M/D HANDY HELPFUL HOUSEHOLD HINT

Make Your Ground Beef Flat Before Storing

Ground beef is excellent to have on hand for an easy dinner fix but it’s not always easy if you have to wait a while for the beef to thaw out. Eliminate this problem from the start by flattening your ground beef in a gallon-sized freezer bag before storing it.

Because it is already flat, the ground beef will thaw out faster when you need it. This will also save space in your freezer!

M/D HANDY HELPFUL HOUSEHOLD HINT

To remove the smell of smoke place bowls of white vinegar around the house to absorb the odor.

M/D HANDY HELPFUL HOUSEHOLD HINT

To slow the tarnishing process of silver, place a piece of chalk in your silver chest or drawer. The chalk will absorb moisture and your silver will not tarnish so quickly.

M/D HANDY HELPFUL HOUSEHOLD HINT

Wrap cheese chunks in aluminum foil and store in the fridge to keep your cheddar fresher for longer and to keep mold out.

M/D HANDY HELPFUL HOUSEHOLD HINT

If you place bay leaves in all your kitchen drawers and in the flour and sugar containers, you will keep any crawling critters away.

M/D HANDY HELPFUL HOUSEHOLD HINT

A great way to get your stainless steel sink to look brand new - after cleaning and drying the sink put some lemon oil or pledge on a paper towel and coat the entire surface of the sink. It will look brand new! Of course, once it is used again, the lemon oil will vanish and your sink will look the way it did before. But it is great if you are having company, and want a shiny sink. 

M/D HANDY HELPFUL HOUSEHOLD HINT

Pull bananas apart before displaying them in your fruit bowl. If you leave them connected at the stem, they’ll ripen faster and go brown quicker.

M/D HANDY HELPFUL HOUSEHOLD HINT

Before storing clothes that have been dry cleaned, remove them from the plastic bag, as the bag may cause clothes to yellow.                                                                

M/D HANDY HELPFUL HOUSEHOLD HINT

If the tip of your shoe lace becomes frayed snip off the frayed end. Then paint or dip the end of the shoe lace into clear nail polish and let it dry. Good as new!                                                                                              

M/D HANDY HELPFUL HOUSEHOLD HINT

To fancy up the top of a cake, cookies or pie, try placing a wide-patterned doily on top, then sprinkle powdered sugar over it and remove.

M/D HANDY HELPFUL HOUSEHOLD HINT

Freeze red and green maraschino cherries in ice cubes. You can also do this with cocktail onions, mint leaves or green olives for martinis.

M/D HANDY HELPFUL HOUSEHOLD HINT

Don’t mix cut daffodils in with other cut flowers as the daffodils produce a toxin that kills off the other flowers.

M/D HANDY HELPFUL HOUSEHOLD HINT

Use bread to pick up fragments of broken glass.

M/D HANDY HELPFUL HOUSEHOLD HINT

To ripen avocados quickly, place them in a wool sock and set in a dark place.

M/D HANDY HELPFUL HOUSEHOLD HINT

Raisins won’t stick to the food chopper of they are soaked in cold water for a short period of time.

M/D HANDY HELPFUL HOUSEHOLD HINT

If red wine is spilled on a carpet, it can be cleaned with shaving cream, then sponged off with water. Club soda also works.

M/D HANDY HELPFUL HOUSEHOLD HINT

To prevent soggy salads, place an inverted saucer in the bottom of the salad bowl. The excess liquid will drain off under the saucer and the salad stays fresh and crisp.

M/D HANDY HELPFUL HOUSEHOLD HINT

Dog chewing on couch cushions? Pour a bit of lemon juice on corners. Dogs do not like citrus.

M/D HANDY HELPFUL HOUSEHOLD HINT

Use a well-greased muffin tin to bake tomatoes, apples or peppers. They will keep their shape better.

M/D HANDY HELPFUL HOUSEHOLD HINT

To ripen a pineapple, cut off top, remove skin and slice. Place in a pot and cover with water, sweeten to taste, boil for 5 minutes, cool and refrigerate.