Helpful Hints & Tips Archive

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Have a costume swap!

Why overpay for a store bought costume when you can get one for free? Organize other families in your neighborhood and trade last year’s costume for something your kids will love.

Try Using Peanut Butter! Rub it onto the gum and surrounding hair, working it in with your fingers. The oils in the peanut butter will help break down the gum. Tug gently to see if gum is coming loose. If not, add more peanut butter. Mayonnaise works in a similar fashion, as does Vaseline.

Foggy Windshield?

A purple fabric chalkboard eraser with a pink plastic handle resting on a plain white surface.

Buy a chalkboard eraser and keep it in the glove compartment of your car. When the windows fog, rub with the eraser! Works better than a cloth!

Pine Sap Removal

Clear amber resin droplets slowly ooze from the dark bark of a pine tree in nature.

Try adding a small amount of cooking oil onto the pine sap-covered area. The oil should cover all of the pine sap. Rub for a minute or more. The sap should loosen enough to wash away. Repeat if necessary.

Perfect Pasta Measure

A clear plastic water bottle with condensation and an open red tethered cap against a white background.

The opening of a 20-ounce, cleaned and dried bottle of soda is the perfect size measure for a single serving of pasta.

Messy Microwave?

A hand uses a green cloth to wipe the clean white interior of a microwave oven.

In a microwave-safe bowl, combine 1/2 cup each of water and distilled white vinegar. Microwave the mixture for about 5 minutes, or until it boils. Leave the bowl in the microwave until it has cooled enough to handle. Wipe down the inside of the microwave with a sponge. The solution makes its easier to wipe

Soap for Leg Cramps?!

A single oval bar of light blue soap resting on a plain white background.

Many people swear that if they bring a bar of soap to bed with them their leg cramps stay away. For best results, unwrap the bar and place it under the sheets near where your legs will lie on the bed.

Cat on the Counter?

A short-haired gray cat walks across a ledge with its tail held high in the air.

Try placing aluminum foil or two-sided tape on the counter. Many cats do not like the feeling of these materials.

Dishwasher Spot Removal

A hand holds a sparkling clean wine glass in front of an open dishwasher of dishes.

To remove hard water spots from dishes and glasses, try soaking them in a solution of water and vinegar. Let them soak for a few hours, then wash as you normally would. You can also try adding a little vinegar to your dishwasher cycle to help avoid the spots from occurring.

Separating Egg Yolks

Hands carefully cracking a brown egg and separating the yolk from the white over a bowl.

Crack a whole egg into a bowl. Take a clean, plastic water (soda, juice) bottle, and squeeze the air out of the bottle, then gently place it on the yolk. Release it and the yolk will be sucked up into the bottle.