Frugal Home Design's Quick Tips
Frugal Home Design Tip #9: Coffee Grinder Gummed Up?
by Sue Krippner on 03/25/10
I don't know about you, but we use our coffee grinder every morning which really gets it gummed up around the blades and the sides with compressed coffee ground left overs.
I discovered a cool way to clean out the packed in grinds by tossing in about 1/2 cup of clean white rice and then grinding away, just like the coffee beans. The rice scraps and loosens up the grinds making them easy to toss out with the mulched rice.
For severe packed in coffee...you will need to do this more than once to get the grinder clean. No worries, rice is cheaper than coffee.
And, now as a bonus I have some fun uses for all that coffee paraphanaila we have.
Coffee Filters: Fill a filter with baking soda and tie at the top with string or rubber band and put in fridge. You don't need to put the entire box of soda in the fridge, just 1/2 cup in a filter will last for a month to wipe out those odors.
Serve your next pic-nic hotdog and bun wrapped in a round coffee filter. Cheaper than paper plates and make a nice sanitary hot dog to hand server.
Use a filter as a party favor. Place some candy or small memory in the center of the round filter. Tie it closed with colorful ribbon, add some stickers or dab with glitter and they are ready to go.
Frugal Home Design Tip #8: Dishwasher Spots
by Sue Krippner on 03/25/10
I can't believe how expensive those extra dishwasher spot remover products are, especially when I know this money saving spot removing secret.
Just add about 2 tablespoons of vinegar to your dish washing detergent and your spot problems will be over.
Frugal Home Design Tip #7: Be Shredder Happy
by Sue Krippner on 03/25/10
Are you finding that your paper shredder is sluggish and just not cutting properly. Before running out to buy a new shredder, try sharpening the blades first by running heavy duty foil through it a few times first. It's acts like a knife sharpener on the blades.
Here are some other great uses for that office shredder paper:
- Makes great Easter Egg Grass
- Stuffing for Pillows and Stuffed Animals
- Bird Cage Nesting Material
- Paper Mache Pulp
I'd love for you to add some more!
Frugal Home Design Tip #6: Newspaper is the Better Choice
by Sue Krippner on 03/25/10
Save those paper towels because newspaper always give you the better results when using it to clean glass. Why? Paper towels and any cloth towel will leave streaks and dust residue. That just doesn't happen with newspaper wipes.
Frugal Home Design Tip #5: How to Remove Crayon on Walls & Wallpaper
by Sue Krippner on 03/25/10
Don't dismay if you discover little artist crayon drawings on your wall paper. Simply heat the crayon art directly with a hair dryer. It will soften, (crayon is really just colored wax). Once it has softened you gently wipe it off.
Now for general wall art, just a little dab of toothpaste will do ya. Again, gently rub a small dab of toothpaste directly onto the crayon. As you rub the toothpaste is doing its work. Wipe off the now colored toothpaste and behold - Crayon no more!
When I was a girl, I used to crawl underneath the coffee table and draw pictures on the bottom...there are still there 45 years later! Since the crayon was underneath the table, there was no cause for alarm, but if you find crayon on the top of your end or coffee table then here is another great removing tip:
Rub maynnaise on the mark. Rub gently and it wipe it off. Now I know why it's called Miracle Mayonnaise!
Frugal Home Design Tip #4: Yogurt and Piano Keys
by Sue Krippner on 03/25/10
You have a lovely piano but just like yellowed teeth, the keys have become yellowed and unsightly. Here is a wonderful way to clean those Ivories with you guessed it - yogurt!
Don't use anything other than plain yogurt though or there may be even more stain then you bargained for.
Wipe a thin layer of yogurt on the keys with a clean rag. Then wipe it off with another clean rag. You'll be truly amazed at what a difference this easy treatment makes.
Frugal Home Design Tip #3: Stickers & Mayonnaise
by Sue Krippner on 03/25/10
One of the most annoying aspects of buying frames is the price sticker being stuck to the front of the frame on the glass. It almost always leave a gooey residue after pulling the sticker off...NO More because...
Here's the mayonnaise solution! Here's what you do
1.Remove as much of the sticker as you can by scrapping or peeling.
2. Place a nice blob of mayonnaise on the remaining residue.
3. Leave it on for a few minutes to allow it to soak in.
4. Wipe off mayo then wash with glass cleaner and the goo is gone!
Frugal Home Design Tip #2: Polish Brass With Ketchup
by Sue Krippner on 03/18/10
When I first told my husband about this trick...he came running up the stairs with a huge grin..."Honey, wow this really does work" He says, as he's swinging the pot in the air.
So, go ahead and try it yourself.Ketchup works great to polish brass candlesticks, doorknobs and cabinet pulls. Simply rub it on, wipe it off, then buff with a soft dish cloth. Shiny as new - it's too cool!
Frugal Home Design Tip #1: Spots in Vases
by Sue Krippner on 03/18/10
It's not my intention to let fresh cut flowers dry out in the vase, but sometimes it's just too busy around here. The worst part of this neglect is the residual, hard to reach white cloudy residue, that's left on the inside of the vase.
It's hard to reach in and wash the inside of the vase well enough to get that chalky stuff off. What to do? Here's a trick you will really appreciate -Throw in a denture tablet with warm water. When the bubbling stops, rinse well. The vase will be crystal clear again.
