17 Tips To Make Your Life Easier

I received this as an email and instead of saving the email, I decided to post it here so that I know I always have these great tips on my site. I plan on trying every single one of them too. I actually just tried the dryer tip (#17) at the bottom, so we’ll see how that one works out. Oh yeah, I probably won’t be trying the hair conditioner on my legs for shaving either since, well…I’m a guy. A lot of these tips are things that I can actually use on a regular basis too.

1. Reheat Pizza
Pizza Slice
Heat up leftover pizza in a nonstick skillet on top of the stove , set heat to med-low and heat till warm. This keeps the crust crispy. No soggy micro pizza. I saw this on the cooking channel and it really works.

2. Easy Deviled Eggs
Eggs
Put cooked egg yolks in a zip lock bag. Seal, mash till they are all broken up. Add remainder of ingredients, reseal, keep mashing it up mixing roughly, cut the tip of the baggy, squeeze mixture into egg. Just throw bag away when done easy clean up.

3. Expanding Frosting
Birthday Cake
When you buy a container of cake frosting from the store, whip it with your mixer for a few minutes. You can double it in size. You get to frost more cake/cupcakes with the same amount. You also eat less sugar and calories per serving.

4. Reheating Refrigerated Bread
Bread
To warm biscuits, pancakes, or muffins that were refrigerated , place them in a microwave with a cup of water. The increased moisture will keep the food moist and help it reheat faster.

5. Newspaper Weeds Away
Dandelions
Start putting in your plants, work the nutrients in your soil. Wet newspapers put layers around the plants overlapping as you go cover with mulch and forget about weeds. Weeds will get through some gardening plastic they will not get through wet newspapers.

6. Picking Up Broken Glass
Broken Glass
Use a wet cotton ball or Q-tip to pick up the small shards of glass you can’t see easily.

7. No More Mosquitoes
Fly Swatter
Place a dryer sheet in your pocket. It will keep the mosquitoes away.

8. Squirrel Away!
Squirrel
To keep squirrels from eating your plants sprinkle your plants with cayenne pepper. The cayenne pepper doesn’t hurt the plant and the squirrels won’t come near it.

Update: I’ve heard from several people that using cayenne pepper can be dangerous to many animals, especially if they get it in their eyes. I’ve read recommendations of diluting the pepper in soapy water and spraying it on leaves to make it safer.

9. Flexible Vacuum
Vacuuming
To get something out of a heat register or under the fridge add an empty paper towel roll or empty gift wrap roll to your vacuum. It can be bent or flattened to get in narrow openings.

10. Reducing Static Cling
Lady in Pink Dress
Pin a small safety pin to the seam of your slip and you will not have a clingy skirt or dress. Same thing works with slacks that cling when wearing panty hose. Place pin in seam of slacks and — ta da! — static is gone.

11. Unsticky Measuring Cups
Measuring Cups
Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill with hot water. Dump out the hot water, but don’t dry cup. Next, add your ingredient, such as peanut butter, and watch how easily it comes right out.

12. Foggy Windshield?
Foggy Window
Hate foggy windshields? Buy a chalkboard eraser and keep it in the glove box of your car. When the windows fog, rub with the eraser! Works better than a cloth!

13. Reopening Envelopes
Envelope
If you seal an envelope and then realize you forgot to include something inside, just place your sealed envelope in the freezer for an hour or two. Voila! It unseals easily.

14. Smoother Legs With Conditioner
Shaving Legs
Use your hair conditioner to shave your legs. It’s a lot cheaper than shaving cream and leaves your legs really smooth. It’s also a great way to use up the conditioner you bought but didn’t like when you tried it in your hair…

15. Goodbye Fruit Flies
Plum and Fly
To get rid of pesky fruit flies , take a small glass fill it 1/2″ with Apple Cider Vinegar and 2 drops of dish washing liquid , mix well. You will find those flies drawn to the cup and gone forever!

16. Get Rid of Ants
Ants
Put small piles of cornmeal where you see ants. They eat it, take it “home”, can’t digest it so it kills them. It may take a week or so, especially if it rains , but it works & you don’t have the worry about pets or small children being harmed!

17. Info About Clothes Dryers
Kid In Dryer
The heating unit went out on my dryer! The gentleman that fixes things around the house for us told us that he wanted to show us something and he went over to the dryer and pulled out the lint filter. It was clean. (I always clean the lint from the filter after every load clothes.) He told us that he wanted to show us something; he took the filter over to the sink, ran hot water over it. The lint filter is made of a mesh material – I’m sure you know what your dryer’s lint filter looks like.

WELL…the hot water just sat on top of the mesh! It didn’t go through it at all! He told us that dryer sheets cause a film over that mesh that’s what burns out the heating unit. You can’t SEE the film , but it’s there. It’s wha t is in the dryer sheets to make your clothes soft and static free – that nice fragrance too, you know how they can feel waxy when you take them out of the box, well this stuff builds up on your clothes and on your lint screen This is also what causes dryer units to catch fire & potentially burn your house down with it! He said the best way to keep your dryer working for a very long time (& to keep your electric bill lower) is to take that filter out & wash it with hot soapy water & an old toothbrush (or other brush) at least every six months. He said that makes the life of the dryer at least twice as long!

How about that!?! Learn something new every day! I certainly didn’t know dryer sheets would do that. So, I thought I’d share!

Note: I went to my dryer & tested my screen by running water on it. The water ran through a little bit but mostly collected all the water in the mesh screen. I washed it with warm soapy water & a nylon brush & I had it done in 30 seconds. Then when I rinsed it the water ran right thru the screen! There wasn’t any puddling at all! That repairman knew what he was talking about!

299 thoughts on “17 Tips To Make Your Life Easier”

  1. Those are REALLY GREAT comments! I’m definitely going to try the one with the dryer. Also, recently, I had been having a squirrel problem where they were finding some really creative ways to get into my bird feeder, so I made a mixture out of cayenne pepper (a pepper spray, essentially) but it only worked for a short period of time before the squirrels came back in full force and actually ate my bird feeder! You wouldn’t happen to know of any special types of bird feeders that squirrels can’t get into, would you? Thanks again for the advice 🙂

  2. I’ve never seen a feeder that a squirrel can’t access. I once tried hanging a coconut in the middle of a washing line. The squirrel tightrope-walked the single strand about 8m, bit thru the wire and dragged the coconut off while I watched from the window.

  3. Wow, I tried the dryer tip and I was completely amazed to see the water pooling on my mesh lint trap! Soap, a toothbrush and 45 seconds later it ran through the screen with no problems :). My dryer thanks you!

  4. Well, I’m glad I could help! I just couldn’t keep these tips all to myself. The dryer one worked for me too, by the way. I don’t have to dry my clothes 3 times in a row anymore.

  5. Great site! I’ve heard of several of the hints, and have used the “conditioner to shave legs” hint for many years (and love it), btw.
    Can’t wait to try the dryer hint. Thanks!

  6. Don’t bother trying to find a feeder the squirrels can’t get into. Fill the feeders you have with safflower seeds, not mixed seed. The squirrels don’t like safflower seeds and they won’t go near the feeder. A guy in a garden-supply store told my mother this years ago, and I’ve never had a squirrel near the bird feeders since. (And yes, the birds love the safflower seed. They must just taste funny to mammals, or something.)

  7. thank you so much!
    The dryer tip alone just completely made my dad.
    As a single mom, I need to save money where ever I can…
    Thanks again.

  8. Tip 3 does NOT WORK. I tried this and you end up with a big sticky mess and not more frosting. You break down the frosting… DO NOT TRY THIS.

  9. I do eggs in a cup in the microwave – doing them in a bag is wasteful!
    I’ve recommended friends plant chilis when they plant their flower bulbs to keep the squirrels off.

  10. this is the type of page that makes the Internet great. Stumble upon has so many pictures and videos, but pages like this are why text is is still totally relevant!

    Thanks for taking the time to upload that email!!!

  11. The cayenne pepper thing works until you get the one squirrel with a taste for hot food. I tried this and all the squirrels avoided the bird food except one who crawled inside the feeder and had a feast.

  12. Wow! Cornmeal to get rid of ants! I gotta’ try that! Nothing gets rid of ants. Those little black ones that bite! Mrs Washington’s cornmeal is gonna put and end to that!! WAhoo!!

  13. … the Web page is interesting. I’m a second year teacher in Singapore, SEA and find web sites such as yours a tremendous help. Thanks.

  14. Dryer sheets are toxic for many people- Most commercial dryer sheets are impregnated with all sorts of toxic chemicals including Benzyl Acetate, Benzyl Alcohol, Chloroform and Linalool; none of which are good for the environment – or you. Some of these compounds are known carcinogens.
    they also can trigger asthma attacks. Dont use them learn about alternatives on my site or elsewhere.

  15. My favorite alternative to dryer sheets is vinegar in the rinse cycle of the washer. Cheap white vinegar in an old Downey ball = no more static cling, blacks hold color longer, and it doesn’t smell like vinegar. Brilliant!

  16. These are some great tips! I will have to try cleaning our lint trap. We sometimes have to run the dryer twice just to get clothes dry! I wonder if this has something to do with it!

  17. great tips. love the fruit flies trick, used it for a long time. just got done with the lint trap dryer screen thing. worked like a charm

    thanks for the hints

  18. Those pesky squirrels certainly make short work of sunflower seeds in my bird feeder. That’s the ones with the outer husks removed. maybe you have to stick to the whole ones .I’ll try them next time

  19. you can also use dryer sheets [old or new] to wipe down all the metal and stainless steel in your home. like faucets and shower heads. really great for the hard to reach nooks and crannies of faucets. makes them sparkle better than windex.

  20. The frosting trick Does work.
    I have used it for a few years now.
    It almost doubles the frosting you get.
    It can cause kind of a whipped texture with some frostings, though.
    To keep it creamy I sometimes add a tablespoon or so of margarine.

    I too cleaned my lint filter as soon as I read #17 and was amazed that I never realized that before.

    I can’t wait to try some of these others tips.
    Thanks so much for sharing.:)

  21. Great tips!

    Last year we brought some fruit home from the farmer’s market and a few days later we noticed a few fruit flies. Then a few more. 24 hours later there was a SWARM of fruit flies in my kitchen and it took us multiple tries, time and money to get the pesks out. I am going to file away the easy solution above (I searched and searched the internet and never saw this tip!) for the next time we get fruit flies, they won’t stand a chance!

  22. Hint #7 for mosquitoes. Also try spraying/spritzing Listerine on your clothes or in your yard they will stay away.

  23. Ady (comment #20)its safflower seeds squirrels don’t like. They love sunflower seeds. Totally different seed.

  24. These are great tips– I needed all of ’em. Especially the ant one; we used to have tons of lizards that seemed to control ants and other bugs, but the cat hunted them all down:( Thanks!

  25. I wouldn’t reheat pizza in a non-stick skillet. The coatings they use on those pans are quite toxic, especially if heating a pan with little in it. In other words, you don’t want to be heating one of those skillets if there’s a large area of dry exposed area. It’s quite dangerous to your health.

    Use cast iron. I do this with pizza (although I usually do it in the oven) and it works great. Cast iron skillets are cheap and work great for many things. For most things I use my trusty All-Clad skillet; it was quite expensive, but well worth it.

  26. Another tip for your dryer is pull the dryer out and clean out the vent tube. You will be amazed at what comes out of there. Also, sometimes the tube gets kinked so be careful when you push the dryer back.

    My husband is a handyman. I learn some things from him 🙂

  27. We solved the squirrel in the birdfeeder problem by wrapping the post of the birdfeeder with aluminum sheeting. It is far enough from branches that the squirrels cannot jump to it. They have plenty of food from the seeds that the birds spill. At first the look of the aluminum bothered me, but now it has just faded into the backdrop, and we love feeding ALL the wildlife.

  28. I’m sooo grateful for the dryer tip. I’ve been having to turn it on 2 or 3 times just to dry one load of laundry. Thank you for sharing this!

  29. We had problems with squirrels getting to our birdfeeder, too (even hanging upside down from the eaves to get that the feeder hanging below!). A friend of mine recommended petroleum jelly – worked like a charm! Placed on the fence, eaves, wherever. They figured out pretty quickly that there was plenty of seed below the feeders…

  30. TO GET RID OF OFFENSIVE SMELLS EG…ONIONS,GAS,FISH ETC.
    WALLOW A STAINLESS STEEL SPOON OR ANYTHING STAINLESS AROUND IN YOUR SOAPY HANDS A FEW ROUNDS, TADA SMELLS ARE GONE.

  31. These are some really great tips! The only one that concerned me was the cayenne pepper thing to get rid of squrrels, etc. This substance is EXTREMELY irritating, and should the animals NOT be immediately deterred, (which they often aren’t) it can cause them serious trouble when they get it on their paws and transfer it to their eyes and nose. I sometimes have an issue with critters digging up my bulbs in the spring; I usually put a few mothballs (literally, 3 or 4 a few feet apart, not too many as they aren’t really envoronmentally friendly)towards the edges of the garden, and VOILA! Gonzo! I’ve watched them from the window; they get a whif and won’t even approach! It’s great, and much more humane then burning their little faces off! Good luck!

  32. PS: The dryer thing? TOTALLY TRUE! Heard this a few years ago and sure enough, our filter was invisibly clogged too! Everyone should check… 🙂

  33. First, thank you for these great tips! As for using hair conditioner as shaving cream, perhaps you could use it on your face if you shave your facial hair!

  34. Wow, this has some very useful tips! Thanks a lot. I am getting my first home and this definitely gave me more confidence. Great blog!

  35. Ok… here in Canada they sell these squirrel proof bird feeders that are amazing! they’re hard metal so the squirrels can’t bite through, but the best part is the trap. When anything heavier than a bird tries to eat from the feeder, the landing drops and snaps the door on the feeder shut. therefore, there is no access to the food.
    We bought one for my grandmother, who has a bad squirrel problem, and she’s had it for almost a year with no trouble.

  36. @Montana, that sounds like a good idea. I think my grandparents would love one of those. Time to do some searching 🙂

  37. @NotJustAMom, no prob! I love your site by the way. Lot of great tips to making money from the comforts of home. I’m not a mom, since I’m a guy and all, but I can still use the info you blog about.

  38. conditioner for shaving cream does NOT save money, they both cost about $1.5o. If you use conditioner for shaving cream, you just wind up buying twice as much conditioner, which is the same you would have spent buying the shaving cream.

  39. I haven’t tried using the conditioner yet, but I wouldn’t imagine that I’d have to buy twice as much conditioner. It only takes a dab. That would be for my face though, not legs 🙂 The shaving cream that I buy for my face is also much more expensive than the conditioner I buy for my hair.

    1. Not a who, but a what. A Viola is a music instrument with a beautiful sound… Just a typo, now fixed.

  40. So, Alex…

    Did you know that this particular blog comes up on Stumble Upon in the homemaking section? I thought you’d be amused 🙂

    Thumbs up!

    1. Homemaking? Ha ha, and all because of this one blog post, probably… I’m not sure how I would categorize this blog, but I though it would be more relevant to the internet/technology topics. Oh well 😀

  41. Great tips! I’ve been doing a couple of them already. Definitely going to be trying sharing the dryer one. And the newspaper as a weed repellent too. Thanks for sharing 🙂

  42. Home Theater Installers

    Lots of great tips..but this one using conditioner to shave your legs is one I have used for years! Excellent!

  43. thanks for the tips but just to note that the squirrels don’t leave the cayenne alone but agonize after being exposed and don\t come back after the agony

  44. Awesome tips; thanks for sharing. As for the dryer one — I don’t use dryer sheets anymore. I read about this on another blog, tried it, and liked it! It works even better than dryer sheets – no more static in my husbands work shirts!

    Take your favorite liquid fabric softener and soak an old hand towel or flour cloth completely with it. Wring it out and let it dry completely, then throw it in with your next load. This mega-fabric softener sheet should be good for at least 40 loads of laundry WHAT A GREAT IDEA!!
    Found here: http://amy-newnostalgia.blogspot.com/2011/12/26-tips-and-tricks-to-simplify-life.html

    1. That’s an awesome tip Kristin. Probably better for the environment too, since you don’t have to throw away anymore dryer sheets.

  45. Liquid fabric softener does the same thing as dryer sheets. Use a little vinegar in the rinse cycle for fresh soft clothes with no waxy residue and no perfumy smell. I’ve heard you can put a couple of balls of aluminum foil in the dryer to eliminate static cling but I don’t really have a problem with that so I haven’t tried it myself.

  46. If you are going to take the time to get out your mixer anyway, why wouldn’t you just whip up really great frosting? Canned frosting is so disgusting, I can’t understand why anybody ever uses that stuff. It takes just a couple of minutes to make the real deal!

  47. I’m surprised not to see my favorite household tip on here–
    It’s a little-known fact that ants won’t cross cinammon. Sprinkle it across any window or doorway where they come in and you will have no more ants. Don’t believe me? Test it out. If you already have a line of ants, sprinkle a circle of cinammon around them and see what happens. The only downside is that you then have a strip of brown powder to deal with, but it’s a small price to pay, I think.

  48. Also, my favorite squirrel-proof feeder is one I saw in Arizona a few years ago–it has a motor in it, so when a squirrel jumps onto the rail, it triggers the powerful rotating motion and sends the squirrel flying. It’s not strong enough to hurt the little guys, but it sure is funny.

  49. That’s interesting Dani. I’ve heard that ants won’t cross a chalk line either. And I’d love to see that squirrel-proof feeder in action 😉

  50. The oils used in dryer sheets AND fabric softener build up, not only on the lint trap, but other parts of the dryer as well. I had trouble with my new-ish dryer getting the clothes dry, and called the repairman. He took off the front panel and used his screwdriver to scrape off the oil/lint combo that was coating the motor fan. He said he says that on almost every call. Said to use fabric softener in the washer but never in the dryer, and stay away from the dryer sheets. Just an FYI. 😉

  51. Ants love cornmeal, but it doesn’t kill them, it’s just food. Now mix some Borax in there and you’ll have something.

    And a better way to reheat pizza is 1 minute in a microwave, then transfer to a toaster oven to crisp up the crust.

    Also, try breathing in that cayenne powder yourself, kinda burns right? So yeah, it will deter a squirrel, but if your pet snorts it up you’re hurting them too. The only truly effective squirrel deterrent I’ve ever found is hunting hounds, and they only work at ground level.

  52. The squirrel-proof feeders that Montana mentioned are sold at Lowe’s. They work perfectly. Every year we watch the young squirrels try to beat it, but they soon learn that they don’t get a free meal here.

  53. The dryer vent is one I’m going to try right away! Ours uses so much electricity and I never thought to try cleaning the filter. There are a bunch of other great ones on here too!

  54. Another good tip for glass is if you get it in your hand or whatever, Apply a small amount of white glue and let it dry (works for splinters of wood and iron too) when dry peel splinter off!

  55. Conditioner for shaving works for sure – but I also just use body wash (the gel kind) to wash and shave at the same time… 2 for 1 and doesn’t ‘waste’ extra soap.

  56. Last summer we trapped and relocated (to a state park) 18 squirrels in our backyard. We live in town. To me, these are not “cute little guys”–they are destructive, disease-bearing tree rats.

  57. The dryer sheet tip is great . I had heard this years ago. It does make your dryer last longer. I have never used them in my dryer. My dryer is 31 years old. It is a Knemore. It came with our single wide trailor we bought in 1981. We have only had to replace the heating element once or twice. My husband cleans the back of the dryer once a year!
    Dryer sheets are good for sticking in your car to elimate smells!

  58. Great tips. I totally agree about the dryer sheets. I don’t use them at all with towels or things like that because the residue that dryer sheets prevents towels from “drying” things like dishes well.

  59. Try the cayenne pepper for ants. They won’t cross it. It works especially well across the opening of outside doors – you can set a thin line down in the grooves of the base of the frame. People and pets won’t track it inside but ants wil not cross. Also works at windows. When the ants go away run your vacuum hose across and voila! no ants and no mess.

  60. Here’s another tip about ants for you. We used to live in Georgia and had a problem with fire ant beds in the yard. I would sprinkle a bit of grits around and on top of the ant bed. The ants take the grits into the bed, they eat them, when they drink water the grits expand and kill them. Didn’t take long at all for the ant beds to basically disappear. It worked great.

  61. I keep a separate feeder for the squirrels. They’re lazy. “Why go over there for food when I can get it over here?” Squirrel food is not too expensive, and I love watching their antics in the yard. Guess I just feed everything. My cats go tell the neighbors’ cats that I feed good over here, too. I also have a couple of possums that eat the left-over scraps from the cats’ plates. A goat and a sheep over the fence, also. Nothing goes to waste around here.

  62. To those that are complaining about having to turn your dryer on 2 to 3 times to dry clothes….It is the lint built up in your lent tube and vent not the lent filter in your dryer…as the wife of a fireman…this is a major fire hazzard…and only takes a few minutes to clean out and you will be back to running it only one time!!

  63. another way to get rid of ants is to use the sugar that comes in the little pink packs at diners. it was originally made as ant killer, but was found to be a delightful zero calorie sugar substitute as well. just put some out and they swarm it and die. a little messy but better than having ants all around.

  64. MaMaKat, Be careful, my parents always fed the birds, squirrels, chipmunks etc.. and discovered to their horror that they were also feeding a family of rats that moved in for the yummy vittles!! Now they only feed a little at a time, (the squirrels come to the back door for food now!) and clean up anything not eaten before dusk. 🙂
    Juel, Thanks for awesome tips!!

  65. Great tips! FYI…a piece of bread works FANTASTIC on those lil shards of glass you cant see or the ones you just can’t seem to pick up with the dust pan. Sticks right to it 🙂

  66. Beverly @ The Buzz

    Despite trying several times, I’ve not had success with the newspaper keeping weeds at bay or using conditioner to shave my legs. The tip about fruit flies is spot on! Works every time.

  67. When planting flower bulbs we have found that throwing out bloodmeal and burying it with the bulbs is a great deterant for squirrels and deer…not how sure it will last though…so far it has been 2 yrs, I can only imagine that eventually Ill have to do it again, but so far so good!

  68. The reason the water “pools” on the dryer screen is due to property of water called “surface tension”. It’s one of the properties that allows plants to suck water all the way to the tippy top and water beads to form. Soap breaks down the surface tension, giving the illusion of a “clean” screen.

  69. Dryer balls work get too, they dry the clothes faster and they keep static away without any chemical and you didn’t have to keep buying them. However if you over dry your clothes they may still have some static. I have 4 in my dryer, you can get them a target or make your own wool ones. I haven’t bought dryer sheets in a few years.

  70. Tiffany Cordero

    I’ve know about the Dryer trick and its a goodie.. Everyone needs to know this 🙂 Thanks for a great list of Tricks!

  71. Tennis balls stand in for expensive dryer balls. Vinegar gets rid of the detergent residue and is a great rinse-aid/fabric softener. Especially good for families that have allergies…clothes just smell clean, not perfumey and there are fewer potential allergens remaining on clothes. Highly recommend for families with eczema or allergic dermatitis…works great for us.

  72. You may also want to remove your dryer from the backside lint filter and clean that every 3 months. The outside lint filter will cause more damage thenthe inside lint filter.

  73. To add to the ‘shave with conditioner’ comment- Use baby oil!!! I have been using it for at least 6 years and its great! It doesn’t wash off in the shower, leaves my legs smooth soft and conditioned, and is very inexpensive. I use one big bottle of Target brand every 6 months. Plus, it doesn’t irritate my sensitive under arm skin.

  74. Our dryer was taking ALL day to dry clothes. We cleaned the filter and still had the problem. A friend said it was the heat element for sure. Before calling a repair man we cleaned the vent from inside the dryer (wish I had the paper towel roll or wrapping paper tube tip before doing this) – then I thought of checking the vent from the outside to see if there was anything we could clean there. We climbed on the roof to remove the vent outlet cap and removed – no joke- almost half a plastic grocery sac full of soggy lint clumps that had been collecting. Out of a 12″ square box only about two inches of air flow was coming out through the bulky blockage. Make sure you have your dryer running if you test yours so that you can measure the air. Never knew to do this before. Dryer runs fine now – no repair needed.

  75. The cayenne pepper works for ants….it doesn’t kill them but they do stay away from it. Sprinkle it around your windows and door ways or any place else you don’t want ants (or any other insect for that matter.)>Another insect repellent is diatomaceous earth. The insects stay away from it, but if they do crawl through it they die from dehydration.

  76. I have a couple tips that might interest you….dryer sheets have a variety of great uses other than just making your clothes smell nice & static free…I use them to remove caked on grease & food from pots & pans….fill pot with warm water & throw a sheet in & let sit overnight & it should loosen up all that grime. I also use them to tame down my hair on those bad hair days…you know how sometimes, especially in winter, your hair gets super staticky?? Brush your hair & run a dryer sheet over your locks to tame down those fly aways. It also works for static electricity on your clothing…run a sheet over your legs, skirt, pants, etc…it will help your clothes not stick to you. I also have a couple uses for toothpaste…I use regular, not gel, to clean my jewelery..just take a little bit on a brush & gently clean your rings, diamonds, necklaces…it makes them sparkle. I also use it when I get a mosquito bite that really itches for a little relief..just dab a little right on the bite. I hope you find this helpful…I have tons of tips that I use everyday….I had to frugal it up after having 6 kids

  77. Newspapers dont work for weeds…I tried that last year. But most everything else seems to work. I have been using conditioner to shave my legs for years!!

  78. Another trick for ants is ground clove….this however does not kill the ants but they will not go near it. I place it around all the baseboards in my home. It is very potent and I don’t usually have to reapply it very often. You can test it for yourself….find an ant whether it be in your home or outside and surround it with ground cloves….it will go crazy trying to get out but will not walk over the cloves.

  79. I agree with the comment about feeding birds, squirrels, etc. Much as I love the birds, squirrels are quite destructive and the fool does attract roof rats, reg. rats and field mice. Just not worth it — I now stick to hummingbird feeders and very small amts. of bird seed that can be consumed quickly with no leftovers at night for varments.

  80. Another tip for getting rid of tiny flies that hang around houseplants: fill a spray bottle with rubbing alchohol and spray the soil around the plant — won’t harm the plant, but kills off the pesky flie.

  81. If stirring a pitcher of tea (or whatever?) put the pitcher in the sink. You can stir away without pain! (My arm won’t go up as far as it used to due to surgery, and this has really helped me!)

  82. I bought two of those balls with nubs on them for my dryer and do not use the dryer sheets anymore. Cheaper and labor saving… 🙂

    Melly

  83. you can use dryersheets along your baseboards…. it acts as a dust repel… and keeps them cleaner longer. =o)

  84. Great tips!!! The only one I had tried before…and didn’t care for, is shaving your legs with hair conditioner. It clogged my razor terribly, so now I use shampoo to shave with. Works perfectly!! Thanks for the info!

  85. OMG this is awesome #17 blew me away, we bought a house last year and are still using teh dryer that came with it, if these folks did not know that I can only imagine not a drop would go through the mesh in my house, no wonder I am always cursing at this dryer, well not doing its drying job! thank you for sharing!

  86. Find me and friend me on facebook. I always post tips like these. Did you know you can use syrup to unclog a toilet. Just pour it all down there and it works perfectly.

  87. My dad has been able to create bird feeders that the squirrels can’t get into. His feeders hang from tall metal pole with a hook on the end like you would use for outdoor hanging baskets. He made an oblong metal cylinder (think veggie tin can but about twice as long and a bit wider) and drilled a hole in the closed end of the can big enough to fit on the pole. Mount it on the pole high enough that squirrels cant jump on top of it with open end of can toward the ground. Squirrels can’t climb up the pole and can’t jump high enough to get above the can/cylinder. No more squirrels in the bird feeder. 🙂

  88. FYI- dryer sheets are made of animal fat. There is no way I would use it on my or my kids clothes.Can you imagine get a bunch of animal fat and put it all over your clothes. Discusting.

  89. Now this was worth reading. I am grateful for the dryer tip. I will wash my filter from now on. I will also try keeping a dryer sheet with me this Memorial Day weekend to keep off any mosquitoes. GREAT tips! Thanks.

  90. To comment on squirrels and cayenne pepper, the poor squirrels that touch it and then rub their eyes can actually go blind. Its very dangerous and definitely should not be used. You should take it down since this is getting shared so much!

  91. Dryer sheets also make fabrics less absorbent and shouldn’t be used with towels and sheets as it coats the fabric. If you think your towels aren’t drying you very well, wash them a few times in hot water and no dryer sheets. You will be amazed.

  92. I was surprised that I’ve already knew and used many of these tricks before, but some are totally new! My most commonly used is the fruit fly trap.. if you don’t have apple cider vinegar, wine works well too. I’ve also been using conditioner as shaving cream.. and I don’t find that I go through more of it. In fact, I still tend to finish a bottle of shampoo before the conditioner runs out, even using it as double duty.

    I’ll be trying the lint trap one once my load of laundry is done.

  93. Stupid Question about the dryer tip: does the tray need to be dried before putting it back and how did you dry it? Thanks so much! Great tips!

  94. I love tip #3. . . it made the frosting so fluffy. . . I feel a little guilty when I use prepared frosting knowing I’m getting into some really unhealthy stuff, but nevertheless, if I use it, beating it a bit makes it fantastic!!!

  95. Great tips, though I did already know the one about the dryer. I can also vouch for the tip about the fruit flies, my family has been doing that one for years!

    Another thing about fabric softener: did you know that your towels will absorb more water if you DON’T use fabric softener. Also, fabric softener gradual breaks down the rubber backing on the underside of bathmats, so if you want them to last longer, avoid washing and drying your rubber backed mats with fabric softener.

  96. I’m not sure if anyone said this yet, but a tip for cleaning your microwave–

    1. Dampen a paper towel
    2. Put it in the microwave for a minute or so
    3. The moisture from the paper towel loosens all the grossness on the walls of the microwave making it easier to clean! (aka no scrubbing)

  97. I just toss into top rack of dishwasher with light fixtures and such every so often and it does the trick. Also, keeps the lights brighter with less wattage.

  98. As far as keeping squirrels out of a feeder, one tip I learned from my grandfather (an avid bird watcher) is to put grease on the pole, or hanger, or wherever the squirrel has to walk/climb in order to reach the feeder. My grandfather is an old rancher, so he uses tractor grease, but I’m sure any engine grease would work.

  99. #3 seems kind of silly. Making frosting from scratch is incredibly easy and much cheaper than the canned frosting (which I don’t care for the taste of anyways). If you’re going to get a mixing bowl dirty anyways just make the frosting!!

  100. To get rid of your headache fast just rub the top of your head for like a minute or 2 then it goes a way in less then 5 minutes. it works for me, it will work for you.. idk about migraines though but it`s worth a try. 🙂

  101. I use the conditioner for shaving trick all the time. It makes my legs softer and I save a ton of money by not buying shaving cream. 🙂

  102. for the squirrels we found the Yankee Flipper bird feeder to be hilarious as well as effective, though it’s a bit pricey. For those who like to feed squirrels peanuts, please buy roasted but not salted ones. Raw peanuts are toxic to squirrels, at least that is what I found in an article for birds, animals and gardens.

  103. A tip for taking care of static cling whether a skirt or pants if you’re wearing panty-hose or trouser socks just smooth a little of your favorite lotion over your socks/hose and you will be statis free al day PLUS your favorite scent stays with you all day 🙂

    Cleaning your dryer vent alont with keeping your lint trap clean alot of house fires are caused by the rear dryer vent getting clogged. I use our shop vacuum every now and then and just clean out the vent with the shop vac an voila!

    Deodorizer – and easy way for deodoring your house is baking soda, putting some baking soda in a bowl and putting in the different rooms in your house can help absorb unwanted odors (just like the box of baking soda in the fridge does!) AND in the right container you can easily hide your “deodorizer” under the couch in a cute container on a book shelf, etc. 🙂

  104. #10 is my prom picture from 6 years ago! My mom posted a bunch of photos on Flickr. It’s crazy how anything you post on the internet is fair and legal game. Im not mad… it was just funny to be reading a random article I found on Pinterest, scrolling through, and bam! There’s my picture!

  105. I’ve used conditioner for shaving for many years and I love it! I can’t use shave gels as they irritate my skin, even the ones made for sensitive skin. I buy large bottles of cheap yummy scented conditioner and they last for a long time.

  106. Use wool dryer balls instead of sheets. The wool balls cuts drying time in half and reduces static. Use 6 for a very large load and less for small ones. You can find them at many natural stores.

  107. I, too have been using conditioner for shaving for many years. I like it better than shave gel and have saved a lot of $. I put my in a plastic squeeze bottle (intended for candy making, etc. ) purchased at craft stores.

  108. If you have a fruit fly problem that’s really bad and the cider vinegar doesn’t help, an exterminator told me this once: if you’re doing everything right and rinsing your fruit as soon as you bring it home and not leaving fruit/wine/juice out for long periods of time and STILL have fruit flies, it’s probably your drain. The fly eggs from the skin of the fruit you’re rinsing can land and survive in the drain trap. Clean your drain with something to kill the eggs (vinegar, baking soda and HOT water works okay, but you could also do it with a little bleach or other cleaning product). It took care of our problem after some persistance.

  109. another great tip for dryer sheets, i put one in between my linen stacks and clothes in cupboards and drawers, keeps clothes smelling fresh and stops any bad closet smells 🙂 Just replace every 6-8 weeks!

  110. My dryer installer told me not to use dryer sheets at all! The dryer came with a sample and he said throw it away. Looks like I should have kept it for my pocket to keep away mosquitos!!

  111. the fruit fly thing really works. It didn’t smell very good at first but after it difused in the air you couldnt smell it and no more fruit flies. SO EXCITED.

  112. i just pulled my filter out of the dryer. Yep, the water did not go through!!!!!! thank you so much for posting this!

  113. Dryer sheets are toxic. So are the synthetic fragrances in them. Just don’t use them and you won’t have to worry about the mesh screen.

  114. Be careful washing the lint screen…I did this as well… workde great for a short while… The hot soapy water made the screen come loose from the plastic frame… had to replace it… which cost $30.

  115. Miss Penny Pincher

    I remember this article from a while back and checked my dryer filter and it is true! Thanks for extending the life of my dryer! Have told many people too since!

  116. Another good trick you can do with used dryer sheets is for when you accidentally get deodorant on your shirt. Rub the dryer sheet, and the deodorant is gone. And they still smell good too, so the scent rubs off. My mother has always kept used dryer sheets in a basket in the bathroom (:

  117. When cleaning the dryer lint from your basket, don’t forget the grate ON the dryer door. You will need to run your hand up under it but you will get a major surprise when you do. The dryer sheets will have adhered a big layer of lint on the metal of the door.

  118. I’ve been reading about dryer sheets and have found out that they contain up to 7 carcinogenic chemicals. Yes, they smell nice, but if you’re breathing chemicals AND having them rub against your skin all day, everyday, think about how many your skin is absorbing and getting into your cells. I’ve also heard they are banned in Europe because they are so dangerous. You would do well to invest in a good pair of dryer balls to reduce your static electricity and decrease your drying time. Norwex make a great pair. I’ve used mine for over 2 years and reduced my drying time and helped my family be safer!

  119. I have been using hair conditioner to shave my legs for a while now. It really works! And it makes your legs very soft. Great not having to worry if I took shaving cream!:)

  120. I have to post regarding the squirrel issue… we got a little tired of feeding the squirrels, and then having them literally chew apart the bird feeder. I was told to take bearing grease, and literally grease the pole… we have been entertained for hours, watching them try to problem solve how to climb the pole… and they quite simply can’t… and other animal lovers… i am NOT short changing the squirrels… they get corn, peanuts, and suet…

  121. To keep animals out of pot plants clean your hair from your brush and put in pot plants. Also spray plants that attract slugs with diluted urine

  122. another ant remedy is to mix equal parts of 15 Muel Team Borax and powdered sugar. Sprinkle it along the back of your counter tops and on your counters at night. Also place some in a container lid in your cabinets where you see ants marching. This will rid them in about 2 days. This is the second year it has worked for us.

  123. My LG Steam dryer recommends not using dryer sheets at all because it coats the sensors and shortens the life of the dryer overall – it also recommends cleaning the lint screen every 3 months with soap and water. No more dryer sheets in our house – I have gone back to the standard liquid fabric softner.

  124. For headaches, rub lavender and wintergreen oil on your neck and breathe deeply for 30 seconds. The tension headache should go away immediately….much better than Advil….I buy a premixed oil from Doterra called “pasttense” but you can mix your own. Magic!

  125. We put a toy slinky through the bird feeder pole. The squirrels try and climb the pole and come right down. Kind of funny to watch.

  126. Conditioner works great for shaving legs, but one thing that I tried that works just as great is lotion. You know all those Christmas baskets you get from gift exchanges that have all that body soap and lotion that doesn’t always smell terrific enough to use every day? Well there’s your use for it!!! I haven’t bought shaving cream in YEARS! 🙂

  127. They make bird feeders that are anti squirrel. We have one at my house. It has a pretty designed grate over the feeder that pulls down with the weight of a squirrel. Then the squirrels can’t access the feeder. Birds are light enough that they don’t move it. I’m not sure where to find it but Google it! 🙂

  128. Dryer sheets have toxic chemicals that also buildup on your clothes/ laundry and are the absorbed into your skin since clothes are constantly in contact with our skin.

  129. You can also use baby oil to shave your legs. Wait until you get out of the shower, put towel over the toilet seat and prop your feet on there and apply baby oil to wet legs, then shave and wipe off excess and you have something very good for your skin too!

  130. The dryer sheets causing fires is true! My husband is a welder and all of the men are instructed to never use dryer sheets with their work clothes laundry. When sparks hit the clothes the whole thing can ignite, with your husband in it!

  131. Squirrels also don’t like baby powder if you plant bulbs and toss in some baby powder they may try and dig up one, but will leave the rest alone, or just sprinkle over top. Also Raccoons don’t like it either!

  132. I have had my dryer for 26 years! Yes, that is a 2 and a 6! I have raised 5 boys who all played 3 sports in middle school and high school. That added up to a lot of laundry. The heating element went out once more than 12 years ago. Since that time I have NEVER used a dryer sheet. Now I do recognize that this dryer may not be the most energy efficient appliance anymore but I have not replaced because I recently got a clothesline and don’t use it that much anymore.

  133. The best thing I know for getting rid of fruit flies, is a fluted glass with a little wine in the bottom. The fruit flies are drawn to the smell of fermenting fruit, of course, which is what wine really is, and then the alcohol overcomes them when they land on the rim and they fall in. Easy and nothing works better.

  134. To go along with your dryer tip, make 3-4 foil balls, about the size of a baseball, compacted as densely as you can. Use them in the dryer instead of dryer sheets. Towels come out fluffy, no static and no build-up in the dryer or on the clothes. This is also good for those who are allergic to dryer sheets. We have been doing this for several months and it’s working great!

  135. #4….You can wrap bread in a napkin/ paper towel, and drop a few drops of water on it then microwave 15 – 20 seconds….Soft Warm bread! I use to do the glass of water, but it works nowhere near as vood as the paper towel!
    #6….The quickest way to clean up slivers of glass, is a piece of fresh bread. If you don’t have any…look at #4!
    #18….To clean faucets, use the inexpensive shaving cream! Spray it on, wipe it off…shines like brand new money! The expensive ones have conditioners that leave a film. They don’t really clean.
    #19……..Use waxed paper on the faucets after cleaning to prevent water spots!
    #20…..Use a new dryer sheet to get rid of the brown baked on grease on your glass baking dishes!
    Hope you find these useful!!!

  136. Regarding the non-sticking measuring cups and spoons, a bit easier than hot water is putting olive oil in it first and dump it out. I do it with honey and peanut butter, and it doesn’t stick and beats heating up water!

  137. Combine #5,#9 and #17: take a dryer sheet and stuff it into the end of a finished paper towel (or toilet paper) roll. Then smoke some weed in a pipe that you can cover up, and exhale through the roll. The smoke smells like clean clothes! The neighbors will continue to think you’re a normal person! Global warming is solved!

  138. Because this article mentions them twice, can I add that dryer sheets are disgusting? No wonder they repel bugs – They are completely toxic AND made from animal by-products. Just avoid them altogether! You can find natural alternatives.

  139. If you wash your lint screen, please make sure that it is ABSOLUTELY DRY before replacing it in your dryer. Water and electricity don’t mix and any moisture cannot escape and may cause lint to mat up inside the dryer.

  140. I haven’t used dryer sheets or downy or anything else in YEARS, and I can’t remember why I ever did. My laundry is fine, it’s one less thing to bother about, and it saves money. Seldom if ever have static cling, might spray garment lightly with hair spray if that ever happens.

  141. Also, if you pull your dryer out a bit more, good chance it will dry faster. My sister yanked mine out (it looked normal before) and it now dries in the same amount of time it takes to wash a load-20 minutes less than before

  142. Does anyone have any tips on how to keep neighborhood cats out of my flower beds?? They have literally turned one planter into a litter box and nothing will grow there now. I need to keep them out of flower beds and off of front porch. Thanks!

  143. @LailaMae, There was a suggestion above about baby powder deterring squirrels and raccoons, maybe it would work on cats?? There’s also sprays you can get from the pet store to keep them away. Another option would be rocks or large chunk bark in flower beds instead of mulch… If its hard to dig, they won’t go there.

  144. As for the dryer sheets. Check out wool dryer balls. They don’t coat your clothes (or your lint trap) like dryer sheets do and could prevent the problems that were talked about

  145. Someone wrote that tip #3 does’nt work. Well , I do this and it works wonderfully, makes more, it’s lighter and fluffier and tastes great !

  146. My son loves the tip about reheating pizza in a skillet. Even when we bring home fresh pizza, he always asks me to make it crispy on the stove for him. Thanks for the great tips!!

  147. Who the FU€K uses dryer sheets? Yeah, I want my kid smelling likevWhite Trash…

    There is not enough ank killer in an ant trap to harm the balls of a kid or small pet. A small dog could eat a case and still feel dine. FAIL.

  148. Kit -it isn’t general a baby Powder, it’s talcum powder that is not in most baby powders as it causes asthma. You can still find it, and a line of it will kill ants as it penetrated their skin, but I don’t believe it does sheet for squirls.

  149. Come on folks...

    If you have squirrels and birds, it is because there is something natural in the enviroment they can feed on. Quit feeding them! If they belong naturally there, they will stay. If they are not natural to the habitat, you are doing them a disservice. Remember when you plant certain things, like an oak or certain flowers, you will bring them to you. If you don’t like squirrels, move away from their home.

  150. I’ve never gotten the envelope thing to work. And my skin is too sensitive to shave with hair conditioner, but I know people who swear by it. Trying some of the other stuff too. And dearest Fail Whore, why bother commenting if you don’t have anything constructive to say?

  151. I stumbled upon this from pinterest and I tried No 17…..I also clean the lint off after every dryer load so was interested to see if the water would collect…..it did. I washed it and completely dried it before putting it back. Many thanks for this useful tip.

  152. Saw the lint trap advice on pinterest a bit ago, and actually tried it this morning and wowwie! Also, got another tip (from a firefighter/mom), take the top off of your front load dryer (unplug first) and vacuum out the lint and dust… and while you’re in the laundry room, try deep cleaning that washing machine 🙂

  153. Thanks for the tips. Give anything a try if it helps prevent lifes little annoyances! If you want to get rid of ants without killing them and just get them to move house..talcum powder! Ants hate the chalk bits of it and will avoid it. So brilliant if you find them moving into your plant pots or frog marching towards your house. Only down side, you’ll need to re apply after rain! Also mozzies don’t like lavender or vanilla. So a quick squirt of either before heading outside. A good deterant…believe me it works. Mozzies see me as a large banquet on legs…so out i whip the ole lavender oil and the little bleeders leave me alone…Brilliant! 😀 (excuse any spelling mistakes!)

  154. Here is another tip. Dryer sheets are unnessacary. Static is a result of over drying your colthes. You can dry your clothes faster and safer with dryer balls.

  155. I commented on a comment before so probably very few people saw this…

    You can make your own dryer balls out of aluminum foil. Tear off long enough sheets to squish into about a baseball size ball. Keep 3 or four in your dryer and your clothes (and towels!) will be fluffy.

    The balls will continue to compact and smooth out as they tumble. The more dense they become, the louder in the dryer; you can make new ones every so often but we’ve been using the same ones for almost a year.

  156. One question: why is there a picture of a boy in the dryer?????
    That has nothing to do with the tip being given and it’s like the worst thing a kid could do! Any ideas why such a picture would have ever been considered for this post??

  157. The cayenne pepper thing…. if the squirrels get it on their paws it can get into their eyes, and it’ll burn and the squirrels can actually claw their own eyes out – blind themselves trying to ‘rub away’ the irritation – PLEASE do not do this.

  158. Tried the newspaper to keep weeds away as I have read it in a few places. It does not work well at all. It helps some, but in my book, not enough to warrant the extra work. You will still be pulling weeds anyway.

  159. I put some corn meal out for the ants at my daughters house. I went back the next day & saw very few ants, I think they carry the meal back to the Queen & as the tip said that ants can’t digest meal so guess it kills the Queen, too. That does work! I will try the wet newspaper. Sounds interesting. Great tips. Thanks. 🙂

  160. can you please remove the troll and spam posts? The one making comments about leaving antifreeze out for pets, shame on this jerk!!!!!! Also, the tip about using cayene pepper, this can hurt ANY animal, DO NOT USE THIS!!

  161. The lint screen one is all about surface tension. If you wet the screen, the water will slip through the wet screen, the dry screen allows the water to stick to it. Still, it can’t hurt to give the screen a little scrub sometimes.

  162. I always used Grits (uncooked) for ant problems. they eat it dry, but then when they drink water it expands so much (more than 10x it’s size) it basically explodes the little guys…kinda harsh now that i think about it :S

  163. I’ve used the conditioner for shaving for years. It doesn’t take much and I get the cheap kind (less than $1). It is cheaper, works better, and softens the skin as you shave. I had a few bottles I didn’t like for my hair, so I started using it to shave…and have used it ever since.

  164. I love the idea for the ants, but I’m out of cornmeal – do you think masa flour would work? It’s just ground corn treated with lime, probably a finer texture than cornmeal, but I’m giving it a go this morning – we’ll see what happens! If they’re still there in a week – I go buy some plain old cornmeal.
    And as for the conditioner/shaving cream – most places have .99 stores where you can get either – just go there and get the biggest bottle. The shaving cream foams up, though, so size might be deceptive there.

  165. my father in law was an appliance repairman/ with Edison. he told me years ago never to use dryer sheets. i listened. my dryers have always outlived my washers…

  166. Regarding the cayenne pepper. You really shouldn’t need evidence that it hurts animals when it can be painful for humans…

  167. In reference to the cayenne pepper. Squirrels have a sense of smell that is off the charts, as with all animals. They don’t get close enough to it to hurt there nose/feet/eyes…. Human’s are the only “animals” that do that. If you’re going to post an opinion please make it an educated one. Smh…

  168. About the last one, with the dryer sheets. It’s best to use dryer balls. They dry your clothes about 10-20 minutes faster and you don’t have to worry about the build up. Any fabric softener has animal fat in it and it just collects on your clothes and on your machines. The dryer balls will save you much more money because they last for years.

  169. I'm with poster 235

    Posting a the picture ‘kid in dryer’ ruined my visit here (very poor judgement) – I hope you will reconsider using a more suitable image.

  170. Greetings from Colorado! I’m bored to death at work so I decided to browse your blog on my iphone during lunch break. I love the info you provide here and can’t wait to take a look when I get home.
    I’m shocked at how quick your blog loaded on my phone .. I’m not even using WIFI, just 3G .
    . Anyways, fantastic site!

  171. The pizza idea is pretty good.. but I have one better… Get a George Foreman style grill and grill the cold pizza on it… The cheese doesn’t stick to the grill like you would think it would and it is amazing tasting!!

  172. I have been using chalk and baking soda for years to stop ants! It’s true, ants will not cross a chalk line. I’ve spent hours watching them routinely go around a chalk line drawn in front of my door. Also, I keep baking soda for a number of needs in my home and I sprinkle it over ant hills. They carry it back down to eat and the next day they are all GONE! Easy and cheaper than cornmeal, although I may try cornmeal next year.

  173. I have been using the cider vinegar and dish soap routinely now since our grocery store insists on sending a new batch of flies home with the bananas every week. When they are really bad, I use two or even three glasses of the stuff. It needs changed at least once a week.

  174. I love the idea of using a chalkboard eraser to de-fog the car windows, must try. I’m with those who don’t use fabric softener, but I live in a humid place so static is rarely a problem. As far as people being offended or bothered by some of the images, I will tell you this from a recent homework assignment – it can be ridiculously difficult to find creative commons licensed images that allow for free use without attribution. Sometimes you just have to make do with the best you can find!

  175. Please don’t use the cayenne pepper treatment to discourage animals from your garbage or yard – if they get it in their eyes, which happens sometimes, they will scratch their eyes out! You don’t want to harm them, you just want them to stay away … so make your place as unappealing to them as possible. One trick for the garden I’ve heard works well is when planting bulbs, put in human hair in the hole. Squirrels apparently don’t like the way we smell. My hairdresser told me this – people come in and ask her for hair all the time! Worth a try and no one gets hurt.

  176. There is no reason to kill ants with cornmeal if you need them out of your house – sprinkle black pepper near their entry point/target points. They hate the smell and they will leave on their own.
    You can use smell to get rid of mice as well – just put peppermint oil on cottonballs around your house and they will move out on their own. I have done these both and they both work.

  177. Massage your large toe and/or your thumb when migraines come. There are nerve endings in them that need to be relaxed. Our daughter had severe ones. Medicines would not help. The deep tissue massage with (non scented lotion) relaxed her and the pain dissipated after about a 30 minute to hour massage.
    Also, we inspect homes and the outside dryer vents that go upwards are very dangerous at collecting the lint and this can cause fires. They NEED to be cleaned frequently. Thank you for all the tips! Some are new and I will use them! 🙂

  178. A way to get rid of fire ants is a package of grits. Sugar and starch are basically the same compounds but starches take longer to break down. (Your body turns starch into sugar. That is why breads are fattening.)

  179. I totally believe the dryer one . I don’t use dryer sheets and my dryer has out lasted my washer by many years !!!

  180. Squrrials are considered a rodent and are very destrucive. Try having a orchard and actually being able to pick any produce. Screw the cayanne. Pick up some squirrel poison and protect your crops…. They multiply each year and destroy gardens. Stop feeding them, they will move on, they were ment to live off the land, not your treats.

  181. I have something to add about this dryer mesh tip….

    I can see how everyone will be amazed and in awe of how the water does build up on the mesh when you try it. BUT have you thought of this… Your dryer is not pushing WATER through it, its pushing AIR through. If you didn’t know- air molecules are smaller than that of water yet alone a drop of water. This concept is very very similar to what you find in BREATHABLE water proof jackets and pants. The same concepts applies here> the water can’t get through but the air CAN. I am not saying cleaning it won’t help. Trust me i do it after every load! All i am saying is that just because you see water building up doesn’t mean its not letting air through. Cheers and happy new year!

  182. Using conditioner as a replacement for shaving cream is actually a major NO-NO if you have problems with razor bump… the alcohol that is in your conditioner is an irritant. I have sensitive skin so I learned this from my dermatologist 🙂

  183. The best way to keep the pesky weeds and crab grass out of your flower bed is to spray GrassBGone, its at Home Depot and it kills crab grass in 3 days and they don’t return. I love that stuff i use everywhere outside. It won’t hurt your flowers either just make sure its the grassbgone and NOT the weedbgone. Goodluck

  184. For the person asking about keeping squirrels out of your bird feeder, what my dad did was take some flashing (the shiny stuff contractors use on your house) and put it around the post that the bird feeder was attached to. It was too slippery for the squirrels to climb and they can’t get at the feeders now.

  185. I’ll add one resource that I found recently and thought it would be quite helpful. I noticed I (and my husband) spent way too long doing ‘research’ as we redid our home appliances and some electronics. Came across http://www.evolguide.com and was quite promising for a couple of things we bough (yes, a break maker too)!

  186. Loved all the “hints”. Will put these to good use. Another thought on the deviled eggs. If you have to travel somewhere and are to bring the deviled eggs, do as you said with the yolk part in a baggie, all mixed up; also put the white halves in a baggie and fill with water. This helps protect them during travel and they don’t break. Once there, pull out, snip corner off bag with egg insides, and voila! – no eggy cling wrap to mess with.

  187. Your tips are Awesome. Thank you. I’ve pinned them in Pinterest and hope others find them useful also. I have a request though. Please consider replacing the picture of the kid in the dryer. Kids crawling in dryers is just not a good image for anyone to see. Thanks for your post.

  188. info really great thanks now if someone can just tell me how to keep the free range chickens out of just parts of the garden that would be great I love the girls really I do but don’t want them in everything

  189. Vinegar works great as a fabric softener instead of using dryer sheets. You put it in with the clothes in the washing machine.

  190. Please avoid putting grease, vaseline, etc on the bird feeder poles to deter squirrels. If birds get it on themselves,they cannot preen and will die. I use squirrel bafflers on all my feeder. They can be expensive, so with a little ingenuity ,I make my own.
    I have used dryer balls for years in my dryer and this year purchased the washer balls. No more laundry detergent and I use only cold water. You only set the washer balls in the sun every three months to regenerate.

  191. We have tried the cornmeal to get rid of aunts inside and. outside of the home & it worked great! We were amazed!!!

  192. Foggy windscreen… Use the car air conditioning as it removes the moisture 100% of it. Have the temperature set mid to high with AC on…. It couldn’t be any simpler…
    AND… If you do not have air conditioning, you should not be on the road risking your and others lives…

  193. Miranda Paegelow

    great ideas! some of these i probably wouldn’t have thought of myself. about the squirrels and the cayenne pepper though, it seems that alot of squirrels are “immune” to it, so to speak! we once had problems with squirrels getting into our bird feeders and so we put cayenne pepper with the seed and it didn’t work, so my dad grew habeneros (which are 1,000 times hotter than halepenos), dehydrated them and ground them up to put in the feeders. hot pepppers have no effect on birds since they have no saliva and can’t taste what they eat.

  194. funny how they tell you to use dryer sheets for everthing but what they were designed for will eventually caust you money. funny how things work

  195. I’m new on here but I’ve seen several means of talc. Talc is related to asbestos, so I would advise staying away from it.

  196. Adding to the cayenne pepper tip. I mix cayenne pepper, dish soap and an egg white in a spray bottle and spray all my flowers and vegetables and it keeps all the animals away. Which comes in handy when you live in an area with a high population of wildlife (deer, rabbit, raccoon, squirrel, etc)

  197. Stephanie Lopez

    That last dryer tip is VERY real. My laundry room recently caught on fire & burned two of my rooms. Thank god we were home & were able to contain it before it spread further. Cleaning your screen is very important but if you stick your hand in that compartment further, you will pull out so much more lint. It’s important to clean that out too (not with soap & warer) or else it can cause the lint to heat up & spark a fire.

  198. I love the one about dryer sheets for mosquitos. I live in a big apartment building next to the river. I’m going to tell everybody about this. Thanks!

  199. Dryer sheet in your pocket for mosquitos.. not sure about that but I know they DO keep away yellow bees. My son didn’t believe me so he put one in his back pocket and went to find a bee. He squatted down with this thing dangling from his shorts pocket and peeked over his shoulder. He ran in to tell me the bee curled up on itself the closer he got. That was the last time my son came in the house crying over bees being around the swing set!

  200. You have a lot of options for sharing but not PINTEREST! I keep everything on pinterest. Please add a Pinterest or Pin-It Button to the blog site. Thanks so much!

  201. Regarding the boiled eggs, cut a out the corner of the plastic baggie and you can squeeze out the mixture onto the egg whites (no so wasteful afterall).

  202. Regarding squirrels getting into a bird feeder, if feasible, grease the pole that holds the feeder with vaseline. That worked for a friend of mine.

  203. When I was at highschool, and later, working, ooh about a thousand years ago… we learned to put hand lotion on our hands AND Legs so that our pantihose weren’t static either. We would also apply lotion to our hands and before it was all absorbed, we patted our slips to keep them non static.

  204. Rosemary Armesto

    Thank you so much for the dryer tip!!! All the posts were great but, the dryer tip imho, was the BEST. Thanks for sharing.

  205. I have an LG combo washer/dryer. I haven’t used fabric softener of any sort for almost 10 years. I hang my delicates to dry, but everything else that goes through the dryer come out soft and fluffy and no chemicals and NO static.

    My MIL gave me some panties that she had bought. She washes every clothing item when it comes in the house even while brand new. They reeked of fabric softener. After washing them at least 8 items now and hanging them to dry each time, they still smell of her fabric softener. To me this means way too much is being used whether as a liquid or a dyer sheet. Glad I don’t use them so I save money on fabric softener and we use less water with our machines. they were expensive, but in the long run very worth it!!!. We are on a well but it still takes electricity to pump the water.

  206. I’ve read all the tips and the comments. Oh how I wish everyone read the comments BEFORE commenting themselves. The same arguments, tips, suggestions, advice, questions, criticism and comments over and over. I’m glad I don’t own a blog! I’d pull my hair out!! You’d save yourself from looking like an idiot if you’d just read!!!

    1. Aww, TrulyAnnoyed, I think it’s great that people still want to share their thoughts with everyone on this post. The comments are long and not everyone has the time to read through all of them. I get it. 😀

  207. Seems to me the amount of time it would take to make the deviled egg filling smooth would totally negate the time it takes to wash a bowl. Also, seems like it’s just as easy to make a batch of frosting as whip up commercial, but then I hate the taste of the store bought frosting anyhow.

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