I’M JUST CURIOUS: Different uses for household items

by Debbie Walker

I have been collecting articles about using every day household items for different purposes. It is time to share my stash that’s getting rather large.

One thing I was surprised to see was about aluminum foil. If you put four layers of aluminum foil together you can use it to sharpen scissors. Just cut through the 4 layers several times. That will clean and hone (sharpen) the blades.

My mom called aluminum foil tin foil because she couldn’t pronounce aluminum. Historically, there was some tin foil that was used for cigarettes and some candy packaging. By the time household foil came out in 1947, most foil was made of aluminum, a lighter less expensive material. (There you go, useless information category.)

Cinnamon can be used to eliminate carpet odor: Mix one tablespoon of cinnamon and I cup of baking soda in a jar. Sprinkle mixture on carpets, let sit for five minutes then vacuum.

Paper clips can be used to hold up a pants zipper. Slip a paper clip in the little hole on the zipper, the other end of the clip goes over the button. You can also use a paper clip to pull up zipper that has lost its little pull tab.

I was surprised to discover this use for club soda. If your pet has a liquid mistake on carpet, saturate the area with club soda and let sit for five minutes before blotting with paper towels. The mineral will deodorize the spot to prevent repeat mistakes.

Would you like to make Jell-O special? Substitute club soda for the water. No need to heat. You can also use other carbonated drinks. I like to make the orange Jell-O with orange soda. If you use a cake mix, you just need one can of soda and the cake mix. It’s a neat trick.

I think this one is interesting: Use club soda and a milk of magnesia tablet. Dissolve a milk of magnesia tablet in one liter bottle of club soda and refrigerate overnight. Next day, stir well, then soak the clipping in the solution for an hour. The soda and magnesium combination will safely deactivate the acids in the paper to prevent yellowing. Lay on paper towel and let dry. Just to be on the safe side make sure you have an extra clipping; I have never tried this one.

I have shared this one before and I think it deserves repeating, it’s that time of year again. Frosted, frozen vehicle windshield and windows. Easy, no scrubbing. All I used was a spray bottle with 91 percent rubbing alcohol. Fill spray bottle with the alcohol and start with spraying windshield, then windows around the vehicle. At the end you will see you are cleared without scraping. You can leave the spray bottle in the car, it won’t freeze. Works like a charm.

This one is cute. Soothe a fussy cat. Soothe the nerves by rubbing 1 to 2 teaspoons of butter on her paws. The urge to lick off the butter with keep her calm.

I am just curious if you would like more of these because I have a lot more! Contact me at DebbieWalker@townline.org with comments or questions. Thanks for reading and have a great week.