Tips for Tuesday 3/26/13

I have a few tips to share with you and they all involve clear nail polish! Clear nail polish has so many uses beyond your nails. We all know about how it can stop a run in your pantyhose, but here are a few of them that maybe you didn’t know:

USES for CLEAR NAIL POLISH

For cans of shaving cream that are not specially coated, paint the bottom of the can to prevent rust rings in your shower.

To keep button threads from unraveling and potentially losing buttons, just dab a little clear nail polish on the threads.

This also works with shoelaces that are starting to unravel. Just dip them in the polish, twist together, and let dry overnight.

If you have a tiny hole in your window screen, just dab a little on the hole to keep bugs from getting in.

Dab some on your costume jewelry to keep it from tarnishing. If you have a pin, pendant, or ring with lots of little stones, coat the jewelry piece to keep the stones from falling out.

If you want to make a printed label smudge-proof (like a prescription or an address label), paint over the label and let dry.

Use it temporarily on a car windshield if you get a nick or small crack in it. Paint the nick on both sides and let dry until you can find a reasonable repair shop.

I’ve heard it can get rid of warts, but I’m not sure if that actually works. Can’t hurt to try!

Do you have any more uses for clear nail polish that were not mentioned here? Feel free to add them in the comments section!

Tips for Tuesday 3/12/13

Has it been a week already since I posted the first Tips for Tuesday? Oh my. I’m a little surprised, not only in that, but also that I remembered it’s Tuesday to post a few more!

1. EGG FRESHNESS TEST

Do you ever wonder if your eggs are really fresh? Do the stamped dates on the carton really matter? Here’s a great way to tell if they are fresh or if you need to toss them. Get a bowl and fill it with water. Place your eggs in the water and see if they sink or float.

If they sink, they are fresh.

If they stay submerged, but the wide end doesn’t want to stay on the bottom, they are still good but use them up quickly.

If they float, toss them.

2. KEEP APPLE SLICES FROM BROWNING

If you have to pack lunches for the little ones, this tip might come in handy for you. When the kids are little, it’s hard for them to bite into a big apple so they prefer apple slices. But if you pack them, they turn brown. You don’t need to buy the overpriced prepackaged apple slices anymore!

Just slice up your apple and put the slices in a bowl. Add some lemon-lime soda or ginger ale and soak them for about 10 minutes. Either soda works and it can be flat – it doesn’t matter. I usually do this and then make the rest of the lunches. I’ve had them soak for less than 10 minutes and it still works in case you’re crunched for time. I don’t dry them; I just let the excess drip off and put them in a resealable bag.

They will stay good all day. I am not sure if they last longer than a day, but if I test it out I will update.

3. HELP LOWER YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE

If you have high blood pressure or you were told you were borderline, you might consider having these items as a snack: Raisins and dark chocolate!

It is suggested to eat a snack of raisins 3 times a day, but even once a day can’t hurt!

We’ve all been hearing about the benefits of dark chocolate for some time now because of the flavanols it contains, from lowering your cholesterol to lowering your risk of heart disease. It has also been shown to reduce the dilation of blood vessels which in turn lowers the blood pressure.

Hope you can use one or more of these tips…and if you have any tips you’d like to share, feel free to add them in the comments section. I’d love to hear from you!

Tips for Tuesday 3/5/13

I hope you’re having a good week so far! Who can’t use a few tips to make life easier, right? I have been wanting to do some Tips for Tuesday posts for a while now. While I can’t promise they will roll out every Tuesday, I will try to make it a regular thing to some degree. (Like how I’m giving myself lots of leeway, here?) Last week I posted a great way to keep your celery fresh. Are any of you trying that? I just love that tip. Here are a few more you might like to try…

In the laundry room:

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KEEP THE WASHER LID OPEN TOP KEEP ODOR AWAY ~ I have a top loading washing machine and I always keep the lid open after every wash. I never close it. I have never had a problem with mildew odor coming from my washer like I hear a lot of people complaining about. Granted, I do a lot of laundry so the lid doesn’t stay open for longer than a few days. If you only do laundry once a week, just give it 24 hours before closing the lid. It needs air to dry it out so if you close it as soon as you put the clothes in the dryer, it won’t get a chance to do that. I don’t know anything about the front loading washers (apparently they smell worse?) but I’m guessing you can do this with them as well, provided they are not in a high traffic area. (Nobody wants to bang their leg into that!)

First aid friend…
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USE KETCHUP PACKETS FOR ICE PACKS ~ We all get those little ketchup packets from time to time, so keep a few in your freezer for a handy ice pack! This is especially great for kids when they get hurt. Their size makes it easy for the kids to hold and put it right where it hurts. They start to defrost quickly so it conforms well to the hurt area in no time. Just give them a quick wash before freezing – you don’t know how many people have touched those packets. *shudder*

For your pets…

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USE GROUND OATS TO HELP FIGHT THE ITCH ~ If your dog has dry, itchy skin, try this in between his regular baths: Put some rolled oats into a food processor or blender and make into fine crumbs or powder. Add it to his/her bath and try to let your pet sit in it for as long as they can. (This is easier said than done – I can hear you!). Try to work it into the fur and skin with your hands. Rinse, but not completely so it can keep working it’s magic for a bit longer. Note: This is to help alleviate some of the itching due to dry skin, but it is not a cure. Your dog might have an allergic reaction or other condition causing the itch, so make sure you check with your vet as to the cause. P.S. you already knew you could do this for YOUR bath, didn’t you? 🙂

That’s all for now! I will have more on another Tuesday so make sure you follow this blog! You can also follow along on facebook. Have a great week…