COUNTRYSIDE LIVING CLIPS

You are going to find lots of neat tips and ideas to assist you around the home and garden. All are designed to help you have fun with the art of maintaining your home and garden! There's clips from the kitchen too.

Clips for the Home

LAUNDRY----Do you loathe ironing as much as I do? If you've waited too long to take your laundry out of the dryer and the permanent press items are wrinkled, pop a clean, damp tea towel back in with the load and tumble for a few minutes more. Voila, no ironing to do!

Towels will last longer and stay fluffier if you will wash them in shampoo. Add a capful of inexpensive mild shampoo to the wash water. Ideally you should only leave them in the dryer till they are damp dry and then hang them up to finish drying.

MUSTY ODORS

To rid chests or trunks of their musty odors, crumple newspapers and add them along with a fabric softener sheet. Close the top and let sit until the odors are gone.

Dust baby powder or corn starch through the pages of old books, let sit overnight, then brush gently to remove.

STUCK on -GLASSWARE

To unstick 2 water/juice glasses that have been stacked and put away while still wet, put ice in the top glass and immerse the bottom one in a bowl of hot water. When it contracts -poof- the two come unstuck.

-LABELS

To remove price labels or others with a sticky backing, smooth on peanut butter. When the label absorbs the oil it will come away glue and all.

VINEGAR- NOT JUST FOR SPRINKLING ON FRENCH FRIES

-To remove a wax buildup on furniture or floors, mix equal parts vinegar and warm water. Rub into wood with a soft cloth. Dry wood immediately with a dry soft cloth.

-For a rinsing agent, add a half-cup of vinegar to the rinse water in the clothes washer. It removes soap film from clothes. Likewise, a vinegar solution-half vinegar, half water-brings a sparkle to glassware. Try this on dull antique pressed-glass goblets and decanters.

-Remove greasy film from kitchen cupboards and counters by wiping with a solution of vinegar and wate. Add one tablespoon (15mL) vinegar to a gallon (5 L) of water.

-Remove spots from stainless steel by rubbing with a vinegar-dampened cloth.

t -To remove static cling from shower curtins, add vinegar to the rinse water.

-Make a brass and copper cleaner by combining equal parts of vinegar, salt and flour into a paste. Leave on the metal object until dry, about 20 minutes. Remove with a soft cloth.

-Keep sink drains open and smelling fresh with regular treatments of a strong frine solution ( l part salt to 2 parts hot water.) This will help to prevent grease buildup.

SODA

-To put a shine on chrome, wipe it with a slightly damp cloth that has been sprinkled with soda. Use it to shine up household chrome such as bathroom taps, burner rings and coffee percolators.

-Stubborn stains can be removed from stainless steel with soda. Sprinkle on a damp cloth and rub.

-Soda is a mild abrasive and can be used to clean tubs, sinks and the grout between ceramic tiles. Apply with a toothbrush.

-Ammonia water or powdered ammonia boosts the cleaning power of soda and vinegar. (When concentrated, ammonia is very irritating to the respiratory system: use only in a well ventilated room.

Clips for the Garden

HOUSEPLANTS

-To clean use a large soft brush to dust. Add 1 tsp. dish soap to 3-4 tbsp. of regular tea to a spray bottle. Spray until the points drip.

-To increase humidity levels around your plants in your home during the winter months, set pots into saucers filled slightly with small decorative stones (like for an aquarium). Moisten the stones with water, but make sure the pot is not allowed to sit in the water.

-Turn plants frequently to prevent them from becoming lopsided.

-Check often for the presence of white flies. These pests will clump together on the stems and under the leaves. Spray with a solution of 1 tsp dishsoap / l tsp lemon juice to l L of water or use an organic insecticidal soap. Repeat treatment within 1 week to 10 days.

TIDY TEA POT-A handy way to keep room temperature water for indoor plants is to use a fancy teapot as a watering can-it can be left out and admired beside your plants.

GARDEN

Pesky TIE UP JOBS-Plastic coated telephone wire is excellent for tie up jobs in the garden. The green cord blends in well with foliage and the soft plastic won't harm delicate stems. Available at hardware stores.

PET REPELLENT-Smear a bit of Vicks VapoRub on shrubs, trees, rims of pots, or on a small twig or wooden row marker near cherished plants.

FOUND ART-Recycle cast-off treasures as garden structures and supports. A rickety old step ladder makes a great pot holder ( wire pots onto rungs). An old trunk with its top propped open becomes a planter. Place a pot of herbs or flowers on an old chair or tractor seat(metal).

TOADS-To provide a haven for toads use broken clay pots or rock formations for them to hide under. They eat earwigs and other nasty insects that bother your plants.

HUMMINGBIRDS-Clean & rinse the hummingbird feeder at least weekly to prevent mildew which is deadly to these winged wonders. Food-Dissolve 1 pt. sugar to 4 pts. boiling water. Let cool thoroughly.

MULCH-Fill a large plastic garbage pail(clean) with dry leaves and chop with a weed wacker. Use to mulch around plants in garden or cover and sprinkle over kitchen scraps in compost container.

BLACK SPOT on Roses-Plant garlic and chives close to your rosebushes. They are known to discourage development of black spot.

ROSE FOOD-Add banana peel to soil around your roses. Be sure to bury to prevent animals from visiting. TAG THAT PLANT-Place a plastic bread tag around the stem of flowers you intend to harvest for seeds. They help to identify the plants easily and are hardly noticeable. Label with a permanent marker.

BLACK BEETLES BRUNCH-They love slugs and other garden pests. Encourage them to stay in your garden by piling stones about the size of a fist in mounds to serve as beetle homes.

DOG MEETS SKUNK-According to Dr. Joe Scwartz, scientist, this works to remove the odious perfume of Pippi LePu. Use 3% hydrogen peroxide. dish soap and 2 spoonfuls of baking soda. Rinse thoroughly with water.

PITCH Stuck on You-To clean pine pitch off hands or pruning shears, use WD-40. It's also a great lubricant and prevents rust.

Clips from the Kitchen

HERB VINEGARS& OIL-To create summer in a bottle add a handful of fresh unblemished, absolutely dry herbs to a liter of vinegar or olive oil. Leave at room temperature and shake or stir with a wooden spoon daily for 1 week. Strain bottle and seal with a fresh sprig inside for decoration. Great housewarming or Christmas gift.

ICED HERBAL TEA-Steep 2 or 3 bags of your favorite herbal tea in cold water for 30 minutes, or steep in boiling water as for hot tea and let cool. You can use Sprite, 7-UP or sparkling water if preparing cold. For a delicious addition to desserts use 1 tbsp of water from tea bags squeezed dry in whipping cream. Use over fresh berries. Yummy!

PRESERVING BASIL-Freeze basil with olive oil in ice cube trays. Add to tomato sauces and stews.

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If you have any comments or clips to share, e-mail me at

marshdom@endirect.qc.ca