VEGETABLE OIL
#1. Egg preserver.
Store leftover egg yolks for up to four days in the refrigerator by placing them in a bowl and covering them with a film of flavorless vegetable oil.
#2. Splinter easer.
Soak the wounded area in vegetable oil for a few minutes before trying to remove the splinter.
#3. Defroster.
Prevent car doors from freezing up in bad weather - before the cold strikes, rub down the gaskets with vegetable oil.
#4. Conditioner.
Massage luke-warm vegetable oil into dry hair; cover with plastic wrap for 30 minutes, then shampoo and rinse thoroughly.
#5. Lubricant.
Give your shovel a heavy coating of the oil to keep snow from sticking and weighing it down.
#6. Skin smoother.
Massage a generous quanity of oil into your skin; after 15 minutes remove the excess with a paper towel and take a hot water bath. Be extra careful when you step out of the bath as this luxurious bath is also slippery.
#7. Cholesterol reducer.
Mix equal parts melted butter and polyunsaturated vegetable oil and refrigerate to make a healthier substitute spread.
VENETIAN BLINDS
#1. Room divider.
Hang a row of blinds from a board attached to the ceiling to set off a dining area or den in your living room.
#2. Carpet protector.
When painting a carpeted room, spread out a drop cloth and slide disassembled slats under the baseboard and over the edges of the cloth.
VINEGAR
#1. Pain reliever.
If ice doesn't seem to ease the discomfort of a sprain or strain within 24 hours, apply hot vinegar compresses.
#2. Hand deodorant.
Remove the smell of onions or fish from your hands by rinsing them with vinegar.
#3. Kettle cleaner.
Lime deposits in your tea kettle? Fill it with equal parts of vinegar and water let it come to a boil and let stand over night.
#4. Decal detacher.
Give decals an extra heavy dose of vinegar and let it soak in then peel off.
#5. Prespotter.
Rub a paste of vinegar and baking soda into collar grime. Saturate persperation stains with vinegar before laundrying.
#6. Brush softener.
Revive old paint brushes in a distilled white vinegar and water solution, then wash them in heavy-duty detergent.
#7. Ironing aid.
Remove mineral deposits from your old steam iron by filling it with a soution of equal parts white distilled vinegar and water and letting it steam until dry; rinse the tank with plain water, then refill it and shake the water out through the steam holes.
#8. Rust remover.
Soak a corroded bolt in a small container of vinegar for several days or until the rust begins to dissolve.
#9. Bath additive.
To relieve aching muscles or itching skin, pour 1 cup cider vinegar into a tub of warm water and soak in it for 15 minutes.
#10. Egg container.
To poach an egg without having the white spread out too far, add 1 Tablespoon vinegar to the water.
#11. Laundry rinse.
To brighten white clothes and get rid of the detergent residue, soak them in 1 gallon warm water with 1 cup white vinegar; follow with a clear water rinse.
#12. Hair treatment.
Make dark hair real shiny by rinsing it with a mixture of 2 cups water and 1 cup vinegar; follow with clear water.
#13. Crease setter.
Mix equal parts water and vinegar and apply to creases before pressing them in place. (Test first to see if the solution stains the material.
#14. Window washer.
Clean windows with 2 Tablespoons vinegar in 1 quart warm water. Wash from top to bottom on the inside and from side to side on the outside, so that you can tell where there are streaks.
VODKA
#1. Astringent.
Apply some with cotton balls to close your pores and give your face a fresh, clean feeling.
#2. Teething remedy.
Rub cold vodka on a teething baby's gums.
#3. Pipe cleaner.
Soak a pipe cleaner in vodka to clean and freshen the interior of a pipe stem. (Do not use it on the bowl or exterior of the pipe.)
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