More Ideas For Used Dryer Sheets!

September 2nd, 2010

You can use them to dust off your TV and computer screens.Change Permalinks

Or use them as a stabilizer in a quilt block.

Got a yucky casserole dish, try cleaning it up with a used dryer sheet.

When done with your laundry, attach it to your Swiffer or Pledge duster, and cleanup your floors.

These ideas were from Mary Cheapskates 5-26-2010 newsletter.

Do you have left over buckets from kitty litter, painting, plastering, or from ice cream etc. Use them to store other items – like paint brushes or rollers.

We use them allot in our garden, for picking vegetables, hauling dirt and plants, watering trees. I always like to have some extra around.

Sparkling Clean Windows!

August 30th, 2010

Balance (Take 2)
Creative Commons License photo credit: Kristoffer M.C.

Do you have a problem with getting your windows sparkling clean and streak free? Have you ever washed your windows thinking you had them sparkling clean; only to discover, that when the sun came around, they were still streaked. I have lots of times, till I found microfiber cloths and towels.

Other tips I have used before microfiber towels are:

  • Using newspapers to dry the windows with, but that left you with carbon on your hands from the print on the paper.
  • Using a little vinegar in the water helps to cut dirt and grime.
  • Wiping the inside of the windows in one direction and the outside in the opposite direction. This helped me to know which side I had to redo.
  • Another trick my mom used to use (on her windows that would get coated with road grime) was to wash her front porch windows with oven cleaner. It was the only way she could get them clean. She lived on a heavily traveled state highway, with lots of trucks and farm traffic. So that left her windows with lots of oil, dirt and exhaust residue on them.
  • But my favorite tip was when I discovered microfiber towels and cloths to wash and dry my windows with.

What microfiber towels I like best to use:

Microfiber comes in various textures and blends and so to clean windows, I recommend a wet suede 16″ x 16″
Microfiber cloth for washing and a 20″ x 40″ MerryMicrofiber waffle weave towel for drying. Just one 20″ x 40″ waffle weave will dry numerous windows with just this one towel, because of its special built in “pockets” that whisk the moisture away, first into the pocket and then deep into the fabric of the towel, leaving your window dry and streak free. Depending on how many windows you have, you could use two to three 16″ x 16″ terry all purpose MerryMicrofiber towels for both washing and drying, or wash with a MerryMicrofiber towel and allow to air dry. Just remember to rinse your cloth/towel frequently in hot water to avoid streaking.

IHow does the microfiber towel work?

The unique technology of the microfiber blend, gives you a towel that is soft, durable, dirt grabbing and absorbent. The microfiber blend is made up of polyester and polyamide (nylon). The polyester gives it it’s softness, and the polyamide gives it it’s absorbability. The “star” wedges gives it it’s scrubbing ability, with it’s thousands of surface edges. This technology allows the fibers to pick up the dirt and pull it into the towel not just pushing it ahead of itself, like cotton does. This technology helps to save you time and money, using less effort to wash your windows and mirrors, in your home, office or vehicle. You can eliminate your window cleaners and paper towels using microfiber; having only to do it once and your window(s) will be clean. I have even just washed my patio door with a damp microfiber cloth and walked away, allowing it to just air dry.

I recommend using hot water for rinsing your towels as you clean. The hot water causes the fibers to swell, thus forcing the dirt, oil and grime out of the fibers into your water.

Redneck Sprinkler!

August 24th, 2010

I got this idea from an email with “redneck” solutions!

If you are in need of a sprinkler, and got a pop bottle or a plastic drink bottle available, just poke some holes in it, connect it to your garden hose and “wha la” you have yourself a cheap sprinkler.

If it gets crushed or some creatures decide to chew on it, (as it happens at our house) then just make yourself another.

Got A Swiffer – Save Money With A Microfiber Cloth!

August 19th, 2010

Do you have a “Swiffer” or Pledge Sweeper?

Are you tired of having to buy cloths to use on them?

Are you looking for a better alternative?

Try a microfiber cloth instead!

Just place a 16 x 16 all purpose microfiber cleaning cloth around the head, pushing the ends into the holes on the top of the sweeper, and dust away. When full of dirt, remove and shake out; when finished just wash in your regular laundry or rinse out in detergent and hot water.

Need to mop the floor, just wet the cloth in hot water and mop up those dirty spots. Works great on all hard surface floors.

Got a window you can’t reach, try washing it with your sweeper with a wet cloth attached. Just dry it with a dry cloth attached to the mop.

Recycle Those Plastic Cards!

August 16th, 2010

credit cards
Creative Commons License photo credit: TheTruthAbout…

When a debit card or credit card is expired – what to do with it?

If you throw them in the garbage, make sure you cut them up into little pieces first, so no one can get your information.

Or you could recycle them into useful items. My husband has cut up old credit cards and old drivers licenses into pics for his dulcimer. He has a difficult time getting dulcimer pics so he makes his own, and these cards seem to give him the right stiffness in a pic for playing.

Other ideas from Mary Cheapskate’s 6-15-10 newsletter were from 8 crafty ways to recycle, reuse old credit cards.

Some other links on that site were:

Artists recycle credit cards into crafts – like star magnets, or jewerly

10 creative — or desperate — uses for credit cards – ice scraper, Italian cheese scraper, paint masking, bookmark, straight edge, cake knife, grout caulking tool.

So have fun using these ideas or coming up with your own ideas on reusing and recycling those plastic cards.

Easier Cleanup with Microfiber!

August 12th, 2010

In the wee hours of the morning, yesterday, we got a deluge of rain. We got 4.8 inches of rain, and someone that lives about 8 miles from us, said it came in about one hour.

That was allot of rain to come in such a short period of time. We had water coming into our basement in places it never had come in before. I think it was coming so fast that it just didn’t have a chance to “run” away and it was “looking” for a place to go.

The basement of our house was built in 1948 and it cement blocks. I have worked on caulking and sealing the walls with a sealing caulk and hydraulic cement. After this storm I have even more places now to fix.

At 1:20 am I woke up my husband and we started sucking up water, he used our shop vac and I used a double sided plush microfiber cloth.  It worked really well to pick up the water. I placed it down on the water, soaking it up, and then I would wring it out. It didn’t take long to pick up a 5 quart pail of water.

I even had water shooting out of a very small hole in our kitchen wall. I was amazed, for this never happened before, but with the water pressure against the wall on the outside it was looking for a place to go. I just set a bucket under the stream and collected it.

So if you ever need a cloth with super absorbency, check out using a microfiber cleaning cloth.

Green Kitchen Ideas!

August 9th, 2010

Kitchens
Creative Commons License photo credit: P.Flintandco

iVillage had some good ideas on greening your kitchen in the article “4 Easy Ways to Go Green In The Kitchen”, like using greener more natural cleaners, watching your water usage, reducing your use of paper towels and composting your scraps.

Use baking soda and vinegar for cleaning drains and grimy pots and pans.

Use microfiber dish cloths instead of paper towels and paper napkins.

Run your dishwasher only when full. Instead of continually running water when washing dishes, fill one side of your sink for washing your dishes, and one side for rinsing your dishes. This will save lots of hot water, and the energy to heat it.

Internet Domain Name Scam

August 4th, 2010

If you have a business with a domain name, and you receive an email that is similar to the following email, it is a scam. I had received this yesterday, and later typed the question “What is an internet trademark?” into Google and found out it is a scam. There is no such thing as internet trademarks.

So Beware! You can read more about this on a forum at http://www.webdeveloper.com/forum/showthread.php?t=185121.

Dear Manager,

We are a Network Service Company which is the domain name registration center in Shanghai, China. On August,2nd,2010, We received HUATAI Company’s application that they are registering the name “merrymicrofibercloths” as their Internet Trademark and “merrymicrofibercloths.cn“,”merrymicrofibercloths.com.cn” ,”merrymicrofibercloths.asia”domain names etc.,It is China and ASIA domain names.But after auditing we found the brand name been used by your company. As the domain name registrar in China, it is our duty to notice you, so I am sending you this Email to check.According to the principle in China,your company is the owner of the trademark,In our auditing time we can keep the domain names safe for you firstly, but our audit period is limited, if you object the third party application these domain names and need to protect the brand in china and Asia by yourself, please let the responsible officer contact us as soon as possible. Thank you!

Kind regards

Angela Zhang

Angela Zhang

Registration Department Manager
3002, Nanhai Building 854.Nandan Road
Xuhui District, Shanghai
Office:  +86 216296 2950
Fax:     +86 216296 1557
Email: info@ygnetwork.cn
web: http://ygnetwork.cn
web: http://www.ygnetwork.cn

Chlorox vs Peroxide

July 30th, 2010

Clorox vs. Peroxide.

VERY interesting and inexpensive. This was
written by Becky Ransey of Indiana  (a doctor’s wife), and I want to share it
with you. She was over recently for coffee and smelled the bleach I was using
to clean my toilet and counter tops. This is what she told me. ‘I would like
to tell you of the benefits of that Plain little ole bottle of 3% peroxide
you can get for under $1.00 at any drug store. What does bleach cost? My
husband has been in the medical field for over 36 years, and most doctors don’t
tell you about peroxide. Have you ever smelled bleach in a doctor’s office?
NO!!!

Why? Because it smells, and it is not healthy! Ask the nurses who
work in the doctor’s offices, and ask them if they use bleach at home. They
are wiser and know better!

Did you also know bleach was invented in the late 40′s? It’s chlorine,
folks! And it was used to kill our Troops. Peroxide was invented
during WWI in the 20′s. It was used to save and help cleanse the needs of our
troops and hospitals.

Please think about this:

1. Take one capful (the little white cap that comes with the bottle)
and hold in your mouth for 10 minutes daily, then spit it out. (I do it
when I bathe.) No more canker sores, and your teeth will be whiter without
expensive pastes. Use it instead of mouthwash.

2. Let your toothbrushes soak in a cup of peroxide to keep them free
of germs.

3. Clean your counters and table tops with peroxide to kill germs and
leave a fresh smell. Simply put a little on your dishrag when you wipe, or
spray it on the counters.

4. After rinsing off your wooden cutting board, pour peroxide on it
to kill salmonella and other bacteria.

5. I had fungus on my feet for years until I sprayed a 50/50 mixture
of peroxide and water on them (especially the toes) every night and let
dry.

6. Soak any infections or cuts in 3% peroxide for five to ten minutes
several times a day. My husband has seen gangrene that would not heal
with any medicine but was healed by soaking in peroxide.

7. Fill a spray bottle with a 50/50 mixture of peroxide and water and
keep it in every bathroom to disinfect without harming your septic system
like bleach or most other Disinfectants will.

8. Tilt your head back and spray into nostrils with your 50/50 mixture
whenever you have a cold, plugged sinus. It will bubble and help to
kill the bacteria. Hold for a few minutes, and then blow your nose into a
tissue.

9. If you have a terrible toothache and cannot get to a dentist right
away, put a capful of 3% peroxide into your mouth and hold it for ten
minutes several times a day. The pain will lessen greatly.

10. And of course, if you like a natural look to your hair, spray the
50/50 solution on your wet hair after a shower and comb it through. You
will not have the peroxide-burnt blonde hair like the hair dye packages but
more natural highlights if your hair is a light brown, reddish, or dirty
blonde. It also lightens gradually, so it’s not a drastic change.

11. Put half a bottle of peroxide in your bath to help get rid of
boils, fungus, or other skin infections.

12. You can also add a cup of peroxide instead of bleach to a load of
whites in your laundry to whiten them. If there is blood on clothing, pour it
directly on the soiled spot. Let it sit for a minute, then rub it and
rinse with cold water. Repeat if necessary.

13. I use peroxide to clean my mirrors. There is no smearing, which
is why I love it so much for this.

14. Another place it’s great is in the bathroom, if someone has been
careless & has peed on the floor around the toilet & it’s begun to
smell of urine. Just put some peroxide in a spray bottle & spray. In the blink
of any eye all the smell will be gone & the bacteria eliminated!

Need to bleach some microfiber cloths or towels, use an oxygen bleach which is just solid peroxide.

Recycle Those Dryer Sheets!

July 28th, 2010

Today from Mary’s Cheapskate’s Newsletter she had a comment on reusing those dryer sheets. The lady saves them and wraps delicate Christmas ornaments in them. She just stuffed them in a container box till she needed them. I remember buying peaches in crates that were surrounded by little papers. They would of made wrappers as well.

Are you “crafty” person? When we were dyeing Easter eggs she saved the paper towels the kids laid the eggs on, or ones used to wipe up spills to make “new” eggs. They glued the now colorful paper towels on balloons, let them dry, broke the balloons, and whala new colorful eggs to decorate with. Or you could cut a hole in them and use them for a Easter egg basket.

If you use unscented dryer sheets, you might be able to do the same thing. You could even let the kids paint on them and then use them for another craft project.

Did you know that 1/2 a sheet is usually enough to soften a load? Tear them in half or reuse them to save on dryer sheets.

Make sure when using dryer sheets, that you wash you dryer filter periodically, as the softener will plug up the holes in the filter, causing your dryer to work harder. It will actually seal over the holes. You can test it by removing the filter from the dryer, running water over it. If the water stays on top, you need to wash the filter. This will help your dryer work more efficiently and save you money.

If you are able – let nature dry your clothes for you. Hang them outside or you can hang them on wooden racks in your home. In the winter time, this will help add moisture to your house.