Clever Ways to Use Household Items

I recently stumbled upon a friend's Instagram post with an amazing "life hack". There were three photos in a collage: 1. A mahogany table with a white water stain on top of it, 2. The table with Mayo rubbed in, and 3. The beautiful table was stain free.

It sparked my curiosity and I began to do some research into clever ways we can use ordinary things around the home to fix some of the peskiest everyday problems. Below are a few of my favorite clever tricks:

Odor

1. If your sponges are getting an awful smell, don't toss them out. Soak them in a water with white vinegar or lemon juice and put in microwave for one minute. The sponges comes out deodorized. (But be sure to not grab them right away as they will be hot.
2. Boil orange peels and cloves to get rid of unpleasant smells in the kitchen.
3. A sprig of eucalyptus on your shower head will fill the bathroom with fragrance.

Kitchen

1. Ketchup removes tarnish from copper pans. Just slather the pan with ketchup and leave for about 30 minutes — enough time for the acid to break down the tarnish. Rinse and clean with a soft cloth and you're done.
2. Throw a half teaspoon of baking soda to the water when you are boiling eggs. It will make the shell come off in a snap.
3. Kosher salt and a lemon will clean a wooden chopping board with ease. Rinse with clean water and let dry.

Other Areas of the Home

1. If you have a broken light bulb, cut a potato in half and use it to remove the broken bulb.
2. Walnuts are an inexpensive and quick fix to a ding in wooden furniture. All you have to do is rub the walnut on the damaged area and watch as it begins to darken.
3. A few drops of vodka and a teaspoon of sugar to make cut flowers last longer. 

Outdoor

1. If oxygen is blocked from getting into a bite itching stops, use scotch tape or nail polish to relieve most insect bites.
2. Hollow out the inside of a cork to make planters for small plants.
3. Turn old slinky into a bird feeder. 

Other Clever Uses

1. Mix vinegar with one quart of water to make your dog's coat shine.
2. To get rid of puffy eyes, toss a pair of metal spoons in the freezer the night before and apply it to your puffy eyes in the morning.
3. To get rid of the stickiness from your iron, remove the gunk spots by sprinkling salt on a piece of brown paper, then run the hot iron over it, and repeat if necessary. 

Who knew all of these items, which we can find in our home at any given time, had such efficient uses that are out of the norm? These are just a few of my favorites, but you can find many more online. One of my favorite websites for these kinds of tips and tricks is Wacky Uses. There are literally hundreds of different little known uses for well-known products a click away, check them out.