Notabilia

Miscellaneous

Nifty Knacks

601 through 625

Back to where you came from. The same text in Greek.

  1. Getting detergent residue off tiles.
    If the detergent you have just washed the tiles with has left a sticky film on them, go over them again with a mop dipped in water with vinegar in it, and then, of course, once more with a mop that has been squeezed out well. The acid in the vinegar will get rid of the detergent residue.

  2. Putting slim candles in candlesticks.
    If a candle is too slim to stand up straight in a candlestick, stick drawing pins round the base to make it thicker.

  3. So bananas don't ripen too quickly.
    Bananas will not ripen so quickly if you wrap them individually in newspaper and keep them in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator.

  4. An easy way to peel potatoes.
    When you want to peel potatoes, use a colander in a bowl of water. Peel the potatoes in the colander and put the peeled ones in the bowl. Then lift the colander full of peel out of the bowl.

  5. Stop the smell of floor polish.
    Put an end to the smell of floor polish in the cupboard where you keep household cleaning products by storing the bottle or tin in a tightly-closed, plastic bag.

  6. Easy ironing for beaded or embroidered garments.
    Whenever you iron garments that are decorated with beads or embroidery, spread a thin sheet of foam rubber on the ironing board. Put the garment on the board face down and iron from the inside.

  7. Storing cookies and cakes.
    Cookies and cakes will stay fresh if you put a slice of white bread in the container they are stored in. The moisture in the bread will not let them dry out.

  8. So spices do not lose their flavour.
    Spices will not lose their flavour if they are kept in the refrigerator.

  9. Protect your knees while tending to your plants.
    Inflatable arm bands that children wear in the sea are excellent for protecting your knees while you are tending to your garden plants.

  10. An original pencil pot.
    You can make an original pencil pot from an empty mustard jar. Wash it out and paint flowers and other things on it with nail polish.

  11. Get hair off clothes.
    Hair sticks to fabrics, but you can get it off by wrapping sellotape, sticky side out, round your hand and patting the fabric with it.

  12. Longer life for household gloves.
    Make household gloves last longer. Stuff a small piece of cotton wool inside each finger of the gloves so that your long fingernails don't make holes in the fingertips.

  13. Get rust marks out of fabric.
    Rust marks will come out of fabrics if you spread a mixture of salt and lemon juice on the mark, leave it for a few minutes and then rinse off.

  14. Wonderful vinaigrette dressing.
    Put some of your favourite aromatic herbs in a mustard jar that is not quite empty. Add some good vinegar and oil. Close the jar and shake well. Your wonderful vinaigrette dressing is ready.

  15. Cold winter.
    The more layers there are on onions, the colder the winter will be.

  16. Haemorrhoids and spots.
    Boiled onion sprinkled with sugar makes a good poultice for haemorrhoids and spots that are ready to burst.

  17. Frostbite and cracked skin.
    Use a compress with lemon juice for frostbite and cracked skin.

  18. Rheumatism.
    A rub with raw onion or garlic has always been effective for rheumatism.

  19. Retention and reduced quantity of urine.
    Treat retention and reduced quantity of urine by placing a poultice of chopped up and mashed raw onion on the lower abdomen.

  20. Dental neuralgia.
    For dental neuralgia, put a small plug of cotton wool impregnated with onion juice in the cavity of the affected tooth.

  21. A cold.
    Onion syrup is regarded as an effective treatment for a cold. Cut onions into rings, spread them on a plate, sprinkle with sugar and leave for 24 hours. Take 2 to 5 dessertspoonfuls of the resulting syrup every day.

  22. A fit of nerves.
    You can stop a fit of nerves by cutting an onion in half and inhaling it deeply.

  23. Indigestion and distention.
    Onion soup works wonders for indigestion and distention. That is why it is good to have onion soup the day after eating and drinking a lot.

  24. Repel mosquitoes.
    An onion cut in half and placed near the bed will keep mosquitoes away.

  25. So fire-eaters don't burn their mouths.
    Fire-eaters, who put red hot coals, candles and flames into their mouths, gargle first with stock made from dried onions so they do not burn their mouths.

16-09-2003