stick and break as before.

Slicing bread loaf

Try using dental floss. It cuts through a loaf better than most bread knives.

Dark silver jewelry

Line a pan with aluminum foil, place dark looking silver items on top, cover with boiling water, add 1/4 cup of baking soda and let sit for 5 minutes. Baking soda hot solution will transfer tarnish from jewelry to the foil.

Menstrual cramps

Prepare yourself a hot bath and stay there for 15 minutes, holding an ice pack against your lower abdomen, using hydrotherapy method to relieve discomfort.

Ketchup Day!

Check out my last 5 posts with alternative uses for ketchup, which will save you money and time! Great for ketchup packets that pile up (at home, the office etc) and end up going to waste.

Shine your copper

Massage some ketchup over the copper (cooking pans, décor, knick-knacks etc) and watch it dissolve the tarnish away. The acid in ketchup is responsible for this easy copper cleaning. If you notice some stubborn spots, add a pinch of table salt while you polish.

Fighting skunk odors

If you, or perhaps your dog, had a run-in with a skunk, try to remove potent odor by rubbing the area with some ketchup. If it does not solve the problem, at least it will mask the bad smell for a while.

Chlorine damage in your hair

Ketchup can be used to correct limey-hair-highlights-gone-green, which can occur from exposure to chlorine found in swimming pools. Apply full strength ketchup to your hair, leave it in for about 20 minutes and then wash it out thoroughly.

Soothe wounds

Freeze leftover ketchup packets to use on your children’s “booboos and bumps”. Kids love those small packets and just their mere appearance often makes their pain go away.

Empty ketchup bottles

Just as ketchup packets can pile up, so can used ketchup bottles, especially in communities that do not accept them for recycling. If that is your case, you can use them as handy pancake batter dispensers or turn them into homemade dog toys, storage containers for glitter, beads, other craft items, left over paint and much more.

Scratched credit card

Your credit card is scratched and will not go through at the register? Wrap it tightly in a plastic bag and swipe again. The thin plastic layer masks the scratches, helping the machine read the magnetic strip.

Cats scratching furniture

To prevent cats from scratching furniture, coat their favorite targets with a citrus scent spray or wipe. The smell of citrus fruit is offensive to their nose and it will keep cats away.

Keeping stored clothes with fresh smell

Add silica gel packets (those that come with new shoes, electronics etc) to the containers you are using to store your clothes. Packets will keep away mold and musty smells from them.

Unpaired earrings

Use an old button to keep earrings paired up together and organized.

Storing painting brushes

Install a magnetic kitchen-knife holder on a wall in the garage, hang paintbrushes bristle end down, aligning their metal parts with the magnetic strip. They will dry separated and organized for next day work, and bristles will last longer.

Keeping ants away

Place pieces of chalk in strategic locations where ants appear.

Better flavored wine

Make your inexpensive wine to taste like a good one. Uncork the bottle few hours before serving, giving it some time to breathe and develop flavor.

Tears when chopping onions

Place onions in the freezer for about 15 minutes before chopping.

Scooping ice cream

If your ice cream is hard to scoop, remove lid of container and microwave it for 10 seconds. Ice cream will soften without melting, making it easier to scoop.

Perfect square cut for brownies

Use a pizza cutter instead of a knife to avoid chocolate sticking when cutting your brownies.

Brown apple

To prevent sliced apples from browning without changing their taste, instead of using lemon, place the slices in apple juice until you are ready to mix them to your recipe and serve.

Ice cream stain

Remove excess of ice cream from your clothes with a spoon. Fill a sink with cold water, add about 5tsp of salt and soak garment for 30 minutes. Sodium in salt breaks down proteins in ice cream, helping to clean stain.

Stain circle inside the toilet bowl

Once in a while, before you go to bed, pour white vinegar into the bowl covering the dark ring, flushing it next morning. Acetic acid in white vinegar helps to clean stain and to neutralize odors.

Fresh smell for toilet bowl

Drop a vitamin C tablet into the bowl and let it work overnight, flushing in the morning. Ascorbic acid in vitamin C dissolves alkaline deposits and neutralizes odors.

Grime at the bottom of shower curtain

Cut 2 inches off the liner's bottom of shower curtain with a pinking shears, then spray the bottom with saltwater. Zigzag edges keeps soap scum from accumulating where the liner meets the tub, and salt helps removing soap scum when cleaning bath tub.

Dirty AC air filter

For a temporary fix, wipe down the filter with a dryer sheet and air can flow efficiently. The dryer sheet also leaves a waxy residue in the filter that helps air-flow.

Clothes with sweat stains

Sprinkle each spot with 1 tsp dry meat tenderizer, scrub with a toothbrush until a paste forms, let sit for 1 hour and launder in the hottest water the fabric can take. Papain in meat tenderizer breaks down the chemical bond in sweat stain.

Clothes with self-tanner stains

Dampen a cotton ball with hydrogen peroxide and dab at the stain. The oxidizer will bubble up and bleach the spot.

Dull leather accessories

Break 1 egg per item (shoe, belt etc), separate white from yolk. Rub unbeaten whites onto the leather with a clean cloth, let it dry, and buff. Protein in egg white will add glossy finish to leather.

Damaged hair

After shampooing, pour 12oz of flat beer over your head, let it sit for 2 minutes, rinse with cool water, apply conditioner as usual. Beer's malt has proteins that heal damage and add body to hair. Beer's maltose and sucrose sugars help to add shine.

Toe fungal infection

Wash affected toes with your mouth wash, and let it sit for few minutes. Rinse well.

Itchy feet

If you walked barefoot over a surface that left your feet itching, apply a thin layer of plain yogurt over the itching area, let it dry, and rinse with cool water. Friendly bacteria found in yogurt will combat bacteria that are causing itchy feet.

Dry feet

Apply some plain yogurt to your feet, let it dry, and rinse with cool water. Lactic acid found in yogurt is moisturizing, making your skin smooth and silky.

Under-eye puffiness

Apply aloe vera gel below the eye and cover with a slice of raw potato, letting it sit for 20 minutes.

BBQ sauce stain

If you stain your clothes with BBQ sauce, remove excess, rinse the back of the stain with cool water, let it soak in cold water for 20 minutes, wet a sponge with hydrogen peroxide and dab at the stain. The bubbly oxidizing action will remove remains of pigmentation. Wash garment later as usual.

Keep animals out of vegetable garden

Sprinkle some Epsom salt on plants and the surrounding soil of your vegetable garden, repeating after rainfall. Usual intruders do not like the taste of salt, and its minerals will enrich the soil.

Keeping your flowers fresh

Place 2 tablets of Aspirin in the vase (already filled with fresh water). For roses, also try a little bit of sugar. That will keep your flowers fresh much longer.

Leaving electronics behind when travelling

Always bring a power strip in your luggage, so you and your family can connect all your electronics (cell phone, camera, iPod etc) in just one place, making more difficult to forget them when you leave the place.

Pets versus bandages

To prevent your pet from chewing their bandages, rub it with a dry bar of soap. When your pet takes a lick of the bitter taste (not harmful), he will keep his nose far away from his bandage.

Organizing accessories in the closet

Separate the plastic rings from a six-pack of soda can, thread each one through the hook of each hanger, loop accessories (belts, scarves, ties etc), arranging them neatly and saving space in your closet.

Shining chrome

Pour a few drops of baby oil on a dry cloth, rub over chrome's surface and wipe it off. The thin oily coating helps to repel water and stains, keeping fixtures shining longer.

Fogged watches

Does your watch have condensation inside the glass face? Place it in a zip-top plastic bag filled with uncooked rice and let it sit there until completely defogged. Rice is a natural desiccant, drawing moisture from watch without damage.

Lip color that lasts

Apply some strawberry gelatin mix to your lips as you would lipstick, leaving a pink shade that will allow you to kiss, eat and drink worry-free.

Yellow nail from dark polish

Remove polish and soak your fingertips in a small bowl with juice of 1 lemon for 5 minutes. Wash your hands very well. The acidic juice works as a gentle bleach for off-color nails.

Clogged salt shaker

To prevent salt shakers from being clogged due to the moist in the salt, add some uncooked rice to it. Rice is a natural desiccant, drawing moisture from salt inside of the shaker.

Insects around outdoor table

To prevent insects from crawling up your table legs, coat each leg with a layer of petroleum jelly, making them difficult for insects to cross and ruin your outdoor meal.

Aged look deck

Use a sponge or mop to cover the deck with a mixture of 2oz of oxygen bleach per gallon of warm water. Let sit for 15 minutes and wash it with clean water. Oxygen bleach is nontoxic and it will not cause damage to the wood, cleaning stains, mold and any other residues.

Crack in the windshield

To prevent a crack in the windshield of your car from spreading, paint it with some clear nail polish.

The water in your pool is cloudy

Throw a couple tennis balls into the pool (depending on pool size), and let them float 24/7. Rubber and textured fabric layer absorb excess body oils and catch dead skin and hair, keeping your pool cleaner for a longer time, requiring less often and pricy treatments.

Squeaky floorboards

Pour some talcum powder into a clean turkey baster. Insert the tip of the baster into the gaps, and sprinkle the powder. The kitchen tool will prevent mess all over the floor.

Hard melted chocolate

Is melted chocolate too hard to cover fruits? Stir in mixture some drops of vegetable oil and place the bowl back in the microwave for 15 seconds, stirring in between. The melted chocolate will soft again, and it will be ready to be used.

How to prevent foot odor

Your foot odor comes from sweat. You can use some of unscented under-arm deodorant on your feet to avoid sweating, eliminating unwanted odors.

Your hair look frizzy

If an unexpected circumstance caused your hair to be frizzy, you may find the solution in your purse. Dab some lip balm on your fingers, and gently run them through your hair, smoothing your look.