Tricia's Tuesday Tips
Every Tuesday (unless we're busy making our clients' dream a reality) we post #TriciasTuesdayTips on Facebook. If you remember seeing one that you liked but can't recall all the information, you can find my collection here!
Put a banana peel in a mason jar of water for a day or two then pour only the water at the base of each tomato (or other) plant. The potassium helps new blossoms pop up & the plants get taller! ๐
Clear up some counter space & add a little dรฉcor by turning hanging planter baskets into hanging produce baskets! Having them on the wall may even remind you to eat them before they go bad!
Repurpose your wine corks by turning them into bag clips for all of your goodies!
Want to get rid of fruit flies? All you need to do is put a little bit of apple cider vinegar in a small container, along with a drop of dish soap. Mix well. Set the mixture near a problem area and the flies will be drawn right to it.
Letting your kids jump on the bed every now & then isn't all bad. ๐ The movement causes dust particles to loosen & rise to the surface, allowing for easy vacuuming!
A clean bathroom is one thing, but a clean SMELLING bathroom is a whole other story. With this trick, you can have both! All you need is about a half cup of your favorite scented cleaner in your toilet's tank. If you want the fresh scent to last longer, soak a sponge with fabric softener & set it in the tank. ๐๐ฐ๐ถ๐ณ๐ค๐ฆ: ๐๐ณ๐ถ๐จ๐ข๐ญ ๐๐ญ๐ฐ๐ด๐ด๐ฐ๐ฎ
You've just finished vacuuming your car, wiping the dashboard, & cleaning everything sticky out of your cupholders, but you're left with those super dusty vents. Now what?? Take a small, foam paintbrush and easily get in between each slot!
Sick of searching through your refrigerator for that one Tupperware you need? Put a Lazy Susan on the shelf & find what you're looking for quickly & without knocking things in the way!
If you spill candle wax on a piece of furniture, don't risk ruining it by trying to scrape it off. Instead, fill a plastic bag with ice cubes, set in on the wax, & let it sit for a few minutes. Once the wax has cooled and hardened, you can pick it up easily without ruining your furniture!
If you're dealing with a darker-than-ideal kitchen, you can use some adhesive LED lights to brighten things up! Just stick them to the bottom side of your cabinets & VOILA! Source: ๐ต๐๐ ๐ก ๐ฟ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐
"Garage floors are puddle prone: springtime floods, melting ice from tires, you name it! You can keep that water away from your tools and toys with a dam made of expanding foam. It sticks, it's waterproof, and you can walk or drive over it without damaging it. And come summer, it'll scrape right off." ๐ด๐ฐ๐ถ๐ณ๐ค๐ฆ: ๐๐ข๐ฎ๐ช๐ญ๐บ ๐๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ๐บ๐ฎ๐ข๐ฏ
If you've begun planning your Senior's open house or other outdoor dining event, remember that you can defy the wind by covering your tables with fitted sheets!
Easily dust your lamp shade with a lint roller!
Does your home have a dusty odor when you're done vacuuming? Next time, suck up a handful of ground cinnamon in the hose before starting and experience a more enjoyable smell!
Find yourself repeating the WiFi password for guests all the time? Here's a cute idea from #EnchantedPrints!
If you have a minor hole in your screen but don't want to replace the whole thing, simply add a swipe of clear nail polish & it'll be good as new as soon as it dries!
How to preserve your Cast Iron Skillet: 1.) Clean with soap & water. (Be sure it's completely dry) 2.) Rub pan with a TBSP of canola oil, using a paper towel. 3. Put pan in the oven upside down for 1 hour at the highest temperature your oven will go.
Clean burnt pans without scrubbing or soaking overnight! Just boil a few cut lemons for a couple minutes, let cool, and wipe clean!
Since nobody has just one thing plugged into their surge protectors, let's make identifying each one easier! Wrap a strip of tape around each cord, creating a small tail. Label each one with a permanent marker & Voila!
To quickly clean the greasy gunk from the corners of your kitchen cabinets, all you have to do is mix a little vegetable oil with baking soda and lightly scrub with an old toothbrush. Wipe dry with a towel & your cabinets are good as new!
Get your baking sheets looking like new by simply sprinkling baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, & one more layer of baking soda. Let the paste sit for a couple hours, and lightly scrub off to reveal your like-new pan!
๐๐ข๐ ๐๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐ง๐จ๐ฐ?? The tag in your fitted sheet is always supposed to go in the bottom right corner of the bed. No more guessing & rotating!
Minimize clean-up by putting a rubber band around your paint can to wipe excess paint off the brush. No more getting the lid stuck on with dried paint or wiping drips off the side!
Use a pool noodle to prevent creases in your dress pants! Cut the noodle to size then slice it open lengthwise. Slip the noodle onto the bottom bar of the hanger & there's no need to iron out again!
Get your garage organized by repurposing a filing cabinet. Simply tip it on it's back, pull out the drawers, paint it if you want, & VOILA!
To remove your popcorn ceiling, take a 6โณ inch spackle knife and attach to the end of your shop vac using duct tape creating a new extension. *Have your ceiling tested before removing yourself! Asbestos is commonly found lingering in popcorn ceilings.
Forget the iron & grab 2 - 3 ice cubes to get wrinkles out of a a couple shirts or pairs of slacks. Throw it all in the dryer on high for 10 minutes. The ice melts and turns to steam! *This works best with lighter fabrics.
Need to get rid of those annoying water-stain smudges, quickly? Just rub 'em with a new OR used dryer sheets!
Do you have a small bathroom and/or little closet space? Save room & add dรฉcor by hanging your towels in a couple cute baskets!
Whether you're looking to save time, money, or both, spraying shaving cream on your glass shower & leaving it for just a few minutes will allow for effortless cleaning.
๐ฟ๐๐ง๐ฉ๐ฎ ๐พ๐๐ง๐ฅ๐๐ฉ๐จ? Clean 'em up while you're home! 1 teaspoon dish washing liquid 1 tablespoon white vinegar 1 cup warm water 1 teaspoon baking soda *Mix together in a small spray bottle, saturate stains, let sit, scrub with a clean sponge, & blot excess liquid with a towel.
๐ข๐ฌ๐พ๐ฏ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ฆ๐ช๐ต๐ต? Our entryways, among other areas in the home, can get pretty scuffed up. Skip the extra work of repainting all too often & simply rub out scuffs with a clean tennis ball!
It's well-known that many name brand cleaning products are not the healthiest or safest to use, but green & safe products are so expensive! Well, here is a super simple recipe for safe all-purpose cleaner: โข 2 cups white distilled vinegar โข 2 cups water โข 20-30 or more drops of essential oil (masks the vinegar smell)
If you don't have or can't use synthetic aromas to freshen your home, put some cinnamon sticks and citrus in your slow cooker with a small amount of water, turn it on, & leave the top off. The natural aroma will fill the whole house; just remember to replenish the water!
Broken Glass?? Don't pick it up by hand again! Dab the smaller shards with a slice of white bread & you'll pick of every tiny sliver!
๐ฃ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐บ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ฟ Remove it from the surface of just about anything with TOOTHPASTE!
Love to save jars but hate the sticky residue left behind by the label? Just poor a small amount of cooking oil on a rag and rub. It'll come right off!
To freshen your home, just put a few drops of high-quality essential oils on your air filter! Theyโre free from chemicals and unnatural fillers. -Lemon, lavender, and clove are just a few favorites!
Save money on your water bill! If you have a large toilet, place a couple bricks or similar objects in the tank, as to disperse some of the water needed to fill it.
When you're getting ready to clean, do you simply buy containers and fill them? Studies show that it's always best to go through your clutter FIRST and get rid of anything that you no longer need, THEN organize the remains into bins or other storage items.
To freshen your home, just put a few drops of high-quality essential oils on your air filter! Theyโre free from chemicals and unnatural fillers. -Lemon, lavender, and clove are just a few favorites!
Have you just finished painting before the weather no longer permits open windows? Put some of the extra paint in a jar to keep on hand for easy touch ups!
Want to clean your microwave but don't want to scrub? Put half a lemon in a bowl of water and turn your microwave on for a couple minutes. All of the stuck-on food will loosen & you can effortlessly wipe it clean!
Mix 1 cup vinegar & 1/2 cup baking soda with some hot water & pour into an empty tub. Allow to sit for 5 minutes. Begin filling the tub with hot water until it is about 1/4 filled, & let it sit 5 more minutes. Use the solution to wipe any dirty areas above the water line, then simply release the drain & rinse!
Organize your garage space by repurposing your old spice rack!
Love your pets but hate their hair? Wet a rubber cleaning glove & wipe fabric or hard surfaces with ease!
Did you know you can save money on Mr. Clean Erasers by simply sprinkling #BakingSoda on a clean, wet rag and wiping crayons, dirt, and more from your walls, effortlessly! Wipe the excess baking soda off and you're finished!
You don't have to keep dumping money down the drain on expensive unclogging products! ๐๐ป๐๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ, pour 1 cup of vinegar down the drain, followed by 1 cup of baking soda & immediately cover with the plug. Wait 30 minutes & then pour boiling hot water down the drain to flush clean!
Not only are fresh onions great for grilling in kabobs, but they are also very good for cleaning your grill! Rubbing a half on a hot grill can loosen and lift away grime so you don't have to scrub so much!
Don't get suckered into the early extravagant displays of flowers at big box stores; they have spent their infancy in a nice, warm greenhouse! Remember that annuals are just tropicals in the wrong neighborhood. Popping them into the cold ground can cause a significant shock. Cold hardy annuals like pansies and violas can be planted safely in early to mid April depending on the weather. For timing, consider also the area of your property where you wish to plant. Sunnier areas can accept annuals earlier than cooler shaded spots.
When is the best time to lay the first round of fertilizer in the spring? Itโs important to get the first fertilizer application down right after the frost is gone from the ground, but also before the soil temperature gets too warm and weed seeds begin to germinate. This is typically mid-April to early May. You don't want to lay it too soon, when the ground is still slightly frozen because the fertilizer will simply run-off into local streams and other bodies of water, causing contamination.