Whether it's creative uses for pantyhose, or getting rust off chrome car bumpers, Sybil's got the answer! Check out her tips on clothing, staying healthy, cleaning, cooking, and even caring for the family pets!

Denture Cleaner Uses

1. Clean jewelry

Here's what you do to polish diamonds. Drop one efferdent tablet in a glass of water (of course you want to remove the false teeth first). Don't want them smiling back at you. Then, immerse diamonds in solution for two minutes. When you take them out you'll have to put your sunglasses on because the sparkle will be so sensational.

2. Clean up stained coffee cups

Drop a denture cleansing tablet into a stained coffee cup and fill it up with very warm water, let the cup soak for 15 minutes then dump it out and rinse  it with tap water and that stain will be gone!

3. Remove mineral deposits from your tea kettle

If you have hard water in your house, then you know how fast mineral deposits can build up inside your teakettle. Place two tablets of efferdent in the teakettle and fill it up with warm water. Let it sit overnight undisturbed.

I know you'll have an overwhelming desire to talk to your tea kettle but resist the temptation and it shall flee. (i think that's biblical). When the morning comes, rinse your teakettle out with plenty of tap water and you'll finally be able to have a cup of tea that doesn't taste like a rusty nail.

4. Clean up hard-to-reach glass items

You know how small vases can get mineral deposits inside them? I'm going to make your life easier. Don't scrub it clean with a brush. Drop a couple of denture cleaning tablets in it, fill it up with warm water and the deposits will be gone!

5. Yellow fingernails

Here's how to whiten them:

Take two efferdent tablets and stick 'em in a bowl of water. Then, soak your fingernails in the cleaning solution for 5 minutes and voila! Your nails will be pure as the driven snow.

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Petroleum Jelly Uses

1. Your cat's hairball issue

Here's what I want you to do. Apply a dollop of Vaseline to your kitty's nose. The cat will lick off the jelly which will in turn soften up any hair in fluffy's stomach so that it can pass easily through the digestive system. It will be like the train going through grand central. And that hair ball will be gone!

2. Nail polish bottle

If you want to prevent nail polish caps from sticking, just put a thin coat of Vaseline on the outer edges of the cap. Then, you can open the bottle of nail polish every time you use it.

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Fabric Softner Uses

Get rid of ants

Lay a sheet of bounce near ants and it will chase them away. They'll be gone!

Smelly books

If you want to get rid of musty book smells, then slap a sheet of bounce in chapter 5.

Repels mosquitoes

Tie a sheet of bounty through a belt loop when you're outdoors during mosquito season. They won't be able to stand you.

Static electricity

Eliminate static electricity from your television by wiping a used sheet on the screen. It will keep dust from resetting

Soap scum - gone!

Wipe down soap scum from shower doors. It'll disappear!

Need an air freshner?

Freshen the air in your home by placing a sheet in a drawer or hang in the closet.

Lose threads

To prevent thread from tangling, run a threded needle through a sheet of bounce before beginning to sew.

Prevent musty suitcases

Place an individual sheet inside an empty luggage before storing.

Rainy day dog odor

Next time your puppy comes in from the rain, simply wipe him down  with bounce and scruffy will smell fresh as springtime.

Scrubbing dirty cooking pans

Put a sheet in the pan and fill with water. Then, let it sit overnight and sponge clean. The anti-static agent weakens the bond between the food and the pan while the fabric softener does the work and that baked on tuna casserole will be gone!

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Clothing

Fast fashion fixes:

• Overdo your perfume? Dampen a cotton ball with a little rubbing alcohol, dab it on the skin where you sprayed the fragrance. This will tone it down – without changing how it smells.
• Static cling? Rub the inside of your clothing with a fabric softener sheet to stop the electrical charge.
• Got a stain while you’re out? Grab the mini can of hair spray from your bag! The spray is mostly alcohol, which dries out and helps lift stains from most fabrics, vinyl and leather.
• The no-fuss way to outfox wrinkles. When your party dress is so creased that it looks like used tinfoil, set your dryer to the air/fluff cycle and pop in the dress, along with a damp towel, for 20 minutes.

Coke loosens grease stains from laundry – add a can of Coke and launder as usual.

Clever things you can do with pantyhose. Yes, pantyhose have many uses.

• Get a run in one of the legs? Cut off the bad leg. When you get a run in the opposite pair wear both together for one complete pair! Hold those bulges in with 2 pair – especially if they’re control tops!
• Like your closet to smell better – and I know you do! Stuff some cedar chips in leftover leg and tie it on a hangar. Smells good and keeps the moths away too. Got kids with sneakers? You’ll want several of these!
• Clothes have static cling -- sticking to your pantyhose? Hand lotion, rub it into your hands hike up your skirt and rub on the top of your pantyhose. This will IMMEDIATELY stop static cling. It’ll also stop traffic if you do it in public!
• Want your pantyhose to last longer? Put new ones (in the package) into the freezer overnight. They’ll last longer. Make sure they’re thawed BEFORE putting them on!
• Unsightly deodorant marks? Remove those white marks from your dark tops – rub with panty hose – works great!

To remove gum from clothing – place item in freezer for an hour or so. This hardens the gum enough to allow you to dislodge it. Any residue will flee the scene by soaking the area in white vinegar overnight.

A stain on a long sleeve shirt. . . can become no stain on a short-sleeved shirt, simply cover stain with a broach or paint a design over the stain with fabric paint.

Place fabric softener sheets in dresser drawers and your clothes will smell freshly washed for weeks to come. You can also do this with towels and linen.

Stain removal - Sometimes soaking garment in 1 part water softener and 8 parts cool water does the trick.

To remove gum from clothing – place item in freezer for an hour or so. This hardens the gum enough to allow you to dislodge it. Any residue will flee the scene by soaking the area in white vinegar overnight.

A stain on a long sleeve shirt. . . can become no stain on a short-sleeved shirt, simply cover stain with a broach or paint a design over the stain with fabric paint.

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Health

Mood Enhancers:

Brazil nuts erase anxiety

Nature’s top source of selenium, a mineral that helps soothe the central nervous system.

• The amount in 3 brazil nuts
• Triggers a dramatic decrease in anxiety
• Boosts confidence and energy
• Effective at revving the immune system
• Could cut your risk of lung and colorectal cancers by up to 49%

Hershey’s kisses help beat the blues

Chocolate is one of the most powerful mood boosters around.

• Chocolate contains chemicals which favorably affect brain messengers controlling mood. Uplifting feelings can last 2 hrs or more!
• Ounce for ounce chocolate mops up at least 3 times more artery damaging free radicals than broccoli and spinach do

Wheat germ turns off the anger switch

Zinc deficieny is one of the most common nutritional shortfalls among american adults.

• Low levels of this mineral can leave you feeling easily frustrated and irritable.
• Sprinkle 1/3 cup of toasted wheat germ on cereal or salad or stir into yogurt & smoothies
• 15mg of zinc daily could cut the length of your next nasty cold by 57%

Fish fights sadness

The more fish you eat, the less likely you are to ever suffer from chronic sadness.

• Rich in omega-3 fatty acids
• Boost your brain’s production of antidepressant hormones
• Easier weight loss
• Speeds the conversion of fat to energy

Can’t shake the blues?

• Switch to decaf or avoid sweets for 2 weeks and see if your sunny deposition returns.
• This step worked for 80% of chronically sad people.
• Caffeine & sugar dampen the production of serotonin for some people

Beat the tired-muscle blues

To revive shopping weary calf and thigh muscles

• Mix 1 part horseradish with 2 parts olive oil and apply to sore spots.
• Let sit for 15 minutes
• Wipe off with a washcloth
• Horseradish stimulates the flow of blood to the area

Drinking two glasses of Gatorade can relieve headache pain almost immediately- without the unpleasant side effects caused by traditional pain relievers.

Colgate toothpaste makes an excellent salve for burns.

Before you head to the drugstore for a high-priced inhaler filled with mysterious chemicals, try chewing on a couple of curiously strong Altoids peppermints. They'll clear up your stuffed nose.

Achy muscles from a bout of the flu? Mix 1 tablespoon of horseradish in 1/2 cup of olive oil. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes, then apply it as a massage oil, for instant relief for aching muscles.

Sore Throat? Just mix 1/4 cup of vinegar with 1/4 cup of honey and take 1 tablespoon six times a day. The vinegar kills the bacteria.

Eliminate puffiness under your eyes..... All you need is a dab of Preparation H, carefully rubbed into the skin, avoiding the eyes. The hemorrhoid ointment acts as a vasoconstrictor, relieving the swelling instantly.

Honey remedy for skin blemishes...... Cover the blemish with a dab of honey and place a Band-Aid over it. Honey kills the bacteria, keeps the skin sterile, and speeds healing. Works overnight.

Listerine therapy for toenail fungus.... Get rid of unsightly toenail fungus by soaking your toes in Listerine mouthwash. The powerful antiseptic leaves your toenails looking healthy again.

Smart splinter remover..... just pour a drop of Elmer’s glue all over the splinter, let dry, and peel the dried glue off the skin. The splinter sticks to the dried glue.

Hunt's tomato paste boil cure.... Cover the boil with Hunt's tomato paste as a compress. The acids from the tomatoes soothe the pain and bring the boil to a head.

Balm for broken blisters.....to disinfect a broken blister, dab on a few drops of Listerine.... a powerful antiseptic.

Heinz vinegar to heal bruises... Soak a cotton ball in white vinegar and apply it to the bruise for 1 hour. The vinegar reduces the blueness and speeds up the healing process.

Quaker Oats for fast pain relief.... It's not for breakfast anymore! Mix 2 cups of Quaker Oats and 1 cup of water in a bowl and warm in the microwave for 1 minute, cool slightly, and apply the mixture to your hands for soothing relief from arthritis pain.

Sore Throat? Mix ¼ cup of vinegar, ¼ cup of honey and ½ tsp cayenne pepper. Just take a tablespoon of this mixture 6 times a day – the vinegar kills the bacteria, the honey soothes the throat and the cayenne pepper restores your voice.

Cure urinary tract infections - Just dissolve 2 Alka-Seltzer tablets in a glass of water and drink it at the onset of the symptoms. Alka-Seltzer begins eliminating urinary tract infections almost instantly-even though the product was never been advertised for this use.

Itchy scratchy dandruff? Use a vinegar rinse.

To get rid of itch from mosquito bites – try applying soap on the area and you will experience instant relief.

Pam cooking spray dries nails in a jiffy.

Cool Whip conditions the hair in 15 minutes.

Mayonnaise will not only condition the hair, it will kill lice!

Sunburn? Empty a large jar of Nestea into your bath water.

Stinging insects? Make a paste of meat tenderizer, MSG and apply, or spray with WD-40 – kills the sting!

Chigger bites are different – apply a little Preparation H.

Athlete’s feet? Clean and pat dry then sprinkle with cornstarch, put it in your shoes as well.

Fungus on nails or toenails? Rub in Vicks Vaporub!

Paper cut? Try a little chapstick.

Need a facial? Put Elmer's Glue on your face, allow to dry and peel off. See the dead skin come with it!

Marines claim Avon skin-so-soft bath oil mixed about ½ & ½ with alcohol is the best repellent.

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Home

Whiter piano keys in a blink: Squeeze a bit of whitening toothpaste onto a dry washcloth and use it to gently polish the keys.  The dingy stains will vanish right before your eyes.

Banish mildew from shower doors!

Pour 1 1/2 Tbs. of liquid car wax onto a soft damp cloth and apply it to the glass doors.  Then buff in a circular motion, removing any excess wax as you go. The reason why this works is because the silicone and wax particles in the slick substance form a barrier that seals out mildew-causing moisture and prevents the grime from sticking.   Your doors will sparkle for months.

The spritz that keeps jack-o'-lanterns spiffy: Spritz the inside of the pumpkin with concentrated lemon juice.  The juice’s citric acid inhibits the fruit-softening oxidation that occurs when the flesh is exposed to air, plus the acidity prevents mold from forming.

Chop onions without weeping: Stick your onions in the freezer for 10 minutes.  When you chop an onion, it releases the bulb’s tear-triggering compounds, but cooling the onion beforehand slows this process down giving you time to finish the job before your eyes get red, swollen and irritated.

Dental Floss Uses:

• Serve pretty hors d’ oeuvres: Use clean, unflavored floss to slice soft cheese logs into beautiful perfectly shaped pieces
  
• For the kids: String fruit loops on floss to make colorful jewelry that the kids can eat!
• Never lose a button! Use dental floss to sew on buttons – it’s stronger than thread!
• Roast a beautiful turkey: No kitchen string? No problem! Use unflavored, unwaxed floss to truss your turkey or chicken
• Save your photographs! Got 2 photographs that are stuck together? Work a piece of dental floss between the 2 to separate them without damage!
  
• Fix an umbrella: If the fabric of your umbrella comes off one of its ribs, sew it back in place with waxed dental floss – it’s waterproof!
  
• Easier art projects: Use dental floss to cut a large chunk of clay into neat pieces. Works great with playdoh too!

Mildew-y walls? Wash them down with a solution of :

• 1 part bleach
• 5 parts water
• Use gloves and rinse well

• Let sit for an hour
• Brush off
• Then launder as usual

Smarter vacuuming: Vacuum your carpets on rainy days

• The humidity helps prevent the dust from rising into the air
• And falling onto the carpets again!

In-a-pinch carpet cleaner: Out of rug-cleaning foam? Not a problem!

Wine spill or light grease stain:

• Apply a dollop of shaving cream to area
• Let sit 5 minutes
• Scrap off the foam with a spatula
• Dab the spot with a wet cloth
• Vaccum as usual

Shaving cream contains glycerin a compound that dissolves stains to leave carpet spotless

Baby wipes: Give your kids or yourself a gypsy bath

• Bathe the dog – wipes his coat, eyes, paws
• Take off makeup – so don’t get mascara on your washcloth
• Wipe down bathroom sink
• Keep in your car for traveling

Freshen up your pillows - Throw them into dryer – air only with bounce dryer sheet. Gets rid of dust and smells fresh

To remove gum from fabric, hair, etc. - Put lighter fluid on cotton ball, rub gently, gum comes off easily. Careful not to set your hair on fire!

Remove old polish & dirt on furniture - Tannic acid in tea works. Use 2 teabags with a quart of water – boil. Cool to room temperature. Wring cloth to damp and wipe. Buff dry. (Good for wood floors)

Restore wood & grain & luster - Petroleum jelly – rub in with soft cloth.

Coca-Cola cure for rust... Forget those expensive rust removers. Just saturate an abrasive sponge with Coca-Cola and scrub the rust stain. The phosphoric acid in the coke is what gets the job done.

Cleaning liquid that doubles as bug killer.... If menacing bees, wasps, hornets, or yellow jackets get in your home and you can't find the insecticide, try a spray of Formula 409. Insects drop to the ground instantly.

Polish jewelry – drop 2 Alka-Seltzer tablets into a glass of water and immerse the jewelry for 2 minutes.

Clean a vase – to remove a stain from the bottom of a glass vase, fill with water and drop in 2 Alka-Seltzer tablets.

Unclog a drain – clear the sink drain by dropping in 3 Alka-Seltzer tablets followed by a cup of white vinegar. Wait a few minutes, then run hot water.

Non-stick cooking spray will remove grease and paint from your hands – so keep a can in the garage for your hubby – you don’t want him coming in and messing up your clean sink!

There’s a million things you can do with a Slinky – but a couple of my favorite uses are to hold CD’s or toast!

Stain removal - First, remove as much of the spill with a paper towel or spatula as soon as possible. Stains are much easier to remove before they get a chance to set.

Stain removal - It’s usually best to use a dabbing motion rather than a rubbing one. Use cold water on non-greasy stains. Hot water tends to set the stain.

Blood? For stubborn or old stains, soak in area in some hydrogen peroxide or club soda.

Chocolate – Remove any excess chocolate first – eating preferably – then immediately run some club soda through the fabric and rinse with mild detergent and cold water. If the stain persists, follow up with a mixture of 1 tbsp. Ammonia and 1 cup cold water. Dab the solution on the fabric working from the outside in. Rinse well and wash as usual.

Easy eyeglass protection.... To prevent the screws in eyeglasses from loosening, apply a small drop of Maybelline Crystal Clear nail polish to the threads of the screws before tightening them.

Candles will last a lot longer if placed in the freezer for at least 3 hours prior to burning.

Clean bathroom mirrors with Barbasol shaving cream to keep them from fogging up.

Got scratches on your CD? Rub on a little smooth peanut butter and wipe off with a coffee filter paper.

Potato removes food stains from your fingers – Just slice and rub raw potato on the stains and rinse with water.

Coca-Cola – Cleans toilet bowls – add a can of Coke, wait 1 hour and flush.

Coke removes rust from chrome car bumpers – rub with crinkled up aluminum foil dipped in Coke.

Coke cleans corrosion from car battery terminals.

Non-stick cooking spray – That bicycle chain sticking? Spray it with a little non-stick cooking spray.

Spray vinyl floors with glass cleaner before mopping. It loosens dirt and soaks into the grooves, making cleaning easier.

Got kids at home? Let them finger paint! Give them some plain yogurt and color it with Kool-Aid. It won’t hurt ‘em if they eat it!

Spray a bit of perfume on the light bulb in any room to create a lovely light scent in each room when the light is turned on.

To clean artificial flowers, pour some salt into a paper bag and add the flowers. Shake vigorously as the salt will absorb all the dust and dirt and leave your artificial flowers looking like new! Works like a charm!

Flies or bees bothering you? Spray them with hairspray and they will take a quick dive.

Sealed envelope - Put in the freezer for a few hours, then slide a knife under the flap. The envelope can then be resealed.

Use empty toilet paper roll to store appliance cords. It keeps them neat and you can write on the roll what appliance it belongs to.

Permanent marker on appliances/counter tops (like store receipt BLUE!) Rubbing alcohol on paper towel.

Mosquito repellent - Use fabric softener sheets– just wipe on & go. Tie one onto your belt loop. Great for babies.

Be sure you include Vitamin B-1 (Thiamine Hydrochloride 100 mg.) in your daily diet. It gives off an odor that repels mosquitoes, black flies and knats. Does not work on stinging insects.

An excellent repellent for being in the woods is, believe it or not, Vicks Vaporub.

Plant marigolds in the yard, flowers give off a smell that bugs don’t like, wards off insects without insecticide.

Paint cleanup – rub body parts liberally w/baby oil and rub with an old towel. Leaves your skin soft and smells better than paint remover! Safe for getting paint off kids and works with enamel and latex paint! Baby oil is to put a few drops in your tub to eliminate that nasty ring.

Dust small knickknacks with a dryer sheet. It’s designed to help eliminate static cling, it prevents dust from settling. Also good for maintaining TV screens and venetian blinds.

Cleaning microwave - combine ¼ cup of lemon juice with a cup of water. Boil in the microwave for 5 minutes. Let sit for a few more and wipe clean with a soft cloth.

Dingy sheers - add a couple of those handy denture cleaners to a tub of water, throw in the sheers, let set overnight, rinse thoroughly in the morning.

Keep baby wipes in bathroom to regularly wipe out sink and toilet - disposes easily and keeps everything clean.

To keep track of your credit cards - lay them out and photocopy them. All the information is on one sheet.

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Kitchen

Baking Tips:

Baked bacon! For perfect bacon that never curls

• Place the strips in a single layer in a large baking pan
• Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes
• Another plus you don’t have to turn them

• Simmer a sliced lemon in a small pot of water to fill your house with freshness

Squash in a snap!

• Buy a handsaw, wash it well, keep it in the kitchen to cut hard vegetables like winter squash or pumpkin – watermelon too!

Effortless cheese-grating

Place a block of cheese in the freezer for 20 minutes before grating.

• Cold cheese maintains its firmness

Perky asparagus To revive droopy stalks:

• Trim ¼” off the bottoms
• Immerse in a large drinking glass filled with 2” of ice water
• Cover tops of asparagus with a plastic bag
• Chill in fridge for 2 hrs

Got bugs in your flour? Put a stick of spearmint gum into the canister. Keeps out bugs!

Making soup? Don’t peel that onion. Put the whole thing in the pot. Its sweeter and Yellow onions have Quercitin.

Faster whipping cream? Use a couple drops of lemon juice, whips quicker!

Cooking up pot of soup – greasy? Drop in a piece of lettuce. It will absorb excess grease. When done, remove it.

Brown sugar stays soft if frozen.

Spray your plasticware with non-stick cooking spray before pouring in tomato based sauces and there won’t be any stains.

To easily remove burnt on food from your skillet, simply add a drop or 2 of dish soap and enough water to cover bottom of pan and bring to a boil on the stovetop.

Potatoes – If you accidentally over-salt a dish while it is still cooking, drop in a peeled potato. It absorbs the excess salt for an instant fix.

To keep potatoes from budding – place an apple in the bag with the potatoes.

Rusted baking tin – sprinkle powdered detergent on it and scour with the cut face of a raw potato.

Sweeten fridge – place a dish of ground coffee in the back of fridge or freezer to get rid of old odors, neutralize new ones.

When moving, tie coffee in a sock and toss into any fridge or freezer cavity that won’t be used for awhile. Starbucks smells better than mold any day!

Crisper crispers – Line drawers of fridge with paper towels to absorb moisture, keep fruits and veggies fresher – makes cleanup easier too!

Stuff a miniature marshmallow in the bottom of a sugar cone to prevent ice cream drips.

Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator and it will keep for weeks.

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Pets

Fleas? Dawn dishwashing liquid does the trick. Add a few drops to your dog's bath and shampoo the animal thoroughly. Rinse well to avoid skin irritations. Goodbye fleas.

Rainy day cure for dog odor.... Next time your dog comes in from the rain, simply wipe down the animal with Bounce or any dryer sheet, instantly making your dog smell springtime fresh.

Eliminate ear mites.... All it takes is a few drops of Wesson corn oil in your cat's ear. Massage it in then clean with a cottonball. Repeat daily for 3 days. The oil soothes the cat's skin, smothers the mites, and accelerates healing.

Vaseline cure for hairballs..... To prevent troublesome hairballs, apply a dollop of Vaseline petroleum jelly to your cat's nose. The cat will lick off the jelly, lubricating any hair in its stomach so it can pass easily through the digestive system. (My three cats take it willingly)

Pet Hair: Brush or comb your pet on a daily basis – they may struggle at first, but will come to love it.

Pet Hair: Vacuum your pet instead of the floor! Start with a small attachment – don’t want to scare him.

Pet Hair: Pet hair comes up easier if you spray furniture with static guard before vacuuming.

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