Sunday, April 9, 2006

70 Uses for Vinegar

70 Uses for a Humble Jug of Vinegar
From KitchenCraftsNMore.net

Vinegar for personal care


Vinegar in the bath
. Add one-half cup of vinegar or so to warm bath water when bathing and get double benefits: softer skin and a cleaner bathtub with less work!

Hair conditioner. Vinegar makes a simple, inexpensive conditioner for your hair and helps remove the sticky stuff shampoo can leave behind. About a tablespoon will do it.

Dandruff treatment. Simply pour a few tablespoons of vinegar on your hair and massage into your scalp. Wait a few minutes, then rinse and wash hair like normal. Try this for a few days until you see results.

Weight loss. Vinegar naturally helps to remove fat from the body. Apple cider vinegar is especially good for this. Drink some in a glass of water a few times a day. Add a little lemon or honey for a nicer flavor. This will also help reduce your appetite.

Dry skin repair. Smooth a little vinegar on cracked, dried skin to help it heal.

Clean dentures. Soak dentures overnight in Heinz White Vinegar, then brush away tartar with a toothbrush.

Facial spritzer. Mix apple cider vinegar and water in a 1:1 ratio in a spray bottle. Refreshing!

Hair cleanser. Use one cup of vinegar in some warm water to rinse your hair after you shampoo. Vinegar adds highlights to brunette hair, restores the acid mantle and removes soap film and sebum oil.


Vinegar for cleaning



Glass cleaner
. Mixed with water or simply sprayed full strength on glass and mirrors, vinegar does a great job quickly and easily. Spray on and wipe windows dry with crumpled-up newspapers, and watch your windows sparkle.

Car cleaner. Use vinegar full strength to polish car chrome with a cloth, and see it shine! Use it on your car’s windshield and windows, too.

Clean drinking glasses. Soak cloudy drinking glasses in warmed white vinegar for a few hours to remove the film. Simply wipe clean, rinse and dry.

Clean the washer. Periodically run a gallon of distilled vinegar through your washing machine to clean it thoroughly, get rid of soap scum and clear out the hoses. Run the machine through the warm water wash cycle empty and then add the vinegar during the rinse cycle.

Furniture polish. Make your own furniture polish with one part vinegar and three parts lemon oil or olive oil.

Remove price tags or stickers. Paint stickers with several coats of vinegar and let it soak in. Depending what you are removing them off, most will slide off easily but some may require a little heavier rubbing.

Clean the iron. Pour vinegar into your iron’s water compartment and let the iron steam itself clean. Remember to flush it with water when you are done.

Clean paintbrushes. Simmer paint brushes in pure vinegar, then wash in hot soapy water.

Wash walls. Wipe down your walls with a vinegar-water mixture, which helps absorb odors and clean surfaces.

Remove spots from glass. Use a vinegar-soaked cloth to remove spots from glassware or crystal.

Unclog drains. Pour boiling white vinegar down clogged drains to remove the clog.

Clean jars. Remove odors and stains from jars by cleaning them out with vinegar.

Clean old lunchboxes. Soak a piece of bread in vinegar and let it sit in the lunchbox overnight.

Clean and deodorize the garbage disposal. Make vinegar ice cubes and feed them down the disposal. After grinding, run cold water.

Clean the tea pot. Boil a mixture of water and vinegar in the teapot. Wipe away the grime.

Clean the dishwasher. Run a cup of vinegar through the whole cycle once a month to reduce soap build-up on the inner mechanisms and on glassware.

Clean the microwave. Boil a solution of 1/4 cup of vinegar and 1 cup of water in the microwave. This mixture will loosen splattered-on food and deodorize the microwave.

Remove smoke smells from clothing. Add a cup of vinegar to a bath tub of hot water. Hang clothes above the steam.

Clean eyeglasses. Wipe each lens with a drop of vinegar.

Remove stains from furniture and upholstery. Remove stubborn stains from furniture upholstery and clothes. Apply Heinz White Vinegar directly to the stain, then wash as directed by the manufacturer's instructions.

Natural air deodorizer. Heinz Vinegar is a natural air freshener when sprayed in a room.

Remove rust. Soak the rusted tool, bolt or spigot overnight in undiluted Heinz White Vinegar.

Clean the toilet bowl. Pour in one cup of Heinz White Vinegar, let stand for five minutes and flush.

Brighten fabrics. Add 1/2 cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle.

Natural cleaning wipes. A cloth soaked with vinegar sanitizes kitchen counters, stove and bathroom surfaces. This is just as effective as antibacterial products and does not promote resistant strains of bacteria like commercial products can. This is also a cheaper and greener way to protect your loved ones.

Remove lint from laundry. Add 1/2 cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle.

Remove grease from suede. Dip a toothbrush in vinegar and gently brush over grease spot.

Remove perspiration stains from clothing. Apply one part vinegar to four parts water, then rinse.

Clean coffee or tea stains from china. A mixture of salt and vinegar will clean coffee and tea stains from chinaware.

Clean coffeepots and coffee makers. Vinegar can help to dissolve mineral deposits that collect in automatic drip coffee makers. Fill the reservoir with vinegar and run it through a brewing cycle. Rinse thoroughly with water when the cycle is finished.

Longer-lasting pantyhose. Add one tablespoon of vinegar to the rinse water when washing, and your pantyhose will last longer.


Vinegar for food and cooking



Cheese storage. Cheese will last longer if you store it in a vinegar-soaked cloth.

Whiter cauliflower. Add a teaspoon or so of white vinegar to your cooking water while cooking cauliflower. It will retain a whiter color.

Stretch ketchup. Only have a little ketchup left in the bottle? Add a bit of vinegar and give it a good shake -- you'll have a bit more!

Boiling eggs. Add a bit of white vinegar to the water you're boiling your eggs in, and the shells won't crack.

Cooking cabbage. Add a bit of vinegar to the water you're cooking your cabbage in to remove that stinky cabbage smell.

Fluffier meringues. Add 1 teaspoon of vinegar for every three egg whites, and you'll have fluffier meringues.

Tenderize meat. Soak in vinegar overnight.

Unsticky rice. To cook rice without sticking, add a spoonful of vinegar.

Remove onion odors. Eliminate onion odor on your skin by rubbing vinegar on your fingers before and after slicing.

Disinfect and clean cutting boards. Clean and disinfect wood cutting boards by wiping with full-strength vinegar.

Make buttermilk. Add a tablespoon of vinegar to a cup of milk and let it stand five minutes to thicken.


Vinegar for gardening and yard care



Clean clay pots. Remove white salt buildup on old clay pots by soaking them in full-strength vinegar.

Kill grass. Undiluted vinegar kills grass between bricks and sidewalk cracks.

Kill weeds. Spray full strength on weeds, but be careful not to spray it on the surrounding grass because it will kill that, too.

Deter ants. Spray vinegar around doors, appliances and along other areas where ants are known to gather.

Keep cats away. Sprinkle vinegar in areas you don't want the cat walking, sleeping or scratching.

Freshen cut flowers. Add 2 tablespoons of vinegar and 1 teaspoon sugar for each quart of water.



Vinegar for health care



Soothe sore throats
. Suffering from a sore throat? Mix a teaspoon of vinegar with a glass of water. Gargle with the mixture and then swallow.

Remove calluses. Try soaking your feet in a combination of white vinegar and warm water nightly, and watch your feet soften noticeably.

Sunburn and bee stings. Soak a washcloth in vinegar and gently apply it to sunburned skin for cool relief. Reapply as needed as it evaporates. Besides sunburn, vinegar also soothes the itch and irritation of bee stings.

Arthritis tonic. Take two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water several times a day.

Jellyfish stings. Dot the irritation with vinegar to relieve itching.

Sinus infections and head colds. Add 1/4 cup or more vinegar to the vaporizer.

Wart removal. Mix one part Heinz Apple Cider Vinegar to one part glycerin into a lotion, and apply daily to warts until they dissolve.

Soothe an upset stomach. Drink two teaspoons of Heinz Apple Cider Vinegar in one cup of water to soothe an upset stomach.

Mosquito bites. Use a cotton ball to dab mosquito and other bug bites with Heinz Vinegar straight from the bottle.


Vinegar for pets and animals



Pet drinking water
. Add a teaspoon of vinegar to your pet's drinking water to encourage a shinier coat and reduce odor.

Remove skunk odor. Use vinegar straight to remove skunk odor from your pet's fur.

Stop your cat's scratching furniture. Sprinkle or spray vinegar on areas you don't want the cat scratching.

Fish bowl cleaner. Eliminate that ugly deposit in the gold fish tank by rubbing it with a cloth dipped in vinegar and rinsing well.

Remove pet stains from carpets. Blot up urine with a soft cloth, flush several times with lukewarm water, and then apply a mixture of equal parts vinegar and cool water. Blot up, rinse and let dry.


Saturday, April 8, 2006

Website of the Day --Math.Com

Math.Com

If you're like a lot of us needing help with math, check out our website of the day.

Math.Com offers free math lessons and homework help in areas like geometry, algebra, and even calculus.

There are tutorials, practice activites, games, and calculators.

Amazing

what can get done when you trap your child in a library away from TV, phone, playstation, and etc ..

He actually got everythng he needed to (except his science center .. waiting on email from teacher) up until Wednesdays due date. I am so proud of him. No more fighting this weekend. Well ... like I said we are waiting for an email from teacher. He was unsure of how to do this center. But some how I *think* she will not *see* the email until after Monday morning and he has to leave for school, and of COURSE she will mark it LATE. But not that he emailed (with reciept back) on Saturday .. no no .. can't be that. rofl. Whatever!! I will not let this rain on my parade about having all this work completed!!

I am bored out of mind though. I have been sitting here at library for over 5 hours. *yikes* . Least they have internet here and I can do things online.

So that is my happy news!!

Thursday, April 6, 2006

5 Ways to Keep Cool

borrowed Creativehomeschooling




1. Avoid using your oven to cook food. Instead, try dishes that can be made in a crock pot, stove top or small toaster oven. If you DO HAVE to cook, pre-make the next day's meal at night, then just reheat in the microwave.

2. Get a DOOR ALARM! These little alarms can be bought for around $20. Whenever the door is open, it makes a very loud and IRRITATING sound until the door is closed. You'd be surprised how fast you WANT to close the door. Works great for winter time too. It's the modern version of yelling, "Close the door, we don't live in a barn!"

3. Place fans IN the windows at night. This is a very effective way to get your house cooled down for the next day. Just opening the windows at night won't bring much of the cool air in. Be sure to get the fans out FIRST THING in the morning and close all windows to keep cool air in! Otherwise, you will be blowing the rapidly warming air in.

4. Take a VERY cold bath/shower before going to bed or throughout the day. The longer you can stand to freeze yourself, the longer you will stay cool afterwards.

Tip! Kids have trouble sleeping from the heat? Try letting them go outside to play in the pool or sprinkler at night, just before bed. It's fun and will get them off to a good sleep.

5. Barbeque whenever possible! I usually grill up enough chicken to last 3 days for items such as: chicken sandwhiches (w/hamburger bun reheated in the toaster oven), grilled chicken salads and chicken pasta (tossed with olive oil, basil, garlic and parmesan).

Friday, March 31, 2006

Website of the Day for March 31--CaloriesPerHour.Com

CaloriesPerHour.Com

If you manage your weight by counting calories and exercising, our website of the day will come in handy.

CaloriesPerHour.Com is a fun, simple website that will tell you precisely how many calories are burned by all the activities in our lives.

You type in your age, gender, weight and height and choose an activity from a list of several hundred.

For instance, a 39-year-old man of average height will burn 318 calories doing 45 minutes of traditional American Indian dancing.

Thats enough exercise to burn off four apples.

If that same man runs for an hour, he'd burn 887 calories--the equivalent of a McDonald's fish sandwich and a small shake.




Found KSKD

Monday, March 27, 2006

Blog Surfing

I came across this AWESOME idea today. I stumbled acrossed Creative Homeschooling blog. I love her site. Among many things, I came across a post about Goal Markers. Here is a list of a few discussed on her site:


Here are some other Goal Marker Ideas.
  • Water Drinking: Set out 6 beads each day to drink 6 glasses of water.
  • Exercising: Using 2 jars, throw a handful of buttons in a jar. Just commit to exercising enough times to move the buttons from one jar to the other. You'll probably want to start over again!
  • Complimentary Words: Set out 5 beads in a day to say that many complimentary words.
  • Children's Books Read: Have your children decide how many books they want to have read by a certain time...let them create a goal marker for themselves!
  • Random Acts of Kindness: Have your children decide how many GRACE DEEDs ( non-deserving) they would like to try to accomplish for a week and make a Goal Marker for that....how about flowers cut out and taped on a window when completed!

To see all the post please go visit Goal Markers- Accomplishing Goals One Step at a Time.


This is a great idea. I can think of many uses for this idea. I have made a list. I am going to start with one or two with son, and hopes that things improve around here. I will update when I have picked what we will start on and how it is going.


Thanks CREATIVE HOMESCHOOLING!!