You are about to be amazed by the many different uses for the most common household "bathroom" items. Your medicine chest can be a toolbox to make some of the simplest household projects an absolute breeze, without running to the store for some special product or requirement.
Alka-Seltzer or the like:
• Have stains in the bottom of a vase? Just put in water to the level of the stain and add a tablet or two. Let it sit for five minutes or so and then wipe it out and rinse. It works as well as CLR and costs a lot less.
• Got an itchy bug bite? Just dissolve two tablets in a glass of water and then dab the bug bites with a bit of soaked cotton or a q-tip. It soothes the sting.
• Does your toilet need cleaning? Toss in 2-tablets and then wait about 20-minutes and brush and flush.
• Have a bit of fun with the kids. Head outside. Fill a 35-mm film canister (if you can still find one) about 1/3 full with water. Drop in a tablet and then replace the lid and quickly flip the canister over on its top. Stand back a safe distance and in 5 to 10 seconds the gas pressure that builds up will pop the lid and shoot the canister into the air. If you can't find a film canister, then you might try it with one of those small Tupperware Midget containers. If the lid is really snug, you may need two tablets.
Dental Floss:
• Hang a lightweight picture. If you have a painting or other artwork that is not in a heavy frame with glass, or even 8X10 framed photographs, you can use dental floss instead of picture wire. It is much more flexible and easy to use.
• Don't have a rubber band or hair tie handy? Use dental floss.
• Have you got photographs stuck together or stuck to an album page? Use waxed dental floss to slide between the photo and the page or between two photos in order to separate them without damaging the picture(s).
• Slice any soft layer cake (even cheesecake) with unwaxed and unflavored dental floss. It works much better than a knife.
• Did you break a strand of beads? Use dental floss as a quick fix; its sturdy enough to last the evening if need be.
• Take a step back in time during the holidays and use dental floss to string popcorn and cranberries for garland for your Christmas tree or to wrap your stairway railings. The kids will love doing it and dental floss is much stronger than thread. Just thread it through a needle just like thread.
Baby Oil:
• Got a ring stuck on your finger? Baby oil is much more effective than soap and won't dry your skin.
• Remove latex paint from your skin, or that of your children. Just use a cotton ball and generous amounts of baby oil to "scrub" the paint off. It is not as irritating as a wash cloth or another type of paint-removal product.
• Necklaces in knots? Just use a dab of baby oil on the tangled knot and then use a straight pin or needle to gently pull the tangle apart. A dab of patience is needed also. ïŠ
• Avoid the "ouch" of pulling the band-aid off. Simply rub baby oil over and around the adhesive parts of a band-aid and then pull gently.
Cotton Swabs:
• Clean the vents in your car. Use some alcohol or vinegar on the end of a q-tip and rub away all the dust, dirt and grime. Keep rubbing until a fresh cotton tip is dirt-free. You can also get into those tight corners on your console, around your gauges and on your dashboard.
• Going formal? Rub a couple of q-tips in concealer and eye shadow and put them in a small plastic bag in the bottom of your clutch purse. Lightweight, just pull them out to touch up your face without stuffing your purse with your heavy, overstuffed make up kit.
• Cell phone not staying charged? Use q-tips dipped in alcohol to clean the battery contacts on any of your electronic devices. Maintaining the battery connections means your device will stay charged longer.
• Use it as a paintbrush. If you have touch-up to do on cabinets or furniture, use a swab and your favorite scratch concealer. You can also touch up paint on walls and cabinets and apply wood stain or paint to elaborate carvings on frames or other woodwork. They work great for applying glue in small spots too.
• Deep clean your silver. Use a swab with your silver polish or cleaner to get into all the crevices and scroll-work on your flatware, coffee and tea services or platters and serving dishes. They won't scratch and the cushiony tip goes where fingernails and rags won't.
Based on the uses above, I'm sure that you will find many more for these medicine cabinet products. Instead of running to the store, look first in your own bathroom.
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