3 Unusual Uses for 10 Normal Household Items

​I love to find off beat uses for everyday things that I have on hand.  I have been collecting these little gems for a while, so I thought I would share some of them with you.  I hope you find some that are useful!

Unusual Uses for Everyday Items

Curtain Rings

1. Use one or more as a latch to keep your cabinets closed against toddlers or pets
2. Use one to hold together mittens, gloves or socks and hang them on hooks in the closet
3. Use them to attach things to your backpack or hang tools off your belt.

​Car Wax

1. Use to remove white rings on furniture; just dab on, let dry and buff.
2. Put a thin layer on shower tiles and let dry and buff off.  Prevents mold and mildew from growing on tiles and grout.
3. Rub on shovels, let dry and buff.  Keeps dirt and snow from sticking to it.  If you use a tiller or snowblower, wax the inside to keep it clean.

Oven Cleaner ​

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NOTICE:  Most oven cleaners have lye and other caustic ingredients.  You MUST wear long rubber gloves whenever spraying or touching anything with oven cleaner on it.

1. Remove the gunk that is burned on your curling iron barrel.  Lightly spray it with oven cleaner and let it sit for one hour.  Wipe off with a damp cloth and let dry for two hours before using.
2. Clean glass bakeware, like Pyrex.  If your glass pans have baked on stains, spray them with oven cleaner and place in a garbage bag and close tightly with twist ties.  Let sit overnight and take outside to open (don't breathe the fumes that come out) and then wash with soap and water.
3. Clean oil and other stains off your concrete driveway by spraying them with oven cleaner.  Let it set for an hour or two and then scrub off with a stiff bristle brush.  It may take more than one time, but most stains will come off.

​Mayonnaise​

1. Remove road tar or pine tar from your car.  Cover it with mayo and let sit for an hour and then wipe off.​
2. Safe and effective way to kill head lice.  Apply a liberal amount to your childs head and scalp and massage in well.  Cover with a showercap over night and wash out in the morning.  Comb with a fine tooth comb.  Repeat in 7 days.
3. Clean yellowed piano keys.  Apply with a soft cloth and wait 30 minutes, then wipe off and buff with a clean cloth.  Your keys will be white again.

Hair Conditioner

1. Shine stainless steel and chrome, just apply a layer and leave on for 15 minutes and then rub off with a soft cloth.  You will be amazed at the shine!
2. Protect your shoes in bad weather, just rub hair conditioner on your boots or shoes and keep the salt and chemicals off them.  Leather, plastic or rubber only.  Do not use with suede or any type of fabric.
3. Use hair conditioner instead of lotion on razor burned skin (legs, armpits or face).  It also is great at removing makeup and keeping skin soft.  (Don't get it in your eyes!)

Salt

1. Rejuvenate wicker.  If you have wicker baskets or furniture​ that are yellowed or dirty, scrub it with a stiff bristled brush dipped in salted water and set it in the sun to dry.  Do it every spring to keep it looking clean and natural.
2. Clean discolorations and scorched or burned food marks on glass.  Mix a  half a cup of salt to a quart of vinegar and soak the glass piece overnight.  The next day you will be able to wash it clean.
3. Set the color in new towels or clothing.  If you have new dark blue jeans or brand new brightly colored towels, you can set the color so it remains fast by adding a cup of salt to the washing machine on hot water.  Use the soak cycle and your colors will remain new looking longer.

Petroleum Jelly

1. ​​​Shine and restore leather.  Rub it in with a soft cloth, and then wipe off with a clean cloth and let it sit overnight to fully absorb.  Works great on leather jackets, leather wrapped steering wheels and car seats, baseball mitts and boots/shoes.
2. Help your pet's cracked and dry paw pads by rubbing a little petroleum jelly on them and let it absorb.  It will help them heal and feel better.
3. Make perfume last longer.  When applying perfume, rub a bit of petroleum jelly on your pulse points before spritzing.  The delicious smell will last much longer!

Chest Rub

1. Repel ticks and other bugs by rubbing a liberal amount around your ankles, lower calfs and arms.  It can deter mosquitoes, biting flies and ticks.  Bugs hate the smell! 
2. Soothe the itching of bug bites, just dab a liberal amount over the bite for immediate relief.  The menthol and eucalyptus ingredients are the key!
3. Soothe aching feet by applying chest rub and dab some on calluses and wrap overnight to smooth them.  May take a few times to get rid of some calluses.

WD-40

1. Clean dried glue, decals, and bumper stickers off just about any hard surface.  Just spray, wait a few minutes and wipe.  If it does not wipe off, scrape gently with a no scratch spatula.  
2. Remove lyme and other water stains from your sink, bathtub and toilet.  Just spray it on, wait a minute and then scrub with a toilet brush or any plastic bristled brush.
3. Condition and shine leather furniture.  Just spray it on, wait a few minutes and wipe and buff with a soft cloth.  It will condition and shine the leather and keep it looking gorgeous!

Aluminum Foil

1. Re-attach vinyl flooring.  If you are having trouble with your seams or your vinyl tiles coming up, take two layers of foil, lay it over the trouble spot and iron with a hot clothes iron.  Keep going over it till you feel the glue softening and then remove foil and lay some heavy books on the area till it is completely cool.
2. Sharpen your scissors by cutting through 2 or 3 layers of aluminum foil a few times a year.
3. Hide worn spots in mirrors.  If you have an old mirror with worn spots, tape a piece of foil across the back, shiny side facing the mirror back.  The trick?  Never tape the foil directly to the mirror, make sure you tape it to the frame, it works ten times better.

Have a great weekend everyone!

​Jade    :)

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