These super boring household items lead double lives you’re probably not even aware of. You’d never know judging by how little attention we give them, but these mundane items are way more useful than we give them credit for. Don’t believe us? Your salt shaker isn’t just a salt shaker. Oh, no.
Check out how these seven items have 20 alternative uses you need in your life RIGHT NOW!
Salt
Remove a wine stain: Blot (don’t rub) the spill to remove as much as possible, then cover the stain liberally with salt and let it sit for 10 minutes. Rinse with cold water, if possible, then repeat if necessary. If the spill is on a carpet, you can wait for the salt to dry and then vacuum it up.
Make drip-proof candles: Soak new candles in salt water for a few hours, then let them dry. They will burn drip-free.
Distilled White Vinegar
Revive wilted vegetables: Soak wilted greens or other vegetables in a bath of one tablespoon of white vinegar to two cups of water for 10 minutes.
Keep colors from running: Add one cup of white vinegar to the wash to help set the color of new towels or other items.
Prevent cheese from getting moldy: Dampen a paper towel in white vinegar and wrap it around hard cheese to prevent mold spores from forming.
Petroleum jelly
Keep car doors from freezing shut: Put a thin layer of petroleum jelly around the insulation of your car door, and you won’t have to worry about your car doors freezing shut when the next polar vortex hits.
Make an at-home mani/pedi look perfect: Use a cotton swab to outline your nails and nail polish won’t stick to your skin. Also, a thin layer of jelly around the tops of your nail polish bottles will keep them opening easily.
Keep ants out of the doggy bowl: Coat your dog’s food dish with a thin layer of jelly and ants will dine elsewhere.
Honey
Ease a hangover: Had a little too much to drink? Try a tablespoon of honey. (You can add it to herbal tea or hot water or drizzle it on toast, if you prefer not to eat it straight.) The fructose is thought to help speed up the metabolism of the alcohol, according to the Royal Society of Chemistry in the UK.
As a dressing for minor wounds: Honey is antimicrobial and antibacterial, which means the bad stuff can’t grow in it. You can use raw honey as an ointment on minor burns, cuts and scrapes. It also can banish blemishes for the same reason. Just be sure you cover the area with a bandage.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Use it to tame a rosacea flare-up: For some rosacea suffers, applying apple cider vinegar diluted with water as a toner can help soothe the redness and burning or itching of rosacea.
Condition your hair: Add a tablespoon of vinegar to a cup of warm water and rinse your hair with it after you shampoo. It will remove any soapy residue and leave your hair shiny and manageable! (Don’t do this if you color your hair, though, as it may interact with, or strip away, the dye.)
Remove fish scales more easily: When head home with the fresh catch of the day from Wholefoods, rub it with vinegar before you clean it. The scales will come off more easily, and your hands will smell less fishy, too.
Aspirin
Soften your feet: Remove calluses from your feet (or hands) with aspirin. Crush six to eight tablets and mix them with a teaspoon or two of lemon juice, and enough warm water to make a paste. Spread the paste on the calloused area, then wrap in a warm towel and cover with a plastic bag. Leave on for ten or fifteen minutes, then scrub with a pumice stone to remove the callous. (NOTE: Do not try this if you are diabetic or have impaired circulation.)
Make your plants healthier: A solution of one aspirin in a gallon of water can help plants that have been traumatized by moving or replanting to recover, and can help new plants to develop strong root systems. Or add a little mild, liquid soap to the aspirin water and spray it on plant leaves to discourage pests. (The soap will keep the solution from just rolling off the plant.)
Banish sweat stains: Crush three or four aspirin and dissolve in a bowl of water. Soak the stained area of the fabric in the solution for two to three hours. If the stain remains, repeat the procedure.
Olive Oil
Remove paint: Forget the harsh chemicals. To remove paint from your skin, just use olive oil and a little granulated sugar or salt. The paint will come off and your skin will be exfoliated and moisturized, too.
Take it outside: Olive oil can help you do your yard work. Spritz it onto lawn mower blades in the summer to help keep grass from sticking, and onto snow shovels in the winter so that snow will slide off the shovel more easily. You can use it on other garden tools like hoes and rakes, too.
Polish leather shoes: No need to use that nasty-smelling chemical stuff. A little olive oil and a soft cloth will keep your shoes looking great.
Get gum out of hair: Apply the olive oil to the gum and the surrounding hair; work it through gently and let it sit for a few minutes. Work a comb through the strands until the gum is gone, then wash with shampoo.
(Source: Huffington post)
The things you can find in your cabinets can be way more useful than you realize. Don’t throw away leftover salt or olive oil. You can always find a different use for them. Spread the wisdom by sharing this post.
