November 2005 Tips!

Soak potatoes in salt water for 20 minutes before baking and they will bake faster.

Want a new look without spending money? Peel the paper off a few canned goods and tack the cans to the wall above your desk to organize pens, scissors and more.

Fresh lemon juice will remove onion scent from hands.

The freshness of eggs can be tested by placing them in a large bowl of cold water; if they float, do not use them.

Use ziploc bags of varying sizes, like snack and quart, to organize "junk" drawers and other cluttered areas by putting all writing utensils together, nails, batteries, small tools, etc.

Freeze a cake before icing it, and dip the spatula or knife into water before getting more icing to keep it free of crumbs.

To ripen tomatoes, put them in a brown paper bag in a dark pantry and they will ripen overnight.

Clean your washing machine by filling it with warm water and adding a gallon of distilled vinegar. Run the machine through the entire cycle to unclog and clean soap scum from hoses.

Sprinkle some salt on your carpet right before you vacuum. The rug will be much brighter when you have finished vacuuming.

Dampen a paper towel or terry cloth and brush downward on the cob of corn. Every strand of silk should come off.

Clean and deodorize your cutting board by bleaching it clean with lemon juice. Take away strong odors like onion with baking soda. Just rub it in.

Marshmallows will not dry out if stored in the freezer. Simply cut with scissors when ready to use.

Use clear cement glue to repair a small hole in wire screening.

Apply a cloth soaked in any carbonated soda to loosen rusty bolts.

Light stains can often be removed from sinks by simply rubbing with a cut lemon.

Fix a leaky vase by coating the inside with paraffin and letting it harden.

For sticking drawers and sliding cabinets, rub the runners with a candle or a bar of soap and they will slide easily.