Problem Solvers - Some Bright Ideas!!

I have some solutions to some annoying household problems, coming up next.

1. Everyone runs into some little problems here and there. Well, I have some solutions that'll help.

2. If you need some targeted light while working in a dark area, attach a little clip on reading light to the visor of a baseball cap. The light will move with you and direct that beam just where you need it.

3. Cleaning the glass of a light fixture that can't be removed can be tricky. Well, once it's cool spritz some rubbing alcohol on a sponge tipped paintbrush. The brush will give you a longer reach and will easily clear the glass inside the fixture. These brushes also work great for reaching tight corners on windows and glass doors.

4. Vacuming and can't find the crevice tool. Well in a pinch, attach one end of a paper towel tube to your vacuum nozzle and flatten the other end. This will allow you to easily reach under your stone or refrigerator or cabinet.

5. Looking for a longer reach? Try a wrapping paper tube.

Easy Clean Ups

There are some messes that you just don't want to deal with. Here are some ways to make sure that clean-ups are easy for you!

1. Cooking can make a mess of your stove. If you spray your drip pans with some non-stick cooking spray before you start they will be a lot easier to clean up when you're finished. (Just make sure that you take the drip pans off and spray away from the stove).

2. Phones, switch plates and doorknobs get dirty and grimy on a regular basis. To clean them quick, just put a little rubbing alcohol on a soft cloth and wipe! It cleans and disinfects all of those areas in no time flat! For an even faster clean up keep some pre-moistened wipes on hand, they're ready to use whenever you need them!

Bathroom Clean Up

Let's face it, nobody likes to clean the bathroom, but it has to be done. Well, I have some quick and easy ideas to help you out!

1. First off, forget the eighty-five cleansers for your bathroom and save yourself time and money. Mix together two-thirds of a cup of white vinegar, a half a cup of rubbing alcohol and a tablespoon of dish soap into a spray bottle. This mixture will clean tubs, showers, sinks, toilets, windows and mirrors.

2. To prevent mildew from growing on your shower curtain, soak it in a strong saltwater solution in the bathtub for about a half an hour, and then hang it up. The salt will help to hinder mildew growth. Spray it every couple of weeks with salt water to keep it up!

3. If your bathroom is smelling a little less than fresh, forget the sprays and fresheners and check your laundry room. Dryer sheets are perfect, stick one in the wastebasket and another in the hamper and you'll have a fresh smelling room in no time.

Candle with Care

If you love candles as much as I do, you probably have them all over your house, but keeping those decorative candles looking great can be tricky. Here are some ideas.

1. If you have a candle holder with a spike, you've probably cracked a candle or two. An easy way to prevent that is to heat up a pointed nail. Hold it with some pliers over a flame for a minute or so. Then use the hot nail to push a pilot hole into the bottom of the candle. This way when you put the candle on the spike it is less likely to crack!

2. If you drop a candle and it breaks, try submerging it in hot water just long enough to soften up the wax. Push the pieces back together and use your finger to smooth out the seam. This will also help you straighten out candles that have become warped in the sun or the heat.

3. If your decorative candles are dusty, try wiping them off with a cloth dipped in some rubbing alcohol. It takes off dust and dirt so your candles look like new.

Cleaning Chrome

Your sink may be spotless but what can you do about the watermarks and fingerprints on your chrome faucets? I have a few easy ways that will help you capture the original luster that the chrome once had!

1. Rub the faucets with some baking soda on a dry cloth, the very light abrasive element in the baking soda will buff away any imperfections that you see.

2. Another way to polish chrome is to rub it with some newspaper, the ink will work as a polishing agent, you won't believe how good it will look when you're done and it is so inexpensive.

3. You can also try cleaning the faucets with a dryer sheet; it will absorb the water spots and restore the original brilliance of the chrome.

4. My personal favorite, rubbing alcohol on a soft cloth to clean the fixtures. It's inexpensive and the results are so incredible you may need shades!

Crafty Stains

Craft projects are fun and fulfilling but they can be messy, I have some tips for dealing with crafty messes at your house.

1. Acrylic paints yield great results unless you get them on your clothes: the key, act quickly! For acrylics on clothes, lay an old towel under the item and then dab the stain with a white cloth and cool water until no more color comes off. Treat any remaining stain with rubbing alcohol. Then launder in warm water. Remember don't toss it in the dryer until the stain is gone.

2. Glue guns are notorious for dripping. To prevent messes on your work surface, rest your gun on a metal tray or old cookie sheet when you're not using it. If you did get some glue on your work surface, use a hairdryer to reheat it and then peel it away, don't try to chip hardened glue off of a surface it will take the finish with it!

3. Like glitter, hate the mess? Apply adhesive to the item and then place it in a shallow cardboard box, like the ones that canned goods come in. Then apply your glitter in the box, this way excess will stay in the box and not on your work surface where it can be spilled and tracked all over. If you get glitter on a carpet or your clothing use a sticky lint roller to clean it up quick!

Beautiful Stains

Beauty products are a part of life, but they can also cause spills and stains, I have some tips to get rid of these "beautiful" stains. If you think hair dye stains are permanent, think again. If you act quickly you can get rid of them. Spritz liberally with hairspray and allow it to dry for a couple of minutes. Then rub the area with some shampoo and wash it in cold water. For make-up stains from foundation to mascara grab a bar of soap. Put the stain face down on an absorbent white cloth, an old diaper works great for this. Dampen the soap and rub it into the back side of the stain. This will push the make-up out of the fabric rather than sending deeper into the fibers. Move the stain to different parts of the diaper so it doesn't re-absorb them. Wash it in cool water. For greasy stains like lotions and baby oil, blot as much as you can with a cloth and sprinkle with some cornstarch. Let it sit for ten minutes, shake it out and dab with white vinegar to break up the grease. Then launder. For hairspray build-up on walls, floors and mirrors dip an old washcloth into some rubbing alcohol and wipe it away. Remember the two primary rules of stain removal: Always test for colorfastness in a hidden area first, and never put your item in the dryer until you're sure the stain is gone.