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Hello,
We had one of our busiest days every yesterday on the website. Welcome to all the new subscribers.
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Susan
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Today's Tips
I tried making my own laundry detergent with Zote Laundry soap and Borax. I did not have any washing soda and was dying to make the detergent, so I experimented.
I used 1/3 bar Zote and 1 cup borax powder. I covered the Zote with water and melted it in the microwave until smooth then added the borax to almost 2 gallons of water. I split this between two ice cream buckets (5 quart size). Next, I divided the Zote soap liquid between the buckets and stirred well.
After the stuff gelled up, I tried it for laundry and it worked pretty well, I did have some things that needed stain treated after washing once, but it worked pretty well for a pretreat gel.
Since the Borax and Zote are both recommended for dishes and the detergent is non-sudsing, I tried it in my dishwasher, and it worked well, but be sure to use a rinse agent or vinegar in the rinse because of possible residue.
Cost = 48 Cents Per 2 Gallons
Even if you use 1 cup per load for laundry, this is a lot cheaper than anything else!!
Just as good for dishwasher and easier to store:
1 cup baking soda
1 cup borax
2-3 tablespoons citric acid (I used Fruit Fresh)
Use about 2 tablespoons per wash, this left no residue.
Cost = Around a penny per load
I bought my fruit fresh after season and got a mark-down. It will last more than 10 loads. I was buying detergent on sale that was 10 cents per load.
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New Use for a Baby Changing Table
Here is a way to recycle and reuse your old baby dressing table. They make perfect storage for your laundry room. On the shelves you can put your laundry supplies and a plastic bin for mis-matched socks. Use the top as a place to fold your laundry or as a spot to pretreat.
By Debra in Colorado
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My daughter has an old-fashioned type lunch box with a thermos. Putting in one of those hard ice substitutes took up too much room, so instead I use frozen bread to make her sandwich. The bread thaws in time for lunch while keeping the lunch meat cold enough to prevent bacteria from forming. Now I have room to pack a dessert and my daughter is thrilled!
By Karen in NH
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Hard boil your eggs. In a bowl, add 1 or 2 tablespoons of vinegar, red and yellow food color to make an orange color. Add hot water to the bowl and place your eggs in. Stir until the orange color is real bright. Remove eggs from bowl to dry. Once dry, use a washable or permanent black magic marker to draw on the eyes, nose and mouth. Use a green marker to add a stem effect to the top of the egg. Real cute to serve on Halloween morning at breakfast and for school lunches. My own idea!
By Conni Hood
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Peanut Butter for Oxidation on Your Car
Instead of using expensive waxes or rubbing compounds to take oxidation off you car, boat etc., using creamy peanut butter, it works much better.
By ldonston
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To kill those pesky fire ants use coffee grounds. Don't throw away those used coffee grounds after you perk that pot. Place in a plastic bag and save them. When you find a hill of ants in your yard place them on top and around the hill. Within a few hours the hill will be filled with dead ants.
Take the grounds on camping trips or other family outings. You never know when you may need them. This really works, I have seen it with my own eyes.
By Libby
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A really cheap and nutritious dinner.
Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef for every box of chicken Rice a Roni.
Directions:
First, follow the box directions to make the rice. While that is simmering, brown the ground beef. When both are finished combine the two. If you like, while browning ground beef you can add fresh or canned mushrooms.
By ldonston
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You can download many baby lullabies and classic music off the internet and make a custom CD for the baby too be played at nap time or bedtime. Also many sites have children's Audio Books that can be made into a bedtime Cd for older children.
By Debra in Colorado
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This is a nice gift to include with a diaper bag and the dimensions can be made to fit rolled up into the new diaper bag or it can be used as a stand alone gift.
1 skein of multi-colored yarn (Super saver size)
1 crochet hook
A couple of sheets of the spongy packing materials that you get electronics or breakables packed in. Can be bought at a shipping place.
Chain 129 (Make 2)
Turn and single crochet in each stitch across. Chain 1 and turn. Continue in pattern until you like the length. Now Cut the packing materials to size. I like to use 4 layers as it makes it very cozy for the baby. Poke evenly spaced holes along the edges of the packing material and crochet a simple shell border or a single crochet border through the packing material and both crocheted squares.
Add chains on the short sides so that you can roll this up. You can also add some handles for carrying on the long side but I like the idea of being able to put this in a diaper bag.
By Debra in Colorado
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Do not despair if you over salt gravy. Stir in some instant mashed potatoes to repair the damage. Just add a little more liquid in order to offset the thickening.
By Peggy
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Lettuce keeps better if you store it in the refrigerator without washing it. Keep the leaves dry. Wash lettuce the day you are going to use it.
By Peggy
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Use Wood, Glass or China for Salad
Do not use metal bowls when mixing salads. Use wood, glass or china.
By Peggy
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Buy mushrooms before they "open". When stems and caps are attached firmly, mushroom are truly fresh.
By Peggy
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The shoe storage I use is wine bottle boxes. They usually have 6 to 8 slots for 6 to 8 pairs of shoes, unless you have exceptionally large shoes.
By arlayne
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With leftover yarn create enough squares to make a checkerboard. Save and clean cat food cans or tuna fish cans (enough for 2 sets of Checkers). Paint cans first with primer. Then paint the cans with a color that contrasts the squares. You can crochet a simple chain to tie the board into a roll and make a simple granny square bag (two large squares sewn together and add two straps) to store your checkers in.
By Debra in Colorado
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Use those empty film containers to hold your harvested and cleaned morning glory seed for next years blooms. Label and keep with your packages of seeds.
By Susan
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WD-40 is great for cleaning permanent marker from dry erase boards. By Lisa T.
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New Contest! $30.00 Gift Card
In our newest contest we are giving away a $30.00 Gift Card at one of the following stores: Home Depot, Jo-Ann's Crafts or Amazon.com. If you are the winner, you get to choose which gift card! We figured it would be more valuable if you pick out your own prize, that's why we have decided to go the gift card route. This contest will end on October 31st.
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New Requests:
I want to know the tips about cakes. My problem is the volume of the cake is decreasing after the cake is removed from the oven and when it is cooled. Also the middle of the upper portion is not getting baked. Please reply or give suggestion.
Editor's Note: This was sent in from a reader in India
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I am looking for a way to organize my shoes. I only own enough pairs to fit in a large plastic tote box, but I am finding out this is not a good way to keep your shoes. Not only can't you find pairs, but keeping them in a plastic box isn't a good idea. I don't have much space to work with. Do any of you creative, thrifty readers have any ideas on how I might organize them? Thanks for your thoughts.
Jayne.
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I have a musty smell on some of my clothing. I have tried washing them in different stuff such as ammonia, borax, bleach works to get rid of the musty smell however I cannot use it on the dark items. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
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I was terrifed a month or so ago, when I was ascending the basement steps, and a snake was curled in the corner. I was absolutely terrified, and beat it with a mop I was taking upstairs to throw away. It kept moving, and then I sprayed it, with I don't know what---and it stopped moving. I put the mop over it and went into to town until my husband got off work. I put mothballs around, because I heard that repels them, but got an awful headache. We got something at the farm store called snake-away, and it smelled like moth balls. Also, we live next to fields in the country, and sometimes mice are a problem. I think we have gotten rid of them.
I would appreciate all advice. Thank you!!
Alleen
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I have had a terrible problem with fruit flies lately. The fruit is not overripe, nor do I have garbage piling up. I've also checked the drain. Anyone know how to get rid of these?
Leslie (San Diego)
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Hello. I have a small chest freezer (Frigidaire). The other day I noticed the food items at the top of the freezer were thawing out. I checked to see if a breaker had been tripped. It had not. I turned the control knob, and the unit kicked on the items quickly "re-froze." A few days later the same thing occurred. I turned the knob again, and it came on. I checked the unit this morning and it was still running (I have the control knob set at its coldest setting). Do yo think it may be the thermostat going on the blink? If so, is it difficult to replace? The control knob sits on a removable panel. Do you "pull-off" the knob, before you pop-off the panel? Sure need some help. Thanks.
Michael
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I need directions for joining small granny squares for a childs poncho. ( 5 or 6 In squares)
- G
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To make your own toppings take fruit such as pineapple or berries, add 1 tbsp of cornstarch, a little water if necessary, & heat until thick.
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