Simple Solutions Number 4

As always, this column is dedicated to saving you time, money, and frustration with just a little extra effort on your part.

 

I had always liked the efficiency that an SOS or Brillo steel wool scrub pad brings to cleaning dirty, gunky aluminum and stainless-steel metal pots and pans, metal gardening tools, etc..  The product contains plenty of soap and its metal fibers work much better for cleaning off crusty food than plastic type scrubbers.

However, the mostly unused portion of the pad was often rusty when I went to use it again. So, I threw it away, irritated about its short shelf life.

#7 How to keep rust from forming on used SOS/Brillo pads

A few years ago, a wetter than normal used pad accidentally provided the solution for avoiding the rust buildup.  To avoid dripping water on other items below in my sink cabinet, I simply wrapped that wet pad in a paper towel before storing it.

When I went to retrieve it, a few days later, I was surprised to see that no rust had formed.   The Aha moment!  I realized that water + metal +air caused the oxidation (rust) to form. I have wrapped my metal scrub pads ever since, making sure to press out excess water first. The tight wrap of paper toweling keeps out the excess air that creates the formation of rust. I can often use the same pad 4 to 6 different times.

#8 Hair dryer to the rescue.

You’ll want a hand-held hair dryer even if you’re bald!

I say this because this beauty appliance will help with a myriad of household chores. Using the dryer will save you time, energy, and frustration as it makes the job to do easier.

If you don’t have one, thrift stores often carry them. It doesn’t need to be a fancy one, just one that blows hot air. Remember to plug it in and check it out before buying.

 

JOBS FOR HAIR DRYERS:

• Touch up painting but not sure you have the right color match

The original paints you used on the interior and exterior walls of your home may change over time due to air pollutants and the sun. So even if you stored some of the left-over paint for touch up, it may not match the current color on the walls. You often cannot tell until the paint dries.

The simple solution is to apply the paint on one small area.  Then use the hair dryer to blow dry the wet paint.  It takes just a couple of minutes to see if you have a color match.

If it doesn’t, cut out a small patch of the exiting wall paint and take it to the paint store for a color match.

• Easier way to remove stickers, decals, labels and shelf paper off about anything

Decals on windows and glass doors, kid’s stickers everywhere, and labels on packages, and shelf paper all need to be removed at times. The one thing they all have in common is an adhesive backing that makes the item stick to a surface.

The simple way to remove these items is to use your hairdryer.  Point the dryer a few inches above the item to be removed and apply the heat for a minute or two. This will loosen the adhesive backing and make it much easier to take off.

I have removed ancient, stuck on shelf paper by first pulling the areas that easily come up. I then apply the hairdryer heat on harder areas individually, pulling up as the adhesive softens. It is still a chore, but it truly shortens the time, is a lot less frustrating, and there is no gouging of the shelf underneath by trying to use a knife or scraper.

• Quick way to get rid of mirror fog and water spots

After a hot shower, the bathroom mirror is usually a foggy mess and unusable. See yourself clearly again by using your hairdryer’s heat to blow away the haze. Keep it far enough away from the mirror so that you do not overheat the mirror too much and break the mirror. Just the warm air alone will dry up the fog.

Water spots on the inside of glass vases, decanters, etc. easily vanish by blowing the hot air of a hair dryer into the small opening of the glass item you want to gleam.

As always, if you have a simple solution that you would like to share, please remit it to The Herald. We’ll get it included in my column. And of course, we’ll credit you with the idea. Thanks.