SALT
#1. Stain remover.
Combined with lemon juice, salt removes fruit stains from your hands.
#2. Flower cleaner.
Clean artificial flowers by shaking them in a large paper bag with 1/2 cup salt.
#3. Dripproofer.
To prevent wax from dripping onto the candlestick or the table, soak candles in salt water. Use 2 Tbsp. salt for each candle and just enugh water to cover.
#4. Suds controller.
If detergent is overflowing the washer, sprinkle salt on the excess suds to contain them.
#5. Spill container.
Cover fresh oven spills with salt, let it stand for 15 to 20 minutes, and wipe up.
#6. Herbicide.
Kill poison ivy by spraying it with salt water.
SEEDS
#1. Artwork.
On heavy paper, :paint" your design with white glue, then drop seeds onto the glue and let dry. Use different types of seeds for color and texture.
#2. Jewelry.
String fresh seeds with monofilament and a heavy-duty needle; let dry.
#3. Snack.
Coat fresh sunflower, melon, squash, or pumpkin seeds with oil, spread in a shallow pan, season, and bake in a 200 degree oven for an hor or until they're dry.
SHAMPOO
#1. Shaving cream.
In a pinch, apply a small amount of shampoo to your wet skin and work up a lather.
#2. Detergent.
If you've run out of a gentle soap for hand-washables, use shampoo instead.
SHAVING CREAM
#1. Lubricant.
Spray both sides of the joint of a squeaky hinge with foamy shaving cream.
#2. Upholstery cleaner.
Rub a fresh stain on upholstered furniture with shaving cream, wipe with a damp cloth, then dry. (Test first in an inconspicuous corner.)
#3. Defogger.
To prevent your bathroom mirror from fogging up during cold weather, spread a little shaving cream on the mirror and wipe it off with a tissue.
SHEET MUSIC
#1. Lampshade
Attach sheet music to an old lampshade
, then brush with linseed oil and let dry thoroughly before turning on the light. (Be sure to use a low wattage bulb.)
#2. Wrapping paper
Wrap up a music lover's birthday gift with sheet music.
#3. Book cover.
If you've lost the jacket to a book, cover it with sheet music.
#4. Wallpaper.
Paper a small room with sheet music, using mildew resistant wallpaper paste.
SILLY PUTTY
#1. Exercise equipment
Knead it to strengthen your hands and forearms.
#2. Caulking.
Use it to temporarily plug cracks around windows.
#3.
Tranquilizer
Play with it to calm your nerves-especially useful when you've just given up smoking.
#4. All-purpose cleaner.
Remove lint from clothes, erase pencil marks, and clean computer keys.
STEEL WOOL
#1. Pest control.
Plug small cracks and holes to keep out rats and mice.
#2. Screw tightener.
Wind strands of steel wool around the threads of a screw before you reinsert it into the old hole.
#3. Sneaker cleaner.
A soapy steel wool pad and a little elbow grease will make those dirty sneakers presentable again.
#4.
Clog preventer.
When washing a dog in the tub or shower, put a ball of steel wool in the drain to catch the hairs.
STUFFED ANIMALS
#1. Draft resister.
In the winter line them up along the bottoms of windows and doors for decorative insulation.
#2. Safe.
Cut open the underside, remove a small amount of stuffing, and insert small valuables.
#3. Hand puppet.
Open the bottom and remove all the stuffing so that your thumb and fingers can reach the head and limbs; rim the opening with elastic.
Bookend.
Split the back or underside of a pair of stuffed animals; remove some of the stuffing and fill with marbles or lead sinkers. Sew up the slit and glue a piece of old rubber glove to the bottom to prevent the animals from slipping.
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