Handy Hints 2020

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Do you clean your toothbrush?

To have really clean teeth, it's worth considering how clean your toothbrush is.

Given that apple cider vinegar has antibacterial properties, you can use it as a homemade cleaner for your toothbrush.

To make your own toothbrush cleaner, mix half a cup of water with 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and 2 teaspoons of baking soda and mix well. Leave the head of your toothbrush in the mix for 30 minutes.

Make sure you rinse your brush well before you use it, as the acidity of undiluted vinegar could damage your teeth.

Handy Hints Holly


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Hint 1:
To Trap Fruit Flies

Fruit flies can be a pest.

Interestingly, it's really easy to use apple cider vinegar to make a cheap fruit fly trap.

Simply pour some apple cider vinegar into a cup, add a few drops of dish soap (so that any trapped flies sink) and you're good to go.

Hint 2:
Apple Cider Vinegar As a Mouth Wash

Apple cider vinegar is often said to be a useful alternative to commercial mouthwashes.

Its antibacterial properties may help with bad breath, although there aren't any studies examining how effective it is.

If you try this, make sure you dilute it well with water (the usual amount is 1 tablespoon for every cup of water), as the acidity of the vinegar could damage your teeth).

[SAR01]

September 30, 2020
Hey Everyone!
Plants need iron too, and spinach water gives them not only iron but also a decent dose of potassium. Pasta. Starchy water will spur the release of plant nutrients in the soil, meaning starch may be better for plants than for you.

The next time you boil or steam vegetables, don't pour the water down the drain, use it to water potted patio plants, and you'll be amazed at how the plants respond to the "vegetable soup."

Handy Hints Holly




Hint 1:
Use leftover and coffee grounds to acidify the soil of acid-loving plants such as azaleas, rhododendrons, camellias, gardenias and even blueberries. A light sprinkling of about one-quarter of an inch applied once a month will keep the pH of the soil on the acidic side.

Hint 2:
The quickest way in the world to dry herbs: just lay a sheet of newspaper on the seat of your car, arrange the herbs in a single layer, then roll up the windows and close the doors. Your herbs will be quickly dried to perfection. What's more, your car will smell great.

[SAR01]

Hint 1:
Make a No-Slip Cutting Board

A lot of cutting boards don't come with any kind of rubber surface on the bottom to prevent them from sliding on a countertop, but with a couple of rubber bands, you can stabilize your cutting board and keep it from moving around during use. Slip on two rubber bandsone at each end of the cutting boardand youre good to go.

Make sure that the rubber bands lay flat and aren't twisted when you put them on so the board will sit steady on your countertop.

Bonus Hint:
Clean a Cast Iron Skillet with Coarse Salt

To prevent rust and extend the life of a cast iron skillet, it's best not to use soap to clean it. Instead, use a about a tablespoon of coarse salt to scrub the pan after a meal. The salt breaks up bits of stuck food and residue on the skillet. Then you can toss the dirty salt in the trash, rinse the pan with hot water and dry it with a clean towel.

To further protect a cast iron skillet, rub a few drops of vegetable oil over the entire cooking surface.

[SAR01]

November 25, 2020
Hey Everyone!
Although many of your Thanksgiving guests genuinely want to help you put together a beautiful meal, the old saying holds true that too many cooks in the kitchen spoil the broth.

To keep a busy kitchen from feeling too crowded, try to move as many activities out of the kitchen as possible. Set up a drink station in the living room, or a small prep table outside of the kitchen for extra work space.

Handy Hints Holly


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Hint 1:
Create a prep list

A organized prep list lays out (in order) all of the tasks you need to get done two days prior to your Thanksgiving feast.

- Identify what can be made a day ahead of time. Recipes like pies can be prepared in advance and refrigerated.

- Identify which dishes will take the longest to make on Thanksgiving day, then prioritize your recipes and allow yourself with a little extra time with each one.

- Look at cooking temperatures and see what dishes can go into the oven simultaneously. Use your smartphone or timers to set alarms to keep track of both the dishes in the oven and on the stove top.

Hint 2:
Organize recipes

Nothing is worse than shuffling through recipes when you've got hot food on the stove and six other things to do.

If you make copies of your recipes in advance, you can then stick them on appliances with magnets, or tape them onto the cabinets at eye level. This will not only save precious counter space, but you can slip the recipes into plastic sleeves and file them away for next year.

[SAR01]

Hint 1:
Freshen up your holiday centerpieces

The thing that makes in centerpieces wilt fastest once they are cut is bacteria in the water, which is no longer being filtered by the ' roots.

To help blooms last longer, just give the bouquet a drink from your water-filtered pitcher, or pour in some leftover water from boiling potatoes or veggies after it cools.

Water from veggies have extra - extra nutrients!
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Hint 2:
Make wreaths last longer with hairspray! You read that right... hairspray!

The key to keeping your pine wreath looking and smelling fresh is as close as your bathroom cabinet.

Turns out, a spritz of hairspray seals in moisture and keeps the pine needles from drying out.

Your outside wreath may need a spritz or two every few days to keep them looking gorgeous.

[SAR01]

Hint 1:
Make your own, natural outdoor and indoor decorations

Cut some lengths of it from trees around your home if able. If not, a brief stroll through your local forest preserve should produce the material you need, or ask friends or neighbors if you may walk their wooded property in search of it.

Use greens such as those from freshly cut Pine or other evergreens to make wreaths or decorative sheaves. Use sprigs of Holly or other red berry producing shrubs to add color and contrast. Don't forget to tie it all together with some of that cloth ribbon you saved.

Hint 2:
Start thinking about decorating on December 26th

After Christmas sales are the best time to grab Christmas decor for as much as 90 percent off. A little bit of foresight the day or two after Christmas will earn you huge discounts on everything from wrapping paper and lights to tree stands and aprons.

[SAR01]

December 29, 2020
Hey Everyone!
Lift the worst carpet stains...

It's dish liquid to the rescue.

Dissolve one tablespoon of dish liquid into two cups of warm water, and blot the stain with a clean white cloth dipped into the solution. Repeat until the stain absorbs into the cloth and disappears from the carpet.

Then sponge with plain cold water, and blot dry with a clean cloth.

Handy Hints Holly


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Hint 1:
Solve smelly sneakers problem real quick

Black teabags

Black contains tannins, which will work to kill the bacteria that builds up in your shoes and helps to eliminate the smell. Put the bag in boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Remove the bag and let it cool. Place it in your shoe for about an hour for a natural shoe deodorizer. After you remove it, clean up any excess liquid left on the shoe.

Good, old, faithful baking soda

Don't feel like putting wet bags in your shoes? A smelly shoe or sneaker is no match for the power of baking soda. Liberally sprinkle soda in the offending loafer or lace-up and let it sit overnight. Dump out the powder in the morning. Be careful when using baking soda with leather shoes, however; repeated applications can dry them out.

Hint 2:
Make a stove simmer

My crafty and cleaning obsessed mother taught me this great hint that I'd like to share.

Simmer water in a small saucepan and add orange, lemon, or lime slices with some herbs like mint or lavender.

The heat permeates the sweet scent throughout the house. It is an easy trick that is handy before parties or just because it's Saturday and you are cleaning.

Get creative with your scents as well... here are some other things you can add to simmering water: Cinnamon sticks, Fresh ginger, Pine sprigs, Whole cloves, Chai bags, Vanilla or Almond extract

[SAR01]

Hint 1:
Dish Soap + Baking Soda

The next time your elbow grease isn't enough to scrub off baked-on food, sprinkle baking soda on top of your dish detergent to pump up your cleaner and add more friction to your scrubbing situation.

Hint 2:
Dish Soap + Vinegar

Add three drops of dish soap to a bowl of vinegar to attract those annoying flies in your home that are impossible to get rid of. The detergent will cut surface tension, so the flies will sink and drown.

Just toss the cup once your home is fruit fly-free.

[SAR01]

December 31, 2020
Hey Everyone!
Witch Hazel was first discovered by Native Americans. Now its anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, possibly anti-viral, and astringent properties make it a popular ingredient in many cosmetic and topical products.

But you don't necessarily need the expensive product to get the benefits from witch hazel for many common problems from skin irritations to an itchy scalp.

Just be careful! At high concentrations it can cause more irritation than it cures.