The Repair Corner Library
The NEW MIRACLE PRODUCT - BOUNCE FABRIC SOFTENER
(Found on the internet! - From Sandy Boakes)
*Repels mosquitoes. Tie a sheet of Bounce through a belt loop when outdoors during
mosquito season.
*Eliminates static electricity from your television screen. Since Bounce is designed to
help eliminate static cling, wipe your television screen with a used sheet of Bounce to
keep dust from resettling.
*Dissolves soap scum from shower doors. Clean with a used sheet of Bounce.
*Freshens the air in your home. Place an individual sheet of Bounce in a drawer or hang
one in the closet.
*Eliminates static cling from hose. Rub a damp, used sheet of Bounce over the hose.
*Prevents musty suitcases. Place an individual sheet of Bounce inside empty luggage
before storing.
*Freshens the air in your car. Place a sheet of Bounce under the front seat.
*Cleans baked-on food from a cooking pan. Put a sheet in the pan, fill with water, let sit
overnight, and sponge clean. The antistatic agents apparently weaken the bond between
the food and the pan while the fabric softening agents soften the baked-on food.
*Eliminates odors in wastebaskets. Place a sheet of Bounce at the bottom of the
wastebasket.
*Collects cat hair. Rubbing the area with a sheet of Bounce will magnetically attract all the
loose hairs.
*Eliminates static electricity from Venetian blinds. Wipe the blinds with a sheet of Bounce
to prevent dust from resetting.
ODOR FROM NEW CARPET
Turn the heat up to full blast for several hours then turn heat back down. Open all
windows and air out the dwelling.
Pest Control Tricks
* Sprinkle some ground cinnamon where you think the ants are coming in to the house!
* Basil repels flies and mosquitos.
* Catnip repels ants.
*Make a mixture of 2/3 cup water, 1/3 cup white vinegar, and 2-3 tablespoons dish soap.
Spray the ants ... goodbye.
* Splashing plain rubbing alcohol on yourself and allowing it to dry will deter mosquitos
from biting you!
* Rub VICK's Vaporub on your pants and legs to ward off ticks.
* Dab lavender oil on your pulse points to repel insects!
* Place used kitty litter in small containers in several places - mice think they smell a cat
and don't visit!
* Put moth balls in a mesh bag in your garage door to rid your home of mice, birds and
bugs!
* If you sprinkle cayenne pepper around the perimeter of your house, inside the garage
and especially near entry holes, pests don't like the smell of it.
CLEANING SINKS and FAUCETS
* Rub stainless steel sinks with lighter fluid if rust marks appear. After the rust
disappears, clean with our regular kitchen cleaner.
* Spots on stainless steel can be removed with white vinegar. Also use, alcohol for water
spots, and club soda will shine it up too.
* Spray the fixtures liberally with SPRAY & WASH laundry soil and stain remover - rub with
a cloth for a righteous shine.
WAX... HERE'S HOW TO CLEAN IT OFF OF CARPET
* Remove as much wax by hand as possible. Place a piece of brown paper bag over the
wax area and apply and iron. Keep the iron moving and also move the paper - the heat
lifts the wax onto the paper.
* Soften the wax with a hairdryer - remove it with a paper towel and wash area with a
concoction of vinegar and water.
SOLVE THE BUG PROBLEM
Combine equal parts boric acid (a powder sold in hardware stores and drugstores) and
sugar, mix well. Sprinkle in crevices and, if building or remodeling, between walls before
putting up plaster board. Put the powder in jar lids; place lids behind the fridge and under
sinks. Caution: Keep mixture away from children and pets. If ingested in large quantities, or even in
small amounts over several days, boric acid can be harmful.
ERASE WHITE HEAT MARKS ON FURNITURE
If the wood has a good finish (don't try on bare wood), mix equal parts of baking soda and
regular white, non-gel toothpaste. Lightly dampen corner of a clean, soft white cloth with
water and dip into the paste. With circular motion gently buff the marks for a few minutes.
Wipe area clean, and buff to a shine. Follow with furniture polish. (If rings remain after
buffing five minutes or so, they may have penetrated the wood; you might have to refinish
the piece).
What do you think Ben meant?
Ben Franklin wrote many words of wisdom. He used his printing press to share his wisdom
with his fellow Americans. He hoped that his wise sayings would give people guidance for
living their daily lives. Read some of his thoughts from "Poor Richard's Almanac" and
decide what you think they mean. Then select one of his printing block letters, read what
other people think he meant, and add your own ideas to the list.
An empty bag cannot stand upright.
Be always ashamed to catch thyself idle.
Cheese and salty meat should be sparingly eat.
The Doors of wisdom are never shut.
Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.
Full of courtesy, full of craft.
God helps them that help themselves.
Hunger never saw bad bread.
If you'd have a servant that you like, serve your self.
If Jack's in love, he's no judge of Jill's beauty.
Keep thy shop and thy shop will keep thee.
A Lie stands on one leg, the truth on two.
A Man without a wife is but half a man.
Nothing but money is sweeter than honey.
One today is worth two tomorrows.
Pay what you owe and you'll know what's your own.
A Quarrelsome man has no good neighbors.
The Rotten apple spoils his companion.
Speak little, do much.
Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead.
Up, sluggard, and waste not life; in the grave will be sleeping enough.
Visits should be short, like a winter's day.
Well done is better than well said.
A good example is the best sermon.
You may delay, but time will not.
There are lazy minds as well as lazy bodies.
Something smells funny!
_ Dishwashers: Sprinkle the bottom of the dishwasher with baking soda and allow
it to sit for a few hours or overnight. Run the normal cycle to flush away the baking soda.
_ Microwaves: Clean the microwave and get rid of odours with vinegar. Place 1/4 cup
of white vinegar and 1 cup of water in a glass bowl and microwave on high for five
minutes. Open the door and allow steam to escape before you wipe down the walls.
_ Refrigerators: Cut an orange, lemon or grapefruit in half and discard the pulp.
Place in a bowl and fill the hollowed out fruit with salt. Put in the fridge and leave for
a couple of weeks. The citrus gives a nice fresh smell and the salt absorbs odours.
_ Garbage disposals: Use citrus rinds to freshen the disposal. Drop in the rinds of
oranges, lemons, limes or grapefruits and run cold water while the rinds are ground up.
_ Urine odours: Even though you clean up after a ‘mishap’ on the carpet, the smell
often permeates the under-padding as well. Make a solution that is half warm water and half white
vinegar. Pour it over the area and allow it to soak into the padding. Leave for 20-30 minutes. Wash
the spot with cool water to get out the vinegar, then dry thoroughly. You may want to use a hair dryer
to help dry things out. When completely dry, sprinkle the area with baking soda, then vacuum.
I have dedicated this portion to famous quips and sayings – some you may know, others
are just funny – so HERE THEY ARE:
P.T. Barnum Publicity is good. Good publicity is better.
Bumper Sticker My karma ran over your dogma.
anonymous Always remember, you're unique, just like everyone else.
Politics The problem with political jokes is they get elected.
Philosophical Senior consultants are kept around to ask the questions
everyone else thinks are too obvious to bother with.
Sign in wallpaper
& paint store Husbands choosing colors must have note from wives.
This is a letter my staff acquired….People never remember to write in about the
good things a product does, always the bad! So this is very refreshing!!
________________________________________
Dear Tide,
I am writing to say what an excellent product you have! One evening about a month ago,
while at home, I spilled some red wine on my new white blouse. My husband started to
berate me about my drinking problem and how expensive the blouse was. Well, one thing
lead to another and I ended up with a lot of his blood on my white blouse, as well.
I tried to get the stains out using the bargain brand detergent my cheap husband bought,
but they just wouldn't come out. I went to the local convenience store and got a bottle of
liquid Tide with bleach alternative, and all of the stains came out! They came out so well, in
fact, that the forensic DNA tests were all negative!
I thank you, once again, for a great product!
Well, gotta go, I have to write a letter to the Hefty bag people.
Sincerely,
A relieved menopausal wife.
NEW CURES WITH HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS! ARE THERE REALLY MORE MIRACLE
PRODUCTS?
This Web Page Contains Material Collected from an Email Received and Edited Subsequently by Bobby Matherne.
.
Drinking two glasses of Gatorade can relieve headache pain almost immediately --- without the
unpleasant side effects caused by traditional pain relievers.
Did you know that Colgate toothpaste makes an excellent salve for burns.
Cure urinary tract infections with alka-seltzer. Just dissolve two tablets in a glass of water and drink it
at the onset of the symptoms. Alka-Seltzer begins eliminating urinary tract infections almost
instantly-even though the product was never been advertised for this use.
Eliminate puffiness under your eyes.....All you need is a dab of Preparation H, carefully rubbed into
the skin, avoiding the eyes. The hemorrhoid ointment acts as a vasoconstrictor, relieving the
swelling instantly.
Honey remedy for Skin Blemishes.. Cover the blemish with a dab of honey and place a band-aid
over it. Honey kills the bacteria, keeps the skin sterile, and speeds healing. Works overnight.
Listerine therapy for toenail fungus....Get rid of unsightly toenail fungus by soaking your toes in
Listerine mouthwash. The powerful antiseptic leaves your toenails looking healthy again.
Easy eyeglass protection....To prevent the screws in eyeglasses from loosening, apply a small drop
of Maybelline Crystal Clear nail polish to the threads of the screws before tightening them.
Rainy day cure for dog odor....Next time your dog comes in from the rain, simply wipe down the
animal with Bounce or any dryer sheet, instantly making your dog smell springtime fresh.
ANOTHER FANTASTIC USE FOR THIS PRODUCT!
Eliminate ear mites....All it takes is a few drops of wesson corn oil in your cat's ear. Massage it in,
then clean with a cotton ball. Repeat daily for 3 days. The oil soothes the cat's skin, smothers the
mites, and accelerates healing.
Quaker Oats for fast pain relief....It's not for breakfast anymore! Mix 2 cups of Quaker Oats and 1
cup of water in a bowl and warm in the microwave for 1 minute, cool slightly, and apply the mixture to
your hands for soothing relief from arthritis pain.
11 Things That Make Buyers Bite
Courtesy of HGTV
A Nice Entryway
Impress buyers right off the bat with a beautiful entrance. "I always tell sellers to put a fresh coat of paint on the
front door," says realtor Theresa Evans of Charleston, SC.
And if you don't have an entrance at all, make one. "A lot of my buyers have mentioned that they don't like to just go
through the front door into the living room," says Los Angeles-based realtor Rhonda Kohn.
This problem, more common in condos and apartments, is solved by cleverly placing furniture to create more of an
entryway. "A console table or demilune chest of drawers with something over it creates a welcoming vignette," says
designer Sue Adams of Andover, Mass.
Hardwood Floors
Realtors agree that most buyers are hunting for hardwood. You can bet that of all types of flooring, hardwood floors
will "have the most longevity and will never go out of style," according to designer Linda Applewhite of Sausalito,
Calif. A synthetic wood floor, like Pergo, "is always a good option for those who can't afford hardwood," furthers
realtor Rhonda Kohn. But know that a laminate floor "won't fool everyone--it has a hollow thud when you walk on it
and it doesn't look the same," adds designer Sue Adams.
Fab Fixtures
"Fixtures," says designer Linda Applewhite, "are the jewelry of the house." Only the extremely detail-oriented among
us will stop to inspect doorknobs, faucets and cabinet knobs, but designers and realtors argue that we'll prefer the
look of a place that has coordinated fixtures that are a cut above standard developer grade.
"Newer construction is so chintzy with fixtures and fittings," observes Miami-based interior designer Simon
Temprell. Replacing knobs and drawer pulls "is the quickest way to make over a bathroom or kitchen," he says.
And when it comes to faucets, he adds, "for $60 or $70 dollars you can buy something infinitely better" than what
you likely already have.
Beautiful Baths
According to realtors, marble counters, whirlpool baths and steam showers up the attractiveness of any bathroom.
But if you don't have these luxury items, it may be more practical to address the unattractive aspects of your existing
bath. "Rip out that big sheet mirror and those globe lights that look like you're in a theater dressing room,"
suggests designer Simon Temprell. Replace them with an elegant framed mirror (don't be afraid to look outside
the bathroom section, he says) and sconce lighting on either side. This lighting scheme is also more flattering to
the face, observes designer Sue Adams, and making buyers feel pretty will pay off!
Counter Intelligence
You've probably heard that granite is the secret to a contemporary kitchen, but that's not necessarily what buyers
are after. "It's really about the slab," says designer Linda Applewhite. Buyers don't want to see grout lines on their
counters, she explains.
So when it comes to slab countertops, granite is the top pick because it's hard, nonporous and easy to care for. But
then again, so is Corian, so are composite stone surfaces such as Silestone and, she notes, with the help of
today's sophisticated sealants, so are concrete, limestone, soapstone and marble. Even butcher-block, which is
much less expensive than stone, can be a more appealing alternative to tile or laminate countertops. "When it gets
funky, you can sand it and oil it and it looks good again," she says.
Already have granite? Make it cutting edge. "A lot of people are honing their granite now," adds Applewhite. "What
that does is knock it down and make it more matte, so it looks warmer and more inviting. Shiny surfaces can look
very cold."
Steel This Idea
Why do buyers go bananas for stainless-steel appliances? It's the power of suggestion. "A kitchen with stainless
appliances looks like a commercial kitchen. It makes people think that they're great cooks," observes designer Sue
Adams, "but because the finish shows fingerprints, it's not for everyone."
As far as other alternatives go, the designers agree that in general, black fixtures can look dated, while white is
okay for a country kitchen. And some people are making appliances blend in beautifully by ordering front panels to
match their cabinetry.
Pre-Organized Closets
Just as stainless appliances convince buyers that they are better cooks, closet organizers make buyers believe
that they are better homemakers. If your closets are unadorned, don't underestimate the importance of this easy
addition. “They make you feel secure and calm and people need that," notes designer Sue Adams. And while you
don't need to use high-end organizers, make sure that the materials are up-to-date. "Twenty years ago, closet
organizers meant wire shelves. You can't slide anything over a wire shelf. You can't even put a hanger in some of
them," she says. Today's ideal would be "melamine shelves, in bone or white, with some drawers and metal rods
to maximize storage," she says.
This organization shouldn't stop in the closet--make sure your kitchen cabinets are orderly, too. "If they open up a
door and see a big pantry, but it's not organized properly, it won't be as exciting as something already organized
with a place for everything," says realtor Theresa Evans.
Light Up
"Floor lamps just don't cut it these days," says realtor Rhonda Kohn. If your home doesn't get a lot of natural light,
consider installing recessed lighting or new sconces, or both, so the buyer won't struggle to figure out how to
brighten up the space. "Lighting is probably the most overlooked, yet the most important aspect of interior
decoration," designer Simon Temprell says, adding, "In newer construction, you don't have sufficient lighting. The
reality is that everyone needs three types--task, ambient and decorative lighting--which allow you to change the
mood of the room."
When it comes to recessed lighting, know that the smaller the fixture, the more updated it is. "We used to have six-
inch apertures, now we have four-inch openings. And using halogen bulbs gives a cleaner, more modern look,"
says designer Sue Adams.
Built-In Bonus
Interior Designer Linda Applewhite observes that many buyers view built-ins as "free furniture." Well-crafted
bookshelves, china cabinets and entertainment units can "make a home stand out as quality," adds designer Sue
Adams. On the other hand, says designer Simon Temprell, "It can be a catch-22 because some people would
rather organize their own furniture. Sometimes it's better to have freestanding pieces that look like built-ins, that you
can give the buyer the option to purchase."
Grass Is Greener
Are the homebuyers in your area families with young children? If so, they'll be drawn to spaces with a flat, open
lawn. Were you thinking of putting in a concrete patio or rock garden? Don't bother if you're putting your home on
the market. "A flat yard is a real plus. Spend some money and put in the grass. It's a good seller," says realtor
Rhonda Kohn.
Is your home warm?
Think you're ready for the open house? Consider this: "Architecturally interesting homes in immaculate shape can
be shown empty," notes designer Applewhite.
But in general, "people look for a homey kind of a feel," adds realtor Kohn. And that's homey, not homely. If the bulk
of your furniture isn't attractive, don't hesitate to have it staged (propped with attractive rental furniture). "We're even
seeing that done in the inexpensive condo market," she says.
... check back - we continue to add new household hints & tips!
Helpful hints around the home!
© Copyright - David Pitts &
Keepin' It Real Productions, 2007
© Copyright - David Pitts &
Keepin' It Real Productions, 2007
Real Answers on Real Estate!
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