Household Hints & Tips #64: How To Test If An Egg Is Hard Boilled

To test if an egg is hard boiled or not: Spin the egg on a table or flat surface. If it spins without wobbling, it's hard boiled.

Household Hits & Tips #63: Checking The Purity Of Honey

To check if honey is pure: Sprinkle a few drops of honey into a cup of water. If it settles to the bottom, it's pure honey.

Household Hints & Tips #62: How To Strengthen Fingernails

To strengthen your fingernails and suffer less from nails splits and breaks: Mix strawberry Jell-O with water and paint this paste on the fingernails. This will encourage your nails to grow stronger, longer, color them red, and cause them to smell great.

Household Hints & Tips #61: To Make It Easier To Find Toddler's Socks

Are you always searching for your infant's "other sock"?: Simply purchase all your toddler's socks in the same colour. This will eliminate looking for the elusive "other sock"!

Household Hints & Tips #60: To Remove Rust From Knives

To remove rust from knives: Cut an onion with the rusty kinfe, and ensure that the onion has been rubbed on the rust area. Leave for 24 hours, and then wash the onion and rust residue off the knife with water. Comes out clean!

Household Hints & Tips #59: To Heal Paper Cuts

To get instant relief from the pain of paper cuts, and to heal them: Rub the paper cut/s with ChapStick. This will stop the pain and heal the cut speedily.

Household Hints & Tips #58: How To Loosen A Stubborn Rusty Bolt

To loosen a stiff, rusted bolt: Soak a cloth in carbonated soda, and apply to the bolt. The bolt will then come unstuck!

Household Hints & Tips #57: To Prevent Moths From Damaging Clothing In Storage

To mothproof stored clothing: Wrap the clothing items inside sheets of newspaper. Apparently moths detest the ink on the paper.

Household Hints & Tips #56: How To Clean Dirty Or Old Photographs

To clean dirty or stained photographs: Dip cotton wool in some alcohol and wipe carefully on the photograph.

Household Hints & Tips #55: How To Clean Plastic Toys

To easily clean grubby plastic toys: Create a paste of baking soda and water. Dip a damp cloth into the paste and use to scrub off the dirt from the plastic toys. The baking soda acts as a natural abrasive. For stubborn marks, add some natural liquid soap to the paste, stir well, and apply to the toys.

Household Hints & Tips #54: To Clean A Sour Baby's Bottle

Can't get rid of the sour odor from a baby's bottle? Mix water and toothpaste together and allow to stand in the baby's bottle for about 5 minutes. Then rinse out with clean water.

Household Hints & Tips #53: To Easily Thread A Needle

To thread a needle without effort: Dip the tip of the thread into colorless nail polish, and allow to dry.

Household Hints & Tips #52: To Make Sweeping Easier

To sweep up more sand, dust, pet hair: Spray furniture polish on the broom bristles where they touch the ground. You will sweep up more dirt, without it sticking much to the broom bristles themselves.

Household Hints & Tips #51: How To Loosen A Tight Jar Lid

Lid on a jar too tight? Take a butter knife and tap along the edges of the lid. This will break the hold of the seal, which will enable you to open the jar.

Household Hints & Tips #50: How To Make Cut Flowers Last Longer

To make cut flowers last longer: Whenever you leave the house, place the cut flowers into the refrigerator. When you get back, place them back in the vase.

Household Hints & Tips #49: To Soften Hard Paint Brushes

To soften hard paint brushes from previous paint jobs: Place the brushes in vinegar, and then remove the paint with a wire brush or comb. Once the brush is clean, sprinkle a few drops of oil onto the bristles and work it in. Then leave it nice and soft and ready for the next job.

Household Hints & Tips #48: To Sharpen Blunt Shears

To quickly sharpen blunt shears: Obtain a piece of fine sandpaper. Fold the sandpaper with the fine side outwards. Then cut the sandpaper a couple of times with the shears.

Household Hints & Tips #47: How To Quickly Fill Nail Holes In Drywall

Got nail holes in your drywall? Fill the holes with toothpaste.

Household Hints & Tips #46: Get Rid Of Smelly Water At The Bottom Of A Trash Can

To absorb smelly water and substances at the bottom of a trash can: Pour a few cupfuls of kitty litter grains at the bottom of the trash can. It will absorb any odor.

Household Hints & Tips #45: Preventing Paint From Getting On Door Hinges Or Knobs

To stop paint from getting on door knobs and hinges: Before you start painting the door, apply petroleum jelly to the hinges and door knobs. If you erroneously spill paint on them, it will wipe off easily.

Household Hints & Tips #44: To Prevent Ant Infestations

To get rid of ants: Sprinkle red chilli powder, cream of tartar powder, salt, or sage over areas where there are ants, ant nests, or over door thresholds so that ants cannot cross.

Household Hints & Tips #43: How To Remove Melted Wax From Garments

To remove melted wax from clothing items: Place a brown paper bag over the item of clothing. Heat an iron, and move the iron over the bag which must cover the wax. By moving the bag around the wax as you iron, the bag will absorb the wax till it's gone from the garment. 

Household Hints & Tips #42: To Remove Stains From A Microwave

To eradicate dried stains from the inside of a microwave oven: Place a lemon slice in a bowl of water and microwave for around five minutes. The stains wipe off easily, and your oven smells like lemon!

Household Hints & Tips #41: Removing Stick Residue From Glass

To remove sticky label residue from glass or windows: Pour charcoal lighter fluid onto a paper towel or cloth and rub. The sticky residue will disappear in a flash! 

Household Hints & Tips #40: To Soften New Clothes

To soften new jeans or clothes: Mix a half cup of table salt with water and then wash the garment as usual.

Household Hints & Tips #39: Soothing A Baby's Teething Gums

To soothe your baby's teething gums: Insert a damp wash cloth into a zip lock bag. Place the bag into the freezer. When your baby starts teething, remove the cloth from the bag and let it chew on the cloth. This will soothe the baby's gums.

Household Hints & Tips #38: To Clean Tupperware Stains

To clean stubborn tupperware stains: Use baking soda to clean stains on the tupperware.

Household Hints & Tips #37: To Deodorize Your Garbage Disposal

To clean and keep your garbage disposal deodorized: Freeze fruit rinds such as lemon or orange, and then run them into the disposal with plenty of cold water.

Household Hints & Tips #36: To Keep Ants Out Your Pet's Food

To keep pesky ants out of your pets food outdoors: Place the bowl of food in a pan of water. This prevents the ants from getting to the food.

Household Hints & Tips #35: Shaving Legs Without Soap

To shave legs without soap: Apply hair conditioner to your legs, shave, and then rinse. This makes your legs soft and smooth.

Household Hints & Tips #34: How To Make Tight Shoes Fit Better

If your new shoes are too tight: Place the nozzle of a blow dryer into the shoe, set to low and turn on. Once the shoes are warm, stuff them with newspaper or socks. Leave for a day or two to stretch.

Household Hints & Tips #33: To Restore The Finish On Wooden Furniture

To restore the shine and color in wooden furniture: Place two tea bags in hot water for about ten minutes. Allow the tea to cool, then wet a soft cloth with the tea and wipe onto the wooden furnitre. The results are amazing!

Household Hints & Tips #32: How To Repair A Frayed Shoe Lace Tip

To repair a frayed shoe lace end: Cut off the frayed end, then dip the new tip into clear nail varnish, and allow to dry. Your shoe lace is now as good as new!

Household Hints & Tips #31: How To Remove Mildew Stains

Want to remove mildew stains from any surface? Mix salt and lemon juice together, and apply to the stains with a cloth. The stains will be removed easily.

Household Hints & Tips #30: To Remove Smoke Smell From Your House

To eradicare the smell of smoke in your house: Place small bowls of white vinegar around the house to absorb the odor.

Household Hints & Tips #29: To Prevent Weeds From Growing In Cracks

To prevent weeds from growing in patio, deck, or driveway cracks: First remove the weeds, then sprinkle salt in the cracks. The weeds won't return.

Household Hints & Tips #28: To Make Brass Faucets Shiny

To clean brass faucets to a shiny finish: Wet a flannel with vinegar or lemon juice. Rub thoroughly with rottenstone and oil, and then polish with a dry cloth. You can also use a putz pomade, then rub it off with another cloth, and polish with a third one. Nickel faucets and trimmings only need to be wiped.

Household Hints & Tips #27: How To Remove A Perfume Scent From Your Surfaces Or Cupboards

To remove perfume scent from wherever: Spray white distilled vinegar over the affected area. Leave to set for a few hours before washing off, or just leave until the scent has disappeared.

Household Hints & Tips #26: How To Eradicate Fleas From Your Home

Do you have fleas in your home? Acquire a pie pan, some water, dish soap, and a votive candle. Place and light the votive candle in the middle of the pie pan. Pour 1/4 inch of water into the pie pan and add a squirt of dish soap. Place a dish in every room afflicted with fleas. At first you'll find plenty of fleas in the water. Empty the water with the fleas as often as possible, and refill. When there are no more fleas, your problem is over!

Household Hints & Tips #25: Prevent Eggs Cracking While Boiling And Make It Easier To Peel

Tired of eggs cracking while boiling? Add a tablespoon of vinegar to the water before heating. This will prevent the eggs from cracking while boiling, make it easier to peel them, and you won't have that boiled egg smell in your kitchen afterwards!

Household Hints & Tips #24: How To Effectively Clean Silverware

To clean silverware: Apply moist baking soda with a cloth to the silverware. Your silverware will be clean in no time!

Household Hints & Tips #23: Eradicate Grease Stains On Carpets

Do you have grease stains on your carpet? Sprinkle cornstarch over the grease stains, and allow to set overnight. Then vacuum. The cornstarch will absorb the grease stains.

Household Hints & Tips #22: Better Way To Clean A Foggy Windshield

Wish to clean a foggy windshield quickly and better than other methods? Purchase a chalkboard eraser from your local stationery store and keep in the car glove compartment. Use the eraser on the car windows whenever they fog up. This is far more effective than a cloth.

Household Hints & Tips #21: Prevent A Rocking Chair From Damaging Wooden Floors

Do you have a rocking chair that is making marks on your wooden floors? Glue felt weather strips under the rockers. This will not only halt the damage to the wooden floors, but also stop the rocking chair from creaking on the floor.

Household Hints & Tips #20: Removing Mildew From Shower Curtains

To remove unsightly mildew from shower curtains: Emmerse the shower curtains in water with a 20% chlorine bleach content. Mix the water and chlorine bleach together thoroughly before adding the curtains. To remove soap and water marks, wipe the shower curtains down with raw vinegar.

Household Hints & Tips #19: To Stop Squeaking Floorboards

To silence squeaky floorboards: Place French chalk or talcum powder between the cracks.

Household Hints & Tips #18: How To Keep Crockery From Breaking When Moving House

To prevent crockery from breaking when moving to another home: Wet your crockery, and pack. The chances of your crockery breaking while wet is remarkably less!

Household Hints & Tips #17: How To Ease Out Stiff Electric Plugs

To make electric plugs easier to pull out if they're too stiff: Rub the metal prongs with a soft lead pencil. The lead on the prongs acts as a dry lubricant.

Household Hints & Tips #16: What To Do With Leftover Soap

If you don't want to throw away the leftover soap pieces: Just add a little glycerine and mash them up together in a ball with a little warm water, and you'll have produced a pleasant, gentle soap without wasting money.

Household Hints & Tips #15: Daffodils And Other Flowers

Want to mix daffodils and other flowers together in a display: Don't, because daffoldils produce a toxin that kills other flowers. If you want to use daffodils, don't mix; display them on their own.